Technical Reports/Books/Manuals
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://192.168.202.180:4000/handle/123456789/7
Browse
13 results
Search Results
Item A quantitative analysis of incidental capture of seaturtles and mortalities during commmercial shrimp trawling along the coastal waters of Orissa(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2002) Gopi, G.V.; Pandav, Bivash; Choudhury, B.C.This study aimed to assess the efficiency of TED in reducing the mortality rate of sea turtles, with a view to lobby for the introduction and promotion of this approach in trawl nets in India. The aim was also to provide a realistic cost benefit analysis in terms of the economic loss to the fishing agencies on using the TED.Item Cumulative impact study of a 10 km radius landscape area around Ranthambhore tiger reserve towards identifying critical zones for wildlife and ensuring environment-friendly mining practices(Wildlife Institute of India, 2023) Jha, R.R.S.,; Zangmo, S.; Das, P.; Gopi, G.V.The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wild Life (SC-NBWL) had been receiving several mining proposals for consideration from around Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve (RTR), and often in a piecemeal manner. This had made it difficult for SC-NBWL to assess these projects’ overall impacts on wildlife and forest connectivity in RTR’s surrounding landscape. On the receipt of two mining proposals, a decision was taken in the SC-NBWL’s 70th meeting held in October 2022 to defer all mining proposals around RTR until a ‘Cumulative Impact Study Report’ was prepared by the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun (WII) towards protecting wildlife habitats and corridors in RTR’s vicinity. Accordingly, an area of c. 3,798 sq.km within Rajasthan in a 10 km-radius width around RTR was delineated as the “Cumulative Impact Study Area” (or CISA) encompassing parts of the administrative districts of Karauli, Sawai Madhopur, Tonk, Bundi and Kota. The CISA also encompasses parts of RTR Division-I, RTR Division-II, Ramgarh-Vishdhari Tiger Reserve (RVTR), National Chambal Sanctuary Project, and Social Forestry/ Territorial Divisions of Karauli, Sawai Madhopur, Tonk, Bundi and Kota. RTR (core & buffer) itself though is not part of the CISA as the assignment concerns areas in its vicinity. The CISA is described in terms of its forests, wildlife (including surrounding Protected Areas and connectivity between them), land use/ land cover, geology, geomorphology, climate etc. Impacts of mining activities on ecosystems, biodiversity and the environment, in general, are also described. Utilising available data from ongoing or completed research projects within WII and other data as available from published literature and government repositories, an area of c. 2136 sq.km within the CISA (56.26%) has been determined as “critical zone” for wildlife, especially concerning their persistence in the larger Ranthambhore landscape. These are areas with the occupancy and/ or (modelled) potentially suitable habitat of globally threatened and/ or locally rare Schedule-I mammalian species, as per the amended (until 2022) Wild Life Protection Act, 1972, such as tiger Panthera tigris (EN), leopard Panthera pardus (VU), caracal Caracal caracal (LC, but India’s most threatened wild cat species), Indian grey wolf Canis lupus pallipes (LC, but genetically distinct subspecies and locally rare), dhole (or Asiatic wild dog) Cuon alpinus (EN), Indian pangolin Manis crassicaudata (EN) and sloth bear Melursus ursinus (VU), including their identified movement corridors. The delineated critical zone also includes areas within PAs around RTR and areas satisfying the current legal definition of an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ), within which all commercial mining is prohibited, as per the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s (MoEF&CC) February 2011 guidelines on the matter. Within the CISA, a “non-critical zone” from the perspective of inhabiting wildlife of c. 1,661 sq.km (43.74%) is identified where mining activities may be appropriately appraised, subject to site-specific critical and cumulative impact assessments of the received proposals. If received/ pending proposals are positively appraised, the lessees/ user agencies must strictly adhere to all relevant extant laws, rules and guidelines issued by the Union and State governments from time to time, along with following all relevant orders passed by Hon’ble higher courts of judicature and statutory clearance conditions issued by national and state-level authorities. Pillar locations’ coordinates (intermediate/ all corners) and other associated details of a total 145 mining leases within the CISA were informed through the concerned district offices of the Department of Mining and Geology (DMG), Govt. of Rajasthan. Of these, majority (100) mining leases are located within Karauli district, while there are none in the Tonk district. It is, however, unclear if the data provided through DMG offices is comprehensive or complete. The statuses of these leases – whether operational/ lease expired/ applied for renewal etc. – is also either unclear or not known. Given these facts, we found that a total of sixty (60) mining leases – twenty-seven (27), six (06), three (03) and twenty-four (24) in Karauli, Sawai Madhopur, Bundi and Kota districts, respectively – are located within the “critical zone” for wildlife delineated in this assessment. Of these 60 leases, thirteen (13) are located either partly or wholly within the legally valid ESZs (as on date of submission of this report) where commercial mining and associated industries is listed as a prohibited activity, while as many as twenty-two (22) mining leases are located within identified wildlife corridors (all in the Ranthambhore-Ramgarh Vishdhari Mukundara corridor). Three (03) mining leases – two in Bundi district (ML nos. 389/1998, 333/2002) and one in Kota district (23/2003) – are, in fact, located within both ESZs and wildlife corridors. We observe an enormous scope to regulate and streamline mining activities around RTR towards a more sustainable framework accounting for the needs of both people/ industries and wildlife. While sufficient information on flora and fauna exists (and is being generated) within RTR, a general lack of scientific investigations coupled with insufficient monitoring of wildlife in RTR’s immediate vicinity limits this assessment exercise. This is especially concerning since RTR acts as a significant source population of threatened wildlife, including tiger, in the Central India-Eastern Ghats (CIEG) landscape, enabling their long-term persistence in and gradual range expansion into other parts of Rajasthan and the larger CIEG. Hence, we recommend carrying out comprehensive wildlife diversity, distribution, movements, species-habitat relationships, human-wildlife interactions and other such studies towards generating relevant information on these aspects in RTR’s vicinity. If several mining and/ or allied industries (such as mineral grinding/ processing plants) are proposed/ exist closely situated to each other, we also recommend conducting cumulative impact (of mining and allied industrial units) assessment studies funded through the State government ascertaining impacts of these activities on biodiversity, ecosystems, environment, and on the lives and livelihoods of human communities living nearby by reputed research institutions having such expertise, using modern research and analytical tools. Such studies may be commissioned immediately for the already existing cluster of proposals in the CISA where mining and/ or allied activities have been taking place since the past few decades (Karauli, Bundi and Kota clusters). The formation and effective functioning of a participatory monitoring mechanism is necessary to ensure that the short- and long-term requirements and concerns of the most important stakeholders – wild life and local human communities – are not overlooked. We also provide relevant shape and Keyhole Markup Language (KML) files along with full resolution images and maps generated from this project as a “Decision Support System” to the NBWL towards more informed proposal appraisals in the future. Informed decision making with respect to resource extractive projects backed with robust and regular on ground data/ monitoring of statutory and relevant laws, rules, guidelines, policies and compliance conditions will greatly facilitate the persistence of threatened species, and ensure the long-term survival and persistence of threatened wildlife in the biodiversity rich and crucial larger Ranthambhore landscape.Item Ecology of leopard Panthera pardus in relation to prey abundance and land use pattern in Kashmir Valley(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2014) Habib, Bilal; Gopi, G.V.; Noor, Athar; Mir, Zaffar RaisGlobally, leopard (Panthera pardus) is the most widely distributed and persecuted cat amongst large cat species. In India, it largely coexists with other feline species like the tiger (Panthera tigris) across much of its distribution range and with lion (Panthera leo) and clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) in certain areas of its distribution range. Owing to its very high adaptability for surviving in varieties of habitats and opportunistic feeding behavior, it is often found to be at the center of the human-wildlife conflict. Retaliatory persecution, poaching, habitat loss and declining natural prey are some of the factors which lead to its population decline, despite being accorded protection through national and international legislations. In Kashmir Himalayas it is at the top of the food chain and an apex predator that aids in regulating prey populations. However, there has been an increase in the human-leopard conflicts in the valley which, if left unnoticed, will worsen the conservation prospects of this threatened felid. Hence, this long term study was initiated to address two major issues: 1. Conservation and management planning of the leopards in the valley is impeded by the paucity of reliable empirical ecological information and 2. Current threat levels will have to be assessed to understand and predict the impacts of anthropogenic pressure on leopards. The objectives of the study were to estimate leopard population and prey abundance, to study the leopard feeding habits and to determine the ranging behavior of leopards. Dachigam National Park was selected to undertake ecological studies on leopards. Only the lower Dachigam was chosen as an intensive study area as the upper reaches of Dachigam are mostly high alpine areas where leopards do not inhabit. In order to study prey abundance, line transect methodology was adopted. Transects (n = 13) were laid and monitored in the study area to obtain seasonal prey abundance. In order to estimate smaller prey (rodents) abundance, Sherman traps (n = 49) were used to estimate density. Feeding habits of the leopards were studied by collecting leopard scats (n = 714) which were later analysed using standard protocols. The population of leopard in the study area was estimated using camera traps (n = 12 pairs), deployed in 2x2 km grids in the study area to individually identify leopards with their unique coat patterns. The ranging pattern of leopards was studied by tracking the leopards (n = 3) fitted with Vectronics GPS collars. Amongst large prey, Himalayan grey langur and Hangul were sighted with enough records to be amenable to analysis in program DISTANCE version 6.0. In total 170 groups of langur comprising of 2679 individuals and 206 groups of hangul comprising of 829 individuals were sighted across different seasons in the study area. Overall density (±SE) of langur was estimated to be 16.32 ± 1.87 km ² and of hangul 5.11 ± 0.51 km-² in the study area. Langur density was highest (22.05 ± 5.12/km²) in winter season and lowest (9.35 ± 3.03/km²) in summer season whereas, Hangul density was found to be highest (9.51 ± 1.71/km²) in spring season and lowest (2.31 ± 0.51/km²) in summer season. In case of rodents, the density was found to be highest during summer season (2014 ± 830.71/km²) and lowest during winter season (1172.6 ± 442.74/km²). In case of dietary spectrum of leopard in Dachigam, small rodents contributed the maximum (48.05%) in terms of percent frequency of occurrence followed by langur (14.04%). Hangul contributed 2.05% while Himalayan serow contributed only 0.20% and rhesus macaque contributed the least (0.10%) to the diet of leopard. Minimum sample size required to study food habits of leopard varied from 66 to 86 scat samples in different seasons. Jacobs' index calculated from biomass availability and biomass consumption indicates that small rodents and langur were preferred in all the four seasons. Preference of hangul was slightly higher (-0.79) during winter season as compared to summer season (-0.90). A total of 396 trap nights resulted in a total of 14 leopard photographs with 3 individual leopards. Amongst the three individuals, 2 males and 1 female was photo-captured. Although, the Null (M ) model 0 was selected based on highest criterion score, we selected the Heterogeneity (M ) model because h leopards are territorial animals and it accounts for heterogeneous capture pobabilities between individuals. The density estimate produced by average home range radius (HHR) was 2.11 ± 1.06 2 individuals per 100 km which was found best as density of the leopard in the study area. The relative abundance index of the leopard in the sampling duration turned out to be 3.5 per 100 trap nights. The maximum home range (100% MCP) of the 2 female F74 was ~ 74 km which was recorded during summer season. The summer home range (100% MCP) of the male was 1.96 times larger than the female leopard. The least home range (~ 41.4 2 km ; 100% MCP) came up during the winter season. The increasing trend represented by the ranges (100% MCPs) of this female was winter < spring 2 2 (48.42 km ) < autumn (67.9 km ) < summer. The leopards showed large variation in daily distances moved during the lean season of summer. Daily displacements of the leopards were not normally distributed Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test) for the male: M73 (D = 0.119, df = 105, p = 0.001), female: F71 (D = 0.191, df = 105, p = 0.000) and female: F74 (D = 0.092, df = 105, p = 0.029). Daily displacement was longer for the male leopard (median displacement = 588 m) than the female leopard (median displacement = 367.44 m). The total distance travelled by the male leopard (398.71 km) was greater than the female leopards: F74 (374.16 km) and F71 (62.91 km). In case of female leopard F74, the median daily distance travelled was highest during the winter season (0.664 km) followed by autumn (0.528 km), spring (0.506 km) and summer (0.367 km) Findings of this study indicate that leopards are facing prey scarcity in the area, thus making them to rely upon suboptimal prey and occupy home ranges larger than other studies in the subcontinent. Leopards being opportunistic feeders have also started feeding on domestic prey in absence of sufficient wild prey, thereby elevating the human - leopard conflict in the region. Human - animal conflict being the major threat to large carnivores all across their distribution range is a big impediment in leopard conservation in he study area as well. 1. Estimation of prey density across different sites and developing a relationship between density of prey base and leopard abundance. 2. Study variation of food habits across different sites and seasons in Kashmir valley. 3. Estimate density, abundance and distribution of leopard across different study sites. 4. Study movement pattern, home range size and social organization of leopards across different sitesItem Establishment of knowledge management system for East Godavari River Estuarine Ecosystem (EGREE) Andhra Pradesh(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2017) Sivakumar, K. ; Johnson, J.A.; Gopi, G.V.; Lal, Panna; Rajashekhar, P.V.; Bhadury, P.; Kumar, Ritesh; Rao, Tulsi K.; Kathula, Tarun; Malla, Giridhar; Ray, Paromita; Bagaria, Priyamvada; Anand, Dipak; Prasad, LeelaGlobal warming has already affected the marine and coastal ecosystems at greater extent. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, sea levels in India are expected to rise at the rate of 2.4 mm a year; in 2050, the total increase will be 38 cm. 2. East Godavari River Estuarine Ecosystem (EGREE) encompassing the Godavari mangroves is the second largest area of mangroves along the east coast of India. The area is rich in floral and faunal diversity, and generates significant ecological and economic benefits such as shoreline protection, sustaining livelihoods and carbon sink services. 3. It is situated at the confluence of Godavari River with Bay of Bengal in the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. The geographical scope of this study lies between 16°59'23" N, 82°18'16" E and 16°34'57" N, 82°18'38" E. 4. EGREE encompasses the vast delta of Godavari River along with other coastal habitats such as mangroves, river channel, floodplains, natural levees, bay, mudflats, tidal creeks, sand spits, beaches etc. 5. Presence of a 17 km-long spit, called Hope Island provides natural shelter to the coast and city of Kakinada. It has allowed the establishment of a major fishing harbor and the Kakinada Port, thereby accruing high economic values to the region. 6. In recognition of its national and global biodiversity significance, the northern part is also protected as Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary (CWLS), which encompasses around 235.70 sq.km of mangrove forests. 7. The main production sectors currently operating in EGREE are fisheries, aquaculture, salt pans, tourism and manufacturing activities such as, oil and gas exploration, fertilizers, edible oil, rice products. Kakinada, a city located in EGREE is also one of the important ports of Andhra Pradesh and is being developed further into a ‘Smart City’. 8. These activities are impacting the overall ecological integrity of EGREE particularly the mangrove ecosystems, with associated impacts on the livelihoods of local communities. 9. The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and the Government of Andhra Pradesh with support from UNDP and GEF initiated the project 'Mainstreaming Coastal and Marine Biodiversity into Production Sectors in the East Godavari River Estuarine Ecosystem, Andhra Pradesh'. 10. In order to advice and monitor the implementation of this GOI-UNDP-GEF Project in EGREE, a National Project Steering Committee (NPSC) was constituted under the chairmanship of Additional Director General of Forests (Wildlife), Ministry of Environment and Forests (now Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change). The 1st meeting of the National Project Steering Committee (NPSC) of the project was held on 28th June 2011 in the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, New Delhi. In the meeting, it was decided that Wildlife Institute of India (WII) would establish a Knowledge Management System envisioned under the project and co-ordinate all activities related therein. 11. Main goal of the project was to establish a Knowledge Management System (KMS) for East Godavari River Estuarine Ecosystem in Andhra Pradesh. It had four objectives viz. identifying research gaps, study the impacts of climate change, identify and assess the ecosystem services, and conducting a national workshop on mainstreaming biodiversity conservation into production sectors in EGREE.Item Manual for comprehensive environmental and socio-economic monitoring in Kailash Sacred landscape, India(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2017) Rawat, G.S.; Gopi, G.V.Need for systematic documentation of rapidly vanishing bio-resources in the Himalayan region and long term monitoring of environmental parameters in the wake of changing climate has long been felt by the ecologists and natural resource managers. Long term ecological and socio-economic monitoring (LTESEM) was visualized as one of the major components of Kailash Sacred Landscape Conservation and Development Initiative (KSLCDI) since early stage of programme formulation. Accordingly, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), under its transboundary landscape programme, organized a series of expert consultations and workshops to finalize key parameters and protocols for monitoring. During the first phase of programme implementation (2013-’17), the Kailash partners tested these protocols in their respective countries. It was decided that the detailed methods used for monitoring various parameters would be compiled and disseminated among researchers, teachers and students desirous of initiating ecological observations and monitoring. Keeping this in view, we have brought out this manual covering various tools and techniques giving specific examples from Indian part of Kailash Sacred Landscape (KSL).Item Assessment of habitat use by Black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis) and elflows of Nyamjang Chu Hydroelectric project in Tawang District, Arunachal Pradesh.(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2018) Gopi, G.V.; Johnson, J.A.; Adhikari, B.S.; Bhattacharya, M.; Wattham, T.; Sivakumar, K.Item A rapid field survey of tigers and prey in Dibang Valley district, Arunachal Pradesh(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2014) Gopi, G.V.; Qureshi, Qamar; Jhala, Y.V.The Dibang valley district is the largest district of Arunachal Pradesh with an area of 9129 sq km and is also the least populated district of the country with approximately 1 person/sq km. The district shares international borders in the north, North West and Eastern sides with Tibet (China), the South Western region is bound by Upper Siang district and the Southern Side is bound by lower Dibang Valley district. This district was chosen to survey for tigers and their prey due to the recent rescue of tiger cubs from the district in Angrim valley during december 2012. Our survey confirms the occurrence of tigers in the district. We camera trapped the first ever image of an adult tiger from the Dibang valley Wildlife Sanctuary. We also observed 10 pubmarks and collected 11 scats in and around the WLS. All the 24 people whom we informally interviewed confirmed the presence of tigers in the WLS and reported either having had a direct sighting, observed indirect evidences or heard about livestock depredation incidents by the tigers. Preliminary assessment of prey suggest that the WLS holds a good diversity and abundance of prey like Takin Budorcis taxicolor taxicolor, wild pig Sus crofa, Goral Naemorhaedus goral, Musk deer Moschus fuscus, Barking deer Muntiacus muntjak, Himalayan Serow Capricornis thar and Mithun Bos frontalis which can sustain a good population of tigers in the DWLS. The DWLS has the potential of becoming a tiger reserve in future as it may harbour a very important source population of tigers in this region, However the next immediate priority must be to ensure that this vital tiger population is protected and continuously monitored. This can be achieved by a collaborative effort between NTCA, WII, GoAP and most importantly the local people by conducting long term research to establish robust ecological and genetic baselines that can aid in long term conservation and monitoring of tigers, co-predators, prey and their habitats in this unique landscape that in part of a global biodiversity hotspot.Item Assessment of habitat use by black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis) and eflows of Nyamjang Chu Hydroelectric Project in Tawang district, Arunachal Pradesh(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2018) Gopi, G.V.; Johnson, J.A.; Adhikari, B.S.; Bhattacharya, M.; Wattham, T.; Sivakumar, K.Nyamjang Chu River flowing in Zemithang valley of Tawang district, Arunachal Pradesh is on e of the only two known Black-necked crane wintering sites in India. In 2006, the Government of Arunachal Pradesh awarded the development of a hydropower project in the Nymjang Chu River at Zemithang valley to Bhilwara Energy Limited. On behalf of BEL WAPCOS ltd and RS Envirolink technologies pvt. limited carried out the EIA and EMP were strongly opposed and challenged by many scientific as well as social institutions. Citing flaws in the methods adopted for floral and faunal studies the baseline setting for the ecological aspects and prediciton of impacts on wildlife habitat and environment of the region. Recently the honorable National Green Tribunal (NGT) observed gross errors in the EIA and EMP such as omission of key, rare and threatened species such as omission of key, rare and threatened species such as the Black-necked crane in the report and ordererd that the WII to conduct a detailed study in this regard. The primary scope of the WII study was to assess the habitat requirements of the Black-necked crane and Assess the environmental flows requirement for protection and conservation of Black-necked crane habitats at the proposed Nyamjang Chu Hydroelectric project site in Zemithang valleyItem Status of wildlife between Kota barrage and Jawahar Sagar Dam, Rajasthan(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2021) Johnson, J.A.; George, Arun; Sharma, Megha; Kavin, D.; Sreelekha Suresh; Gopi, G.V.; Hussain, S.A.The present study examined the impacts of post-construction phase of the cable-stayed bridge on the aquatic wildlife and river habitat quality of the Chambal River between Kota barrage and Jawahar Sagar dam, Rajasthan. The study was carried out between March and November 2021. The study area was divided into 5 segments (each comprising 5 Km length of river) and the segment 1 stats from the Kota barrage. We recorded good signs/ activities of smooth-coated otters in the study area. This species is listed under “Schedule II” of IWPA 1972 and "Vulnerable" as per the IUCN Red List. A total of 10 sites within five river segments were surveyed for otter signs during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. Out of which five sites (50%) have shown positive otter signs (fresh spraints, tracks, and direct sightings) during pre-monsoon, whereas in the post-monsoon season the number of otters occupied sites have reduced to four sites (40%). The otter occupancy map indicated, the segment 2 (just above the bridge area) had high level of otter presence. We recorded good population of bird diversity between Kota barrage and Jawahar sagar dam. A total of 132 bird species, which includes 45 wetland birds (N=1569), 21 species of raptors (N=928), and 66 species of other terrestrial birds (N=1351) were recorded. These include two Critically Endangered (Indian Vulture and Red-headed Vulture), one Endangered (Egyptian Vulture), one Vulnerable (Woolly-necked Stork) and four Near Threatened species (River Tern, Black-headed Ibis, Oriental Darter and Alexandrian parakeet). During the study period, the raptors, Indian Vulture (Gyps indicus) and Egyptian vultures (Neophron percnopterus) were very commonly recorded and more number of nests were recorded in the third segment of the study stretch. In addition to vulture nests, we also observed nests of Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata) and Dusky eagle-owl (Bubo coromandus) in the riverside escarpments. We also recorded nests of three waterbird species, which include Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), Black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) and Woolly necked stork (Ciconia episcopus). Avian richness was varying with the season maximum number of waterbirds were observed during pre-monsoon (S=40), this same trend was followed by raptors (S=15) and other terrestrial birds (S=57). The bird occupancy map indicated that the segment 1 and segment 2 supported high abundance birds. We also recorded two species of aquatic reptiles, which are Mugger (Crocodylus palustris) and Indian roofed turtle (Pangshura tecta). Though, the river banks are mostly of rocky and large boulders with limited sand beach, we found quite a few nesting sites of muggers along the river banks. A total of 34 individuals and 23 individuals of muggers were recorded during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon respectively. The study area also supports good population of freshwater fishes. Rapid Assessment Report - 6 - During the study we recorded 46 species of fishes from the study area. Fishes belonging to the carp family were dominant in species richness (S=22). Among the 46 species of fish, three species are listed under threatened categories as per the IUCN Red List. During the study period the important physicochemical parameters of the water was monitored and the values were significantly varied between the river segments (p<0.05). The pH was found to be slightly alkaline across the river segments ranged from 7.08±0.02 and 8.55±0.01. Like conductivity, total dissolved solids in water (TDS) varied, ranging from 91.54 ppm at the second segment of the river in postmonsoon to 150 ppm at the second segment in pre-monsoon. All water quality parameters were found within the normal range of river water quality. Based on our findings we conclude that the cable-stayed hanging bridge of Kota does not have any negative impact on the wildlife of the Chambal River. The bridge is on the stable rocky gorge area, around 30 m above the water level across the river Chambal without any supporting billers from the riverbed. Thus, there is no direct contact between the river and bridge structure. Further, the technology used in this structure is marvellous, because it is totally vibration and notice proof. In this study we had some significant observations very close to this cable bridge such as an active nest of Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) very close to this bridge (25° 8'23.14"N, 75°47'36.64"E), which is just 80 meters away from the bridge and a nest of Woolly-necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus) just 200 meters downstream from the bridge (25° 8'20.90"N, 75°47'33.11"E). Generally, Woolly-necked Storks are assumed to prefer isolated areas for nesting (Mehta 2020). Previous studies indicated that disturbance is one of the major factors for avoiding nesting habitat by Storks (Bouton et al., 2005). We also observed the permanent roosting sites of the Indian eagle-owl (Bubo bengalensis) nearer to this bridge (25° 8'16.12"N, 75°47'27.02"E). Likewise, we observed number of direct sighting of otters and crocodiles near as well as downstream regions of bridge when compared to other segments of the rivers. Moreover, the water quality parameters examined were within the normal range of river water quality. Thus, the present study revealed that the presence of cable-stayed bridge does not have any negative impact on the aquatic wildlife and quality of habitats in the Chambal River.Item Review of site-specific wildlife management plan(January 2021) of North Koel Reservoir Project (Mandal Dam)(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2021) Jha, R.R.S.; Gopi, G.V.This review consists of three parts. In the first part, largely through secondary sources, we provide a background of the North Koel Reservoir Project and information on Palamau Tiger Reserve (PTR) where the project is situated. We mention how the task of reviewing the Site-specific Wildlife Management Plan (January 2021) in lieu of diversion of 1007.29 hectares area (ha) of forest land for the project came to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). We also describe our review objectives, methodology and approach towards the task, as well as limitations, as communicated to the Department of Forest, Environment & Climate Change, Government of Jharkhand. In the second part, we first provide general comments and observations on the plan and thereafter chapter-wise analyse and evaluate the same, with respect to our objectives and based on relevant guidelines framed and circulated by the office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW), Government of Jharkhand in this regard in 2015. We provide detailed observations and suggestions towards strengthening each chapter. We then mention details of our field visit including our learnings and insights gained from interactions with different stakeholders. In the third and concluding part, we provide recommendations towards improving the plan to benefit inhabiting wildlife and ecosystems in and around the project site and in its impact zone, as well as PTR as a whole. The second and third parts, thus, contain primary inputs in the form of actionable comments and suggestions from WII. We recommend a multi-seasonal year-long biodiversity assessment in the project impact zone. We also suggest exercising caution and applying scientific rationale in the use of barriers to reduce negative human-wildlife interactions and/ or to limit illegal activities. We also recommend setting aside budget towards empowering ecodevelopment committees in various management and conservation activities; upgrading facilities, providing training, equipment and field gear, and welfare for frontline staff (both temporary and permanent); and a comprehensive research program for PTR. We recommend drawing up detailed plans for ecotourism in PTR, providing alternative livelihood opportunities for the local indigenous population, habitat creation and habitat management towards wild herbivores’ population augmentation etc to enable further scrutiny of such plans, among other suggested interventions. Relevant appendices are provided towards the end