Technical Reports

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    A study on sympatric carnivores (Tiger, leopard and wild dog) in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Tamilnadu, India : final report
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2011) Sankar, K.
    A detailed long-term study on prey selection, food habits and population status of sympatric large carnivores (tiger, leopard and dhole) was documented in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu from January 2008 to April 2010.The objectives of the study were to estimate density, group size and composition for prey species of sympatric carnivores, study the food habits and prey selectivity of sympatric carnivores and to estimate the population of sympatric carnivores. The study area was divided into 3 x 3 km2 grids for line transect sampling. In each grid, a line transect (1.5 to 3.13 km) was laid (n = 33) along which the prey density was estimated for two successive years (January 2008 to December 2010). Prey species availability was estimated using line transect method in an intensive study area of 180 km2 comprising dry thorn, deciduous and semi-evergreen forests. The total length of line transects was 41.3 km. Each line transect was walked thrice in the dry season (January to April) and wet season (May to December) yielding a total effort of 369.45 km. Vehicle transects were used to estimate group size and composition of prey species in the intensive study area. Five vehicle transect routes ranging from 15 to 23 km were monitored. Total transect length of 93.5 km was monitored twice a month resulting in a total effort of 3740 km.
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    Evaluation of the functional status and quality of corridors connecting fragmented populations of tiger in the Indian part of Terai Arc landscape : Final Technical report
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2010) Rajapandian, K.; Anwar, M.; Goyal, S.P.
    Most rare and critically endangered species such as tiger (Panthera tigris) exist in human dominated landscapes as small, fragmented and isolated populations in most part of its range. A prerequisite for conservation efforts and management is to identify the factors which affect the distribution and abundance of the species of interest and connectivity between populations occupying the remaining fragments. Tiger populations have dramatically declined in recent years in the Indian part of Terai Arc Landscape (TAL). This top priority landscape for tiger conservation was once continuous across the Himalayan foothills but is now highly fragmented and most of the remaining large, intact habitats are located within protected areas. As tigers cannot sustain viable populations in small habitat fragments, an assessment of potential suitable habitat and connectivity among the remaining habitat patches is required to assess possibilities to ensure the creation of a single functioning metapopulation unit for tiger. Therefore, there is a need to monitor condition of tiger’s habitat (Smith et al. 1998). The effectiveness of potential corridors depends on the quality of habitat with in the corridor, the matrix that surrounds the corridor and redundancy of the corridor network (Collinge, 1998; Haddad et al. 2003). Out of ten corridors identified in TAL (Johnsingh et al., 2004), seven corridors were taken on priority basis for understanding quality and functionality assessment. Five and two corridors exist in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh state of India, respectively. In view of understanding functionality of corridor, the objectives of this study was aimed (i) To describe the functional status (use and intensity) of the corridors with reference to tiger, (ii) To study the biological characteristics (vegetation composition, prey distribution and abundance, and disturbance status) that determines the corridor quality and (iii) To use, and to document the socioeconomic issues affecting the corridor existence and its use. Under this study, we describe basic data obtained for these seven corridors for their habitat characteristics, use by tiger and level of disturbance under Part I. This would provide base line information for comparison in future. Data analysis undertaken in Part II of this report are use of ecological modeling models to assess functionality of these corridors using remote sensing data and other aspects
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    Field guide: Monitoring tigers, co-predators, prey and their habitats
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2013) Jhala, Y.V.; Qureshi, Qamar; Gopal, Rajesh; Amin, R.
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    Status of tiger and prey species in Panna Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh: capture-recapture and distance sampling estimates
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2013) Ramesh, K.; Johnson, J.A.; Sen, S.; Murthy, R.S.; Sarkar, M.S.; Malviya, M.; Bhardwaj, S.; Roamin, S.
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    Tigers of the Transboundary Terai Arc Landscape: Status, distribution and movement in the Terai of India and Nepal
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2014) Chanchani, P.; Lamichhane, B.R.; Malla, S.; Maurya, K.; bista, A.; Warrier, R.; Nair, S.; Almeida, M.; Ravi, R.; Sharma, R.; Dhakal, M.; Yadav, S.P.; Thapa, M.; Jnawali, S.R.; Pradhan, N.M.B.; Thapa, G.J.; Yadav, H.; Jhala, Y.V.; Qureshi, Qamar
    While the conservation of tigers is emphasized in protected areas throughout their range countries, the species continues to be distributed in forests of varying protection status, and in habitats that span international borders. Although India and Nepal share a long border in the Terai belt, this area that was once forested is now largely agricultural, and wildlife is restricted to remnant forest patches. This study details the status of tiger and ungulate prey species populations in around 5300 km2 transboundary Terai Arc Landscape (TAL), documents the movement of tigers between forests in India and Nepal based on camera trap data and makes specific recommendations for the conservation of tigers and their prey in Transboundary TAL. Notable protected area within the study area includes Chitwan and Bardia National Parks in Nepal and Dudhwa and Valmiki Tiger reserves in India. This study was carried out in 7 protected areas and reserve forests in India, and 5 protected areas, three biological corridors (protected forests) and adjoining forest patches in Nepal. Occupancy surveys for animal signs involved 4496 kilometres of foot surveys in Nepal and India. Between November 2012 and June 2013, these sites were sampled with a total of 1860 camera trap stations, with a total sampling effort of 36,266 trap nights. Nearly 9000 km2 of tiger habitat was sampled with camera traps. 3370 kilometres of line transects (n=239) were sampled in the landscape. Cumulatively, this sampling exercise is the largest survey effort of its kind in the Terai Arc Landscape to date, and involved partnerships between National and State government agencies, research institutions, non-governmental organizations and members of local communities who participated in the research. Data analysis was carried out using contemporary analytical methods including site occupancy models, spatial explicit capture recapture models and distance sampling framework. Site occupancy was estimated to be 0.55 (0.44-0.66) in Nepal and 0.77 (0.67-0.85) in the region between Nandhaur WLS and Suhelwa WLS in India. A total of 239 individual adult tigers were identifi ed from camera trap photos, of which 89 were adult males and 145 were adult females. 5 animals could not be ascribed a gender from camera trap data. Site-specific minimum tiger numbers varied from 3 in Banke National Park in Nepal to 78 in Chitwan National Park, also in Nepal. Tiger numbers and/or abundances in other sites within the Transboundary landscape were estimated to lie within this range, with notably large populations in Bardia National Park and Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, and smaller populations in Dudhwa National Park, and Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary and Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve. Tiger densities in the Transboundary Terai Arc Landscape range between 0.16/100 km2 in Banke National Park, Nepal to 4.9/ 100 km2 in Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary, India. Spatial heterogeneity in tiger densities has been mapped for the entire study area. Densities of principal ungulate prey species of tigers were found to vary widely across sites, and while density estimates in some protected areas in Nepal were as high as 92.6/km2 (Bardia National park), they were seven fold lower in other sites in India and Nepal (13.6 in Dudhwa National Park and 10.7 in Banke National Park). While habitat connectivity has severely been compromised in this landscape, tigers exist as one wholly-connected population in the protected areas of Chitwan National Park, Nepal and Valmiki Tiger Reserve, India as well as in Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve, Nepal and the Lagga-Bagga Block of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, India. Other than these sites we photo-documented movement of tigers between Nepal and India along the Khata corridor (between Bardia National Park and Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary) and Shuklaphanta - Tatarjanj - Pilibhit Corridor. We failed to document tiger movement in four other corridors: Boom-Brahmadev, Laljhadi, Basanta, and Kamdi. Forest connectivity has severely been compromised in these corridors by land use change. There are notably large differences in tiger and prey densities within and between sites. This study points to the infl uence of habitat (forest-grassland mosaics and riparian areas) on the distribution and density of tigers and their prey. However, these factors alone are likely to provide incomplete explanations for observed patterns. Observed patterns of tiger and prey densities are likely to also be on account of anthropogenic pressures on wildlife and their habitats in the form of poaching, livestock grazing and the entry of large numbers of wood and grass collectors deep into wildlife habitats. Another significant threat to the survival of tigers and other mammals arises from the proposed development of new roads in Nepal and India that may severely degrade the region’s fragile corridors. The establishment of new settlements near existing tiger habitats constitutes encroachment, and poses a significant challenge for conservation in some parts of this landscape. The continued use of two forest corridors between Nepal and India by tigers and other large mammals is encouraging. The dispersal of tigers between sites plays an important role in maintaining demographically stable and genetically robust populations. The most pressing task for conservation is to protect these corridors and to re-establish connectivity between other sites by restoring corridors that have been eroded by development and land-use change. There are also significant opportunities to build conservation and development programs that emphasize the protection of the Terai’s remnant wilderness areas, while also attending to legitimate needs of forest-dependent human communities. This report also identifies key interventions that are needed to secure the future of tigers in the Terai. These include policy initiatives, important interventions to create functional biological corridors, key enforcement and protection measures, prescriptions for community involvement in conservation and identifying important themes for future research and monitoring. To set tangible management and conservation targets, recommended actions under these themes have been listed separately for twenty four sites in the transboundary TAL. The future of tigers and other large mammals in Nepal and India are intertwined, as is the wellbeing of the peoples of the Terai who live along this forested frontier. Building effective partnerships for conservation between the governments, conservation organizations and civil society of India and Nepal, and working toward common goals are imperative to maintain and promote populations of tigers and other endangered wildlife in this unique eco-region.
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    The status o ftigers, copredators and prey in India 2014
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun and National Tiger Conservation Authority, 2014) Jhala, Y.V.; Qureshi, Qamar; Gopal, R.
    The tiger is an icon for conservation across forested systems of Asia. The Government of India has used the charismatic nature of the tiger to promote on conservation of biodiversity, ecosystem functions, goods and services by launching Project Tiger in 1972 and subsequently using legislation to gazette tiger reserves and by allocating appropriate resources for their conservation. Since 2006 the status of tigers in India is being assessed every four years across all potential habitats in 18 Indian states within the distribution range of the tiger. This document reports the results of the third country wide assessment conducted in 2013-14. undisturbed forests with good prey populations. Tiger population (excluding < 1 year cubs) was estimated to be 2226 (SE range 1945 to 2491) in India (Table 2.1). Amongst tiger reserves Corbett had the largest tiger population estimated at 215 (range 169-261) tigers, four tiger reserves (including Bandipur, Nagarhole and Kaziranga) had over 100 tigers. Tiger Reserves accounted for over 70% of all the tigers in India (Table 2.2). Leopard population in India was estimated to be 7910 (SE range 6566 to 9181) (Table 2.3). The state of Madhya Pradesh had the highest number of leopards at 1817 followed by Karnataka at 1129 leopards. The leopard population was estimated only within forested habitats in tiger occupied states, therefore, it should be considered as a minimum number since leopards, unlike tigers, are also found outside forests. This is the first attempt to estimate leopard abundance at landscape scales. Distribution range and spatial extent of all major mammalian species are provided in the report. Tiger occupancy and abundance has substantially increased in the Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains landscape, primarily due to improved status of tigers in the state of Uttrakhand. Rajaji-Corbett tiger population is now contiguous with Dudhwa-Pilibhit population since the intervening forests of Haldwani and Terai Divisions along with new protected areas like Nandhor Wildlife Sanctuary have tiger occupancy and reasonable tiger density. The landscape would benefit from supplementation of tigers in Western Rajaji that will assist in the occupancy of Shivalik forests in Uttar Pradesh and Kalesar Wildlife Sanctuary in Haryana. Maintaining and enhancing trans-boundary corridor connectivity between India and Nepal is an essential element of tiger, elephant and rhino conservation in this landscape. This connectivity is threatened by the new India-Nepal border road and special care is needed to ensure that proper mitigation measures are in place. Tiger status has improved within the Central Indian landscape with an increase in tiger occupancy and numbers. This increase is contributed primarily by the states of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Indravati Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh was assessed for the first time. Sampling was limited to accessible areas of Palamau Tiger Reserve in Jharkhand. Conservation efforts need to focus on tiger populations in Orissa (Simlipal-Satkosia tiger reserves), Palamau landscape and in Northern Andhra Pradesh (Kawal Tiger Reserve). Sanjay-Guru Gasidas-Palamau landscape holds promise for future expansion of tiger population provided planned conservation investment continues. Tiger populations in Central Indian landscape are highly fragmented and some are quite small in numbers, therefore, their survival is dependent on corridor connectivity. Corridors in this landscape are threatened by developmental activities like mining and infrastructure. Appropriate safeguards and mitigation measures need to be implemented for development projects in this region so as to ensure that corridor connectivity between tiger populations is not compromised. Madhya Pradesh has also taken initiative to provide resources for corridor restoration by implementing corridor specific management plans. Western Ghat Landscape has maintained its tiger status across all the three states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The world's largest tiger population (Nagarhole-Bandipur-Mudumalai-Wayanad- 2 Satyamangalam-BRT) has further increased to about 585 tigers covering 10,925 km . New Protected Areas declared by Karnataka on the boarder of Goa has assisted in tiger dispersal into Goa and their movement further north into Radhanagri and Sahayadri Tiger Reserve. This region needs more conservation focus as it viii STATUS OF TIGERS IN INDIA, 2014 holds great potential for tiger and biodiversity conservation. It would be timely to consider declaring inter-state tiger reserve between Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra. There is loss in tiger occupancy in the intervening habitat between Kudremukh-Bhadra and Anshi-Dandeli, threatening to disrupt connectivity between these tiger populations. Populations south of the Palghat gap (Parambikulum-Anamalai, Periyar, and Kalakad Munduntherai) have improved; attention is needed to conserve forest connectivity between these three major populations.Only select areas were sampled in the North Eastern Hills and Brahmaputra Flood Plains landscape, therefore, tiger occupancy and numbers from this region are minimal estimates. The tiger population in Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong-Paake-Nameri-Orang is the largest source in this landscape (about 163 tigers) and should be managed as a single metapopulation with strategies to address movement corridors between these populations. Dibang and Namdapha were assessed through Scat DNA and opportunistic camera traps and show good promise for tiger and biodiversity conservation but need more conservation investment. Manas-Buxa along with areas of Bhutan landscape have potential for sustaining higher number of tigers and are currently below their carrying capacity. Enhanced protection in this region will help build prey and subsequently tiger population in the long-term. However, the management focus for these Protected Areas should be for forest biodiversity and not become tiger centric, since tiger density in many of these close canopy forests would be inherently low. The entire Sundarban tiger reserve and parts of the Twenty Four Parganas were camera trapped in 2013-14. Tiger population of about 76 (62 to 92 tigers) has remained stable since 2010 and is likely to be near its carrying capacity. Sundarban tiger population is contiguous with that of Bangladesh and transboundary management including anti-poaching strategy and management of ship traffic in specific water channels needs to be implemented for long-term conservation of this unique tiger. Genetic analysis based on a panel of 11 micro-satellites of 158 tiger individuals from across India has shown that at the country scale the tiger population of the North-East is genetically different. The most unique genetic unit of tigers are from Odisha and these need high conservation priority as their population is on a declining trend. The western-arid zone tigers of Ranthambore-Sariska showed a different genetic composition from those of terai and central Indian tigers with some genetic contribution from both these regions. At the local scale the tiger populations south of the Palghat gap differed from the Northern Western Ghat population. The tigers from Sahyadri (northern Western Ghats) shared their genetic makeup with tigers from central India. This preliminary country scale genetic analysis shall assist in planning reintroduction and supplementation strategies for tigers in the future and to prioritize conservation investments to target unique gene pools. Reduction in tiger and prey poaching and in centivised-voluntary relocation of human settlements from core areas of tiger reserves have been the primary drivers for the improved tiger status in India. These schemes and activities need continuous resource allocation for ecosystem maintenance and restoration. The implementation of MSTrIPES, landscape scale tiger management plans inclusive of buffer and corridors, and use of green infrastructure for mitigating impacts of development especially on corridors, need to become the norm across India. Tigers are conservation dependent species, political will driven by public opinion to ensure proper resource allocation is essential for their continued survival.
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    Tiger corridors of the Eastern Vidarbha landscape
    (NTCA and Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2016) Mondal, Indranil; Habib, Bilal; Nigam, Parag; Talukdar, Gautam
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    Evaluation of prey availability and habitat suitability for tigers and its ranging patterns in Sanjay Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2017) Ramesh, K.; Sankar, K.; Kumar, Deleep; Nigam, Parag; Qureshi, Qamar; Raman, K.; Rajasekar, R.; Chaudhuri, Sankarshan; Sundaram, Snehaa; Hazra, Poushali
    Tiger conservation in human dominated landscape such as Sanjay Tiger Reserve (STR) has always been challenging for the managers and conservation planners. Anthropogenic factors have affected the area negatively, causing habitat degradation, depletion of prey base and unviable tiger population. STR is considered to be low density tiger population area and require recovery strategy, involving translocation from other areas, since natural colonization is not possible to boost the population to viable state. As a precursor to active population recovery, the project was conceived and implemented to establish baseline on prey availability and habitat suitability for tigers, which also involved understanding ranging patterns of tigers using radiotelemetry. Prey availability in terms of density of wild ungulate was estimated and was found to be low (8.2 ± 0.8 animals per km2), but there is an increasing population trend during the study period (2014- 2017), largely owing to active protection measures. Amongst the wild ungulates, density of chital was the highest (3.0±0.6/km2) followed by wild pig (2.0±0.6/km2), nilgai (1.8±0.3/km2), chinkara (1.1±0.3/km2) and four horned antelope (1.0±0.4/km2). Livestock (11.6±5.5/km2) was the most abundant animal using the reserve throughout, also contributing to prey base to some extent. Home range of one radio-collared adult male tiger was estimated to be 208.6km2 during May 2015 to July 2015 and the animal got killed to a territorial fight with another male tiger. Similarly, home range of radio-collared (captive-raised) tigress was estimated to be 154.1 km2 during October 2016 - May 2017. Exploring large areas could be attributed to limitation of mate choice and a depleted prey base. Habitat suitability of tiger was assessed based on habitat covariates and it was found that 44% of the total area of tiger reserve is potentially suitable habitat in the current status of prey availability, but the suitability can increase to 61% if prey base can be restored in other areas of the reserve. Carrying capacity of tiger was determined for STR based on the current prey density. It was found that STR can support 11 tigers in this present situation. Population Viability Analysis (PVA) with the carrying capacity of 11 tigers and current population (four individuals, one adult male, two adult females and one juvenile) of tiger in STR showed a poor survival probability (0.12 ±0.03) over a time span of 25 years. However, given the availability of habitat space and potential to increase prey base, doubling of carrying capacity from 11 to 22 tigers is possible with a supplementation of two tigers in every three years until year ten and it will ensure very high survival probability (0.87±0.03). Active recovery strategy should target the futuristic carrying capacity and management actions would have to be geared towards this. In this context, active population recovery and long-term monitoring strategy has been proposed towards successful population recovery and establishment of viable tiger population, along with other habitat covariates.
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    Tiger Recovery Strategy and long term monitoring in Sahyadri Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra: Feasibility Assessment and Strategic Action Plan
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2018) Ramesh, K.; Ben, V.C.; Jelil, S.N.; Gaykar, A.; Pal, R.S.; Pokhariya, K.; Sherwani, N.; Kale, R.; Mujawar, A.
    The Sahyadri Tiger Reserve, nestled in the northern Western Ghats in India, is the only tiger reserve in western Maharashtra. Sahyadri boasts a long and glorious history of the reign of Shivaji Maharaj and his successors. This study deals with the habitat assessment undertaken in STR. We used GIS and RS to better understand the landscape. We also carried out field vegetation surveys to understand of the density of trees and look at the overall vegetation and forest cover of STR. The status of tiger and carnivore prey present in STR were studied. Wild ungulate density was estimated to be 9.5 (2.79 SE) per km2, livestock density 10.81 (6.00 SE) per km2 and primate density 11.18 (5.00 SE) per km2. The major ungulate species recorded were the gaur, sambar, barking deer, wild boar, mouse deer and four horned antelope. Other preferable prey carnivores are primates and livestock.