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Item Impacts of Management Practices on Lion and Ungulate Habitats in Gir Protected Area(Wildlife Institute of India,Dehradun., 1990) Sharma, Diwakar; Johnsingh, A.J.T.study on the impacts of management practices on lion and ungulate habitat was conducted in Gir Protected Area (PA) from June 1991 to July 1994. The Gir PA includes Gir Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park. It is situated between 20° 55' to 21° 20N and 70° *25 to 71° 15' E in the Southern part of Kathiawar peninsula in western Giijarat. Gir PA (hereafter Gir) is located about 60km South of Junagadh. The area which was 3,107 sq km in 1877 (Joshi 1976) has been presently reduced to 1,412 sq km, of which about 259 sq km is national nark. The terrain is hilly, altitude ranging from about 100m above mean sea level to 528m above mean sea level. The hills run in all directions, have moderate slopes, and constitute an important catchment for Kathiawar peninsula. The rocks are volcanic in origin, consisting of Deccan traps and are the oldest exposed rocks in Gir (Patel 1992). As many as seven types of soils have been categorized based on their colours (Munsell colour chart) ranging from dark yellowish brown to very dark greyish Brown (Pandit et al. 1992). The climate is semi-arid with three distinct seasons; summer (March-mid June), monsoon (mid June - mid October) and winter (late October to February). Gir has dry deciduous forest - 5A/Clb (Champion & Seth 1968). West Gir has Tectona grandis dominated vegetation. In eastern Gir Anogeissus pendula replaces Tectona grandis but the vegetation is dominated by thorny species such as Acacia and Zizyphus. Gir is the last refuge of the wild Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica) and long term conservation of the Asiatic lion is an overriding management objective of Gir. In order to improve habitat conditions in Gir, the park authorities, over the last 20-25 years have made some management interventions such as relocation of some maldharis (local graziers), reduction in livestock grazing (especially migrant livestock during the rainy season) and fire control. These measures have led to vegetational improvement and increase in wild ungulate and lion populations. Understanding this vegetational improvement was thought to be crucial to determine the extent of management intervention required. The objectives of this study were: 1. to investigate the impact of maldharis on vegetation; 2. to investigate the habitat utilization by wild ungulates; and 3. to find out the impact of management practices (such as use of fire, creation of water holes, grass harvesting, maldhari relocation and creating of national park). iii The vegetation study was conducted in 211 plots of 20m X 20m each. Vegetation data included counts and measurement of trees, seedling, and shrubs. Status of trees and seedlings in terms of lopped, cut, dead or intact was recorded to study the effect of anthropogenic factors. Data on environmental variables i.e. slope and soil parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, potash, phosphorus, organic carbon, texture, moisture and water retaining capacity and colour) was collected to study their impact on the vegetation. Habitat utilization by ungulates was investigated through direct and indirect evidence. Indirect evidence included pellet group count and browse consumption. Pellets groups of chital (Cervus axis), sambar (Cervus unicolor), nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus), chinkara (Gazella gazelld), chowsingha (Tetracerus quadricomis) and wild pig (sus scrqfa) were counted from ten 10m X 2m belt transects in and around 100 vegetation plots. Direct count of ungulates was carried out using vehicle transects at twelve routes all over Gir in the summers of 1992, 1993 and 1994. Data on cover and animal evidence was collected in summer (April-May) and winter (December- January) of 1991,1992, and 1993. Browse consumption by ungulates was estimated on trial for few major browse species. The browse production and consumption was estimated through diameter weight relationship of twings based on linear regression. Habitat factors included were cover at 0.5m, 1.0m and 1.75m height, canopy, tree species diversity, browse availability, grass cover, leaf litter, distance from nes (hamlet), distance from water, slope and grazing by livestock. Cover was measured from five, fixed Im X lm quadrats in the 100 vegetation plots. Relationship of vegetation associations with environmental factors and ungulate abundance with habitat factors were investigated using multivariate analysis. Fifteen vegetation associations were categorized based on two way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN) computer programme. These were: 1. Acacia catechu - Zizyphus nummularia - Aristida adscensionis 2. Apluda mutica - Themeda quadrivalvis - Sehima nervosum 3. Anogeissus latifblia-Acaciacatechu- erminaliacrenulata 4. Anogeissus latifblia - Acacia catechu 5. Acacia spp. - Zizyphus mauritiana 6. Zizyphus mauritiana 7. Acacia nilotica - Zizyphus mauritiana 8. Tectona grandis - Acacia catechu - Zizyphus mauritiana 9. Tectona grandis - Acacia catechu - Terminalia crenulata 10. Tectona grandis 11. Acacia catechu - Lannea coromandelica - Boswellia serrata 12. Tectona grandis - Acacia spp. - Wrightia tinctoria 13. Tectona grandis mixed 14. Mixed and 15. Syzygium ubicundum - Pongamiapinnata associations. iv Tree density and diversity were all maximum in Mixed association while seedling density and shrub volume were maximum in Syzygium rubicundum - Pongamia pinnata association. Soil pH, moisture and potash were important environmental factors which determined the vegetation distribution (Canonical correspondence analysis-CANOCO; P=.O5). However, different vegetation associations were governed by various environmental variables separately and just one or a combination of some variables could not explain the distribution of vegetation associations. Twelve habitat types were classified based on similarity in the vegetation associations and TWINSPAN analysis. These habitats were given a simple name and a name that represented the habitats. The following twelve habitats were categorized: 1. Scrubland 2. Savanna 3. Anogeissus - Acacia - Terminalia 4. Anogeissus - Acacia 5. Thom forest 6. Teak - Acacia - Zizyphus 7. Teak forest 8. Teak - Acacia - Boswellia 9. Teak - Acacia - Wrightia 10. Teak mixed 11. Mixed forest 12. Riverine Mixed habitat was more diverse while riverine was most dense in terms of cover. Thom forest provided maximum browse to the ungulates. Chital (Cervus axis) showed high use of Thom forest habitat while sambar (Cervus unicolor) used more Mixed, Riverine and Teak - Acacia - Zizyphus habitat. Data on other ungulates was not sufficient for statistical analysis. CANOCO showed that human disturbance governed the wild ungulate abundance in summer while ground cover and human disturbance were decisive factors in winter. Sambar and nilgai were away from disturbance while chital were relatively unaffected by disturbance, in both summer and winter. Chinkara was observed mostly in the east Gir, a place with conditions like savanna and with more human disturbance. Impacts of management practices was investigated in vegetation plots and pellet transects, and by comparing them at varying distances from nes and water points, between national paric and wildlife sanctuary, burnt and unbumt areas and between harvested and unharvested localities. Late serai stages of vegetation succession (Thomy - with Acacia and Zizyphus) were reached after 10 yrs of nes relocation and such stages were utilized more by ungulates. Impact of current neses on vegetation was severe only up to 500 m. Chital evidence were maximum, whereas sambar least, nearest a nes. The overall variation was significant only for chital both in summer and winter. There was significant variation in both summer and winter in chital evidence, not sambar, found at various distances from water holes. Maximum chital evidence were nearest the water holes whereas sambar were 1-2 km away from water. Controlled and cool fires did not change the vegetation composition and tree density significantly. Grass harvested areas produced more grass (1701±179 kg/ha) than unharvested ones (377±249 kg/ha). National park had significantly more tree density (500/ha), and less chital evidence (80 pellet groups/ha) than in wildlife sanctuary (480/ha, and 140/ha respectively). Teak thinning on an experimental basis is recommended to promote chital abundance. Water management by reviving disused wells in riverine tract, removal of at least 30 neses in a phased manner is suggested. Grass harvesting for local people and cool season rotational burning in unharvested areas are recommended.Item 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 aspectsItem 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.Item Dugong distribution, habitat and risks due to Fisheries and other anthropogenic activities in India(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2013) Sivakumar, K.; Nair, A.The dugong (Dugong dugon), also called the sea cow, is one of the four surviving species in the order Sirenia, and it is the only existing species of herbivorous mammal that lives exclusively in the sea, including Indian waters. Conservation of the dugong, which is a flagship species, represents coastal conservation. This protected species occurs in the Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, Gulf of Kutch and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The population of the dugong, which was once abundant, is assumed to have reduced to about 200 individuals in India. This number and the range of the dugong are believed to be continuously declining. Several reasons have been attributed to the decline in the dugong population, including sea grass habitat loss and degradation, gill netting, disease, water pollutants, indigenous use and poaching. This study was initiated to understand the dugong’s current distribution range and the magnitude of the anthropogenic threats faced by it and its habitat in India. The objectives include (1) determining the status and distribution of the dugong population in India, (2) understanding the risks faced by the dugong populations and their habitats, (3) assessing the status of artisanal fisheries in identified dugong habitats, (4) identifying the key areas where dugongs are present to conserve them and (5) understanding the attitude of fishermen towards conservation of dugongs. Three zones, namely the Gulf of Kutch, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Gulf of Mannar–Palk Bay were identified as the study area on the basis of information published on dugong sightings, stranding records and seagrass presence. A standardised dugong catch/bycatch questionnaire developed by the CMS-UNEP Dugong MOU Panel was used for interview surveys after it was translated into regional languages. Region-specific threats to the dugong and its habitat were identified. Occupancy models were built in the program PRESENCE to identify critical dugong habitats using dugong sighting data from the past 5 years (2008 to 2012). The range of variables that influenced occupancy and detection were also assessed. Dugong occupancy was greatest in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay, followed by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and lowest in the Gulf of Kutch. At present, the overall occupancy of the dugong in Indian waters is estimated to be 11% of the total surveyed area. Only 21% of the area sampled in Tamil Nadu was found to be occupied by dugongs. The corresponding proportion was 12% in the iii Andaman and Nicobar Islands and 1% in the Gulf of Kutch. Overall, the dugong distribution range has significantly decreased by about 85% in the distribution range of the dugong in India. Dugongs are also exist in regions outside the existing protected area (PA) network. Thus, conservation planning should also focus on dugong habitats outside PAs. Preventive measures, such as affording greater protection to dugongs and making fisheries sustainable with dugong friendly gear and craft, especially in the critical dugong habitats identified, are recommended. It is of the utmost importance to secure and strengthen community participation in the management of dugongs and their habitats in India. ModelItem Long term conservation plan for hangul Part II Hangul movement pattern study using GPS satellite telemetry - final report(2016-20)(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2021) Ahmad K.The globally viable single population of Kashmir Red Deer or Hangul (Cervus hanglu hanglu), one of the critically endangered subspecies of the Central Asian Deer is restricted to a confined area of 141 km2 Dachigam National Park (34°05ʹ to 34°32ʹN; 74°50ʹ to 75°16ʹE) in the Greater Himalayan mountain range of the Northwest Himalayan biogeographic region zone 2A, with some stray populations occurring in the adjoining relic range areas (Ahmad et al. 2009; Qureshi et al. 2009). Earlier, the species was widely distributed in the mountain of Kashmir Himalayas along the entire Greater Himalayan mountain range (Gee 1965; Schaller 1969; Prater, 1993; Nowak, 1999) declined drastically in the recent past from 5000 Individuals prior to 1947 to less than 200 Individuals at present. Current trends in the Hangul population indicate that the species could go extinct if necessary serious interventions are not made immediately and as such there was need to undertake urgent measures to hold the declining trends in the Hangul population (Ahmad et.al. 2009: Qureshi et.al. 2009; Ahmad et.al 2013). Therefore, understanding the ecology and biology particularly the movement ecology of this critically endangered deer species with small single population was fundamental to develop better strategies for conservation and management practices. The present study duly funded by the MOEF & CC, Government of India was as such initiated to understand the lesser known aspects of movement ecology and behaviour of this last viable population of the Hangul for its effective management, conservation planning and species population recovery under the following objectives: 1) Studying the seasonal Home range size and ranging and movement patterns of Hangul in and outside Dachigam National Park vis-à-vis Hangul migration route, important stop-over sites, and barriers and corridors to migration into the Hangul’s relic areas.2) Studying the lesser known aspects of Hangul ecology viz., habitat use, activity patterns, behaviour and predation prerequisite for effective long term management and conservation of Hangul and its habitats. 3) To identify the potential habitats used by Hangul outside Dachigam and assess and evaluate the extent and magnitude of habitat conditions and threats therein. 4) To identify threats, anthropogenic pressures and other factors particularly predation pressure by leopard and meso-carnivores that impact Hangul distribution and movement patterns. The capture and Satellite collaring of five Hangul (2 males, 3 female) successfully conducted for the first time under this project has been a milestone achievement in the field of satellite telemetry. The findings of this research study indicated that the Home range size varied from 4.98 Km2 in spring to 7.83 Km2 in summer. One of the female collared Hangul showed movement patterns outside Dachigam National Park towards Sindh forest division crossing the river Sindh and covering an area of 137.94 km, with area use of 10.86-12.26 Km2 in summer 2019 to 137.94 km in summer 2020 and a maximum home range of 124.4 km2 in Summer 2020 to colonize and establish its new summer habitat in the erstwhile range area of Wangath-Naranag Conservation Reserve (CR). The data and information generated has enabled us to identify the corridor areas of movement of the Hangul from Dachigam National Park and outside in the 3 Long Term Conservation Plan for Hangul Part II: Hangul Movement Pattern Study Using GPS-Satellite Telemetry adjoining erstwhile range areas in north and south and habitats assessment therein. The data generated also indicated that Hangul shows two activity peaks in morning and evening hours with significant seasonal variations. The findings of the study are of great ecological significance as the significant information generated through this research on the lesser known aspects of movement ecology including animal home ranges and habitat use, biology and behaviour of the Hangul deer would go long way in supporting the management interventions for population recovery and long term survival of this endemic deer of India in Dachigam National Park and its erstwhile range areas in Kashmir Himalayas. Major management and conservation Intervention recommendations 1. The study revealed that major and viable population of Hangul are confined to Dachigam National Park. Despite availability of ideal summer habitats for the Hangul in upper Dachigam, these alpine meadow habitats are not being explored or used by Hangul. The satellite collared Hangul movements indicated that the animals showed upward movements to Dagwan alpine meadows of upper Dachigam but restricted their movements further in to the alpine meadows, possibly due to heavy disturbances of excessive livestock grazing there. 2. Management interventions are as such required towards expansion of Range of Hangul to alpine meadows of Upper Dachigam and potential corridor areas outside Dachigam NP identified through this research, so that these ideal summer habitats are recuperated and used by Hangul in summer as it used to in the past and to ensure gene flow between the Dachigam and adjoining range populations. 3. Hangul conservation breeding-cum- reintroduction programme is imperative to expand the range of Hangul by restocking and augmenting the small isolated Hangul populations in its relic range areas outside Dachigam National Park starting with the Overa Wildlife Sanctuary which has ideal disturbance free habitats available. 4. The Hangul species recovery programme through a project mode by initiation of Project Hangul on the pattern of Project Tiger is crucial to ensure Hangul species recovery and long term survival of the species and its landscapes in the region. 5. This research study as indicated by earlier studies by the Investigator (s) has revealed that besides poaching and continued degradation of Hangul summer habitats in Upper Dachigam, along with biotic interference in winter habitats, low breeding, female biased sex ratio, the problem of survival of the young and inadequate recruitment of calf to adulthood due to factors such as considerable predation by common Leopard, Asiatic Black Bear, dogs and meso-carnivores (Fox and Jackal) are major challenges for the long term survival of the Hangul in the landscape. 6. The study revealed a significant contribution of Hangul in the diet of Golden jackal (9.09%) and Red fox (6.45%). These ecological issues threatening the long term survival of Hangul need to be investigated and addressed further on long term basis through initiating a breeding biology study to better understand the causes of low breeding and fawn/calf survival in the Hangul population in Dachigam National Park and the adjoining landscape. 7. This research study and the earlier studies by the Investigator (s) has indicated that species due to its small population size, restricted range distribution, critically endangered status, ecological threats long Term Conservation Plan for Hangul Part II: Hangul Movement Pattern Study Using GPS-Satellite Telemetry and potentially low genetic variation is at the brink of extinction and needs immediate management interventions to reverse the declining trend in the population. The regulated monitoring of the Hangul populations on a long-term scientific basis using latest techniques of satellite collaring, camera trapping and population genomics is imperative. 8. Strengthening Hangul genome sequencing to understand the DNA mitochondrial based phylogeography of the species and Skull based genetic investigations to link the mitochondrial DNA analysis findings with the nuclear genetic analysis to further establish the degree of closeness or divergence between Hangul and the Bactrian deer.