Comparative Analysis of Census of Tiger with its sympatric species Leopard in Corbett Tiger Reserve

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Int. J. Life. Sci. Scienti. Res., VOL 2, ISSUE 2, pp: 55-58

(ISSN: 2455-1716)

Impact Factor 2.4

MARCH- 2016

Research Article (Open access)

Comparative Analysis of Census of Tiger (Panthera tigris) with its sympatric species Leopard (Panthera pardus) in Corbett Tiger Reserve from 1987, Ramnagar, India Sanjeev Kumar1*, Dr. Kamad Kumar2 1 2

M.Sc, FISCA, Dept. of Zoology, Govt. P.G. College, Ramnagar, Nainital (Uttrakhand), India

Associate Prof. & Head, Dept. of Zoology, Govt. P.G.College, Ramnagar, Nainital (Uttrakhand), India

ABSTRACT- The effect resulted in the mapping of tiger occupancy and relative abundance, prey abundance indices, anthropogenic pressure indices and habitat quality across 17 states known to harbour tiger populations. Both the big cats i.e. Tiger & Leopard show territorial behavior. Leopard is sympatric to tiger and more furious than tiger. Leopards have good habit or quality to survive in human-dominated landscape while on the other hand tiger occasionally move in human-dominated area .It may be for livestock predation etc. Mortality is very high in tiger on the other hand we can say that survival rate is low in tigers. Inter-specific as well as intra-specific struggle is more in these animals. Fragmentation of habitat, ecological pressure, vital need, breeding season etc. are the cause of conflict and mortality etc. This study depicts the comparative analysis of tiger & leopard census which ultimately provides the idea of dynamics of population of both the big cats.

Key words- Fragmentation of habitat, Ecological pressure, Vital need, Inter or intra specific struggle -------------------------------------------------IJLSSR-----------------------------------------------

INTRODUCTION Felids like Tiger (Panthera tigris) and Leopard (Panthera

The natural fighting is very common and mortality rate will

pardus) are the umbrella species of a ecosystem. Presences

increase generally. Territorial fight and fight for breeding is

of big cats in forest are the healthy sign of habitat. There

very common. Some time it happen extreme injured tiger

are many ecological cum sociological reasons of mortality

come out from core to human-dominated landscape for

among tiger and leopard. Mostly natural and sometime

search of easy prey and shelter & ultimately this situation

anthropogenic stress (Harihar et al., 2009) leads mortality

may brings the conflict (Cardilio et al., 2005) which may

while on the other hand ecological causes like carrying

be negative for both man and tiger. Sometime this situation

capacity and inter or intra-specific struggle. During

leads very dangerous situation. For this study I had taken

breeding season (Nov-Feb).

near about 30 years data of big cat’s census (Tiger &

*

Address for Correspondence:

Leopard) with detail. Corbett is a land of roar. The survival

Dr. Sanjeev Kumar

rate is very low in the big cats , ecological need

Research Scholar

(Madhusudhan, 2004) and vital requirements (Bagchi et

M.Sc, FISCA,

al., 2003) are highly needed in wild for wild eco-services

Department of Zoology,

like water hole and prey species conservation (Baidya,

Govt. P.G.College, Ramnagar, Nainital (Uttrakhand), India

1980) are major factor by which chances of survival will

Received: 18 Jan 2016/Revised: 06 Feb 2016/Accepted: 26 Feb 2016

increase.

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Int. J. Life. Sci. Scienti. Res., VoL 2, Issue 2

MATERIAL AND METHODS Census data had been collected from Corbett Research Range (Shod range). Both the data of tiger and leopard were analyzed. In 2007-08 tiger census were not facilitated. It was done again in the year 2010. From 1976 to 1991 the data were not shown area wise but after 1991 right from 1992 census was categorize in Park area, buffer zone and KTR (Kalagarh tiger reserve) in Table-1. Analyzed properly and comparatively both the carnivore species from data provided by the Corbett Research zone. All data shows that tiger census with its sympatric one that is leopard. Study area- Corbett Tiger Reserve is chosen for this study. Corbett is itself famous all around the world for its wild beauty & tiger with other marvelous wildlife.

Table-1 Details of Tiger & Leopard census in Corbett Tiger Reserve from 1976 TIGERs YEAR

Total

1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 199042 1991

♂ 25 27 36 37 34 42 39 38 35 36 34 29 39 43 42 35

♀ 23 31 37 39 39 41 45 48 49 49 51 51 50 42 43 45

CUB 9 15 6 11 14 6 7 6 6 6 4 10 3 6 7 11

P.A BUF.Z KTR Total

36 1 10 47

50 3 14 67

6 1 1 8

P.A BUF.Z KTR Total

32 3 11 46

51 5 15 71

5 1 7

P.A BUF.Z KTR Total

33 4 9 46

52 6 17 75

5 1 1 7

P.A BUF.Z Sn.S Total

31 9 9 49

51 12 11 74

8 3 11

P.A BUF.Z KTR

42 11 5

43 17 5

6 4 5

UN 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 -

LEOPARD

Total

57 73 79 87 87 89 91 92 90 91 89 90 92 91 92 91

♂ 17 14 16 15 11 15 16 17 19 15 22 22 23 18 18 16

♀ 8 18 17 20 9 21 23 25 23 26 18 19 19 23 23 20

CUB 3 3 1 -8 8 6 1 1 1 1 2

UN -

28 35 33 36 20 44 47 48 43 41 41 41 42 41 42 38

92 5 25 122

17 4 16 37

22 7 27 56

2 1 2 5

-

41 12 45 98

88 9 26 123

16 4 16 36

24 9 26 59

2 1 2 5

-

42 14 44 100

90 11 27 128

15 7 18 40

24 9 24 57

1 2 2 5

-

40 18 44 102

90 24 20 134

14 22 6 42

23 33 6 62

2 3 1 6

-

39 58 13 110

91 32 15

16 20 6

21 32 4

3 7 -

-

40 59 10

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Int. J. Life. Sci. Scienti. Res., VoL 2, Issue 2 Total

58

65

15

P.A BUF.Z

39 13

43 17

12 2

KTR Total

6 58

9 69

14

P.A BUF.Z

29 16

44 19

KTR Total

5 50

10 73

-

138

42

57

10

-

109

94 32

17 20

21 38

2 5

-

40 63

-

15 141

3 40

5 64

7

-

8 111

10 1

1999 -

83 36

14 23

22 30

7

-

36 60

11

-

15 134

3 40

8 60

3 10

-

14 110

85 30

17 23

14 24

2 2

-

33 49

1998 -

2001 -

P.A BUF.Z

32 11

44 17

9 2

KTR B.San Total

8 51

14 75

11

-

22 137

4 44

13 4 55

2 6

7 7

17 13 112

P.A BUF.Z

33 18

51 17

8 2

2003 -

92 37

26 18

18 30

1

1 -

45 49

Sn.S B.San Total

5 56

8 76

1 11

-

14 143

3 4 51

6 5 59

4 5

2 3

9 15 118

P.A BUF.Z

28 12

54 18

10 -

2005 -

92 30

18 17

20 30

1 1

-

39 48

Sn.S B.San Total

7 47

12 84

10

-

19 141

4 5 44

5 5 60

2 4

4 4

9 16 112

In 2007 tiger census were completed by WII Dehradun with the help Camera trapping and total 164 tiger were found in 1524 Sq. Km. Landscape in which the number of cubes were not included.

P.A BUF.Z Sn.S B.San Total

2008 Tiger (Panthera tigris) census were not facilitated only the Leopard( Panthera pardus) census were Completed. In 2010 the tiger census were done By WII through camera trapping in 1524Sq.Km In Corbett Landscape and resulted 214 tigers.

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13

24

2

-

39

21

24

2

-

47

6 4 44

8 8 64

2 3 9

-

16 15 117

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Int. J. Life. Sci. Scienti. Res., VoL 2, Issue 2

RESULT AND DISCUSSION Overall 39 years data of census (Tiger& Leopard) were analyzed for this study. From 1992 the data were arranged and categorized in area or zone wise like Park area, buffer zone, kalagarh tiger reserve and from 2001the Sonanadi and Binsar sanctuary are included. At spot there are total 214 tiger + 117 leopards in the area of 1524 Sq .km. So total 331 big cats are dwelling in the park both are sympatric to each other. Here if we can divide the area by number of individuals than we can get the area for one big cat that is 1524/331=4.6 sq.km/per tiger or leopard. Ecologically which are not fit for the vital survival? There are fewer possibilities to fulfill the all vital cum ecological needs of these big cats. Ultimately the carrying capacities of the area/park are in trouble at all.

CONCLUSION

REFERENCES

The mortality rate is very high in tiger or leopard

[1] Harihar A, Pandav B, and Goyal SP (2009). Responses of

population. If the carrying capacity will render than the

tiger (Panthera tigris) and their prey to removal of anthropo-

chances of survival become lower and lower. On the other

genic influences in Rajaji National Park, India, European

hand the territorial behaviour plays a key role for ecological

need

and

survival.

Inter-

specific

or

intra-specific struggle is very common in such type of situation and after time being it become critical to critical.

Journal of Wildlife Research, 55(2): 97-105. [2] Cardillo M, Mace GM, Jones KE, Bielby J, Bininda-Emonds OR, Sechrest W, Orme CD, Purvis A (2005). Multiple Cause of high extinction risk in large mammal species, Science, 309(5738):1239-41.

The prey species and prey biomass is the key point or

[3] Madhusudan, MD (2004). Recovery of wildlife large

determinant of big cat’s population. Prey biomass and

herbivores following livestock decline in a tropical Indian

carrying capacity both are the key determinant of big cat’s

wildlife reserve. Journal of Applied Ecology, 41:858-869.

population. On the other hand in breeding season the

[4] Bagchi SP, Goyal P and Sankar K (2003). Prey abundance

mating fight is also common. Viable partner also fight to

and Prey selection by tigers (Panthera tigris) in a semi-arid,

mate for breeding purpose, which leads mortality and loss

dry deciduous forest in western India. J. Zool. (Lond.),

etc.

260:285-290. [5] Baidya KN (1980). Tiger Conservation- Its objectives, Management strategies and achievements in India. Cheetal 33, 22(1): 21-32. http://ijlssr.com IJLSSR © 2016 All rights are reserved

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