H. S. Singh

Abstract

Among the Asian countries, the highest population of leopard occurs in India where it is distributed in 28 States and Union Territories. As a result of conservation measures, the population has recovered during last two decades across the country where population was estimated about 9,800 to 10,400 leopards in 2001-02. There is definite trend for the leopard's abundance and density in different habitats because distribution of the animal in Indian forests reveals that its number declines with increasing moistness and rainfall. Maximum density was observed in semi-arid bio-geographic region, followed by tropical deciduous forests, which have moderate rainfall. The density further declines in semi-moist forests and becomes very low in the moist forests It is also observed that the fragmented forests of reasonable size in hills dotted across the landscape with human habitation and livestock rearing in plains have turned beneficial to leopard, as the smart cat has adapted to the changed situation to harvest good from the villages in night. In the states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Himachal, which support 68% of the total leopard population of the country, the livestock, especially sheep, goats, stray dogs and poultry are abundant in and around the forests. Construction of network of medium and minor dams and also raising irrigated crops like sugarcane benefited the cat, providing both water and'shelter in the critical period, If population is managed below a reasonable limit in high concentration zone where man-leopard conflict is serious and, its growth and dispersal is facilitated in low density areas of the leopard, India can manage a large number of the leopards in the forests across the country under an appropriate management strategy. Analysis of paper also gives some idea about the optimum population density of the cat in Indian forests.

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H. S. Singh

Abstract

Ratanmahals Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat State and its surrounding areas in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh form last large block of surviving forests (515 km²) in Malwa region which qualify for conservation on priority under a regional/landscape conservation plan. A comprehensive ecological and socio-economic study, including the prospect of regional planning has been highlighted in this paper. Majority of the forest in the proposed ecological unit is under dense forest and Ratanmahals, a small Sanctuary, is an integral part of forest demarcated for conservation of biodiversity. Unlike other forests in the region, forest of the Sanctuary is relatively preserved, maintaining naturalness of the area. Flora diversity is also high. A total of 543 species of plants, 175 species of invertebrates, 147 species of avifauna, 10 species of amphibians, 23 species of reptiles, 28 species of mammals were recorded in the area during the study. This study reflects an overview on floral and faunal diversity and conservation need of the Malwa plateau in the two states. Sloth bear and Leopard are key species and other major mammals have low population due to hunting and food gathering habit of the tribal and loss of habitat. Population density of Sloth bear, a flagship species of the area, is highest in the Sanctuary in the western part of India. Due to good popUlation of Leopard in the region and poor prey base offood, Leopards encounter with man and livestock has become main issue ofthe wildlife management.

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H. S. Singh

Abstract

The climate change indicators reveal that the Earth's climate has demonstrably changed and may further change at higher rate in the 21st century. As a result , ecological productivity and biodiversity will be altered and marine ecosystems , especially mangroves will be disrupted significantly. Large area of mangroves (4 ,871 km²) in India is expected to go under major transformation , depending on the rate of climate change and anthropogenic activities. The responses of mangroves to sea level rise have been assessed and projected that the diversity in mangrove communities may improve at higher latitudes in some areas under low to medium level of sea level rise. The latitudinal range extension may occur at the expense of salt marsh communities; adaptation and survival chance of mangroves in deltaic region like Sundarbans will be higher than other areas; adaptation of mangroves on islands like Andaman and Nicobar will be low in response to moderate to high rate of sea level rise. It is expected that change in climatic condition may lead to an increase in species migration pole wards. It is likely that some species in tropical region , especially on Andaman and Nicobar Islands may not be successful to compete and may loose in favour of other species. Extensive hyper saline mudflats between mangroves and coast in subtropical regions like the Gulf of Kachchh will work as barrier against sea level rise and will provide opportunity to adaptation of mangroves with landward movement , depending on rate of sea level rise and precipitation. Strict protection; preparation of action plant for each mangrove area in this context; enhance level of regeneration in potential inter-tidal zone; plantation of species which fail to adapt to sea level rise; providing adequate space for backward movement of mangroves and reintroducing suitable threatened species in mangrove areas in higher latitude can be some management options to improve the adaptability. Major parts of the mangroves are in Marine Protected Areas where protection measures and scientific intervention in response to expected climate change will certainly contribute to the conservation of vulnerable areas and threatened species of the tidal forests.

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H. S. Singh

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Extensive coastlines of India support large area of coastal wetlands, which has been estimated at over 40,230 km². Among various types of coastal wetlands, tidal mudflats, mangroves, estuaries, lagoons, beaches, marshes, vegetated wetlands and coral reefs have major share. A total of 97 major estuaries, 34 major lagoons, 31 mangroves areas and 5 coral reef areas have been mapped and identified, which are important for conservation and sustainable use. Management plan for conservation of mangroves and coral reefs, enactment of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Act 1991, establishing Indian Coral Reef Monitoring Network and declaring network of sanctuaries, national parks and biosphere reserves in marine environment are some of the important initiatives taken by the Government of India for their conservation. There are a total of 31 Marine Protected Areas in India, which are located primarily in marine environment. These 31 MPAs (33 sanctuaries and national parks) cover a total area of 6,271.2 km² with an average size of 202.1 km². East coast and Andaman & Nicobar Islands have adequate area under the MPA whereas west coast and Lakshadweep Islands have poor representation. Although, India has very long coastal line and varied coastal habitats, contribution of the MPAs is only 4.0 % to the total area of the PAs and 1.3 % of continental shelf area of the country, which is relatively below the world average. During over last two decades, wildlife conservation programmes have developed and evolved, but management of MPAs is yet to reach its maturity. The common issues and problems that need to be tackled urgently for ensuring an effective management set up of MPAs of the country are: legal issues, including settlement and demarcation of boundaries; inadequate management and protection infrastructure; inadequate scientific and technical person in management; absence of scientific management plans for majority of the MPAs; uncontrolled exploitation of fishes, prawns, crabs, corals, shells and sea algae etc; increasing use of the areas for ports and jetties, loading and unloading oflarge ships and oil tankers; discharge of pollutants; expansion of salt and aquaculture ponds.

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H. S. Singh

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Fauna of the western part of the country, including Gujarat has similarity with animals belonging to Ethiopian and Palaearctic realms, but animals from Oriental Realm also occur in the State. Blackbuck, Chinkara (Indian Gazelle), Bluebull and Fourhorned Antelope, belonging to subfamily Anttilopinae, are found in the Indian plateau, and all these four species also occur in Gujarat. Saurashtra and Kutch were known as land of Antelopes and Gazelle in India as all four species were found in good number in the region. Scenario changed after independence. Loss of habitat and hunting were main causes for decline of population of the Antelopes, three decades ago. Trend reversed after implementation of conservation measures and population of Blackbuck and Bluebull increased manifold in some areas, causing problems to farmers. Decline of Chinkara population also halted in some areas as they got suitable habitats in the Protected Areas. Scenario is different for Fourhorned Antelope as this species has low population in fragmented habitat. Thus, to protect this animal, it is necessary to check degradation of its habitats and to control poaching by tribals in the forests.

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H. S. Singh

Abstract

Coastal wetlands cover largest area in Gujarat State, which accounts for 62.3% of total coastal wetlands of the country. Vast saline mudflats of the Rann of Kutch, the two Gulfs, coral reefs and Mangroves are important wetlands that cover exceptionally large area. Mangroves in the Gulf of Kutch degraded consistently as result of cutting, grazing and lopping but scenario changed after implementation of afforestation and conservation measures. Due to destruction of old Mangrove setting almost everywhere in Gujarat, some of the species exterminated and at present 8 species grow against total 11 species recorded in the past. Inland Mangroves at Shravan Kavadia, covering an area less than a hectare near Bhuj in Kutch District on the fringe of Banni in arid environment is nature's wonder and its survival is matter of scientific investigation. Avicennia marina is dominant species in the Mangroves of Gujarat. Mangrove cover increased consistently from 397 km² in 1991 to about 991 km² in 1997 due to effort of afforestation and conservation after severe drought in 1987. As per the reports, over 95% of Mangroves occur in the Gulf of Kutch. Till year 1998, the Gujarat Forest Department afforested an area of about 13200 ha. As per an estimate, about 600-700 km² area of the barren mudflat in intertidal zone, mainly located in the two Gulfs, is potential area suitable for Mangrove regeneration. In order to expand the existing Mangrove cover from about 1000 km² to about 1600 km² in future requires a planted strategy of regeneration.

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Y. D. Mishra , Bangali Babo , H. S. Singh , S. P. Sisodiya , R. K. Singh , A. J. Amin

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H. S. Singh

Abstract

Population of leopard is on increase in Gujarat State and has doubled during last two decades as a result of conservation measures. Population management is a new challenge to wildlife managers to reduce increasing man-leopard conflicts in some areas, especially around Gir and in Panchmahals where concentration of the animal is beyond tolerance limit. Unlike other cats, leopard is capable of exploiting degraded habitats, rocky hills and ravines for shelter and uses village sites in night to manage food by killing domestic animals, mainly goats, sheep and dogs. Level of man-leopard conflict has season variation in the study area due to change in availability of food and water. Average data of last eleven years reveals that summer (May/June) predation on resident livestock was 2.5 times higher than the predation in winter (February). Removal of some leopard from high concentrated area, especially problem animals, improvement of herbivore population, translocation of wild boar and hanuman langur from problem areas to the leopard populated zone and implementation of water hole management plan in summer may be some options to reduce the conflicts in the state.

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H. S. Singh

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Soil and moisture conservation along with water harvesting works in degraded area help in exploiting the full potential of the regeneration of the existing vegetation as well as planted seedlings of suitable species, thus making the difficult task of rehabilitation of degraded forests achievable. Treatment and afforestation of denuded forest should be planned on the basis of structure and characteristic of micro-watershed which is the smallest functional unit of the land. 92 ha of the degraded forests of micro watershed was developed by harvesting the entire rain water facilitating the development of vegetation from the existing regeneration stock i.e. ischolar_main stock and supplementing the plantation of many suitable species to restore the forest similar to the natural forest existed in the past. Improved sub-soil moisture in the area due to construction of contour trenches, nala bundings, and eight earthen checkdams brought tremendous changes by transforming the area devoid of vegetation to a dense young forest with rich flora in four years. The micro-watershed treatment programme in Golawada forest is now considered a model restoration work and has become an important centre for education and training for visitors.

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H. S. Singh , V. C. Soni

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Little Rann of Kutch is unique ecosystem in the world, which supports rare, endangered and endemic flora and fauna of the country. High conservation value has been accorded to the LRK by selecting area for one of the proposed biosphere reserve of the country. Expansion of salt work, firing practice by Indian Army, non-settlement of the sanctuary, grazing, invasion of Prosopis, crop raid by the wildlife, change in land-use pattern in and around the sanctuary and poaching are important threat factors responsible for degradation of the habitat and decline of the population of some of the wildlife. To conserve flora and fauna of the area effectively, it has become necessary to settle all legal issues so that the sanctuary is managed as per the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Although population of the Wild Ass has increased and animal has dispersed in new area of original habitat. Movement orthe Wild Ass in new area due to loss of habitat caused man-animal conflict. In background of this fact, it is necessary to improve the habitat by removing factor of degradation of the habitat and bringing back the original vegetation by eradication of Prosopis from some of the areas.

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H. S. Singh

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Biodiversity study on Hingolgadh Nature Education Sanctuary reveals that the biological spectrum of the area is closer to that of dry deciduous thorn scrub and dry Savannah like vegetation. Remote sensing study on vegetation cover indicates that canopy density has improved progressively after severe drought in year 1987, due to fair regeneration of Acacia senegal. The small area is exceptionally rich in floral and faunal density as indigenous flora of the sanetuary is represented by 63 families, 189 genera, 286 species, expressing a ratio of 1:3:4:5. The sanctuary also supports high diversity (212 species) and very high density (1967 birdslkm²) of birds, along with other rich fauna. Comiphora wightii, an endangered species and other locally threatened species have started recovering due to improvement of the habitats. The rarity and threat level for various species have also been assessed in this paper.

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H. S. Singh

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The appropriate silviculture system and operations meeting all requirement for sustenance of the Joint Forest Management have been described in detail.

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H. S. Singh

Abstract

In this paper an attempt has been made to evolve It new mcthodology, tested for all Wildlife Protected Areas in Gujarat. The method prescribed is subject to modification after dcliberating various issues. Maximum weightage is alloted to biological and ecological features which decide the conservation value of the area.

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H. S. Singh

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Mangroves of the west coast of India are mainly located in semi-arid zone of Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat where adverse climatic factors bring negative impact on the quality of forests and their floral diversity. The forests are exceptionally found in similar climatic condition in other parts of the world. Two species of Avicennia (Bhuradi and Makad) have occupied large area whereas low percentage of A. officinalis (Cher) is found in frontline. A. alba (Patcheradi) grows on higher mudflats. Micro climatic conditions in creeks on islands facilitate regeneration of Rhizophora, Ceriops and Ageiceros, Studies indicate that input of mud facilitates island expansion and shoreline propagation in the Gulf. Five distinct successional stages have been recorded in the mangroves on the islands in the Gulf where compostion of species in successional stages are governed by elevation of mud ground and water depth during high tides. All successional stages studied in the Gulf of Kutch towards Jamnagar are found in altitudinal range of approximately 190 cm and each level in this range bas different abiotic ecological factors. Each species found in the Gulf of Kutch prefers different elevation of intertidal mudflats resulting into distinct variation in composition of the mangroves in different successional stages. Classification of the stages in different levels in Jamnagar would be of immense use in selection of species for regenerating intertidal mudflats.

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H. S. Singh , R. D. Kamboj

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The predation pattern of Lion on domestic livestock in different seasons and regions of Gir Sanctuary have been studied. About 1,900 to 2,000 domestic livestock were killed by lions annual!y during recent past. Seasonal variations in the predation pattern has been recorded in which the maximum predation of domestic livestock by Lion in peripheral area has been noticed during the beginning of rainy season. It is observed that lions are more dependent on livestock hunting in Gir(E) as compared to Gir(W). High population density of domestic livestock creates negative impact on wild population of herbivores which also affect the predation pattern of the great cat. A Lion in Gir, on an average, kills 8 to 9 livestock mainly buffaloes and cows annually ascertaining the fact that ⅓ of the Lions' food is still constituted by the domestic livestock. Management prescriptions have been suggested to improve the habitat in some part of Gir in the benefits of herbivores to alter the livestock predation pattern of Lion in favour of wild ungulates.

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H. S. Singh

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Gir forest in Saurashtra region of Gujarat is synonymous with Asiatic Lion. Recognising the serious danger to the Lion and pitiable condition of Gir Maldharis in 1972, the Gir Lion Sanctuary Project was implemented for five years which resulted into improvement of habitat and wildlife. Lion number increased from 177 in 1968 to 304 in 1995. Availability of major ungulates increased from 53.5 ungulates per lion to 125.9 ungulates per lion. Studies indicate that food pattern of lion has changed in favour of wild animal from 25% in 1972 to 65% in 1990. Improvement ofthe Gir forests and increase in wildlife population have brought major change in social behaviour and reduction in size of groups of lion. Asiatic Lion started migrating from Gir forests to neighbouring forests in search of food and space. Dispersal paths of the Asiatic Lion at present are almost similar to the extinction path adopted during the beginning of this century. There are four satellitic population oflions in Girnar, Mitiyala and Coastal forests outside the Gir. It has become necessary to expand present Gir forests to new areas by covering Girnar, Mitiyala, Barda, Coastal forests, grasslands to manage increasing lion population as well as maintaining ecological security of the region.

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H. S. Singh

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The existence of Antilope cervicapra (White-blackbuck) in Gujarat and their release from captivity to natural habitat to maintain viable numbers is discussed.

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H. S. Singh

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Creation of national parks and sanctuaries is Government's strategies and is very much necessary for qualitative development of society. Forestry and wild life sector have not got required place in Indian economy. Till now, economics of wild life conservation and its contribution to GNP have not been discussed in details. In this paper, it has been tried to quantize the minimum benefits accrued to society by wild life management in national parks and sanctuaries. Sacrificed Benefit Approach Method, which is discussed here, gives an idea of minimum benefits which should be accounted as its contribution to GNP.

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