Abstract
Abstract The Rann of Kutch, Gujarat is the only habitat for one of the endangered sub-species of the Asiatic wild ass (Equus hemionus khur) and most of the population survives in the Wild Ass Sanctuary in Little Rann of Kutch. The area is a saline desert with extremely sparse cover of vegetation. In the past, the habitat supported a thriving population of wild asses. However, due to extensive changes in the land-use around the Rann of Kutch, there has been an increase in the conflict of interests between man and the wild ass. The present paper seeks to analyse the situation with respect to changes in land-use, vegetation cover and salt cultivation to plan proper habitat management inside the sanctuary to mitigate the problem of crop predation by the wild ass through the use of high resolution satellite data. The Survey of India (SOI) topographic maps of 1960 vintage were used to estimate the past habitat, land-use, vegetal cover and salt fields. The SOI topographic maps and false colour composites provide...
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