Understanding distribution and occupancy of Himalayan monal in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand for conservation and management planning

Abstract

Himalayan monal is a conservation priority species in its entire distribution range because of its declining population due to various anthropogenic threats. However, the information on its distribution and abundance is lacking, which is vital for conservation and management planning. Hence, the present study has assessed the abundance and occupancy of Himalayan monal in Uttarkashi district (Uttarakhand). Camera traps and conventional sign surveys were used for documenting the species during 2018–2019. We deployed a total of 69 camera traps (2819 trap nights) and surveyed 54 trails (650 km), representing the entire habitat and topographic variability of the landscape. The single‐season occupancy framework was used to understand the distribution and occupancy of Himalayan monal in the Uttarkashi district. The top model suggests that the occupancy probability of Himalayan monal was positively influenced (β = 27.52 SE ± 16.25) by landscape slope and was negatively influenced by Reserve Forest (RF) (β = −8.14 SE ± 4.99). The observed naïve occupancy of Himalayan monal was 0.69 in the study area, which was slightly lower than the estimated occupancy. However, in the null model, the site occupancy estimated was found to be 0.82 ± 0.08 with a detection probability of 0.23 ± 0.03. The overall abundance of monal was estimated to be 171.58 ± 10.2 individuals in the study area with an average density of 0.62 km−2. The activity pattern analysis indicates that Himalayan monal remains very active between 6:00 and 12:00 h and slightly less active during mid‐day hours when humans are most active 11:30–16:30 h in its habitat. The present study is a first attempt to estimate occupancy and abundance of monal in non‐protected areas (PA) using both the camera traps and sign surveys. We found that Himalayan monal is abundant outside the PAs, which is a good indication of its long‐term viability. We also identified areas for conservation and management prioritization in Uttarkashi.