Bandhavgarh Research Articles

Report: Peering into the Prehistoric Past of Bandhavgarh National Park, central India

Report: Peering into the Prehistoric Past of Bandhavgarh National Park, central India

Floristic Diversity of Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Floristic Diversity of Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Preliminary study on cranial measurements and sexual dimorphism in skull bones of gaur (Bos gaurus gaurus, Smith 1827).

Cranial measurements have been widely used in various studies in wildlife sciences, ranging from understanding predator ecology to wildlife forensics. However, detailed description of morphometry and sexual dimorphism of the skull of gaur Bos gaurus gaurus is lacking. The present study was undertaken to determine the sexual dimorphism based on the cranial measurements of gaur. A total of 12 individual gaur skulls of male (n = 6) and female (n = 6) were studied in the field from the naturally deceased animals between January 2018 and December 2021 in different ranges of Bandhavgarh tiger reserve (BTR), Madhya Pradesh, India. The skull measurements were analysed using univariate and multivariate statistics to determine whether cranial dimensions could be used to differentiate male and female skulls reliably. A total of 43 morphometrical parameters grouped into nine indices were calculated. Select morphometrical parameters viz PL, GFL, AKI, LBB, LFB, GBEE, GBAN, BPOP and GTCH were significantly different (p < 0.05) between sexes, whereas GBAN were significantly higher in female skulls. The measurements demonstrated that the skull of the gaur was dolichocephalic as the profile length and the otion to otion breath in both male and female were <75% of the length. Overall, 28 linear measurements of both the sexes were statistically significant (p < 0.05; <0.01). The calculated indices revealed that the foramen magnum index in the female gaur were significantly higher. In calculated cranial indices the facial index (a) was higher in female and facial index (b) were higher in males. The two important parameters, facial breadth in facial index (a) and the greatest breadth in facial index (b) were positively correlated, though facial index (a) was statistically not significant between the sexes. The greater inner length of the foramen magnum in female skull resulted in foramen being oval whereas it was circular in males. These parameters were decisive for sexual dimorphism, skull comparison and craniological studies. This study ascertained that the frontal index and skull index had no significant influence and were not good indices for discriminating skulls between male and female. Based on the Principal Component Analysis, it was found that skull of male and female gaurs exhibits differences in cranial morphology viz. cranial profile length or total length (PL) and the least inner height of the temporal groove (LIHT). The findings of the present study provide baseline information on various craniometrical measurements of skull of gaur, indices and parameters for sex identification that can be effectively used in understanding sex biased predation ecology, provide base line information to describe variation across its geographic range, and in identifying skulls recovered in wildlife offence cases.

Impacts of forest fire frequency on structure and composition of tropical moist deciduous forest communities of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Central India

Forest fire is one of the prominent factors especially in tropical seasonal forests that have a variety of consequences on ecosystem composition, structure and function depending upon the type of fire, fire intensity, and fire frequency. Forest fire incidences have been increasing in the last few decades especially in tropical moist forests, raising the concerns for forest restoration and management since the inhabiting plants in these forest communities largely lack adaptive strategies. The present study was carried out in tropical moist deciduous forests to (A) understand the patterns of forest fire frequency by delineating the fire affected areas and (B) evaluate the impacts of forest fire frequency on species composition, diversity and regeneration of a moist deciduous forest of Central India. A fire frequency map was prepared using Landsat satellite images from 2005 to 2021 for the study purpose. Vegetation data were collected from field surveys for each fire frequency class separately. Results of the present study showed that 25.12 % area was affected by low frequent fires, 2.92 % by moderate frequent fires and 0.099 % by high frequent fires, whereas 71.85 % area remained unaffected by fire. The diversity of the tree layer was highest in the low fire frequency class whereas, for the sapling layer, it was highest in unburned areas. Overall, the negative impact of fire frequency on species diversity was observed for the tree and sapling layers. Favorable effects of fire on young current year recruitments were observed as a result of the removal of seed dormancy. Results indicate that moderate fire frequency in moist deciduous forests helps to increase tree density. Contrary to this, unburned areas are suitable for species diversity of seedlings and saplings which consequently decides the composition of mature vegetation. Overall, a negative impact of fire frequency on density was observed for the sapling and seedling layers. Our study concludes that higher fire frequency is detrimental to both the density and diversity of tree, sapling and seedling layers, particularly in tropical moist deciduous forest communities of Central India. It is expected that fire incidences are likely to increase with the increasing temperatures as a result of climate change. In this context, the present study would be highly valuable for forest policy development as information on the impact of fire in tropical moist forests is lacking especially from Central Indian region.

Quantifying forest resilience post forest fire disturbances using time-series satellite data.

Quantification of forest resilience will help us to manage the sustainability of the forest environment and the safety of biodiversity. Measuring forest resilience is crucial for ensuring long-term health of the forest ecosystem in the face of ongoing environmental changes and disturbances. This study focuses on providing a framework to estimate forest resilience scores to assess the vegetation condition after a disturbance. The resilience calculation framework provided uses number of recovery days, the phenological performance level of vegetation in the year when the disturbance took place, long-term mean phenological performance, and greenness levels in subsequent year to calculate the final resilience score at each pixel. Recovery of forests using Landsat data with the help of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index or Normalized Burn Ratio poses a challenge for continuous monitoring of forested landscapes due to cloud cover and availability of scenes at continuous intervals in Landsat datasets. In this regard, MODIS 16-day EVI products were used in this study (2001 to 2020) for monitoring vegetation health before, during, and after the disaster. Bandhavgarh National Park (BNP) located in Madhya Pradesh, India is considered for this study as it witnessed major forest fire breakouts in the second half of March 2018. The objectives of the study are the following: (1) to estimate post-fire recovery days and (2) to formulate new resilience index. The study revealed that the northern part of BNP is more vulnerable and shows slow recovery. The relationship between occupation of people living inside and in the neighboring area with forest resilience is also investigated in this study.

Tracing Ancient Itinerants and Early Medieval Rulers in the Forests of Bandhavgarh

This article arises out of a disquiet about the archaeology of historical India which has largely been concerned with cities and villages. Forests and wilderness rarely figure there, except in passing when the expanding agricultural terrain is described in relation to forest lands being domesticated or when there is an exploration of lines of communication, some of which pass through forested tracts. Because of this gap in engaging with lands beyond agrarian tracts and city sites, large expanses that carry markers of ancient human use have not centrally figured in such research. Here, we describe our field work in the Bandhavgarh National Park and Tiger Reserve and its implications. The earliest remains go back in the form of caves to the 2nd century CE. Shrines of early medieval antiquity, sculptures, and reservoirs begin in the time of Kalachuri kings (7th century CE till the 13th century CE) and continue into the high medieval with Vaghela fortifications and palace remains (13th century CE onwards). What these can tell us when they are immersed in the hills and meadows of Bandhavgarh, in its forests and around its water bodies, is explored here.

Exploring the forest and mapping its archaeology: Bandhavgarh National Park and Tiger Reserve, India

Exploring the forest and mapping its archaeology: Bandhavgarh National Park and Tiger Reserve, India

Should the Tigers be Protected?: A Survey on Opinions of Local Inhabitants of Bandhavgarh and Related Social Factors in the Conservation of Tigers

Increased human populations and the resulting encroachment of related anthropogenic land uses into natural landscapes which once afforded wildlife habitats is a global conservation concern. Of particular concern, are the human-wildlife conflicts perpetuated because of human populations’ growth in the area where large carnivores occur? These increasing conflicts may further impact the conservation of carnivores because of public concerns for human health and safety and economic impacts on subsistence agriculture. In India, increased population growth has impacted the natural habitats for the Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) and the related conflicts have impacted efforts to conserve the species. To better describe the social factors that may affect large carnivore conservation in India, we surveyed the tiger-affected people, the relatives of the people killed by tigers, and the common villagers in the adjacent villages of Bandhavgarh National Park of Madhya Pradesh in India. All of our questionnaires are related to the protection of tigers and the reasons behind it. This study featured the first assessment and basic data for understanding Bengal tigers in the area of Bandhavgarh Forest.

Geo spatial approach for tiger habitat suitability mapping: A case study of Bandhavgarh national park, Madhya Pradesh, India

In the present study, evaluation of Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) and their prey species (Chital & Sambar) habitat was carried out in Bandhavgarh National park by using remote sensing, ground and other ancillary data and these data sources were integrated with GIS using multi-criteria analysis (MCA) model. For the modeling, several variables in the dataset viz., forest cover density, slope, altitude, road, water body, settlement and drainage were used as independent variables in the analysis. All these data sets were considered as input data for developing the model. Expert views and field experience were considered while allotting values to variables for MCA analysis to generate final weight. The result indicated that Sal, mixed Sal, miscellaneous forest, plantation, grassland, agriculture and scrub land are the major land use/land cover types and majority of the study area is covered under forest. The habitat parameters have tremendous impact over the habitat utilization and suitability pattern of Tiger, Chital & Sambar in Bandhavgarh National Park. From this study most suitable habitat for Tiger in BNP is 1264.01 km² which is 56.48% of the total geographical area of the national park while 531.22 km² area comes under moderately suitable for tiger which is 23.74% of the total geographical area of the national park. The results pointed out that 80% of national park has been found to be high to moderately suitable for Tiger habitat. The result have been found to be an important input as baseline information for population modeling and natural resource management in the national park.

Using machine learning to predict habitat suitability of sloth bears at multiple spatial scales

BackgroundHabitat resources occur across the range of spatial scales in the environment. The environmental resources are characterized by upper and lower limits, which define organisms’ distribution in their communities. Animals respond to these resources at the optimal spatial scale. Therefore, multi-scale assessments are critical to identifying the correct spatial scale at which habitat resources are most influential in determining the species-habitat relationships. This study used a machine learning algorithm random forest (RF), to evaluate the scale-dependent habitat selection of sloth bears (Melursus ursinus) in and around Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, India.ResultsWe used 155 spatially rarified occurrences out of 248 occurrence records of sloth bears obtained from camera trap captures (n = 36) and scats located (n = 212) in the field. We calculated focal statistics for 13 habitat variables across ten spatial scales surrounding each presence-absence record of sloth bears. Large (> 5000 m) and small (1000–2000 m) spatial scales were the most dominant scales at which sloth bears perceived the habitat features. Among the habitat covariates, farmlands and degraded forests were the essential patches associated with sloth bear occurrences, followed by sal and dry deciduous forests. The final habitat suitability model was highly accurate and had a very low out-of-bag (OOB) error rate. The high accuracy rate was also obtained using alternate validation matrices.ConclusionsHuman-dominated landscapes are characterized by expanding human populations, changing land-use patterns, and increasing habitat fragmentation. Farmland and degraded habitats constitute ~ 40% of the landform in the buffer zone of the reserve. One of the management implications may be identifying the highly suitable bear habitats in human-modified landscapes and integrating them with the existing conservation landscapes.

Seasonal variation in the diet of sloth bears in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, India

We studied seasonal variation in food habits of sloth bears (Melursus ursinus) in the human-dominated buffer zone of the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, India, during 2017 and 2018. We analyzed 109 sloth bear scats from summer and 103 from winter to characterize the seasonal variation in food habits. We used the Index of Relative Importance (IRI) to determine the importance of each food item. Tendu (Diospyros melanoxylon) fruits had the highest IRI score in summer and termites had the highest IRI score in winter. There was a distinct seasonal variation in the food habits of the sloth bears (χ2 = 143.3, 10 df, P < 0.01). Insects (termites and ants) were the most important food source for sloth bears, contributing 41% and 95% of the Estimated Dietary Energy Content (EDEC) during summer and winter, respectively. We found that sloth bears fed primarily on the fruits of 6 plant species in summer, including the fruits of the invasive weed, Lantana camara. Fruits of amaltas (Cassia fistula) and char (Buchanania cochinchinensis) were consumed in a lower proportion than available, whereas the fruits of tendu were consumed in proportion to availability. Sloth bears had not consumed any large vertebrate species. The food items stabilization curve showed that 70 scats in summer, and 80 scats in winter, were required to depict the diet of sloth bear adequately. Consumption of L. camara by sloth bears, as well as other wildlife species, has strong management implications in terms of seed dispersal and the spreading of this invasive weed.

Physiological stress responses of tigers due to anthropogenic disturbance especially tourism in two central Indian tiger reserves.

Tigers continue to face unprecedented threats to their existence due to poaching, habitat loss, habitat fragmentation and anthropogenic disturbances. The present study examines the physiological stress response of tigers due to anthropogenic activities including wildlife tourism in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and Kanha Tiger Reserve using faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) measurement. We collected a total of 341 faecal samples from both reserves during tourism and non-tourism periods. Data on various anthropogenic disturbances including tourism activities like number of vehicles and visitors were also collected. We ascertained the species identity and sex of all the samples collected using genetic markers. fGCMs were extracted using a previously reported procedure, and fGCM concentrations were subsequently determined using an established enzyme immunoassay. There was no significant difference in overall mean fGCM concentrations between the two tiger reserves, but within each reserve, concentrations were significantly higher in tigers during the tourism period as compared to the non-tourism period. We also found that the number of tourist vehicles and disturbance level significantly correlated with fGCM concentrations. This study further supports the assumption that unbridled tourism associated with high anthropogenic disturbance can be related to perceived stress and consequently may have an impact on the reproductive fitness of tigers and long-term survival of isolated populations.

&lt;b&gt;Assessments on the impact of human-tiger conflict and community-based conservation in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, India&lt;/b&gt;

Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) is one of the famous tiger reserves in India, situated in Uamria District of Madhya Pradesh. Data on human-tiger conflict were collected from the forest record during the period from 2001 to 2011 and a questionnaire survey was conducted to know the level of human-tiger conflict. A total of 27 human casualties were recorded, of which 40.75% were lethal (death) and 59.25% were injuries. A total of 1,603 livestock killing were recorded by tiger, of which consisting of 76.54% (1227) cattle (cow/ox), 22.52% (361) buffaloes and 0.93% (15) goats. Illegal entry into the core and buffer area for collection of minor forest produce, daily needs, and livestock grazing were observed to be the major reasons behind the existing conflict. Poor livestock shelter was also found responsible for mauling of cattle by tigers. The forest department had provided adequate compensation for the losses, but most of the respondents were unsatisfied due to assorted reasons. Poaching and retaliation killing of tiger is also a serious issue in and around BTR. A total of four tiger poaching and one revenge killing case was recorded. Conflicts create a negative impact on people, even then majority of the respondents (83.89%) felt the necessity for tiger conservation. Wildlife habitat improvement, restocking of prey base by translocation of herbivores, fencing of protected areas, controlled grazing and rangeland management, adequate compensation, eco-development, promoting the use of toilets in surrounding villages for safety, proper housing of livestock, and community-based conservation are some options for control and management of human-tiger conflict.

Conservation of vultures in and around Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve

Conservation of vultures in and around Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve

The status of vultures in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, central India

&lt;p&gt;The study on the status of vultures in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BRT), central India was carried out from January 2011 to March 2013 in different seasons using opportunistic sightings. In total, 265 observations were made in which 1,366 individuals belonging to four species were recorded. Among these, Long-billed Vulture &lt;em&gt;Gyps indicus&lt;/em&gt; were more frequently sighted followed by White-backed Vulture &lt;em&gt;Gyps africanus&lt;/em&gt;, Red-headed Vulture or Asian King Vulture &lt;em&gt;Sarcogyps calvus&lt;/em&gt; and Egyptian Vulture &lt;em&gt;Neophron percnopterus&lt;/em&gt;. During the study period, 27 vulture nests were identified, of these 25 nests belonged to Long-billed Vulture and two nests were that os White-backed Vulture. No attempts were made to examine the nesting site characteristics and the breeding status of vulture in BTR. Vultures were largely observed feeding on carnivore kills such as chital, sambar, nilgai, wild pig, domestic cattle and common langur. On a few occasions vultures were seen feeding on the dumped cattle carcasses near villages. The study reveals that vulture population in BTR was mainly dependent on large carnivore kills. Regular monitoring of vulture nest sites in the study area is recommended to assess their breeding success. Since we observed the vultures feeding on dumped livestock carcasss near villages, use of Diclofenac in the villages around the park should be monitored as it has caused a large-scale mortality in vultures in different regions of the country. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt; &lt;/div&gt;

Auxarthronopsis, a new genus of Onygenales isolated from the vicinity of Bandhavgarh National Park, India

An interesting onygenalean ascomycete was isolated from soil collected from a hollow tree near Bandhavgarh National Park situated in central India. The keratinophilic nature associated with a malbranchea-like asexual morph, appendaged mesh-like reticuloperidia, and subglobose to oblate, punctate ascospores, support the inclusion of this isolate in Onygenaceae. Further, the pale cream ascomata, punctate ascospores, and swollen septa in the peridial hyphae suggested that this was a new species of Auxarthron. However, phylogenetic study of LSU, SSU and ITS sequences, and presence of more than three swollen septa on the peridial appendages, do not support a placement within Auxarthron, and the new generic name Auxarthronopsis is introduced to accommodate this new fungus. The distinguishing features of this new taxon are the multiple (≥10) swollen septa on the appendages attached to its reticulate, loosely mesh-like peridium, the finely and regularly punctate ascospores, and the production of arthroconidial and aleurioconidial asexual forms. Sequence analysis of ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, SSU and LSU regions clearly separate this fungus from monophyletic Auxarthron and other taxa bearing some morphological similarity. Phylogenetically, Auxarthronopsis bandhavgarhensis gen. sp. nov. is closest to Amauroascus purpureus, A. volatilis-patellis, Nannizziopsis albicans, and Renispora flavissima, but differs morphologically.

Home Range, Habitat Use and Food Habits of Re-Introduced Gaur (Bos Gaurus Gaurus) in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Central India

Gaur, which became locally extinct before 1995 in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR), Central India, is an endangered animal per Schedule - I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act (1972). A re-introduction program was therefore created to rebuild the gaur population in BTR, both to enhance the long-term survival of the species and to restore natural biodiversity. After re-introduction, the home range, habitat use and food habits of gaur (Bos gaurus gaurus) were studied in BTR, India, from January 2011 to January 2012. Nineteen gaurs (five males - three radio-collared and 14 females - nine radio-collared) were re-introduced from Kanha Tiger Reserve to Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in January 2011. The reintroduced gaurs were monitored periodically through ground tracking and satellite GPS fixes. The mean annual group size of gaur was estimated at 7.3 ± 0.76 (SE). The overall estimated summer, monsoon and winter home ranges of gaur were 290 km2, 137 km2 and 155 km2 (Minimum Convex Polygon) respectively. The overall individual male home ranges varied from 135 to 142 km2, and overall individual female home ranges varied from 32 to 169 km2. Radio collared locations were plotted on a classified (LISS III) habitat map of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve to evaluate the habitat use and availability in each season. Habitat preference was computed using Bonferroni confidence interval method, compositional analysis and Ivlev's index. In summer, gaur largely preferred grassland (P&lt;0.0001), whereas in monsoon and winter, gaur preferred bamboo mixed forest (P&lt;0.0001). Gaur avoi ded open mixed forest (P&lt;0.0001) and agricultural land in all three seasons. Data on food habits were collected through opportunistic sightings. In total, gaur fed on 68 plant species. The present study has reported first-time information on ranging patterns of reintroduced gaur and their degree of preferences for different vegetation and terrain types across seasons, which will be very useful to the park administration for future conservation of this endangered species and for habitat intervention.

Forage resource use by cattle or goats at an Indian protected area: Differences and implications for conservation

In India, increasing livestock populations exert pressure on protected areas (PAs) and surrounding rangelands. Differences in resource use by cattle and goats kept in local communities close to the Bandhavgarh National Park were assessed to conclude on expected environmental damage and to provide management implications. Within 5 months of dry period (subdivided into cool and hot dry season), 2 × 25 dairy goats and cattle were continuously observed during daylight. The time spent for various feeding-related activities and plant species and biomass ingested were recorded. This was accompanied by surveying and recording herders’ activities. Cattle and goats largely relied on woody plants. Goats spent time equally on browsing and grazing, increased leaf litter intake with time but rarely consumed crop residues. Goat herders often offered cut leaf-bearing branches. Cattle preferentially grazed, but also increasingly ingested leaf litter. Crop residues were offered instead of cut woody plants. Cattle herds were much less efficiently using the scarce forage resources for milk production than goat herds. However, as woody plants are important for PAs, particularly goat pasturing practices were detrimental to conservation. Desertification in PA surroundings may be prevented by combining improvements in general livestock management and specific feeding procedures, tree protection, and afforestation measures.

Performance payments: A new strategy to conserve large carnivores in the tropics?

Biodiversity, including wildlife, is globally decreasing at alarming rates. This development has evoked calls for innovative conservation policies. In the present paper we explore the novel conservation performance payment approach which for wildlife–livestock conflicts, so far, has only been implemented in Sweden. The contribution of the paper is twofold. A structural framework of performance payments' design is developed and an empirical assessment of the approach to tiger–livestock conflicts at Bandhavgarh National Park in India, an example where conservation needs compete with humans' increasing demand for land and resources, is presented. The framework focuses on issues of scheme design such as identifying performance indicators, targeting, payment amount and timing, considerations on making payments to groups vs. individuals, scheme duration, and inadvertent side effects. The assessment of the applicability of the performance payment approach to tiger ( Panthera tigris) conservation is based on a high-profile policy workshop, an interview with the park management, and 305 household-level interviews conducted in 20 villages in the buffer zone of the park.

Moths of Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Moths of Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh