Bannerghatta National Park Research Articles

Elephants in the Room - Analyzing Local Discourses for Sustainable Management of Bannerghatta National Park, South India.

Landscape governance challenges, particularly in peri-urban contexts like the Bannerghatta National Park (BNP) region in South India, exemplify 'wicked' problems due to their inherent complexities. These challenges arise from a mix of conflicting interests, policy ambiguities, and sociocultural dynamics, which often blur the definition of problems and hinder effective solutions. Despite apparent options for resolution, stakeholder disagreements and deep uncertainties about implementation strategies complicate governance. This study, therefore, has two broad objectives. The first objective is to analyze the local discourses surrounding planned policy interventions around the BNP region in South India. Based on the findings, the second objective is to draw insights for sustainable natural resource governance research and practice. We applied Q-methodology to understand the discourses that underpin various conflicts in the rapidly urbanizing elephant corridor at BNP. We elicited information on how various local actors frame solutions to current collective action challenges in the BNP landscape and their perspectives on the proposed eco-sensitive zone notification, as well as the functioning of current policy interventions concerning conservation and development. The study uncovers the micropolitics and power regimes underpinning various natural resource governance challenges and demonstrates the utility of the Q-methodology in bringing diverse perspectives together in response to 'wicked' governance challenges.

Diversity and Distribution Pattern of Woody Species in Bugarikallu Permanent Preservation Plot, Bannerghatta National Park, Bengaluru

Diversity and Distribution Pattern of Woody Species in Bugarikallu Permanent Preservation Plot, Bannerghatta National Park, Bengaluru

Enumerating Indigenous Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) Associated with Three Permanent Preservation Plots of Tropical Forests in Bangalore, Karnataka, India

The establishment of Permanent Preservation Plots (PPPs) in natural forests has a signifi-cant role in assessing the impact of climate change on forests. To pursue long-term studies on cli-mate change, PPPs were established during the year 2016 in two major forest areas in Bangalore to conduct ecological studies to monitor the vegetation changes. One of the objectives of the study was to understand the drivers of diversity, such as soils, in terms of nutrients and physical and biological properties. The native tropical forest of Bangalore, which houses Bannerghatta National Park (BNP) on the outskirts, is relatively underexplored in terms of its microflora, particularly arbuscular my-corrhizal fungi (AMF). Hence, the present study was aimed at the quantitative estimation of arbus-cular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the three 1-ha PPPs which were established in Bannerughatta National Park (BNP) and Doresanipalya Reserve Forest (DRF) as per the Centre for Tropical Forest Sciences (CTFS) protocol. In BNP, two plots were established, one in the Thalewood house area (mixed, moist, deciduous type) and the other in the Bugurikallu area (dry, deciduous type). In DRF, one plot was established in dry, deciduous vegetation. Each one-hectare plot (100 m × 100 m) was subdivided into twenty-five sub-plots (20 m × 20 m). Composite soil samples were collected during two seasons (dry and wet) and analyzed for AMF spore and available phosphorus (P) content. The results revealed the presence of AMF in all the three plots. Doresanipalya plo had the highest spore number, followed by the Bugurikallu plot and Thalewood house plot. The available phosphorous and AMF spore numbers showed correlations in all the three plots. Among the AMF spores, the Glomus species was found to dominate in all the three plots. The study shows that the dry, decidu-ous forests accommodated more AMF spores than the mixed, moist forests.

Patterns of woody species diversity and structure in Thalewood House permanent preservation plot in Bannerghatta National Park, Bangalore, India

Patterns of woody species diversity and structure in Thalewood House permanent preservation plot in Bannerghatta National Park, Bangalore, India

Assessing the Effects of a Cognition-Based Education Program on Attitudes of Villagers Toward Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) in Conflict-Prone Areas

ABSTRACT A vital role in mitigating human-elephant conflict (HEC) involves conservation education programs in local communities. It is therefore important to assess the types of information that make conservation education programs effective. Given the public’s fascination with animal minds, the elephant being a cognitively complex species, and the high occurrence of HEC surrounding Asian elephants, the current research assessed whether using information on elephant cognition in a conservation education program increased positive attitudes toward elephants/elephant conservation in Bannerghatta National Park (BNP). BNP, located in Karnataka, India, is an area reporting high HEC. Results indicated no significant difference in adult male villagers’ attitudes toward elephants/elephant conservation when exposed to one of two educational programs, one of which included information on elephant cognition. However, a significant difference in attitudes between the two programs and a control group was discovered, suggesting the importance of an educational intervention in the communities surrounding BNP.

Relocation of a GPS collared conflict Sloth Bear Melursus ursinus (Mammalia: Carnivora) in Karnataka, India

The relocation of conflict bears has been a tool used widely across the United States and Canada with mixed results. It has also been used in India with Sloth Bears, though without follow-up it remains unknown how successful these relocation efforts have been. We documented the capture and relocation of a conflict female Sloth Bear from a rural area near Bangalore, Karnataka, India to Bannerghatta National Park roughly 30km away. This female bear, approximately six years old, was fitted with a VHF/GPS store-on-board collar, and her movements tracked. She did not attempt to return to her capture location but during the first two-month period after being released she did roam over an area roughly six times that of typical female Sloth Bear home range. Over the subsequent months the area over which she roamed continued to decline. She was least active mid-day and more active in the evening, night, and early morning. During her last few weeks in January, before she was killed by an explosive device just outside of the park, her movement pattern shrank considerably. The post-mortem examination showed that she had been pregnant when killed and would have given birth within the next two weeks. These reduced movements were consistent with those of periparturient female bears or potentially with a bear becoming more acclimated to her new surroundings. The relocation effort appeared successful up until the Sloth Bear was killed by poacher activity.

Mistaking the Map for the Territory: What Does the History of Bannerghatta National Park, India, Tell us about the Study of Institutions?

This article traces the history of Bannerghatta National Park (BNP), a deciduous forest south of Bengaluru city, India that is undergoing rapid socio-ecological transformations. Using remotely sensed data combined with interviews, oral histories and archival material we map the changing landscape to discern continuity and change in BNP across pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial periods. Our findings show that complexity is historically contingent and is core to the understanding of contemporary forest governance challenges. Legacies of past social structures such as caste remain a visible presence in the landscape and affect institutional functioning significantly. Our findings also uncover the role of exogenous factors such as the park’s peri-urban location and post-liberalization policies in adversely affecting “rules-in-use”. A historical approach can offer analysts better grounded and “situated” understandings of the complex interplay between institutions (formal, informal, traditional, modern) and the patterned social practices operating in natural resource systems.

Sustainable Management of Bannerghatta National Park, India, with the Insights in Land Cover Dynamics

The ecosystem of health and natural resource management is influenced by the social, political, economic system and institutional framework in a region. Rapid economic growth in Bangalore and its environs in recent decades has resulted in environmental changes in Bannerghatta National Park (BNP) and its buffer (of 5 km). Land use land cover (LULC) change analysis with a modelling technique such as cellular automata (CA)-Markov was used for quantitatively exploring forest cover transitions. The analysis of LULC dynamics has revealed loss of vegetation cover from 85.78 per cent to 66.37 per cent (1973–2015) and severe environmental stress. The region has lost moist deciduous cover, from 26.1 per cent to 13.8 per cent, and witnessed an increase in horticulture, from 8.5 per cent to 11 per cent (1973–2015). The visualization of likely land use in 2027 indicates the loss of forest cover from 41.38 per cent to 35.59 per cent with an increase in urban area from 4.49 per cent to 9.62 per cent (with new residential and commercial layouts in the buffer zone of BNP in violation of the eco-sensitive zone norms as per Section 5(1) of Environment Protection Act 1986). The study provides insights for developing an appropriate planning framework towards conservation and the sustainable management of ecologically sensitive national parks.

Proximate Causes of Land-Use and Land-Cover Change in Bannerghatta National Park: A Spatial Statistical Model

Land change modeling has become increasingly important in evaluating the unique driving factors and proximate causes that underlie a particular geographical location. In this article, a binary logistic regression analysis was employed to identify the factors influencing deforestation and simultaneous plantation driven reforestation in Bannerghatta National Park, located at the periphery of one of the fastest growing cities in India, i.e., Bangalore. Methodologically, this study explores the inclusion of different sub-regions and statistical population to address spatial autocorrelation in land change modeling. The results show negative relationship between deforestation and protected area status and edge of previous forest clearing. In addition, the deforestation models found differences in the processes that are affecting forest clearing in our two sub-periods of 1973–1992 and 1992–2007. The plantation driven reforestation in the region were attributed to distance to major towns, Bangalore city, rural centers and major and minor roads suggesting the importance of accessibility to market for heavy cash crops such as coconut palm and eucalyptus. Finally, the inclusion of different sub-regions and statistical population facilitated a better understanding of varying driving factors in different zones within the overall landscape.

An Assessment of Crop Damage and Economic Loss Caused by Elephants in Harohalli and Kodihalli Ranges of Bannerghatta National Park, Karnataka, India

The human-elephant conflict, which results in extensive crop damage as well as casualties (both humans and elephants) has significantly increased over the past decade. We studied the patterns of crop raiding and associated economic loss by elephants across two forest ranges of Bannerghatta National Park (BNP), Karnataka, India, namely Kodihalli and Harohalli ranges, from January 2014 to December 2014. We found that 127 villages reported crop raids by elephants during the study period. The incidence of crop raiding in villages ranged from 1 to 59 (mean = 7.17) and was highest in Kodihalli division. Maximum crop raiding incidences were recorded during the rainy season in both the ranges. Elephants with varying proportions raided all cultivated crop species in the study area. Finger millet ( Eleusine coracana ) (65 acres), banana ( Musa paradisia ) (1535 plants) and coconut ( Cocus nucifera ) (140 trees) were the most raided crop species. Crop maturity and crop raiding incidence showed positive correlation for finger millet in the Kodihalli range. In contrast, bananas were damaged throughout the year in the Harohalli range. Other crops such as red gram, paddy, sugarcane and beans were raided less in the sampling areas. In conclusion, this study reveals rising incidence of human-elephant conflicts and significant economic loss as a result of crop damage in the adjoining regions of BNP.

Seasonal Crop Raiding of Fruit Trees by Asian Elephants: An Insight into Foraging Preferences from Croplands Abutting Bannerghatta National Park, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Seasonal Crop Raiding of Fruit Trees by Asian Elephants: An Insight into Foraging Preferences from Croplands Abutting Bannerghatta National Park, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

A badger in Bannerghatta: an opportunistic record of the Ratel Mellivora capensis (Schreber, 1776) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Mustelidae) from Karnataka, India

A single observation of a Ratel Mellivora capensis has been photo-documented in Bannerghatta National Park on 2 November 2015. This record being the first contemporary evidence of badgers in this region of Karnataka, India, the paper also presents a case study of badgers being close to a highly human-dominated landscape which could be due to some ecological factors that may be conducive as a habitat within the Park. Though a resident population and distribution within the BNP could not be ascertained, it can be proposed that the region may be an extension of range of its most recently documented distribution in the Eastern Ghats landscape.

The Reproductive Behavior of Indian Leopards (Panthera pardus fusca)

Leopards are very elusive and elegant cats and their reproductive behavior has been a challenging one to document. All behavioral observations were carried out after the daily cleaning activities of the zoo keepers, from a vantage point undisturbed and unhindered. The animals were observed for 2 hours at a frequency of 4 times a day. A total of 38 leopards were included in the study comprising of 33 animals (17 males and 16 females) from Bannerghatta National Park and 5 animals (3 males and 2 females) from Aringar Anna Zoological Park. The study focused on the mating behavior of leopards which was divided into pre-copulatory period, copulatory period and post-copulatory period, invariable of the number of animals, the total number of matings were regarded prime in this study. The behavioral oestrus periods were calculated as the difference from the day of the first observed behavioral signs shown by the animal to the last observed day of the oestrus signs. The inter-oestrus interval was calculated from the last day of the previous observed behavioral oestrus to the first day of the next observed behavioral oestrus. The behavioral indicators are documented and the findings are discussed.

Evaluation of people’s perceptions towards human-elephant conflict in and around Bannerghatta national Park

An assessment of human attitudes, towards elephant (Elephas maximus), is necessary in formulating appropriate policies for conserving wildlife. The aim of this study is to test the extent of how the experience people have of wild elephants influences their perceptions of, and attitudes towards, them, and to identify factors influencing their attitudes towards the conservation of elephants in the wild. This study was carried out in three villages near BNP through in-depth interviews of men (N = 70) and women (N = 20). Farming (49 %) is the major source of income for the local community. The majority of the respondents said that wild elephants caused anxiousness. A majority (58 %) of the people felt that deforestation in BNP (the neighboring territorial forests) has resulted in a higher human-elephant conflict. Variety of cultivated crops have been damaged by elephant, ragi (34%) was raided the most among all the cultivated crops. A variety of traditional mitigating methods are being used to combat conflict, but they were ineffective according to participants. Majority of them suggested regular patrolling (39 %) by the forest department officials and special joint patrolling (with villagers) is highly efficient methods to mitigate problem.

Tree diversity in the tropical dry forest of Bannerghatta National Park in Eastern Ghats, Southern India

Abstract Tree species inventories, particularly of poorly known dry deciduous forests, are needed to protect and restore forests in degraded landscapes. A study of forest stand structure, and species diversity and density of trees with girth at breast height (GBH) ≥10 cm was conducted in four management zones of Bannerghatta National Park (BNP) in the Eastern Ghats of Southern India. We identified 128 tree species belonging to 45 families in 7.9 hectares. However, 44 species were represented by ≤ 2 individuals. Mean diversity values per site for the dry forest of BNP were: tree composition (23.8 ±7.6), plant density (100.69 ± 40.02), species diversity (2.56 ± 0.44) and species richness (10.48 ± 4.05). Tree diversity was not significantly different (P>0.05) across the four management zones in the park. However, the number of tree species identified significantly (P<0.05) increased with increasing number of sampling sites, but majority of the species were captured. Similarly, there were significant variations (p<0.05) between tree diameter class distributions. Juveniles accounted for 87% of the tree population. The structure of the forest was not homogeneous, with sections ranging from poorly structured to highly stratified configurations. The study suggests that there was moderate tree diversity in the tropical dry thorn forest of Bannerghatta National Park, but the forest was relatively young.

Understanding forest loss and recovery: a spatiotemporal analysis of land change in and around Bannerghatta National Park, India

Bangalore is India’s third fastest-growing city and a major information technology center of India. The city is unusual in also having a major protected area located at its periphery, which creates a significant challenge for conservation. Bannerghatta National Park and its surrounding landscape, situated south of Bangalore, have experienced significant land-use and land-cover changes over the last two decades. This analysis combines discrete and continuous approaches of satellite remote-sensing-based change detection using multitemporal Landsat and IRS LISS III imagery to analyze the rate and extent of spatiotemporal changes in and around the Bannerghatta National Park between 1973, 1992 and 2007. Most of the native forest cover loss and decrease in forest density has taken place outside the park, or at the edge of the park, and relates to increased agriculture, suburban development, grazing and illegal logging. However, forest cover inside the park has been maintained, counter to the dominant global theme of deforestation as a consequence of urbanization. Overall, despite the decrease in native forest cover the landscape has experienced a net increase in tree cover or reforestation, which can be attributed to an increase in tree plantations outside the Bannerghatta National Park.

Simulating Forest Cover Changes of Bannerghatta National Park Based on a CA-Markov Model: A Remote Sensing Approach

Establishment of protected areas (PA) has been one of the leading tools in biodiversity conservation. Globally, these kinds of conservation interventions have given rise to an increase in PAs as well as the need to empirically evaluate the impact of these PAs on forest cover. Few of these empirical evaluations have been geared towards comparison of pre and post policy intervention landscapes. This paper provides a method to empirically evaluate such pre and post policy interventions by using a cellular automata-Markov model. This method is tested using remotely sensed data of Bannerghatta National park (BNP) and its surrounding, which have experienced various national level policy interventions (Indian National Forest Policy of 1988) and rapid land cover change between 1973 and 2007. The model constructs a hypothetical land cover scenario of BNP and its surroundings (1999 and 2007) in the absence of any policy intervention, when in reality there has been a significant potential policy intervention effect. The models predicted a decline in native forest cover and an increase in non forest cover post 1992 whereas the actual observed landscape experienced the reverse trend where after an initial decline from 1973 to 1992, the forest cover in BNP is towards recovery post 1992. Furthermore, the models show a higher deforestation and lower reforestation than the observed deforestation and reforestation patterns for BNP post 1992. Our results not only show the implication of national level policy changes on forest cover but also show the usefulness of our method in evaluating such conservation efforts.

Usual Populations, Unusual Individuals: Insights into the Behavior and Management of Asian Elephants in Fragmented Landscapes

BackgroundA dearth in understanding the behavior of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) at the scale of populations and individuals has left important management issues, particularly related to human-elephant conflict (HEC), unresolved. Evaluation of differences in behavior and decision-making among individual elephants across groups in response to changing local ecological settings is essential to fill this gap in knowledge and to improve our approaches towards the management and conservation of elephants.Methodology/Principal FindingsWe hypothesized certain behavioral decisions that would be made by Asian elephants as reflected in their residence time and movement rates, time-activity budgets, social interactions and group dynamics in response to resource availability and human disturbance in their habitat. This study is based on 200 h of behavioral observations on 60 individually identified elephants and a 184-km2 grid-based survey of their natural and anthropogenic habitats within and outside the Bannerghatta National Park, southern India during the dry season. At a general population level, the behavioral decisions appeared to be guided by the gender, age and group-type of the elephants. At the individual level, the observed variation could be explained only by the idiosyncratic behaviors of individuals and that of their associating conspecific individuals. Recursive partitioning classification trees for residence time of individual elephants indicated that the primary decisions were taken by individuals, independently of their above-mentioned biological and ecological attributes.Conclusions/SignificanceDecision-making by Asian elephants thus appears to be determined at two levels, that of the population and, more importantly, the individual. Models based on decision-making by individual elephants have the potential to predict conflict in fragmented landscapes that, in turn, could aid in mitigating HEC. Thus, we must target individuals, in addition to populations, in our efforts to manage and conserve this threatened species, particularly in human-dominated landscapes.