Kanha National Park Research Articles

A Contribution to the Flora of Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh

This paper deals with a floristic account of Kanha National Park. No literature on the flora of this famous Park in Madhya Pradesh is available. The present study was, therefore, undertaken with a view to prepare an annotated list of the flowering plants and ferns inhabiting the Park. A total number of 275 species of plants is reported from the Park.

Evaluating the potential for reintroducing the endangered wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee) in Kanha National Park, central India

Reintroducing megafauna to their historic range is an effective strategy to halt their extinctions and restore ecosystems. Wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee) is an endangered megaherbivore that is lost from 95% of its range. About 90% of its global population (less than 4000) resides within India, in two isolated populations: northeast and central India. The central Indian population is on the verge of extinction and warrants urgent conservation interventions. We assess the potential and provide a strategy for reintroducing buffaloes in Kanha National Park, India. Habitat suitability using the global occurrence of buffalo revealed low‐lying grasslands with least human pressure found in Kanha (390 km2) to be suitable. Within this suitable range, we evaluated vegetation composition, forage biomass, and potential carrying capacity. Multidimensional ordination classified these suitable sites into moist and dry grassland clusters. Moist grasslands were found to better suit reintroduction due to lower grazing pressure, higher productivity, and availability of perennial water sources. Distinct matriarchal clades of swamp and river buffalo were observed. Within the river buffalo clade, Indian wild buffaloes formed a distinct cluster with close proximity between northeast and central Indian samples, suggesting northeast buffaloes could be sourced for a founding population in Kanha. Following IUCN guidelines, we discuss the reintroduction strategy that could sustain approximately 200 buffaloes in the area and subsequently expand to other suitable habitats in central India. If implemented as proposed, recovery of this lost ecosystem engineer will help to restore grasslands, and swamp habitats, as well as contribute to its global conservation efforts.

Food security and livelihoods of post-resettlement households around Kanha National Park.

Globally, conservation efforts have moved millions of people out of protected areas since the 1970s, yet quantitative studies on post-resettlement well-being remain a challenge due to poor documentation. Since 2008, the Indian forest department records demographic and financial details at the household level under standardized guidelines for resettlement. Here, we examine the food security of approximately 600 households’ post-resettlement from Kanha National Park (KNP) in central India between 2009 and 2014. We compare food security of resettled households with host community households with a total of 3519 household surveys, conducted over three seasons within one year. We measure food security using food consumption scores (FCSs), coping strategies index (CSI) and household hunger scale (HHS). Food insecurity is widespread in the landscape, with over 80% of households reporting poor or borderline FCSs year-round. Additionally, we recorded food insecurity increases in monsoon for all households regardless of resettlement status. Results indicate that resettled households are comparable to their host community neighbors in FCS and all households use mild coping strategies to combat food insecurity. While widespread, food insecurity in the KNP landscape is not acute with very few (<10) reports of severe hunger (as measured by the HHS). Almost all foods are market bought (>90%) and sometimes supplemented by gathering locally prevalent greens or from kitchen gardens (forest dependency for food was negligible). Accruing assets and diversifying incomes from non-labor avenues would alleviate food insecurity for all households. The patterns of market dependence and food security associated with diversified stable incomes around protected areas is in contrast with many studies but is likely to occur in similar human-dominated landscapes.

Contributions of financial, social and natural capital to food security around Kanha National Park in central India

The well-being of people living around protected areas is critical in its own right as well as for effective conservation, particularly in human-dominated landscapes. We examine the contributions of financial, social, and natural capital to household food access of 883 households around Kanha National Park (KNP) in central India over three seasons. We use regression trees and mixed effects models to identify associations between natural, social, and financial capital indicators and household food access (an indicator of well-being). We find that food access is low in the KNP landscape with over 80% of households indicating lower than acceptable food consumption scores, with a further worsening in monsoon season. Financial capital (e.g., salaried jobs and proximity to towns for all seasons) is most prominently associated with higher food consumption scores. Moreover, households supplement incomes by converting social capital (e.g., 28% of surveyed households access “food in lieu of work or credit” in monsoon) and natural capital (e.g., 14% of surveyed households sold forest products in summer) to financial capital seasonally. Financial capital dwarfs contributions of social and natural capital around KNP, in contrast to other studies, which suggest that gains from natural capital are essential for well-being of people around protected areas. Management interventions, such as kitchen gardens (borne from human capital) to supplement market-bought produce, could contribute to food security without high financial inputs. However, food insecurity in the KNP landscape primarily relates to the lack of financial capital. Food security of people around protected areas in other human-dominated landscapes is likely to be context-specific and counter to frequent assumptions particularly as livelihood strategies change with increasing economic opportunities.

Major challenges and issues related to wildlife management in Kanha National Park, India

Kanha National Park (KNP) is regarded as one of the oldest and finest wildlife protected areas in India. Though tiger density in Kanha Tiger reserve is highest in comparison to most of other tiger reserves of the country e.g. Tadoba, Melghat, Panna, Pench and Ranthambore tiger reserves, yet Kanha National Park/Tiger reserve is more known for Hard ground Barasingha conservation. Kanha National Park is one of the finest protected area in India but the mentioned problems in the paper can no more be ignored. No doubt park authorities have done very well in management and growth of endangered species but now new challenges have emerged. Improvements can only be done if we know about the list of problems. In the present article, we have discussed the various challenges in wildlife conservation in Kanha National Park like herbivores population, grassland management, poaching, fencing, corridor development activities etc. Significant successes and notable failures on the part of park administration have been discussed.

Resettlement and landscape-level conservation: Corridors, human-wildlife conflict, and forest use in Central India

Since the origin of the protected area network, authorities have resettled people in the interest of wildlife conservation. However, the impacts of resettlement on wildlife corridors connecting increasingly insular protected areas and the interaction of resettlement with existing human-wildlife conflict (HWC) outside of protected areas remain unclear. Using Kanha National Park (KNP) in central India as a case study, we quantified impacts of 450 households (that were resettled from 2009 to 2013, surveyed in 2016) on non-protected forests at their new settlement locations. We measured forest use for cattle grazing, tendu leaf extraction (a commercial non-timber forest product) and consumption of forest foods. We also quantified HWC risks that resettled households face at their new settlement locations. We use published spatial analyses on designation of the corridor and risks of human wildlife conflict in conjunction with our data to assess post-resettlement impacts at the new settlement locations. Overall, most resettled households (330) have moved to existing villages that lie outside of wildlife corridors around KNP. They comprise <10% of existing populations at most of their new settlement villages. Many resettled households and their non-resettled neighbors face high HWC risks due to the spatial patterns of HWC around KNP. Controlling for assets and proximity to forest, resettled households own more cattle, are less involved in tendu trade, and consume fewer forests foods than non-resettled neighbors. Model results suggest that increasing off-farm economic opportunities would reduce pressures on forest resources for both resettled and non-resettled households. Our findings, while limited to the KNP landscape, provide approaches applicable in other human-dominated places to design resettlement strategies towards landscape-level conservation goals.

Power asymmetries and institutions: landscape conservation in central India

This article argues for revisiting the institutional architecture of wildlife conservation in light of two recent trends: Increased popularity of landscape-level approaches and the recognition that conservation interventions must address longstanding questions of forest and land rights of local residents. The inquiry draws upon primary research conducted in Kanha National Park and Tiger Reserve, which is world renowned for its rich flora and fauna, but is also the site of a longstanding struggle over land rights of Adivasis, India’s indigenous people. The institutional landscape of contemporary wildlife conservation regimes, this article shows, is a product of the interlocking of socioeconomic inequalities and the dominant models of wildlife conservation. The analysis presented here follows a political economy of institutions approach, which underlines how the social, economic, and political contexts shape institutional outcomes. Findings from this analysis will inform the proposals for transformational institutional interventions aimed to meet the triple bottom line of social justice, broad-based economic development, and ecological stewardship.

Space-based long-term observation of shrinking grassland habitat: A case-study from central India

Grassland ecosystem is critical for survival of herbivores and plays an important role in conservation and management of wildlife. These habitats are widely studied for various issues, including biodiversity, biomass assessment, carrying capacity, etc. Woody species ingression in grasslands is one such important aspect that needs critical attention in protected area as this leads to shrinking of grasslands habitat. This study presents a case of Ronda grassland in Kanha National Park – a well-known protected area in India, known for its herbivore diversity and hard-ground Barasingha (Rucervus duvaceli branderi), in particular. Long-term satellite observation for five decades was carried out to understand spatio-temporal changes. Declassified Corona satellite data, aerial photographs along with satellite datasets in the subsequent period were utilised for this study. The study revealed that 88 ha (16% of Ronda and surrounding) have been ingressed during 1962–2011, in and around Ronda grassland of Kanha National Park. Rates of ingression on linear transects were found to be 60–120 m per decade. Field studies and NDVI analysis along the edge of grassland pixels as well as inside region using 1972 as baseline data, indicated woody vegetation replacing area of grassland. It was noted that Butea monosperma is invading more than other species in Ronda grassland, particularly along the stream where moisture availability is higher. Grassland habitats in Kanha are thus shrinking and thus leading to reduction in the area available for herbivore population which has increased in recent years. This can lead to severe impact on carrying capacity of these grasslands.

First records of preorbital gland opening in rare wild barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii) in social contexts may help to explain this phenomenon in cervids

The opening of the preorbital gland in deer serves as a visual communication and has been linked to a wide variety of behavioural situations. As we reported recently, all previous long-term studies on preorbital gland opening were carried out on only one species, whereas case reports on six other rarely studied species have shown associations with different behaviours, thus greatly increasing our overall understanding of the real function of this gland in animal visual communication. Here, we report for the first time preorbital gland opening in the barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii) in social contexts as observed in a wild population in Kanha National Park, India. We observed this behaviour in two different contexts: agonistic and sexual. Moreover, our record of preorbital gland opening during copulation is the first one amongst cervids. Our findings of preorbital gland opening in both contexts in wild barasingha indicate that the gland was opened only when the individual was highly excited. We suggest that preorbital gland opening may be an important behavioural indicator of an individual involved in a serious intraspecific interaction, and thus a useful tool with which to distinguish between playful and serious behaviours, especially in agonistic and sexual situations.

Saras Cranes in Palwal District in Southern Haryana Are Asking For Immediate Attention for Their Last Rescue Efforts

Saras Cranes Grus antigone are endangered birds of open wetlands with highly worrying depletion trends being witnessed related with disappearance of marshy and shallow perennial, expansive wetlands throughout northern India. Alongside, massive hunting in 18th, 19th and 20th centuries and even today is another serious cause for their worrisome deterioration. Also, destruction of nests, eggs, fledglings and adults by aboriginals indeliberately or deliberately is causing these cranes to perish sooner than latter, completely.Now, Saras Cranes are found in limited number and domain as four populations in the entire world including India, China, Burma, South East Asia and northern Australia. In so far as Indian Saras Crane population is concerned, it is pitiably restricted to only few hundred in all, in Etawa, Mainpuri districts of Uttar Pradesh, Kanha National Park near Bharatpur in Rajasthan, some parts of Gujarat in the west and Assam in the east.It is interesting to note that few pairs have been seen in Faridabad and Palwal districts in southern Haryana, India. These need to be protected and conserved

Impact of Tourism on Livelihoods

Wildlife tourism is gaining popularity day by day. With the increase in the number of tourist influx in Protected Areas (PA), new facilities to satisfy their needs are coming in the villages around the PA. Tourism has both negative and positive impacts in these rural areas. To know the impacts of tourism, a study was conducted in two villages namely Khatia and Mocha which are situated near Kanha National Park (KNP). The main aim of study was to identify the change in the lives of those villagers who have sold their land to resort/lodge owners. A survey was conducted of villagers who had sold their land in the last five years. Data was obtained regarding change in land use, use of income obtained from sale, reasons for selling the land, change in livelihood patterns etc. It was found out that the main reasons for selling the land included exasperation due to crop raiding by wild ungulates and the attractive price offered by the resort owners. The land use pattern changed drastically leading to a complete change in landscape from one dominated by agricultural fields to one choked by construction of posh resorts. The use of money realized from sale was majorly done to purchase land holdings in other villages or gypsies to be used for tourism purposes. Wilcoxon Signed Rank test shows that there is a significant increase in the income of villages after the sale although many marginal farmers are working as laborers on the same piece of land they once owned.

REMOTE SENSING BASED BIOPHYSICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF TROPICAL DECIDUOUS FOREST IN CENTRAL INDIA

Abstract. The paper reports the measurements of biophysical parameters using field and satellite data over a tropical deciduous forest Kanha National Park (KNP), central India. Field measurement (GBH, LAI, litter, soil moisture) was carried out over ten quadrates of 0.1ha in KNP for characterization of biophysical parameters with specified measurement protocol and sampling. Satellite based remote sensing analysis (LAI, Phenology, and NPP) was carried out using multi date observations of IRS-LISS-III, IMS-1MX, SPOT-VEGETATION and EOS-MODIS instruments. Rank correlation analysis using field data collected in the selected quadrates at KNP showed Sal (Shorea robusta) is dominant forest species followed by Lendia, Jamun (Syzygium cumini), Saja, Harra and Dhawda etc. Field measurement of Sal showed GBH range from 20 cm to 170 cm. Different forest classes such as Sal; Sal mixed with Jamun, Bamboo (Dendrocalamus strictus) etc, including grasslands/scrubland were classified with overall accuracy of 85.56 percent using March, May and October multi spectral data. Sal has distinct growth characteristics (low vegetation growth/ leaf fall in March instead of May) as compared to other vegetation species. As per the Leaf Area Index (LAI) measurement using hemispherical photographs, Sal showed the highest LAI (6.95 m2/m2) during September and lowest LAI (2.63 m2/m2) during March. Overall good agreement (r= 0.79) was found between the LAI generated from LISS-III and MODIS data product. It was observed from SPOT-VEGETATION analysis that NPP varied from 8.4 tC/ha/year (dry deciduous forest) to 14.25 tC/ha/year (Moist deciduous forest) in KNP.

Opportunities of Habitat Connectivity for Tiger (Panthera tigris) between Kanha and Pench National Parks in Madhya Pradesh, India

The Tiger (Panthera tigris) population in India has undergone a sharp decline during the last few years. Of the number of factors attributed to this decline, habitat fragmentation has been the most worrisome. Wildlife corridors have long been a subject of discussion amongst wildlife biologists and conservationists with contrasting schools of thought arguing their merits and demerits. However, it is largely believed that wildlife corridors can help minimize genetic isolation, offset fragmentation problems, improve animal dispersal, restore ecological processes and reduce man animal conflict. This study attempted to evaluate the possibilities of identifying a suitable wildlife corridor between two very important wildlife areas of central India – the Kanha National Park and the Pench National Park – with tiger as the focal species. Geographic Information System (GIS) centric Least Cost Path modeling was used to identify likely routes for movement of tigers. Habitat suitability, perennial water bodies, road density, railway tracks, human settlement density and total forest edge were considered as key variables influencing tiger movement across the Kanha-Pench landscape. Each of these variables was weighted in terms of relative importance through an expert consultation process. Using different importance scenarios, three alternate corridor routes were generated of which one was identified as the most promising for tiger dispersal. Weak links – where cover and habitat conditions are currently sub-optimal – were flagged on the corridor route. Interventions aimed at augmenting the identified corridor route have been suggested using accepted wildlife corridor design principles. The involvement of local communities through initiatives such as ecotourism has been stressed as a crucial long term strategy for conservation of the Kanha-Pench wildlife corridor. The results of the study indicate that restoration of the identified wildlife corridors between the two protected areas is technically feasible.

Bryophytes of Kanha National Park (Madhya Pradesh), India

Bryophytes of Kanha National Park (Madhya Pradesh) have been enumerated and a preliminary list includes 11 genera and 15 species under 10 families. The study has revealed the occurrence of Notothylas anaporata Udar &amp; Singh which is new record to central India.

Diversity of Odonata in Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh, India

The paper reports detailed entomological survey on the Dragonfly and Damselfly (Odonata) diversity in Kanha National Park, famous in the world for tigers. A total of 36 species of Odonates belonging to 2 Suborders and 7 families, viz., Gomphidae (2 species), Aeshnidae (2 species), Libellulidae (20 species), Coenagrionidae (8 species), Protoneuridae (2 species), Euphaeidae (1 species) and Lestidae (1 species) were recorded. The park and its surrounding form a unique resource of Odonate diversity and the present observations support the value of the reserve forest area in providing valuable habitat for Odonata. Odonates are good indicators of environment as they are sensitive and directly affected by micro level changes in the habitats in relation to the weather conditions.

Runoff Modeling in an Agro-Forested Watershed Using Remote Sensing and GIS

AbstractA hybrid technique was used for the runoff production and its routing in an agro-forested watershed located within the Kanha National Park in Central India with the use of remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) data. In this technique, a modified Soil Conservation Service curve number (SCS-CN) method and a two-dimensional overland flow model were combined. Modified SCS-CN method estimated daily net rainfall fractions were used as an input to the overland flow model along with other remote-sensing-derived inputs such as the digital elevation model (DEM), rainfall, and roughness factor for routing of the produced runoff. The model works on a cell basis and routs produced runoff from one cell to next following the maximum downslope directions. The flow model uses the diffusive wave approximations of the St. Venant equations for routing surface water. The model was tested by calibrating the Strickler coefficient K, which is inversely proportional to resistance to flow, and comparing th...

On a Collection of Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) from Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh, India

On a Collection of Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) from Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh, India

Analysis of the evolutionarily conserved repeat motifs in the genome of the highly endangered central Indian swamp deer Cervus duvauceli branderi.

We have analyzed the genome of central Indian swamp deer Cervus duvauceli branderi, an inhabitant of the Kanha National Park, a wildlife conservatory in Central India, with a view to provide a genetic basis for their extinction. Evolutionarily conserved repeat sequence motifs (GATA)3.75, TA(GATA)4, (GACA)3.75, (TGG)6 and a set of mouse beta-actin primers were used to uncover the sequence variation within and between related species by employing techniques of hybridization and AP-PCR amplification. The oligo probe carrying the GACA and TGG repeat motifs was found to be positive with Cervus genome, whereas (GATA)3.75, TA(GATA)4 and beta-actin probes did not cross-hybridize with the same. AP-PCR amplification with (GACA)3.75, unlike the (TGG)6 primer, generated distinct bands in the range of 0. 37-2.10kb amongst different genomes including Cervus. A comparative genome analysis of other species using the AP-PCR approach with (GACA)3.75 primer revealed the phylogenetic status of Cervus duvauceli branderi. From the analysis of a very limited number of Cervus DNA samples, we observed a high level of genetic homogeneity that may be a prime reason for the extinction of this species. This study has implications in the context of conservation of this endangered Cervus duvauceli branderi species.

APPLICATION OF REMOTE SENSING TO STUDY THE ENVIRONMENT AND ECOSYSTEM. A CASE STUDY FOR PRIMARY ANALYSIS OF VEGETATION

Four major types of forest vegetation viz, moist sal forest, moist mixed forest, dry mixed forest and. seral vegetation were identified at the Kanha National Park using remote sensing data products viz., satellite imageries (Landsat - TM-FCC 1:50,000 scale) and aerial photographs (B/W panchromatic 1:10,000 scale). Primary analysis of the vegetation has revealed that sal (Shorea robusta) was more abundant (60.13) with highest importance value index (IVI) of 180.11 followed by Terminalia tomentosa in moist sal group of forests in valleys. T.tomentosa was found to be a close associate of sal. In moist miked forests (on hill slopes), I. tomentosa were abundant with high frequency, density and highest IVI (94.88). Total absence of sal and less abundance of 1, tomentosa were the significant aspects in characterizing the dry mixed forest. In dry mixed forest, Bosewellia serrata and Lagerstroemia parviflora are the most abundant species constituting the ridge vegetation. The seral vegetation was dominated by Butea monosperma and L. parviflora which were invading the grasslands in pure patches, respectively, into meadows and dadar grasslands.

APPLICATION OF REMOTE SENSING TO STUDY THE ENVIRONMENT AND ECOSYSTEM. A CASE STUDY FOR SECONDARY ANALYSIS OF VEGETATION

Four types of vegetation viz. moist sal forest, moist mixed forest, dry mixed forest and seral vegetation were identified at the Kanha National Park using remote sensing data products viz. satellite imageries (Landsat -TM-FCC 1:50,000 scale) and aerial photographs (B/W Panchromatic 1:10,000 scale). Secondary analysis of the vegetation interms of index of similarity has revealed that there was highest similarity between Terminalia tomentosa and moist mixed forest as T. tomentosa was the most abundant and dominant tree species in moist mixed forest. Also there were more similarity between Sal (Shorea robusta) and T. tomentosa forests. S. robusta forest was the most dominant among all the vegetation in the study area. The dry mixed and moist mixed forests were having greater diversity, indicating the richness of the tree species, compared to sal forest and seral vegetation