Sambar Rusa Research Articles

Detection of 40bp tandem repeat motif and associated insertions and deletions (INDEL) in the mitochondrial DNA control region of Sambar deer (Rusa unicolor).

Sambar (Rusa unicolor) is the largest oriental deer and has a wide distribution across South and Southeast Asia. Despite its wide distribution range, little information on the genetics of this species is available to date. We examined the genetic variability of Sambar populations using a partial fragment of the mtDNA control region and reconstructed the phylogeographic association of Sambar populations across India. We detected 56 haplotypes with an overall haplotype diversity, Hd = 0.939 ± 0.012 and nucleotide diversity, Pi = 0.029 ± 0.002 in Sambar populations across India. The Sambar populations of Northeast India exhibits 30 localized mtDNA control region haplotypes with no haplotype sharing with other populations of India. We identified a 40bp tandem repeat motif in the mtDNA control region with variable copy numbers ranging between three to six duplications. The Sambar populations across India exhibited phylogeographic differentiation based on the observed insertion and deletion patterns in the mtDNA control region. The 40bp tandem repeat motif was associated with patterns of insertions and deletions among different populations of Sambar in India. The findings of this study provide baseline information on the mtDNA genetic variability of Sambar populations across India, which is crucial for future population genetic studies.

Understanding predation behaviour of the tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) in Ranthambore tiger Reserve, Rajasthan, India: use of low-cost gel based molecular sexing of prey hairs from scats

Diet reconstruction of carnivores elucidates ecology of the species and prey-predator relationship in different bioclimatic regions. Micro-histological analyses of undigested prey hairs from tiger scats have widely been used for reconstruction of predator diet. However, sex of the prey is obtained from kill data, acquiring which require extensive and intensive monitoring. The encounter rate of scats in the field is relatively higher than that of kills. Thus, we used microscopic examination of prey hairs isolated from confirmed tiger scats (n = 42) collected from Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan, India to identify prey species. We describe a novel method for prey sex identification from a single hair collected per tiger scat. We extracted DNA from the prey hairs and validated the absence of tiger DNA using felid specific microsatellite loci. We could amplify up to 230 bp (base pairs) nuclear and mitochondrial fragments successfully from DNA extracted from a single prey hair. We amplified a Y-linked fragment for identifying male individuals while using a mitochondrial marker as a control for PCR amplification. Sambar (Rusa unicolor) and chital (Axis axis) were the principal prey of tiger in the study area with frequencies of occurrences of 47.6 and 30.9% respectively in tiger scats. The proportions of sambar and chital males in tiger diet were 80 and 61.5% respectively. The literature indicate that cervid males are more prone to predation, possibly shaping the demography of the prey species. The results corroborated previous studies reporting male-biased predation and were consistent with the low proportion of males documented in the wild populations. This technique can also identify the sex of young prey, which is difficult to ascertain from kills. Therefore, the described methodology holds the potential to augment information on tiger diet and underlying prey-predator dynamics to a finer resolution.

Acoustic structure of alarm calls in Indian sambar (Rusa unicolor) and Indian muntjac (Muntiacus vaginalis) in South Vietnam.

The alarm call acoustic structure and nonlinear vocal phenomena of the Indian sambar (Rusa unicolor) and northern Indian muntjac (Muntiacus vaginalis) have been analyzed in detail as well as their vocal behavior in response to mobbing humans under natural conditions of southern Vietnam. The alarm calls of sambars, tonal barks separated by large intervals, were produced by animals standing on the place and gazing at a potentially dangerous object. Muntjacs flee off in danger and produced a series of dull barks interrupted with short intervals from a distance. The alarm call frequencies were characterized for sambars and muntjacs. The results of our study have been compared with the published data on alarm calls of other Cervidae species.

Aspects of breeding biology of chital (Axis axis) and sambar (Rusa unicolor) in the Western Ghats

Antler cycles are convenient external signs indicating internal changes in reproductive status of male deer. Antler phenology of chital (Axis axis) and sambar (Rusa unicolor) were studied in a deciduous habitat of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Western Ghats, using vehicle transects for 2 successive years. Apparent breeding seasonality occurred with the majority of adult stags in hard antlers from May to mid October in chital (>87 %), and October to May in sambar (>68 %). Adult hard antler in chital correlated with mean group size, while sambar showed a weak correlation between adult hard antler and group size. Chitals prefer forming large groups at forest edges and open habitats while sambars prefer dense vegetation cover. Adult hard antlers in chital and sambar showed a weak relation to fawning since most adult females were in oestrus during the peak rutting season. Adult hard antlers in chital associated positively with rainfall and day length while sambar responded weakly to rainfall. We conclude that environmental variables determined species-specific mating strategies in the two deer species.

Fecal Pellets used for the Determination of Habitat Utilization of Sambar (Rusa unicolor niger) in Van Vihar National Park, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India

Fecal Pellets used for the Determination of Habitat Utilization of Sambar (Rusa unicolor niger) in Van Vihar National Park, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India

Somatic Chromosomes of the Bornean Sambar Deer and Rusa Deer Interspecific Hybrids

Problem statement: Hybridization has potential benefits to the Malaysian farmed deer industries in terms of increased growth rate and increased proportion of muscle and an improved alignment of feed supply and annual energy requirement. Species or subspecies of different chromosome constitution could mate to produce healthy hybrid offspring in a normal ratio of males and females. If any of the hybrid offspring were sterile, the sterile offspring would be the heterogametic offspring. The study investigated the use of chromosome banding method to detect chromosomal variation and to define the chromosome homology and the possibility of the Bornean Sambar deer (Cervus unicolor brookei) and Rusa deer (Cervus timorensis) hybrids to reproduce. Approach: Samples were collected from the Livestock Breeding Station, Sabrang, Keningau, Sabah, East Malaysia. The animals studied consisted of two deer subspecies namely the Bornean Sambar deer, Rusa deer and their hybrids. The karyotypes of the Bornean Sambar deer, Rusa deer and their F1 hybrids have been investigated by solid giemsa staining, G-banding and Ag-NOR banding techniques. Results: Rusa and Bornean Sambar have different chromosome number; 60 and 62 respectively, but share the same fundamental number of chromosome arm, 70. The hybrids have 2n = 61, consisting of 9 metacentric to submetacentric autosomes and 24 pairs of acrocentric autosomes with two acrocentrics and one submetacentric chromosome being unpaired. The morphology of the sex chromosomes in the F1 hybrids was similar to that of the parental species. The Ag-NOR pattern and the conventional Giemsa staining of chromosomes were effective as markers in the characterization of the karyotypes of the parental lines and hybrids because of the presence of active NORs on different chromosomes of different species. G-band, in contrast, showed complete homology in the presence of euchromatic bands and heterochromatin blocks respectively on each chromosome, suggesting that the two species have few genetic differences. Conclusion: In the present study, natural mating between Bornean Sambar deer and Rusa deer were conducted and the number and chromosomal location of the nucleolar organizer regions in their offsprings were analyzed by the silver staining method. Apart from that, the interspecific dissimilarities with regards to chromosome number and morphology are less extensive and the production of chromosomally balanced gametes could be expected.

Somatic Chromosomes of the Bornean Sambar Deer and Rusa Deer Interspecific Hybrids

Somatic Chromosomes of the Bornean Sambar Deer and Rusa Deer Interspecific Hybrids