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World Journal of Applied Sciences and Research (ISSN 2249‐4197) 2014, Volume 4, Issue 1, Pages 13‐17 Habitat Utilization of Chital deer Axis axis in Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan SHRUTI SHARMA and MANJULATA SHARMA Department of Zoology, M.S.J. College Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India Correspondence: [email protected] Article Information Abstract Article history: The lovely spotted coat of chital or axis deer (Axis axis) made it a favoured inhabitant of zoological gardens and parks. In India, their population decreased drastically due to hunting as well as habitat disturbance. Habitat selection and utilization is an important and main aspect for survival of any species. Therefore, present study on utilization of habitat by chital at Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur revealed that axis deer preferred woodland as well as mixed forest habitat more than the grassland in winter. It may due to the advantage of availability of food, cover and shelter in woodland. The maximum number of chital was observed in the month of November as well as December and minimum in December. Received: 20.04.2014 Revised: 22.05.2014 Accepted: 28.06.2014 Keywords: Axis deer, Bharatpur, grassland, Habitat, KNP, woodland 1. INTRODUCTION: The chital is most primitive deer of true Cervidae (Flerov, 1960). It was reported mostly in Pleistocene periods in Europe and Asia (Matthes, 1962). Generally, they found in moisture areas of semi arid zone and the whole zone of Deccan Peninsula in India (Berwick, 1974; Rodgers, 1988 and Haque, 1990). In India, highest population of chital was found in the forest of Ceylon and Southern area at elevation of 6000 ft. Chital being both browser and grazer, prefers grassland forest interfaces. It is inhabitant of open forest with good industry of grasses herbs and tender shoots (Schaller, 1998). It has also been reported to avoid hilly terrain and thicker forest with closed canopy. They are less nocturnal than other species and graze in morning and afternoon (Brander, 1923). They spend most of their day time in shade. They have two major rest periods in hours before dawn and after dusk and visit waterholes twice a day at sunrise and late afternoon (Schaller, 1998). Previous research work has been reported on the ecology and predation of chital from different part of India (De and Spillet, 1966; Schaller, 1967; Mishra, 1982 and Raman et al., 1996). However, few work reported on the predation of chital via tiger (Panthera tigris) and leopard (Panthera pardos), but no study recorded with respect to other predators i.e. Jackals, Hyena and feral dogs. Henceforth, present study has been carried out on the habitat of chital at Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan. 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 2.1. Study Area: Keoladeo National Park is a World Heritage Site situated in eastern part of Rajasthan at 27°10'N, 77°31'E geographical distribution. It bound on the north by Gurgaon district of Haryana, east by Mathura and Agra districts of Uttar Pradesh, in south by Dholpur and Karauli, on the southern west by Jaipur and on the west by Alwar districts of Rajasthan (Fig. 1). The Park is spread over approx 29 square kilometer area. One third of KNP habitat is wetland with varying types of trees, mounds, dykes and open water. The uplands have grasslands (savannas) of tall species of grass together with scattered trees and shrubs present in varying density. Richness and diversity of plant life inside the Park is remarkable. The park has been divided into 15 blocks for proper management and also surrounded by masonry wall (Fig. 2). This park is notified as bird sanctuary in 1956. It was declared as National Park on March 10, 1982 and notified as World Heritage Site in December 1985. The park was also declared Ramsar Site in October 1981. However, it was earlier known as ‘Ghana’ means dense forest. 13 Sharma and Sharma, 2014: Habitat Utilization of Chital deer Axis axis in Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan
2.2. Habitat Utilization: To know the pattern of habitat use and preference in the park, vegetation sampling was done, and a total of 40 circular plots of radii 10 m, 5 m and 100 cm were plotted along with all transect. A total of 8 transect were laid for trees, shrubs and grasses in Block B, L, Trail 3, E, G3, G, E and K, respectively. A total of 5 monitoring were maintained to record pellet groups of chital were also notify indirect evidence. Fig. 2. Habitat and Road Map of Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan In the 10 m radius plot, data were recorded on number of tree and their species. On the other hand, in the 5 m radii plots, shrub species and their number were counted. However, grass species and their number were quantified by using quadrates of 100 14 cm. The pellet groups along with transects were also counted. The habitat categorized in three major types i.e., mixed forest, grassland and woodland. The woodland is dominated by Acacia nilotica, which World Journal of Applied Sciences and Research, 2014, 4(1): 13‐17 forms the upper tree layer and small trees or layer shrubs such as Zizyphus mauritiana and Salvadora persica. The upper canopy of scrubland is formed by trees such as Mitragyna parvifolia, A. nilotica, Shyzygium cumini and undergrowth formed by small trees dominated by S. persica, C. Separia and P. juliflora. However, savannah and other grassland formed by grasses such as Vetiveria zizanoides and Desmotachya binnata. On the other hand, P. juliflora was planted in small patches in 1970’s but now has spread over 30 % of area and has become so thick that attempts are being made to remove it. 3. RESULT AND DISCUSSION: The observations were recorded in winter season (from the month of November to January) of experimental year 2012‐13. The direct sighting of chital revealed that maximum number of chital was observed in the month of December as 100.00±2.08, 75.00±1.53, 100.00±3.21, 78.00±2.65, 60.00±1.73 in transect 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6, and also as 15.00±1.15, 30.00±1.53, 55.000±2.31 in the month of November in transect 3, 7 and 8, respectively (Table 1‐8). On the other hand, minimum sighting was observed in the month of January (Table 1‐8). In terms of habitat, woodland support maximum and minimum in grassland (Table 1‐8). Similar observations were also reported by Mishra (1982), Haque (1990), Schaller (1998), Ilyas (2001), Sayeda (2003) and Ghosal and Venkataraman (2013) and also giving strengthens to present result. It was interestingly observed that chital preferred mixed habitat in the month of November and December, while in the month of January, woodland was preferred by chital in Keoladeo National Park. Woodland may be preferred highest in peak winters as because it gives great shelter to hide in cold and provide food also. The findings of Haque (1990), Raman et al. (1996), Ilyas (2001), Singh (2005) and Ghosal and Venkataraman (2013) also showed complete corroboration with present observations. However, some authors believe that direct sighting shows that woodland is most preferred habitat while the pellet groups are also found in mixed forests (Ilyas, 2001; Singh, 2005 and Ghosal and Venkataraman, 2013). The presence of animal may be attributed due to the presence of Rhesus macaque in mixed forest too. Chital take benefits from such association as Rhesus drops twigs, leaves and fruits and also detects predators like hyena, jackal (Dinnerstein, 1982; Schaller, 1967 and Sankar, 1994). It also provides shade and foliage. Table 1. Observations on chital sighted in transect 1 (Block B) in KNP during winter season of 2012‐13 S. No. 1 2 3 Month of observations
November December January Total no of Chital sighted 90.00±1.73 100.00±2.08 80.00±2.65 Transect Length: 1.5 km, Pellet groups: 18‐20, No of cattle dung’s: 10‐12, Walking length: 10 km, Habitat: Woodland Table 2. Observations on chital sighted in transect 2 (Block I) in KNP during winter season of 2012‐13 S. No. 1 2 3 Month of observations
November December January Total no of Chital sighted 60.00±1.53 75.00±1.53 80.00±2.65 Transect Length: 1 km, Pellet groups: 8‐10, No of cattle dung’s: 12‐15, Walking length: 5 km, Habitat: Mixed forest Table 3. Observations on chital sighted in transect 3 (Block Trail 3) in KNP during winter season of 2012‐13 S. No. 1 2 3 Month of observations
November December January Total no of Chital sighted 15.00±1.15 10.00±0.58 8.00±0.58 Transect Length: 2 km, Pellet groups: 5‐7, No of cattle dung’s: 11, Walking length: 10 km, Habitat: Mixed forest Table 4. Observations on chital sighted in transect 4 (Block E) in KNP during winter season of 2012‐13 S. No. 1 2 3 Month of observations
November December January Total no of Chital sighted 90.00±2.08 100.00±3.21 80.00±2.08 Transect Length: 1.5 km, Pellet groups: 9‐11, No of cattle dung’s: 18, Walking length: 7.5 km, Habitat: Woodland 15 Sharma and Sharma, 2014: Habitat Utilization of Chital deer Axis axis in Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan
Table 5. Observations on chital sighted in transect 5 (Block G3) in KNP during winter season of 2012‐13 S. No. 1 2 3 Month of observations
November December January Total no of Chital sighted 70.00±1.53 78.00±2.65 60.00±1.53 Transect Length: 1.5 km, Pellet groups: 7‐8, No of cattle dung’s: 19, Walking length: 7.5 km, Habitat: Woodland Table 6. Observations on chital sighted in transect 6 (Block G) in KNP during winter season of 2012‐13 S. No. 1 2 3 Month of observations
November December January Total no of Chital sighted 55.00±2.08 60.00±1.73 44.00±1.15 Transect Length: 2 km, Pellet groups: 12‐15, No of cattle dung’s: 10‐12, Walking length: 10 km, Habitat: Savannah Grassland Table 7. Observations on chital sighted in transect 7 (Block E) in KNP during winter season of 2012‐13 S. No. 1 2 3 Month of observations
November December January Total no of Chital sighted 30.00±1.53 25.00±1.53 20.00±0.58 Transect Length: 2 km, Pellet groups: 6‐9, No of cattle dung’s: 6‐7, Walking length: 10 km, Habitat: Mixed forest Table 8. Observations on chital sighted in transect 8 (Block K) in KNP during winter season of 2012‐13 S. No. 1 2 3 Month of observations
November December January Total no of Chital sighted 55.00±2.31 40.00±1.15 20.00±1.00 Transect Length: 1.8 km, Pellet groups: 12‐13, No of cattle dung’s: 15‐18, Walking length: 9 km, Habitat: Grassland 4. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Authors are highly thankful to the Forest Department of Rajasthan and also grateful to the staff of Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur for their support. 5. REFERENCES: Berwick SH. 1974. The community of wild ruminants in the Gir Forest Ecosystems, India. Ph.D. Thesis, Yale University, New Haven, pp: 266. Brander A. 1923. Wild animals in Central India, Edward Arnold and Co., London, pp: 296. De RC and Spillit JJ. 1966. A study of the chital or spotted deer in Corbett National Park, Uttar Pradesh. J Bombay Nat Hist Soc, 63(3): 576‐
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