scholarly journals Dependence of the leopard Panthera pardus fusca in Jaipur, India, on domestic animals

Oryx ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Swapnil Kumbhojkar ◽  
Reuven Yosef ◽  
Jakub Z. Kosicki ◽  
Patrycja K. Kwiatkowska ◽  
Piotr Tryjanowski

Abstract The ecology and predator–prey dynamics of large felids in the tropics have largely been studied in natural systems where wild ungulates constitute the majority of the prey base. However, in tropical countries where communities are primarily agrarian, the high density of domestic animals in human-dominated landscapes can be a potential prey source for large carnivores. We demonstrate almost complete dependence of the Vulnerable leopard Panthera pardus fusca in the Jhalana Reserve Forest in Jaipur, north-west India on domestic animals as prey. We analysed 132 leopard scats collected during the dry season of November 2017–April 2018. Domestic animals comprised the majority of the leopards' prey (89.5% frequency of occurrence): dogs Canis lupus familiaris (44%), cats Felis catus (13%), goats Capra aegagrus hircus (16%) and cattle Bos taurus (15%). Wild species, which occurred in the leopards' diet at a relatively low frequency, were rodents, the hare Lepus nigricollis, small Indian civet Viverricula indica, rhesus macaque Macaca mulatta, northern plains grey langur Semnopithecus entellus and mongoose Herpestes edwardsii. Diet is also a function of availability of potential prey, but no data are available on the density of the leopard's wild prey species in Jhalana Reserve Forest. Nevertheless, our results suggest that abundance of domestic prey around Jhalana Reserve Forest sustains the c. 25 known leopards. We conclude that these leopards, by preying on feral dogs in an urban environment, could be considered as suppliers of a service to the human population amongst whom they thrive, although this potentially exposes the leopards to the canine distemper virus.

Oryx ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 156-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vidya Athreya ◽  
Morten Odden ◽  
John D. C. Linnell ◽  
Jagdish Krishnaswamy ◽  
K. Ullas Karanth

AbstractThe ecology and predator–prey dynamics of large felids in the tropics have largely been studied in natural systems where wild ungulates constitute the majority of the prey base. However, human-dominated landscapes can be rich in potential prey for large carnivores because of the high density of domestic animals, especially in tropical countries where pastoralism is an important livelihood activity. We report the almost complete dependence of leopards Panthera pardus on domestic animals as prey in the crop lands of Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, India. From analysis of 85 confirmed leopard scats, 87% of the leopard's prey biomass consisted of domestic animals, with 39% consisting of domestic dogs Canis lupus familiaris alone. The only wild species that occurred in the leopard's diet were rodents, small indian civet Viverricula indica, bonnet macaque Macaca radiata and other primates Semnopithecus spp., mongoose Herpestes spp., and birds. Interviews conducted in 77 households distributed randomly in the study area documented a high density of domestic animals: adult cattle Bos taurus, calves, goats Capra aegagrus, dogs and cats Felis catus occurred at densities of 169, 54, 174, 24 and 61 per km2, respectively. Ivlev's electivity index indicated that dogs and cats were over-represented in the leopard's diet, given the higher densities of goats and cattle. The standing biomass of dogs and cats alone was sufficient to sustain the high density of carnivores at the study site. Our results show that the abundance of potential domestic prey biomass present in human-use areas supports a relatively high density of predators, although this interaction could result in conflict with humans.


Oryx ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 248-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wasim Shehzad ◽  
Muhammad Ali Nawaz ◽  
François Pompanon ◽  
Eric Coissac ◽  
Tiayyba Riaz ◽  
...  

AbstractHuman–carnivore conflict is one of the major challenges in the management of populations of large carnivores. Concerns include the increasing human population; habitat loss as a result of degradation and fragmentation of forest; and livestock predation as a result of a lack of natural prey, leading to retaliatory killings of wild carnivores. Conflicts may be further aggravated by occasional attacks that result in injury and loss of human life. The level of consumption of prey species by a predator is a benchmark to evaluate the scale of this conflict. We used a newly developed DNA-based diet analysis to study the prey profile of common leopards Panthera pardus in Ayubia National Park, Pakistan. The results suggest that the common leopard is a generalist predator, subsisting mainly on domestic animals. Based on the frequency of occurrence of prey items in 57 faecal samples, the diet of the leopard is dominated by domestic goat Capra hircus (64.9%), followed by domestic dog Canis lupus familiaris (17.5%) and cow Bos taurus (12.3%). Domestic animals (goat, dog, cow, water buffalo Bubalus bubalis, horse Equus caballus and sheep Ovis aries) occurred in 54 (95%) of the 57 samples. We recommend a two-step strategy to mitigate this conflict: (1) introducing incentives for increased acceptance of leopards among local communities in the vicinity of the protected area and (2) increasing the availability of wild prey. We hope that the results of this study will contribute to the survival of the leopard in Pakistan.


1985 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 753 ◽  
Author(s):  
PE Holloway ◽  
SE Humphries ◽  
M Atkinson ◽  
J Imberger

An upper bound for the rate of supply of new nitrate required to maintain the observed primary production on the North West Shelf is estimated to be 0.1 g N m-2 day -1. Nitrate concentrations over the shelf and slope regions are high ( > 100 mg N m-3, in water deeper than - 100 m and usually low (~10 mg N m-3), on the shelf. River flow is weak and carries little nutrient into the shelf waters and so it remains for ocean physical processes to advect and mix the nutrient-rich deep waters onto the shallower shelf regions to meet the nutrient demand. Several mechanisms are reviewed to determine their potential in carrying out the required transport processes. Estimates of the advection of nitrate onto the shelf show that both semi-diurnal tidal flow and low-frequency (periods > 35 h) upwelling events can each contribute approximately half the required demand, providing there is rapid use of nutrients. The upwelling events occur in summer and are associated with reversals of the south-west-flowing Leeuwin Current. Tropical cyclones are also shown to be capable of meeting a small, but significant, portion of the demand through enrichment of the surface layers in the offshelf waters by upwelling and vertical mixing. The enriched water can then be advected onto the shelf. Both tidal and internal tidal motion have the potential to transport nitrate onto the shelf from deeper water through vertical and horizontal mixing processes. However, these processes are difficult to quantify accurately. It is concluded that nitrogen is supplied to this shelf ecosystem by physical processes that are regular throughout the year, as opposed to large sporadic events that occur only once or twice a year.


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. T523-T530
Author(s):  
Ehsan Zabihi Naeini ◽  
Mark Sams

Broadband reprocessed seismic data from the North West Shelf of Australia were inverted using wavelets estimated with a conventional approach. The inversion method applied was a facies-based inversion, in which the low-frequency model is a product of the inversion process itself, constrained by facies-dependent input trends, the resultant facies distribution, and the match to the seismic. The results identified the presence of a gas reservoir that had recently been confirmed through drilling. The reservoir is thin, with up to 15 ms of maximum thickness. The bandwidth of the seismic data is approximately 5–70 Hz, and the well data used to extract the wavelet used in the inversion are only 400 ms long. As such, there was little control on the lowest frequencies of the wavelet. Different wavelets were subsequently estimated using a variety of new techniques that attempt to address the limitations of short well-log segments and low-frequency seismic. The revised inversion showed greater gas-sand continuity and an extension of the reservoir at one flank. Noise-free synthetic examples indicate that thin-bed delineation can depend on the accuracy of the low-frequency content of the wavelets used for inversion. Underestimation of the low-frequency contents can result in missing thin beds, whereas underestimation of high frequencies can introduce false thin beds. Therefore, it is very important to correctly capture the full frequency content of the seismic data in terms of the amplitude and phase spectra of the estimated wavelets, which subsequently leads to a more accurate thin-bed reservoir characterization through inversion.


2019 ◽  
Vol 628 ◽  
pp. A69 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Shulevski ◽  
P. D. Barthel ◽  
R. Morganti ◽  
J. J. Harwood ◽  
M. Brienza ◽  
...  

We have examined the giant radio galaxy 3C 236 using LOFAR at 143 MHz down to an angular resolution of 7″, in combination with observations at higher frequencies. We used the low frequency data to derive spectral index maps with the highest resolution yet at these low frequencies. We confirm a previous detection of an inner hotspot in the north-west lobe and for the first time observe that the south-east lobe hotspot is in fact a triple hotspot, which may point to an intermittent source activity. Also, the spectral index map of 3C 236 shows that the spectral steepening at the inner region of the northern lobe is prominent at low frequencies. The outer regions of both lobes show spectral flattening, in contrast with previous high frequency studies. We derive spectral age estimates for the lobes, as well as particle densities of the IGM at various locations. We propose that the morphological differences between the lobes are driven by variations in the ambient medium density as well as the source activity history.


Author(s):  
T. Savelyeva ◽  
◽  
М. Shagirbayev ◽  

The article discusses osteological material from the excavations of the Shengeldy caravanserai. In the descriptions of the representatives of the fauna from the medieval caravanserai of Shengeldy and in table 1, the majority of bone remains are identified to a species. Examination of the species composition of the fauna shows their not rich species composition, although as a result of the study all species of domestic ungulates are found. Bone remains were determined by species, skeleton elements and degree of fragmentation. Bones found: horses (Equus caballus), cattle (Bos taurus), sheep (Ovis aries), goats (Capra hircus) and camel (Camelus bactrianus); wild animals - kulan (Equus hemionus), saiga (Saiga tatarica) and turtles (Testudines). Among domestic animals, the bones of horses and small cattle prevail. Cattle ranks third in number. One camel bone was found. Of the bones of domestic animals, 23.4% were intact and 76.6% were fragmented. Among the departments of the skeleton of domestic ungulates, carcass bones (scapula, vertebrae, ribs) and upper legs (femurs and tibia) predominate. Several fragments of human bones were found. Morphometric studies of the bones of horses, sheep, goats and cattle were carried out. Geometric morphometric methods have revealed morphological differences and similarities between species.


2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rogelio Carrera-Treviño ◽  
Ivan Lira-Torres ◽  
Luis Martínez-García ◽  
Martha López-Hernández

Information on the ecology of jaguars (Panthera onca) in “El Cielo” Biosphere Reserve in Tamaulipas, Mexico is scant and limited to anecdotic records in a handful of publications. The objectives of our study were to: a) determine population density and structure of jaguars, b) compare their activity patterns with that of pumas (Puma concolor), c) ascertain potential prey relative abundance, and d) evaluate local resident’s perception on loss of domestic animals due to jaguar predation. Between April 2013 and April 2014 we conducted camera trapping in Gomez Farias Township with a total sampling effort of 8 580 camera trap days. Besides, we completed 136 semi-structured interviews among local residents of Gomez Farias and Llera Townships to gather information on domestic animal losses attributed to jaguars and other carnivores. We identified eight different jaguar individuals during a complete year of camera-trapping, composed of four adult females, one juvenile female, two adult males and one juvenile male. We estimated a jaguar density of 5.9 ± 1.3 jaguars/100 km². Activity patterns for jaguars and pumas were similar as both were nocturnal and crepuscular in nature. The most abundant potential prey species for jaguars in the study site were Crax rubra, Cuniculus paca, Mazama temama, Odocoileus virginianus and Didelphis virginiana; while the rarest were Mephitis macroura and Procyon lotor. Interview results suggested that chickens, dogs, and house cats were the most consumed domestic animals from all reported losses by local residents (n= 107). This study represents the first attempt to describe jaguar ecology in “El Cielo” Biosphere Reserve; however, there is a need of additional monitoring efforts to determine the current status of jaguars in a larger area in order to establish conservation strategies. Finally, this jaguar population may have an important role in maintaining the species in the Sierra Madre Oriental biological corridor connecting populations in Nuevo Leon and San Luis states in Northeastern Mexico.


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