Diet of Leopards Panthera pardus fusca inhabiting protected areas and human-dominated landscapes in Goa, India

The diet of leopards occupying human-dominated and protected areas (PAs) in Goa, India was analyzed through scat analysis. A total of 117 scats, 55 from wildlife sanctuaries/ national parks and 62 from human-dominated areas were collected and analyzed. Analysis of 55 scats from protected forest revealed the presence of only wild prey in the leopard diet, whereas 61% of scats collected from human-dominated areas consisted of only wild prey, 29% of domesticated animals, and 10% a mixture of both wild prey & domesticated animals. Of the prey biomass consumed in human-dominated areas, domestic animals constituted only 33% of the leopard diet. Among all leopard scats, 71% contained only one prey species, 28% contained two species, and 1% contained three.

Download Full-text

A cat among the dogs: leopard Panthera pardus diet in a human-dominated landscape in western Maharashtra, India

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s0030605314000106 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 50 (1) ◽

pp. 156-162 ◽

Cited By ~ 53

Author(s):

Vidya Athreya ◽

Morten Odden ◽

John D. C. Linnell ◽

Jagdish Krishnaswamy ◽

K. Ullas Karanth

Keyword(s):

Bos Taurus ◽

Domestic Animals ◽

High Density ◽

Panthera Pardus ◽

Canis Lupus Familiaris ◽

Adult Cattle ◽

Natural Systems ◽

Prey Biomass ◽

Capra Aegagrus ◽

The Tropics

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.

Download Full-text

Leopard (Panthera pardus) density and diet in a forest corridor of Terai: implications for conservation and conflict management

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr19126 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 47 (6) ◽

pp. 460

Author(s):

Sagar Raj Kandel ◽

Babu Ram Lamichhane ◽

Naresh Subedi

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

Prey Species ◽

Wide Distribution ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Panthera Pardus ◽

Survey Area ◽

Protected Forests ◽

Axis Axis ◽

Domestic Livestock ◽

Capture Recapture

Abstract ContextIncreasing forest fragmentation and degradation has forced wildlife to live in close proximity to humans, increasing the chances of human–wildlife conflict. Leopard (Panthera pardus) typifies the problem faced by large carnivores. It is a threatened species with a wide distribution, with a large part of their range outside protected areas, leaving them vulnerable to human–leopard conflict. Understanding their status and diet in such non-protected forests is necessary for their long-term conservation. AimsThe present study aimed to estimate leopard density and assess their diet in a non-protected forest. MethodsA camera-trapping survey was carried out in the Kamdi forest corridor outside of protected areas, covering 791.29km2 in the western part of Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) in Nepal. Leopard density was estimated based on the photographs obtained in camera traps, using Bayesian Explicit Capture–recapture (B-SECR) models. Scats of leopards were opportunistically collected (n=60) and their diet analysed through micro-histological characters of hair remains. The frequency of occurrence and relative biomass of different prey species consumed by leopard was calculated. Key resultsLeopard density was estimated to be 1.50 (±0.49 s.e.) 100km−2 in the survey area. Similarly, we identified 13 prey species in the leopard scats. Wild prey contributed the majority (67.8%) of leopard diet, including 23.2% of wild boar (Sus scrofa) and 18.3% of spotted deer (Axis axis). Nearly one-third of leopard diet consists of domestic livestock (cattle, goat, sheep) and dog. ConclusionsLeopard density was found to be relatively low in the forest corridor compared with protected areas. Nearly one-third of leopard diet from domestic livestock and dogs suggests that human–leopard conflict could be problematic in the survey area. ImplicationsIncreasing prey density in the forest corridor and improving livestock husbandry in the periphery will contribute to increase leopard density, reduce the human–leopard conflict and enhance the functionality of the corridor.

Download Full-text

Ecological and environmental factors affecting the foraging activity of the White-bellied Heron Ardea insignis (Hume, 1878) in Bhutan

Bird Conservation International ◽

10.1017/s0959270920000684 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-18

Author(s):

PEMA KHANDU ◽

GEORGE A. GALE ◽

SARA BUMRUNGSRI

Keyword(s):

Relative Abundance ◽

Habitat Restoration ◽

Prey Species ◽

Catch Per Unit Effort ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Prey Biomass ◽

Gravel Mining ◽

Unit Effort ◽

Prey Preferences ◽

The Government

Summary White-bellied Heron Ardea insignis (WBH) is critically endangered, but we lack data on many aspects of its basic ecology and threats to the species are not clearly understood. The goal of this study was to analyse WBH foraging microhabitat selection, foraging behaviour, and prey preferences in two river basins (Punatsangchhu and Mangdechhu) in Bhutan which are likely home to one of the largest remaining populations of WBH. We also explored the relationship between the relative abundance of the WBH and prey biomass catch per unit effort within four foraging river microhabitats (pool, pond, riffle and run). Prey species were sampled in 13 different 100-m thalweg lengths of the rivers using cast nets and electrofishing gear. Riffles and pools were the most commonly used microhabitats; relative abundance was the highest in riffles. The relative abundance of WBH and prey biomass catch per unit effort (CPUE) also showed a weak but significant positive correlation (rs = 0.22). The highest biomass CPUE was observed in riffles while the lowest was found in the ponds. From the 97 prey items caught by the WBH, 95% of the prey were fish. The WBH mainly exploited three genera of fish (Garra, Salmo, and Schizothorax) of which Schizothorax (64%) was the most frequently consumed. This study provides evidence in support of further protection of critical riverine habitat and fish resources for this heron. Regular monitoring of sand and gravel mining, curbing illegal fishing, habitat restoration/mitigation, and developing sustainable alternatives for local people should be urgently implemented by the government and other relevant agencies. Further study is also required for understanding the seasonal variation and abundance of its prey species in their prime habitats along the Punatsangchhu and Mangdechhu basins.

Download Full-text

Beware of dogs! Domestic animals as a threat for wildlife conservation in Alpine protected areas

European Journal of Wildlife Research ◽

10.1007/s10344-021-01510-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 67 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Liliana Costanzi ◽

Alice Brambilla ◽

Alessia Di Blasio ◽

Alessandro Dondo ◽

Maria Goria ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

Wildlife Conservation ◽

Domestic Animals

Download Full-text

THE POLITICAL ECOLOGY OF ‘INCURSIONS’: LIVESTOCK, PROTECTED AREAS AND SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS IN THE MARA REGION OF KENYA

Africa ◽

10.1017/s0001972014000515 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 84 (4) ◽

pp. 614-637 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Bilal Butt

Keyword(s):

Political Ecology ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Land Tenure ◽

Domestic Animals ◽

Supporting Evidence ◽

Management Policies ◽

Material Conditions ◽

Dominant Narratives ◽

Mara Region

ABSTRACTAcross the world, the presence of domestic animals in protected areas (PAs) is considered an ‘incursion’ that threatens the economic and ecological viability of these areas. Dominant narratives about incursions inaccurately describe the relationships between people and PAs because they lack adequate contextualization. In this paper, I rely on a political-ecological framework to argue for an alternative narrative. Through a case study from a PA in southern Kenya, I demonstrate how incursions are instead modern co-productions that arise from the intersections between changing political geographies of resource control and variable animal geographies of resource utilization – thus clarifying a long-standing debate about the presence of domestic animals in PAs. I rely on direct empirical and supporting evidence from place-based studies to illustrate the spatial and temporal differences in resource access strategies of wildlife and livestock within and outside the PA. I contrast these against changing land tenure and resource management policies to highlight how livestock movements into PAs are patterned in ways that reflect the changing nature of PA management, the material conditions of the landscape, and the agency of animals. Through these investigations, this paper provides a more accurate and nuanced explanation for livestock movements into PAs.

Download Full-text

Important Prospect: Fourth World Congress on National Parks and Protected Areas, to be held in Caracas, Venezuela, during 10–21 February 1992

Environmental Conservation ◽

10.1017/s0376892900022815 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 376-376

Author(s):

Jeffrey A. McNeely

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

National Parks ◽

Fourth World ◽

World Congress ◽

Parks And Protected Areas

Download Full-text

Protected area management in a post-natural world: negotiated governance at the Danish Wadden Sea

Maritime Studies ◽

10.1007/s40152-021-00225-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Cormac Walsh

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

National Parks ◽

National Park ◽

Wadden Sea ◽

Historical Context ◽

Natural World ◽

Protected Area Management ◽

Institutional Structures ◽

Large Protected Areas ◽

The Relationship

AbstractNational parks and other large protected areas play an increasingly important role in the context of global social and environmental challenges. Nevertheless, they continue to be rooted in local places and cannot be separated out from their socio-cultural and historical context. Protected areas furthermore are increasingly understood to constitute critical sites of struggle whereby the very meanings of nature, landscape, and nature-society relations are up for debate. This paper examines governance arrangements and discursive practices pertaining to the management of the Danish Wadden Sea National Park and reflects on the relationship between pluralist institutional structures and pluralist, relational understandings of nature and landscape.

Download Full-text

Conservation of genetic resources in domestic animals

Outlook on Agriculture ◽

10.1177/003072707100600605 ◽

1971 ◽

Vol 6 (6) ◽

pp. 254-260 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Helen Newton Turner

Keyword(s):

Genetic Resources ◽

Domestic Animals ◽

Domesticated Animals ◽

Future Needs ◽

Conservation Of Genetic Resources

During the course of perhaps 10,000 years, man has domesticated for one purpose or another a very large number of animals, mostly mammals and birds. In many cases wild stocks of these animals have been greatly reduced while the domesticated animals themselves have been bred along specific lines to meet current requirements. Future needs may conceivably be somewhat different. What, then, can be done to conserve genetic resources in order to meet these needs ?

Download Full-text