2019 – Posted in: Daily News – Tags: gir forest

CENSUS OF HERBIVORES IN GIR FOREST

For: Preliminary & Mains
Topic covers: Gir Forest, Census- Importance, Need, Population analysis, Lion breeding programme

News Flash

Every year, the forest department of Gujarat conducts a census of herbivores in Gir forest and other protected areas.

The census covers:

Spotted deer
Blue bulls (nilgais)
Sambars
Indian Gazelles (chinkaras)
Four-horned antelopes (choshinga)
Wild boars
Indian Langurs
Peafowl

Why it matters?

Wild ungulates and langurs are the main prey of Asiatic lions, the endangered big cat species whose only wild population in the world is surviving in 22,000 square kilometre area, known as greater Gir area.

A count provides a sense of the available of the prey base for lions as well as other predators like leopards, hyenas and wolves. A strong prey base can reduce depredation of livestock by lions and can reduce man-animal conflict.

Prey: an animal that is hunted and killed by another for food.

Why is census of herbivores in Gir forest important?

A count of ungulates gives the forest department an idea of the availability of prey-base for the top predator lions as well as other predators like leopards, hyenas, wolves etc.

Such a count helps the forest department to notice any changes in the food availability for lions and also indicates the health of the forest in general and of fauna in particular.

A strong base of ungulates can reduce depredation of livestock by lions within Gir forest as well as on the periphery of the forest and thus can reduce the man-animal conflict.

What has been the herbivore population trend in recent years?

Since 1974, the population of herbivorous in Gir forest has been on the rise. In 2013, the population of ungulates was estimated to be 1,26,893 or 76.49 animals per square kilometres. That translates to 8000 kg of biomass available to carnivorous, very close to the levels in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. The population of ungulates was 1,07,172 in 2010. Incidentally, lion census is due in May next year.

Why it’s done in summer?

During summer, foliage is reduced to a minimum in dry and deciduous tropical forests, which affords the best visibility for conducting a census.

Also, wild animals concentrate around water points, which in Gir include 450 artificial ones filled by the Forest Department.

Gir National Park

Gir is the only natural habitat of world popular Asiatic Lions.
Gir Forest National Park is a wildlife sanctuary in Gujarat.
It was established to protect Asiatic lions, leopards and antelopes.
The seven major perennial rivers of the Gir region are Hiran, Shetrunji, Datardi, Shingoda, Machhundri, Godavari and Raval.
The four reservoirs of the area are at four dams, one each on Hiran, Machhundri, Raval and Shingoda rivers, including the biggest reservoir in the area, the Kamleshwar Dam, dubbed ‘the lifeline of Gir’.
More than 400 plant species were recorded in the survey of Gir forest by Samtapau & Raizada in 1955.
According to the 1964 forest type classification by Champion & Sheth, the Gir forest falls under “very dry teak forest” classification. Teak occurs mixed with dry deciduous species.

The lion breeding programme

The Lion Breeding Programme creates and maintains breeding centres. It also carries out studies of the behaviour of the Asiatic lions and also practices artificial insemination. One such centre has been established in the Sakkarbaug Zoo at the district headquarters of Junagadh, which has successfully bred about 180 lions.

Source: Indian Express

You can follow us on LinkedIn and for more updates related to UPSC IAS Preparation, Like our Facebook Page and subscribe our Diligent IAS Youtube Channel