IJLSSR JOURNAL, VOLUME 2, ISSUE 2, MARCH- 2016:55-58

Research Article (Open access)

Comparative Analysis of Census of Tiger (Panthera tigris) with its sympatric species Leopard
(Panthera pardus) in Corbett Tiger Reserve from 1987, Ramnagar, India

Sanjeev Kumar1*, Dr. Kamad Kumar2
1M.Sc, FISCA, Dept. of Zoology, Govt. P.G. College, Ramnagar, Nainital (Uttrakhand), India
2Associate Prof. & Head, Dept. of Zoology, Govt. P.G.College, Ramnagar, Nainital (Uttrakhand), India

*Address for Correspondence: Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, Research Scholar M.Sc, FISCA, Department of Zoology, Govt. P.G.College, Ramnagar, Nainital (Uttrakhand), India
Received: 18 Jan 2016/Revised: 06 Feb 2016/Accepted: 26 Feb 2016

ABSTRACT- The effect resulted in the mapping of tiger occupancy and relative abundance, prey abundance indices, anthropogenic pressure indices and habitat quality across 17 states known to harbour tiger populations. Both the big cats i.e. Tiger & Leopard show territorial behavior. Leopard is sympatric to tiger and more furious than tiger. Leopards have good habit or quality to survive in human-dominated landscape while on the other hand tiger occasionally move in human-dominated area .It may be for livestock predation etc. Mortality is very high in tiger on the other hand we can say that survival rate is low in tigers. Inter-specific as well as intra-specific struggle is more in these animals. Fragmentation of habitat, ecological pressure, vital need, breeding season etc. are the cause of conflict and mortality etc. This study depicts the comparative analysis of tiger & leopard census which ultimately provides the idea of dynamics of population of both the big cats.
Key words- Fragmentation of habitat, Ecological pressure, Vital need, Inter or intra specific struggle

INTRODUCTION
Felids like Tiger (Panthera tigris) and Leopard (Panthera pardus) are the umbrella species of a ecosystem. Presences of big cats in forest are the healthy sign of habitat. There are many ecological cum sociological reasons of mortality among tiger and leopard. Mostly natural and sometime anthropogenic stress (Harihar et al., 2009) leads mortality while on the other hand ecological causes like carrying capacity and inter or intra-specific struggle. During breeding season (Nov-Feb).
The natural fighting is very common and mortality rate will increase generally. Territorial fight and fight for breeding is very common. Some time it happen extreme injured tiger come out from core to human-dominated landscape for search of easy prey and shelter & ultimately this situation may brings the conflict (Cardilio et al., 2005) which may be negative for both man and tiger. Sometime this situation leads very dangerous situation. For this study I had taken near about 30 years data of big cat’s census (Tiger & Leopard) with detail. Corbett is a land of roar. The survival rate is very low in the big cats , ecological need (Madhusudhan, 2004) and vital requirements (Bagchi et al., 2003) are highly needed in wild for wild eco-services like water hole and prey species conservation (Baidya, 1980) are major factor by which chances of survival will increase.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Census data had been collected from Corbett Research Range (Shod range). Both the data of tiger and leopard were analyzed. In 2007-08 tiger census were not facilitated. It was done again in the year 2010. From 1976 to 1991 the data were not shown area wise but after 1991 right from 1992 census was categorize in Park area, buffer zone and KTR (Kalagarh tiger reserve) in Table-1. Analyzed properly and comparatively both the carnivore species from data provided by the Corbett Research zone. All data shows that tiger census with its sympatric one that is leopard.

Study area: Corbett Tiger Reserve is chosen for this study. Corbett is itself famous all around the world for its wild beauty & tiger with other marvelous wildlife.

Table-1 Details of Tiger & Leopard census in Corbett Tiger Reserve from 1976

YEAR TIGERs Total LEOPARD Total
MALE FEMALE CUB UN MALE FEMALE CUB UN
1976 25 23 9 - 57 17 8 3 - 28
1977 27 31 15 - 73 14 18 3 - 35
1978 36 37 6 - 79 16 17 - - 33
1979 37 39 11 - 87 15 20 1 - 36
1980 34 39 14 - 87 11 9 -- - 20
1981 42 41 6 - 89 15 21 8 - 44
1982 39 45 7 - 91 16 23 8 - 47
1983 38 48 6 - 92 17 25 6 - 48
198435 49 6 - 90 19 23 1 - 43
1985 36 49 6 - 91 15 26 - - 41
1986 34 51 4 - 89 22 18 1 - 41
1987 29 51 10 - 90 22 19 1 - 41
1988 39 50 3 - 92 23 19 - - 42
1989 43 42 6 - 91 18 23 - - 41
199042 42 43 7 - 92 18 23 1 - 42
1991 35 45 11 - 91 16 20 2 - 38
1992
P.A 36 50 6 - 92 17 22 2 - 41
BUF.Z 1 3 1 - 5 4 7 1 - 12
KTR 10 14 1 - 25 16 27 2 - 45
Total 47 67 8 - 122 37 56 5 - 98
1993
P.A 32 51 5 - 88 16 24 2 - 42
BUF.Z 3 5 1 - 9 4 9 1 - 14
KTR 11 15 - - 26 16 26 2 - 44
Total 46 71 7 - 123 36 59 5 - 100
1994
P.A 33 52 5 - 90 15 24 1 - 40
BUF.Z 4 6 1 - 11 7 9 2 - 18
KTR 9 17 1 - 27 18 24 2 - 44
Total46 75 7 -128 40 57 5 - 102
1995
P.A 31 51 8 - 90 14 23 2 - 39
BUF.Z 9 12 3 - 24 22 33 3 - 58
Sn.S 9 11 - - 20 6 6 1 - 13
Total 49 74 11 - 134 42 62 6 - 110
1997
P.A 42 43 6 - 91 16 21 3 - 40
BUF.Z 11 17 4 - 32 20 32 7 - 59
KTR 5 5 5 - 15 6 4 - - 10
Total 58 65 15 - 138 42 57 10 - 109
1998
P.A 39 43 12 - 94 17 21 2 - 40
BUF.Z 13 17 2 - 32 20 38 5 - 63
KTR 6 9 - - 15 3 5 - - 8
Total 58 69 14 - 141 40 64 7 - 111
1999
P.A 29 44 10 - 83 14 22 - - 36
BUF.Z 16 19 1 - 36 23 30 7 -60
KTR 5 10 - - 15 3 8 3 - 14
Total 50 73 11 - 134 40 60 10 -110
2001
P.A 32 44 9 - 85 17 14 2 - 33
BUF.Z 11 17 2 - 30 23 24 2 - 49
KTR 8 14 - - 22 4 13 - - 17
B.San - - - - - - 4 2 7 13
Total 51 75 11 - 137 44 55 6 7 112
2003
P.A 33 51 8 - 92 26 18 - 1 45
BUF.Z 18 17 2 - 37 18 30 1 - 49
Sn.S 5 8 1 - 14 3 6 - - 9
B.San - - - - - 4 5 4 2 15
Total 56 76 11 - 143 51 59 5 3 118
2005
P.A 28 54 10 - 92 18 20 1 - 39
BUF.Z 12 18 - - 30 17 30 1 - 48
Sn.S 7 12 - - 19 4 5 - - 9
B.San - - - - - 5 5 2 4 16
Total 47 84 10 - 141 44 60 4 4 112
In 2007 tiger census were completed by WII Dehradun with the help Camera trapping and total 164 tiger were found in 1524 Sq.
Km. Landscape in which the number of cubes were not included.
2008
P.A Tiger (Panthera tigris) census were not facilitated only the
Leopard( Panthera pardus) census were
13 24 2 - 39
BUF.Z Completed. In 2010 the tiger census were done 21 24 2 - 47
Sn.S By WII through camera trapping in 1524Sq.Km 6 8 2 - 16
B.San In Corbett Landscape and resulted 214 tigers. 4 8 3 - 15
Total 44 64 9 - 117


RESULT AND DISCUSSION
Overall 39 years data of census (Tiger& Leopard) were analyzed for this study. From 1992 the data were arranged and categorized in area or zone wise like Park area, buffer zone, kalagarh tiger reserve and from 2001the Sonanadi and Binsar sanctuary are included. At spot there are total 214 tiger + 117 leopards in the area of 1524 Sq .km. So total 331 big cats are dwelling in the park both are sympatric to each other.
Here if we can divide the area by number of individuals than we can get the area for one big cat that is 1524/331=4.6 sq.km/per tiger or leopard. Ecologically which are not fit for the vital survival? There are fewer possibilities to fulfill the all vital cum ecological needs of these big cats. Ultimately the carrying capacities of the area/park are in trouble at all.



CONCLUSIONS
The mortality rate is very high in tiger or leopard population. If the carrying capacity will render than the chances of survival become lower and lower. On the other hand the territorial behaviour plays a key role for ecological need and survival. Inter- specific or intra-specific struggle is very common in such type of situation and after time being it become critical to critical. The prey species and prey biomass is the key point or determinant of big cat’s population. Prey biomass and carrying capacity both are the key determinant of big cat’s population. On the other hand in breeding season the mating fight is also common. Viable partner also fight to mate for breeding purpose, which leads mortality and loss etc.

REFERENCES
  1. Harihar A, Pandav B, and Goyal SP (2009). Responses of tiger (Panthera tigris) and their prey to removal of anthropogenic influences in Rajaji National Park, India, European Journal of Wildlife Research, 55(2): 97-105.
  2. Cardillo M, Mace GM, Jones KE, Bielby J, Bininda-Emonds OR, Sechrest W, Orme CD, Purvis A (2005). Multiple Cause of high extinction risk in large mammal species, Science, 309(5738):1239-41.
  3. Madhusudan, MD (2004). Recovery of wildlife large herbivores following livestock decline in a tropical Indian wildlife reserve.Journal of Applied Ecology, 41:858-869.
  4. Bagchi SP, Goyal P and Sankar K (2003). Prey abundance and Prey selection by tigers (Panthera tigris) in a semi-arid, dry deciduous forest in western India. J. Zool. (Lond.), 260:285-290.
  5. Baidya KN (1980). Tiger Conservation- Its objectives, Management strategies and achievements in India. Cheetal 33, 22(1): 21-32.
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