Carnivores decrease by 50% in Thar

STUDY Road constructions, accidents due to increased vehicular movements affect wildlife population; hunting, poaching and gradual degradation of natural habitats are also blamed

JODHPUR: The number of large carnivores in the Thar Desert has decreased by more than 50 per cent in the last 10 years, a recent research has revealed.

The population of Indian grey wolf, which is a major predator, has been restricted to narrower areas of Thar.

A study on carnivore animals of Thar desert was carried out from February 2015 to April 2019 to know the present status, distribution, ecology and conservation of these species at four major districts -- Barmer, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Bikaner -that come under Thar desert area. The research was carried under the supervision of Prof. Lal Singh Rajpurohit, head of zoology department, Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur.

“It is observed that the wolf is very less in number, which requires urgent action to conserve them because they are being the only predator in this ecosystem. Thus, due to less common occurrence of the wolf in the Thar, other species like the wild boar, domestic dog, blue bull are increasing in number and affecting this desert ecosystem adversely,” said Dr Aazad P. Ojha, Senior Research Fellow.

“It is inferred that the hyaena is facing severe survival problems as they are very rare and no direct sighting of this animal was recorded during the fieldwork.

“The Indian fox is being very rare and it was sighted only at the desert national park, Jaisalmer areas. Thus, availability of these animals mainly depends on the food and habitat resources thus they become restricted and facing severe survival problems at the Western Rajasthan,” he added.

Cases of road accidents, natural death, predation, and other cause of the large mammals mortality were collected during the study period. About more than 30 species of the wildlife includ

(Estimates based on research) ing amphibian, reptiles, birds and mammal species were recorded out of overall data and out of total cases, 44% of mammalian species were recorded.

During the study, vehicle accident cases of the wolf (Canis lupus), striped hyaena (Hyaena hyaena), Indian fox (Vulpes bengalensis), desert fox (Vulpes vulpes pussila), Jungle cat (Felis spc.), wild bear (Sus scrofa), common mongoose (Herpestis spc), porcupine (Hystrix indica),

has become very rare in Thar areas. chinkara (Gazella bennetti), and blue bull (Boselaphus tragocamelus) were involved in more than 90% of mammals’ mortalities. The wildlife mortality case by road accident is highest (457) and mortality by predation (92) stands after the road accident, the research revealed.

“Growing urbanisation and transformation of villages into town results in road construction and increased transportation which directly affecting

CHANGE IN FOOD CHAIN The research states that the food chain of the Thar desert is going to be changed in the near future because one of the major carnivore species leopard (Panthera pardus) trying to re-enter the arid environment.

Due to food resource scarcity, Panthera pardus are migrating and encroaching different habitat from the foothill of Aravali ranges near the Thar desert.

Recently, Panthera pardus was reported near the chohtan village, Barmer district that was successfully rescued by the forest wing.

There are many incidents of encountering leopard in Thar. Every year, leopard sightings in these areas are being common but very rare.