saraswati plantation wildlife sanctuary

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IRJMST Volume 2 Issue 3 Online ISSN 2250 - 1959

International Research Journal of Management Science & Technologyhttp:www.irjmst.com Page 273

Saraswati Plantation Wildlife sanctuary

By Ritesh

A total of 94 sightings of Nilgai (solitary or in different types of groups) were

recorded during 2 years of study period from June, 2007 to May, 2009 in Saraswati

Plantation Wildlife sanctuary. During June, 2007 to May, 2008 and again in June, 2008 to

May, 2009 the group sightings of Nilgai were significantly more than the solitary

sightings. As far as different kinds of group was concerned a total of 29 all male groups

(with different male age classes); 37 all female groups (with all female age classes

including calves) and 13 mixed groups (male and female age classes with calves) were

recorded during two years of study in Saraswati Plantation Wildlife sanctuary. The

sightings of female groups were significantly more than all male and mixed groups

(Table 4.30.). The frequency of occurrence of all these categories of groups has already

been presented in Tables 4.13. & 4.14.

In Saraswati Plantation Wildlife sanctuary during June, 2007 to May, 2009

calf/calves were sighted in all the seasons. During different seasons a minimum of one

calf (summer, 2008; monsoon, 2008 and summer, 2009) to a maximum of three calves

(monsoon, 2007; autumn, 2007; autumn, 2008 and winter, 2008-09) were sighted (Table

4.31.). Male-female ratio as well as female-calf ratio was also calculated from the

recorded data in two years of study. The results revealed that male (adult male+sub-adult

male) to female ratio indicated that there were 88 males per 100 females in the year 2007-

08 and 66 males per 100 females in 2008-09 with a mean ratio of 77 males per 100

females in Saraswati Plantation Wildlife sanctuary (Table 4.32.). Similarly mean female-

calf ratio was 16 calves per 100 females during June, 2007 to May, 2009.

4.7. Conservation Strategies:

Periodic monitoring of both the study sites from June, 2007 to May, 2009

revealed that a number of stress factors, particularly, in the Saraswati Plantation


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Table 4.30. Number of solitary and group sightings of Nilgai revealing their social

organization in Beer-Sonty reserve forest and Saraswati Plantation Wildlife

sanctuary from June, 2007 to May, 2009.

Study

area

Study

Period

Total

sightings

Number (%) of sightings

Solitary Herds

Male Female Male Female Mixed

Beer-

Sonty

reserve

forest

2007-08 62 5*

(8.06)

2

(3.22)

15

(24.19)

8

(12.90)

32

(51.61)

2008-09 65 8*

(12.30)

- 17

(26.15)

15

(23.07)

25

(38.46)

Total 127 13 2 32 23 57

SPWL

Sanctuary

2007-08 45 7

(15.55)

1 (2.22) 15

(33.33)

16

(33.55)

06

(13.33)

2008-09 49 7

(14.28)

- 14

(28.57)

21

(42.85)

7

(14.28)

Total 94 14 1 29 37 13

*including all male age classes

Figures in parentheses indicate percentage


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4.31. Number of calf/calves sightings in different seasons in Beer-Sonty reserve

forest and Saraswati Plantation Wildlife sanctuary study sites during 2007-

09.

Season Total

sightings

in Beer-

Sonty

Total

sightings

in

SPWL

No. of

sightings

revealing

calf/calves

in Beer-

Sonty

No. of

sightings

revealing

calf/calves

in SPWL

sanctuary

Number of calf/calves

sighted

Beer-Sonty

reserve

forest

Saraswati

plantation

wildlife

sanctary

Monsoon, 2007 16 9 2 2 2, 2 1, 2

Autumn, 2007 13 12 _ 2 _ 1, 2

Winter, 2007-08 17 12 2 2 1, 1 1, 1

Summer, 2008 16 12 2 1 1, 2 1

Monsoon, 2008 14 11 2 1 2, 1 1

Autumn, 2008 15 11 1 2 1 1, 2

Winter, 2008-09 17 14 5 2 2, 1, 3, 1, 1 1, 2

Summer, 2009 19 13 4 1 2, 3, 2, 1 1

Table 4.32. Sex ratio and female-calf ratio of Nilgai in Beer-Sonty reserve forest and

Saraswati Plantation Wildlife sanctuary from June, 2007 to May, 2009.


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Study area Age class v/s age class (2007-08) (2008-09) Mean

Beer-Sonty

reserve

forest

(AM+SAM) - F ratio 0.83:1.00 0.77:1.00 0.80:1.00

(AM+SAM+YM)-(F+YF) ratio 0.78:1.00 0.73:1.00 0.75:1.00

F-C ratio 1.00:0.08 1.00:0.17 1.00:0.12

SPWL

Sanctuary

(AM+SAM)- F ratio 1.00:1.00 0.73:1.00 0.86:1.00

(AM+SAM+YM)-(F+YF) ratio 0.88:1.00 0.66:1.00 0.77:1.00

F-C ratio 1.00:0.18 1.00:0.14 1.00:0.16

Wildlife sanctuary study site were responsible for the local migration of Nilgai

individuals from the sanctuary area to adjoining crop fields thereby increasing human-

wildlife conflicts. Various stress factors were noticed in Saraswati Plantation Wildlife

sanctuary included water scarcity due to the absence of permanent water source,

anthropogenic activities (regular movement of the villagers on the roads/path through the

reserve sanctuary area), presence of livestock grazing, lack of permanent

fencing/boundary around the sanctuary, man-made forest fires etc. (Plates VII. & IX.).Nilgai individuals migrated into the nearby agricultural fields perhaps due to non-

availability of water source and ready availability of food in the form of crops in

agricultural fields. To avoid their entry into the agricultural fields, the farmers of the

adjoining villages used a number of methods to prevent crop raiding by Nilgai. Some

local methods used in both the study areas were brush wood (dry shrub) fencing, barbed

wire fencing, smooth wire fencing with wrapped polythene at various sites, dummy

models, day and night vigilance by hiring watchmen and watch dogs and some other

common methods like fire crackers, chasing animals with the help of dogs, night lights

and drum beating etc. (Plate X.).

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