Conservation Plans
For MADAN PYRDA (BLOCK‐I) LIMESTONE DEPOSIT Vill‐ Chiehruphi, Tehsil‐ Narpuh Elaka, District: East Jaintia Hills State: Meghalaya Lease Area: 4.89 ha. Schedule‐1(a) Category‐B TOR LETTER NO. SEIAA/P‐25/30/2016/43/972 DATED 4TH JANUARY 2018 Lessee: Green Valliey Industries Limited Applicant: Pawan Joshi, Assist.Vice President Address: Vill.: Nongsning, PO: Chiehruphi Distt: East Jaintia Hills, State: Meghalaya
Prepared by: M/s Perfact Enviro Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (NABET Registered wide list of Accredited Consultants Organization/Rev 72/ January 2019/ S. No‐117) and ISO 9001:2015 & ISO 14001:2015 Certified Company;5th floor, NN Mall, Sector 3, Rohini, New Delhi‐110085Phone: 011‐49281360) Team of Experts Table: Team of experts who have helped in preparing the plan S. Expert Designation Educational Qualification Signature No. 1. Rajiv Kumar FAE B.Sc.(Hons) Botany , Delhi University
M.Sc (Botany) Gold Medalist with specialization in Genetics and Population Biology, Delhi University A.I.F.C. ( ASSOCIATE OF INDIAN FOREST COLLEGE, DEHRADUN) now IGNFA – INDIRA GANDHI NATIONAL FOREST ACADEMY. Ex. IFS ( 1985 Batch, Himachal Pradesh Cadre). 2. Tulika Rawat Assistant B.Sc (Botany), Delhi Manager- University Environment M.Sc (Environment Management), TERI- New Delhi
3. Parul Badalia Junior Executive- B.Sc (Botany), Delhi Environment University M.Sc (Environment Management), FRI-
Dehradun
CONTENT 1 Introduction ...... 4 2 Principle of Wildlife Conservation ...... 4 2.1 Decline of Wildlife ...... 4 3 Conservation Plan of Peafowl ...... 5 3.1 Taxonomy of Peafowl ...... 5 3.2 General description ...... 6 3.3 Morphology ...... 6 3.4 Habitat ...... 7 3.5 Physical Characteristics ...... 7 3.6 Behaviour ...... 7 3.7 Food Habit ...... 7 3.8 Conservation and relationship with man ...... 8 4 Conservation Plan for Leopard ...... 8 4.1 Taxonomy ...... 8 4.2 General Description ...... 9 4.3 Distribution and Habitat ...... 9 4.4 Biology and Behaviour ...... 9 4.5 Diet and Hunting ...... 9 4.6 Reproduction ...... 10 5 Conservation Plan for Pangolin ...... 10 5.1 Taxonomy ...... 10 5.2 Morphology ...... 11 5.3 Distribution ...... 11 5.4 General Behaviour and Feeding Patterns ...... 11 5.5 Habitat ...... 12 5.6 Illegal wildlife trade crisis ...... 12 6 Conservation Plan for Indian Rock Python ...... 13 6.1 Taxonomy ...... 13 6.2 General Description ...... 13 6.3 Behaviour ...... 14 6.4 Feeding ...... 14 6.5 Reproduction ...... 14 6.6 Distribution and Habitat...... 14 7 Conservation Plan for Indian Wolf ...... 15 7.1 Taxonomy ...... 15 7.2 General Biology ...... 15 7.3 Distribution and Habitat ...... 16 7.4 Feeding Habits ...... 16 7.5 Mating behaviour ...... 16 8 Conservation Plan for Sloth Bear ...... 17 8.1 Taxonomy ...... 17 8.2 General Description ...... 17 8.3 Distribution and Habitat ...... 17 8.4 Physical appearance ...... 18 8.5 Reproduction ...... 18 8.6 Food Habit ...... 18 9 Conservation Plan for Bengal Slow loris ...... 18 9.1 Taxonomy ...... 18 9.2 Geographic Description ...... 19 9.3 Habitat ...... 19 9.4 Physical Description ...... 19 9.5 Reproduction ...... 20 9.6 Behaviour ...... 20 9.7 Food Habits ...... 20 10 Conservation Plan for Western Hoolock Gibbon ...... 21 10.1 Taxonomy ...... 21 10.2 Description ...... 21 10.3 Distribution ...... 21 10.4 Habitat ...... 22 11 Conservation Plan for Kalij Pheasant ...... 23 11.1 Taxonomy ...... 23 11.2 General Description ...... 23 11.3 Habitat ...... 24 11.4 Behaviour ...... 24 11.5 Reproduction ...... 24 12 Conservation Plan for Elephant ...... 25 12.1 Taxonomy ...... 25 12.2 Morphology and Growth ...... 25 12.3 Description ...... 26 12.3.1 Size ...... 26 12.3.2 Trunk ...... 26 12.3.3 Tusks ...... 26 12.3.4 Skin ...... 26 12.3.5 Intelligent ...... 27 12.3.6 Diet ...... 27 12.4 Reproduction ...... 27 13 Conservation Measure for all the ten Schedule I Species...... 28 14 Project Budget ...... 28
1 Introduction The proposed project is for mining of limestone mineral from lease area of 4.89 ha. The maximum production from the mine will be 0.204 million TPA. Mining of mineral will be done by opencast mechanized method. The applicant of the project is Green Valliey Industries Limited (GVIL), a company registered under Companies Act, 1956. M/s. Green Valliey Industries Limited. The mine is captive as the mineral excavated will be directly transported to company’s Cement Plant of 1300TPD with future expansion plan to 2,600 TPD at distance of 6 km N from site. The proposed mine area falls under "Deemed forest land". Applicant has already applied for forest clearance with Proposal No. FP/ML/MIN/8842/2014.
2 Principle of Wildlife Conservation Wildlife conservation is the practice of protecting wild plant and animal species and their habitat. Wildlife plays an important role in balancing the ecosystem and provides stability to different natural processes of nature like rainfall (transpiration from plant), changing of temperature (heat evolution by animals), fertility of soil (making of manure by earthworm). The goal of wildlife conservation is to ensure that nature will be around for future generations to enjoy and to recognize the importance of wildlife and wilderness for humans and other species alike. Many nations have government agencies and NGO's dedicated to wildlife conservation, which help to implement policies designed to protect wildlife. Numerous independent non‐profit organizations also promote various wildlife conservation causes. An endangered species is defined as a population of a living species that is in the danger of becoming extinct because the species has a very low or falling population, or because they are threatened by the varying environmental or prepositional parameters like (landslides, increase in temperature above optimum temperature, acid rain). Wildlife is part of nature which maintain equally distribution of food instead of over use of food by one human. Wildlife management is the application of scientific knowledge and technical skills to protect, conserve, limit, enhance, or create wildlife habitat. Wildlife management also includes implementing laws regulating the use, kinds, and amounts of wildlife, people can harvest. Laws that protect existing habitat are also wildlife management tools. 2.1 Decline of Wildlife Biological evolution on earth is associated with extinction of older species and descent of new species but the disappearance of species from the surface of the earth has speeded up 1000 to 10,000 times as compared to the natural disappearance, due to destructive activities of man. Important reasons for decline of wildlife are: • Habitat loss and degradation, along with behaviours like overhunting, • Hunting and poaching, • Man‐ animal conflict, • Pollution 3 Conservation Plan of Peafowl
Picture Courtesy: Praveen
The Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) has been an integral part of the people of the India and their culture for centuries. From religion and mythology to civilization and socio‐culture, the Indian Peafowl occupies an important place in the lives of the people. In addition to this, the Indian Peafowl is well recognized for its ecological and aesthetical values, and hence aptly declared as the 'National Bird' of India in the year 1963. Since the early 1990s, there have been reports of increasing illegal trade in peafowl feathers, large‐scale mortalities due to increased use of insecticides/pesticides in agricultural lands, poaching, and retaliatory killings by people due to alleged crop depredation by peafowl. Several peafowl strong hold areas in the country are now concerned about the current declining status. Peacock which is in schedule‐I of the wildlife (protection) Act 1972 is reported in the study area. 3.1 Taxonomy of Peafowl Table 1: Taxonomical classification of Peacock (International, 2016) Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Aves
Order Galliformes
Family Phasianidae
Sub family Phasianinae
Genus Pavo
Species cristatus Vernacular Name Mor or Peacock
3.2 General description Peacock or Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus) is a familiar and universally known large pheasant. It is the National bird of Indian. The term “Peacock” is commonly used to refer to birds of both sexes. Technically, males of are Peacock, females are peahens and together they are called peafowl. The male has a spectacular glossy green long tail feathers that may be more than 60 percent of the bird’s total body length. These feathers have blue, golden green and copper colored a celli (eyes). The long tail feathers are used for mating rituals like courtship displays. The feathers are arched into a magnificent shape across the back of the bird and almost touching on both sides. Females do not have these graceful tail feathers. They have the fan like crest with whitish face and throat, chestnut brown crown and hind neck, metallic green upper breast and mantle, white belly and brown back rump and tail. Their primaries are dark brown. 3.3 Morphology Table 2: Morphological features of Peacock (Kushwaha & Kumar, 2016) Scientific Name Pavo cristatus
Type Bird
Diet Omnivore
Size (L) 86 cm‐107 cm (34in‐ 42in)
Wing span 120cm‐300cm (47in‐118in)
Weight 2.7 Kg‐6 Kg (6lbs‐13.2lbs)
Top speed 16 Km/h (10 mph)
Life span 12‐20 years
Lifestyle Solitary
Conservation Status Schedule I (As per Wildlife protection act, 1972) Skin type Feathers
Average clutch size 6
Main Prey Grains, Seeds, Insects
Predators Dogs, Tigers, Wild Cats, Raccoon
Distinctive features Long tail feathers and Colorful tail of Males 3.4 Habitat In the undergrowth in deciduous forests near streams tall trees for roosting. Size for the male tail feathers, its coloration and numbers of eyes determine the don menace of the male in peacock hierarchy. The females are believed to be attracted towards the male with longest and most colourful tail feathers. 3.5 Physical Characteristics The male Indian Peafowl, commonly known as the peacock, is one of the most recognizable birds in the world. The brightly coloured Indian peacock birds have a distinctive crest and an unmistaken able ornamental train. The train (1.4‐1.6 meters in length) accounts for more than 60% of their total body length (2.3 meters). Combined with a large wingspan (1.4‐1.6 meters), this train makes the male peafowl one of the largest flying birds in the world. The train is formed by 100‐150 highly specialized upper tail coverts. Each of these feathers sports an eye spot, and has long disintegrated barbs, giving the feathers a loose, fluffy look. When displaying to a female, the peacock bird erects this train into a spectacular fan, presenting the ocelli to their best advantage. Size of the male tail feathers, its coloration and numbers of eyes presents determine the dominance of the male in peacock hierarchy. The females are believed to be attracted towards the male with longest and most colorful tail feathers (Kushwaha & Kumar, 2016). Body length Male 110‐230 cm, Female: 85 cm Weight 2750‐6000gm Habitat In the undergrowth in deciduous forests near streams and neighborhoods of villages and cultivated country and tall trees for roosting.
3.6 Behaviour Peafowl are gregarious by nature. In the breeding season they are usually seen in small parties of one male three to five females whereas in the non‐breeding season they remain in separate parties of adult males and females with juveniles. Peacock roost in tall trees and emerge from the dense thickets to feed in fields and opening in forests fields. Call: Kee‐ow, Kee‐ow, Ka‐an, Ka‐an, Ka‐an, Kok‐kok, Kok‐Kok, cain‐kok,may‐yow calls at dusk and dawn, also loud nasal calls and cackles, very noisy during the rains, when breeding. Nesting: On tall Trees. Breeding: Peak season in southern India is April to May and June in Northern India. Other habits: Male sheds its colourful tail feathers during winters which grow again till autumn. 3.7 Food Habit Peacock are ground feeders. Indian peafowl’s do most of their foraging early in the morning and shortly before sunset. They retreat to the shade and security of the trees for the hottest portion of the day. They make a meal of grains, drupes of wild and some cultivated crops. They can also eat insects, small reptiles and small mammals. 3.8 Conservation and relationship with man The great beauty and popularity of the Indian Peafowl has ensured its protection throughout most of its native ranges. It enjoys the grace of the National Bird od India. The Peafowl is prominent in the mythology and folklore of the Indian people. The Hindus consider the bird to be sacred because of its association with Lord Krishna, who used to wear its feather as crown (Mor Mokut). It is also associated with the God Kartikey, son of the Lord Shiva and Parvati and brother of Lord Ganesha. It is “Vaahan” (transport) of Lord Kartikeya. This long and close association with humans has proven the Peafowl’s adaptability to human altered landscapes. In villages where it is protected, it becomes quite tame, but is very shy and secretive where hunted. Peacock is generally protected by the local people.
4 Conservation Plan for Leopard
Google Image
4.1 Taxonomy Table 3: Taxonomical classification of Leopard (Stein, et al., 2016) Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Carnivora
Suborder Feliformia
Family Felidae
Subfamily Pantherinae
Genus Panthera
Species pardus
4.2 General Description The leopard (Panthera pardus) is an old‐world mammal of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four 'big cats' of the genus Panthera, along with the tiger, lion, and jaguar. Compared to other wild cats, Leopard has relatively short legs and a long body with a large skull. The leopard is distinguished by its well‐camouflaged fur, opportunistic hunting behaviour, broad diet, and strength (which it uses to move heavy carcasses into trees), as well as its ability to adapt to various habitats ranging from rainforest to steppe, including arid and montane areas. Leopards that are melanistic, either all‐black or very dark in coloration, are known colloquially as Black Panthers (Jacobson, et al., 2016). 4.3 Distribution and Habitat As of 1996, the leopard had the largest distribution of any wild cat, although populations before and since have shown a declining trend and are fragmented outside of sub‐Saharan Africa. On the Indian subcontinent, topographical barriers to the dispersal of this subspecies are the Indus River in the west, and the Himalayas in the north. In the east, the lower course of the Brahmaputra and the Ganges Delta form natural barriers to the distribution of the Indochinese leopard. Indian leopards are distributed all over India, in Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and parts of Pakistan. In the Himalayas they are sympatric with snow leopards up to 5,200 meters (17,100 ft) above sea level (Hayward, et al., 2006).
4.4 Biology and Behaviour Graceful and stealthy, leopards are famous for their ability to go undetected. They are good, agile climbers, but cannot get down from a tree headfirst, because they do not have the ankle flexibility. Along with climbing, they are strong swimmers but not as fond of water as tigers. For example, leopards will not normally lie in water. They are mainly nocturnal but can be seen at any time of day and will even hunt during daytime on overcast days. In regions where they are hunted, nocturnal behaviour is more common. These cats are solitary, avoiding one another. However, three or four are sometimes seen together. Hearing and eyesight are the strongest of these cats' senses and are extremely acute. Olfaction is relied upon as well, but not for hunting. When making a threat, leopards stretch their backs, depress their ribcages between their shoulder blades so they stick out, and lower their heads (like domestic cats). During the day they may lie in bush, on rocks, or in a tree with their tails hanging below the treetops and giving them away (Friedmann & Traylor‐Holzer, 2008).
4.5 Diet and Hunting Leopards are opportunistic hunters. Although mid‐sized animals are preferred, the leopard will eat anything from dung beetles to 900 kg male Giant elands. Their diet consists mostly of ungulates and monkeys, but rodents, reptiles, amphibians, birds and fish are also eaten. In fact, they hunt about 90 different species of animals. The leopard stalks its prey silently and at the last‐minute pounces on its prey and strangles its throat with a quick bite. Leopards often hide their kills in dense vegetation or take them up trees and can carry animals up to three times their own weight this way. Storing carcasses up trees keeps them away from other predators such as spotted hyenas, jackals, tigers and lions, though the latter will occasionally be successful in climbing and fetching the leopard kills (Balme, Hunter, & Slotow, 2007). 4.6 Reproduction A male may follow a female who catches his attention. Eventually fighting for reproductive rights can take place. Depending on the region, leopards may mate all year round (India and Africa) or seasonally during January to February. The oestrous cycle lasts about 46 days and the female usually is in heat for 6‐7 days. Cubs are usually born in a litter of 2‐3, but infant mortality is high, and mothers are not commonly seen with more than 1‐2 cubs. The pregnant females find a cave, crevice among boulders, hollow tree, or thicket to give birth and make a den. Cubs open their eyes after a period of 10 days. The fur of the young tends to be longer and thicker than that of adults. Their pelage is also greyer in color with less defined spots. Around three months the infants begin to follow the mother out on hunts. At one year of age leopard young can probably fend for themselves but they remain with the mother for 18‐24 months (Balme, Hunter, & Slotow, 2007).
5 Conservation Plan for Pangolin
5.1 Taxonomy Table 4: Taxonomical classification of Pangolin (Baillie, et al., 2014) Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Class Mammalia
Order Pholidota
Family Manidae (Grey 1827)
Genus Manis (Linnaeus 1758) Species Crassicaudata (E. Geoffroy Saint‐Hilaire 1803)
5.2 Morphology Initial scale present on the body of the Pangolin remain soft but hardens up as the animal matures in age. The overlapping scales act as armour for its body and the face remains covered under scale. The sharp claws in the forelegs of the Pangolin are used for burrowing and climbing trees. They are insectivores and feed on ants and termites. The size of Pangolin varies from 30 to 100 cm. The Females are smaller than the male counterparts. Large and adult Pangolins have tongue lengths extending to up 40 cm with a diameter of only 0.5 cm (Heath, 1995). 5.3 Distribution This species is distributed in South Asia from parts of Eastern Pakistan marginally present in Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram etc (Mohapatra et.al., 2015). In India, this species is widely distributed from the plains and lower hills south of the Himalayas to extreme Southern India. There are historical records from Kerala and Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Goa, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Orissa, as well as the Himalayan foothills of Uttar Pradesh (CITES 2000). This species also occurs in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Uttarakhand. This species is distributed in lowland areas of southern and western Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka (Kumar, et al., 2016). 5.4 General Behaviour and Feeding Patterns The Indian Pangolin is solitary, mostly nocturnal, and terrestrial. These Pangolins are not often observed in the wild due to their solitary, secretive, and nocturnal nature. A loud emission of a hissing sound has been reported when they are frightened or angry. They possess anal glands which emit a strong and musky‐smelling yellow fluid, possibly used for marking or defence (Heath, 1995). Pangolin is almost entirely insectivorous and more specifically a myrmeco‐phagous (ant/termite). Its diet includes beetles, cockroaches, termites, and possibly worms, but mainly ants and termites. It feeds on the eggs, larvae, and adults of its prey, but eggs are the preferred choice. Other matter such as plant matter, stones, sand, and clay are consumed as well and in concert with strong stomach muscles aid in breaking down the food in the stomach. Pangolins are nocturnal in their behaviour with a well‐developed sense of smell and potential for inspecting for insects for food. Pangolins sleep all day long by curling up like a ball. The long‐tailed Pangolin remains active during the day time. Some Pangolins thrive on the tree branches which are arboreal in nature and some dig tunnels underground to a depth of about 11 ft. Pangolins have also developed swimming capabilities (Hua, et al., 2015). As Pangolins are devoid of proper dentition, they have their food by their tongue through licking the anthills and termite mounds. The chest glands of the Pangolins help them in wetting their tongue with strong ant catching saliva by providing adequate lubrication. The prehensile tails of the Pangolins help them remain hanging from the tree branches (Mahmood, Irshad, & Hussain, 2014).
5.5 Habitat Pangolin burrows fall into one of two categories: feeding and living burrows. Feeding burrows are smaller than living burrows (though their sizes vary depending on the abundance of prey) and are created more frequently during the spring, when there is a greater availability of prey. Living burrows are wider, deeper, and more circular, and are occupied for a longer time than feeding burrows, as they are mainly used to sleep and rest during the day. After a few months, the Pangolin abandons the burrow and digs a new one close to a food source. However, it is not uncommon for the Pangolin to shift back to an old burrow (Mahmood, Irshad, & Hussain, 2014). 5.6 Illegal wildlife trade crisis Pangolins are unique as they are the world’s only scaly mammals. Their scales are made of Keratin, which is the same protein found in rhino horn and human fingernails. They are declining throughout their range due to increasing demand for their meat, which is eaten as a luxury dish and their scales and other body parts used as many traditional medicines. This is driving unsustainable levels of poaching and illegal trade. As a result, Pangolins are now widely regarded to be the world’s most trafficked wild mammals with more than one million estimated to have been snatched from the wild in the past decade. This is despite a commercial trade ban for wild‐caught Pangolins in Asia that has been in place since 2000. A total ban on commercial trade in all eight species of Pangolins was introduced in 2017 but significant illegal trade is still occurring (Hua, et al., 2015).
6 Conservation Plan for Indian Rock Python
6.1 Taxonomy Table 5: Taxonomical classification of Indian Rock Python (Portal, 2010) Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Reptilia
Order Squamata
Suborder Serpentes
Family Pythonidae
Genus Python
Species molurus
6.2 General Description A large snake generally reaching up to 6 meters and in extreme cases up to 9 metres, the Indian Python (P. m. molurus) inhabits lowland forests. It is adept at both swimming and climbing trees. As with other pythons, it kills its prey which are mainly small mammals by the process of constriction and suffocation (Guptha, 2013). The Indian Rock Python is thick‐bodied and smooth scaled, head broader than neck, eye has vertical pupil and upper surface of head has large scales of different shapes and average length of 18ft. The overall colour of the rock Python varies from body full of irregular shaped patches with main dorsal colour white mixed with yellow, grey or brown; colour of patch mostly dark brown or blackish, between these patches yellowish‐brown colour exists. A python may live more than 20 years. They are solitary creatures, but males and females seek each other out to mate. The female coils about her eggs to incubate them. Young pythons have many natural enemies, including eagles, crocodiles, large cats such as leopards and tigers, and hyenas. Snakes are important in controlling pest species, such as rodents, rabbits, and insects. In some areas where humans have eradicated snakes, mice and rodents that carry disease have become serious threats to human health (Bagheera, 2018). 6.3 Behaviour Lethargic and slow moving even in their native habitat, they exhibit timidity and rarely try to attack even when attacked. Locomotion is usually with the body moving in a straight line. They are excellent swimmers and are quite at home in water. They can be wholly submerged in water for many minutes if necessary, but usually prefer to remain near the bank (Portal, 2010). 6.4 Feeding Like all snakes, Indian pythons are strict carnivores and feed on mammals, birds, and reptiles indiscriminately, but seem to prefer mammals. Roused to activity on sighting prey, the snake advances with a quivering tail and lunges with an open mouth. Live prey is constricted and killed. One or two coils are used to hold it in a tight grip. The prey, unable to breathe, succumbs and is subsequently swallowed head first. After a heavy meal, they are disinclined to move. If forced to, hard parts of the meal may tear through the body. Therefore, if disturbed, some specimens disgorge their meal to escape from potential predators. After a heavy meal, an individual may fast for weeks, the longest recorded duration being 2 years. The python can swallow prey bigger than its diameter because the jaw bones are not connected. Moreover, prey cannot escape from its mouth because of the arrangement of the teeth (which are reverse saw‐like) (Goursi, Azam, & Kabir, Status of The Indian Rock Python (Python Molurus Molurus) In Deva Vatala National Park, Azad Jammu And Kashmir, Pakistan, 2014). 6.5 Reproduction Oviparous, up to 100 eggs are laid by the animal, which are protected and incubated by the female. Towards this end, they can raise their body temperature above the ambient level through muscular contractions. The hatchlings are 45–60 cm (18–24 in) in length and grow quickly. An artificial incubation method using climate‐controlled environmental chambers was developed in India for successfully raising hatchlings from abandoned or unattended eggs (Snakes, 2018). 6.6 Distribution and Habitat The nominate subspecies is found in India, southern Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and probably in the north of Myanmar. They occur in a wide range of habitats, including grasslands, swamps, marshes, rocky foothills, woodlands, "open" jungle, and river valleys. They depend on a permanent source of water. Sometimes, they can be found in abandoned mammal burrows, hollow trees, dense water reeds, and mangrove thickets (Groombridge & Luxmoore, 1991).
7 Conservation Plan for Indian Wolf
7.1 Taxonomy Table 6: Taxonomic classification (Biodiversity Portal, 2010) Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Carnivora
Family Canidae
Subfamily Caninae Genus Canus
Species lupus
Subspecies pallipes
7.2 General Biology Grey wolves resemble the domesticated dog breed (German shepherds or husky) in appearance; however, its large skull and teeth distinguish it from other closely related members of the family canidae. The animals are characterized by yellowish‐brown coat colour interspersed with black (Prater 1980). Coat colour is usually lighter during summers as most of the fur is shed and only sparse long hair remain on its body, giving the species a characteristic thin, long‐legged appearance (Habib, 2007). Adult wolves can be distinguished from juveniles in the field by their size, behaviour, and white markings that develop above the eyes, on the chin and under the throat (Jhala 2003). The front foot has five toes, including a short dewclaw, placed proximal to other four, whereas the hind foot has four toes. The legs are moderately long with digitigrade limb posture; the chest is narrow and keel‐like with forelimbs seemingly pressed into chest, and elbows turned inward and paws outward (Young, et al. 1944). Wolves have long legs and powerful leg muscles, which facilitate tireless travel at a usual rate of 8 km per hour and a running gait of 55 to 70 km per hour (Mech, 1970). The extended rostrum provides abundant surface for the olfactory organ, allowing the wolf to detect odours of prey at distances up to 2.4 km under favourable conditions (Mech, 1974). 7.3 Distribution and Habitat Indian wolf is mainly found in Western India, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Israel. In India it is mainly found in states like Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. It prefers habitats like scrublands, grasslands, remote areas, semi‐arid pastoral lands and wilderness where they could find food in abundance and highest prey biomass. Their territory ranges between 100 and 500 square miles (Singh, 2006). 7.4 Feeding Habits The food habit of Indian wolves varies depending on the availability of the prey. They mainly like flesh of large to small sized ungulates. The medium and small sized prey includes animals like marmots, foxes, red deer, roe deer, wild boar, hares, polecats, mice, ground squirrels, musk deer, wild goats, hamsters, rodents, voles, livestock, carrion, water fowl and its eggs and garbage. When the food is deficient, the wolves go for preys like lizards, snakes, toads, frogs and big insects. These carnivores supplement their food with fruits such as blueberries, grapes, mountain berries, lily, cowberry, apples, pears, melons and vegetables. They can thrive without food for extended periods and will not become weak at any cause. They generally hunt in a pack. The one from the wolf pack distract the prey from its herd, which is then hunted by the other pack members from behind. At times, these animals also eat their young and even humans (Shahi, 1983). 7.5 Mating behaviour The mating usually happens during the period between January and April. They are monogamous when their living location has low wolf population, the pairs remain together until one die. They are polygamous when wolf population is high which happens primarily in captivity. They attain sexual maturity at the age of 2‐3 years which depends upon environmental factors like food and population statistics. The male creates their territory and mate in their area. During pregnancy, the female remains at the peripheral zone of the territory. The gestation period lasts for about 60‐75 days. They give birth to 5‐6 pups and during the delivery period the old females accompany them. The born pups are very soft and covered with greyish‐brown coloured fur. The new born pups are blind and deaf. The mother weans the young for 8‐10 weeks. They are trained to eat a part of the killed prey at the age between 3 to 4 weeks. The offspring’s stay with its mother and father until an age of 6 months. They live to a maximum age of 13 years in wild and in captivity until an age of 16 years (Ozoliņš, 2008). 8 Conservation Plan for Sloth Bear
8.1 Taxonomy Table 7: Taxonomic classification of Sloth Bear (Dharaiya et al., 2016) Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Carnivora
Family Ursidae Genus Melursus
Species ursinus
8.2 General Description
The sloth bear known as Labiated bear is a nocturnal insectivore having sickle‐shaped claws and a specially adapted lower lip and palate used for sucking insects. Sloth bear fur is completely black and a whitish Y or U‐shaped monk on chest. It is capable of galloping faster than a running human. Although it appears slow and clumsy, Sloth bears are excellent climbers including cubs. They climb to feed and rest on long trees. They are capable of climbing on smooth surface and hanging upside down. Its presence is observed in winter season as told by local people of study area. They also mentioned that sloth bear with cubs walked in the sugarcane cultivation and came for drinking water in water ponds nearby in the area (Dhamorikar et al., 2017). 8.3 Distribution and Habitat Most sloth bears live in India and Sri Lanka; others live in southern Nepal, and they have been reported in Bhutan and Bangladesh (Choudhary et al., 2016). It occurs in a wide range of habitats including wet and dry tropical forests, savannahs, scrublands, and grasslands below 1,500 m (4,900 ft) on the Indian subcontinent.
8.4 Physical appearance Sloth bears are solitary creatures and generally nocturnal. They grow up to 6 feet in length, and males can weigh up to 310 pounds, while females weigh up to 210 pounds. When threatened they respond by standing on their hind legs and displaying their formidable foreclaws. They wear an extremely shaggy black coat and a cream‐colored snout, and their chest is usually marked with a whitish “V” or “Y” design. 8.5 Reproduction Sloth bears mate during the hot season (spring and early summers) —May, June, and July— and females usually give birth (beginning of winter) to two cubs six to seven months later. Its gestation period is 210 days or about six months. Mother bear carry cubs up to 9‐month‐old on their back primary defence against attack by predators such as tigers, leopards and other bears. Cubs are born in an underground den or in shelter under boulders and stay there for several months. After emerging from the den, cubs stay at their mother's side for two to three years before heading off on their own (Sharp et al., 2017). 8.6 Food Habit Sloth bears are expert hunters of termites, which they locate by smell. Their sense of smell is strong enough to detect grubs 3 ft below ground. Unlike other bears, they do not congregate in feeding groups. They rarely prey on other mammals. Sloth bears may supplement their diets with fruit and plant matter; in March and April, they eat the fallen petals of mowha trees and are partial to mangoes, sugar cane, jackfruit, and the pods of the golden shower tree. Sloth bears are extremely fond of honey.
9 Conservation Plan for Bengal Slow loris
9.1 Taxonomy
Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Class Mammalia
Order Primates
Family Lorisidae Genus Nycticebus
Species bengalensis
9.2 Geographic Description Bengal slow lorises are endemic to the forested areas of south‐eastern Asia, including the seven north‐eastern states of India (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur, and Tripura) as well as areas of Cambodia, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, and southern regions of China. The greatest densities of this species are found in eastern Thailand. They have the largest range and are the northernmost species of the genus Nycticebus (Brandon‐Jones, et al., 2004; Pliosungnoen, et al., 2010; Ravosa, 1998). 9.3 Habitat Bengal slow lorises are nocturnal and arboreal strepsirrhines. They prefer areas of high canopy cover and forest edges, where insects are more abundant. They inhabit tropical and sub‐tropical rainforests as well as semi‐evergreen rainforests in south‐eastern Asia year‐ round. However, with increasing destruction of their habitat due to deforestation and development of land, they are forced to live in scrub forest. Bengal slow lorises prefer larger and taller trees with deeper crowns that are associated with higher food abundance as well as a dense micro‐habitat that provides protection from predators. They prefer older and younger plantation forests to primary forests and avoid habitats with shallow tree crowns (Choudhury, 2001; Pliosungnoen, et al., 2010; Srivastava and Mohnot, 2001). 9.4 Physical Description Bengal slow lorises are the largest of all the slow lorises, with a skull length of 65.25 mm, larger than any other species of loris. They are heavier than all other loris species with a mass between one and two kg and a length of 26 to 38 cm, being more than three times the weight of the smallest loris, Nycticebus pygmaeus. Bengal slow loris fur patterns differ from other slow lorises which allow for visual differentiation from other species. They have thick, woolly fur with a white head, neck, and underside and a brown‐grey dorsal side accompanied by a slight darker brown dorsal stripe running down the back. They have a round head with short ears and rostrum and very large, stereoscopic eyes that have an orange‐red eye‐shine. They have very short, almost vestigial tails. There is no sexual dimorphism in Bengal slow lorises. Their hands are specifically designed for climbing and they have opposable thumbs that are significantly different from their other four phalanges, giving them a pincer‐like grip. This strong grip makes up for their lack of a tail. Males and females look alike and can only be differentiated by looking at the gonads. Male Bengal slow loris testicles have an average weight of 1.2 grams, with a vas deferens length of 85.5 mm (Fitch‐ Snyder and Schulze, 2001; Groves, 1998; Nekaris, et al., 2013; Smith and Jungers, 1997). 9.5 Reproduction Once slow loris females are in the oestrus cycle, they use whistle calls to attract males in the area. A female may mate with multiple males throughout her 37 to 54‐day oestrus. Males also mate with multiple females (Anderson, et al., 2004; Fitch‐Snyder and Schulze, 2001). Once females conceive, they don't breed for the next two years as they invest highly in the maternal care of their young. They usually have one offspring; however, twins have been reported. Mothers gestate for 176 to 198 days and give birth to precocial young that are covered in fur with their eyes open. Males and females are reproductively mature at around 1 to 1.5 years of age. Young are covered in exudates from their mother's brachial gland in order to protect them from predators. Slow loris mothers and their infants have a close attachment from the time of birth, sometimes continuing through their lifetimes. They carry their young on their backs for as long as three months after birth. They spend a large amount of time play‐wrestling and socializing with their mothers as well as other adults once a few months old. Fathers are absent after copulation and do not contribute to parental care. (Fitch‐ Snyder and Schulze, 2001; Nekaris, et al., 2013; Zimmermann, 1989).
9.6 Behaviour Lorises rarely exhibit aggression towards one another and usually live in family groups. Although some individuals are solitary, most live in a social setting. There is no dominance hierarchy in social groups. They travel 20 to 30 meters each night, either alone or in pairs. They often sleep in tree holes or dense vegetation, sometimes with other lorises, and may occupy up to 60 tree holes throughout their lifetime. They are tolerant of other loris species as they have been observed foraging on the same tree within meters of pygmy slow lorises which is sympatric with Bengal slow lorises (Choudhury, 1992; Duckworth, 1994; Fitch‐ Snyder and Schulze, 2001; Pliosungnoen, et al., 2010; Radhakrishna, et al., 2006; Swapna, et al., 2010).
9.7 Food Habits Bengal slow lorises are generalized feeders consuming a diet of plant exudates, nectar, fruit, invertebrates, bark, and bird eggs. Their preferred food is dominated by plant exudates such as resins and gums from 6 species of plants which make up 94.3% of the diet in the winter, and 67.3% of their diet in the summer. An example of plant species consumed include Bauhinia as well as other liana species. Terminalia is also commonly consumed. Lorises obtain exudates using their procumbent incisors to gouge or scrape holes into the bark of trees. They then use their long, narrow tongues to scoop the exudates into their mouth. Nectar is the second preferred food with it consisting of 22.3% of their summer diet (Pliosungnoen, et al., 2010; Swapna, et al., 2010). 10 Conservation Plan for Western Hoolock Gibbon
10.1 Taxonomy Table 8: Taxonomy classification of Western hoolock gibbon (Mootnick & Groves, 2005) Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Primates
Suborder Haplorhini
Infraorder Simiiformes
Family Hylobatidae
Genus Hoolock
10.2 Description One of the true ‘acrobats of the forest’, the western hoolock gibbon swings through the forest using its long arms, in a mode of locomotion known as brachiation. The western hoolock gibbon is, like the other 15 species of gibbon currently recognized a slender and graceful ape. Adult male and female western hoolock gibbons are similar in size but in the coloration of their dense hair they are vastly different Adult males are black with a contrasting and distinctive white brow, giving them a highly expressive appearance. Females are copper‐tan, with dark brown hair on the sides of the face and chest, and a distinct central parting in the head hair. Infants have grey‐white hair with a yellow tinge at birth, which turns black with age. At puberty, the coat of females turns pale, whilst males remain unchanged. The gibbon is well known for its emotive call, which is mostly performed as a duet between a mated pair. Its call, both energetic and haunting can be heard over long distances, and has seeped into the folklore of Asia’s indigenous people 10.3 Distribution The western hoolock gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) is a primate from the gibbon family, Hylobatidae, native to eastern Bangladesh, Northeast Indian and Southwest china. (Geissmann, 1995; Groves, 1967). In northeast India, the hoolock is found south of Brahmaputra and east of the Dibang Rivers. Its range extends into seven states covering Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura (The seven northeastern states of India) 10.4 Habitat The hoolock is found in several types of habitats: tropical evergreen forest, the wetter tropical semi‐evergreen forests, sub‐tropical monsoon evergreen broadleaf forests, and sub‐tropical evergreen broadleaf hill or mountain forests. The species appears to be less common in deciduous forest and scrub forest, and absent from mangrove (Choudhury, 1996a; Gittins & Tilson, 1984; Lan, 1994). It occurs at altitudes of 80‐1500 m (Choudhury, 1996a; Mukherjee, 1986).
11 Conservation Plan for Kalij Pheasant
11.1 Taxonomy Table 9: Taxonomic classification of Kalij Pheasant (Birdlife International, 2016) Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Aves
Order Galliformes
Family Phasianidae
Subfamily Phasianidae
Genus Lophura
Species L. leucomelanos
11.2 General Description The Kalij Pheasant is a species of the Himalayan foothills where it occurs in forests and thickets. Closely related with the Silver Pheasant (Lophura nycthemera), they can hybridize. Nine subspecies are recognized. The nominate race has been introduced into Hawaii in 1962, and its population is increasing regularly. The Kalij Pheasant is a game bird recently introduced to Hawaii that is native to central Asia, from Pakistan through the Himalayan region to Thailand (Pyle & Pyle, 2017). Table 10: Description Male: Length:63‐74 cm (tail:21‐35 cm)
Female: Length: 50‐60 cm (tail 19‐23 cm)
Weight: 564‐1025 the adult male of nominate race has glossy blue‐black plumage with purplish to greenish wash, and with distinctive broad white scales on lower back to upper tail‐ coverts. Wings and vent are blackish‐brown and mostly glossless. The tail is glossy blue‐black above and black below. The breast is grey to greyish‐white, but there are many variations in breast colour according to the race, and extent of white pattern on lower back, rump and tail. On the head, forehead, crown and throat are black, whereas the nape is glossy blue‐black. The face shows bright red to scarlet wattles. Strong legs and feet are pale brown. The female has reddish‐brown to dark brown plumage, with whitish‐edged feathers giving scalloped appearance. The tail is black with chestnut‐brown central rectrices. The flight feathers are brown. On the head, the red wattles are smaller than in male, mostly restricted to the eye area. The crest is shorter and brown. The eyes are orange‐brown. Legs and feet are similar to male, but she lacks the spurs. The juvenile is dark brown. On the underparts the feathers show white spot at tip, whereas on the upperparts, they have dark subterminal bar and buff edges. The adult plumage is visible at one year old (Lewin & Lewin, 1984). 11.3 Habitat The Kalij Pheasant can be found in a variety of habitat types such as evergreen and deciduous forests with dense undergrowth in valleys, or thickets, secondary vegetation and abandoned cultivated areas. The Kalij Pheasant is mainly heard at dawn and dusk, uttering loud whistling chuckle or chirrup‐like calls. When disturbed, it produces guinea pig‐like squeaks and chuckles, a rapid “WHiii WHiiii WHiiii” and a whistling “psee psee psee” when flushed (Poudyal, 2008). 11.4 Behaviour Kalij Pheasant is omnivorous. It feeds on diverse food items such as bamboo seeds, small snakes, termites, figs, forest yams, acorns, ripe fruits and other plant matter. It usually forages in small groups of 10‐20 birds, and sometimes in single‐sex groups in Bhutan. They scratch the ground with their strong feet and dig with the bill for roots and tubers. They forage along tracks and roads, also in fields, in the early morning and late afternoon. During the breeding season, the male performs the usual courtship displays. It also drums by flapping its half‐open wings against its body. During the displays, both lateral and frontal, the plumage pattern is enhanced by spreading wings and tail. The wattles are bright red and inflated and the crest is erect. Calls and other sounds accompany these ritual displays. The Kalij Pheasant is probably sedentary, only performing seasonal movements for food and water. Although well known as mostly terrestrial bird, it can fly if frightened, but it is also a quick runner. It roosts in trees at night (Lalthanzara et al., 2011). 11.5 Reproduction The breeding season varies with the races. The nest‐site is in thick undergrowth. The nest is a shallow depression on the ground, often near water. The scrape can be lined with leaves. The female lays 6‐9 creamy‐white to reddish‐buff eggs. Larger clutch is usually produced by more than one female. She incubates alone for 20‐22 days, according to the range and the weather. At hatching, the chicks are covered with brown to chestnut down above and whitish below. The male may participate in rearing the chicks once they have left the nest. The mating system could be both monogamy and polygamy (McGowan et al., 2018). 12 Conservation Plan for Elephant
12.1 Taxonomy Table 11: Taxonomic classification of Elephas maximus indicus (Cuvier), 1798 Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Proboscidea
Family Elephantidae
Genus Elephas
Species E.maximus
Subspecies E.m.indicus
12.2 Morphology and Growth In general, the Asian elephant is smaller than the African elephant and has the highest body point on the head. The back is convex or level. The ears are small with dorsal borders folded laterally. It has up to 20 pairs of ribs and 34 caudal vertebrae. The feet have more nail‐like structures than those of African elephants—five on each forefoot, and four on each hind foot.
12.3 Description 12.3.1 Size The dimensions of the Asian elephant are often exaggerated. On average, the shoulder height of males rarely exceeds 2.7 m (9 ft) and that of the females, 2.4 m (8 ft). Average height of females is 2.24 m (7.3 ft), and average weight 2.72 t (3.00 short tons) rarely exceeding 4.16 t (4.59 short tons). Large bulls weigh up to 5.4 t (6.0 short tons) and are 3.2 m (10 ft) at the shoulder. Length of body and head including trunk is 5.5–6.5 m (18–21 ft) with the tail being 1.2–1.5 m (3.9– 4.9 ft) long.
12.3.2 Trunk The distinctive trunk is an elongation of the nose and upper lip combined; the nostrils are at its tip, which has a one finger‐like process. The trunk contains as many as 60,000 muscles, which consist of longitudinal and radiating sets. The trunk is a multipurpose prehensile organ and highly sensitive, innervated by the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve and by the facial nerve. The acute sense of smell uses both the trunk and Jacobson's organ. Elephants use their trunks for breathing, watering, feeding, touching, dusting, sound production and communication, washing, pinching, grasping, defence and offense. The "proboscis" or trunk consists wholly of muscular and membranous tissue and is a tapering muscular structure of nearly circular cross‐section extending proximally from attachment at the anterior nasal orifice and ending distally in a tip or finger. The length may vary from 1.5 to 2 m (59 to 79 in) or longer depending on the species and age. The trunk can hold about four litres of water. Elephants will playfully wrestle with each other using their trunks, but generally use their trunks only for gesturing when fighting.
12.3.3 Tusks Tusks serve to dig for water, salt, and rocks, to bark trees, as levers for maneuvering fallen trees and branches, for work, for display, for marking trees, as weapon for offense and defense, as trunk‐rests, as protection for the trunk. They are known to be right or left tusked. Female Asian elephants usually lack tusks; if tusks—in that case called "tushes"—are present, they are barely visible, and only seen when the mouth is open.
12.3.4 Skin Skin colour is usually grey and may be masked by soil because of dusting and wallowing. Their wrinkled skin is movable and contains many nerve centres. It is smoother than of African elephants, and may be depigmented on the trunk, ears, or neck. The epidermis and dermis of the body average 18 mm (0.71 in) thick; skin on the dorsum is 30 mm (1.2 in) thick providing protection against bites, bumps, and adverse weather. Its folds increase surface area for heat dissipation. They can tolerate cold better than excessive heat. Skin temperature varies from 24 to 32.9 °C (75.2 to 91.2 °F). Body temperature averages 35.9 °C (96.6 °F). 12.3.5 Intelligent Asian elephants are highly intelligent and self‐aware. They have a very large and highly convoluted neocortex, a trait also shared by humans, apes and certain dolphin species. Asian elephants have the greatest volume of cerebral cortex available for cognitive processing of all existing land animals. They exhibit a wide variety of behaviours, including those associated with grief, learning, altruism, playing etc.
12.3.6 Diet Elephants are crepuscular. They are classified as mega‐herbivores and consume up to 150 kg (330 lb) of plant matter per day. They are generalist feeders, and both grazers and browsers, and were recorded to feed on 112 different plant species, most commonly of the order Malvales, and the legume, palm, sedge and true grass families. They browse more in the dry season with bark constituting a major part of their diet in the cool part of that season. They drink at least once a day and are never far from a permanent source of fresh water. They need 80–200 litres of water a day and use even more for bathing. At times, they scrape the soil for clay or minerals.
12.4 Reproduction Bulls will fight one another to get access to estrous females. Strong fights over access to females are extremely rare. Bulls reach sexual maturity around the age of 12–15. Between the age of 10 and 20 years, bulls undergo an annual phenomenon known as "musth". This is a period where the testosterone level is up to 100 times greater than non‐musth periods, and they become extremely aggressive. Secretions containing pheromones occur during this period, from the paired temporal glands located on the head between the lateral edge of the eye and the base of the ear. The gestation period is 18–22 months, and the female gives birth to one calf, only occasionally twins. The calf is fully developed by the 19th month but stays in the womb to grow so that it can reach its mother to feed. At birth, the calf weighs about 100 kg (220 lb) and is suckled for up to three years. Once a female gives birth, she usually does not breed again until the first calf is weaned, resulting in a 4‐ to 5‐year birth interval. Females stay on with the herd, but mature males are chased away. 13 Conservation Measure for all the ten Schedule I Species. 1. Plantation details and programs: (In consultation with forest department) Preferred roosting trees for the herbivorous species. Native or fruit bearing species plantation would be specially taken up in the green belt area of the project and nearby area. 2. Small earthen material lined water tanks will be created in the Core‐zone Green area as well as select areas in the Buffer Zone to make sure availability of clean drinking water to the species. The availability of clean water will ensure a permanent stay of species in these areas. 3. Awareness program: It will be ensured through regular awareness programs and through publicity by way of signages, posters, bill distributions, public meetings, announcements, student’s awareness sessions etc. 4. For surveillance: With the people’s participation some guides will be included from the adjoining villages in the project team which will keep alerting for any unwanted incidences to happen. They will be awarded for such surveillance support activities. 5. Litter burning will be discouraged strictly. Litter burning practices destroy feeding material and removes the cover and nesting materials necessary for shelter and protection from predators.
14 Project Budget The Proponent has proposed a sum of Rs 10 Lakh for conservation of species under the following heads. The estimates are prepared for the project area in which many activities are common to all the species as mentioned in the relevant places in the estimates. The total financial plan is also specifically mentioned in the table below: Table 8: Budget for conservation S. No. Component Provision in Lakhs 1 Plantation in association with Chief wildlife warden 2 Donation for Patrolling equipment such as camera 2 2 traps and their maintenance to Forest Department 3 Provision of food grains and water 4 Awareness generation like in schools, setting up of 4 interpretation zones, etc. for next five years. 2 (includes farmers and local villagers) Total 10