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Download Download The Journal of Threatened Taxa (JoTT) is dedicated to building evidence for conservaton globally by publishing peer-reviewed artcles OPEN ACCESS online every month at a reasonably rapid rate at www.threatenedtaxa.org. All artcles published in JoTT are registered under Creatve Commons Atributon 4.0 Internatonal License unless otherwise mentoned. JoTT allows unrestricted use, reproducton, and distributon of artcles in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publicaton. Journal of Threatened Taxa Building evidence for conservaton globally www.threatenedtaxa.org ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) Communication Characterisation of breeding habitat of Grizzled Giant Squirrel Ratufa macroura (Mammalia: Sciuridae) in Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Ghats, India Kiran Thomas & P.O. Nameer 26 July 2021 | Vol. 13 | No. 8 | Pages: 18993–19001 DOI: 10.11609/jot.7371.13.8.18993-19001 For Focus, Scope, Aims, and Policies, visit htps://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/aims_scope For Artcle Submission Guidelines, visit htps://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/about/submissions For Policies against Scientfc Misconduct, visit htps://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/policies_various For reprints, contact <[email protected]> The opinions expressed by the authors do not refect the views of the Journal of Threatened Taxa, Wildlife Informaton Liaison Development Society, Zoo Outreach Organizaton, or any of the partners. The journal, the publisher, the host, and the part- Publisher & Host ners are not responsible for the accuracy of the politcal boundaries shown in the maps by the authors. Threatened Taxa Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 July 2021 | 13(8): 18993–19001 ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) OPEN ACCESS htps://doi.org/10.11609/jot.7371.13.8.18993-19001 #7371 | Received 28 April 2021 | Final received 20 June 2021 | Finally accepted 11 July 2021 COMMUNICATION Characterisaton of breeding habitat of Grizzled Giant Squirrel Ratufa macroura (Mammalia: Sciuridae) in Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Ghats, India Kiran Thomas 1 & P.O. Nameer 2 1 Department of Wildlife and Habitat Management, Forest College and Research Insttute, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Mulugu, Telangana 502279, India. 2 Centre for Wildlife Studies, College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, Kerala 680656, India. 1 [email protected], 2 [email protected] (corresponding author) Abstract: The Grizzled Giant Squirrel (GGS) Ratufa macroura (Pennant, 1769) is a ‘Near Threatened’ and endemic giant squirrel distributed in southern India and Sri Lanka. In India, the species is distributed in more than 10 locatons between Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka in the north and Srivilliputhur Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu in the south. A study was conducted in the riparian habitats of Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala to understand the habitat characteristcs, including the drey site use of GGS. The vegetaton of the GGS habitat was studied using the quadrat method, and the dreys were counted using the transects. A total of 95 species of trees were identfed from the riverine vegetaton, and the GGS used 36 species of trees for drey constructon. Most of the dreys were found on Mangifera indica, Terminalia arjuna, Ficus microcarpa, Diospyros ebenum, and Pongamia pinnata. However, the GGS may prefer trees such as Mitragyna parvifora, Diospyros ebenum, Ficus microcarpa, Albizia procera, Acacia nilotca, and Acacia leucophloea for drey constructon.Malayalam: പ"ിമഘ&'ിലും The study ,ശീല/യിലും also highlights മാ,തം കാണെ6ടു8 the usage ഒരിനം of large അ=ാനാണ് trees ചാ@ൽ with മലയ=ാൻextensive. ഇത് crown IUCNെI Jbyവിശകലന'ിൽ the GGS for വംശനാശ various ഭീഷണി actvites േനരിടു8 such ഒരിനം as മലയ=ാൻfeeding, ആണ്. െതേP ഇQRയിൽ, കർണാടക'ിെല കാേവരി വനRജീവിസേ/ത'ിെIയുംJ െതPു ,ശീവിWിപു'ൂർ ചാ@ൽ മലയ=ാൻ വനRജീവി സേ/ത'ിെIയുംJ ഇടയിലായി restng,പ'ിടYളിൽ moving, ഇവെയ and കാണെ6ടു8ു[് nestng, thus . േകരള'ിെല signifying ചി8ാർthe necessity വനRജീവി for സേ/ത'ിൽ protectng നട'ിയ the remaining ഒരു പഠന'ിെI riverine J അടി]ാന'ിൽ habitat at Chinnar, ചി8ാറിെല Wildlife പുഴേയാര Sanctuary കാടുകളിൽ to ensureനി8ുമായി the 95ഇനം long-term മരYൾ ഉെ[8ും conservaton, അതിൽ of 36ഇനം GGS. മരYളിൽ We recommend ചാ@ൽ മലയ=ാൻ an urgent കൂട് കൂ&ു8തായും restoraton കെ['ി by restocking. ഇതിൽ തെ8 with കൂടുതൽ already കൂടുകളും existng, മാവ് , natveഅർജുൻ ,tree ആൽമരം, species കരി മരം, ഉYു എ8ിവയിലായിരു8ു. കൂടാെത മgPട@്, ഇ'ി, െവhവാക, കരിേവലം, െവhേവലം എ8ിവയും മലയ=ാൻ കൂടു കൂ&ുവാൻ ഉപേയാഗിPു8തായി കാണു8ു. വലുതും ofവിശാലമാ the riverineയശാഖകളും habitat േമലാ6ും due ഉh to േമൽപറgഗണ'ിൽെപ& the extremely poor regeneraton വൃlYളാണ് ഇവof treesഭlണ'ിനും in the riverine, വി,ശമ'ിനും habitat, സmാര'ിനും that support, മnുമായി the onlyകൂടുതലായി populaton ആ,ശയിPു8ത് of the GGS. ഈ inവൃlYളുെട Kerala. ൈതകളുെട പുനരുqീവന നിരP് ചി8ാർ വനRജീവി സേ/ത'ിൽ വളെര കുറവാെണ8് ഈ പഠന'ിൽ ഞYൾPു കാണാൻ കഴിgു. ആയതിനാൽ േമൽ സൂചി6ിs മരYളുെട പുനരുqീവന,പ,കിയ അടിയQരമായി ചി8ാറിെല പുഴPാടുകളിൽ നട6ാേP[തായി&ു[്. ഇത് േകരള'ിെല ചാ@ൽ മലയ=ാെന കാണെ6ടു8 ഏക ആവാസവRവ]യുെടയും, ചാ@ൽ മലയ=ാണിെIയുംJ നിലനിൽ6ിനു അതRQാേപlിതമാണ്. Keywords: Conservaton, drey constructon, Kerala, large trees, populaton, riverine habitat, vegetaton. Malayalam: പ"ിമഘ&'ിലും ,ശീല/യിലും മാ,തം കാണെ6ടു8 ഒരിനം അ=ാനാണ് ചാ@ൽ മലയ=ാൻ. ഇത് IUCNെI J വിശകലന'ിൽ വംശനാശ ഭീഷണി േനരിടു8 ഒരിനം മലയ=ാൻ ആണ്. െതേP ഇQRയിൽ, കർണാടക'ിെല കാേവരി വനRജീവിസേ/ത'ിെIയുംJ െതPു ,ശീവിWിപു'ൂർ ചാ@ൽ മലയ=ാൻ വനRജീവി സേ/ത'ിെIയുംJ ഇടയിലായി പ'ിടYളിൽ ഇവെയ കാണെ6ടു8ു[് . േകരള'ിെല ചി8ാർ വനRജീവി സേ/ത'ിൽ നട'ിയ ഒരു പഠന'ിെI J അടി]ാന'ിൽ, ചി8ാറിെല പുഴേയാര കാടുകളിൽ നി8ുമായി 95ഇനം മരYൾ ഉെ[8ും, അതിൽ 36ഇനം മരYളിൽ ചാ@ൽ മലയ=ാൻ കൂട് കൂ&ു8തായും കെ['ി. ഇതിൽ തെ8 കൂടുതൽ കൂടുകളും മാവ്, അർജുൻ, ആൽമരം, കരി മരം, ഉYു എ8ിവയിലായിരു8ു. കൂടാെത മgPട@്, ഇ'ി, െവhവാക, കരിേവലം, െവhേവലം എ8ിവയും മലയ=ാൻ കൂടു കൂ&ുവാൻ ഉപേയാഗിPു8തായി കാണു8ു. വലുതും വിശാലമായശാഖകളും േമലാ6ും ഉh േമൽപറgഗണ'ിൽെപ& വൃlYളാണ് ഇവ ഭlണ'ിനും, വി,ശമ'ിനും, സmാര'ിനും, മnുമായി കൂടുതലായി ആ,ശയിPു8ത്. ഈ വൃlYളുെട ൈതകളുെട പുനരുqീവന നിരP് ചി8ാർ വനRജീവി സേ/ത'ിൽ വളെര കുറവാെണ8് ഈ പഠന'ിൽ ഞYൾPു കാണാൻ കഴിgു. ആയതിനാൽ േമൽ സൂചി6ിs മരYളുെട പുനരുqീവന,പ,കിയ അടിയQരമായി ചി8ാറിെല പുഴPാടുകളിൽ നട6ാേP[തായി&ു[്. ഇത് േകരള'ിെല ചാ@ൽ മലയ=ാെന കാണെ6ടു8 ഏക ആവാസവRവ]യുെടയും, ചാ@ൽ മലയ=ാണിെIയുംJ നിലനിൽ6ിനു അതRQാേപlിതമാണ്. Editor:Malayala Honnavallim: പ"ിമഘ&'ിലും N. Kumara, Salim ,ശീല/യിലും Ali Centre for Ornithology മാ,തം കാണെ6ടു8 and Natural History, ഒരിനം Coimbatore, അ=ാനാണ് India. ചാ@ൽ മലയ=ാൻDate of publicaton:. ഇത് IUCN 26െI July J വിശകലന'ിൽ 2021 (online & print) J Citaton:വംശനാശ Thomas, ഭീഷണി K. & േനരിടു8P.O. Nameer ഒരിനം (2021). മലയ=ാൻ Characterisaton ആണ് of. െതേP breeding ഇQRയിൽ habitat of, കർണാടക'ിെലGrizzled Giant Squirrel കാേവരി Ratufa macrouraവനRജീവിസേ/ത'ിെI (Mammalia: Sciuridae)യും inെതPു Chinnar J Wildlife,ശീവിWിപു'ൂർ Sanctuary, Western ചാ@ൽ Ghats, മലയ=ാൻ India. Journal വനRജീവി of Threatened സേ/ത'ിെI Taxa 13(8):യും 18993–19001. ഇടയിലായി htps://doi.org/10.11609/jot. പ'ിടYളിൽ ഇവെയ 7371.13.8.18993-19001കാണെ6ടു8ു[് . േകരള'ിെല ചി8ാർ വനRജീവി സേ/ത'ിൽ നട'ിയ ഒരു പഠന'ിെI J അടി]ാന'ിൽ, ചി8ാറിെല പുഴേയാര കാടുകളിൽ നി8ുമായി 95ഇനം Copyright:മരYൾ ©ഉെ[8ും Thomas &, അതിൽ Nameer 2021. 36ഇനം Creatve മരYളിൽ Commons ചാ@ൽ Atributon മലയ=ാൻ 4.0 Internatonal കൂട് കൂ&ു8തായും License. JoTT കെ['ി allows unrestricted. ഇതിൽ തെ8 use, reproducton, കൂടുതൽ കൂടുകളും and distributon മാവ്, of thisഅർജുൻ artcle in, ആൽമരം any medium, കരി by providing മരം, ഉYു adequate എ8ിവയിലായിരു8ു credit to the author(s). കൂടാെത and the മgPട@് source of publicaton., ഇ'ി, െവhവാക, കരിേവലം, െവhേവലം എ8ിവയും മലയ=ാൻ കൂടു കൂ&ുവാൻ ഉപേയാഗിPു8തായി കാണു8ു. വലുതും വിശാലമായശാഖകളും േമലാ6ും ഉh േമൽപറgഗണ'ിൽെപ& Funding:വൃlYളാണ് Kerala Agricultural ഇവ ഭlണ'ിനും University. , വി,ശമ'ിനും, സmാര'ിനും, മnുമായി കൂടുതലായി ആ,ശയിPു8ത്. ഈ വൃlYളുെട ൈതകളുെട പുനരുqീവന നിരP് ചി8ാർ വനRജീവി സേ/ത'ിൽ വളെര കുറവാെണ8് ഈ പഠന'ിൽ ഞYൾPു കാണാൻ കഴിgു. ആയതിനാൽ Competngേമൽ സൂചി6ിs interests: മരYളുെട The authors പുനരുqീവന,പ,കിയ declare no competng interests. അടിയQരമായി ചി8ാറിെല പുഴPാടുകളിൽ നട6ാേP[തായി&ു[്. ഇത് േകരള'ിെല ചാ@ൽ മലയ=ാെന കാണെ6ടു8 ഏക ആവാസവRവ]യുെടയും, ചാ@ൽ മലയ=ാണിെIയുംJ നിലനിൽ6ിനു അതRQാേപlിതമാണ്.
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