Available Online at http://www.recentscientific.com International Journal of CODEN: IJRSFP (USA) Recent Scientific International Journal of Recent Scientific Research Research Vol. 10, Issue, 11(G), pp. 36208-36211, November, 2019 ISSN: 0976-3031 DOI: 10.24327/IJRSR Research Article FEEDING PATTERNS OF ASIATIC LION (Panthera leo Persica) IN AND AROUND GIRNAR WILDLIFE SANCTUARY- JUNAGADH, GUJARAT STATE OF INDIA Vibhuti B. Raval1 and Bhupat B. Radadia2 Saurashtra University – Rajkot Rajkot 360005 Gujarat, India DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24327/ijrsr.2019.1011.4880 ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT The food habits of animals determine a number of life history strategies such as habitat selection, Article History: movement and success of reproduction. To study the feeding ecology of Asiatic lion the widely used Received 4th August, 2019 technique is the scat analysis. Scat analysis was done by identification and comparison of hairs of Received in revised form 25th various prey species available within the selected study area. Asiatic lion mainly depredated on September, 2019 livestock due to easy catch and availability. Seasonal diet composition revealed that Asiatic lion Accepted 18th October, 2019 preferred livestock mainly during summer season. The habitat preferences reveled that the Asiatic Published online 28th November, 2019 lion frequently used open or scattered shrub-land area which increase the prey visibility. Key Words: Depredated, Livestock, Scat, feeding ecology etc. Copyright © Vibhuti B. Raval and Bhupat B. Radadia, 2019, this is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. INTRODUCTION pollution. There are mainly two types of mammal hairs: guard hairs that are generally thick and bristly and fine hairs that are The survival of any predator is directly linked to its habitat, curled and thin (Eunok Lee et al., 2014). presence of other competitor species and quality and quantity of its diet (Melville, 1978). To understand the ecology of any Assessment of diet and prey preference of Asiatic lion is wild animal, several environmental components need to be become essential for the ensuing conflict (Pathak et al., 2002; considered such as avaibility of food, water, den or nesting site Vijayan & Pati, 2002). This scat analysis technique is to survive in any habitat (Nikunj Gajera et al., 2009). Scats noninvasive and effective. (faeces) provide a valuable sample of carnivore diets, but Study Area where several similar size carnivores co-occur, reliable identification of the proper donor species required (Laura E. The study was carried out in the Girnar wildlife sanctuary Farrell et al., 2000). mainly in the Western part of the Gir protected area which includes Girnar forest in Junagadh district of the Gujarat State Information on the feeding ecology of large carnivores of India. contributes significantly to the understanding of their behavioral ecology (Mills, 1992). The scat analysis remains the crucial tool used to assess carnivore diets, especially when focusing on individual prey items (Unn Klare et al., 2011). Prey availability and distribution can influence prey selection and hunting success (Fuller et al., 1992), with activity patterns and spatial distribution (Henschel & Skinner, 1990). There are several different methods for the scat analysis. One of the best methods used for scat analysis is through hair identification of various preys. Mammal hair plays an important role in many aspects such as thermoregulation, body shape maintenance, waterproofing and protection from Figure A. Map of the ® Image the study area namely GWLS in Junagadh tehsil *Corresponding author: Vibhuti B. Raval Saurashtra University – Rajkot Rajkot 360005 Gujarat, India International Journal of Recent Scientific Research Vol. 10, Issue, 11(G), pp. 36208-36211, November, 2019 The Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary spread around 179.5 km2 in the microscopic examination. Then the hairs were embedded in western side of the Gir Protected area, which is located within gelatin layered microscopic slide (or cellulose sheet) for the Junagadh district of the Saurashtra region of Gujarat State obtaining casts of surface structure of hairs. Then the slide was of India. These hills lie between the parallels of latitude North observed under Fluorescence light microscope with inbuilt 21° 25’ and 21° 35’ and meridians of longitude East 70° 30’ measurement software and attached camera for capturing and 70° 40’. images in better scale. Photographs of surface structures were taken at first in 10 X magnifications and then in 40X magnification. Other characteristics such as Cuticular structure, medullary configuration, scale pattern and cross- sectional details were studied after (Brunner & Coman, 1974). Trichological features of the hair were systematically studied by using advance microscopic techniques. Preys were identified by comparing medullary & cuticular characteristics of prey hair with known standard reference hair (Karanth & Sunquist, 1995, Vibhuti et al., 2018). RESULT AND DISCUSSION Total 50 scats of lion in Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary (GWLS) analyzed and out of which, only 18 scats were containing evidences of only one prey species. On other hand total 18 Image source: GWLS management plan, by Gujarat Forest Department- Junagadh. scats comprised two, and lasting 14 scats comprised more than Figure B Rounds of Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary two prey species evidences. The study area mainly composed of Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary area which is undulating hilly terrain with different vegetation Bluebull 22% patches. There are semi-grasslands, shrub lands, private- lands, Gauchar land, and agro-pastoral land within the study areas. Junagadh comprises around sixty six villages around the Girnar Wildboar Wildlife Sanctuary, out of which sixteen villages situated in the 11% areas of Girnar Eco-sensitive zones. The whole forest area looks circular round from aerial view. The Girnar forest Cattle divided into further five categories according to the type of 56% Chital habitats namely- (1) Teak forest (2) Mixed forest (3) Shrub & 5% grasslands (4) Hilly areas (5) Urban/Revenue areas. Sambar 4% Four horned Goat METHODS antelope 1% 1% Lion scats were collected mostly along roads and forest tracks. Lion scats were clearly distinguishable from leopard scats Figure 1 Food Composition of Panthera leo persica in scat study of Girnar based on their much larger size. Nevertheless, carnivore signs Wildlife Sanctuary associated with scats were additionally recorded from the site Totally seven wild prey species and five domesticated species of collection. All scats were stored in polythene bags with identified from the scat analysis in the study area. On the basis proper code and later washed using a sieve to separate of availability of different prey species along with its undigested prey remains such as hair, bone fragments, hooves, population within the study area and the scat analysis in GWLS feathers, quills and claws etc. All residues were oven-dried for revealed that the cattle consumption contributed maximally further examination. For a reliable estimate of lion’s diet, almost 56%, followed by Bluebull (22%), followed by wild standard prescribed protocols – examination of a minimum of boar (11%), and followed by Chital and Sambar (5 and 4% at least 20 prey hairs per scat and minimum 30 scats – were respectively). Whereas Goat and four-horned antelope adopted (Mukherjee et al, 1994). consumed lowest (1%) comparatively (Figure 1). Carnivore faeces were collected in and around GWLS along In 1969, Joslin reported that the Gir lions depredates most on with several details such as, recording location with GPS, date livestock (75%), while wild prey consumption remain very low of collection and categorized into fresh (1 day old), recent (25%) comparatively, in this study the result of these new (around 1–5 days old) and old. Total 50 scats collected from satellitic areas scat analysis found almost similar along with Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary (GWLS) all over nineteen months of earlier work. After that Chellam reported that the lion preferred extensive field study in all three seasons. All Scats were more wild prey base (74.2%) compare to livestock (25.9%) in systematically analyzed to assess the diet composition of the the year 1990. Thus Chellam found contradictory result along lions. with earlier study by Joslin. Microscopic slides of randomly picked hair from a sample were first washed in running water several times to remove dirt and then preserved in acetone for overnight After that randomly picked thirty hairs/scat samples taken up for 36209 | P a g e Vibhuti B. Raval and Bhupat B. Radadia., Feeding Patterns of Asiatic Lion (Panthera Leo Persica) In And Around Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary- Junagadh, Gujarat State of India Figure 4 Habitat use by lions in Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary on the basis of direct and indirect evidence The habitat use pattern by Asiatic lion in Girnar Wildlife Figure 2 Seasonal variations in food consumption (%) by Asiatic Lion in Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary Sanctuary, on the basis of direct and indirect evidences found in the study area revealed that the lion frequently use and The seasonal variation in food composition by Asiatic Lion in preferred the shrub land areas (39), followed by mixed forest and around GWLS revealed that the livestock consumed the area visited occasionally by lions (25), followed