Indian J. Applied & Pure Bio. Vol. 27(1), 25-29 (2012). Habitat utilization of sambar (Rusa unicolor niger) inVanVihar National Park, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India Muzaffar Ahmad Wani, Sanjay Telang, Saheel Ahmad Bhat and Khursheed Ahmad Sheikh Department of Zoology, Govt. Science and Commerce College, Benazir, Bhopal (India) Abstract The sambar (Rusa unicolor niger) is the largest and most widely distributed deer in India. Between July 2010 and June 2011, habitat utilization of sambar was studied in VanVihar National Park, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.Sambar utilized different habitats in different seasons. Grassland and savanna habitats were overutilized in monsoon and post-monsoon where as wetland and woodland habitats were underutilized. In winter season, scrubland and grassland habitats were overutilized where as wetland habitats were underutilized. In summer season, woodland and scrubland habitats were overutilized where as grassland, wetland and savanna habitats were underutilized by sambar. Key words : Sambar, VanVihar National Park, habitat, ungulate,transect line, range finder. Sambar (Rusa unicolor niger) is the at Himalayan foot hills and in the evergreen and largest and most widely distributed cervid semi-evergreen forests of Northeastern India among eight species in India. No large Indian and the Western Ghats9,13. Sixteen subspecies ungulate has adapted itself to a wide variety of of sambar are recognized of which Rusa unicolor forest types and environmental conditions than niger is found in India. Although sambar is a sambar14. Within India, sambar occurs in the widespread forest dweller of Southern Asia, thorny and arid forests of Gujarat and Rajasthan, its ecology and behaviour has not been much in the moist and dry deciduous forests through investigated. The only accounts available are out peninsular India, in the pine and oak forests those of Schaller14, Krishnan8, Johnsingh6 and Muzaffar Ahmad Wani S/o Mr. Bashir Ahmad Wani R/o, Shangus Khanpora Tehsil-Shangus Distt. Anantnag House No. 82, Ward No. 1, Pin-192201 State-J and K. (India) (26) Ngampongsai10. act as the sampling station of that transect line. All the transect lines were covered on foot Study Area : during the observation periods. A binocular OLYMPUS 10x50DPSI was also used during VanVihar National Park (23.23oN and the observation periods. Each transect line was 77.36oE) is situated in the heart of capital city walked twice by the observer in each major of Madhya Pradesh. The total area of Van season for transect line observations from July Vihar National Park is 445.21 hectares (4.45 2010 to June 2011. Recording of data basically km2). The VanVihar Nationl Park is situated on followed transect line method described by 1 the fringe of Upper Lake, which is a Ramsar Burnham et al., and used by Karanth and 7 site and the lifeline of capital city of Madhya Sunquist in a forest in Southern India. For each Pradesh. The climate of the area is subtropical animal sighting present in a particular habitat, characterized by monsoon (July to August), the perpendicular distance from the centre of post-monsoon (September-October) winter the group to each sampling station of the transect (November to February) and summer (March line was recorded using a range finder and to June). In winter the average temperature is applying the principle of trigonometry. The around 18-20oC and it drops to as low as 7oC habitats from which maximum animals were in the month of January. The summer months sighted while walking on a transect line in any are hot and humid with an average temperature season would directly help the observer in of about 35-40oC and it reaches as high as 47oC determining the habitats mostly preferred by the sambar in that particular season of the year. especially in the month of May. The average annual rainfall is around 1266 mm.The Wild A total of 60 observations were obtained ungulate community of VanVihar National Park on the habitat uitilization of sambar and it was comprises of sambar (Rusa unicolor), chital observed that sambar inhabits different habitats (Axis axis), nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus), in different seasons in Van Vihar National Park. black buck (Antelope cervicapra), chinkara In the months of monsoon and post-monsoon, (Gazella gazella), chousingha (Tetracerus sambar mostly preferred to inhabit the grassland quadricornis) and wild boar (Sus scrofa). habitats with 48.63 percent mean percentage of animals followed respectively by savannas On the basis of vegetation, the study with 28.66 percent, scrublands with 12.35 area was divided into five major habitats viz, percent, wetlands with 6.86 percent and grasslands, woodlands, savannas, scrublands woodlands with 3.50 percent mean percentage and wetlands. Our basic data comes from 10 of animals (Table 1, Figure 1). This clearly straight line transects established in a parallel showed that in the months of monsoon and manner in the study area. The transect lines post-monsoon, grassland and savanna habitats marked with paint were established in such a were overutilized where as wetland and woodland manner that each transect line passes through habitats were underutilized by sambar. all the habitats of the National Park. Each transect line was divided into a number of identical In the months of winter season, sambar segments and each segment was assumed to mostly preferred to inhabit the scrubland (27) habitats with 34.4 percent mean percentage switches over to browse, fallen leaves, flowers of animals followed respectively by grasslands and fruits of some preferred food plants like with 21.7 percent, woodlands with 18.1 percent, Capparis sepiaria, Grewia flavescens and savannas with 17.9 percent and wetlands with Anogeissus pendula etc which are mostly 7.9 percent mean percentage of animals (Table present in the scrubland habitats. 1, Figure 1). This clearly showed that in the months of winter season scrubland and grassland Woodlands were overutilized in the habitats were overutilized where as wetlands months of summer season because in these were underutilized by the sambar. months green grasses and herbs are scarce and sambar mainly feeds on the leaves and In the months of summer season, fruits of some preferred food plants like sambar mostly preferred to inhabit the Zizyphus mauritiana, Butea monosperma, woodland habitats with 42.1 percent mean Zizyphus mummularia and Phoenix sylvestris percentage of animals followed respectively etc which are mostly present in the woodland by scrublands with 29.44 percent, grasslands habitats. Another reason is that the woodland with 9.63 percent, wetlands with 9.49 percent habitats usually are dominated by trees, whose and savannas with 9.34 percent mean canopies generally overlap and interlink often percentage of animals (Table -1, Figure 1). This forming a more or less continuous canopy clearly showed that in the months of summer which sheds the ground to varying degrees and season, woodland and scrubland habitats were because of the hot and humid conditions, overutilized where as grassland wetland and sambar mostly in day time rests under the savanna habitats were underutilized by sambar. shade of these trees and in this way protect themselves from the harmful environmental Grassland and savanna habitats were conditions. overutilized in the months of monsoon and post- monsoon because in these months these habitats We thank the Principal Chief usually are covered with a large number of Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Bhopal, green grasses and herbs which act as the main Madhya Pradesh for providing us the official dietary component of sambar in the months of permission for our research work in VanVihar monsoon and post-monsoon. Another reason National Park, Director and Assistant Director, for the overutilization of grassland and savanna VanVihar National Park for their full and habitats is that females give birth to their young proper support, Dr. Yogesh Dubey, Professor, ones and because of predators, they hide their IIFM, Bhopal for his help regarding the field young ones in the tall grasses which are mainly observations.Help rendered by Dr. Bilal Habib, present in abundance in these habitats and in Professor, WII, Dehradun is acknowledged this way protect their young ones from predators with thanks. We would also like to thank our like dholes, jackals and crocodiles. field guide, Irshad Ahmad for his fruitful and helpful comments. Help rendered by Dr. Scrubland habitats were overutilized Shameem Ahmad Shah, Dr. Arshid Ahmad in the months of winter season, because in these Ganie, Sarfaraz Ahmad,Muneer Ahmad and months sambar grazes on grass and herbs and Talib Hussain is acknowledged with thanks. (28) Table-1. Habitat utilization of sambar in different habitats of VanVihar National Park from July 2010 to June 2011 Total no. of Mean Mean Mean Mean Mean Seasons of the year observations percentage percentage percentage percentage percentage of animals of animals of animals of animals of animals in grasslands in savannas in woodlands in scrublands in wetlands Monsoon and 20 48.63 28.66 3.50 12.35 6.86 post-monsoon Winter 20 21.7 17.9 18.1 34.4 7.9 Summer 20 9.63 9.34 42.1 29.44 9.49 100 90 80 70 ANIMALS 60 50 AGE AGE OF 40 30 20 MEAN MEAN PERCENT 10 0 Monsoon Winter Summer and Post Monsoon Grasslands Savannas Woodlands Scrublands Wetlands Fig. 1. The proportion of sambar in different habitats of VanVihar National Park from July 2010 to June 2011. (29) References : 9. Kumar, N.S. (2008). Ungulate density and biomass in the tropical semi-arid forest of 1. Burnham, K.P., D.R. Anderson and J.L. Ranthambore, India. Pondicherry University. Laake (1980). Wildlife Monographs 72: 10. Ngampongsai, C. (1987). Habitat use by 1-202. the sambar (Rusa unicolor) in Thailand- 2. Champion, F. W. and S. K. Seth (1968). a case study for Khao-Yai National Park.