Contents TIGERPAPER Population Ecology of Hanuman Langurs in the Aravalli Hills of Rajasthan, India.................................................................. 1 Status and Conservation of Gangetic Dolphin in the Karnali River, Nepal........................................................................... 8 Population Estimation of Tigers in Maharashtra............................. 11 Use of Capped Langur Habitat Suitability Analysis in Planning And Management of Upland Protected Areas in Bangladesh......... 13 Eco-Friendly Management of Rose-Ringed Parakeet in Winter Maize Crop................................................................. 23 The Wildlife Value: Example from West Papua, Indonesia.............. 27 The Butterfly Fauna of Visakhapatnam in South India.................... 30 FOREST NEWS What Were the Most Significant Developments in the Forestry Sector in Asia-Pacific in 2002?................................................. 1 Update on the Search for Excellence in Forest Management in Asia-Pacific.......................................................................... 6 Seeking New Highs for Mountain Area Development..................... 8 Adaptive Collaborative Management of Community Forests: An Option for Asia?................................................................ 8 Staff Movement........................................................................ 9 What’s the Role of Forests in Sustainable Water Management? 10 New RAP Forestry Publications.................................................. 12 Asia-Pacific Forestry Chips and Clips......................................... 14 FAO Asia-Pacific Forestry Calendar........................................... 16 POPULATION ECOLOGY OF HANUMAN LANGURS (Semnopithecus entellus) IN THE ARAVALLI HILLS OF RAJASTHAN, INDIA by Anil Kumar Chhangani and S.M. Mohnot Introduction 73°45' E, some 200 km south of Jodhpur in the western Aravalli hills of Rajasthan, India. The The Hanuman langur, Semnopithecus entellus total area of KWS is 585 km2. The altitude (Primates: Cercopithecidae: Colobine), is the ranges from 274 to 1,155 m above sea level. most widely distributed of the 19 non-human primate species found in the Indian sub- The sanctuary experiences distinct winter, continent. It is a highly adaptive species summer and monsoon seasons. During summer (Roonwal and Mohnot, 1977; Wolfhemin, the temperature fluctuates around 30°C and can 1983); Chhangani, 2000). It is found from the rise up to 48° during May and June. The snow-clad peaks of the Himalayas (up to about minimum temperature in winter is 5°C, and can 4,100 m altitude) in the north to Cape Camorin fall as low as 2°C in December-January. The in the south, and from the fringes of the great average annual rainfall is 725mm (minimum Indian desert in the west to Bengal in the east 403mm - maximum 950mm). The forest is (Roonwal and Mohnot, 1977; Mohnot, 2001). mainly a dry deciduous or woodland type dominated by Anogeissus pendula, A. latifolia, Langur is largely a deciduous or dry deciduous Boswellia serrata, Lannea coromandelica, forest animal and prefers dry tropical forest, Wrightia tinctoria, Acacia senegal, Acacia scrub jungles and arid rocky areas with catechu, Ziziphus mauritiana, Butea xerophytic vegetation. Since the natural habitat monosperma, etc. The undergrowth consists of the langur is being eroded at a fast pace, its mainly of Ziziphus nummularia, Adhatoda presence near human habitations and religious zeylanica, Grewia tenax, G. flavescens, places is a common sight (Chhangani, 2000). Capparis sepiaria, Lantana camara, etc. Some Because of its ruminant-like digestive system climbers and grasses are also present. (Bauchop and Martucci, 1968), it can utilize a wide variety of food items. The main fauna species found in KWS include: leopard (Panthera pardus), hyena (Hyaena Hanuman langurs live in social groups of hyaena), Indian wolf (Canis lupus), jackal various sizes and compositions. There are (Canis aureas), sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), unimale bisexual groups comprised of one male fourhorned antelope (Tetracerus quadricornis), adult, male infants, juveniles and females of all chinkara (Gazella gazella), porcupine (Hystrix ages. All-male groups are comprised of males of indica), sambar (Cervus unicolor), bluebull all ages except infants or nurslings, with group (Boselaphus tragocamelus), toddy cat sizes ranging from 2 or 3 members to 80-90, and (Paradoxorus hermaphordiatus), jungle cat even in exceptional cases up to 125 or more. (Felis chaus), fox (Vulpes bengalensis), The number of adult males in multi-male crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) and rock bisexual groups may vary from one to several. python (Python molurus). Materials and Methods Methods Study site This study of Hanuman langur was carried out Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS) lies between 20°5' and 23°3' N and 73°15' and Tigerpaper Vol.30:No.1 Jan.-Mar.2003 1 in and around Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary 2 Tigerpaper Vol.30:No.1 Jan.-Mar.2003 over a period of three and a half years from correct identification of young animals. December 1995 to August 1999. Over 6,500 However, there may have been a moderate hours of field observations were carried out in degree of error in determining age classification, the 40 km2 study area. This included more than especially with animals that confined themselves 4,500 hours devoted to focal troop studies and to tree canopies in the interior of the forest or the rest for census, phenology of plants, scat individuals that were in the transitional stages, collection, etc. In addition to an annual i.e. between sub-adults and young adults, population census, groups were also followed juveniles and sub-adults, or between infants and periodically. The census data was obtained juveniles. during the animals’ progressions from one site to another during early mornings and late In this study Altmann’s (1974) scan and focal evenings, plus occasional counts made when sampling methods were also used. Ecological troops were resting in the afternoon. Efforts conditions were classified into three categories were made to identify the sexes of all on the basis of certain biotic factors as shown in individuals, including infants and juveniles. Table 1. Large troops were counted 2-3 times to ensure Ecosystem I Ecosystem II Ecosystem III Factors Focal Troop 1 (B-2) Focal Troop 2 (B-5) Focal Troop 3 (B-10) Human interference Present Present Absent Human settlements Present Present Absent Grazing Permitted Permitted Not permitted Tree cutting Present Present Absent Artificial feeding Absent Present Absent Agricultural activity Present Absent Absent Highway traffic Present Present Absent Predators Panther, jackal, wolf, Dog Panther, hyena, wolf, dog, etc. jackals, etc. Results size is 41.7 (ranging from 19 to 113) and the mean band size is 15.6 (ranging from 8 to 32). During the study at KWS, one survey was The 16 groups are dispersed over an area of 8 carried out each year. The census of 1977, km2; thus, the population density of the study covering 11 bisexual troops and 4 all-male area comes to about 67 langurs/km2. bands, recorded 497 animals. By 1998, this population had increased to 513, and in 1999 it The adult male-female sex ratio of langurs at rose to 540. In June 1999, focal band AMB-2 KWS is female-biased at 1:4.6, although it is 1:1 split into two bands – AMB-2 and AMB-2a. The at birth. This is due to high male infant and 16 troops occupy three different ecosystems. juvenile mortality. Weaned male juveniles are Troops 1-6 (including AMB-2a) belongs to the often expelled from their natal troops after male disturbed forest ecosystem; troops 7-11 belong takeovers. These juveniles either join the all- to the temple ecosystem; and troops 12-16 male bands nearby or form sub-groups and stay belong to the undisturbed forest ecosystem. away from mothers, which exposes them to higher risks compared to individuals living in According to the 1999 census, of the 16 groups bisexual troops. The census data at KWS in the study area, 68.75% are bisexual troops suggests a definite increase in the number of and 31.25% are all-male bands. The mean troop animals in the temple ecosystem troop and also Tigerpaper Vol.30:No.1 Jan.-Mar.2003 3 Hanuman langur (Semnopithecus entellus) group feeding on Samel (Bombex ceiba) flowers and fruits (Photo: A.K. Chhangani) Hanuman langur (Semnopithecus entellus) feeding on ground (Photo: A.K. Chhangani) 4 Tigerpaper Vol.30:No.1 Jan.-Mar.2003 in the disturbed forest ecosystem, while langur population at Mt. Abu was comprised of populations in the undisturbed forest ecosystems 86% unimale and 16% all-male bands as have marginally dropped. observed by Hrdy (1977). Likewise, in Madhav National Park, 71.4% were unimale and 28.5% On an average, the langurs spent 34.6% of their were all-male bands in the 14 troops surveyed daily activity time on feeding. The daily activity by Kankane (1984). period for Hanuman langurs ranged from more than 14 hours in the longer daylight period of Kumbhalgarh, Jodhpur, Mt. Abu and Kanha are summer (May-June) to 11 hours during winter strikingly unimale troop habitats. There are also (December-January). The time spent on feeding habitats in India which contain only multimale activities differed among the three focal troops. troops, such as Kaukori and Orcha (Jay, 1963), For the Savika troop (B-2) it was 35.08%; for Bhimtal (Vogel, 1971) and Shimla (Sugiyama, the Ranakpur temple troop (B-5) it was 29.50%; 1976). In Nepal, at Melemchi (Bishop, 1975, and