Venkatesh A, Sridharan N, Packiavathi AJ and Selvan M
Large carnivores are experiencing massive decline in their population and abundance due to loss of habitat and loss of prey species. The present study was carried out in Mundanthurai Pleateu of Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu, India. In Mundanthurai Plateau, Tiger Panthera tigris has been absent in past two decades which is linked with low density of large ungulate prey species such as gaur and sambar. In this study we examined the status of large carnivore and prey species after the removal of cattle grazing in the plateau. The study reveals that the overall density of ungulate prey species was 12.4 ± 1.5/Km2 and gaur density found to be 3.37 ± 1.40/Km2. The available prey biomass of 3282.02 kg can support around 11 tigers/100 Km2 and it may be lower due to biomass which is shared by other sympatric carnivores. The present estimated leopard density in the plateau is 24.32 ± 4.38 using camera traps spatially explicit capture-recapture method. Overabundance of leopard may be due to the absence of tiger in the plateau and we have confirmed the presence of one male tiger in the plateau so far. The present study may provide baseline information on monitoring tigers and co-predators in the Mundanthurai Plateau of Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve.
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