Distribution of Blue Bull (Boselaphus tragocamelus) and its Conservation Threats in Bardia National Park, Nepal

Abstract


 
 
 Blue bull is Asia’s largest antelope, a species of least concern in IUCN Red data list of 2020. In Nepal, it is vulnerable and is often considered as a problem animal for its crop raiding habit. Although, its population is restricted in India and Nepal, there are insufficient studies conducted on the distribution and threats of the species at local level. This study aimed to assess the distribution of blue bull and its conservation threats in Bardia National Park and its buffer zone. Field survey was carried out to identify the potential area with the information provided by park staff and buffer zone people and by the transect method in the selected habitat to determine the distribution of blue bull population. Additionally, six focus group discussions (1 in each of thefive sites and 1 with park staff) and a half-day workshop (involving 25 participants representing each site and park office) were organized to assess the existing threats to the species. Data were analyzed descriptively using MS Excel, while the distribution map was prepared using Arc GIS. Also, 8 major identified threats were ranked using relative threat ranking procedure and classified into four severity classes. We found that the population of blue bull was dispersed from core area of Bardia National Park towards the buffer zone area. Open grazing, invasive species, predation by tiger and flash flood were the major threats to the blue bull as perceived by the local people. Habitat management activities including control of grazing, removal of invasive plant species, plantation of palatable grass species, increase in other prey species of tiger and control of flood in blue bull’s habitats are recommended to protect the species and thus sustain their threatened population.
 
 

Effectiveness of different management strategies against Nilgai population (Boselaphus tragocamelus) in Punjab Province of India

“…Chauhan and Singh (1990) also believed that crop protection barriers such as plastic net, netted wire and chain-link fences are extremely costly while nylon fencing is a more affordable and effective alternative for nilgai management. Koirala et al (2020) also mentioned fencing as one of the most effective methods among various mitigation measures. Naik and Basavadarshan (2020) tested nylon net against wild boar (Sus scrofa L.) for three consecutive years and found significantly decreased crop damage.…”

Predicting suitable habitat of swamp deer (Rucervus duvaucelii) across the Western Terai Arc Landscape of Nepal

“…Sal ( Shorea robusta ), Asna ( Terminalia tomentosa ), Botdhamero ( Lagestroemia parviflora ), and Sindure ( Mallatus Philippines ) are the dominant floral species [ 81 ]. Similarly, Swamp deer ( Cervus duvaucelii ), Black buck ( Antilope cervicapra ), hog deer ( Axis porcinus ), Python ( Python molurus ), Spotted deer ( Axis axis ), Sambar deer ( Rusa unicolor ), Gaur ( Bos gaurus ), Rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros unicornis ), Tiger ( Panthera tigris tigris ), Common leopard ( Panthera pardus ), Wild Asian elephant ( Elephas maximas ), and Giant hornbill ( Buceros bicornis ) are the major faunal species [ 28 , 36 , 48 ].

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“…Escalating anthropogenic activities such as poaching for trophies and food assumption [ [38] , [39] , [40] , [41] ], deforestation and forest fire [ 42 , 43 ], change in river dynamics, increase in siltation [ 44 ], habitat fragmentation [ 45 ], infrastructure development [ 46 ], disease [ 29 , 36 , 40 , 41 ], human-wildlife conflict [ 47 , 48 ], and food deficiency due to agricultural expansion [ 49 ] have become a major threat to biodiversity conservation globally. These activities are especially likely to endanger the existence of habitat specialist species like swamp deer, which are already threatened with extinction [ 50 ].…”

Evaluation of an Odour Deterrent to Blue Bull Boselaphus tragocamelus and Monkey Rhesus macaque From Agricultural Fields

“…Because the protection of fields will remain essential in the future, thus it is important to address wildlife and human conflicts with appropriate techniques (Manral et al, 2016). Blue bull (Boselaphus tragocamelus) is a devastating pest of agriculture, mostly found in plain parts of southern Nepal (Koirala et al, 2020;Khanal et al, 2018;Thapa, 2016). They destroyed 14.48% and 10.38% of standing vegetables and pulses accounting $68,633 in Rupendehi district from March 2015 to March 2016 (Khanal et al, 2017).…”