Prey abundance and food habit of tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) in Pench National Park, Madhya Pradesh, India

Abstract

Food habits of tigers Panthera tigris and population attributes of prey species (population structure, density and biomass) were studied in the tropical dry deciduous forest of Pench National Park, Central India, from November 1998 to April 1999. Scat analysis and line transect method were used to estimate tiger food habits and density of major prey species, respectively. The 61.1 km 2 intensive study area was found to have very high ungulate density (90.3 animals km 72 ) with chital Axis axis being the most common species (80.7 animals km 72 ), followed by sambar Cervus unicolor (6.1 animals km 72 ). Common langur Presbytis entellus was the most abundant (77.2 animals km 72 ) primate species. When the density ®gures were multiplied by the average weight of each prey species, a high biomass density of 6013.25 kg km 72 was obtained for the intensive study area. Chital (47.3%) along with sambar (14.5%) and wild pig Sus scrofa (10.9%) constituted the major part of the tiger's diet. If there is food choice, tigers seem to kill medium-and large-sized species more often. Wild pig and sambar were consumed more than their availability, whereas chital were taken in proportion to their availability. Gaur Bos gaurus and nilgai Bosephalus tragocamelus were not represented in the tiger's diet. Common langur was consumed in lesser proportion by tigers than expected by estimates of its density. The average weight of animals consumed by tigers in the intensive study area was 82.1 kg. The analyses revealed that Pench harbours very high prey density and tigers are mostly dependent on the wild ungulates rather than on domestic livestock as is the case in many other areas in the Indian subcontinent. These two factors thus make Pench National Park a potential area for long-term conservation of tigers.

Prey Selection By Tiger (Panthera Tigris Tigris) In Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve Nepal

“…About 94% tigers were found satisfied by the single prey species, while 6% tigers were found preferred and hunted double prey species. This was similar with the result reported by (Biswas andSankar 2002 andGrey 2009), who also found that multiple prey items rarely in scats of large predators such as tigers, but relatively common in smaller carnivores.…”

“…This decline was attributed to the security problems during political conflict resulting more poaching of tigers in SWR. The sample size of scat analysis for this study was 65, which was similar with the sample size suggested by (Biswas and Sankar 2002), who also suggested that analyzing of at least 60 scats for understanding the pattern of prey used by tigers will be good enough. Based on the present results after scat analysis, the principal prey species of tigers were Chital, Swamp deer, Barking deer, Sambar, Porcupine, Wild boar, Hog deer and Common langur.…”

“…This fireline forest was found significantly located towards higher altitude as per the present dataset and RDA. Chital favored much the sal forest and low altitude which is also suggested by (Biswas and Sankar 2002). Barking deer found abundantly towards riverside area of Mahakali River.…”

“…Tiger scats are generally distinguished from those of leopards based on their size (tiger scats are larger), appearance (tigers scats have a lower degree of coiling) and other evidence in the form of associated pugmarks and scraps. The fact that tigers drop their scats at relatively larger distances between two consecutive constrictions within a single piece of scat can be used to distinguish between scats of these two felid species (Biswas and Sankar 2002). Each collected scat was air dried, stored in paper envelopes and individually labeled, with collected date and location, including latitude and longitude.…”

Hunting performance of captive-born South China tigers (Panthera tigris amoyensis) on free-ranging prey and implications for their reintroduction

“…The scarcity of stalking cover for tigers in Camp B could be responsible for this outcome, as lack of cover makes blesbuck less vulnerable to predation (Elliot et al, 1977;Schaller, 1967) forcing tigers to hunt smaller prey items. This also occurs in the wild, where tigers hunt smaller species when preferred ones are unavailable or at very low densities (Biswas and Sankar, 2002;Karanth and Sunquist, 1995;Seidensticker and McDougal, 1993;Sunquist, 1981).…”