Browsing by Subject "Barking deer"
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Item Diet Analysis of Barking Deer (Muntiacus Vaginalis, Boddaert 1785) in Nagarjun Forest of Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park,Nepal(Department of Zoology, 2022) Gurung, KasturiThe composition and selection of food by ungulates is a fundamental element to understand their dietary habits. This study aimed to assess the winter diet composition, niche breadth, and preference of forage plants for Barking Deer in the Nagarjun Forest of Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, Nepal in 2019. The line transect method along with quadrat sampling was used for the collection of Barking Deer pellets and reference plant species. Micro-histological technique was used to prepare micro-photographs of reference food plants and deer pellets in the laboratory. A total of 1500 fragments of 50 fecal samples were analyzed to identify undigested plant parts in the pellet of Barking Deer. Diet composition was expressed in terms of percentage of occurrence, Levin’s niche breadth was calculated for the evaluation of the degree of food selectivity and browse to grass ratio to determine whether the Barking Deer adopts browsing or grazing strategy. Food preference of Barking Deer was evaluated by using Ivlev’s Electivity Index and statistical tool, Chi-square test was used for data analysis. Barking Deer consumed 26 plant species. Of these, 18 species belonged to browse, four species to grass, two species to fruits, and two other species to fern and herb. The contribution of browse species was higher in the overall diet (61.13%), followed by fruits (16.66%), grasses (10.87%), and others (1.87%). Smilaxaspera (10.33%), Litsea chartacea (7.87%), Schima wallichii (5.4%), Prunus cerasoides (5.13%), etc. were the other major browse plants in the diet. Choerospondiasaxillaris (15.86%) formed the largest proportion of all the food species and was the important fruit for Barking Deer. The important grass species present in the diet were Imperata cylindrica (4.13%) and Carex sp. (3.2%). The Browse to grass ratio in the Barking Deer diet was 5.62 showing a strong preference towards the browse plants. The niche breadth of the food plants consumed by Barking Deer was found to be 0.512 indicating its generalist nature of feeding, consuming a variety of species. Choerospondias axillaris (IEI = 0.5), Litsea chartacea (IEI = 0.51), Prunus cerasoides (IEI =0.5) and Smilax aspera (IEI = 0.51) were four plant species found to be strongly preferred. Castanopsis indica, (IEI = 0.07),Myrica esculenta (IEI = 0.05) and Berberis asiatica (IEI = 0.04) were found to be used in proportion to availability whereas Rhododendron arboreum (IEI = -0.58), Pinus roxburghii (IEI = -0.7), Lithocarpus elegans (IEI = -0.6), etc. were some other avoided food plants. Researches on nutritive value of important dietary species and their niche overlap with other herbivore competitors are recommended. xvItem Population Status, Distribution and Habitat Use of Barking Deer (Muntiacus muntjak) in Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, Kathmandu, Nepal.(Department of Zoology, 2015) Prasain, JyotiThis study aimed to determine population status, distribution and habitat use of barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak, Zimmermann) in the Sikre VDC forest of Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park in Kathmandu. Direct count and line transect methods were used to collect data on determination of population, distribution, while pellets, hoofmark and barking calls were also taken on account to complete them. The variance-to-mean ratio was used to determine distribution pattern while relative preference index (RPI) and analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess the habitat preference. Statistical tools such as 𝑥²– test and two way ANOVA were used for data analysis. A total of seven individuals (four males and three females), 138 pellet group 94 footprints of barking deer were recorded during the study. The density of the barking deer was 1.4 individual per square kilometer. Out of seven individuals observed in the study area 57.14% were males including male infant, 42.85% were females (Table 1). Among all sex and age groups, male to female sex ratio was computed at 0.57:0.42 that is four males and three females. The result showed the clumped distribution pattern of barking deer (S 2 /X = 2.80>1) and similarly clumped and uneven distribution of fecal pellets (S 2 /X = 94.53>1) and (𝑥² = 283.61> 𝑥²0.05 at 3 d.f). Among four different habitat types, upper mixed hardwood forest were most preferred by the barking deer (RPI = 1.17) but the lower mixed hardwood forest was avoided. There was no significant difference in distribution of pellets groups in different habitat types (F=0.812F0.05 at (3,9) d.f) by them. Major human disturbances in forest include firewood extraction, fodder collection and livestock grazing. Livestock keeping and alcohol making were the main alternative sources of income generation. Average amount of firewood consumption was about six to ten kilogram per day for each household. This study showed that human disturbances seemed the main cause for destruction and fragmentation of wildlife habitat of the study area.Item Prevalence Gastrointestinal Helminth Parasites of Barking Deer (Muntiacus Vaginalis Boddaert,1785)In Shivapuri National Parks,Kathamandu, Nepal(faculty of Zoology, 2019) Thapa, Saroj