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Habitat fragmentation and degradation in natural wetlands has resulted in declines in the populations of shorebirds in the Indian subcontinent. Shorebirds rely on these wetlands as wintering or stop-over sites along the southern extent of the Central Asian Flyway. Shorebirds are known to utilize agroecosystems as alternate foraging habitats. The suitability of agroecosystems as foraging areas for overwintering migratory shorebirds has not been well studied in the Indian subcontinent. We conducted a comprehensive assessment of published literature and compiled field observations to investigate the importance of inland and coastal agroecosystems for shorebirds in India. We assessed the shorebird populations at natural wetlands: mudflats and mangroves of Kadalundi Vallikkunnu Community Reserve (KVCR) and Puthuvypu sand beach, as well as adjacent agroecosystems on the west coast of India, including Sanketham Wetlands, Manthalakkadavu, Vazhakkad, Elamaram, Kodinhi, and Kooriyad. On the east coast, we assessed the natural wetland habitats of Valinokkam, Point Calimere, and Pichavaram and evaluated inland agroecosystems in regions, such as Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. Fifty-three shorebird species utilize diverse agroecosystems from various parts of India. While studies on the use of agroecosystems by shorebirds are limited on the east coast, evidence suggests that major wintering sites are adjacent to paddy fields, fostering substantial shorebird diversity. In Pichavaram, Point Calimere, and Gulf of Mannar regions, 22 shorebird species utilize agroecosystems, including the notable near-threatened Eurasian Curlew. Seventeen of these species are winter arrivals, highlighting the crucial role agroecosystems play as stopover areas. On the west coast, 19 shorebird species appear to utilize agroecosystems in Kooriyad, Manthalakkadavu, Vazhakkad, Sanketham Wetlands, Elamaram, and Kodinhi. Few species use agricultural fields in the north (Jammu and Kashmir). Paddy fields, that are flooded as part of the cropping cycle, support diverse prey species, such as macroinvertebrates, amphibians, and small fish, that could attract and support migratory shorebirds. Agricultural practices like fallowing, flooding, and ploughing could further increase the abundance and accessibility of prey for shorebirds, drawing them in greater numbers. It is crucial to recognize that unsustainable and unethical agricultural methods could detrimentally affect shorebird numbers. The accumulation of pesticide residues and the contamination from heavy metals could also threaten shorebirds. As a result, there is an urgent need for detailed research to better evaluate the importance of agroecosystems in supporting resident or migratory shorebirds. Systematic studies that explain the population dynamics, habitat selection trends, habitat utilization, and the over-summering behavior of the migratory birds at agroecosystems are needed. Implementing sustainable conservation strategies and adopting environmentally friendly agricultural practices are essential to support the rich biodiversity of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article in the Journal of Threatened Taxa documents the first photographic record of the Brown Bullfinch Pyrrhula nipalensis in Jammu & Kashmir, India. The species, characterized by its brown plumage and finch-like bill, was observed feeding on fallen Betula seeds in a meadow at an altitude of 3,400m. The study highlights the importance of preserving the temperate forests of the Himalayan region to ensure the long-term survival of the Brown Bullfinch, which is currently classified as 'Least Concern' by the IUCN Red List. [Extracted from the article]

This reveals the first photographic evidence establishing the presence of the Eurasian Otter in the Kishanganga River in the Gurez Valley of Jammu and Kashmir. This groundbreaking finding resolves uncertainties about the current status and occurrence of the species in the region. The Gurez Valley, tracing the course of the Kishanganga River and forming the upper reaches of the Neelum River in Pakistan, stands as an ecologically significant region inhabited by a diversity of rare, endangered, and unique flora and fauna. Unfortunately, this region has remained scientifically unexplored due to constraints imposed by military operations linked to border disputes and geopolitical tensions. During our camera trapping efforts aimed at studying Kashmir Musk Deer, two Eurasian otters were captured in camera traps. This revelation highlights the precarious state of small populations of mammals in the region, emphasizing the imperative for focused attention from the scientific community and relevant authorities to safeguard the delicate ecosystems of the Gurez Valley. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat assessment is the primary task to ensure in-situ conservation of any species for its better management. We modeled habitat suitability of wild pig (Sus scrofa) in Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique in GIS environment. Land Use Land Cover (LULC) map derived from Landsat 8 data along with other secondary inputs viz. topography and administrative coverage of the reserve were used as inputs in the model. Field experience and expert's comments are considered for assigning the final weightages to layers. The model revealed that a significant area of the reserve is suitable for the wild pig as they are generalist in nature. Our result revealed that wild pig prefers the areas which are close to the human habitat. This study also incorporates that remote sensing and GIS are a very important tool for wildlife habitat modeling with minimum efforts and low budget. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indian Crested Porcupine (Hystrix indica) dens were monitored in Pench Tiger Reserve, M.P., between December 2013 and June 2014 to determine the physical characteristics and factors/variables that help to select the den site. Fine-scale denning habitat selection was studied by comparing field measured characteristics/parameters of den sites with its random sites. The analysis of these parameters of den was done by Principal Component Analysis & logistic regression models. Very little published information on denning ecology of porcupine is available. Two types of den were identified in the study area, rock cavity den (n=22) and excavated den (n=5); however there was no significant difference in the dimensions of these two types of den. Overall the average height and width of entrances were 71.11cm (± 5.63) and 60.22 cm (± 4.9) respectively, with 2.5 cm (± .33) entrance openings. The depth of den is like a tunnel and entrance was covered with quills, faecal matters, antlers or bones of other mammals. Mostly dens were made on mid-steep slopes facing the northeast direction. PCA result shows that the selection of den site of porcupine is more likely to be a high rocky area with medium dense ground cover such as grass, herbs with high seedling species and lower tree density. Also porcupines prefer the den site near the water bodies. Further, logistic regression models using these as candidate variables identified proximity to rocks and herb density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The alpine musk deer, Moschus chrysogaster, a small member of family Moschidae, is a primitive deer threatened due to poaching and habitat loss, and therefore classified as Endangered by IUCN and also listed in Appendix I of CITES. Although the species is legally protected in India under Wildlife Protection Act 1972, conservation of the species requires better understanding of its distribution and resource-use pattern; therefore, a study on its feeding and habitat ecology was conducted from February 2011 to February 2014, at Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is one of the known remaining habitats for musk deer in India. Four locations, namely, Shokhark I, Shokhark II, Tungnath and Chandrashila, were intensively monitored and further categorised on the basis of habitats and altitudinal gradient. The habitat overlap between musk deer and all other ungulate species of the area was calculated through Pianka's overlap index. The results indicated a large overlap between musk deer and Himalayan tahr. Species dietary spectra were studied using microhistological techniques for faecal pellet-group analysis coupled with Bonferroni approach. The dicotyledon to monocotyledon ratios were found to be 73.62-26.38% and 52.016- 47.984% in the pre- and post-monsoon seasons, respectively. The study showed that the musk deer is predominantly a browser. The most preferred plant species of the animals were found to be Gaultheria trichophylla, Ophiopogon intermedius., Cyperus sp. and Sibbaldia cuneata. During the field survey, opportunistic sightings of the species were also recorded. The species was found to be restricted to areas where the density of preferred vegetation was high. Therefore, it is recommended to provide strict protection to the areas such as Shokhark. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study of the composition and conservations status of bird species at Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh, India. It evaluates the distribution and conservation status of avian species through occasional and random point count sampling of birds. Results suggest that the mosaic of habitats at the sanctuary features a variety of aviafauna.

We studied aspects of ecology and conservation of barking deer and goral in the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary from January 1996 to December 1998. The methods used included extensive monitoring of existing forest trails in different oak patches for quantification of the habitat use. Vegetation was sampled at the animal-centred plots and random plots during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon periods. Principal Component Analysis was done for barking deer and the goral. For the barking deer, the first two principal components accounted for 26.69% and 30% of variance in the data matrix during the pre- and post-monsoon seasons respectively, whereas for the goral the first two principal components accounted for 36.9% and 29.8% variance during the pre- and post- monsoon periods respectively. Barking deer prefers the area with high cover, density and diversity of both trees and shrubs, whereas the goral prefers areas with high grass density, steep slope with low to medium tree cover and shrub density. The conservation implications of the results are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Explains that ungulates were surveyed in 19 oak stands of the Kumaon Himalaya in 1996 and 1997 to assess their current status. Direct and indirect evidences for each species; Discriminant function analysis to analyze factors governing distribution; Barking deer; Goral; Sambar; Mean pellet group densities; Gradients of altitude, densities, and cover of trees and shrubs; Discussion of results in relation to the conservation of ungulates in the area.