Ecology of elephant corridor : a case of Northern West Bengal (Also available on CD)
Ali, Mahafuj
Ecology of elephant corridor : a case of Northern West Bengal (Also available on CD) - 2011 - 79p.,17 Sheets,CD-ROM
Contents Abstract . 5 Acknowledgements 7 Contents 9 1. Introduction 13 1.1. Premise 13 1.2. Human Elephant Conflict 14 1.3. Importance of Elephant . 14 1.3.1. Cultural Importance 14 1.3.2. Ecological Importance of Elephants . 14 1.4. Corridor . 16 1.4.1. Formation of Corridor . 16 1.4.2. Elephant Corridor 16 1.4.3. Importance of Elephant corridor . 17 1.4.4. Functions of Elephant Corridor: . 18 1.5. Aim . 18 1.6. Objective . 18 1.7. Methodology . 18 2. Chapter: About Elephants and Elephant Corridors 21 2.1. About Elephants 21 2.2. About Asian Elephants . 21 2.3. Background of Elephant route 21 2.4. Present Elephant Habitats: 23 2.5. North Bengal Landscape for Elephants 24 2.6. Basic reasons of conflict . 25 2.6.1. Loss of Habitat 25 2.6.2. Change of Land Use 25 2.6.3. Monoculture practice 26 2.6.4. Forest fragmentation . 26 2.6.5. Degradation . 26 2.6.6. Indeginous forest to commercial plantation 26 2.6.7. Alteration of Drainage and surface run off . 26 2.7. Facts about Elephant lifestyle and behaviour 27 2.7.1. Elephant Habitats 27 2.7.2. Basic purpose of Elephant‟s movement 27 2.7.3. Basic pattern of movement 27 2.7.4. Relation of movement with Quality of Corridor: 28 2.7.5. Relation of Elephant‟s seasonal movement & Hydrology 28 2.7.6. Elephant behaviour & ecology 28 2.7.7. Vision of Elephants . 28 2.7.8. Range of Elephant‟s movement . 29 2.7.9. Food Consumption pattern 29 2.7.10. Handling techniques for different plant materials . 29 2.7.11. Choice of Plants and Seasonal Changes in Diet 30 2.7.12. Breeding season . 30 2.7.13. Corridor size 30 3. Chapter: Literature Case studies 31 3.1. Rajaji National Park, North West India . 31 3.1.1. Introduction . 31 3.1.2. m Location 31 3.1.3. Issues . 31 3.1.4. Flora and Fauna of the region 33 3.1.5. Observations 33 3.1.6. Fodder plant species consumed by Elephants . 33 3.1.7. Elephant route: past and present 34 3.1.8. Movement and ranging behaviour: Seasonal pattern. . 34 3.1.9. Other reasons affecting local movement of the elephants . 35 3.1.10. Analysis . 36 3.1.11. Recommendations . 36 3.1.12. Observation in individual corridors . 37 3.1.12.1. Chilla – Motichur corridor . 37 3.1.12.2. Khara – Anjani corridor. 37 3.1.12.3. Threats . 37 3.1.12.4. Mitigation measures 37 3.2. Different measures taken to mitigate man - Elephant conflicts in South East Asia. . 38 3.2.1. Crop guarding 38 3.2.2. Alarms at agriculture and village boundaries 38 3.2.3. Biological fences . 38 3.2.4. Slippery bed 38 3.2.5. Supplementary Feeding. 39 3.2.6. Electric fences & other physical barriers 39 3.2.7. Trenches to prevent elephant 39 3.2.8. Buffer s & Unpalatable Crops . 40 3.2.9. Land use Planning . 40 3.2.10. Case Study of work done in Orissa . 41 3.2.11. Underpass to mitigate conflict: Manas National Park, Assam 42 4. Chapter: Study region Profile . 43 4.1. Introduction . 43 4.2. Location 43 4.3. Roads & Linkages . 44 4.4. Historical background of the Study Region. . 45 4.4.1. Year 1800 A.D 45 4.4.2. Year 1850-1920 A.D . 45 4.5. Climate 46 4.6. Vegetation of the Study region . 47 4.6.1. North Indian moist deciduous forests. 47 4.6.2. Northern tropical wet evergreen forests 47 4.6.3. Northern sub-tropical semi-evergreen forests . 47 4.7. Physiography . 48 4.7.1. Geomorphologic set-up: 48 4.8. Hydrological characteristics 49 4.9. Fauna . 50 4.10. Settlement . 50 4.11. Land Use . 51 4.12. Agriculture 52 4.13. Tea 52 4.14. Economy . 52 4.15. Issues of the Study region . 53 4.16. Environmental Problems . 53 4.16.1. Deforestation . 53 2. Manmade Hazard 54 4.16.2. Tea Gardens 54 4.16.3. Soil Erosion . 54 4.16.4. Ground and Surface Water Quality . 54 4.16.5. Present Scenario of the Elephant Routes in region 54 5. Chapter: Analysis of Elephant death 57 5.1. Basic issue: The Death of Elephant on Railway Tracks 57 5.1.1. Elephant death Facts 57 5.1.2. Major factors behind Elephant Death on track 57 5.1.2.1. Climatic factor . 57 5.1.2.2. Location of Railway just beside Forest . 58 5.1.2.3. Turning of track inside Forest . 58 5.1.2.4. Topographical Factor. 58 5.1.2.5. Technical Factor 59 5.1.2.6. Faulty Forest Practice 59 5.1.2.7. Changes in Habitat condition 60 5.1.2.8. Grazing in Forest . 60 5.1.2.9. Agriculture Practice: Paddy and Maize . 60 5.1.2.10. Water and Seasonal movement . 60 5.1.2.11. Abnormal Sex ratio 61 5.1.2.12. Food habit of Elephants . 61 5.1.2.13. Human settlements inside Elephant route . 61 5.1.2.14. Other factors 61 6. Chapter: Proposal and Guidelines 63 6.1. Concerns & Proposals for Terai Sub region 63 6.1.1. Concerns 63 6.1.2. Proposals . 64 6.2. Concerns and Proposals for Western Dooars sub region 67 6.2.1. Concerns 67 6.2.2. Proposals . 68 6.3. Specification for the Proposals 69 List of Maps 73 List of Figures . 75 7. Bibliography . 79
LA TH-0158 / ALI
Ecology of elephant corridor : a case of Northern West Bengal (Also available on CD) - 2011 - 79p.,17 Sheets,CD-ROM
Contents Abstract . 5 Acknowledgements 7 Contents 9 1. Introduction 13 1.1. Premise 13 1.2. Human Elephant Conflict 14 1.3. Importance of Elephant . 14 1.3.1. Cultural Importance 14 1.3.2. Ecological Importance of Elephants . 14 1.4. Corridor . 16 1.4.1. Formation of Corridor . 16 1.4.2. Elephant Corridor 16 1.4.3. Importance of Elephant corridor . 17 1.4.4. Functions of Elephant Corridor: . 18 1.5. Aim . 18 1.6. Objective . 18 1.7. Methodology . 18 2. Chapter: About Elephants and Elephant Corridors 21 2.1. About Elephants 21 2.2. About Asian Elephants . 21 2.3. Background of Elephant route 21 2.4. Present Elephant Habitats: 23 2.5. North Bengal Landscape for Elephants 24 2.6. Basic reasons of conflict . 25 2.6.1. Loss of Habitat 25 2.6.2. Change of Land Use 25 2.6.3. Monoculture practice 26 2.6.4. Forest fragmentation . 26 2.6.5. Degradation . 26 2.6.6. Indeginous forest to commercial plantation 26 2.6.7. Alteration of Drainage and surface run off . 26 2.7. Facts about Elephant lifestyle and behaviour 27 2.7.1. Elephant Habitats 27 2.7.2. Basic purpose of Elephant‟s movement 27 2.7.3. Basic pattern of movement 27 2.7.4. Relation of movement with Quality of Corridor: 28 2.7.5. Relation of Elephant‟s seasonal movement & Hydrology 28 2.7.6. Elephant behaviour & ecology 28 2.7.7. Vision of Elephants . 28 2.7.8. Range of Elephant‟s movement . 29 2.7.9. Food Consumption pattern 29 2.7.10. Handling techniques for different plant materials . 29 2.7.11. Choice of Plants and Seasonal Changes in Diet 30 2.7.12. Breeding season . 30 2.7.13. Corridor size 30 3. Chapter: Literature Case studies 31 3.1. Rajaji National Park, North West India . 31 3.1.1. Introduction . 31 3.1.2. m Location 31 3.1.3. Issues . 31 3.1.4. Flora and Fauna of the region 33 3.1.5. Observations 33 3.1.6. Fodder plant species consumed by Elephants . 33 3.1.7. Elephant route: past and present 34 3.1.8. Movement and ranging behaviour: Seasonal pattern. . 34 3.1.9. Other reasons affecting local movement of the elephants . 35 3.1.10. Analysis . 36 3.1.11. Recommendations . 36 3.1.12. Observation in individual corridors . 37 3.1.12.1. Chilla – Motichur corridor . 37 3.1.12.2. Khara – Anjani corridor. 37 3.1.12.3. Threats . 37 3.1.12.4. Mitigation measures 37 3.2. Different measures taken to mitigate man - Elephant conflicts in South East Asia. . 38 3.2.1. Crop guarding 38 3.2.2. Alarms at agriculture and village boundaries 38 3.2.3. Biological fences . 38 3.2.4. Slippery bed 38 3.2.5. Supplementary Feeding. 39 3.2.6. Electric fences & other physical barriers 39 3.2.7. Trenches to prevent elephant 39 3.2.8. Buffer s & Unpalatable Crops . 40 3.2.9. Land use Planning . 40 3.2.10. Case Study of work done in Orissa . 41 3.2.11. Underpass to mitigate conflict: Manas National Park, Assam 42 4. Chapter: Study region Profile . 43 4.1. Introduction . 43 4.2. Location 43 4.3. Roads & Linkages . 44 4.4. Historical background of the Study Region. . 45 4.4.1. Year 1800 A.D 45 4.4.2. Year 1850-1920 A.D . 45 4.5. Climate 46 4.6. Vegetation of the Study region . 47 4.6.1. North Indian moist deciduous forests. 47 4.6.2. Northern tropical wet evergreen forests 47 4.6.3. Northern sub-tropical semi-evergreen forests . 47 4.7. Physiography . 48 4.7.1. Geomorphologic set-up: 48 4.8. Hydrological characteristics 49 4.9. Fauna . 50 4.10. Settlement . 50 4.11. Land Use . 51 4.12. Agriculture 52 4.13. Tea 52 4.14. Economy . 52 4.15. Issues of the Study region . 53 4.16. Environmental Problems . 53 4.16.1. Deforestation . 53 2. Manmade Hazard 54 4.16.2. Tea Gardens 54 4.16.3. Soil Erosion . 54 4.16.4. Ground and Surface Water Quality . 54 4.16.5. Present Scenario of the Elephant Routes in region 54 5. Chapter: Analysis of Elephant death 57 5.1. Basic issue: The Death of Elephant on Railway Tracks 57 5.1.1. Elephant death Facts 57 5.1.2. Major factors behind Elephant Death on track 57 5.1.2.1. Climatic factor . 57 5.1.2.2. Location of Railway just beside Forest . 58 5.1.2.3. Turning of track inside Forest . 58 5.1.2.4. Topographical Factor. 58 5.1.2.5. Technical Factor 59 5.1.2.6. Faulty Forest Practice 59 5.1.2.7. Changes in Habitat condition 60 5.1.2.8. Grazing in Forest . 60 5.1.2.9. Agriculture Practice: Paddy and Maize . 60 5.1.2.10. Water and Seasonal movement . 60 5.1.2.11. Abnormal Sex ratio 61 5.1.2.12. Food habit of Elephants . 61 5.1.2.13. Human settlements inside Elephant route . 61 5.1.2.14. Other factors 61 6. Chapter: Proposal and Guidelines 63 6.1. Concerns & Proposals for Terai Sub region 63 6.1.1. Concerns 63 6.1.2. Proposals . 64 6.2. Concerns and Proposals for Western Dooars sub region 67 6.2.1. Concerns 67 6.2.2. Proposals . 68 6.3. Specification for the Proposals 69 List of Maps 73 List of Figures . 75 7. Bibliography . 79
LA TH-0158 / ALI