Wildlife Research and Conservation Society
PUBLICATION
ALL ABOUT OWL DIET
A Technical Manual on Identification of Prey Remains from Owl Pellets in Central India
By Prachi Mehta, Shyamkant Talmale, Jayant Kulkarni and Vaishnavi Kulkarni
Owls are some of the most specialised avian predators in the world. Their powerful vision, strong talons, and silent flight, makes them highly accomplished predators. Owls are versatile hunters and feed on a variety of live prey, including small mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians and invertebrates. Owls consume their prey whole, and eject the undigested parts such as fur, feather, claws, talons, and invertebrate exoskeleton, in the form of a pellet. The regurgitated pellet offers valuable information on the foraging ecology of the owls. Identification of various prey items provides insights into dietary habits of owls. It can provide information on regional and seasonal variation in owl diet. Most usefully, it can provide information on differences in diet composition between species. In this manual, we provide systematic keys to identify prey remains of small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates, commonly found in the regurgitated pellets of owls. The manual provides photographic identification keys to five prey taxa commonly found in owl pellets. This is the first manual of its kind in India. An early version of this manual was released in the World Owl Conference held at Pune in December 2019. The manual includes forewords by well-known owl ecologists, Dr. David Johnson and Dr. Bruce Marcot, and has been meticulously reviewed by Dr. James Duncan. We are hopeful that this manual will prove to be a useful resource for researchers studying the diet of raptors and small carnivores in Central India.
Please click on the button below if you want a copy of the book. After submitting the Google form you will be taken to a link where you can download the PDF file of the book.
THERE'S MANY A MANY WAY TO KEEP ELEPHANT AWAY
A Review of Crop Protection and Elephant Management Techniques
By Prachi Mehta, Jayant Kulkarni and Uma Athale
Communities living in the proximity of elephant landscapes face daily challenges in terms of protecting their crops from elephants. Elephants find agricultural crops irresistible. No wonder that farmers find it difficult to keep elephants away from their crop fields. To cope with this problem farmers, elephant scientists, and wildlife managers in Asia and Africa, have come up with a variety of techniques to keep the giant at bay. These solutions range from simple common-sense solutions to those using advanced technology. This book describes, in simple terms, a wide range of techniques and solutions that people have come up with, to protect agricultural crops from elephants. Each section describes one technique. We have also pointed out the pros and cons of each technique, so that you can make an informed decision on which one you should use. The last two chapters are devoted to more general elephant management issues. We hope this book makes it easier for people and elephants to live together in the same landscape.
Please click on the button below if you want a copy of the book. After submitting the Google form you will be taken to a link where you can download the PDF file of the book.
Living on the edge: Insights into habitat patterns of forest-dwelling mammals in the buffer zone of Melghat Tiger Reserve, India
By Pavan Chikkanarayanaswamy, Jayant Kulkarni, Prasad Pathak
Buffer zones surrounding protected areas act as interfaces between humans and wildlife, providing sustainable resource utilization while minimizing negative interactions. This study analyzed data from camera trap sampling to understand habitat use and the effects of anthropogenic impacts on medium and large-sized forest-dwelling mammals in the buffer zone of Melghat Tiger Reserve in Central India. The human population in this region is increasing at a rate of 15 % in a decade. There are instances of human death and injury and frequent cattle lifting by carnivores. Crop damage by wild herbivores is common. These factors impede long term conservation goals in the tiger reserve. Camera trap sampling was carried out in the buffer zone for a period of 33 to 46 days. Camera trap data were analyzed using occupancy modeling to estimate habitat use probability (Ψ) and detection probability (p). Naïve estimates of habitat use ranged from 0.11 to 0.64, while Ψ values based on occupancy modeling ranged from 0.23 to 0.71. The study showed a fairly high level of habitat use by mammals in the buffer zone of the tiger reserve. Leopards were found to be associated with abundance of large prey species and human presence. Hyena, gaur, and sambar showed an association with forest cover, while nilgai showed association with scrubland. Chausingha and langur showed an association with sloping terrain. Overall, the study showed that the buffer zone plays an important role as a wildlife habitat and provided insights for prioritizing conservation efforts and management strategies in the study area.
Hathiyo ke Sath Saha Astitva
By Prachi Mehta, Rajashekhar Niyogi, Siddharth Dixit, Umesh Patel, Anit Bansode, Jayant Kulkarni
This self-help guide outlines simple and effective crop protection techniques used successfully by farmers in Uttara Kannada, Karnataka, to reduce human-elephant conflict. It categorizes the methods into three types: preventive measures to stop elephants from entering fields, early warning systems to alert farmers of nearby elephants, and repellent methods to drive them away if they enter. A key insight is that keeping elephants out is easier than removing them once they've entered, making prevention and early warning the most effective strategy. These techniques are especially useful in forest-adjacent villages with known elephant entry points. The guide also aims to inspire the sharing of similar techniques from other regions, ultimately improving the safety of both farmers and elephants.
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Rat ke Prahari
By Prachi Mehta, Jayant Kulkarni, Pradhyut Rao, Shivam Shinde, Vivek Patel and Vaibhav Bhujbal
This guidebook has been developed with the primary aim of supporting Forest Department staff in Madhya Pradesh in their efforts to understand and conserve owl species. However, its usefulness extends beyond its intended audience. Wildlife enthusiasts, educators, researchers, and anyone with an interest in owls will also find valuable information within these pages..