Assessment of Prey Biomass Availability for Leopard and Lion in Gir National Park and Sanctuary, Gujarat, India

Census surveys using road vehicle count were carried out from 2009-2012 to determine current status of prey availability and biomass in Gir National Park and Sanctuary, Gujarat. A total of seven transects were selected and monitored on seasonal basis. Data were analysed by computer program Distance (ver.5.0). Hazard Rate Function along with Hermite Polynomial Expansion fitted data of most of the prey species. Results showed that amongst wild ungulates, chital density was highest (ca. 60.25 ±9.35 km-2) followed by sambar (ca. 2.39 ±0.21 km-2), wild boar (ca. 2.31 ±0.4 animals km-2) and nilgai (ca. 1.42 ±0.15 animals km-2). Density of Hanuman langur and peafowl was estimated to be ca.19.84 ±2.29 individuals/ km-2 and ca.18.94 ±2.81 individuals km-2 respectively. The sightings of chinkara, chousingha and black naped hare were very low. The density estimates did not show any seasonal variation. Bonferroni matrix showed significant difference between mean habitat use of five habitat types by all available prey species in each case (F4, 40 = 5.452, P < ά*) where these species used all habitats intensively except thorn woodland. The findings of present study showed Gir as a highly productive area than other tropical deciduous forests.