Status Survey of Chinkara and Desert Cat in Rajasthan

About this book

Rajasthan hosts major populations of several mammalian species of great conservation significance though they are not restricted to the state or to deserts. Such species are caracal, wolf, jungle cat, leopard, tiger, chowsingha, black buck, including gazelle, and desert cat the two target species taken up for study under this project.

During the last three decades, pelt trade, poaching, land use changes, escalation of human and livestock population and developmental activities have resulted into a total transformation of the desert scenario and wildlife numbers have fast dwindled. The Indian gazelle or chinkara, Gazelle bennetti and the Desert cat, Felis silvestris are no exception and have to face fast changing environment. However, in the absence of any quantitative figures on abundance and / or their spatial distribution, it is very difficult to assess and monitor changes in their present status and distribution as well as to put-up a case to international legislative bodies for their legal protection. Hence, to begin with two typical mammals of arid environment chinkara and desert cat were selected and an attempt has been made to create base line data on their spatial distribution and relative abundance.

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