Fauna of The Terrestrial Habitats

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The RFs and PFs form the only terrestrial habitats in the study area. Nine species of mammalian fauna (Table 3.3) have been reported (secondary sources) from the study area.

Table 3.3 List of mammals reported to occur in the study area.

 S. No. Common Name Scientific Name
1 Leopard Panthera pardus
2 Striped hyaena Hyaena hyaena
3 Jackal Canis aureus
4 Wild pig Sus scrofa
5 Barking deer Muntiacus muntjak
6 Bonnet macaque Macaca radiate
7 Common langur Presbytis antellus
8 Indian porcupine Hystrix indica
9 Mongoos Herpestes edwardsi

(Based on secondary sources only)

Species such as leopard, striped hyaena, wild pig, jackal, bonnet macaque and common langur were reported (secondary sources) from RFs of Bherse, Sagargad and Karle Khind. However during the detailed survey of the study area in the different seasons, the occurrence of all these mammalian species could not be confirmed. Their probable low densities could be responsible for no record of sightings of these animals in the study area. The species that were sighted during the survey included mongoose, macaques and common langur. In addition to the mammalian species, three species of snakes were recorded during the field surveys. These include the common Rat Snake (Ptyus mucosus), Common Cobra (Naja naja) and Checked Keel Back (Xenochorphis piscator).

The entire study has fairly degraded forests due to heavy biotic pressures on account of cattle grazing, poaching and encroachment for cultivation. The forests in their present degraded status can not support large number of prey base. Low densities of mammalian species in these forests are therefore understandable.

The only faunal group that was better represented in the study area was the avifauna (Plate 3.4). The terrestrial habitats in the RF and PF patches in the core zone of the study area even in their degraded form support few bird species. Table 3.4 provides the list of bird species in these habitats.

Table 3.4 Bird species recorded in the Reserved and Protected Forests within the study area.

 S. No. Common Name Scientific Name
1 Brahmini kite Haliastur Indus
2 White backed vulture Gyps benghalensis
3 Crested serpent eagle Spilornis cheela
4 Black winged kite Elanus caeruleus
5 Shikra Accipiter badius
6 Sparrow hawk Accipiter nisus
7 Grey partridge Francolinus pondicerianus
8 Quail Coturnix sp.
9 Grey jungle fowl Gallus sonneratii
10 Blue rock pigeon Columba livia
11 Spotted dove Streptopelia chinensis
12 Little brown dove Streptopelia senegalensis
13 Rose ringed parakeet Psittacula krameri
14 Alexandrine parakeet Psittacula eupatria
15 Cuckoo Cuculus canorus
16 Koel Eudynamys scolopacea
17 Common hawk cuckoo Cuculus varius
18 Crow pheasant Centropus sinensis
19 House swift Apus affinis
20 Green bee-eater Merops orientalis
21 India roller Coracius benghalensis
22 White breasted kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis
23 Small blue kingfisher Alcedo atthis
24 Hoopoe Upupa epops
25 Large green barbet Megalaima zeylanica
26 Lesser golden becked woodpecker Dinopium benghalense
27 Golden oriole Oriolus oriolus
28 Crested lark Galerida sp.
29 Red rumped swallow Hirundo daurica
30 Wire tailed swallow Hiundo smithii
31 Small minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus
32 Common lora Aegithina tiphia
33 Red whiskered bulbul Pycnonotus jacosus
34 Red vented bulbul Pycnonotus cafer
35 Black drongo Dicrurus adsimilis
36 House crow Corvus splendens
37 Jungle crow Corvus macrorhynchos
38 Yellow eyed babbler Chrysomma sinense
39 Jungle babbler Turdoides striatus
40 Indian robin Saxicoloides fulicata
41 Magpie robin Copsychus saularis
42 Fantail flycatcher Rhipidura sp.
43 Rufous backed shrike Lanius schach
44 Yellow wagtail Motacilla flava
45 Pied wagtail Motacilla alba
46 Rosy pastor Sturnus roseus
47 Common myna Acridotheres tristis
48 Purple sunbird Nectarinia asiatica
49 Spotted munia Lonchura punctulata
50 White throated munia Lonchura malabarica
51 Hose sparrow Passet domesticus
52 Baya Ploceus philippinus

(The above checklist is based on the observations made doting June 1995, August 1995 and February 1996)

 

In all, 52 species of birds were recorded from all the three zones of the study area during pre-monsoon, monsoon and wither seasons. Most of the species were found to be fairly common in the entire area and non of the species recorded have been found to be listed as rare of endangered.

The forests, predominantly comprised of young plantations of teak (Tectona grandis), in most of the part of the study area. Low plant species diversity in the plantation areas and poor ground cover in the degraded patches have been the two significant factors that have contributed in unusually low biological values of these forests.

 


Last Updated: September 29, 2015