Animals cannot avoid extinction, study finds

The survey represented most semi-arid landscapes of India

A study by teams of researchers has found that wild animals cannot avoid extinction and persist in human-dominated landscapes by modifying the way they use habitat.

The study titled ‘Wild Ungulate Decision-Making and the Role of Tiny Refuges in Human-dominated Landscapes’ was conducted by researchers from Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) India Programme, Centre for Ecological Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science and Manipal University. The team studied blackbucks, a near-threatened species.

The research paper was authored by Chaitanya Krishna, Ajith Kumar and Isvaran from the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS)- WCS. It was funded by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi. It examined how Blackbucks reacted to the costs and benefits of living in this habitat.

The study shows that food resource distribution and availability is a critical factor for the survival of wild ungulates. Food source can vary seasonally in terms of quality, quantity and spatial distribution. It was conducted in Maharashtra’s Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary and represented most semi-arid landscapes of India, including the Ranebennur Blackbuck Sanctuary.

Researchers found that blackbucks preferred to stay in the safety of sanctuaries when food was in abundance, to avoid risks associated with humans and livestock. But as food declined after monsoons, blackbucks began to move into riskier unprotected grasslands, thus responding dynamically to seasonally changing levels of food and risks.

Krishna, author and alumni of NCBS-WCS MSc Programme, said blackbucks moved into areas of high risk and the presence of small sanctuaries in landscapes with high human-use allowed these antelopes to survive and forage.

Researchers also measured the amount and quality of grass (blackbucks’ food source) and identified risky areas where blackbucks were most likely to come across wolves, dogs or humans.

Kumar, co-author and Director of NCBS-WCS MSc Programme, added that these factors needed to be taken into consideration as more grasslands were getting converted and developed for human use.