Habitat use of nilgiri tahr nilgiritragus hylocrius in Western Ghats, India

Abstract

Nilgiri tahr is one of the endangered mammals in the world and also an endemic species of India. The utilization of habitats by Nilgiri tahr was evaluated by pellet analysis method. Four different microhabitats were identified in the Mukurthi National Park. The utilization of the habitat by the species was determined by transect method. Totally 112 transects comprising of 1028 quadrates were evaluated and counted. The pellet characteristics such as pellet groups including fresh pellets and old pellets were assessed. There were no significant variations between pellet groups and microhabitats (P > 0.05). But there was a close association between pellet groups, i.e. fresh and old pellets, among the microhabitats (x2 = 64.12, df = 3, P < 0.001). The present study reveals that the species preferred the habitats which have their preferred/major food items among the availability of the habitats without minding the presence of predator or negative pressures.