Ungulates
Context: India's first comprehensive assessment of ungulate populations, conducted by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), has revealed concerning trends in the distribution and density of key prey species for tigers.
Important Pointers:
Definition: Ungulates are hoofed mammals that walk on their toes. The term "ungulate" derives from the Latin word unguis, meaning nail or hoof.
Classification: They are divided into two orders:
Perissodactyla (odd-toed): Includes horses, zebras, and rhinoceroses.
Artiodactyla (even-toed): Includes deer, giraffes, antelopes, and pigs.
Ecological Role: Ungulates are primary prey for tigers and other large predators, playing a crucial role in maintaining forest ecosystems.
Threats: They face pressures from habitat loss due to deforestation, development, agricultural expansion, urbanization, human-wildlife conflict, and subsistence hunting.
Key Findings from the 2022 Ungulate Assessment:
Study Overview: The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) conducted a comprehensive assessment of ungulates using data from the 2022 tiger census.
Prey Density and Tiger Support: A density of 30 ungulates per square kilometer can support four tigers in 100 square kilometers. However, tiger numbers plateau at about 75 ungulates per square kilometer due to ecological constraints such as territoriality, competition, and lack of habitat connectivity.
Regional Variations:
High ungulate densities are found in tiger reserves like Pench in Madhya Pradesh, which has nearly 54 chitals per square kilometer.
Declines are observed in states like Odisha, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh due to habitat degradation, infrastructure development, and subsistence hunting.
Species at Risk: Species with narrow ecological preferences, such as the hog deer and barasingha, face significant population declines due to habitat fragmentation and loss.
Human-Wildlife Conflict: Low prey numbers are linked to increased human-wildlife conflict, as tigers venture into human settlements in search of food, leading to retaliatory killings.