Food habits of Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) in Van Vihar National Park, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India

Abstract

The food plants of nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) were studied by direct field observations between July 2010 and June 2011 in Van Vihar National Park, Bhopal with an aim to explore the composition of diet, preferable browse plant species and seasonal variation in diet consumption. The results have shown that food plants of nilgai consists of diverse species of plants (123 plants species). On an average, grass formed major proportion (41.66%), followed by fallen leaves, flowers and fruits (36.00%), browse (16.66%) and herbs, shrubs etc (5.66%). Among the preferred browse species zizyphus mauritiana had the highest preference rating (5.5). The diet of the nilgai varied from season to season. Extension of the area of the National Park, creation of more grass plots and plantation of more trees would make more grass and browse species available to nilgai ultimately leading to an increase in its population.

Introduction

Research on food habits of sympatric ungulates has not progressed in India as it has in Africa (e.g. Talbot and Talbot 1962, Gwyne and Bell 1968, Leuthold 1970, Bell 1971, Jarman and Sinclair 1979). In India, Schaller (1967) has listed the food plants of wild ungulates in Kanha. Berwick (1976) made cafeteria and field feeding trials on wild ungulates and cattle in Gir. Green (1985) has studied ungulate food habits in Kedarnath by faecal analysis. Haque (1990) studied wild ungulate food habits by direct observations on animals feeding and pellet analysis. Johnsingh and Sankar (1991) studied the food plants of wild ungulates and cattle in Mundanthurai based on direct field observations. Sankar (1994) studied the food habits of wild ungulates in Sariska by direct field observations. This paper describes the food habits of nilgai through direct field observations from July 2010 to June 2011 in Van Vihar National Park, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.

Study Area

Van Vihar National Park is (23 23°N and 77.36° E) situated about 7 km from Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. Declared a National Park in 1983, it covers an area of about 4.45 km². The area is plain and hilly. The park is maintained by the Forest Department of Madhya Pradesh. The park is situated on the fringe of upper lake, which is a Ramsar site and the lifeline of the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. The lake adds immense beauty to the landscape of Van Vihar. It is situated at the foot of the Shymla hill, which is one of the several hills constituting the geography of Bhopal. The climate is sub-tropical. Summers in the region are very hot and dry, and the maximum temperature in the region will range around 47.7° C. The minimum temperature during the summer months will range around 33° C. The winters are cold and dry, and the maximum temperature during this time will range around 25° C. The minimum temperature during the winter is as low as 9.1° C. The average rainfall is around 1146.7 mm.

According to Champion and Seth’s classification, this area comes under the southern dry deciduous scrub forest with dry deciduous species. The main species include Aegle marmelos, Acacia nilotica, A. leucophloea, Zizyphus mauritiana, Lagerstomia parviflora, Embica officinalis, Butea monosperma, Phoenix sylvestris and Terminalia tomentosa. The wild ungulate species in Van Vihar National Park comprises of cheetal (Axis axis), sambar (Rusa unicolor niger), nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus), Black buck (Antelope cervicapra), chowsingha (Tetracerus quadricornis), chinkara (Gazella gazella benneti) and wild boar (Sus scrofa).

Methods

Food habits of nilgai are often recorded by observing the plants eaten as the animal graze or noting the locations where animals grazed and later inspecting the site to see what plants were eaten (Wallmo et al. 1973). The first of these has been called the “grazing minutes” or “grazing seconds” method (Buechner 1950) and the second the “feeding site method” (Lovaas 1958). Feeding site method was applied to collect information on food plants eaten by the nilgai.

Four areas were selected for this study Viz. grassland, savanna, scrubland and woodland. The area searched was same for all the four habitats about (1.5 km²). All the observations were covered on foot. The observer used a binocular Olympus 10X50 DPSI during feeding observations as and when required. When a feeding animal was located, it was observed from a distance of about 10 to 40 meters and recorded the food plants eaten. Then from radius of 5 m around the freshly eaten plant, the number of plant species available and eaten were recorded. Four hours in every day, two hours in morning and two hours in evening were spent on the feeding observations on nilgai. Observations began from July 2010 and end in the June 2011 in Van Vihar National Park, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

Preference ratings for the food plants eaten were calculated by the methods described by the Petrides (1975). According to Petrides (1975), the preference value (P) of a food centers on 1.00 as a reference point. Species with preference value above 1.00 are those which are sought out as preferred food. Ratings below 1.00 represent forage species which for some reason are neglected and species with a preference rating of exactly 1.00 are being eaten precisely in proportion to its abundance in the field.

Results and Discussion

The diet of the nilgai consisted of diverse species of food plants. Nilgai in total used 123 plant species that include 37 trees, 34 herbs, 25 grasses, 14 shrubs and 13-creeper/ straggler (Table 1).

Table 1: Food Plants of Nilgai in Van Vihar National Park, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India (July 2010 – June 2011).

L-leaf, Fl-flower, Fr-fruit.

Trees	Part used		Part used
Acacia leucophloea	L, Fr	Embica officinalis	L
A. nilotica	L, Fr	Lagerstomia parviflora	L
A. senegal	L, Fr	Lannea coromandelica	L
A. catechu	L	Mangifera indica	L
Albizia lebbeck	Fr	Mitragyna parvifolia	L
Anogeissus pendula	L	Meliosa tomentosa	L
Azadarictha indica	L	Prosopis juliflora	L, Fr, Fl
Balanites aegyptiaca	L, Fr	Pterocarpus marsupium	L
Bouhinia varigeta	L	Pongamia pinnata	L
B. malabarica	L	Tamarindus indicus	L
Butea monosperma	L, Fr	Terminalia bellirica	L
Dalbergia sissoo	L	Phoenix sylvestris	L, Fr
Dicrostachys cinerea	L	Syzygium cumini	L
Dolichandrona faleala	L	Zizyphus mauritiana	L, Fr
Ehretia leavis	L	Z. xylopyra	L, Fr
Elaeodendron glaucum	L	Z. jujuba	L, Fr
Ficus sp.	L	HERBS
F. glamerata	L	Ailianthus excelsa	L
F. religiosa	L	Andrographis echioides	L, Fr
F. retusa	L	Abutilon indicum	L, Fr
F. benghalensis	L	Ageratum conyzoides	L
Amarantus sp.	L	Tridex procumbens	L
Aegle marmelus	L	Tribulus terrestris	L
Boerhavia diffusa	L	Xanthium indicum	L
Cassia tora	L, Fr		L
Cleome viscosa	L, Fr	GRASSES
Corchorus aestuns	L	Acrocera zizaniodes	L
C. olitorius	L	Allotropis cumiciana	L
Carrisa carandus	L	Alpuda varia	L
Catharine puscillus	L	Bothriochloa pertusa	L
Cenchrus olitorius	L	Brachiaria distachya	L
Cyanotis sp.	L	B. refetans	L
C. Cristata	L	Cenchrus sp.	L
Elytrassia acaulis	L	Cenchrus biflorus	L
Euphorbia birta	L	Chloris barbata	L
E. Prostrata	L	Cyanodon dactylon	L
Hemidesmus indicus	L	Cyprus sp.	L
Ipomea fistulosa	L	Cynchrus setigerus	L
Lagascae mollis	L	Dendrocalamus strictus	L
Lindbenbergia urticaefolia	L	Dichanthium annulatum	L
Melochia corchorifolia	L	Echinochloa colona	L
Sida acuta	L	Eleusine indica	L
S. veronicaefolia	L	Hemarthria compressa	L
S. rhombifolia	L	Heteropogon contortus	L
S. rhomboidea	L	Leersa hexandra	Fl, Fr
Solanum sp.	L	Panium spp	L
S. xanthocarpum	L	Paspalidium germinatum	L
Tephrosia purpurea	L	P. punctatum	L
Paspallum conjugatum	L	Cocculus hirsutis	L
Seteria verticillata	L	Cuscuta hyalina	L
Saccharum spontaneum	L	Ichnocarpus frutescens	L
SHRUBS		Ipomoea sp.	L
Acacia jacquemontii	L	Ipomoea pestigridis	L
Calotropis gigantea	L	Luffa acutangula	L
Capparis decidua	Fl, Fr	Mucuna pruriens	L
C. sepiaria	L	Pavonia zeylanica	L
Clerodendrum phlomidis	L	Plumbago zeylanica	L
Flacourtia indica	L	Ziziphus oenoplia	L
Grewia flavescens	L
G. Ovalifolia	L
Helicteres isora	L
Holarrhena antidycentrica	L
Indigofera tinctoria	L
Launaea sp.	L
Rundia dumetarum	L
Zizyphus nummularia	L, Fr
CREEPER/STRAGGLER
Asparagus recemosus	L
Anagallis arvensis	L
Alysicarpus monilifer	L

Table 2: Food habits of Nilgai in Van Vihar National Park, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (July 2010 – June 2011).

Animal species	Total number of observations	% Grass	% Browse	Fallen leaves, flowers and fruits	% herb, shrub, creeper and straggler
Nilgai	496	41.66	16.66	36.00	5.66

Out of total 496 feeding observations obtained on the nilgai between July 2010 to June 2011, it was studied that grass formed 41.66 percent, fallen leaves, flowers and fruits 36.00 percent, browse 16.66 percent and herbs, shrubs etc. 5.66 percent diet of the nilgai (Table 2). The mixed proportion of the diet confirms that nilgai antelopes are mixed feeders.

Table 3: Preference ratings and the dietary importance of browse species of Nilagi in Van Vihar National Park, Bhopal (July 2010-June 2011).

A= SA/A, d= 100 R/SR, P= d/a

S.No.	Forage species	Quantities		(a) Available	(d) Diet	(P) Preference rating
		(A) Available	(R) Removed
1	Zizyphus mauritiana	887	60	4.1	22.6	5.5
2	Capparis sepiaria	634	41	5.8	15.4	2.6
3	Acacia nilotica	531	33	6.9	12.4	1.7
4	Zizyphus nummularia	517	28	7.1	10.5	1.4
5	A. Leucophloea	410	26	9.0	9.8	1.0
6	Grewia flavescens	277	25	13.3	9.4	0.7
7	Butea monosperma	198	19	18.7	7.1	0.3
8	Capparis decidua	123	18	30.1	6.7	0.2
9	Prosopis juliflora	88	9	42.1	3.3	0.07
10	Phoenix sylvestris	46	7	80.6	2.6	0.03
	Total	3711 SA	265 SR

Studies on feeding habits of nilgai in Asia showed that they are browsers (Berwick 1974, Mirza and khan 1975, Dinerstein 1979, 1980) or mixed feeders (Haque 1990, Sankar 1994) and in Southern Texas, they are grazers (Sheffield et al. 1983).

Among the preferred browse species of nilgai, Zizyphus mauritiana had the highest preference rating (5.5), followed by Capparis sepiaria, Acacia nilotica and Z. nummularia with prefernce ratings (2.6), (1.7) and (1.4) respectively (Table 3).

Nilgai avoided the vegetative parts of some herbs viz. Cleome viscosa and Cassia tora, but only their pods were utilized by the nilgai during winter season.

Fallen leaves and fruits of Zizyphus mauritiana, fallen flowers and fruits of Butea monosperma and fallen leaves of Anogeissus pendula and Dalbergia sissoo formed an important component in the diet of nilgai in December, January, March and April.

Seasonal Diet Composition

In monsoon near about 166 observations have been done on the food habits of the nilgai. From these observations, it was observed that diet of the nilgai was dominated by grass species (80%), followed by browse (15%), herbs, shrubs etc. (2%) and fallen leaves, flowers and fruits (3%) as shown in the figure 1. In monsoon nilgai fed mostly on grasses because grasses are green and available in large quantity. Sankar (1994) reported that grass formed an important component of the diet of the nilgai during monsoon (>88.1%) in Sariska.

In winter about 170 feeding observations have been obtained on the nilgai. From these observations, it was observed that fallen leaves, flowers and fruits formed 45 percent; browse 20 percent, herbs, shrubs, creepers and stragglers 10 percent and grass 25 percent of the diet of the nilgai in winter (figure 1).

[Omitted, see PDF]

On the onset of winter grasses began to matured and reduced in growth. Nilgai fed mostly on grasses as long as green grasses are available in large quantity but switch over to browse and fallen leaves, flowers and fruits and grass when grasses become scarce e.g. in winter and summer.

In summer 160 feeding observations were made on the nilgai. It was observed from these observations that the diet of the nilgai did not vary much. Fallen leaves, flowers and fruits comprised 60 percent; browse 15 percent, grass 20 percent and herbs, shrubs, creepers and stragglers 5 percent of the diet of the nilgai during summer (Figure 1).

Sankar (1994) reported that browse, fallen leaves, flowers and fruits and grasses are contributed to the diet of the nilgai during summer and winter seasons in Sariska.

The results of the present study are in close agreement with the generalizations made by Sankar (1994).

In May and June months when the grasses are scarce, green fodder produced in the fodder farm like Chrysopogan fulvus, Themeda triandra, Heteropogon contortus, Dicanthium annulatum, Chloris dolichostachia and wheat husk produced from market is provided as a supplement.

The plant species like Butea monosperma, Zizyphus mauritiana, Acacia nilotica, A. leucophloea, Anogeissus pendula, Prosopus Juliflora, Terminalia bellirica etc. are distributed only in some spots in the whole National Park. The estimated population of the nilgai in the National Park is 70-100 animals. Besides, there are 200-230 sambar, 600-700 cheetal, 25-50 black buck and 50-100 wild boar. Extension of the area of the National Park, creation of more grass plots and plantation of the above mentioned trees would make more food and space available to wild ungulates which ultimately leading to an increase in its population.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Madhya Pradesh for having permitted to work in Van Vihar National Park, Bhopal, Director and Assistant Director of Van Vihar Park for their help and guidance in the research work. We thank to Dr. Showkat Khan, professor, Department of Botany, Safia Science College, Bhopal for plant identification, Dr. Yogash Dubey, professor, IIFM, Bhopal, Dr. K. Sankar and Dr. Bilal Habib, professors, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun for guidance in data collection.

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