Faunal Heritage of Rajasthan, India: Conservation and Management of Vertebrates

ISBN-13: 9783319378152 / Angielski / Miękka / 2016 / 525 str.

B. K. Sharma; Seema Kulshreshtha; Asad R. Rahmani

Opis

This is the first ever monumental and scientific documentation of the faunal wealth of the Indian Desert state of Rajasthan, covering the species diversity, distribution and conservation status. A scholarly contribution to the field of knowledge, it provides novel and vital information on the vertebrate faunal heritage of India s largest state. Broadly falling under the Indo-Malaya Ecozone, the three major biomes of Rajasthan include Deserts and Xeric Shrublands; Tropical and Sub-tropical Dry Broadleaf Forests and Tropical and Sub-tropical Moist Broadleaf Forests and the ecoregions thus covered are North Western Thorn Scrub Forests and the Thar Desert; Khathiar-Gir Dry Deciduous Forests and the Upper Gangtic Plains Moist Deciduous Forests, respectively. Contrary to popular belief, the well known Thar or Great Indian Desert occupies only a part of the state. Rajasthan is diagonally divided by the Aravalli mountain ranges into arid and semi-arid regions. The later has a spectacular variety of highly diversified and unique yet fragile ecosystems comprising lush green fields, marshes, grasslands, rocky patches and hilly terrains, dense forests, the southern plateau, fresh water wetlands and salt lakes. Apart from the floral richness, there is faunal abundance from fishes to mammals. The flagship and threatened species of Tiger; Leopard; Great Indian Bustard and Lesser Florican; White-Napped Tit; Raptors; Demoiselle and Sarus Crane; Chelones; Bats; Wild Ungulates; Small Cats; Bear; Wolf; Wild Dog; Otter; Uromastyx; Giant Flying Squirrel, Gharial and Gangetic Dolphin have been described in the 45 chapters penned by top notch wildlife experts and academics. Chapters covering fossil records; conservation of biodiversity via the age old Public Science of the Desert; Anthropological Account of Communities and Tribes; socio-cultural, mythological and historical aspects of faunal conservation and the fauna in retrospect; wildlife trade; ecotourism; climate and other environmental factors like Indira Gandhi Nahar Pariyojna (IGNP) believed to have changed the ecological face of Western Rajasthan; Protected Area Network; the tiger re-introduction experiment; and community conservation are key attractions. The world famous heronry, tiger reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and some threat-ridden biodiversity rich areas shall certainly draw the attention of readers from around the world. The last chapter highlighting issues and insights on conservation and management and initiatives and gaps in research will help researchers from India and abroad to identify potential areas of future collaborative work. The strategies suggested herein can be a powerful tool for international conservational advocacy. Supported by rare photographs and paintings, the extensive content has implications for faunal ecology in similar habitats elsewhere on the Earth. Broadly falling under the Indo-Malaya Ecozone, the three major biomes of Rajasthan include Deserts and Xeric Shrublands; Tropical and Sub-tropical Dry Broadleaf Forests and Tropical and Sub-tropical Moist Broadleaf Forests and the ecoregions thus covered are North Western Thorn Scrub Forests and the Thar Desert; Khathiar-Gir Dry Deciduous Forests and the Upper Gangtic Plains Moist Deciduous Forests, respectively. Contrary to popular belief, the well known Thar or Great Indian Desert occupies only a part of the state. Rajasthan is diagonally divided by the Aravalli mountain ranges into arid and semi-arid regions. The later has a spectacular variety of highly diversified and unique yet fragile ecosystems comprising lush green fields, marshes, grasslands, rocky patches and hilly terrains, dense forests, the southern plateau, fresh water wetlands and salt lakes. Apart from the floral richness, there is faunal abundance from fishes to mammals. The flagship and threatened species of Tiger; Leopard; Great Indian Bustard and Lesser Florican; White-Napped Tit; Raptors; Demoiselle and Sarus Crane; Chelones; Bats; Wild Ungulates; Small Cats; Bear; Wolf; Wild Dog; Otter; Uromastyx; Giant Flying Squirrel, Gharial and Gangetic Dolphin have been described in the 45 chapters penned by top notch wildlife experts and academics. Chapters covering fossil records; conservation of biodiversity via the age old Public Science of the Desert; Anthropological Account of Communities and Tribes; socio-cultural, mythological and historical aspects of faunal conservation and the fauna in retrospect; wildlife trade; ecotourism; climate and other environmental factors like Indira Gandhi Nahar Pariyojna (IGNP) believed to have changed the ecological face of Western Rajasthan; Protected Area Network; the tiger re-introduction experiment; and community conservation are key attractions. The world famous heronry, tiger reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and some threat-ridden biodiversity rich areas shall certainly draw the attention of readers from around the world. The last chapter highlighting issues and insights on conservation and management and initiatives and gaps in research will help researchers from India and abroad to identify potential areas of future collaborative work. The strategies suggested herein can be a powerful tool for international conservational advocacy. Supported by rare photographs and paintings, the extensive content has implications for faunal ecology in similar habitats elsewhere on the Earth. Apart from the floral richness, there is faunal abundance from fishes to mammals. The flagship and threatened species of Tiger; Leopard; Great Indian Bustard and Lesser Florican; White-Napped Tit; Raptors; Demoiselle and Sarus Crane; Chelones; Bats; Wild Ungulates; Small Cats; Bear; Wolf; Wild Dog; Otter; Uromastyx; Giant Flying Squirrel, Gharial and Gangetic Dolphin have been

Recenzje

"The compendium is a valuable contribution of lasting value to the ecology of Rajasthan despite its primary focus on vertebrate fauna. ... the book will be enjoyed by zoologists, ecologists, conservationists, wildlife managers, and by many people from outside the State of Rajasthan who will gain useful insights into its natural heritage." (Brij Gopal, International Journal of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Vol. 41 (1-2), 2015)

Spis treści

Part I. Faunal Conservation as a Pragmatic Approach: Aspects and Challenges.- In Situ and Ex Situ Conservation: Protected Area network and Zoos of Rajasthan.- 2. Climate and Other Environmental Factors influencing Faunal Ecology of Rajasthan.- 3. Impact of altered Land Use Pattern on Small Mammalian Diversity of Hilly Tracts of Rajasthan, India.- 4. Threats to Faunal Diversity of the Aravalli Hills with Special Reference to Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary.- 5. Faunal Ecology and Conservation of the Great Indian Desert.- 6. Planning Conservation for Chambal River Basin taking Gharial Gavialis gangeticus and Ganges River Dolphin Platanista gangetica as Umbrella Species.- 7. Reintroduction of Tigers in Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan.- 8. The Ramsar Sites of Rajasthan: Ecology and Conservation of Sambhar Salt Lake, Jaipur and Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur.- 9. Impact of Mass Mortility of Gharial Gavialis gangeticus (Gmelin, 1789) on its Conservation in the Chambal River in Rajasthan.- 10. Conservation and Management of Wetland Birds in Rajasthan: Perspectives and Challenges.- 11. Conservation and Management of Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo at Kheechan in Rajasthan.- 12. Distribution of Sarus Crane Grus antigone in Rajasthan and People's Participation in the Protection of its Breeding Site.- 13. Conservation Prospects of Smooth-coated Otter Lutrogale perspicillata (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1826) in Rajasthan.- 14. Role of Local People and Community Conservation in Rajasthan.- 15. The Revial Model for Common Property Reserves in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan with Special Reference to their Faunal Components.- 16. Resource Dependency and Socio-economic Profile of Local Communities in Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan.- 17. Nature Reverence Does Not Mean Conservation in Tribal Rajasthan: Culture, Cognition, and Personal and Collective Commitments to the Environment.- Part II. Ecological and Wildlife Tourism in Rajasthan: The Terra Incognita.- 18. Ecotourism in Rajasthan: Prospects and Perspectives.- Part III. Vanguards of Wilderness.- 19. Wildlife Conservation in Rajasthan: The Legal Framework versus the Wildlife Trade.- Part IV. Management of Faunal Conservation in Rajasthan: A Synthesis.- 20. Unfurling Conservation Strategies, Major Initiatives, and Gaps in Research: A Vision on the Future of the Fauna in Rajasthan under Current and Predicted Threats.- Appendices.- Glossary.- Further Reading.- Index.- The Book and Its Audience.- About the Editors.

Blurb

This is the first ever monumental and scientific documentation of the faunal wealth of the Indian Desert state of Rajasthan. This volume, the second of two, provides a comprehensive picture of the conservation efforts undertaken to prevent further degradation of the condition of Rajasthan’s faunal wealth. A scholarly contribution to the field of knowledge, it provides novel and vital information on wildlife preservation initiatives in India’s largest state.
                     

Broadly falling under the Indo-Malaya Ecozone, the three major biomes of Rajasthan include deserts and xeric shrublands, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests. The corresponding ecoregions to the above biomes are, respectively, the Thar Desert and northwestern thorn scrub forests, the Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests, and the Upper Gangtic Plains moist deciduous forests. Contrary to popular belief, the well-known Thar or Great Indian Desert occupies only a part of the state. Rajasthan is diagonally divided by the Aravalli mountain ranges into arid and semi-arid regions. The latter have a spectacular variety of highly diversified and unique yet fragile ecosystems comprising lush green fields, marshes, grasslands, rocky patches and hilly terrains, dense forests, the southern plateau, fresh water wetlands, and salt lakes.
                     

Apart from the floral richness, there is faunal abundance from fishes to mammals. In this volume, the various flagship and threatened species are described in the 20 chapters penned by top notch wildlife experts and academics. The world famous heronry, tiger reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and some threat-ridden biodiversity-rich areas shall certainly draw the attention of readers from around the world.