IJSER Home >> Journal >> IJSER
International Journal of Scientific and Engineering Research
ISSN Online 2229-5518
ISSN Print: 2229-5518 9    
Website: http://www.ijser.org
scirp IJSER >> Volume 2, Issue 9, September 2011
Managing Human-Leopard Conflicts in Pauri Garhwal, Uttaranchal, India using Geographical Information System and Remote Sensing
Full Text(PDF, 3000)  PP.  
Author(s)
Manoj Agarwal, Devendra S. Chauhan, S. P. Goyal and Qamar Qureshi
KEYWORDS
Conflict, GIS, Human, Leopard, Remote Sensing, Uttaranchal, Wildlife
ABSTRACT
Geographical Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing have played a vital role in conservation and management of the natural resources and in enhancing our understanding of human-wildlife conflicts. Recently, there has been increase in man-animal conflicts in different parts of the country due to habitat degradation and human encroachments in forest areas. The Wildlife Institute of India has initiated a study to assess the level of ongoing human-leopard conflict in Pauri Garhwal District of Uttaranchal in relation to landscape characteristics. Remote sensing and GIS have been used to estimate the severity of human-leopard conflicts in relation to vegetation categories. The IRS LISS III satellite data was used to prepare thematic map using hybrid classification method. Broad vegetation classes like Oak, Pine, Sal and Scrub were delineated. Spatial database in GIS domain comprising digital elevation model and settlements were also developed at 1:50,000 scale. To study the conflict zones a spatial grid of 2 km x 2 km was generated. In each cell of the grid, conflict level and associated landscape characteristics were recorded. Area was categorized into different conflict categories such as low, medium, high and no conflict areas
References
1. Abdolrassoul, S., Mahiny, Brain and Turner, J. 2004. Modelling past vegetation change through remote sensing and GIS : A comparison of neural networks and logistics regression methods, International Conference on Geoinformatics and modeling Geographical System & Fifth International Workshop on GIS, Beijing. 2-4 April, 2004, Beijing, China.

2. Bailey, T.N. 1993. The African Leopard : Ecology and behavior of solitary field. Columbia University Press, New York, USA, 429p.

3. Bhan, S.K. Ravindran K.V., Tiwari, A.K., Kudarat, M, Diwakar, P.G., Kannappan, K.T., Vohra, T.P.S. and Vardan, K.K.S. 1989. Potential of IRS 1A data for land resources mapping – A case study from Punjab and Chandigarh. Presented in Regional Workshop on IRS 1A. Mission and its application potential, Ludhiana. April 27, 1989.

4. Bobbe, T. 1992. GPS World, 3, 18-22.

5. Buckland, S.T. and Elston, D.A. 1993. Empirical model for the spatial distribution of wildlife. Journal of Applied Ecology 30:478-495.

6. Chauhan, D.S., Goyal, S.P., Agarwal, M. and Thapa, R. 2000. A study on distribution, relative abundance and food habits of leopard (Panthera pardus) in Garhwal Himalayas”. Technical Report – 1999-2000, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, India.

7. ERDAS, V8.7, Field Guide, ERDAS Inc. Atlanta, Georgia.

8. Gaur, R. D. and Bartwal, B. S. 1993. Different types of forest communities in Pauri District (Garhwal Himalaya), 131-147. In Garhwal Himalaya : Ecology and Environment, ed. G. S. Rajwar, pp. 131-147 Asingh Publishing House, New Delhi.

9. Karanth, K. U. and Nichols, J.D. 1988. Estimating tiger densities in India from camera trap data using photographic captures and recaptures. Ecology. 79, 2852-2862.

10. Lillesand, T.M. and Keifer, R.W. 1987. Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation, John Wiley, New York.

11. Negi, A. S. 1996. Man-eating leopard of Garhwal. Cheetal, 35 (1-2) : 22-24.

12. Raghubanshi, A.S., Jha, C.S., Pandey, C.B., Singh, Lalji and Singh, J.S. 1991. Effect of forest conservation on vegetation and soil carbon and functional trait of resulting vegetation : An impact of global climatic changes in photosynthesis and plant productivity : Proceeding of Indo-US Workshop. New Delhi, 723-746p.

13. Rodgers, W.A. 1989. Policy issues in wildlife conservation, Indian Journal of Public Administration 35: 461-468.

14. Rodgers, W.A., Panwar, H.S. and Mathur, V.B. 2002. Wildlife Protected Area Network in India : A Review (Executive Summery). Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.

15. Saberwal, V. K. , Gibbs, J. P. Chellam, R. and Johnsingh, A. J. T. 1994. Lionhuman conflict in Gir forest, India. Conservation Biology 8(2): 501-507.

16. Sudhakar, S., Das, R.K., Chakraborty, D., Bardhan R.B.K., Raha, A.K., Shukla, P. 1994. Stratification approach for forest type and landuse mapping using IRS-1A, LISS II data-A case study – Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing, Vol. 22, No.1, 21p

17. Tiwari, A. K. and Kudarat, M. 1988. Analysis of vegetation in Rajaji National Park using Indian Remote Sensing data. Presented in National Seminar on IRS 1A Mission and its application potential, Hyderabad. December 22-23, 1988.

18. Tiwari, A.K., Kudarat, M. and Bhan, S.K. 1991. Analysis of vegetation and soil association through digital processing of remote sensing data : A case study of a part of Western Himalaya. In Mountain resources management and remote sensing (P.N. Gupta and A.K. Roy, eds.). 149-157p.

Untitled Page