HIGH ALTITUDES BIODIVERSITY OF NANDA DEVI BIOSPHERE RESERVE, BAGESHWAR DISTRICT OF UTTARAKHAND

V. MAURYA¹*, S.B. LAL², A. LARKIN³, P.M. DHAKATE^4
1Department of Forestry, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology and Sciences, Allahabad, 211007, India
²Department of Forestry, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology and Sciences, Allahabad, 211007, India
³Department of Forestry, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology and Sciences, Allahabad, 211007, India
⁴Chief Wildlife Warden, Uttarakhand Forest Department, 85, Rajpur Road, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, 248001, India
* Corresponding Author : vipulforestry@gmail.com

Received : 04-06-2022     Accepted : 16-09-2022     Published : 30-09-2022
Volume : 14     Issue : 9       Pages : 11647 - 11650
Int J Agr Sci 14.9 (2022):11647-11650

Keywords : Snow leopards, Blue sheep, Himalayan tahr, Prey, Nanda Devi biosphere reserve
Academic Editor : Dr Hemant Kumar
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : Authors are thankful to Uttarakhand Forest Department, Bageshwar Forest Division, Uttarakhand, India. Authors are also thankful to Department of Forestry, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology and Sciences, Allahabad, 211007, India
Author Contribution : All authors equally contributed

The study, which lasted from November 2013 to January 2014, sought to learn more about the presence of snow leopards, the availability of prey in the area, and other carnivores/wildlife in the Bageshwar division. (Sunderdhunga Valley). The presence of snow leopards was confirmed through sign surveys using the Snow Leopard Information Management System (SLIMS) protocol. During the survey, 45 signs were discovered, including 20 signs of Snow leopard pugmarks between 3045 and 4618 meters. The number of snow leopards in the study area was estimated to be 1-2 animals based on the information obtained. The greatest sign concentration has been observed in the Sukram-Maiktoli region (3.10 sign/km), tried to follow by the Athalia-Sukram Cave area (2.62), Kathaliya-Sunderdhunga glacier (2.37), and Jatoli-Katoli region (2.37). (1.77). Based on camera trap results, direct sightings, and the fixpoint count method, a total of 67 Himalayan Tahr, 34 Blue sheep, 08 Musk deer, and 04 Serow were counted in the area

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