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A comparative study of mental health problems among 11-17 year old Indian school children living in areas with persistent political violence and children of the same age group living under standard … Sri Lanka J. Child Health 2015; 44(2) Results: Three hundred and eight students participated in the study. Group 1 comprised 154 students from Kashmir Srinagar area and Group 2 comprised 154 students from Kolkata city schools. There were 79 boys and 75 girls in Group 1 and 74 boys and 80 girls in Group 2. Among Group1 participants, 42% had a total SDQ score between 20-40 compared to 17.5% in Group 2 that can be classified as abnormal by published cutoffs (p <0.05). In Group 1, the common problems in those with abnormal SDQ score were emotional problems in 47 (30.5%), conduct problems in 63 (40%) and peer relationship problems in 28 (18%). Males were more likely to have higher ratings in emotional, hyperactivity, conduct and total SDQ scores than girls. Girls rated higher in peer relation problems and had low (abnormal) pro-social scores in group 1. Both genders had significantly higher total abnormal SDQ scores in more than one domain of mental health when compared with group 2 using the two tailed test for

Abstract. The global decline of large carnivore populations warrants scientific insights into intraguild relationships. Patterns of co-occurrence among sympatric predators are governed by their density, distribution, diet, activity overlaps, and behavioural strategies. Tigers are sympatric with leopards across their distribution range, overlap substantially in their diet, and are both nocturnal. The subdominant leopard is believed to coexist with tigers via several mechanisms like spatial segregation, temporal avoidance, and differential prey selection. Investigation of spatio-temporal patterns of co-occurrence of tigers and leopards can provide insights on mechanisms that permit coexistence. We used camera trap-based photo captures of tigers and leopards in prey-rich (58.15±10.61 ungulates per km2) Pench Tiger Reserve to determine their spatio-temporal patterns of co-occurrence. Spatially explicit density estimates of tigers were approximately 5 per 100 km2 and leopards were approximately 4.5 per 100 km2 and remained stable over the years. This implies that both these co-predators are likely to attain carrying capacity within the study area. Areas with high tiger density had lower leopard density. Quantile regression analysis between tiger and leopard density at 2×2 km grid showed that leopard density had a parabolic relationship with tiger density, initially increasing with tigers (β=0.393; p=0.001), stable at medium tiger density (β=0.13 and p=0.15), and declining at high tiger densities (β=-0.37 and p<0.001). Both tigers and leopards were crepuscular in nature with no temporal segregation (Δ=89 %). Time lag of consecutive leopard photograph after a tiger capture ranged between 0.002 to 36.29 d. Leopard use of trails was not related to use by tigers. Our results suggest that leopards adjust their usage of space at fine scales to avoid confrontations with tigers. We also observed high temporal overlap and no spatio-temporal segregation between tigers and leopards, despite the two predators being nocturnal and having similar prey choices. The availability of ample prey within the study area is likely to be the driving factor of the co-occurrence of tigers and leopards within this dry deciduous habitat of central India.

<p>Conservation of large carnivores is dependent on a viable population of their principal prey species. Line transect based density estimation has been established as a robust method for monitoring prey population trend. Chital (<em>Axis axis</em>) and sambar (<em>Rusa unicolor</em>) are the major ungulates in Pench tiger reserve, Madhya Pradesh that are principal tiger and leopard prey. Estimated densities using line transect surveys were highest for chital in the study area with a range of 44–52 individuals per sq. km. from 2013–16. Sambar density remained stable ranging from 5–8 individuals per sq. km. over the three years (2013–16). Camera trap-based encounter rate was used to calculate the Relative Abundance Index of the principal prey species of tigers and leopards in the study area. Spatial distribution pattern using the Relative Abundance Index showed that 47.16% chital captures were congregated near the submergence area whereas 38.53% sambar captures were near rugged areas. Abundant resources and lack of competition from domestic livestock in the core zone contribute to such high estimates of prey population in the study area.</p>

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