Population status, distribution and potential threats of the Blue Bull Boselaphus tragocamelus (Mammalia: Cetartiodactyla: Bovidae) along the Tinau River of Rupandehi District, Nepal

Abstract

M o h a n A r y a l , S a r o j P a n tt h fi , M a n o j B h a tt a , T h a k u r P r a s a d M a g r a fi , A s h o k K um a r S h r e s tt h a , P u r a n B h a k tt a S h r e s tt h a & A j a y K a r k fi 2 6 D e c em b e r 2 0 1 6 | V o l . 8 | N o . 1 4 | P p . 9 6 3 8 -9 6 4 2 1 0 . 1 1 6 0 9 / j o tt . 2 2 0 5 . 8 . 1 4 . 9 6 3 8 -9 6 4 2 T h r e a tt e n e d T a x a A l l a r fi c l e s p u b l fi s h e d fi n tt h e J o u r n a l o f T h r e a tt e n e d T a x a a r e r e g fi s tt e r e d u n d e r C r e a fi v e C omm o n s A tt r fi b u fi o n 4 . 0 I n tt e r n afi o n a l L fi c e n s e u n l e s s o tt h e rw fi s e m e n fi o n e d . J o T T a l l ow s u n r e s tt r fi c tt e d u s e o f a r fi c l e s fi n a n y m e d fi um , r e p r o d u c fi o n a n d d fi s tt r fi b u fi o n b y p r o v fi d fi n g a d e q u a tt e c r e d fi tt tt o tt h e a u tt h o r s a n d tt h e s o u r c e o f p u b l fi c a fi o n .O P E N A C C E S S P a r tt n e r www . tt h r e a tt e n e d tt a x a . o r g I S S N 0 9 7 4 -7 9 0 7 ( O n l fi n e ) | I S S N 0 9 7 4 -7 8 9 3 ( P r fi n tt )T h e fi n tt e r n a fi o n a l j o u r n a l o f c o n s e r v a fi o n a n d tt a x o n om y J o u r n a l o f T h r e a tt e n e d T a x a P u b l fi s h e r / H o s tt Funding:No funding was available for this study. Conflict of Interest:The authors declare no competing interests. Acknowledgements: We thank Dr. Narendra Man Babu Pardhan of Bird Conservation of Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal, Dr. Naresh Subedi of National Trust for Nature Conservation, Lalitpur, Nepal and Mr. Mahendra Sapkota in terms of their support to carry out this study. We also thank Dr. Achyut Aryal (Sydney University, Australia) for his guidance in completing this study. OPEN ACCESSAbstract: The status and conservation of the Blue Bull Boselaphus tragocamelus is becoming one of the prominent discourses of wildlife research. The study was carried out along the Tinau River at Rupandehi District in western Nepal to ascertain the population status, distribution and potential threats to the Blue Bull. The study was conducted along six transect lines in the forest. A total of 40 Blue Bulls were recorded in different transects. The average group size was five. The average population density was 0.228 Blue Bulls per ha and the sex ratio was 1 male: 3 females. The potential threats of the Blue Bull along the Tinau River were habitat destruction, overgrazing, conflict, flooding and accident.

Habitat use and diurnal activity budget of blue bulls (Boselaphus tragocamelus) in the Lumbini Heritage Site, Nepal

“…These results indicate the preference of blue bulls to grassland over forest. Similar type of results with higher occurrence in grassland and forest patches was observed by Aryal et al (2016) and Bayani and Watve (2016).…”

“…In the Rupandehi District of central lowland Nepal, they are found in the riverine forests of the Tinau River, small patches of community forests, grasslands and agricultural fields (Aryal 2007). Destruction of habitat and lack of food has resulted in a noticeable reduction in the number of blue bulls in the Lumbini area of Rupandehi District as well as surrounding areas (Aryal et al 2016).…”

Evaluation of an Odour Deterrent to Blue Bull Boselaphus tragocamelus and Monkey Rhesus macaque From Agricultural Fields

“…MFF was also found equally effective to repel bulls and oxen. Since the MFF had strong fishy odour, it was disliked by herbivorous animals (Aryal et al, 2016;Meena et al, 2014). The effect of this biodeterrent was reported to be >5 weeks.…”

Distribution of Blue Bull (Boselaphus tragocamelus) and its Conservation Threats in Bardia National Park, Nepal

“…Blue bull is endemic to peninsular India, some parts of Pakistan, and Nepal and has been extinct from Bangladesh (Aryal et al, 2016). The species has been introduced in the United States (Texas), Mexico, South Africa, and Italy (Leslie, 2008).…”

“…Although blue bull is regarded as one of the important prey species of tiger due to its optimum size (Leslie, 2008), but studies have documented that both population and habitats of blue bull are threatened and the number is in decreasing trend in Nepal (Subedi, 2001;Aryal, 2007;Aryal et al, 2016). The major global threats are poaching, retaliatory killing in response to crop raiding, predation by tiger and habitat destruction (Jnawali et al, 2011), which are also the major threats documented in the protected areas of Nepal (Aryal, 2007;Aryal et al, 2016;Khanal et al, 2018). Besides, BNP and its surrounding areas are the potential habitats of blue bull with a large coverage of riverine forest, Shorea robusta forest and grassland.…”