Urban Ecology
“Everyday co-existence” particularly in the urban has not been actively engaged with by ecologists in India leaving it as a large research and practitioner gap. Understanding species distributions and ecology to build stronger cases of everyday coexistence, urban ecological resilience is the goal of my engagement with this topic. As a part of this work, I proactively engage with various Stakeholders in the City of Chennai in an interdisciplinary manner.
My work was based in the city of Chennai, Southern India. I investigated the history of wildlife, compared it to how it was in the past and in so doing, established a baseline for biodiversity in Chennai.
Part of this work was carried out when I worked as a consultant to the Project “Rethinking Urban Nature” led by Professor Matthew Gandy, the University of Cambridge in 2016. The project website can be accessed here.
Since 2015, i have also been undertaking practice in urban ecology at various levels. A select list and work descriptions may be seen at the tab - Consultation/ practice.
“Everyday co-existence” particularly in the urban has not been actively engaged with by ecologists in India leaving it as a large research and practitioner gap. Understanding species distributions and ecology to build stronger cases of everyday coexistence, urban ecological resilience is the goal of my engagement with this topic. As a part of this work, I proactively engage with various Stakeholders in the City of Chennai in an interdisciplinary manner.
My work was based in the city of Chennai, Southern India. I investigated the history of wildlife, compared it to how it was in the past and in so doing, established a baseline for biodiversity in Chennai.
Part of this work was carried out when I worked as a consultant to the Project “Rethinking Urban Nature” led by Professor Matthew Gandy, the University of Cambridge in 2016. The project website can be accessed here.
Since 2015, i have also been undertaking practice in urban ecology at various levels. A select list and work descriptions may be seen at the tab - Consultation/ practice.
Endangered Nilgiri Tahr and its conservation.
Nilgiri Tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius) is an endangered mountain goat which is endemic to the southern Western Ghats (A Global Biodiversity Hotspot). In the past, several thousand individuals were present on grassy mountain slopes of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka (what we know) and even Maharashtra (Perhaps?). However, today only an estimated 2000-3000 (IUCN) is found only in parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Several mysteries continue and wait to be unravelled about this species. Given their dwindling numbers, constant monitoring of the tahr has become imperative in order to understand the status of the species. This is even more important for isolated, smaller populations as even the “large and stable” populations of this endangered species are highly vulnerable.
Comprehensive or focussed studies on such small or isolated or fragmented populations were non-existent as most of the previous work had relied on secondary information from Shikaris. This led me to study the isolated populations of Nilgiri Tahr south of Shencottah pass in the Agasthiamalai Biosphere Reserve. The study led to the discovery of a few populations and rediscovery of others that were believed to be extinct.
This work was a part of my Master’s Thesis which was carried under the supervision of Professor. Priya Davidar at the Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Pondicherry University.
You can find an abstract of what I had presented at the Students Conference on Conservation Science here.
A paper was published later based on additional work. It can be accessed here.
Nilgiri Tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius) is an endangered mountain goat which is endemic to the southern Western Ghats (A Global Biodiversity Hotspot). In the past, several thousand individuals were present on grassy mountain slopes of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka (what we know) and even Maharashtra (Perhaps?). However, today only an estimated 2000-3000 (IUCN) is found only in parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Several mysteries continue and wait to be unravelled about this species. Given their dwindling numbers, constant monitoring of the tahr has become imperative in order to understand the status of the species. This is even more important for isolated, smaller populations as even the “large and stable” populations of this endangered species are highly vulnerable.
Comprehensive or focussed studies on such small or isolated or fragmented populations were non-existent as most of the previous work had relied on secondary information from Shikaris. This led me to study the isolated populations of Nilgiri Tahr south of Shencottah pass in the Agasthiamalai Biosphere Reserve. The study led to the discovery of a few populations and rediscovery of others that were believed to be extinct.
This work was a part of my Master’s Thesis which was carried under the supervision of Professor. Priya Davidar at the Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Pondicherry University.
You can find an abstract of what I had presented at the Students Conference on Conservation Science here.
A paper was published later based on additional work. It can be accessed here.
Population genetics and structure of Nilgiri Tahr.
As a follow-up of my MSc dissertation on Nilgiri Tahr, I have been working in collaboration with Professor Priya Davidar of Pondicherry University and Dr.Anuradha Reddy of the Centre for Molecular Biology, Hyderabad. Our study involves using molecular techniques to understand population genetics and population structure of Nilgiri Tahr populations across their entire range in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Our findings presented at the 6th World Congress on Mountain Ungulates Cyprus 2017 can be seen here.
A new paper on this will be out later this year.
As a follow-up of my MSc dissertation on Nilgiri Tahr, I have been working in collaboration with Professor Priya Davidar of Pondicherry University and Dr.Anuradha Reddy of the Centre for Molecular Biology, Hyderabad. Our study involves using molecular techniques to understand population genetics and population structure of Nilgiri Tahr populations across their entire range in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Our findings presented at the 6th World Congress on Mountain Ungulates Cyprus 2017 can be seen here.
A new paper on this will be out later this year.
Maintaining connectivity for Elephants in Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve holds the single largest population of Asiatic Elephants (Elephas maximus)extending from Rajiv Gandhi National Park in the North West, Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in the North-East and Silent Valley in the south spreading across the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala spanning over 5,500 km².
This whole region supports a population of over two million people and also the largest population of Asiatic Elephants (5000-8000). In such a landscape the pressure is high on both wildlife and people. Human-elephant conflicts arise because of stiff competition for space or resources. This highlights the need to quantify habitat quality i.e. the habitat size, quality- primary productivity (food) and water and connectivity to better access resources.
My responsibilities during this project were to assess habitat quality and connectivity using satellite images and Geographic Information System tools. This study helped provide perspectives into ‘conflict’ resolution of this large and vulnerable population in a socio-ecologically sensitive landscape where frequent human-elephant interactions take place.
This was presented at the Landscape Ecology Conference, Pondicherry University.
This project was led by Dr Priya Davidar of the Department of Ecology and Environmental Science. Pondicherry University. This project was funded by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
More info on this project may be seen on the webpage of Sigur Nature Trust.
Maintaining connectivity for Elephants in Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve holds the single largest population of Asiatic Elephants (Elephas maximus)extending from Rajiv Gandhi National Park in the North West, Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in the North-East and Silent Valley in the south spreading across the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala spanning over 5,500 km².
This whole region supports a population of over two million people and also the largest population of Asiatic Elephants (5000-8000). In such a landscape the pressure is high on both wildlife and people. Human-elephant conflicts arise because of stiff competition for space or resources. This highlights the need to quantify habitat quality i.e. the habitat size, quality- primary productivity (food) and water and connectivity to better access resources.
My responsibilities during this project were to assess habitat quality and connectivity using satellite images and Geographic Information System tools. This study helped provide perspectives into ‘conflict’ resolution of this large and vulnerable population in a socio-ecologically sensitive landscape where frequent human-elephant interactions take place.
This was presented at the Landscape Ecology Conference, Pondicherry University.
This project was led by Dr Priya Davidar of the Department of Ecology and Environmental Science. Pondicherry University. This project was funded by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
More info on this project may be seen on the webpage of Sigur Nature Trust.