Abstract 278 – Structural connectivity of Sloth bears in Western Maharashtra India

Neelu Soni, Kaushal Patel, Aniruddha Dhamorikar, Prachi Thatte Prashant Thakare

Landscape level connectivity is only possible by conserving corridors. For a species like Sloth
bear whose distribution has become very patchy and fragmented, such measures will be very
effective. Hence, identification of area used by Sloth bears and challenges faced by them is
very important. Here we present an important corridor profile used by sloth bear between
Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR) and Yawal Wildlife Sanctuary (YWS). Sign survey for sloth bear
was conducted and 200 scat samples of Sloth bears were collected from MTR to YWS including
the non-protected area forming part of this corridor indicating the use of the corridor by Sloth
bears. An easily accessible and dynamic corridor profile with all the information of the corridor
was then made with Coalition for Wildlife Corridors CWC) a network of individuals and
organizations working on corridors across India. A crude delineation of the corridor boundary
using a circuit-theory based modelling approach was done which is around 11241 km2. All the
information available in news articles, literature, and forest department management and
working plans were then collected and reviewed. The information was then arranged in a
designed format for a corridor profile having sections like corridor significance, corridor
characteristics (Physical and Biological), stakeholders and management. We also identified
linear infrastructure as one of the major challenges in the corridor. The corridor is a mosaic
landscape of ~69.23% of agricultural land and ~29.27% forest with some interspersed villages
with nearly 269 persons/km2. Using GIS, the GPS coordinates of scats were used to map their
location to understand the area utilized by them and we identified 4 critical areas as a priority
region in the corridor. This profile highlights the need to declare it as a wildlife corridor and will
provide in depth knowledge to the stakeholders and will also be helpful for planned
development and policy interventions for Sloth bear conservation.