User:Marcus334/Camera Trapping Large Mammals in the Palani Hills

Camera Trapping Threatened Species in the Palani Hills (section)

Note
"This is NOT a draft of a Wikipedia article, but rather a compilation of multiple reports from many sources and a sounding board to elicit additional reports and comments regarding camera trapping in the Palani Hills. I will appreciate response of those who have more historical information on elephants and tigers in the Hills and those who are interested in a future camera trapping project there. (marcus334@hotmail.com)"

(2,425 words) =Tigers and Elephants in the Palani Hills=

Preface
Because the tiger is a politically important animal in India, it is expedient to focus on tiger conservation in order to gain focus and support for public efforts for wildlife conservation in an area. This in turn will benefit all wildlife and importantly the natural habitat of that area. Considering that anthropogenic man-made change has been rapidly increasing in the Palani Hills and is continuing unchecked, it is important to provide a higher level of protected area status to ensure conservation of the wild habitat of the area.

There are historical records of tigers, elephants and gaur in the Palani Hills. There have been recent sightings of a tiger and her cubs. There has been a recent wildlife census indicating 102 elephants and recent reports of elephant dung and crop damage. There are increasingly many Gaur (bison) seen in and around Kodaikanal and the surrounding hills.

Based on the local discussion of multiple anecdotal reports of recent sighting of tigers and their pugmarks, elephants and their dung and Gaur in the Palani Hills, there seems to be considerable public interest in the subject. Mitigation of human-wildlife conflict is a concern.

Photographic documentation of tigers, elephants and gaur would support consideration of designation of parts of the Palani Hills as a elephant corridor parts of the Hills as a Tiger reserve, and some areas as additional buffer zone.

Project proposal
There is a proposal for camera trapping study of threatened animals in Tamil Nadu and Goa being planned by a researcher previously permitted by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department to work in theNational Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries of Tamil Nadu. Application for renewal of Tamil Nadu Forest Department Research Permit Ref. No. WL5/2127/2008 is pending.
 * The project goal is to obtain photographic documentation of resident threatened animals to illustrate Wikipedia articles about the area
 * This may support protected status of some species recovery areas as buffer zone, Wildlife sanctuary, elephant corridor or tiger reserve. The project will be adapted to local conditions with collaboration of local organizations.
 * There are currently no known photographs of elephants, panthers or tigers in the Palani Hills, though elephant dung is common, panther sightings have been reported and a tiger pugmark was recently at Silent Valley, near Devil's (Divine) kitchen, Mathikettan Shola.
 * Other threatened species whose photos will be sought in the area include Gaur and Nilgiri Tahr, whose restoration is supported by the the new Centrally Sponsored Scheme entitled Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (IDWH). Also being sought will be: sambar, barking deer, wild boar, rusty-spotted cat, nilgiri langur and lion-tailed macaque.
 * A camera system previously considered for this study is the TrailMaster 1550 Second Generation two-piece active infrared trail monitor attached to two weather-proof 35mm cameras with a TM Multi-Camera Trigger II using proven two-side camera trapping techniques enumerated in Surveying Snow Leopard Populations with emphasis on camera trapping: a Handbook
 * Three Scout Guard 565T-8M (shown) remote cameras were finally selected for this project due to their white Xenon flash, eight MP night time color photos, ease of use and affordability.

Palani Hills Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park
In 1988, the new 50 km2 Kodaikanal-Berijam Wildlife Sanctuary was included in the protected area proposals considered to be of national priority status by the Wildlife Institute of India. In the early 1990s, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department submitted a proposal to the State government to protect much of the Palani Hills by declaring the area a wildlife sanctuary or a national park, the Palani Hills Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park.

The proposed park area includes only reserve forest land. These forests are already among the protected areas of Tamil Nadu. Their upgrade to Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park will increase their IUCN status from level VI - Protected Area with Sustainable Use of Natural Resources to IV - Habitat/Species Management Area or II - National Park and improve the habitat and wildlife conservation of the area.

Since 1999, the sanctuary has been under consideration of the Government of India in consultation with the Government of Tamil Nadu. In 2007, proposals for declaration of Kodaikanal Wildlife Sanctuary were under consideration of the Government. The actual park boundaries have not been finalized. The primary policy objective of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department is to ensure environmental stability and maintenance of ecological balance, including atmospheric equilibrium, which is vital for sustenance of all human, animal and plant life forms. The derivation of direct economic benefit must be subordinated to this principal aim. However, recent annual policy plans of the the Tamil Nadu Forest Department have not included this sanctuary proposal. .

The increasingly important economic role of Eco-tourism, including: trekking, hiking, camping,mountaineering, rock climbing and bird watching may help local vested interests to embrace this new Protected area. It remains to be seen whether declaration of a Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park will stimulate or stifle commercial development and tourism. The decision to finally establish the Park must balance short term financial benefits of the status quo versus long term stability of the natural and human community in the Palani Hills.

Geography
The Palni Hills are an eastward spur of the Western Ghats with a maximum east-west length of65 km, and a north-south width of 40 km. Area is 2064 km2. These hills rise in steep escarpments to a high undulating plateau ranging from 1600 m to over 2000 m elevation.

The Palani Hills are part of the Project Elephant Elephant Range 9, extending over 5700 km2 located to the south of Palghat Gap . The western extremity of the Hills are contiguous with the Manjampatti Valley core area of the Indira Gandhi Tiger Reserve and with The Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala. The Kurinjimala Sanctuary in Kerala borders the southwestern corner of the Park. These Wildlife Sanctuaries are adjacent to the recently established Eravikulam National Park. The Periyar Tiger Reserve is nearby in Kerala to the southwest. Periyar is a major tiger reserve, just across the Kerala border whose cliffs link to Berijam.

The Hills include mostly reserve forest land, including Palni Hills Northern Slope East, Kallar, Palni Hills Southern Slope East, Upper Palni Shola, Allinagaram, and Palni Hills Northern Slope West Reserve Forests in the Dindigul and Kodaikanal Forest Divisions.

History
A tiger was killed near the top of Mount Perumal in 1934, but now you will only see butterflies and birds there. In colonial times Army officers and Englishmen considered it valorous to hunt tigers, and as late as the late 1960's the Raja of Puthukkottai would go out from his house in Kodaikanal to hunt tigers. In the late 1960's tiger "spore" was seen on the Golf Club "browns" and the Maharaja brought a tiger back to Kodaikanal from a hunt. At the Kodaikanal Golf Club the 6th hole is named Tiger Hole because tigers used to be sighted near it. Tigers were in the Palanis up to the early 70's with the last sightings being around the golf course.
 * Tigers:

"Elephants have always been in the Pettuparrai area, but they disappeared (as did the tigers) from the Berijam area by the 70's and are only now returning...." In 2011, Ian Lockwood noted that "The road from Berijam Lake to Marion Shola is badly pot-holed and virtually abandoned... Elephants seem to like using it and I was astonished to see more than 20-30 piles of their droppings on the way (in days past elephants were extremely rare in the upper Palanis)."
 * Elephants:

Recent reports
Bala Krishnan photographed a tiger's pugmark Near Berijam which was about 6" inches wide and 8-9" inches long. Photo of tiger pugmark Much dense forest is prime tiger territory. Munnar (Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary and Eravikulam National Park) and  Indira Gandhi Tiger Reserve have tigers, so it is likely they moved in from there." Nirmal Isaac also heard from the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) that tiger cubs were sighted near Berijam.
 * November, 2011,

a Kodaikanal resident said: "Last year (2010) the DFO told me that tiger prints had been seen in the Berijam reserve area, which is huge, from Moir's point to Kerala border...but if seen, then it probably had been close to Berijam as that's where most of the Forest Department movement is. He asked us to look for sign as we hiked. Two weeks ago the current DFO didn't give us hiking permission toPeak though he had the previous week, and one of the two reasons was that a tiger had been sighted. "Tigers have only been reported in the last 3 years in the Marion Shola area. Sightings would be unlikely and rare, footprints are the most definite evidence." "I saw footprints and droppings, and a HUGE cat paw print in a bison pile, about 5 inches from toe to heel... Was it a big leopard? or the tiger that's been sighted in Berijam area? this was near Marion Shola cliff. I measured the paw against my hand, from my palm to the first knuckle on my index finger. Drew it when I got back...seems big for a leopard...
 * In 2011,

Tigers were sighted in Kodaikanal forests during a six-day Carnivore Signs Survey. A tigress and her cub were spotted playing in the wild. Tamil Nadu Forest Department officials are studying survey data to estimate the local tiger population based on indirect evidence like pug marks, scats and scratches.
 * February 2010,

In the Annamalai Tiger Reserve and Parambikulam Tiger Reserves, adjacent to the Palani Hills,  34 tigers were counted in the tiger census. In the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve and the adjoining Periyar Tiger Reserve, just south of the Palani Hills, 38 tigers were counted. The total tiger population in Tamil Nadu, declared as 76 during the 2006 census, was found to be 163 during the 2010 census. Of this total, 30 per cent of the tiger population was found outside the Tiger Reserves. It may be a good possibility that some tigers from the nearby tiger reserves have moved into the Palani Hills and/or use these hills as a wildlife corridor.
 * 2010:

the District Forest Officer and Pippa Mukherjee discussed about a tiger with cubs. Very likely the footprint we saw is from one of those cubs."
 * In 2009:

Sundara Manikkam photographed a clear fresh tiger pugmark at Berijam. (Photo)
 * In 2004,

Regarding prey animals for tigers, "There are lots of Gaur (bison) for tigers to hunt. There are some sambar, but barking deer and wild boar are common. Marion Shola also has tahr. Leopards tend to be in the valleys and closer to the sholas, not in the high lands so much, but they can come in and out. Two were in Bombay shola last year. They killed some bison calves from the herd that moves in and out of Central Hill Compound." In 2010, an elephant census conducted in the Dindigul and Kodaikanal Forest Divisions, comprising the Palani Hills, estimated a total population of 102 elephants. "Elephants are in Petthuparrai area as all the farmers complained about their crops has been damaged." Barbara Gail Block has noted: "Elephants have been seen repeatedly around Berijam for more than 10 years and the droppings are increasingly common from Moir's Point to Poondi to Ibex Cliffs." " Last year (2010) a very young tusker (I presume) was poached in the Palani valley...we saw some of the bones this year, and it couldn't have been very old." "The elephants have definitely resumed coming in from Kerala, moving through the grass hills around Vandervu, and then back to Kerala for a number of years now. One herd is permanently in the Berijam area year round. Elephant droppings were seen from Poondi to Ibex cliffs this year. Wild dogs have been in Berijam area since the early 90's."
 * Prey animals:
 * Elephants:

NCTA 2012 tiger census
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) will conduct an annual tiger census from 2012 in all 39 tiger reserves of India. The NTCA will provide all necessary equipment including sophisticated cameras, experts from the Wildlife Institute of India will provide technical training to the field staff. The earlier practice of using pug marks to arrive at the number of tigers has been discontinued in favour of camera traps. Each camera is placed in a salient position for a period of 35 to 60 days to trap the images of tigers. The data is then collected and analyzed. In order to ensure quick implementation, the NTCA plans to transfer `35 lakhs to the tiger foundation in each reserve to be used to track down the animals. I wonder if this census will include buffer areas of Annamalai Tiger Reserve, especially western areas of Palani Hills?

Photographic documentation
Though study of pugmarks and feces may be a good inexpensive way to estimate overall tiger population in an area, use of camera traps accurately identifies individual animals. This allows researchers to discriminate between transient animals already identified in adjacent areas and resident animals in the range under study.

Camera traps have revolutionized wildlife research and conservation, enabling collection of photographic evidence of rarely seen and often globally endangered species, with little expense, relative ease, and minimal disturbance to wildlife. Camera traps can document wildlife presence, abundance, and population changes, particularly in the face of deforestation and habitat destruction. Camera traps enable collection of baseline population data on elusive mammals and birds where only estimates — and often just guesses — were possible before.

Camera traps are increasingly being used worldwide to raise conservation awareness, with Non-governmental organizations (NGO)s embracing the tool as a powerful way of reaching out to the public through electronic media. Wildlife conservation groups such as Panthera, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) have found camera trap videos and photos to be an important part of campaigns to save threatened or endangered species.

There has been an exhaustive 3 year study of prey selection and food habits of large carnivores by Saurashtra University, Department of Wildlife Science using camera trapping methods in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. The World Wide Fund for Nature spotted 51 Tigers in the Sathyamangalam - Moyar - Sigur belt using camera traps. Some methods of these studies may be emulated for use in the Palani Hills. The Kenneth Anderson Nature Society (KANS) has used three camera traps in the Melagiri_hills of the Hosur Forest Devision to photograph elephant, sloth bear, wild boar, leopard, small Indian civet, palm civet, sambar deer, spotted deer, jungle cat,porcupine and some birds. Spillover of tigers into this area from the Biligiriranga Hills Wildlife Sanctuary has been reported. KANS is seeking to expand this camera trapping effort in order to to gather evidence for the need of increased conservation protection by the concerned authorities.

The 2010 All India Tiger Estimation extensively used camera trapping assisted census methods, however this effort was limited to established tiger reserves. Other census methods indicated that the area occupied by tigers outside protected areas has gone down considerably and highlighted the need for securing corridors for tigers to move between source sites.

Conservation
Several organizations and individuals have been actively seeking to increase protection of wildlife in the Palani Hills.
 * Ian Lockwood summarizes in On the Southern Rim of the Palanis (Part I): "To date, much of the Palani Hills is under “reserve forest” which affords the range with basic protection but not the kind of glamour, finances and support from state agencies and non-governmental organizations that nearby wildlife sanctuaries, national parks and project tiger reserves get. Complicating factors like the booming tourist industry in Kodaikanal, the presence of large-scale non-native plantations and significant anthropocentric impacts in some areas have made notification difficult. Efforts to get the Palanis notified continue at the state and national level and have been a subject of online documentation.  Some of these points were highlighted in my 2003 Frontline article On the danger list. Now, nearly 10 years later, I am interested in exploring issues that would contribute to better conservation of this area’s landscapes and biodiversity."
 * Kodaikanal International School supports and leads environmental initiatives in the surrounding area. It offers an International Baccalaureate Program course on Environmental Systems. The KIS Social Experience  'Green Team' , led by Bryan Plymale focuses on environmental issues and is involved in tree planting, developing nurseries for seedlings from the indigenous "shola" forests, recycling and waste management.
 * The Palani Hills Conservation Council (PHCC), Mrs. Pippa Mukherjee - Joint Secretary, was formed by concerned residents in 1985. Preserving the fauna and flora of the hills is the main agenda of the council. One of its first goals was to support and push for the creation of a national park or a wildlife sanctuary in the Palni Hills. The PHCC made a clear connection between natural forests and water security and coined the phrase: "The health of the hills is the wealth of the plains." The PHCC generated a National Park proposal used by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. Thanks to its efforts, young shola trees thrive at Kodai institutions and in private gardens. The organisation sought to restrict unsustainable building development in the 1990s. The PHCC has been active in the case against mercury contamination of the once beautiful Pambar Shola.,
 * The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund has supported several ongoing wildlife conservation projects in the Annaimalai Hills, Including:
 * Revitalizing the Indigenous Farming System to Enhance the Ecological and Livelihood Security in Anamalai Corridor of Western Ghats, southern India,Revitalize the capacity of tribal farmers for traditional farming, maintaining on-farm crop diversity and practicing sustainable harvesting of non-timber forest products harvest, and thereby improve the quality of critical habitats for biodiversity within the Palni Hills in the Anamalai Corridor. $16,338., 09/09 - 07/12, ACT India Foundation
 * Community Based Conservation and Monitoring of Great Hornbills (Buceros bicornis) and Malabar Pied Hornbills (Anthracoceros coronatus) and their Habitats of the Anamalai Part of Southern Western Ghats, India through Empowering The Endemic ‘Kadar’ Tribe, A long-term conservation strategy for hornbills and their habitat with the support of the Kadar tribe by assessing availability of hornbill nesting trees, nest characteristics, habitat details and threat factors. Activities include strengthening of ongoing participatory conservation activity in the Vazhachal forest division with the support of the Forest Department, the Kadar tribe and its community groups. Amitha Bachan, $9,959, 09/09 - 10/10
 * Grassland and Shola Research and Restoration of the Palni Hills, Evaluate the status of and restore three high altitude patches of forest land in the Palni Hills presently occupied by invasive monocultures of eucalyptus and wattle to create habitat for native biodiversity, especially Nilgiri tahr, while demonstrating to hill communities that restoration can provide vital resources and income. Research and identify suitable pioneer native species that can replace invasive wattle. $19,465., 09/09 - 01/11 Palani Hills Conservation Council
 * Establishing Community Conservation Reserves in the Anamalai Corridor proposes to set up Community and Conservation Reserves in the Anamalai Corridor (Theni and Palani Hills) to integrate local communities into biodiversity conservation. The management at existing reserves will be assessed, reserve management plans will be prepared for nominated reserves through the participation of multiple key stakeholders, and a suitable reserve management committee will be identified. $17,500, 01/12 - 12/12, WILDLIFE INFORMATION LIAISON DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY
 * Identification of Critical Crossing Points of Animals Along the Road in and Around Anamalai Tiger Reserve and to Suggest Relevant Mitigation Measures to Minimize Road Mortality. Identify and implement mitigation measures to reduce the road mortality of endangered fauna in Anamalai Tiger Reserve, resulting from increasing tourism development, and contribute to knowledge of the effects of traffic and road construction on forest animal movements. $17,532, 04/11 - 03/12, Nature Conservation Foundation
 * Vivek Menon, Founder and Executive Director of the Wildlife Trust of India, is the South Asia Regional Director for the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) protects dwindling tiger populations and habitats. As a founding member of the Global Tiger Forum, IFAW urges governments to protect wild tiger populations wherever they remain. IFAW  supports tiger habitat recovery in India, trains Indian wildlife rangers and customs officials. IFAW offices gathered video messages from young people around the world about protecting the last wild tigers.


 * Vattakanal Conservation Trust, an NGO based in Kodaikanal. has worked for over 25 years to promote the conservation of the native plants of the South Western Ghats and the Nilgiris and their habitats by raising plant nurseries, establishing conservation gardens and restoring habitats to ensure the survival of specific species and eco-systems. Co-founder Tanya Balcar wrote in July 2011: "WWF and the TFD did a Nilgiri Tahr census here in June. It appears there are always funds for these kinds of activities but never for focused scientifically informed ecological restoration. At the most we (VCT) are advocating for the restoration/conservation of an area not exceeding 10 sq. km. (5x2) along the crest of the hills. If the Nilgiri Tahr is worth counting, surely saving this last fragment of its “critical grassland habitat” is also worth it. Can we get together to make it a reality?"


 * The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Joseph Vattakaven - Senior Coordinator -Tiger Conservation, uses camera trap videos and photos as an important part of campaigns to save tigers in 12 places in Asia, half of them in India, Including the Western Ghats,  Boominathan, Senior Project Officer, Western Ghats Landscape. . A recent major (WWF) 'conservation project in The Nilgiri Hills spotted 51 Tigers in the Sathyamangalam - Moyar - Sigur belt using camera traps. Also the WWF together with the TFD did a Nilgiri Tahr census in the Palani Hills in June, 2011.

External sources

 * Conservation Through Cameras WWF video, 5:09
 * Tiger Pee & Poo - Smelling & Tracking a Wild Tiger Spotting locations for a tiger camera trap. Expert Tiger tracker Mandanna Dilan at Biligiriranga Hills Wildlife Sanctuary shows Paul Williams the signs to look out for. Directed by Kalyan Varma, filmed by David Heath.
 * Video 6:31 Tigers hunt Largest Wild Cattle Gaurs !
 * Camera Traps in Animal Ecology: Methods and Analyses By Allan F. O'Connell, James D. Nichols, K. Ullas Karanth Chapter 3, pages 27 - 44 - Evaluating Types and Features of Camera Traps in Ecological Studies: A guide for Researchers