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Vikas Kumar

  • Biodiversity Journal, 7 (3): 331-336

    Himanshu Mishra, Vikas Kumar & Ashish Kumar
    Diversity and population status of waders (Aves) of  Bakhira Tal, a natural wetland in District Sant Kabir Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India

    ABSTRACT
    Present study was conducted from April 2015 to March 2016 to assess diversity of waders (Aves) and its population status in Bakhira Tal. The study area was Bakhira Tal, located in District Sant Kabir Nagar U.P., India. Counting of waders was carried out during early morning from 6 am to 9 am with the help of binoculars and SLR cameras. Point count method was applied to count total number of individuals of each species of waders. Identification of birds was done with the help of key reference books. A total of 28 species of waders were recorded and identified. Bronze winged Jacana (178) outnumbered rest of the species and minimum number was shown by Wood Snipe (6). Maximum species diversity was recorded in winter season (H=3.13 and D=0.048) followed by minimum in summer (H=2.72 and D=0.073). The data collected were analysed using one way ANOVA. All the calculations were done with the help of Graph Pad Prism5. Result of analysed data was found to be significant (p<0.05) in case of winters. Seasonal mean values were compared by applying Tukey´s test. The outcome of this test clearly indicates similarity in diversity of waders between rain and winter.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 5 (4): 533–544

    Vikas Kumar, Amit A. Revale, Sachin K. Singh, Maulik Amlani & Abduladil A. Kazi
    Sloth bear, Melursus ursinus Shaw, 1791 (Mammalia Ursidae), from India: conservation issues and management actions, a case study

    ABSTRACT
    One of the 12 mega biodiversity centres of the world, India is unique in having four of the eight bear species (Mammalia Ursidae) that are found in the world. They are brown bear (Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758 s.l.), Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus Cuvier, 1823), sun bear (Helarctos malayanus Raffles, 1821) and sloth bear (Melursus ursinus Shaw, 1791). The abundance of sloth bear in India, which is also present in Sry Lanka with the endemic subspecies Sri Lankan sloth bear, M. ursinus inornatus Pucheran, 1855, is determined by its location within the global distribution range, quantum, quality and continuity of habitat available and the anthropogenic pressures the species faces. Bears in India are threatened due to poaching for bear parts, retaliatory killings to reduce conflicts and habitat loss due to degradation and fragmentation. In addition to these concerns, the rehabilitation of communities that eke out a living on dancing bears has made bear conservation a challenge in India. Deforestation and hunting are major threats to bears in India. Unless urgent conservation measures are taken and degraded forest areas are restored, we suspect that sloth bear may soon become endangered in India.