Assessment of the status of ungulate in India

In a pioneering move, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) have released a detailed national assessment of ungulates—hoofed mammals such as deer, pigs, antelopes, and bison—across India. The report utilizes data from the 2022 All-India Tiger Estimation exercise to map distribution and population densities of these key species.

Why It Matters:

• Ungulates are the primary prey base for India’s 3,600+ tigers, which represent 70% of the world’s tiger population.
• Their populations directly influence tiger survival, and their feeding habits contribute to forest health and soil regeneration.

Key Findings:

Species Doing Well:

• Chital (Spotted Deer):
  • Most abundant ungulate in Indian forests.
  • Thrives in diverse habitats including forest edges and agricultural zones.
  • Major prey species for tigers.
• Sambar Deer:
  • Population is stable, especially in Central India and the Western Ghats.
• Wild Pig:
  • Highly adaptable, found in good numbers across India.
• Nilgai (Blue Bull):
  • India’s largest antelope.
  • Flourishing due to adaptability, even in farmlands.
• Gaur (Indian Bison):
  • Prefers dense forests and rugged terrain.
  • Abundant in the Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, Central India, and northeastern Himalayan foothills.

Species in Decline:

• Hog Deer:
  • Requires grasslands, swamps, and floodplains.
  • Suffering major population declines due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
  • Now restricted to isolated patches in the Terai grasslands and floodplains of the Ganga and Brahmaputra.

Conservation Challenges:

• Habitat loss
• Deforestation
• Wetland degradation
• Fragmentation of grassland ecosystems

(Source: IE)