Herbivore density and biomass in a semi-arid tropical dry deciduous forest of western India

Abstract

Prey depletion is a major (but often neglected) factor driving the current decline of tigers ( Panthera tigris L.) (Karanth & Stith 1999). Thus conservation planning for the tiger in a fragmented, human-dominated landscape requires reliable information on prey densities from various parts of its range. We report numerical and biomass density of six herbivores from the tropical dry-deciduous forests of Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve (RTR, 26°N and 76°E), Rajasthan, India, where these are important prey for tigers (Bagchi et al . 2003).