ci-paf project technical report

7/31/2019 CI-PAF Project Technical Report

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Population survey of the

Bengal Slow LorisNycticebus bengalensis in

Meghalaya, northeastern India

Sindhu Radhakrishna,1 Anirban Datta-Roy2, Swapna N3 and Anindya Sinha1,4

1 National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, India2 Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment3 242, 18th C main, 6th block, Koramangala, Bangalore4Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysore, India

Correspondence: Sindhu Radhakrishna,

National Institute of Advanced Studies,

Indian Institute of Science Campus,

Bangalore 560 012, India,

Tel: +91-80-22185115,

Fax: +91-80-22185028,

Email: [email protected]

Ecology, Behaviour and

Conservation Group

National Institute of Advanced

Studies

Bangalore 560 012, India.

Submitted to:

Primate Action Fund

Conservation International

Foundation, USA

Technical Report 4-09

National Institute of

Advanced Studies


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Population survey of Bengal Slow Loris in Meghalaya, northeastern India 2

Abstract

The Bengal slow loris Nycticebus bengalensis is a nocturnal prosimian primate that inhabits

the forests of northeastern India. As with many nocturnal prosimian species, little is knownabout its behaviour or ecology; even less information is available on its distribution and

population status in northeastern India. The primary aim of this project was to survey forest

patches in Meghalaya, a state in northeastern India, in order to assess distribution patterns of

the species in the state. A secondary aim was to estimate the severity of survival threats that

may affect the long-term survival of the slow loris in Meghalaya. We conducted surveys in

sixteen sites in six districts of Meghalaya. Slow lorises were sighted in only two sites;

however, information obtained through secondary sources indicated that the animal waspresent in some of the forest patches across the state. Many of the surveyed locations were

severely affected by logging, poaching and forest fires; it is imperative that conservation

measures, aimed at strictly protecting existing forest patches, be urgently implemented in

order to ensure the long-term survival of the slow loris and other mammals in the state.


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List of Tables

& Figures

Figures

Figure 1: Map of Meghalaya and its position

within India | 8

Figure 2: Forest cover and state

administered forest lands in

Meghalaya | 10

Figure 3: Slow Loris distribution in

Meghalaya | 16

Tables

Table 1: Relative abundance of Slow Loris

and Flying Squirrels | 14

Table 2: Secondary information on presenceof Slow Loris | 15

Table 3: Threat levels and severity of fires in

survey locations | 18


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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by funds received from Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation

Conservation International and we thank Dr Anthony Rylands and Ms Ella Outlaw for theirsupport and aid during this project. We also thank the forest department of Meghalaya,

particularly the Chief Conservator of Forests (RT & WL), for research permits to conduct this

study. Very little of this work would have been possible without the help and guidance of

innumerable friends and acquaintances in the field our sincere gratitude to all those who

generously came forward to help us out in all the ways they could. As ever, we owe our family

members much, for their remarkable patience and unstinting support of our journeys to find

the beast!


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Project Objectives

Introduction

The Bengal slow loris (Nycticebus bengalensis) is one of the two nocturnal primates species

found in India - even among the relatively less-studied nocturnal prosimians, it remains the

least known of them (Nekaris and Bearder 2006). A telling illustration of this is that until

2007, the IUCN Red List had listed the species as data deficient, pointing out the lack of

adequate informationbased on its distribution and/or population status. The IUCN Red

List (2009) now classifies the species as Vulnerable and notes that the species is predicted to

decline by more than 30% in the next three generations over its entire range due to

continuing hunting pressures and loss of habitat.

In India, until a few years ago, distributional and behavioral information on the status of the

slow loris was, for the most part, unknown. Preliminary population surveys had reported the

presence of the species in the northeastern states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram,

Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur and Tripura in India (Choudhury 1992, 1996; Srivastava 1999).

Such studies also indicated that the existence of the species was seriously threatened by

hunting and deforestation, and that it had become locally extinct in some forest areas in the

region (Srivastava 1999, Choudhury 2001). However, the lack of specific and detailed

information on population densities and habitat variables of the species in these areas

impedes the development of any conservation strategies to protect the Bengal slow loris.

This project is part of a long-term study begun in 2004 aimed towards documenting

distributional and ecological information about the Bengal slow loris in northeastern India. Its

objectives are to map the distribution of the species in India, estimate abundances in different

habitats, assess conservation threats to the long-term survival of the species and collect

ecological and behavioral data through long-term studies on wild populations of the species.

Surveys have been conducted in the states of Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura in northeastern

India; slow lorises were sighted in less than 20% of the surveyed sites (Radhakrishna et al

2006, Swapna et al 2008) Death caused by speeding vehicles, disturbance caused by tree


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felling, trapping and hunting were identified as crucial survival threats to the species

(Radhakrishna et al 2006). A recent study on the feeding ecology of the species in Tripura,

northeastern India indicates that Bengal slow lorises feed largely on tree exudates, thereby

making them more vulnerable to habitat losses (Swapna et al, in press). These resultsunderline the need for more intensive surveys in the other states of northeastern India in

order to understand local conservation threats to the species and assess distributional limits

of the species in India.

Aims

The primary aim of this study was to conduct a rapid preliminary assessment of the

distribution and relative abundance ofNycticebus bengalensis in the forest areas of Meghalaya

state in northeastern India. An important secondary objective of the study was to assess the

nature and extent of potential threats that may affect the long survival of slow loris

populations in the state.


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Figure 1 Map of Meghalaya and its position within India

Methodology

Areas Surveyed

Initially, we had planned to conduct the survey for slow lorises in the forested areas of

Meghalaya and Mizoram, two states in northeastern India. However prolonged drought

conditions and vast stretches of dried bamboo culms following gregarious flowering of the

plant species caused serious wildfire outbreaks in many parts of Mizoram. Due to this, entry

was restricted into protected forest areas and it was not possible to obtain research permits

for a field survey in Mizoram. Hence the study was only conducted in the state of Meghalaya


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Meghalaya (2458N to 2603N and 8951E to 9249E) is a small state in the southern part

of northeastern India, bounded by the state of Assam on the north and east and Bangladesh

on the south (Figure 1). The terrain is largely hilly and nearly 70% of the geographical area of

the state is under forest cover (http://megforest.gov.in.). Temperatures range from about38C in June to about 2C in January the western part of the state is warmer, while the

central uplands remain cool throughout the year (FSI 2005). The average rainfall in the state

varies from 4000mm to 11, 436mm rain tends to begin towards the end of May and

continues until early October. The southern slopes of the Khasi hills receive the highest

rainfall in Meghalaya (http://megipr.gov.in)

The major forest types found in the state have been identified as Tropical Wet Evergreen,

Tropical Moist Deciduous, Tropical Semi Evergreen Forest, and Assam Sub Tropical Pine

Forests (FSI 2005). Districtwise, West Khasi Hills and West Garo Hills have the largest forest

cover, amounting to almost 4,029 and 2,974 sq km respectively (FSI 2005). More than 90% of

the total forest area of the State is either private or clan /community owned and falls under

the control and management of the Autonomous District Councils (http://megforest.gov.in).

Notified forest land that is administered by the State Forest Department comprises two

National Parks, three Wildlife Sanctuaries and more than 24 Reserved Forest patches

scattered across six districts in the state (Figure 2).

.


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PopulationsurveyofBengalSlowLorisinMeghalaya,northeasternIndia

10

Figure2

ForestC

overandStateAdministeredForestLandsinMeghala

ya


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Field Methods

Information on the presence of Bengal slow loris (Nycticebus bengalensis) was collected

through field surveys and secondary sources of information. Field surveys also provided

information on disturbance levels and habitat types of the survey locations. Secondary

information on the presence of slow loris was sourced from forest department personnel and

local experts.

Field Surveys

Presence of slow loris and other nocturnal mammals were detected in the field during night

transects. Transects were conducted along established human and animal trails, roads,

streams, and rivers. In the case of metalled roads passing through the forest, slow moving

four wheeler vehicles were used to survey the roads. This was usually applied in areas with

high number of rogue elephant incidents. On one occasion a boat was used to survey forests

along the river as it provided the best access in that terrain.

Line transects were not feasible in most of the survey sites due to limited time, lack of

existing transects and steep terrain. Hence we employed an encounter rate survey, using

recce sampling (Walsh and White, 1999) and based on direct sightings of the animals. This

was done to maximise coverage of forest areas and to eliminate methodological constraints

of the traditional line transect method used for distance sampling (Burnham et al 1980.). Slow

loris encounter rates were calculated based on the total number of sightings and the distance

surveyed. This was used as an index of Relative Abundance of the species.

Nocturnal surveys were conducted between 1900 to 2300 hrs. Two to four observers walked

slowly and silently, flashing torches and headlamps to detect the characteristic orange eye-

shine emitted by Nycticebus. Whenever an eye-shine was detected, a high powered spotting

light was used in conjunction with binoculars to confirm the identity of the species. We

recorded details of all animal sightings such as identity of species, numbers and age-sex

composition. Calls and sounds were also used to detect animals in the field.

We traversed nightly survey routes during the day to record information on habitat and


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disturbance parameters. We evaluated disturbance levels in surveyed sites, with particular

reference to certain factors that may prove to be significant threats to the long-term survival

of the slow loris. These factors were hunting pressure, habitat destruction through logging or

conversion to agricultural land, habitat disturbance through people/cattle movement,collection of firewood/NTFP products and occurrence of forest fires. In addition, we also

collected information on more direct survival threats to the slow loris such as electrocution,

road kills, and instances of capture as pets. During these walks, information on diurnal

mammals and birds through opportunistic sightings/calls were also recorded.

Secondary Information

Secondary information on the presence ofNycticebus bengalensis was sourced from State

Forest Department records wherever maintained. This consisted of details of seizures or

rescues of captured animals. When available, this provided us with the locality of origin of the

animal as well as the number of animals, age and sex.

Additional information on Loris presence was obtained through informal, semi-structured

interviews with local experts, hunters and knowledgeable elders living in the vicinity of

forests. Locals were shown photographs of the slow loris to identify, and to questioned to

provide information on slow loris sightings within the last five years in that area.


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Results

Survey Findings

The survey was conducted from February 2009 to April 2009. A total of 144.45 kilometres

were covered during the course of the survey, of which 96.45 kilometres were covered on

foot, 39 kilometres on four wheeled vehicles and 9 kilometres by a non motorised boat. We

surveyed a total of 16 locations in 6 districts of Meghalaya (Table 1). The survey sites included

11 forest areas under the control of the State Forest Department (National Park, Wildlife

Sanctuary, Reserve Forest) and 5 areas that were Community controlled forest lands.

Animal SightingsNocturnal Animals

Slow Loris: We sighted slow loris individuals on two occasions in two different field sites.

Both individuals were adult males. One individual was seen in Nongkhyllem Wildlife

Sanctuary in Khasi Hills and the other sighting occurred in the Narpuh Reserve Forest of

Jaintia Hills. The relative abundance based on sightings in the two field sites was calculated to

be 0.04 (Narpuh RF) and 0.1 (Nongkhyllem WLS ).

Flying Squirrels: We sighted two species of flying squirrels on eight occasions in three

different field sites. The Red Giant Flying Squirrel (Petaurista petaurista) was sighted in

Dambu RF in East Garo Hills and Narpuh RF in Jaintia Hills, while the smaller and rarer

Particoloured Flying Squirrel (Hylopetes alboniger) was sighted in Balpakram NP in South Garo

Hills and Dambu RF in East Garo Hills (Table 2).

Viverrids: Four species of Viverrids were sighted on ten different occasions in six of the field

sites. These were the Common Palm Civet Paradoxurus hermaphrodites (four sites), the Small

Indian Civet Viverricula indica (one site), the Large Indian Civet Viverra zibetha (one site) and

the Masked Palm Civet Paguma larvata (one site).


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Table 1 Relative abundance of Slow Loris and Flying Squirrels

Location

Distance

Covered in

Km

Slow Loris Flying Squirrel

Total

Sighted

Relative

Abundance

Total

Sighted

Relative

Abun-

dance

1Dambu RF,

East Garo Hills District14 0 - 4 0.29

2Balpakram NP,

South Garo Hills District19 0 - 1 0.05

3Dalengittim CRF,

South Garo Hills District3 0 - 1 0.33

4Nongkhyllem WLS,

Ri Bhoi District10.25 1 0.1 0 -

5Narpuh RF,

Jaintia Hills District26 1 0.04 3 0.12

Chiropterans: Two species of bats were sighted during the nocturnal transects. The Indian

Flying Fox (Pteropus giganteus) was sighted in Garo Hills and Jaintia Hills, while the Fulvous

Fruit Bat (Rousettus leschenaulti) was sighted in Garo Hills. Various other Microchiropterans

were sighted, but it was not possible to positively identify them.

Diurnal Animals:

We detected twelve species of mammals and >60 species of birds during the course of our

survey. These detections were based entirely on direct evidence such as sightings or calls.

Animals were detected during diurnal walks to evaluate the habitat for signs of disturbance.

Secondary Information

Apart from direct sightings during transects, we also collected information on the presence oflorises in forest patches from secondary sources such as forest department personnel and

local people living beside forest areas. Details of the location and year of loris sighting by

these secondary sources are provided in Table 2.


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Table 2Secondary information on presence of Slow Loris

Year Location Sightings Age/Sex Details

1 1996

Angratoli RF, South Garo

Hills District 2 Adults Reported by forest beat officer

2 2002Darugiri RF, East Garo Hills

District1

Adult

maleReported by forest beat officer

3 2008Angratoli RF, South Garo

Hills District3 Adults Reported by forest guards

4 2007-08Sibbari-Jacksongram CRF,

South Garo Hills District4

2 Adults,

2 InfantsReported by local

5 2008

Dambuk adingre CRF,

South Garo Hills District 1 - Reported by local

6 2004Siju Dobakol caves, South

Garo Hills District1 Adult Reported by forest guard

7 2008Siju Forest complex, South

Garo Hills District1 Adult

Reported by forest guard, was

electrocuted on overhead wires

8 2005Matcha nokpante CRF ,

South Garo Hills District1 Juvenile Reported by local

9 2007 Jowai vicinity, Jaintia Hills 1 Adult Forest department seizure

10 2008Baghmara, South Garo

Hills District1 Adult

Crossing road near the Bagh-

mara town

Slow Loris Distribution in Meghalaya

Data gathered during the study attests that slow loris populations are present in fragmented

forest patches at the southern end of South Garo Hills district, in the northern parts of Ri-Bhoi

district around the Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary, and in the southern parts of Jaintia Hills

district (Figure 3). Slow loris populations may also be present in the forest patches of central

East Garo Hills. However repeated enquiries did not elicit any information on the presence of

slow lorises in the southern parts of East Khasi Hills. Indigenous people living in these areas


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Figure 3 Slow Loris distribution in Meghalaya

also appeared quite unfamiliar with the species, which argues that slow lorises, if present

earlier, may have become locally extinct from these parts.

Habitat Disturbance

Habitat destruction or large scale changes in the natural vegetation structure of the area was

clearly visible across all the study sites (Table 3). We also encountered evidence of wildlife

hunting across most of the study sites. In large parts of Meghalaya, community controlled

forests are rapidly being converted to monoculture stands of cashew, rubber and areca nut.We did not detect slow lorises in patches of such monocultures; our observations tally with

those of local people who observed that they had never observed slow lorises in such

monoculture plantations. Most of the Reserved Forests that were surveyed showed very high

levels of disturbance and evidence of logging. In addition, clear felling was seen in some

places where mining has taken over the landscape. The clear felling was done in the mining

locations as well as to make roads through forests to assist in the transportation of mined

products. Open dumping of coal on the roadsides and river banks have also led to pollution inthe rivers, which has seen a drastic reduction in the fish fauna. Habitat destruction in the form

of jhum or slash-and-burn cultivation has increased in magnitude due to the paucity of land

and increase in human population. Clear felling and eventual burning of patches of forests

have a serious detrimental effect on slow lorises local people reported that during the jhum


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fires, lorises are occasionally found moving towards human habitation for protection.

Man-made fires: This is distinguished from the jhum fires that are typically encountered in

hilly community controlled forest areas. Low lying areas in Meghalaya, as exists in parts of

Garo Hills are extremely susceptible to fires in the dry season. These areas are predominantly

plantations of teak (Tectona grandis) or sal (Shorea robusta) that were later accorded the

status of Reserve Forests and have remained as the only wildlife refuges in those areas. These

forests are primarily deciduous. During the summer, the forest floor is completely covered

with dry leaves which can ignite at the slightest spark. Fires are common during this season

and are almost entirely deliberate and man-made. As such forest patches are usually

surrounded by human habitation or agricultural fields, there is no place for the animals to flee

to, and these fires typically prove fatal for the wildlife in these areas.


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Survey LocationDisturbance

ranking

Fire

rankingPrimary threats

1Ringsangre/SelbalgreCRF, West Garo Hills Dis-

trict

+++ -Small size, NTFP and bamboo extraction bysurrounding habitations, jhum cultivation in

the vicinity

2Dariwokgre (Nokrek NP),

West Garo Hills District++ - Jhum cultivation, firewood extraction

3 Rongrengiri RF, East ++ **** Illegal logging, poaching, fire

4Darugiri RF, East Garo

Hills District+++ ***

Surrounded by human habitation and crop

fields, extensive firewood and NTFP extrac-

tion, highway, fire

5 Dambu RF, East Garo +++ ** Incursion of cultivation and coffee plantation,

6 Baghmara RF, South ++ ** Illegal logging, poaching, highway, electric

7 Angratoli RF, South Garo +++ *** Highway, human presence, electric lines, ille-

8Chambilgiri CRF, West

Garo Hills District++++ -

Small size, orchards and jhum cultivation,

highway

9 Siju WLS, South Garo + **** Small size, fire, coal mining

10 Rewak RF, South Garo +++ *** Highway, illegal logging, human presence

11Balpakram NP, South

Garo Hills District+ **

Fire, jhum cultivation, encroachment, coal

mining

12 Matcha nokpante CRF +++ *Jhum cultivation, plantations, highway, small

size, illegal logging

13 Dalengittim CRF, South +++ ** Poaching, illegal logging, firewood extraction

14Umblai, East Khasi Hills

District+++ **

Jhum cultivation, NTFP and firewood extrac-

tion, poaching, trapping

15Nongkhylem WLS, Ri

Bhoi District+ * Fire, encroachment of plantations

Table 3 Threat levels and severity of fires in survey locations


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Survey LocationDisturbance

ranking

Fire

rankingPrimary threats

16

Narpuh RF, Jaintia Hills

District +++ **

Highway, encroachment, human presence,

fire, water pollution

Table 3 Threat levels and severity of fires in survey locations [...continued]

Threats to the Slow Loris

Information collected from forest department personnel and local people, during the course

of the survey, clearly indicated that hunting and capture of slow lorises is a common practice

in many parts of the state.

Hunting: Interviews with local people indicated that slow lorises were hunted for its meat.

However because of its small size, hunters were not interested in the species specifically as a

regular source of meat. Instead slow loris hunting appeared to be opportunistic, and individu-

als were killed only when encountered accidentally, or during hunts for other mammals.

There also did not appear to be a commercial trade of loris body parts, and people did not re-

port hunting slow lorises for reasons other than for its meat.

Capture as pets: Capture of slow lorises and other primates to be kept as pets is a widespread

custom in many parts of the state. This was especially evident in the Garo Hills which has re-

tained a large amount of the original fauna in comparison to the Khasi and Jaintia hills. Hunt-

ers and local people indicated that the slow loris was a preferred pet and whenever encoun-

tered, was captured to be kept as a pet in their houses. Sometimes, such loris pets were

seized by the forest department and released in adjacent forest patches, while in the larger

majority of the cases such loris pets typically remained/died in captivity.

Electrocution and Road kills: We did not encounter any evidence of slow loris road kills dur-

ing our study; there was one report of a slow loris being electrocuted on overhead power lines

near the Siju WLS in Garo Hills.

CRF=Community Reserve Forest, RF=Reserve Forest, NP=National Park, WLS=Wildlife Sanctuary)


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Conclusions and Recommendations

Despite the low encounter rates ofNycticebus bengalensis during this study (detected in only

two out of sixteen sites), secondary information collected during the course of the surveydoes indicate the presence of Bengal slow lorises in many of the forest patches in Meghalaya.

However, it would appear that the species is generally present in very low densities in

Meghalaya. That this is not an artefact of the sampling methodology is borne out by the

finding that surveys for slow lorises, in the northeastern states of Tripura and Assam, using

similar methodology, have resulted in low/nil encounter rates in many sites but high

encounter rates in certain sites. Nekaris and Nijman (2007) report that encounter rates for

Nycticebus bengalensis are 5-15 lower than for Nycticebus coucang; the results of this surveyunderline the need to investigate in more detail the factors affecting slow loris abundance in

different parts of northeastern India.

Indigenous people living in settlements near forest areas reported many instances of slow

lorises wandering out of the forest and into the houses or the village areas. To some extent,

these statements may be attributed to the fact that the slow loris is a popular pet and this is a

safer explanation for the presence of lorises in their homes rather than having captured it

from the forests. However, higher encounter rates of slow lorises at forest edges has been

reported earlier (Johns 1986, Radhakrishna et al 2006, Swapna pers comm.). A more detailed

investigation into this aspect of slow loris behaviour will provide a deeper insight into factors

affecting the long-term survival of the species.

An important factor affecting the distribution and abundance of Nycticebus bengalensis in

Meghalaya may be attributed to the severe disturbance affecting most of the forest patches

in the state. Apart from age-old threats such as logging and hunting, newer threats such man-

made fires and mining has virtually decimated forest cover across the state. Man-made forest

fires were encountered in 13 (81.25%) of the survey sites in different levels of severity. Forest

fires are especially fatal for slow moving animals such as slow lorises and were undoubtedly a

critical reason for the low encounter rate of slow lorises and flying squirrels during this survey.

2009 has seen exceptionally severe fires across northeastern India.


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Rampant and illegal coal and limestone mining in many parts of Meghalaya, in the past, has

led to large-scale destruction of forest cover in the Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills, and irreversible

damage to the environment in the form of polluted water bodies. This threat is now rapidly

spreading in the Garo Hills district which still possesses large stretches of communitycontrolled as well as protected areas. The lack of a mining policy in the state has made sure

that there is wanton destruction of community forests for mining and building of access

roads. Unless conservation measures that focus on ending such habitat destruction are

implemented urgently, it may well mean the end for the few remaining populations of slow

lorises and other mammals that still remain here.


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References

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