Tiger / Carnivore Sign Survey

Intensive search for tiger sign

Minimum 15 km search in most likely areas in each Beat

3-5 searches each of 4-6 km

Important to record distance covered in each search

Data Sheet-1Data Sheet for Tiger, Leopard & Other Carnivore Sign Encounter Rate

Ungulate Encounter Rates

Establish line transect 2-4 km (or seg. >2 km) in each beat.

Walk early morning. Count no. of each species, group size, young of the year.

Data Sheet-2Encounter Rate on Line Transects

Observer name: .................................... Start time: ................................. Date: ...................................................... End time: ............................................ ID no. of line transect: ............. Total length: ………………………km Forest division: .......................... Range: .................................................Beat: ..................................................... Transect forest type: ................. Transect terrain type: ........................... Weather condition: Cloudy/Clear sky Beginning GPS Lat: ................N; Long: ………........................................E End GPS Lat: ...................................N; Long: ......................................E

Sighting

No

Time

Species*

Total Nos.

(Adults & Young)

Young

Forest Type

Terrain Type

Remarks

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

*Species that need to be recorded on the transect: chital, sambar, nilgai, gaur, barking deer, elephant, rhino, wild buffalo, swamp deer, hog deer, chowsingha, blackbuck, chinkara, wild pig, langur, peafowl, hare, cattle (live stock), and other mammalian species seen.

Vegetation : Canopy Cover

Subjectively classify the canopy cover as <0.1, 0.1-0.2, 0.2-0.4, 0.4-0.6, 0.6-0.8, >0.8

Data Sheet-3AVegetation (15m radius plot)

*Bamboo more than 2m is entered in “Tree” category, less than 2m in “Shrub” category

Name of Observer: …………………. Date: ………………… Forest Division………………….Range: ………………………………… Beat: ………………… ID No. of Line Transect: ………

Plot No.

Can

opy

Cover (0-1)

Tree Species *(Descending

Order of Dominance)

Shrub Species/ Shrub like Tree Species *(Descending Order of Dominance)

Shrub Abundance0 to 4 0-absent to 4-very high

Weed/Invasive Species(Descending Order of Dominance)

Weed/Invasive Abundance0 to 4 0-absent to 4-very high

Broad vegetation and terrain for the plot

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3

1

2

3

4

5

Along every 200 m on established transect

List 5 tree & shrub species in order of dominance within 15m radius

List signs of wood cutting, lopping, grass cutting, human trails within 15m radius

Vegetation & Human Disturbance Survey

Data Sheet-3BHuman Disturbance

Name of Observer: …………………. Date: ………………… Forest Division………………….Range: ………………………………… Beat: ………………… ID No. of Line Transect: ………

Plot No.

Human Disturbances

Wood Cutting

(No. of trees cut)

Lopping(No. of trees

lopped)

Grass/ Bamboo Cutting

(Yes/No)

Presence of Human/Livestock/

Trail(Yes/No)

People Seen(Yes/No)

Livestock Seen

(Yes/No)

Latitude(D,M,S, North)

Longitude(D,M,S,

East)

1

2

3

4

5

Are there any permanent human settlements in the beat? (Yes/No). If Yes, how many?_____. Approximate human population___________, Approximate livestock population _______ Cattle, _______ Goat/Sheep, _______ Other Livestock.Is there NTFP collection in the beat____ Yes/No. If yes, what NTFP is collected_____________, __________, ___________, ___________, Rate NTFP collection on a scale of 0-4, 0-No to 4-Very high_______________, _______________, _______________, ______________.

Vegetation : Ground CoverAt every

vegetation plot (every 200m on line transect) quantify ground cover.

Record % of 2m radius plot that is covered with grass, herbs, weeds, bare ground.

List 3 dominant grass species, herb species, weeds.

Data Sheet-3CRecording Ground Cover (1 m radius or 2m diameter plot )

Name of Observer: …………………. Date: ………………… Forest Division………………….Range: ………………………………… Beat: ………………… ID No. of Line Transect: ………

Plot No.

Dry Leaf Litter

%

Ground Cover(The following 5 columns should total 100%)

Grass Species(Report in descending order of numbers½

Herb Species (Report in descending

order of numbers)

Remarks

Dry Grass

%

Green Grass

%

Herb(Small Plants)

%

Weeds%

Bare Ground

%

1 2 3 1 2 3

1

2

3

4

5

Ungulate Pellet Counts

At 5 random locations along the line transect (at least 200m apart) sample a 2 by 20 m strip.

Classify and count ungulate pellets to species (wild & domestic)

Data Sheet-4Pellet Counts of Ungulates

Name of Observer: …………………. Date: ………………… Forest Division………………….Range: ………………………………… Beat: ………………… ID No. of Line Transect: ………

Plot NO.

Fore

st T

ype

Terr

ain

Type

Chita

l

Sam

bar

Wild

Pig

Nilg

ai

Gau

r

Bara

sin

gha

Bark

ing

Deer

Hog

Deer

Chin

kara

Chow

sing

ha

Mou

se d

eer

Hare

Blac

kbuc

k

Wild

buf

falo

Elep

hant

Rhin

o

Lang

ur

Cattl

e

Goa

t & S

heep

Oth

er D

omes

tic

lives

tock

Oth

ers/

Unid

.

1

2

3

4

5

*Present / Absent

*Based on your personal knowledge mention if the species occurs in the beat irrespective of whether its dung was recorded or not. 1. Do goat/sheep graze the sampled area ? Yes / No2. In case pellets are obtained in large piles then these could be categorized into the following categories:

No. of Pellets Category

50-100 A

100-200 B

>200 C

Data Sheet-5Track Plot for Carnivores and Mega Herbivores

(Pressure Impressure Pad)

Name of Observer: …………………. Date: ………………… Forest Division………………….Range: ………………………………… Beat: ………………… ID No. of Track Plot: ………..…

PIP No.

Fore

st T

ype

Terr

ain

Type

Tige

r

Leop

ard

Slot

h B

ear

Dho

le

Hye

na

Jack

al

Smal

l Cat

Gau

r

Elep

hant

Rhi

no

Wat

er B

uffa

lo

Oth

ers

Oth

ers

Deg

N

Min

N

Sec

N

Deg

E

Min

E

Sec

E

1

2

3

4

5

If tracks of young carnivores (eg. tiger cubs) are observed, please mention in remarks. Remarks: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Data Sheet-6Patrol Form

Name of Guard: …….…. Date: ………………… Forest Division…………..……Range: ……………………. Beat: …………………No. of Persons on Patrol:….. ……… Armed……………. Unarmed…………………..Patrol Type: General Duties, Investigations, Surveillance, OthersPatrol Method: Foot, Jeep, Motorbike, Bicycle, Elephant and Others

Date Time

Lat Long

Place

Animal

species seen

Group size seen

Illegal Activities Animal Mortality Records

Deg Min Sec Deg Min Sec TypeTime elapsed

Details Action taken Species Gender

(M/F/Un)Age

(Y/Ad/Un)Carcass

state

Cause of

death

Samples taken

M – Male, F – Female, Un – Unknown, Y – Young, Ad – Adult.