An analysis of critical factors influencing the population persistence of the Punjab urial (Ovis vignei punjabiensis) in wild

Abstract

1\1any large herbivores in Asia are under threat from poaching, habitat fragmentation and competition with domestic livestock. Conservation of Asiatic ungulates is often hampered by poor knowledge of basic population d) namics and weak quanti fication of specific threats. The Punjab urial (Ovis vignei punjC/biensis) is distri buted between the Jhelum and Indus rivers, in the Salt and Kala Chitta mountain ranges, Pakistan, at an altitude of less than 1500m. Like other wild sheep, Punj ab urial are gregarious and sexually highly dimorphic. Females give birth to one or two lambs during a short parturition season in early April. Although all harvesting of Punjab mi al is illegal, mature males are a sought-after trophy while lambs are traditionally prized as pets. This investigation estimated a popu lation of about 860 animals In Salt Range, in addition to about 170 heads for the Kala Chitta Range. This subspecies is currently occurring in 16 small scattered populations, in its range of distribution. Parameters for population dynami cs were studi ed in areas with contrasting human population densities and management regimes. In Eastern Salt Range (ESR), as much as a quarter of the lamb crop was removed by poachers, and rams older than 6 years were tota lly eliminated because of illegal shooti ng. Poach ing and natural morta lity led to a yearly recru itment of on ly 3 yearling females per 100 ewes in ESR, compared to about 12 per 100 ewes in Ka labagh Game Reserve (KGR). Recruitment is insu ffic ient to maintain a stable popu lation in ESR. Poaching of ne\vborn lambs to be kept as pets appears to be the greatest short-term threat to Punjab urial, recently exacerbated by granting of licences to lega lly possess pet mial. In the long term, the increasin g human population in the area presents additional challenges. The vegetation of the mial habitat was sampled and analyzed. In all 130 pl ant species vvere recorded belonging to 46 families. The TWINS PAN cluster analysis resulted in 10 vegetation clusters/ communities. Food habits of sympatric ungulates (Punjab mial, domesti c sheep and goat) have been investigated. Punj ab urial and domestic sheep showed almost similar diets, both having a high intake of graminoids. Domestic sheep compete with urial primarily for the higher protein forbs and grasses, whil e goats compete with mial fo r the more stab le VII drought-resistant browse. Dietary competition in the Sa lt Range may to be reduced by reducing the number of domestic livestock. Comparison of reproducti ve behav iour of rams between heavi Iy hunted and lightly hunted popu lations showed that class I I and III ma les 0 r heav i Iy hunted populati on were capable of courting sLl ccessfull y with oestrous ewes as courted by th e class IV males of lightly hunted population. However the mature males in the heavily hunted population copu late with oestrous ewes but perform more immature behaviour patterns in ma le female interactions. The chrono logical age is also important in the social maturation of Punjab urial in add ition to population age structure. The onset and duration of lambing season diffe rs between Sa lt Range and southern populations. Onset and interannual variation in distribution of births and extended birth season was observed in southern populations, compared to synchronous and shorter birth season in Salt Range. Disease conditions were noted during the course of study. Information about disease in the Salt Range and in captive populations of Punjab urial was also co llected. The appa rent density-dependence of previous die-offs in KGR was perhaps due to low resource ava ilability when there were many uri al, or th ere were increased opportunities for contact with domestic livestock at hi gh population density. Samples of tissue, bone and fa eces were co llected from the KGR and sent for DNA analysis to Lui ka rt Gordon, Laboratoire de Biologie des Populati ons d' Altitude, CN RS UMR 5553, Uni versite Joseph Fourier, 38041 Grenoble, France. No deficit in heterozygosity was found for th e population of Punjab mial in KGR . In the Salt Range, various anthropogenic factors have been shown to adversely influence the population size and reproductive success of Punjab urial. These include direct effects such as: illegal hunting, lamb capture, competition with livestock; and indirect effects from mining, woodcutting and urban development that may result in habitat loss or alteration and increased disturbance by human activity. Dispersa l to 1110st of the potential habitat is prevented by the hi gh human populati on. The hi gh natural and cul tural va lue of the species deserves effective conservation including habitat ca re.