Abstract
Human encroachment into protected areas is a common occurrence worldwide. Past research indicates that the presence of domestic ungulates within protected areas may have effects ranging from direct competition with wild ungulates to facilitation. In this study, we investigated the effect of cattle grazing within Shuklaphanta National Park (ShNP), south-western Nepal, on the spatial and temporal distribution of chital (Axis axis) and wild boar (Sus scrofa). The national park is characterised by a mosaic of forests as well as grasslands, with livestock intensity varying across the park. As domestic ungulates leave ShNP at night, the park provides ideal conditions for investigating spatiotemporal responses of wild ungulates to livestock grazing intensity.
We predicted that wild ungulates would avoid areas with a high presence and use intensity of domestic ungulates. In addition, we expected wild ungulates to switch to a mostly nocturnal activity pattern to forage on the grasslands where domestic ungulates are present during the day. Using camera traps located on grasslands, we collected data on both wild and domestic ungulates at 71 locations over a six-week period. We modelled the presence-absence and activity of the different wild ungulate species both spatially and temporally as a function of domestic ungulate presence and use intensity as well as environmental variables such as habitat type, with generalized linear mixed models.
Our results show no effect of cattle use intensity on chital use intensity, and a slight negative effect of cattle presence. Rather than cattle, habitat type was the most important predictor of chital use intensity. Wild boar use intensity was positively affected by cattle presence. Moreover, we found possible evidence that chital avoid cattle temporally. The effect of cattle activity on daily wild boar activity patterns was minimal.
From our results, we infer that during the dry season, when this study took place there is no competition between chital and cattle, but rather that cattle presence affects chital use intensity in other ways. Regarding wild boar, we consider that the differences in ecology and habitat use may explain the findings of our study. Due to their crepuscular activity patterns, both chital and wild boar are naturally not active at times when cattle are active, although there does seem to be a disturbance effect of cattle on chital.
Following our results, we suggest that the national park management maintain their practices of grassland habitat management and in addition, continuously monitor the effect of changes in livestock numbers on wild ungulates in the park.
