Hispid hare (Caprolagus hispidus)

Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 14259062

Baseline information and conservation awareness on Hispid hare (Caprolagus hispidus) in Royal Manas National Park, Southern foothills of Bhutan.

                                                FINAL REPORT

Suggested citation: Nidup, T., Dorji, T., & Jamphel (2015). Baseline information and conservation awareness on Hispid Hare (Caprolagus hispidus) in Royal Manas National Park, Southern foothills of Bhutan. 

tsheringnidup01@yahoo.com 

ABSTRACT: Current study on Endangered Hispid hare (Caprolagus hispidus - Pearson 1839) was first of its kind in the country and has confirmed the presence of this poorly known species in Royal Manas National Park (RMNP), Bhutan. The study was conducted along the southern foothills of RMNP during Sept. 2014- August. 2015. According to preliminary sign survey and information from local people, camera was placed in three different locations to capture the live image of the animal and captured live image from one location. More signs and pellets occurred in tall grasslands along the river beds dominated by tall Imperata cylindrica. Uncontrolled burning of grassland, overgrazing, weed invasion and collecting fodder for elephant were major the threats that need to be addressed for conservation of Hispid hare and its habitat.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: My heartfelt thanks to Firoz Ahmed, Phd, Aaranyak, India. Passang, Phub Dorji, Tandin, Cha Dorji, Sangay Lhendup, Jigme Thinley, DB Chhitri, Ugyen Dorji and all the forestry staffs of Royal Manas National Park.

Last but not the least; I truly thank my small and sweet family for encouraging and supporting me throughout the project period.

Introduction: Hispid Hare (Caprolagus hispidus- Pearson 1839) is one of the only two lagomorph species which is globally endangered B2ab - ii,iii,v (Meheswaran, 2006; Meheswaran and Smith, 2008) and listed in IUCN red list (IUCN, 1986), further it has been listed in CITES and the United States Endangered Species Act. India and Nepal has listed in schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Measures Act of 1973 respectively.
It was thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered from Barnadi Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam state of India in 1971 (Mallinson, 1971; Tessier-Yandell, 1972; Maheswaran, 2002). It is one of the less studied endangered small mammal species in the world (Meheswaran, 2006). Knowledge on distribution of this species is limited (Bell et al., 2010). Till to date it has been recorded only from few isolated pockets in tropical grassland ecosystem of the India, Nepal and in Bangladesh (Bell et al., 2010; Nath et al., 2010). Very few authors have mentioned that this species might be present in Bhutan (Pearson, 1839; Bell et al., 2010; Nath et al., 2010) but study was not carried out. Population is estimated around 300 in situ (Aryal & Yadav, 2010) and it is found in between 100-250m elevation.
Distribution
Based on historical samples, anecdotal sources and sign survey, this species inhabits along the southern Himalayan foothills from Uttar Pradesh through Nepal and West Bengal to Assam, extending southwards as far as Dacca in Bangladesh, although fossil evidence suggests a more extensive Pleistocene distribution which included central Java (Blandford, 1888; Dawson, 1971).
Current distribution of this species till late 90's was recorded from the Dudwa National Park in the Kheri District of Uttar Pradesh; Chitwan National Park, Bardia Wildlife Reserve and Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve in the Terai area of southern and southwestern Nepal. North Kheri (Uttar Pradesh/Nepal border), Chuka Dhaya (Pilibhit Forest Division, Uttar Pradesh); Goalpara District of southwest Assam and the Rajagarh areas of the Mangaldai sub-division of Darrang District of northwest Assam, Manas Reserve Forest, Manas Sanctuary, Khalingdaur Reserve Forest, Manas Tiger Reserve, Ripu Reserve Forest (Kochugaon Division), Subankhata Reserve Forest, Orang. Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam; Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary and Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal; Valmiki Wildlife Sanctuary (West Champaran District), Bihar, Kanha National Park (Madhya Pradesh). 

In Bhutan current study found Hispid Hare along the very narrow belt of southern foothill of Bhutan (Pearson, 1839). Home range for male and female is restricted to a mean area 8200m2 and 2800m2 respectively under the dense cover of unburned tall grasses (Bell et al., 2010). Although species is critically endangered not much scientific attention is provided to this species in Bhutan. Not a single effort is provided to understand its presence, habitat and population size. So, this camera trap exercise was carried out mainly for baseline information of the presence of this animal in situ, distribution and habitat required. Study was carried out from Sept. 2014 to August 2015 along the southern foothills of RMNP, Bhutan. However, this study has to exclude some potential area due to security reason. 

Physical characteristics
The species is coarse, bristly coat is dark brown on the dorsal surface, due to a mixture of black and brown hairs, ventrally brown on the chest and whitish on the abdomen. The mean body weight is 2248gm for male and 2518gm for female. The tail is short (approximately 30mm) and the ears are also short, approximately 56mm (Bell, 1987).

Literature review: The species which was believed to be extinct until it was rediscovered from Barnadi Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam state of India in 1971 (Mallinson, 1971; Tessier-Yandell, 1972; Maheswaran, 2002) is very little known till today in Bhutan. But in other Hispid Hare range countries a good numbers of studies have been conducted. In 2002 Maheswaran first systematically attempted to study ecology of this elusive species in Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, West Bengal, India where he gathered lot of interesting details of this species including movement pattern and density estimation etc. still than science lack the information on many more fields such as the movement pattern in relation to winter grassland burning, life span and its breeding behavior. Further he has recorded that fresher pellet along the tall and green grasslands than other grassland patches. 

Once the species was capture from Mymensingh of north-eastern Bangladesh and taken to Dhaka University, and tried to rear in captive but it died after few days Oliver (1984). In Nepal, Royal Chitwan National Park was first report the presence of this species in 1982, Inskipp and Collar (1984). Then in Royal Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve a detailed survey on biology of Hispid Hare was conducted in the late 1980's by Dr. Diana Bell (1987). Dr. Diana Bell reported many interesting facts of behavioral ecology, home range and potential predators. Further Yadav et. al., (2008) also carried out a study and reported present status, distribution and habitat use of Hispid hare in Royal Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve, Nepal.
Some evidence of Hispid Hare was also reported from Dudwa National Park, Uttar Pradesh during 1994-1997 by Maheswaran in 2002. Out of ten protected areas within the North Bank Landscape (Assam and Arunachal Pradesh) in three national parks viz. Nameri National Park, Barnadi Wildlife Sanctuary and D'Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary the presence of Hispid Hare was confirmed Nath (2009).
Grassland ecosystem study in neighboring Manas National Park was conducted by Bibhuti P. Lahkar for his Phd. theses during 2002. He reported the presence of Hispid Hare in some grassland patches but no detail investigation was done.
Although Hispid Hare being the endangered species unfortunately no study was conducted in Bhutan till to day so, this proposed project was a historical landmark in the literature of Hispid Hare in Bhutan.

STUDY AREA: Royal Manas National Park (RMNP) is the oldest, richest and best protected area example along the south-center foothills of Bhutan (90° 35' E to 91°13'E and 26° 46'N to 27° 08'N). The Park recites in a strategic location in the confluence of the Indo-Gangetic and Indo-Malayan bio-geographical realms constituting a unique ecosystem of international significance and forms a contiguous belt of very rich and greater conservation landscape with India's Manas Tiger Reserve (World Heritage Site). RMNP further connects with Phibsoo WS in the West and Phrumshengla NP and Jigme Singye Wangchuck NP in the North, and Jomotshangkha WS in the East through most potential biological corridors for tiger movement in the country. The park covers an area of 1057km2 with wide spread of altitude raging from 80m in the south to 2714m in the north.
Owing to large difference in altitude and topography features, park offers varieties of habitat viz. savanna grassland, tropical and subtropical forest, warm, cool and moist broad leaved forests for critically and endangered species viz. Hispid Hare, Chinese Pangolin, Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, Asiatic water buffalo, Dhole, Golden langur, Bintroing and etc.

Table 1. GPS coordinates of study site in different location within Royal Manas National Park.
Sl. No.   Name of location     Longitude           Latitude
1           Buduna base          26°47'11.06"     90°56'28.80'
2           Kukulung               26°46'38.74"     90°44'8.53'
3           Kanamakura           26°47'18.03"    90°40'18.73"
4           Suldinadi                26°47'05.73"     90°52'49.88"
5           Gurusala                26°47'49.97"     90°04'11.29"
6           Specialthang           26°47'29.28"     90°53'28.50'

METHODOLOGY: 

Research Design: Since we know all the grassland area in our park jurisdiction, we directly laid plots on the goggle map with already collected GPS coordinates during previous grassland survey, but before going to field survey, we re-confirmed with senior forestry staff and elephant mouth, and conducted interview with the local people to get pre-hand information about the species and areas.
This was followed by laying transects and a field survey in the grassland areas within the park, attempting both direct and indirect evidence method. Transects were laid randomly in the grassland patches but however we could not reached to all grassland area due to isolated patches and with security problems along the border. The direct sighting and to determine distribution in a fine grain scale of Hispid Hare was really difficult in natural grassland (Burnham et al., 1980; Buckland et al., 1993) unless animals are captured using traps and camera traps.
So, mostly indirect method of searching for pellet and feeding area was carried out. The distribution pattern was identified following presence and absence of direct and indirect evidence of Hispid hare. GPS coordinates were collected whenever any evidence of Hispid Hare presence was recorded.
Field Methods: We followed transects method for collecting indirect evidence where by laying strip transect of 100m length and strip width 2m in the grasslands. Each transect was surveyed only once. During survey we recorded pellet group size and nature of pellet (old/fresh/degenerated). For the identification of collected indirect evidence of the species, we consulted with biologists, researchers, senior knowledgeable forestry staff and elephant mouths. Live picture captured during camera trap survey were identified with the help of guide book and internet. Threats related observations viz. fire, invasion of weed and tree species and elephant fodder collection were also recorded in the study area.
Further we collected information regarding other Hare from local communities, forest staff and elephant mouths, and one other species of hare was recorded from the study area.

Results and discussion: Out of 63 people interviewed 37% was aware of the Hispid Hare and its habitat. Those people were elephant mouths, senior forestry staff and very few local people. A total of 122 transects were surveyed within 95 days of field work from October 2014 to January 2015. Out of six grasslands viz. Kanamakura towards Gortay, Kukulung, Suldinadi, Specialthang, Budunakhola base, and Gurusala area surveyed, the team has encountered indirect evidence only from Kukulung, Budunakhola base and Revaling and accordingly camera was fixed in these three locations.
Out of three locations where the cameras were fixed, 11 images of Hispid Hare was captured only from one camera station viz. Budunakhola base in the month of May. Not a single image was captured from other two locations. This could be because camera was placed just after the grasslands were burnt viz. March and April (Chapman & Flux, 1990). When the dry grasslands were burnt, hare shift their shelter to cultivated fields and on the embankments of the dried up streams (Johnsingh & Manjrekar, 2015). Whereas monsoon gets started by the end of April so by the mid of May grasses become tall and green (Chapman & Flux, 1990) and provides the best habitat to Hispid Hare to move back to its original habitat. Dominated grasses species were such as Imperata cylindrical and Saccharum spontaneum. Six camera traps were damaged by elephant during the month of May.
All the images captured were of during night and none of the images were in pair or in group of Hispid Hare. Though behavioral pattern of Hispid Hare has not been scientifically documented but this study could revealed that the animal is elusive and nocturnal (Bell et al., 2010), and solitary.
Major threats identified during the study were un-control burning during dry season (Oliver, 1984; Meheswaran, 2006; Bell et al., 2010; Nath et al., 2010), succession of grasslands into wood lands, invasion of weeds (Nath et al., 2010) and fodder collection for captive elephant (Meheswaran, 2006). Other upcoming threat identified was construction of dam for hydropower (Oliver, 1984). Budunakhola base is the basin of River Manas and already had dam along one of the tributaries (Kuri River) and additional construction of dams along the other tributaries of Manas basin might add addition threats to the habitat of this species.
For the survival of Hispids Hare it required grasslands for forage and hideout that is left un-burnt for several years (Johnsingh & Manjrekar, 2015). So, management intervention is required to stop the current un-planned practices.
Apart from Hispid Hare, grasslands were used by barking deer, sambar, Hog deer, common Indian hare, elephant, buffalo, gaur, wild boar, leopard and tiger.
The pellet density of Hispid hare varied from 0.13/m2 to 0.435/m. 0.435/m2. Pellet density was recorded highest in Kukulung (0.435/m2) because it could be that the area was not burnt out. Further the area was covered by tall green grasses and a small stream was running.
                                Education and awareness programes
Education material development: Since Hispid Hare is very little known to the people, we have developed brochures on Hispid Hare sharing the information regarding ecological benefits, habitat, threat, feeding habit, distribution in the entire world, its conservation status, difference between hare and rabbit. This brochure was distributed to the local communities, school students and even to our forestry staff mainly to raise the awareness about this animal.

Community awareness: All the area was cover twice for awareness. Individual (cattle herders) and small group (farm workers) awareness was created during the first interview. Students, religious students, local communities nearby park were made aware of this poorly known species and its endangered status. Further shared the finding of the project mainly regarding the potential threats, and where it is found in our park area, what type of animal it is. Requested them to protected and save this poorly known Hispid Hare and in general all the wildlife.

Conclusion: This study is the first attempt to check the presence of this species along the southern foothill of Royal Manas National Park, Bhutan. So this is not the compressive study on this poorly known species. Further systematic detailed ecological studies should be carried out covering the general behavioral, reproductive and as well distribution in other district of the southern foothills of Bhutan. So, an action plan can be develop for the conservation of grassland habitat for endangered species Hispid Hare. Hispid Hare in Royal Manas National Park is mostly threatened by habitat loss due to un-systematic/un-control burning of grassland during dry season which coincide with the breeding season of Hispid Hare (Bell, 1987). Collection of tall grasslands for elephant fodder is posing another serious threat during monsoon season. Since, Hispid Hare basically prefers tall grasslands (Maheswaran, 2002), the park management should practice the system of carefully controlled rotational burning so that, sufficient amount of suitable habitat which can make cover and food resources to the Hispid hare available round the year. The concerned range office should also restrict the collection of fodder for elephant. Till today there has been no information on hunting of Hispid Hare was recorded.
Park management should have clear cut management plan to reduce anthropogenic threats so, to protect the remaining tall grassland habitats for this critical species.
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