EFFECT OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS ON CHITAL (AXIS AXIS) POPULATION IN MUKANDRA HILLS TIGER RESERVE

Human settlements and its effects resulted in natural wild habitat degradation and destruction due to increased land use by human population. Chital is an ecological important species in Mukandra Hills Tiger Reserve. Due to notified as tiger reserve in 2013, Chital population during last five years have recovered from a sharp declines in past caused by human settlements in and around the study area. Human settlements presently continued to threaten Chital population in spite of the strict laws under study area due to wildlife habitat destruction. Chital is the most abundant prey species in study area. Major factors which declined or affected the Chital population in the study area were land use for agriculture, deforestation, poaching and hunting, grazing competition with livestock, pollution, roads and train network.