Some time back I was requested to share information for a workshop on Clouded Leopards and Small felids. The 2 landscapes of South Garo Hills (Meghalaya) and Saiha (Mizoram) that I have been fortunate to have put in time have been in the rain-shadow of wildlife research and I thought it pertinent to share what little information we had.
While we had collated local names of wildlife occuring in both these landscapes with help of colleagues and secondary literature we also had undertaken a 'questionnaire survey' at Meghalaya. This putting relevant information together for sharing for the workshop gave me an opportunity to relive some of the moments of the questionnaire survey as also feel glad at the collation of local names. At Meghalaya these were in Garo and / or Atong while at Mizoram these were in Mizo and / or Mara.
Each time I come across such details (and this happens regularly) I wonder at the stupidity of the term 'north east India'; working in a few hundred sq. kms. in just 2 states when there is so much diversity, richness and goodness in people how can one even think of coining a single term for 8 states!
Sr. | English | Mizoram | Meghalaya |
1. | Clouded Leopard Neofelis nebulosa | Kelral | Matcha do.tok |
2. | Marbled cat Pardofelis marmorata | Pawak | Matcha bloga |
3. | Golden cat Catopuma. temminckii | Keisen | ~ |
4. | Jungle cat Felis chaus | Sauak | Buijare |
5. | Leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis | Sanghar | Matcha helguk |
6. | Fishing cat Prionailurus viverrinus | Keite chi khat | ~ |
Responses (from the questionnaire at Meghalaya).
If / how they are in conflict with humans.
Sr. | Mammal | Damage to Crops | Damage to Livestock |
1. | Clouded Leopard | ~ | Yes |
2. | Marbled cat | ~ | Yes |
3. | Golden cat | ~ | ~ |
4. | Jungle cat | ~ | Yes |
5. | Leopard cat | Yes | Yes |
6. | Fishing cat | ~ | Yes |
If / how humans respond.
Sr | Methods | Leopard Cat | Marbled Cat | Jungle Cat. |
1. | Catapult | Yes | Yes | Yes |
2. | Shouting | Yes | ~ | Yes |
3. | Domestic dogs | ~ | ~ | Yes |
4. | Throwing stones | Yes | ~ | Yes |
5. | Rope traps | ~ | ~ | Yes |
6. | Metal traps | Yes | ~ | Yes |
7. | Bamboo fencing | ~ | ~ | Yes |
8. | Shooting with guns | Yes | ~ | Yes |
1 comment:
In Meghalaya most of villagers claim compensation on crops damages rather than livestock damages, but is from your survey it show more damages to livestock than crop. It there any reasons behind?
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