Blackbuck conservation in fragmented Landscapes: Evaluating habitat use in and around a conservation reserve

Savanna-grassland ecosystems cover approximately 17% of India’s landmass, and only a small proportion of them are protected. Savanna-grassland habitats are critical for the survival of endemic taxa such as the Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra). Once widespread, Blackbucks now occur in fragmented populations, and ongoing efforts to conserve them have resulted in the creation of protected areas that are often small and isolated. Our goal was to determine the occupancy of Blackbuck in and around one such protected area, the Jayamangali Blackbuck Conservation Reserve (JBCR) in Karnataka State. We found that the savanna-grassland habitat is severely fragmented by plantations, inside the reserve, and by cropland outside it. We sampled inside and around the conservation reserve and modeled the occupancy of Blackbucks as a function of habitat covariates. Estimates of Blackbuck occupancy were not different within and outside the conservation reserve. The probability of detecting Blackbucks was negatively affected by the number of shrubs. Livestock and Blackbuck appear to share the same habitat, likely competing for forage. Our findings underscore the need to maintain open habitats for Blackbucks and limit the spread of alien exotics such as Prosopis juliflora, which can impact the habitat use by Blackbucks. Our suggestions include active habitat management by way of removing P. juliflora and trees while refraining from further tree planting. Alongside, we suggest embracing adaptive management strategies such as integrating community-based nature tourism into the management practices of the reserve. In doing so, we can safeguard not only Blackbucks but also the broader ecological integrity of these overlooked and fast-disappearing landscapes.