Camera-trapping survey to assess diversity, distribution and photographic capture rate of terrestrial mammals in the aftermath of the ethnopolitical conflict in Manas National Park, Assam, India

A camera-trapping survey conducted in Manas National Park, Assam, India, revealed that despite nearly two decades of ethnopolitical conflict (1990–2010), the park retained a high diversity of terrestrial mammals, with 25 species detected, including 13 threatened ones. The study found significant spatial variation in photographic capture rates, with lower rates for mammalian prey and small felids but higher rates for large carnivores in conflict-affected areas compared to peaceful zones. This suggests that ethno-political conflict influences the distribution of key species, even after its cessation. The survey used 118 trap locations over 6,173 trap-days, accumulating 21,926 photographs. These findings underscore the need for further research on mammalian prey densities and distribution to fully understand the long-term impacts of conflict.

Lahkar, D., Ahmed, M. F., Begum, R. H., Das, S. K., Lahkar, B. P., Sarma, H. K., & Harihar, A. (2018). Camera-trapping survey to assess diversity, distribution and photographic capture rate of terrestrial mammals in the aftermath of the ethnopolitical conflict in Manas National Park, Assam, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 10(8), 12008–12017. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.4039.10.8.12008-12017