Diurnal And Seasonal Activity Pattern Of The Blackbuck (Antelope Cervicapra) In The Sorsan Grassland, Rajasthan

Research Article
Meena Renu., Chourasia, V and Saran RP
DOI: 
http://dx.doi.org/10.24327/ijrsr.2017.0812.1278
Subject: 
science
KeyWords: 
Antelope, ecology, foraging, resting, scanning
Abstract: 

The present paper investigates the diurnal and seasonal activity of blackbuck (Antelope cervicapra) in Sorsan grassland, Baran, Rajasthan. Data were gathered for eight days per month starting from early in the morning to late evening. Activity pattern of the selected blackbuck of particular age/sex was recorded by using focal animal sampling method. Observations were conducted on selected adult males, adult females, sub-adult males, sub-adult female and fawn. This study suggests that blackbuck dedicated significantly more time to foraging than to other diurnal activities. Blackbuck of all age classes devoted the least time to standing and spent the similar amount of time moving. Present investigation proposes that there is a definite pattern of activities in the fixed hours of the day which shows variation with the seasons.