Himalayan Tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus) – Livestock interactions were studied in an intensive study area (12 Km2) at Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary from April 2003 to March 2004. Habitat overlap was investigated by comparing the use of habitat variables between tahr and livestock. These variables include altitude, aspect, slope, percent vegetation cover in terms of tree, shrub, grass and rock cover.  

The number of tahr sighted, age/sex, activity and distance to escape terrain and habitat variables, were collected from four scan points and two transects, that were sampled about four times a month. A total of 610 (n=3744) sightings of tahr were recorded during the study period with an encounter rate of 9.78 ± 0.56 individuals/scan (ER±SE) and 27.56 ± 2.83 individuals/km transect walk in the Alpine meadow. The average group size of tahr was 6.14 ± 0.25 individuals. Tahr showed peak feeding activity during early mornings and late evenings. These patterns however varied over the seasons, where they fed continuously on cloudy days in summer and rested at mid day in autumn.  

Ten herds of transitory livestock (goat and sheep) visited the area from April to October, 2003 having 150 to 800 individuals in each herd. They stayed in the area for periods varying from three days to two weeks. In addition to this, about 50 buffaloes, horses and mules and 200 goats and sheep were resident at the Tungnath meadows throughout the season.   

No significant overlap between tahr and livestock in the use of habitat variables was found in the study area. Livestock used a wide range of altitude gradient and the tahr largely used ranges between 2,900m and 3,300m. Tahr differed in their preference for rocky and steep terrain, occupying areas with slope > 40o (77 %) and rock cover >40% (68%). The livestock generally used undulating terrain which had 30% or less of rock cover. Livestock were taken to areas with relatively higher tree, shrub and grass cover whereas tahr inhabited areas with < 20 % tree (70 %) and < 20 % shrub cover (82 %) category. A certain amount of temporal overlap was seen as the tahr moved to lower elevations in winter, where they used some areas that livestock had used in the early summer.  

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of the habitat variables extracted two components that explained 81% of the variability. It also revealed that tahr used steep, rocky areas with less tree and grass cover as compared to livestock which used undulating areas with more tree and grass cover and less rock cover. 

Habitat suitability for tahr using Geographical Information System (GIS) and diet composition of tahr and livestock through dung analysis are discussed.