Occurrence of Albino Gazella bennetti in Viratra mata Oran (Sacred land) of Chohtan, Barmer (Thar Desert of Rajasthan) India
Abstract
The study carried out at the Viratra mata oran, Dhok (Chohtan) village of the Barmer district and this study is completely based on the observation and interview of the local people for occurrence of albino Indian Gazelle locally called Chinkara at the study site. The Indian Gazelle is considered an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In this Paper we describe the occurrence of Albino Indian Gazelle in this region (Viratra mata oran, Dhok village of the Barmer district). This area is located west site of the Barmer near by the Pakistan border. General eco -behavior of this animal is noted which are similar to the normal Indian Gazelle.
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Introduction
The Indian Gazelle or commonly known as Chinkara belongs to family Bovidae, order Cetartiodactyla of Mammalia class. Indian Gazelles are characterized by yellowish pale white marking and red colored fur on ventral side. Facial markings of the Gazelles are well developed with dark brown and black fore head. They have light face covering by dark stripes at both side of the head and a nose spot. Fur color of Gazelles varies seasonally. Indian Gazelles are a dark grayish sandy color in the winter. The fur is darker brown in the summer,.
Horns of the Indian Gazelle are straight with prominent rings and tips that are slightly out-curved. Males and females both have horns although they are relatively shorter in females. Female’s horns are usually half of the length of male and thinner in width in comparison to male horns and have less prominent rings.
Generally Indian Gazelle reach 0.9 to 1.2 meter in length and 0.6 to 0.8 meter in height. Fully grown Indian Gazelle weight 20 to 25 kg. Comparatively Females tend to weigh less than males and it can be as much as 10 cm shorter in height. (Groves, 1993; Jerdon, 1874).
Indian Gazelles are polygamous and have polygynandrous system for matting. They feed by grazing mostly in desert plants, grasses, crops, legumes and fruits. Crotolaria burhia (Bui), Ziziphus nummularia (Ber), Prosopis cinreria (Khejri), Tecomella undulate (Rohida) and Lesiurus scindicus (Sevan) are common grazing preference plant in desert for chinkara.
Like another wild animal, Indian Gazelles have a close relationship with humans as part of biodiversity, as objects of beauty as pest and wonder, as food and good indicator of environmental health. In present scenario due to increase in the human population, human beings change their mode and method of farming for fulfills of food requirements and Gazelles enters in their farms for grazing and some time killed by villagers. For increase the productivity of crop farmers use various types of chemical fertilizers, they spread poisonous and dangerous pesticides on crops for save crops from pests. All these chemical substances are affecting the life of wild animals, insects as well as birds in different manner that’s why these are the major threats to animals. Anthropogenic pressure habitat distruction, electrocutions, accidents and natural predators like feral dogs (Canis lupus), Jackals ( Canis aureus), Wolves (Canis lupus pallipes) and human are major threats to biodiversity and wild life (Homo sapiens) (Rajpurohit and Chena Ram, 2011).
Conclusion
Biodiversity coming under the great pressure from various facets of development, Population kept on increasing, civilization, urbanization and industrialization. The very important to existence of life on the planet is the protection of biodiversity. The new finding of species Albino Gazella bennetti in oran present a new way for protection of wildlife in other landscape and it is need of the time to make environmental awareness, greater public participation and also it is duty of the people to protect, preserve biodiversity.
