Chinkara
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| Gazella bennettii (Sykes, 1831) |
The Chinkara is a species of gazelle found in South Asia. Found in grasslands and desert areas in India, parts of Iran and Pakistan.
It is also known as the Indian Gazelle Gazella gazella bennetti
This gazelle stands at 65 centimetres and weighs about 23 kilograms. Its summer coat a warm biscuit, or reddish-buff colour, with smooth, glossy fur. In winter the white belly and throat fur is in greater contrast. The sides of the face have dark chestnut stripes from the corner of the eye to the muzzle bordered by white stripes. The record horns reach over 39 centimetres.
It is a shy animal and avoids human habitation.They have a special characteristic which helps them survive trying times. They can go without water for long periods and can even get sufficient fluids from plants and dew drops. Although mostly seen as solitary animals, they can sometimes be spotted in small groups numbering up to 3 - 4 individuals.
Certain researchers consider the decline in the Chinkara population as the reason behind the extinction of the Asiatic Cheetah in India. It is classified as extremely vulnerable and endowed in the highly endangered species list. Its population is on the decline due to it being hunted for game. Recently, Indian film star Salman Khan was sentenced to a 5 year rigorous imprisonment for shooting several chinkaras and blackbucks, after protests by the Bishnoi community. Encouraged by Mr. Khan's sentence for similar offences by the Jodhpur court, Rajasthan, the Gir Nature Youth Club, Gujarat, a voluntary organisation dedicated to wildlife protection and environment, sought details of the "Chinkara" case against the actor under the Right to Information Act as he has been alleged to have hunted Chinkara in the Indian State of Gujarat, too.
a source of more information:
GOYAL, S.P. and G. KODOTH Wildlife Institute of India, P.O. Box 18, Chandrabani, Dehra Dun 248001, India (email:goyalsp@wii.gov.in).
Food habits and foraging behaviour of Indian gazelle (Gazella benneti) in scrub forest of the Rajasthan desert, India
We studied the food habits and foraging behavior of Indian gazelle during summer and winter in scrub forest close to human habitation in the Rajasthan desert, India. Six habitats were identified, based on the structural and floristic composition of the vegetation: crop fields, fallow lands (areas not under cultivation), scrub forest dominated by Zizyphus nummularia, and hedges of Maytenus – Capparis – Zizyphus among the agricultural fields. We examined diet selection in terms of use – availability and plant chemistry. Habitat and food types were ranked using relative preference ratio, and explained variance in terms of the existing diet selection theories. We observed seasonal as well as age and sex classes differences in habitat use and in proportion of the food species selected in the diet. In winter, females and sub-adults fed on a diet high in protein and reduced in tannins, but males did not select high quality food either in winter or summer. These differences were influenced by the spatial distribution of food species, plant chemistry, and the differential use of food species among different age and sex classes during the two seasons. Proteins, tannins and moisture seem to govern diet selection rather than availability itself, during both winter and summer. We also discuss the spatial distribution of food plant species in various habitats. Diet selection in proportion to food species present during summer and winter suggest that the Indian gazelle is a browser.
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