Syed Ainul Hussain

• Researcher at Wildlife Institute of India

This comprehensive chapter covers various aspects of the biology and natural history of the Eld’s deer (Rucervus eldii), including names, taxonomy, subspecies and distribution, descriptive notes, habitat, movements and home range, activity patterns, feeding ecology, reproduction and growth, behavior, and status in the wild and in captivity. The cha...

This comprehensive chapter covers various aspects of the biology and natural history of the Hog deer (Axis porcinus), including names, taxonomy, subspecies and distribution, descriptive notes, habitat, movements and home range, activity patterns, feeding ecology, reproduction and growth, behavior, and status in the wild and in captivity. The chapte...

The Ganga River is a vital riverine habitat for several endangered species of flora and fauna, including waterbirds. The river flows through densely populated cities such as Kanpur, Prayagraj, and Varanasi. Major threats to the ecological integrity and hydrology of the river include flow alteration, water abstraction at barrages and dams, riverbed...

The Ganga River, a lifeline for millions and a critical freshwater ecosystem, is under threat from escalating plastic pollution driven by widespread usage and inadequate disposal practices. While marine ecosystems have garnered extensive research attention, freshwater systems—particularly in the Global South—remain underexplored, leaving critical g...

Changes in fluvial characteristics, water flow regimes, and anthropogenic pressure have severely impacted the middle Ganga River, leading to resource scarcity for aquatic biodiversity. Despite the importance of habitat assessment in managing these ecosystems, gaps remain in understanding the process to fluvial stress factor, maintenance of minimum...

Understanding future plant invasion under climate change can enhance conservation strategies aimed at preserving the unique values of natural areas. In this study we aimed to map the current and future distribution of eight invasive plant species within Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve, Assam, India, under future climate scenarios (SSP 2–4.5...

Understanding the thermal dynamics of nests is critical for crocodylians, as they rely on optimal environmental temperatures for physiological processes, developmental success, and sex determination. Each of these factors is critical for maintaining population dynamics and the long-term persistence of species in the wild. In the present study, we a...

Land-use/land-cover change is an essential factor for understanding the ecological degradation of forests under threat from different climatic and human-mediated activities. This study investigates the biodiversity and ecological significance of Kaziranga Tiger Reserve, situated in the Brahmaputra floodplain of Assam, India, known for its rich flor...

The bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas) is a species of requiem shark distributed worldwide, which inhabits estuaries, nearshore areas, and the continental shelf waters and opportunistically in rivers within tropical and sub-tropical regions. In the present study, we report the first occurrence of bull shark from inland waters of the Hooghly River in...

Life on earth has evolved in response to the spatial, temporal, and spectral properties of natural light. However, with the advent of electricity and artificial lighting, the planet's nocturnal light environment has changed dramatically. This changing light environment is accompanied by altered behaviors in wild organisms, often resulting in drasti...

This study enhances drone capabilities for wildlife detection, focusing on swamp deer (Rucervus duvaucelii). We used YOLO V3, V5, V7, V8, Object Detection V3, and DETR models. We prepared a non-GPU Real-time detection using frame sampling technique, making it cost-effective and accessible, suitable for conservation efforts and adaptable to other sp...

Uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) have proven to be successful tools for ecological monitoring, providing excellent visual resolution and the ability to cover large areas with spatial accuracy. Artificial Intelligence has further improved the capabilities of UAVs vision through object detection. While deep learning has shown significant success in pa...

This paper presents the first report of Cyperus surinamensis, a newly naturalized sedge species, from the Gangetic plains of West Bengal, marking its second record in India. Initially documented in 2013 from the coastal regions of Kerala in India, the species is native to the New World. Its occurrence in West Bengal highlights the expanding range o...

The morphometric analysis of the watersheds is essential for the conservation of natural resources, including soil, water, and vegetation. The Morphometric analysis defines the linear, areal and relief aspects of the watershed. It involves the comprehensive analysis of various factors such as drainage network, surface water flow, and other topograp...

An important challenge for large carnivore conservation is negative human-wildlife interaction. Livestock depredation by carnivores is one important aspect of this negative interaction. Hence, it is critical to understand the extent of livestock depredation by large carnivores through their diet profiles and feeding habits for managing and strategi...

Abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gears, also known as ghost gears (GG), are major contributors to global marine and freshwater plastic pollution. GG can lead to the accidental entanglement of several threatened freshwater and marine species, especially the air-breathing aquatic vertebrates, which is a matter of global concern. There...

This study documents the first record of Lindernia tamilnadensis (M.G.Prasad & Sunojkumar) in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. Previously, 16 species of Lindernia have been reported from different parts of India. The newly acquired specimen exhibits distinct morphological characteristics compared to previously describ...

Ecological niche partitioning is fundamental for the coexistence of sympatric species. However, the relationship between herbivore body size and forage availability on resource segregation and selection remains debatable. This study quantifies the niche differentiation and selectivity of forage species consumed by six Asian large herbivores (SLH),...

Dietary exposure risks of 39 multi-class Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) to the threatened Gangetic dolphins (Platanista gangetica) were investigated in a conservation-priority segment of the Ganga River. Elevated EDCs bioaccumulation was observed across prey fish species, with di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP)...

Birds are excellent indicators of biodiversity and due to their selective association, are ideal for providing insights into the diversity of vegetation, insects, and aquatic life. Bird census, therefore, is an important tool for ecological monitoring. Birds, however, particularly migratory birds, often flock together in large numbers and bird coun...

For rewilding the depleted crocodylian populations in India, a targeted ‘one-species one area’ based conservation approach was adopted in the early-1970s. Suitable habitats were identified and designated as protected areas, specifically targeted to recover a particular crocodylian species. A ~ 610 km stretch of Chambal River in the Ganga River Basi...

bstract The complex and dynamic networks of river system, vital for the maintenance of biodiversity and ecosystem services, are under pressure due to human-induced water stress disrupting ecological processes. Recognition of the importance of rivers as source of life though has led to efforts towards protecting large rivers, nevertheless the conser...

Freshwater fauna is facing an uphill task for survival in the Ganga Basin, India, due to a range of factors causing habitat degradation and fragmentation, necessitating conservation interventions. As part of the ongoing efforts to conserve the freshwater fauna of the Basin, we are working on rehabilitating rescued freshwater chelonians. We carry ou...

The three-striped roofed (Batagur dhongoka) is a semi-aquatic turtle that belongs to family Geoemydidae. Due to anthropogenic pressure, it has been facing an intense decline of over 80% in its distribution range in the past 50 years. It is considered as 'Critically Endangered' so effective conservation strategies are needed to protect the species b...

Tourism is a rapidly developing industry in ecologically sensitive remote areas, especially in developing countries. Although a lucrative livelihood alternative, it is often responsible for degrading the environment and stratifying the socio-economic setup, if not managed prudently. We assessed the impact of tourism on ecological integrity and loca...

Background The Ganga River System (GRS) is a biodiversity hotspot, its ecological richness is shaped by a complex geological history. In this study, we examined the genetic diversity, spatial connectivity, and population structure of the Asian Silurid catfish, Wallago attu, across seven tributaries of the GRS. Methods and results We employed three...

Technological interventions such as remote sensing can play a crucial role in conserving inaccessible wetlands and their associated species. The floating meadows of Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP) in Manipur, India, are the only home to the last remaining wild population of the endangered and endemic Eld’s Deer, locally known as Sangai (Rucervus...

Indian Skimmer Rynchops albicollis Swainson, 1838 is a riverine habitat specialist bird and a species of significant conservation concern. In 2020 it was up-listed to the ‘Endangered’ category of the IUCN Red List. Breeding grounds of the species are known from the major rivers of India like Ganga, Chambal, Son, and Mahanadi. We monitored breeding...

The biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems especially macrophytes are threatened by various anthropogenic factors. We performed this study to investigate the beta diversity pattern of macrophyte communities in the Ganga River to find out their relationship with the physio-chemical properties of the habitat and to identify their life forms with conse...

This study was conducted between June 2017 and December 2018 to assess the bird community structure, diversity, feeding guilds, and the residential status of birds in Gautam Buddha Wildlife Sanctuary (GBWS). Avian diversity and guild organization in five different habitat types were classified according to the forest type present in the landscape....

Bird census or bird count is an important tool for ecological monitoring. Birds are excellent indicators of biodiversity and are ideal for providing insights into the diversity of vegetation, insects, and aquatic life. However, birds, especially migratory birds often ock together in large numbers and bird count estimation of such congregations are...

The β-diversity studies reveal diversity patterns at a spatial scale and strengthen the process of regional diversity conservation. The aim of the current study was to understand the pattern of local contribution to β-diversity (LCBD) and species contribution to β-diversity (SCBD) of odonates in the Ganga River. We selected 27 sites along the banks...

Large mammals are susceptible to land use and climate change, unless they are safeguarded within large, protected areas. It is crucial to comprehend the effects of these changes on mammals to develop a conservation plan. We identified ecological hotspots that can sustain an ecosystem for the endangered Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), an umbr...

Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), the last surviving crocodilian member of the genus Gavialis, is endemic to the Indian subcontinent and is listed as one of the priorities species under the Evolutionary Distinct and Globally Endangered framework. Historically, the gharial used to occur in all major river systems of the Indian Subcontinent, now found i...

Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) represents the world’s most trafficked and highly threatened species due to poaching and habitat destruction (Newton et al., 2008). In India, two species of Pangolin; the Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata), also called thick-tailed Pangolin and the Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla), are distributed throu...

The range extension of animals is influenced by various factors, particularly environmental variables and ecological requirements. In this study, we have attempted to quantify the potential current distribution range of the Burmese Python Python bivittatus in and around the Ganga Basin. We collected the Burmese Python sightings between 2007 and 202...

Globally, the conservation value of tropical grasslands, unlike tropical forests, is underappreciated, and their degradation is widespread. Conservation of this vulnerable ecosystem requires scientifically validated management strategies. The present study examines the impact of flooding, herbivory, and other management practices on the riverine gr...

A modern approach to understanding biodiversity variation is to deconstruct beta diversity patterns into the local contribution to beta diversity (LCBD-uniqueness in species composition of a site) and species contribution to beta diversity (SCBD-influence of a species in the beta diversity within the region) which is a good approach to improving kn...

Background In the riverine riparian ecosystem, particularly in India, the knowledge of the efects of habitat disturbance on taxonomic distinctness, functional diversity, and local contribution to β diversity (LCBD) of spider community is elusive. The present study examined the relationships between the index of taxonomic distinctness (Δ+), index of...

Conservation of habitats and flagship species, such as the Asian small-clawed otter, is one of the most effective ways to conserve aquatic biodiversity. The study was conducted at Karlapat wildlife sanctuary, Odisha, India, and aims to determine the habitat and diet preferences of Asian small-clawed otters. Presence-absence of Asian small-clawed ot...

As the world embraced Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) and its numerous benefits, the transforming nocturnal environment witnessed the negative impacts of this contaminant of emerging concern, and its consequent Light Pollution, on the fitness and populations of numerous organisms. Over the decades, India's unbridled population growth and rapid urb...

Remote sensing provides multi-dimensional and multi-temporal information about habitat, insights into the significant drivers of change, and the key factors affecting landscape dynamics. Such information is crucial to provide perspective and a more profound understanding of ecological surveys. This study utilizes Google Earth Engine's capability to...

Globally, the river ecosystems are threatened due to human-driven exploitation and indiscriminate resource use. The rate of species loss is a magnitude higher in these ecosystems, hence, identifying conservation priority areas as refugia, using the flagship-cum-indicator species approach can aid in long-term conservation of multiple species and ens...

The White-Winged Wood duck (Asarcornis scutulata) is an endangered forest wetland bird currently on the verge of extinction due to an array of anthropogenic pressures. It has been reported that global climate change could affect the distribution of many bird species globally. Therefore, an understanding the potential distribution of the White-Winge...

The wellbeing of mountain communities is determined by the availability and accessibility of ecosystem goods and services. We assessed the relationship between forest quality and wellbeing of local communities of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (NDBR) in the Upper Ganga River Basin, Western Himalayas, India. We used 14 relevant Sustainable Development...

As a traditional water source, springs are vital for Himalayan communities and it is essential to consciously focus on springs conservation. We report oxygen isotopes (δ18O) of spring water before, within, and after the tectonically active zones of the Alaknanda Valley, Uttarakhand. Higher variation of δ18O in the spring waters is found in highly t...

This study provides a primary inventory of the butterfly diversity of the Upper Ganga River Ramsar site in Uttar Pradesh, India. The study was carried out in two phases, first in March 2019 and then in November 2019. A total of 44 species of butterflies belonging to 34 genera and five families were seen in the area. The species observed in the stud...

Haematology and serum biochemistry parameters were determined for apparently healthy Manipur's Brow Antlered Deer (4) or Sangai (Rucervus eldii eldii) maintained at the Conservation Breeding Centre, Langol, Manipur under semi-captive conditions. Venous blood samples were collected from the animals via the jugular vein puncture following immobilizat...

The Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) also known as the Himalayan black bear is a Vulnerable species. Its range is distributed throughout southern and eastern Asia. Here we report the first photographic evidence of the species in Kaziranga Tiger Reserve situated in the northeast of India. The photo-captured image of the species has unfolded var...

Citation: Badola, R., Shaikh, S.M., Abidi, A., Mani, A., Ramachandran, A., Hussain, S.A., and Mathur, P.K., 2022. Uttar Pradesh State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. Uttar Pradesh State Biodiversity Board, Lucknow and Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun, pp. 286.

Understanding the population genetic structure and species boundaries in the complex river system has been challenging. The genus Sperata , a commercially important and widely distributed freshwater catfishes of India, belongs to Bagridae. The taxonomy of the Sperata genus is complex and still under revision. Recently, five valid species of Sperata...

Jarman–Bell (1974) hypothesized that in the dry savanna of Africa, small-bodied herbivores tend to browse more on forage with high protein and low fibre content. This implies browsing on high nutritive forage by meso-herbivores, and grazing and mixed feeding on coarse forage by mega-herbivores. We tested this hypothesis in the riverine alluvial gra...

Across the large part of Indian Himalayan Region, women form the backbone of local economy, which is an integrated system of traditional agriculture and livestock rearing, dependent on forest (phyto)resources. The study was conducted in Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary Landscape, a Western Himalayan Protected Area. The inhabitants of the landscape are...

Bio-indicators are extremely useful for quickly assessing the true condition of a rapidly deteriorating freshwater environment at a low cost. Global research has shown that the spider (Arachnida: Araneae) is a well-known taxon with bio-indicator potential. Present study was performed to find out if any spider species could be used as a bio-indicato...

The freshwater turtles of the iconic Ganga river system are one such group of vulnerable turtles. Despite common knowledge of the severity of turtle trade in the region, Gangetic turtles continue being poached in large volume, evident from the numerous and extensive seizures across the Gangetic belt. The intensive wildlife trade in Gangetic turtles...

Conservation depends on acquiring timely knowledge on species’ ecology to alleviate the risks of biodiversity loss driven by anthropogenic stressors. Himalayan freshwater ecosystems are exceedingly threatened by the compounding effects of rising developmental pressure and climate change, jeopardizing biodiversity nested within this imperilled lands...

Limited information is available on the growth rates of turtles in head-starting programs. The current study provides vital information on the growth patterns of Batagur dhongoka, a critically endangered turtle inhabiting the Ganga River basin that were part of a head-starting program at Turtle Breeding and Rehabilitation Centre, Sarnath, India. Ou...

We have recorded a vagrant juvenile of Lesser Flamingo feeding on shallow water on 24 February 2020 in river Ramganga near Kadarganj (28.1484°N, 79.466°E), Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh (Image 1–3) during the biodiversity survey of river Ramganga. This survey was a part of biodiversity rejuvenation in River Ganges under the auspices of the National Miss...

The Red-crowned roofed turtle ( Batagur kachuga ) and Three-striped roofed turtle ( B. dhongoka ) are ‘critically endangered’ turtles in the Geoemydidae family. Herein, we generated the novel mitochondrial genome sequence of B. kachuga (16,155) and B. dhongoka (15,620) and compared it with other turtles species. Batagur mitogenome has 22 transfer R...

Sambar (Rusa unicolor) is the largest oriental deer and has a wide distribution across South and Southeast Asia. Despite its wide distribution range, little information on the genetics of this species is available to date. We examined the genetic variability of Sambar populations using a partial fragment of the mtDNA control region and reconstructe...

The gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is a critically endangered crocodylian, endemic to the Indian subcontinent. The species has experienced severe population decline during the twentieth century owing to habitat loss, poaching, and mortalities in passive fishing. Its extant populations have largely recovered through translocation programmes initiated...

Escalation of human–wildlife conflict (HWC) is a barrier to the conservation of ecological corridors across the globe. The existing mechanisms to counter HWC are either economically and socially taxing, or ineffective for long-term management. We assessed HWC in the corridor linking the Rajaji and Corbett Tiger Reserves in Uttarakhand, India, and i...

Eld's deer (Rucervus eldii) with three recognised subspecies (R. e. eldii, R. e. thamin, and R. e. siamensis) represents one of the most threatened cervids found in Southeast Asia. The species has experienced considerable range contractions and local extinctions owing to habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting, and illegal trade across its distribu...

Damming and diverting river water alters the channel characteristics and natural flow regime. The change in biotic and abiotic factors results in dissimilar habitat conditions upstream and downstream of the barrage. Given the habitat dissimilarity and therefore resource availability, we hypothesized the dissimilarity in waterbird abundance and spec...

Sperata seenghala (Giant river-catfish) and Sperata aor (Long-whiskered catfish) are commercially important freshwater catfishes of India, belongs to family Bagridae. Due to high nutritional significance and the low number of intramuscular bones, both fishes have considerable demand in South Asian countries. Both of the Sperata species are morpholo...

In this paper we evaluated the performance of four species distribution models: generalized linear (GLM), maximum entropy (MAXENT), random forest (RF) and support vector machines (SVM) model, using the distribution of the dragonfly Blue-tailed Green Darner Anax guttatus in the Gangetic riparian zone between Bijnor and Kanpur barrage, Uttar Pradesh,...

A decline in the numbers of threatened species is often reversed by reintroduction with the aim of repopulating or strengthening the population to reduce the risk of extinction. The success of reintroduction programs is associated with demographic and genetic monitoring of the reintroduced populations. We undertook a genetic assessment of the Criti...

River conservation planning is complicated by its inherent connectivity, variations in habitat features and difficulties in conserving entire rivers. Economic and social constraints in human-dominated river systems, such as the Ganga, further complicate planning. A multistage systemic analysis was performed to identify policy gaps and recommend the...

In many aquatic species, alteration of habitats and human-induced barriers shape the population’s genetic structure in rivers with longitudinal connectivity. The golden mahseer, Tor putitora (GM) is an endangered and sensitive cyprinid species. It is considered an indicator of a healthy freshwater ecosystem and is found in cold-water habitats. Ther...

We conducted the first comprehensive assessment of the presence, source, and ecotoxicological implication of 13 banned and restricted organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the surface water along the Ganga River for two different seasons. Surface water samples were collected along the 2525 km stretch of the Ganga through 43 sites representing five zo...