ISSN: 2639-216X
Authors: Veeramani A*, Alappat JP and Ramesh MB
Periyar Tiger Reserve is one of the single largest compact forests blocks in the Western Ghats and plays a key role in maintaining regional connectivity in the otherwise fragmented forest tracts. Grasslands play an important role in providing food to the herbivorous animals. The vayals are also the prime habitats for herbivores providing food and hide to escape from predators. The vayal habitats were visited in the intervals of every month and 10 Number of permanent plots (5 x 5 m size) were laid randomly in each vayal with the wooden poles placed in the four corners of the plot and tagged with aluminum plates. Information such as indirect evidences of animal species and its feeding signs with in the plots were recorded. The animal abundance is high in maintained vayals. The fresh grasses and sedges are the major attractions in these vayals for the herbivores. The animals mainly consume Cyperus members. Maintaining the vayals often check extension and establishment of exotic weeds, which in turn retain the original habitat preserving water and preferred food species in the forest ecosystem. Often vayals act as ecological niches being the habitat for amphibians and balsams.
Keywords: Grassland; Periyar Tiger Reserve; Herbivores; Palatable Food Species
