A Beneficial Aspect of Nilgai (<I>Boselaphus tragocamelus</I>) in Scientifically Utilised Ravines - an Observation

Abstract

The Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) is condemned as a vermin. There is a need to develop a "live and let-live" technology to end the "Farmer-Nilgai-tussle'. Studies in Research Farm, chhalesar indicate that Nileai is "not-all-worthless". Situated in ravines along river Yamuna the Research Farm (81.6 ha) with all essentials for life viz. 65% forests and 35% agriculture, horticulture, water-holes, etc. makes a safe haven for Nilgai. There exist about 100 head using forests for shelter and resting in day time, agricultural fields for foraging in night time and the river for watering. Nilgai's summer droppings containing 5-10 seeds each are a good source of Acacia nilotica and Prosopis juliflora seeds. The droppings also contain 1.568% nitrogen enriching the soil profile upto 30 cm depth by above 30kg N ha^-1 and 0.02% organic carbon. About 100 kg summer droppings, numbering, as much as 40,000, contain sufficient seeds to afforest 6 ha area. For raising forest of A. nilotica dropping of May and for that of P. juliflora the same of June should be used. The naturally, timely and effortlessly available Nilgai droppings are ideally and evenly sized nitrified organic capsules with appropriate number of treated seeds ready to vigourously and prolifically germinate with first showers. Easy to handle, simple to use and quick to work-with the cheaply available Nilgai droppings are a boon to boom afforestation.