Distribution of Chital Axis Axis (Erxleben 1777) in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

2 Pages·2000·1.1 MB·

by  Bruno Carpinetti

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
1. DISTRIBUTION OF CHITALAXISAXIS (ERXLEBEN 1777)
IN BUENOS AIRES PROVINCE, ARGENTINA
(With one text-figure)
Chital (Axis axis) was first introduced in Luis provinces (Chebez 1994). The range
Argentina for sport hunting in 1928 and 1930 expansion of chital has been assisted by
in Magdalena, Buenos Aires province (Navas translocation to new areas, mainly as a result of
1987). The species became well established in commercial interestfrom gameranches. Buenos
the country, and there have been records from Aires province manages chital as a big game
Formosa, La Pampa, Neuquen, Cordoba, Santa species, and also permits shooting to control
Fe, Rio Negro, Entre Rios, Tucuman and San populations.
Fig. 1: Distribution ofchital (Axisaxis Erxleben 1777) in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina,
South America. Previous records (Navas 1987; Galliari et al. 1991) • New records
JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURAL HISTORYSOCIETY, 97(2), AUG. 2000 271
. .
MISCELLANEOUSNOTES
From1995to 1997,wecompletedsomefield Tordillo, Tandil, Coronel Suarez, Guamini and
surveys to determine the ranges of introduced Dolores (Fig. 1).
We
ungulates. also compiled all literature and It is necessary to delineate distribution to
unpublished information from the local Wildlife studythebiology andassess the impactofchital
Department to determine the past and current on local flora, particularly the indigenous tala
distributionandstatusofAxisaxisandotherexotic (Celtis tala) forests and pampas grasslands.
ungulates in Buenos Aires province.
In the study area, the species distribution July 27, 1999 BRUNO CARPINETTI
is closelyassociatedwith Celtistala forests(Rio Direccion de Administracion
de La Plata estuarine area), and with the two de Recursos Naturales,
mountainchains(TandiliaandVentaniasystems) Ministerio de Asuntos Agrarios
in the province. de la Prov. de Bs. Aires,
We confirmed chital occurrence in Calle 71 N°488, La Plata (1900), Argentina.
Magdalena, Chascomus, Castelli, Tornquist, MARIANO L. MERINO
BahiaBlanca,Gral,LavalleandBerisso(Galliari Seccion Mastozoologia,
etal. 1991) and also in General Pueyrredon and Departamento Zoologia Vertebrados
,
Balcarce departments (Navas 1987). Addi- Museo de la Plata.
tionally, there have been new records for the Paseo del Bosques/n (1900) La Plata
speciesatGeneralBelgrano,GeneralMadariaga, Argentina. CICPBA.
Refer NCES
Chebez,J.C. (1994): Losquesevan,especiesargenlinas la Provincia de Buenos Aires. A-Recursos y rasgos
enpeligro.EditoralAlbatrosSACI,BuenosAires. naturalesenlaevaluacionambiental.
Galliari, C.A., W.D. Berman & F.J. Goin (1991): Navas,J.R.(1987):Losvertebradosexoticosintroducidos
Mamiferos.Comisiondeinvestigacionescientificasde enlaArgentina.Rev.Mus.Arg. Cs.Nat.. Zoologia14:
laProvinciadeBuenosAires.SituacionAnibientalde 7-38.
2. TAKINBUDORCAS TAXICOLOR ATMENLARESERVE FOREST (3,050 M),
EAST SIKKIM: AWESTWARDRANGEEXTENSIONAND OBSERVATIONS
OFUNUSUALBEHAVIOUR
The Mishmi takin Budorcas taxicolor During the All India Tiger Census,
Hodgson was finally sighted in Sikkim in June December 1993,conductedbyMr. C. Lachungpa
1999. For decades there were rumours of a Divisional Forest Officer (Wildlife) of the
solitary, large mammal locally called Markin’ Department of Forests, Environment and
by the Lachungpa tribals ofnorth Sikkim. Wildlife, he sighted a large herbivorous animal
In recent times, the animal was first from afar in a dense area ofMenmoitso Reserve
reported from Lema c 2,400 m) in Lachung, Forest c 2,500 m) in east Sikkim. His
( (
north Sikkim in September 1976. In May-June photograph, taken with a normal lens, showed
1984, a villager Mr. Jorgay Lachungpa told vaguely a large animal like a bear or yak, but
me that an animal called Markin’ occasionally duetothe distance itwasnotpossibleto identify
comes across the Tembawa ridge adjoining it. ItwassuspectedtobeeitheragaurBosgaums
Dombang valley, probably from the Chumbi or Sikkim stag (Shou) Cervus elaphus wallichi
valley to the Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary Cuvier,possiblystrayedoverfromBhutanorthe
area (c. 3,400 m), north Sikkim. Chumbi valley. In July 1998, there was an
272 JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURAL HISTORYSOCIETY, 97(2), AUG. 2000