Sambar Deer (Rusa unicolor)

[parvez]

Food habits
Sambar have been observed to feed on more than 139 species of plants
(Schaller 1967, Johnsingh and Sankar 1991). The food requirements of
sambar are less specialised than those of other deer (Schaller 1967).
Sambar would graze or browse depending upon the forage available at
any given point of time (Bentley 1978, Kelton 1981, Ngampongsai 1987).
Young green grasses are the preferred forage of sambar in Kanha, but
browse is often important during seasons when green grasses are scarce
(Schaller 1967). Analysis of faecal pellets of sambar in Kanha National
Park revealed that browse was a dominant dietary component (Martin 1977).
In Sariska sambar were observed grazing as long as the green grasses
are available, but switched over to browse and fallen leaves, flowers and
fruits in winter and summer (Sankar 1994). Dinerstein (1979) confirmed
that browse is important for sambar in Nepal. Richardson (1972) reported
that the diet of sambar greatly varied from large amount of browse in the
dry season to an almost complete dependence on grass and herbaceous
plants in the wet season in Texas.This flexibility of sambar diet from graze
to browse has enabled the wide distribution of this species.
Predation and Mortality
Predation (mainly by tiger, leopard and dholes) is the main cause of
mortality in sambar, though sambar are also a favourite with hunters and
poachers. In Kanha, sambar remains were found in nearly 11 % of tiger
scats and 9% of leopard scats analysed (Schaller 1967). In Bandipur
remains of sambar were found in about 30% tiger scats, 14% leopard
scats, and 14% dhole scats (Johnsingh 1983). In adjoining Nagarahole
remains of sambar were found in about 25% tiger scats, 13% leopard
scats, and 10% dhole scats (Karanth and Sunquist 1995). In Sariska,
around 51% of the scats of tiger and around 20% of leopard scats
contained sambar remains (Sankar 1994). Sambar remains were found
in nearly 14% of tiger scats in Pench (Biswas and Sankar 2002) and
50% of tiger scats in Ranthambore (Bagchi
et al. 2003).
Mortality of sambar stags is usually high relative to their representation
in the population (Johnsingh 1983, Karanth and Sunquist 1995). Males
are said to be more susceptible to predation. Weakened condition after
rut (Hornocker 1970) and territorial contests (Estes and Goddard 1967,
make males vulnerable to predation. 
BEHAVIOUR
Sambar are predominantly forest-dwellers, favouring the cover of trees,
venturing out into the open mainly at night, and late at dusk or early dawn.
They usually rest the whole of the daylight hours (Schaller 1967).

CONSERVATION
Sambar constitute one of the largest, and in turn, the most favoured prey
species of large carnivores such as the tiger, leopard and dhole as
reported from Kanha (Schaller 1967), Bandipur (Johnsingh 1983) Rajaji
National Park (Johnsingh
et al.
1993), and Sariska (Sankar 1994). Next
only to chital, sambar are numerically the second most important prey
species of the large carnivores of India. In large tracts of forests not
inhabited by chital, sambar are the mainstay of the prey biomass
available to carnivores. Taking into consideration sambar's preference
for cover and avoidance of disturbance, the abundance of sambar would
be a reliable indication of the health of a forested area, and it's potential
to host adequate carnivore numbers.

Sambar (Cervus unicolor Kerr, 1792) (PDF Download Available). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230668316_Sambar_Cervus_unicolor_Kerr_1792 Reply