Assessment and protective strategy of black muntjac habitat in Zhejiang, China

Habitat degradation and loss had been widely recognized as the main cause for the decline of wildlife population. Habitat assessment can provide essential information for wildlife refuge design and management. In this article, a systematic study on the black muntjac distribution, habitat quality, and spatial pattern was conducted. Initially, the main factors that influence the black muntjac habitat quality were identified, and habitat assessment criteria were set up. The vegetation, topographic, river, road, and village maps were then digitized by the geographical information system (GIS). Finally, the habitat distribution and quality were assessed based on the combination of vegetation, elevation, river system, and impact of human activities. The result showed that the potential habitat for black muntjac covered an area of 3172.6 hm², and 501.5 hm² of habitat in the Jiulong Mountain Natural Reserve was lost because of the degradation caused by human activities. The existing suitable habitat is 2671.1 hm², mostly distributed in Shangliaokeng, Jiulongshan, Neibeiping, Waijiulong, and Dayanqian in Gutian, Zhejiang Province, China.     

浙江黑麂栖息地评价及保护对策

运用地理信息系统技术,在分析黑麂栖息地的地形、植被、水系和人为干扰等地理特征的基础上,系统研究九龙山和古田山自然保护区黑麂栖息地分布、栖息地质量与空间格局。结果表明,在九龙山自然保护区有黑麂潜在栖息地3172．6hm^2,由于人类活动的影响导致栖息地丧失501．5hm^2,目前尚存的黑麂适宜栖息地2671．1hm^2。它们主要分布于上寮坑、九龙山、内北坪、外九龙和大岩前附近区域。古田山自然保护区有黑麂潜在栖息地4635．75hm^2,在人类活动影响下丧失栖息地1118．11hm^2,目前尚存的黑麂适宜栖息地3517．64hm^2。它们主要分布于青尖、古田山、巧观尖、催顶尖附近区域。目前九龙山和古田山自然保护区内的黑麂栖息地基本上处于多斑块破碎化状态。为了使黑麂能得到更好的保护,对这两个研究区域黑麂栖息地的恢复和重建工作亟待加强。     

卧龙自然保护区大熊猫生境评价

生物的生境是指生物生活繁衍的场所,由生物与非生物环境构成。近几个世纪以来,物种绝灭的速度加快,生物多样性丧失最重要的原因是生物生境的人为破坏。对保持生物的生境评价,是分析这些物种种群减少,濒危原因的重要手段,还能为制定合理的保护对策提供依据。根据大熊猫生境分布特点提出了大熊猫生境结构理论模型,将影响卧龙大熊猫生境质量的因素分为物理环境因素、生物环境因素和人类活动因素,探讨了生境评价的程序与卧龙大熊猫生境评价准则,运用地理信息系统技术与空间模拟方法分析了卧龙大熊猫生境质量。在人类活动影响下,卧龙自然保护区内适宜大熊猫生存的生境面积有57597.3hm^2,其中最适生境面积为6256.1hm^2,主要分布在海拔2300－2800m的平缓山坡与台地。     

基于MAXENT模型的古田山保护区黑麂生境适宜性评价

浙江开化古田山国家级自然保护区是黑麂（Muntiacus crinifrons）的集中分布区之一。近年来,保护区内黑麂面临着生境丧失和破碎化的威胁。本研究应用MAXENT模型,结合古田山保护区2014-2017年的红外相机监测数据和主要环境变量数据,对保护区内黑麂生境适宜性的季节变化特征及影响因素进行了评价与分析。结果表明：距阔叶林距离、海拔两个变量对黑麂生境适宜性的季节性变化影响最为显著。古田山保护区不同季节黑麂的适宜生境面积为：春季2086.38 hm²、夏季2608.74 hm²、秋季2502.27 hm²和冬季1746.27 hm²,分别占保护区总面积的25.74%、32.18%、30.87%和21.54%。从空间分布来看,黑麂适宜生境主要分布在保护区的核心区和北部区域。建议加强对保护区的核心区和北部区域自然植被的保护与恢复,以及对保护区人为干扰活动的监督和管理。     

基于河流生境调查的东河河流生境评价

河流生境是河流生态系统的重要组成部分,是河流生物赖以生存的基础。以位于三峡库区腹心区域的典型山区河流东河为研究对象,采用河流生境调查(RHS)方法调查河流生境,选择河流生境质量评价指数(HQA)、河流生境退化指数(HMS)评估河流生境现状,分析生境质量和人为干扰的空间分布规律。结果表明,51个河段的HQA值介于24—66之间。29.4%河段的HQA为优,29.4%为良,23.5%为中,9.8%为较差,7.8%为差。从HMS看,7.8%的河段保持较自然状态,19.6%受到轻微的破坏,41.2%退化明显,27.5%退化严重,3.9%受到剧烈破坏。HQA与HMS存在显著的负相关关系。东河上、中、下游河段的HQA无明显差异,但HMS差异显著。从干扰来源看,东河上游和中游河流生境主要受引水式小水电、沿河公路、河道采砂影响。东河下游河流生境受高强度的土地开发(农业用地、建设用地),河道采砂,河堤、排污管、桥梁等水工构筑物的修建和三峡水库水位的波动影响。RHS评价结果能较直观地反映河流生境状况,以及导致河流生境质量衰退的原因。     

Characterising hydromorphological features of selected Italian rivers: a comparative application of environmental indices

The purpose of this study was to test the applicability of different methods of river habitat assessment and their respective indices in a series of sample sites in Italy. These investigations were carried out within the EU AQEM project with the aim of combining the macroinvertebrate information with that achieved by investigating the hydromorphological characteristics of the river ecosystem as well as the surrounding landscape features. The River Habitat Survey (including the derived indices Habitat Modification Score and Habitat Quality Assessment) from U.K., and three Italian indices (Index of Fluvial Functioning, Buffer Strip Index and Wild State Index) were applied at 33 AQEM sites distributed in three different Italian river types. The obtained results indicate the overall ability of the applied indices to detect the degradation gradient, including river morphology and habitat, in the studied riverine ecosystems. Index of Fluvial Functioning seems useful to promptly describe the ecological quality of rivers as suggested by the good correlation with the AQEM multimetric biotic index. The Buffer Strip Index, showing a clear affinity with the Habitat Quality Assessment, seems suitable to assess richness and quality of the physical structure of a riverine site. The Habitat Modification Score recorded efficiently the morphological impact where present (e.g., North Apennine river sites), while the Italian indices appear to be not appropriate for differentiating this impact type from the general degradation of rivers.     

钱江源国家公园体制试点区功能分区对黑麂保护的有效性评估

功能分区是统一协调国家公园不同保护管理目标的主要措施, 对于国家公园的有效管理有重要意义。钱江源国家公园是我国首批国家公园体制试点区之一, 被分为核心保护区、生态保育区、游憩展示区和传统利用区4个部分, 对应不同的保护管理措施。本研究分析了钱江源国家公园体制试点区现有功能分区与其首要保护对象黑麂(Muntiacus crinifrons)的适宜栖息地之间的空间关系。在红外相机调查获取的94个黑麂分布点的基础上, 结合海拔、地形、植被特征、人为活动干扰等15个环境特征变量, 采用MaxEnt模型预测国家公园内黑麂适宜栖息地的空间分布。结果表明, 黑麂倾向于出现在森林较为原始和道路密度较低的区域, 其适宜栖息地面积42.5 km ², 占国家公园总面积的16.9%。其中, 69.3%的黑麂适宜栖息地位于核心保护区, 30.4%位于生态保育区, 表明国家公园现有功能分区能很好地满足黑麂栖息地保护的需求。此结果也证明黑麂可以作为其分布范围内保存较好的亚热带森林生态系统的指示性物种。通过生境恢复、廊道建设和跨省共建促进黑麂栖息地的完整性保护, 是加强该区域黑麂栖息地保护的关键措施。     

植被、海拔、人为干扰对大中型野生动物分布的影响——以九寨沟自然保护区为例

利用九寨沟自然保护区内8条动物监测样线在2003—2010年的生态监测数据,分析了植被、海拔、人为干扰对大中型野生动物分布的影响,结果显示:1)本监测共记录到保护区内大中型野生动物26种,其中兽类18种,鸟类8种,属于我国Ⅰ级、Ⅱ级保护动物的分别有5种和11种。2)针阔混交林和针叶林是大中型野生动物种类最丰富的两种植被类型(分别有26种和17种),阔叶林和灌丛次之(分别为10种和12种),草地最少(2种)。3)海拔2400 m以下的地方,大中型野生动物种类稀少,为10种,2400—2599 m海拔段物种数增加至20种,之后随海拔上升物种丰富度下降。4)人为干扰显著影响大中型野生动物的空间分布:历史上的人类活动将原生森林植被转化为次生的落叶阔叶林、灌丛和草地,使树正、亚纳和尖盘等地下坡位(相对海拔0—199 m)的大中型野生动物的物种丰富度降低(分别为4、2、2种)。包括旅游活动和交通在内的人为干扰,可能导致附近50m海拔范围内保护动物的缺失,并使下坡位的某些物种向高海拔处移动。生境破碎化则使野生动物的种类组成发生改变,使原有森林内部优势种,如羚牛(Budorcas taxicolor),逐渐被适应能力强的物种,如豹猫(Prionailurus bengalensis)、雉鸡(Phasianuscolchicus)和野猪(Sus scrofa)等所取代,并将长期影响野生动物种群的存活。当前九寨沟自然保护区大中型野生动物的分布是植被、海拔与人为干扰综合作用的结果。     

EVIDENCE OF FISH SURVIVAL DURING HABITAT DESSICATION IN RHODESIA

Rand Water's chemical water quality data from 1991 to 2000 were used to assess the water quality of the Waterval River, which contributes about 111 x 10⁶m³ of water to the Vaal River annually. Due to a biological community's ability to reflect water quality changes over time, biomonitoring was undertaken to support chemical water quality monitoring. Aspects of the riverine habitat, invertebrates and fish were investigated to give baseline information on the area. Human activities such as mining, industry, agriculture, rural and urban settlements are currently responsible for the deterioration of the ecological integrity of this river system. Habitat degradation was especially evident in the upper reaches of the Waterval River, as indicated by the South African Scoring System, version 4, Average Score Per Taxon and Biotic Integrity scores. In general, the ratings achieved were lower than those expected for the available habitat, which suggests that human activities have influenced the biotic community. By selectively addressing the areas of concern, the state of the environment can be improved, using the current assessment as a benchmark to measure the success or shortcomings of any actions in the years to come.     

甘肃大熊猫生境质量评价

本研究以第四次大熊猫(Ailuropoda melanoleuca)调查、甘肃省森林资源二类清查等数据为基础资料,依据国内外有关大熊猫对生境选择利用的研究成果,结合本地本山系大熊猫分布及活动的实际情况,选取竹子分布、植被类型、海拔、坡度、坡向、道路和居民区等评价因子,建立了大熊猫生境质量评价指标体系和准则,借助Arcgis10.2软件,利用栅格赋值和空间叠加原理系统地研究了甘肃大熊猫生境质量。结果表明,甘肃大熊猫生境质量总体较好,适宜和较适宜生境面积总和占到了69.77%;四个局域种群单元中白水江单元适宜生境面积最大,其次为甘南单元;各大熊猫分布县中,文县的大熊猫生境质量最好,其次为舟曲;甘肃大熊猫适宜生境大都处于保护区中,各保护区适宜生境总和为178 771 hm~2,占全省大熊猫适宜生境的88.72%;各保护区中,白水江国家级自然保护区的适宜生境面积最大,其次为插岗梁省级保护区。     

羌塘高原藏羚羊栖息地分布及影响因素

藏羚羊作为羌塘高原草食性野生动物的典型代表,明确其栖息地的准确分布将有利于识别藏羚羊种群保护关键区域,协调羌塘高原人与野生动物冲突。采用野外调查与物种分布模型相结合的办法,以藏羚羊栖息地选择偏好和迁徙规律为基础,利用Maxent模型模拟其在繁殖季节和非繁殖季节的栖息地分布,并通过栖息地质量模型辅以GIS空间分析方法,识别受人类干扰的栖息地范围。结果表明：藏羚羊在非繁殖季节主要分布在羌塘高原东南部,围绕在色林错等水系周围,其越冬区面积约为26万km²。倾向选择海拔4800m以上、气候温暖、靠近水源且食物资源丰富的区域。藏羚羊在繁殖季节栖息地明显呈现由南向北扩散的趋势,多在水系周围呈小片状分布于羌塘东北、中北、昆仑山南麓部分区域,产羔区面积约为30万km²。选择产羔地时则注重坡度、水源、海拔、气温日较差等,对植被资源的选择倾向较非繁殖季弱,重视迁徙通道连贯性和产羔区域安全性。羌塘高原人类活动整体较弱,北部羌塘国家级自然保护区是藏羚羊理想栖息地,但南部地区社会经济较发达,尤其是那曲地区南部和阿里西南部,居民地、道路和牧业等人类活动对栖息地干扰较大,受干扰面积分别占藏羚羊越冬区的39.7%,产羔区的34.9%。     

浙江清凉峰国家级自然保护区黑麂和小麂潜在适宜栖息地预测及重叠性分析

对保护区内的关键种开展保护工作时,其同域分布相似种的保护研究也具有重要价值。较大地理尺度上看,黑麂的分布区被小麂完全覆盖,如能掌握二者适宜栖息地的重叠状况,揭示其共存机制,将有助于保护策略的制定和整合管理。2017—2020年在浙江清凉峰国家级自然保护区利用红外相机技术分别获得黑麂和小麂的分布位点38个和101个,结合8个环境因子,采用MaxEnt模型对研究区域内黑麂和小麂的潜在适宜栖息地进行了预测和重叠性分析。结果表明：(1)黑麂和小麂潜在适宜栖息地主要位于龙塘山区域西南部,千顷塘区域中部和顺溪坞区域西北部,以及千顷塘区域与龙塘山区域间的山脉和顺溪坞南部山区,二者的潜在适宜栖息地面积分别586.66 km²和661.93 km²,分别占研究区域的36.67%和41.37%。(2)黑麂和小麂的生态重叠指数较高,其D值和I值分别为0.82和0.97,它们的总适宜栖息地重叠面积为435.39 km²,分别占黑麂和小麂总适宜栖息地面积的72.22%、65.78%。(3)黑麂和小麂对环境因子的选择相似,黑麂主要选择海拔较高、离水...     

Movement response of Orange-Vaal largemouth yellowfish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Labeobarbus kimberleyensis</Emphasis>) to water quality and habitat features in the Vaal River,South Africa

Many threatened fish species that utilize riverine habitats are faced with habitat degradation and subsequent deterioration in their ecological surroundings. Habitat degradation is a consequence of water quality parameters associated with anthropogenic activities including mining, industrial, agricultural and urban activities. We examined how the movement behaviour of radio-tracked Orange-Vaal largemouth yellowfish (Labeobarbus kimberleyensis) responded to a suite of water quality chemical parameters and habitat features in the Vaal River, South Africa. We found that the probability of their movement increased with a decrease in water clarity, presence of emergent and overhanging marginal vegetation and fast flowing rapids. High mobility in conditions of low water clarity was probably related to low prey capture success of this piscivorous fish. High movement of largemouth yellowfish in emergent and overhanging marginal vegetation areas and rapid habitat biotopes were attributed to accessibility of prey within these important cover features. When water quality parameters were considered, the probability of largemouth yellowfish movement increased with increasing levels of dissolved chloride (Cl) and silicon (Si), whereas movement decreased with high phosphate (PO₄) concentrations and increased with alkalinity levels in the river. High nutrient levels associated with eutrophication caused reductions in the movement of largemouth yellowfish. The association of increased movement of largemouth yellowfish with increasing Cl and Si is indicative of degraded habitat condition in the Vaal River system. Our study showed the importance of monitoring fish behavioural movement patterns to multiple environmental parameters, as these fish are important ecological indicators when appropriate conservation and management plans of freshwater ecosystems are required.     

Changes in biota along a dry-land river in northwestern Zimbabwe: declines and improvements in river health related to land use

Macroinvertebrates were sampled from 15 sites along a dry-land river in northwestern Zimbabwe to assess biotic responses to land use changes along the course of the river. The headwater sites were protected by a riparian corridor of native forest, but this was replaced by intensive subsistence agriculture in the mid-reaches while the lower reaches were located within a protected wildlife area with diverse and wide riparian forests. Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that intensive agricultural activities within the mid-reaches caused severe degradation of the stream physical habitat through increased fine sediment deposition. This coincided with a significant decline in macroinvertebrate richness, diversity, and abundance at the agriculturally impacted mid-reach sites. The presence of wide riparian zones at the lower river sites resulted in significant improvements in stream physical habitat quality, and this was paralleled by significant recovery or reappearance of taxa that had disappeared from the mid-reaches. We suggest that restoration of the riparian vegetation within the mid-reaches of the Nyaodza River would lead to improved physical habitat and biotic health of this dry-land river.     

Spatio-temporal habitat assessment of the Gangetic floodplain in the Hastinapur wildlife sanctuary

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 assess a riverine wetland grassland floodplain in Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary (HWS) along the Ganga River, which is a critical habitat for wintering migratory birds, the critically endangered gharial, turtles, aquatic mammals such as otters and dolphins, and cervid species such as swamp deer. We have developed a framework for regular monitoring through rapid habitat assessment, which visualizes the spatio-temporal change in land cover, the seasonal dynamics in water and vegetation, changes due to anthropogenic influences on the landscape, and finally, how these factors affect the habitat availability of species of concern in the HWS. The results show a dynamic river system with high seasonal variations. The vegetation trend shows increasing greenness, indicative of the conversion of grassland, scrubland, and herbaceous cover to more permanent vegetation, which will adversely affect the riparian habitat structure. A habitat suitability index generated through geospatial analysis using the weighted overlay method suggests that 40.07% of the HWS, nearly 767.12 km², comprising mainly the riverscape, wetland, and riparian grasslands, is suitable habitat for aquatic and semi-aquatic species. However, only 9.93% of the sanctuary comprising 197.27 km², is available as a core habitat. Further, the area is threatened by encroachment evident from the rapidly increasing land-use intensity and night light pollution, which puts the grasslands sheltered to swamp deer and other wildlife at higher risk leaving almost 27.9% of the area comprising 533.63 km² unsuitable for wildlife. Urban and agricultural land use has taken over 67% of the sanctuary. An increase in minimum radiance value representing ALAN, from 0.41 to 0.73 W/m²-sr in just six years from 2015 to 2021, shows a reduction in nocturnal darkness, reducing safe niches for wildlife. The study results provide critical baseline information for ecological surveys and a rapid assessment platform for future sanctuary management. Constant monitoring of anthropogenic activities such as farming, settlements, and transport routes threatening the habitat is essential for informed conservation management decisions.     

基于粪便DNA 的九龙山黑麂种群的遗传多样性

近年来,由于人类活动的干扰使黑麂的栖息地明显减少并呈斑块状分布。因此,深入了解该物种各地理分布种群的遗传现状是制定保护及管理策略的重要科学依据。本研究运用非损伤取样技术在浙江省九龙山国家级自然保护区的黑麂分布区共采集61 份粪便样品、2 份肌肉样品和2 份皮张样品,采用8 个特异微卫星位点对61 份粪便样品中提取的DNA 进行检测,肌肉和皮张样品DNA 的检测结果作为对照,分析了九龙山国家级自然保护区黑麂种群的遗传多样性。经多次重复提取和PCR 扩增后,发现61 份粪便样本中有38 份可被稳定扩增,且不同样本间的条带大小有较大差异,因此我们认为38 份粪便样本来源于38 只不同的黑麂个体。8 个微卫星位点共检测到50 个等位基因,平均等位基因数(A)为6 (5 ～ 8);平均有效等位基因数(Ne)为5. 297 (4.031 ～6.353);平均期望杂合度(He) 为0.817 (0.763 ～ 0.855);平均多态信息含量(PIC ) 为0. 775 (0.709 ～0.822)。8 个位点的平均个体识别率(DP)为0.931,累积个体识别率(CDP)为0.999 9。有1 个微卫星位点(BM1706)极显著地偏离了Hardy-Weinberg 平衡(P < 0.01)。以上结果显示该分布区黑麂种群具有较高的遗传多样性。     

Habitat associations of exploited fish species in the Lower Amazon river–floodplain system

1. Modification of floodplain morphology and land use is widely recognized as a major threat to fish communities of river–floodplain systems. We assess habitat associations of major exploited fish species in the Lower Amazon, where modifications are more extensive than in the Central or Upper Amazon. 2. Habitat was characterized in terms of physical environment, vegetation cover, distance from river and mean depth. Habitat associations of late juvenile and adult fish of the 14 major exploited species were established by comparing the distribution of the habitat sampled with the distribution of the habitat sampled weighed by a fish abundance index (catch per unit of effort). 3. Eight species showed significant habitat associations, generally being most abundant in floodplain lakes. Five of these eight species were associated with open water. Of the three exceptions, two preferred flooded forest lakes and another macrophyte‐dominated channels. The majority of those species with significant associations also preferred waters shallower than 7.25 m and relatively distant from the river mainstream. 4. While flooded forest is often assumed to be a key habitat for Amazon fish, only two of the main exploited species in the Lower Amazon had a significant association with this habitat. The majority of exploited species, including one that is associated with flooded forest in the central and upper Amazon, either showed no habitat associations or preferred open water lakes. The full range of pristine and modified floodplain habitats should be considered as important to fish conservation and fisheries productivity.     

基于土地覆盖和NDVI变化的拉萨河流域生境质量评估

气候变化和人类活动导致的土地覆盖和植被变化都会对生境质量产生影响。青藏高原是众多珍稀高原动植物的栖息地,具有重要的生物多样性维持价值。拉萨河流域是青藏高原经济最发达、人口最密集的核心地区,人类活动对生境质量带来的胁迫和压力持续增加。为揭示近些年来土地覆盖和植被变化对拉萨河流域生境质量的影响,选择生长季NDVI作为植被变化的指示因子,通过对不同植被类型各年份的生境适宜度进行修正,利用In VEST模型评估了拉萨河流域1990—2015年的生境质量时空变化。研究结果表明,1990—2015年拉萨河流域土地覆盖变化整体相对较小,其中人工表面和湿地面积增幅相对较大,分别为82.65%和32.40%;土地覆盖变化的转移方向主要为稀疏草地转化为草原和草甸、耕地转化为人工表面以及冰川/积雪转化为荒地。植被变化方面,1990—2000年,除流域中上游的裸岩、裸土地区和念青唐古拉山地区外,流域NDVI整体有较显著上升;而2000年以后略有下降。从生境质量的空间分布来看,高质量生境主要分布在流域下游、念青唐古拉山南侧河谷地区以及拉萨河源头等地区,低质量生境主要分布在拉萨市市辖区及周边、林周县县城及周边,以及流域中上游的荒地等地区。从时间变化上来看,1990—2000年,拉萨河流域整体生境质量指数从0.51上升到0.57; 2010年和2015年整体生境质量指数分别为0.56和0.55,较2000年略有下降。相比于土地覆盖变化,NDVI对生境质量变化的影响更为显著。     

River channel habitat diversity (RCHD) and macroinvertebrate community

Correspondence of habitat and macroinvertebrate diversity was investigated in twenty Czech rivers. With regard to the importance of river characteristics (depth, current velocity and substratum) River Channel Habitat Diversity method was developed within this paper. The method is focused directly on the stream wetted channel and it assesses habitat diversity and richness computed as Shannon-Wiener’s index. Macroinvertebrate samples were taken by the national PERLA method at each study site, diversity index was also calculated and compared with habitat and substrate diversity. Habitat diversity was important for macroinvertebrate communities according to multivariate assessment, but contrary to the hypothesis it was not significantly correlated with macroinvertebrate diversity. Based on the results, broader rivers had lower habitat diversity than smaller streams, and were more influenced by human activities (lower habitat diversity, higher pollution). Results obtained by the RCHD and RHS methods were not significantly correlated.     

Antelope space‐use and behavior indicate multilevel responses to varying anthropogenic influences in a highly human‐dominated landscape

A primary means of conserving a species or a habitat in a human‐dominated landscape is through promoting coexistence with humans while minimizing conflict. For this, we should understand how wildlife is impacted by direct and indirect human activities. Such information is rare in areas with high human densities. To investigate how animals respond to altered ecological conditions in human‐dominated landscapes, we focused on a wild herbivore of conservation concern in the Krishnasaar Conservation Area (KrCA) in Nepal. Here, blackbuck Antilope cervicapra, a generalist grazer, lives in refugia located with a growing human population. We studied the impacts of humans on habitat use and behavior of blackbuck. We laid 250 × 250 m grid cells in the entire KrCA and carried out indirect sign surveys with three replications for habitat use assessment. We observed herds of blackbuck for 89 h in different habitat types using scan sampling methods. Our habitat‐use survey showed that habitats under intensive human use were hardly used by blackbuck, even when high‐quality forage was available. Habitat openness was the major predictor of habitat use inside the core area, where levels of human activities were low. We also found a positive correlation between habitat use by blackbuck and livestock. Blackbuck were substantially more vigilant when they were in forest than in grassland, again indicating an influence of risk. Overall, blackbuck appear to be sensitive to the risk associated with both natural and anthropogenic factors. Our findings have direct implications for managing human–wildlife interactions in this landscape, specifically regarding strategies for livestock grazing in habitats highly used by blackbuck and concerning predictions of how changing land use will impact the long‐term persistence of blackbuck. Our work suggests that wild herbivores may be able to persist in landscapes with high human densities so long as there are refuges where human activities are relatively low.