A study on the population size and structure, spatial and temporal use of habitat by Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus) was carried out in Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary from April 2003 to November 2003. This investigation was done under the WII - UiTf Institutional Co-operation Programme research project dealing with wild ungulate - livestock Interactions in the Himalaya. Himalayan tahr were counted and observed regularly from five vantage points and two ridge walks/trails during the study period. I estimated a population of atleast 105 tahr in the study area. Scans from vantage points and observations from trails/ridge walks resulted in a total of 557 sightings (3,313 individuals) with an average group size of 5.95 individuals. The overall abundance was 9.85 tahr/hour scan and 27.19 tahr/ km walk. Variables such as altitude, aspect, slope, distance to escape terrain, rockiness and vegetation cover in terms of tree, shrub, and grass/herb were recorded for every sighting in addition to the data on group size and structure. Tahr mostly used the 3,000 m to 3,300 m (63.62%) elevation range and > 40o slope categories (70.5%). Most sightings of tahr were on the eastern, south-eastern and southern aspects. The encounters of female-young groups were higher in summer (71.3 %), which decreased in autumn (50.89 %), while the encounters of mixed groups increased from 7.83% in summer to 30.77% in autumn. Majority of the sightings were in the subalpine scattered tree and scrub vegetation type characterized by Rhododendron arboreum, Danthonia tussocks and meadows. The differences in the grouping patterns and habitat use are discussed with reference to tahr behaviour. There was negligible interaction between domestic livestock and tahr in the study area and therefore the ecological information obtained in this study would be compared with studies in areas where livestock grazing pressures are high. Tahr pellet groups have been collected for diet analysis and GIS habitat modeling will be carried out at a later stage of the study.

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