# Mislabeled and Misunderstood: Large Mammal Distribution Underscores Ecological Significance of Agro‐Pastoral “Wastelands” in India's Deccan Peninsula

## TL;DR

This study shows that agro-pastoral 'wastelands' in India's Deccan Peninsula actually support populations of large mammals, challenging the idea that these areas are ecologically insignificant.

## Contribution

The study highlights the conservation value of semi-arid agro-pastoral landscapes and demonstrates the use of local knowledge in ecological research.

## Key findings

- Striped hyena, sloth bear, and blackbuck occupy significant portions of the landscape despite lack of protected areas.
- Low-intensity agriculture supports blackbuck presence, while open ecosystems support hyenas and sloth bears.
- Indian gray wolves are estimated to be present in at least 76% of the study area.

## Abstract

Multi‐use landscapes are now recognized for their value in supporting biodiversity and aiding species conservation, including charismatic megafauna. However, semi‐arid open‐canopy human‐use landscapes have faced multiple anthropogenic stressors over the past centuries and have received meager conservation attention, especially in South Asia. A growing body of evidence suggests that such ecosystems, even with intermittent human use, can provide habitats for globally threatened species and support their conservation. To understand the role of semi‐arid multi‐use landscapes in supporting populations of large‐bodied wildlife in India's Deccan Peninsula, we used key informant interviews with pastoralists and a single‐season single‐species occupancy modeling framework and examined the distribution of three species: striped hyena
Hyaena hyaena
, sloth bear
Melursus ursinus
, and blackbuck
Antilope cervicapra
. Hyena, sloth bear and blackbuck occupied 52%, 26% and 63% of the landscape, respectively, despite the absence of intensively managed protected areas. Conservative estimates suggest that Indian gray wolf (
Canis lupus pallipes
) was present in at least 76% of the landscape. ONEs favored occupancy of hyena and sloth bear, while low‐intensity agriculture supported blackbuck presence. Our results highlight the conservation potential of agro‐pastoral landscapes and challenge the narrative of characterizing semi‐arid open ecosystems as “wastelands”. We also demonstrate how experiential knowledge of communities can be applied to ecological research when using traditional methods is infeasible. Under global change scenarios, misclassification and mismanagement of critical socio‐ecological systems, such as the ONEs of Deccan Peninsula, will not only jeopardize the survival of populations of threatened species but also weaken the land‐sharing potential of these regions.

A large part of India's Deccan peninsula consists of agricultural lands interspersed with open ecosystems that support megafauna populations. We examined the distribution of four large mammals: blackbuck, striped hyena, sloth bear and the Indian wolf in agro‐pastoral landscapes of north Karnataka's Koppal district using an interview‐based occupancy framework. While blackbuck presence was supported by low‐intensity agriculture and hyena and sloth bear presence was driven by presence of open ecosystems, conservative estimates for Indian wolves showed that they were present in at least 76% of the district's area. We argue that open ecosystems‐agriculture matrices in the Deccan be recognized for their ability to support charismatic megafauna and that they should not be mislabeled as “wastelands” in developmental planning.