Predicting the potential habitat of (Jerdon, 1870) (Aves: Galliformes: Phasianidae) in Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary of Arunachal Pradesh, India

The Blyth’s Tragopan Tragopan blythii is a medium-sized pheasant endemic to the eastern Himalaya and is classified as ‘Vulnerable’. This species thrives in dense forest ecosystems at higher altitudes. Species distribution modelling (SDM) helps identify potential suitable habitats by relating species occurrence to key environmental variables, especially in areas with limited field data. The present study aims to predict the potential habitat of T. blythii in Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, using the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) method. The study offers valuable insights into the ecological and environmental conditions necessary for the survival of this vulnerable species. The results showed 3.93% (11.09 km²) of the total area as suitable, followed by 4.94% (13.91 km²) as moderately suitable, 18.55% (52.22 km²) as least suitable, and 72.58% (204.30 km²) as unsuitable. Model performance was good with a mean area under the curve (AUC) of 0.915 (SD = 0.040) and a true skill statistic (TSS) value of 0.798. The jackknife test revealed that the distribution of T. blythii is primarily determined by the mean diurnal range (BIO2), with additional influence from the temperature annual range (BIO7) and precipitation seasonality (BIO15). An analysis of the model output revealed a restricted distribution of T. blythii in the northern parts of the study area. These results support habitat prioritization and conservation planning for the long-term protection of the species. Thus, the model results can be used in further investigation to explore the natural habitat of this vulnerable species.