Samenvatting
Forest degradation -- the partial loss of forest structure, composition, and ecological function without complete
conversion -- affects far greater areas of tropical forest than outright deforestation, yet its consequences for animal
biodiversity are less thoroughly documented. Degraded forests retain some structural complexity and species, but
selective logging, fuelwood extraction, grazing, and repeated fire alter canopy cover, understorey structure, and species
composition in ways that differentially affect animal communities across taxonomic groups and functional guilds. This
study presents a comprehensive assessment of animal diversity across a forest degradation gradient in the Eastern
Ghats of Andhra Pradesh, comparing intact forest, lightly degraded forest, moderately degraded forest, and heavily
degraded scrub at 48 sites surveyed using standardised camera trapping, bird point counts, herpetofauna VES, and
invertebrate sampling over two years (2021-2023). A total of 384 animal species from five groups are documented. All
groups showed significant species richness declines with degradation intensity, but at different rates: large mammals
declined most steeply (-72.4% from intact to heavily degraded), while generalist birds showed the smallest decline
(-18.4%). Canopy cover, understorey structural complexity, and distance from nearest intact forest are the three
strongest predictors of animal diversity. Recovery trajectories under active restoration are assessed. Management
recommendations for biodiversity-sensitive forest management and restoration are presented.