Damage Inflicted by the Indian Crested Porcupine, Hystrix indica, on Forestry and Agricultural systems in Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

In Pakistan, Hystrix indica is abundant and distributed all over the country. It has been identified as a serious pest of traditional as well as non-traditional crops, fruit orchards, vegetables, flowering plants and grasses of forage importance in rangelands. The most important porcupine damage, however, occurs in forestry and range areas. Damage estimates are 15.18 ± 1.79% to Dalbergia sissoo, 12.38 ± 1.86% to Morus alba, 15.16 ± 2.04% to Eucalyptus camaldulensis and 3.44 ± 0.04% to Albizzia procera in different irrigated forest plantations of Punjab have been reported. Severe stock damage figures of 58.4 ± 4.00% to Bombax ceiba, 9.81 ± 2.69% to Dalbergia sissoo and 6.79 ± 2.23% to Albizzia procera were recorded in different areas of the Punjab. Crops of economic importance such as wheat, maize, sugar cane, groundnut and melon are severely damaged in the irrigated plains and rain-fed Pothohar belt. Among the vegetables, okara, pumpkin, bitter gourd and onions are badly damaged.