Indian Crested Porcupine Research Articles

Occurrence of Free-Ranging Indian Crested Porcupine (Hystrix indica) and Other Co-Occurring Mammals within the Urban Protected Area in Indian Mega city-Delhi, NCR

Occurrence of Free-Ranging Indian Crested Porcupine (Hystrix indica) and Other Co-Occurring Mammals within the Urban Protected Area in Indian Mega city-Delhi, NCR

Coexistence of Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata (Geoffroy, 1803) (Mammalia: Pholidota: Manidae) and Indian Crested Porcupine Hystrix indica (Kerr, 1792) (Mammalia: Rodentia: Hystricidae) in Purulia District, West Bengal, India

The Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata and the Indian Crested Porcupine Hystrix indica are subject to extensive poaching in Purulia District (West Bengal, India), diminishing their populations, and making the study difficult. Applying methodologies that include local sightings, field observations, camera trapping, and quadrate analysis, these species were observed to co-occur in rocky cavities in Ajodhya hills at several locations. Evidence for this included fresh pangolin tail drag marks, claw prints, footprints, scales, porcupine quills, teeth marks, and faecal matter in the same locations within the study area. Quadrate analysis showed that the trees housing the target prey species of the Indian Pangolin as well as the trees bearing fruits favoured by the Indian Crested Porcupine, occurred at maximum frequency within the Quadrate area. We hypothesise that pangolins and porcupines co-occupy rocky cavities for protection from poachers, who can easily break into more typical burrows and set traps in front of them. This may be an example of adaption to poaching, which demonstrates the necessity of conservation measures to alleviate severe anthropogenic pressure.

Faunal Diversity and Biodiversity Conservation within Homagama Mahinda Rajapaksha College, Sri Lanka

A faunal diversity survey was carried out to analyze the faunal diversity in Homagama Mahinda Rajapaksha College in Colombo District, Sri Lanka. The survey site is located in a suburban area that is surrounded by disturbed properties. The aim of the survey was to analyze the faunal diversity and recognize the special habitat types in the school premises for conservation purposes. It could recognize five major zones which have different types of microhabitats and rich in faunal diversity. The survey was done as a visual encounter survey, and smartphones, digital cameras and binoculars were used to collect data of the fauna species for documenting and identifying purposes. Also, pitfalls traps, light traps and beating were used as survey methods. The study was done for three days including three random sampling events during both day and night. Standard guides were used for identifying and photographs, notes on observations were sent to experts on each taxon for further confirmation. A total of 188 fauna species were recorded during the survey including 55 species of vertebrates including five classes (Aves, Amphibia, Mammalia, Reptilia, Actinopterygii) and 133 species of invertebrates including six classes (Insecta, Gastropoda, Diplopoda, Clitellata, Chilopoda, Arachnida). The study could document 30 bird, 14 reptile, 6 mammals, 4 amphibian and 1 ray-finned fish species as vertebrates and 95 insect, 5 mollusks, 3 millipede, 2 clitellate, 2 centipede, 26 arachnid species as invertebrate fauna species in the school premises. Based on the results of the survey, the fauna diversity of the studied site is stable and depends on the microhabitat types in the different zones. As a suburban area, the species richness of the site is in well conditions. To keep stable and increase the fauna diversity of the site, doing regular surveys and recording data, generating microhabitats, and conserving highly diverse habitat types are suggested. Unique species like Indian Hare (Lepus nigricollis), Indian Crested Porcupine (Hystrix indica) were observed and as the only venomous snake species, Merrem‘s hump-nosed viper (Hypnale hypnale) was recorded. The faunal diversity of the studied site helps to keep the unique surroundings there and keeping frequent records and data on the site will help to maintain the biodiversity with constructions in and around the school premises. 
 Keywords: Faunal diversity, Suburban, Citizen Science, Conservation, Visual encounter

Efficacy of Some Additives for Enhancing Bait Consumption Against Indian Crested Porcupine (Hystrix indica Kerr) in Mianwali District, Punjab, Pakistan

Efficacy of Some Additives for Enhancing Bait Consumption Against Indian Crested Porcupine (Hystrix indica Kerr) in Mianwali District, Punjab, Pakistan

Food habits of indian crested porcupine (Hystrix indica) (Kerr 1792), in district Bagh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The Indian Crested Porcupine (Hystrix indica) is classified as an agricultural pest species. It feeds on plants and crops; hence, it is responsible for massive financial losses worldwide. The current study was conducted to assess the diet composition of Indian Crested Porcupine in District Bagh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K). Thus, fecal samples were collected and examined from different sampling sites. Reference slides of the material collected from the study area were prepared for identification of dietary components in fecal pellets. A total of 80 fecal samples were collected and processed. Percent relative frequencies (P.R.F.) were calculated for each plant species recovered from pellets. Data revealed that Indian Crested Porcupine consumed 31 plant species in its diet, among them Zea mays (34.31±7.76) was the most frequently selected species followed by Rumex obtusifolius (15.32±2.57) and Melia azedarach (12.83±4.79). The study revealed that the greatest diversity of (n=20) plant species were consumed in summer season while minimum (n=13) species were used during winter. Among the parts of plants, stem was highly consumed in spring (57.2%) as compared to seed in fall (36.7%) while spikes and leaf were the least recovered parts from the fecal matter. The Berger-Parker diversity index showed highly diversified food (10.92) in the summer time of the year as compared to the autumn season (2.95). This study provides a baseline for the diet preference of this pest in the study area. Based on current findings, a detailed investigation on damage assessment, exploration, habitat use and management of Indian Crested Porcupine in AJ&K has been recommended.

First evidence of hunting of a Crested Indian Porcupine by an avian predator: The Eurasian Eagle Owl

Abstract Encounters between birds of prey and porcupines are rarely documented, and so far only in North America. At least 39% of such encounters lead to death of the attacker. We present first evidence for similar encounters between The Eurasian Eagle Owl and the Indian Crested Porcupine, suggesting that young porcupines may occasionally serve as potential prey for the owl.

Partial Mitogenome Sequence of the Indian Crested Porcupine (Hystrix indica) in Turkey, with the Phylogeny of the Subgenus Hystrix

Mitogenomic data can provide valuable information that can be used to elucidate and reveal the evolutionary history and phylogenetic relationships. Recently, mitogenomes generated using high-throughput sequencing technologies have become more applicable in association with advanced analytical tools. In this study, to provide mitogenomic data for the Indian crested porcupine and to disclose the intraspecific and interspecific relationships within the subgenus Hystrix, partial mitogenome (7.525 bp) of one sample from Turkey that included coding and noncoding regions was initially sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq platform. The structure of the obtained partial mitogenome was similar to those of the other mammals. The partial mitogenome sequence of the Turkish sample was used for phylogenetic analyses together with published mitochondrial sequences of the species within the subgenus Hystrix registered in GenBank. Two mitochondrial regions (CytB and D-loop available in GenBank) were analyzed using the Bayesian, Maximum Likelihood, and Neighbor-Joining methods. Phylogenetic analyses revealed three major phylogroups (Hystrix cristata, H. indica, and H. africaeaustralis) within the subgenus Hystrix. This partial mitogenome sequence was the first data for the Turkish porcupine belonging to the species H. indica. As genetic data for H. indica are already limited, the present study would contribute to further phylogenetic studies that would be performed using mitogenomic data of the Indian crested porcupine and other porcupines.

Occurrence of the Indian Crested Porcupine (Hystrix indica Kerr.1792) and the Damage on Plantation Crops in the Nilambur Forest Divisions of Southern Western Ghats, Kerala, India

The damage to coconut and rubber plantations by the Indian crested porcupine (Hystrix indica) in the Nilambur Forest Division, Malappuram District was reported for the first time. The objectives of this study were to document the mode of attack and estimate the extent of damage by Indian crested porcupine in the plantation crops of the forest fringes. The study was carried out from June 2013 to May 2016 as part of the documentation of human-wildlife conflict in Malappuram District. Stratified random sampling, along with quadrat (10 m x 10 m) method was used to assess the crop damage. Estimation of the economic loss to farmers was carried out by using the market price of the coconuts during the period, collected from the website of Farm Information Bureau, Govt. of Kerala. The mean economic loss of crops damaged by Indian crested porcupine was Rs.1322.35/- per ha/annum. The debarking behavior of Indian crested porcupine on coconut palms (n=31), rubber trees (n=27) and consumption of newly formed bamboo culms (n=42) were also reported. No one has implemented proper mitigation measures against the Indian crested porcupine in the District.

<b>A first confirmed record of the Indian Crested Porcupine <I>Hystrix indica</I> (Mammalia: Rodentia: Hystricidae) in the United Arab Emirates</b>

We report the first records of the Indian Crested Porcupine (Hystrix indica; Kerr, 1792) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), approximately 600km beyond its known range in Arabia. Images of H. indica were taken by camera traps at two locations in Wadi Wurayah National Park (WWNP), Fujairah, in three separate events in 2015 and 2016. Long-term occupancy of porcupines was confirmed via social surveys conducted in four villages bordering WWNP. These findings represent a previously unrecorded and most likely isolated subpopulation of H. indica. Further study is warranted to assess the genetic and demographic resilience of the population.

Environmental determinants of activity variation of an overlooked burrowing rodent: the Indian crested porcupine

Abstract A study of the activity patterns, time allocation for each activity and variations in activities due to environmental alterations are necessary for understanding the biology of any species. This study investigates the relationship of micro-habitat and environmental conditions with seasonal and temporal activities of Indian crested porcupines (ICP) around their burrows in Keoladeo National Park (KNP), India. This species is considered as a problem species, often ignoring its ecological importance as an ecosystem engineer. Of the 39 sampled burrows, 58.97%, 38.46% and 83.78% were occupied in winter, summer and monsoon, respectively. The estimated porcupine density was 3.21±1.32SD individuals/km2, accounting for a population size of 65.89±27.15SD individuals. A seasonal shift in rate of emergence was observed in monsoon and winter, when ICP emerged earlier, significantly correlating with the sunset timings. The daily activity records of adult ICP outside burrow significantly peaked in January–February when they prepare the burrows for the gestation period of 90–112 days, followed by rearing of the offspring. The temporal activity significantly reduced in the full moon nights, perhaps to avoid predators. The study affirms that environmental determinants including the timings of sunrise, sunset and lunar phase significantly affect the variations in temporal activity and burrow use patterns of ICP.

Determinants of Occupancy and Burrow Site Selection by Indian Crested Porcupine in Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India

Determinants of Occupancy and Burrow Site Selection by Indian Crested Porcupine in Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India

Food and Feeding Habits of Indian Crested Porcupine in Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, India

Food and Feeding Habits of Indian Crested Porcupine in Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, India

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

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.

A karyotypic study on the Indian Crested Porcupine, Hystrix indica (Kerr, 1792), in Turkey (Mammalia: Rodentia)

A study of two Hystrix indica females revealed that the diploid number of chromosomes (2n) is 66, with a fundamental number (FN) of 116. The number of autosomal arms (NFa) is 112. The X chromosome is metacentric and is the largest.

Distribution and reproduction of the Indian Crested Porcupine Hystrix indica (Hystricidae: Rodentia) in Iraq

The distribution of the Indian Crested Porcupine Hystrtx indica in Iraq is described, with 19 additional new localities. The population has apparently has been declining during the last twenty years. Preganancy was recorded between April and September, suggesting at least two litters per year. The mean number of embryos was 2.3 per female. 98–100% of the stomach content consisted of plant material.

A new species ofHyalomma(Acarina: Ixodidae) from porcupine in South India

Abstract Hyalomma (Hyalommina) hystricis, sp. nov. is described parasitizing Indian Crested Porcupine, Hystrix indica in Tamil Nadu, India. Relationship of the species with other members of the subgenus is discussed.

Note on the Distribution of the Indian Crested Porcupine Hystrix indica

Ellerman and Morrison-Scott (checklist of palaearctic and indian mammals, 1758– 1946. 1951) list the approximate distribution of Hystrix indica as “Ceylon, Peninsular India, northwards to Rajputana, Sind, Punjab, Kashmir, Nepal, Baluchistan; Persia, Iraq, Palestine, Syria, Asia Minor, Southern Arabia, Southern and Eastern Russian Turkestan (north to Kara Kum, Tashkent …