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Research Article

volume 39 issue 4 (december 2019) : 301-305,   Doi: 10.18805/ag.D-4907

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

R
Riju P. Nair
E
E.A. Jayson
1Wildlife Department, Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, Thrissur-680 653, Kerala, India. 
Cite article:- Nair P. Riju, Jayson E.A. (2019). 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. Agricultural Science Digest. 39(4): 301-305. doi: 10.18805/ag.D-4907.

ABSTRACT

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.

REFERENCES

  1. Ahmad, A. and Chaudhry, M.I. (1977). Studies on habits, habitat and damage of porcupines Hystrix Indica, Rodentia, Mammalia. Pakistan J. For. 27: 147-150.
  2. Akram, F., Ilyas, O. and Haleem, A. (2017). Food and feeding habits of Indian crested porcupine in Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhy Pradesh, India. Ambient Science. 04(1): DOI:1021276/    ambi.2017.04.ra02.
  3. Brooks, J.E., Ahmed, E. and Hussain, I. (1988). Characteristics of damage by vertebrate pests to groundnut in Pakistan. Proc.13th Vert. Pest Conf., Univer. California, Davis, pp. 129-133.
  4. Chakravarthy, A.K. and Girish, A.C. (2002). Porcupine (Hystrix indica Kerr) damage to three coconut verities in coastal Karnataka. Rod. Newsl. 26(2): 1-2. 
  5. Chakravarthy, A.K. and Girish, A.C. (2007). Feeding ecology of Indian porcupine (Hystrix indica Kerr) in coconut (Cocos nucifera L) plantations of the Western Ghats of Karnataka. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 104(1). 40-44. 
  6. Easa, P.S. and Jayaraman, K. (1997). Population estimation of major mammals in the forests of Kerala - 1997. KFRI Consultancy Report. Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi.
  7. Easa, P.S., Sivaram, M. and Jayson, E.A. (2002). Population estimation of major mammals in the forests of Kerala - 2002. KFRI Consultancy Report No. 9. Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi.
  8. Govind, S.K. and Jayson, E.A. (2018). Coconut (Cocos nucifera) damage by wild pig (Sus scrofa) and Indian crested porcupine (Hystrix Indica) in Central Kerala, India. Current Science. 115(1): 9-10.
  9. Greaves, J.H. and Khan, A.A. (1978). The status and control of Porcupines, genus Hystrix as forest pests. Commonw. For. Rev. 57: 25-32.
  10. Jayson, E.A. (2013). Assessment of crop damage by wild animals in Trichur District, Kerala. KFRI Research Report No. 491. ISSN 0970-8103.
  11. Khan, A.A., Ahmad, S., Hussain, I. and Munir, S. (2000). Deterioration impact of Indian crested porcupine, Hystrix indica, on forestry and agricultural systems in Pakistan. Int. Biodet. Biodeg. 45: 143-149.
  12. Khan, A. A., Mian, A. and Hussain, R. (1988). Deterioration Impact of Indian Crested Porcupine, Hystrix indica, on Irrigated Forest Plantations in Punjab, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Zoology. 46: 1691-1696.
  13. Mclntyre, E.G. (1972). Barkstripping- A natural phenomenon. J.R. Scottish For. Soc. 26: 43-50. 
  14. Mian, A., Khan, A.A. and Hussain, R. (2007). Biology and management of porcupine, Hystrix indica in Central Punjab, Pakistan. Final Progress Rep. (2003-2007, unpublished). ALP Project, Development of Zoology¸ University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi, 129 pp.
  15. Prater, S.H. (1980). The book of Indian animals. Bombay Natural History society. 324 pp.
  16. Sharma, D. and Prasad, S.N. (1992). Tree debarking and habitat use by porcupine (Hystrix indica Kerr) in Sariska National Park in Western India. Mammalia. 351-361. 
  17. Sivaram, M., Jayson, E.A. and Ramachandran, K.K. (2011). Population estimation of major mammals in the forests of Kerala - 2011. KFRI Extension Report No. 61. Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi.
  18. Sreenath, G. (2013). Ground water information booklet of Malappuram District. Technical Report, Government of Kerala.1-4. 
  19. Wang. S.W., Lassoie, J.P. and Curtis, P.D. (2006). Farmer attitudes towards conservation in Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park, Bhutan. Environmental Conservation. 33: 148-156.
  20. Woods, C.A. (1973). Erethizon dorsatum. Mammal Species. 29:1-6.
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    Research Article

    volume 39 issue 4 (december 2019) : 301-305,   Doi: 10.18805/ag.D-4907

    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

    R
    Riju P. Nair
    E
    E.A. Jayson
    1Wildlife Department, Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, Thrissur-680 653, Kerala, India. 
    Cite article:- Nair P. Riju, Jayson E.A. (2019). 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. Agricultural Science Digest. 39(4): 301-305. doi: 10.18805/ag.D-4907.

    ABSTRACT

    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.

    REFERENCES

    1. Ahmad, A. and Chaudhry, M.I. (1977). Studies on habits, habitat and damage of porcupines Hystrix Indica, Rodentia, Mammalia. Pakistan J. For. 27: 147-150.
    2. Akram, F., Ilyas, O. and Haleem, A. (2017). Food and feeding habits of Indian crested porcupine in Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhy Pradesh, India. Ambient Science. 04(1): DOI:1021276/    ambi.2017.04.ra02.
    3. Brooks, J.E., Ahmed, E. and Hussain, I. (1988). Characteristics of damage by vertebrate pests to groundnut in Pakistan. Proc.13th Vert. Pest Conf., Univer. California, Davis, pp. 129-133.
    4. Chakravarthy, A.K. and Girish, A.C. (2002). Porcupine (Hystrix indica Kerr) damage to three coconut verities in coastal Karnataka. Rod. Newsl. 26(2): 1-2. 
    5. Chakravarthy, A.K. and Girish, A.C. (2007). Feeding ecology of Indian porcupine (Hystrix indica Kerr) in coconut (Cocos nucifera L) plantations of the Western Ghats of Karnataka. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 104(1). 40-44. 
    6. Easa, P.S. and Jayaraman, K. (1997). Population estimation of major mammals in the forests of Kerala - 1997. KFRI Consultancy Report. Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi.
    7. Easa, P.S., Sivaram, M. and Jayson, E.A. (2002). Population estimation of major mammals in the forests of Kerala - 2002. KFRI Consultancy Report No. 9. Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi.
    8. Govind, S.K. and Jayson, E.A. (2018). Coconut (Cocos nucifera) damage by wild pig (Sus scrofa) and Indian crested porcupine (Hystrix Indica) in Central Kerala, India. Current Science. 115(1): 9-10.
    9. Greaves, J.H. and Khan, A.A. (1978). The status and control of Porcupines, genus Hystrix as forest pests. Commonw. For. Rev. 57: 25-32.
    10. Jayson, E.A. (2013). Assessment of crop damage by wild animals in Trichur District, Kerala. KFRI Research Report No. 491. ISSN 0970-8103.
    11. Khan, A.A., Ahmad, S., Hussain, I. and Munir, S. (2000). Deterioration impact of Indian crested porcupine, Hystrix indica, on forestry and agricultural systems in Pakistan. Int. Biodet. Biodeg. 45: 143-149.
    12. Khan, A. A., Mian, A. and Hussain, R. (1988). Deterioration Impact of Indian Crested Porcupine, Hystrix indica, on Irrigated Forest Plantations in Punjab, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Zoology. 46: 1691-1696.
    13. Mclntyre, E.G. (1972). Barkstripping- A natural phenomenon. J.R. Scottish For. Soc. 26: 43-50. 
    14. Mian, A., Khan, A.A. and Hussain, R. (2007). Biology and management of porcupine, Hystrix indica in Central Punjab, Pakistan. Final Progress Rep. (2003-2007, unpublished). ALP Project, Development of Zoology¸ University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi, 129 pp.
    15. Prater, S.H. (1980). The book of Indian animals. Bombay Natural History society. 324 pp.
    16. Sharma, D. and Prasad, S.N. (1992). Tree debarking and habitat use by porcupine (Hystrix indica Kerr) in Sariska National Park in Western India. Mammalia. 351-361. 
    17. Sivaram, M., Jayson, E.A. and Ramachandran, K.K. (2011). Population estimation of major mammals in the forests of Kerala - 2011. KFRI Extension Report No. 61. Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi.
    18. Sreenath, G. (2013). Ground water information booklet of Malappuram District. Technical Report, Government of Kerala.1-4. 
    19. Wang. S.W., Lassoie, J.P. and Curtis, P.D. (2006). Farmer attitudes towards conservation in Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park, Bhutan. Environmental Conservation. 33: 148-156.
    20. Woods, C.A. (1973). Erethizon dorsatum. Mammal Species. 29:1-6.
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