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
Main Article Content
Abstract
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.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors own the copyright to the articles published in JoTT. This is indicated explicitly in each publication. The authors grant permission to the publisher Wildlife Information Liaison Development (WILD) Society to publish the article in the Journal of Threatened Taxa. The authors recognize WILD as the original publisher, and to sell hard copies of the Journal and article to any buyer. JoTT is registered under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY), which allows authors to retain copyright ownership. Under this license the authors allow anyone to download, cite, use the data, modify, reprint, copy and distribute provided the authors and source of publication are credited through appropriate citations (e.g., Son et al. (2016). Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of the southeastern Truong Son Mountains, Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam. Journal of Threatened Taxa 8(7): 8953–8969. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.2785.8.7.8953-8969). Users of the data do not require specific permission from the authors or the publisher.
References
Akram, F., O. Ilyas & A. Haleem (2017). Food and feeding habits of Indian crested Porcupine in Pench tiger reserve, Madhya Pradesh, India. Ambient Science 4(1): 62–66. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21276/ambi.2017.04.1.ra02
Amori, G., R. Hutterer, B. Kryštufek, N. Yigit, G. Mitsainas & L. Palomo (2021). Hystrix indica (amended version of 2016 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T10751A197516522. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T10751A197516522.en. Accessed on 16 February 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T10751A197516522.en
Beca, G., L.E. Valentine, M. Galetti & R.J. Hobbs (2022). Ecosystem roles and conservation status of bioturbator mammals. Mammal Review 52(2): 192–207. https://doi.org/10.1111/mam.12269 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/mam.12269
Banerjee, A. (2022). Bodding’s Santal Medicine and Connected Folklore vis-à-vis Vidyasagar’s understanding of Anthropological Study. Journal of the Asiatic Society 63(4): 131–154.
Chao, J.T., H.F. Li & C.C. Lin (2019). The role of Pangolins in ecosystems, pp. 43–48. In: Challender, D.W.S., H.C. Nash & C. Waterman (eds.). Pangolins: Science, Society and Conservation. Academic Press, Elsevier, London, 658 pp. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-815507-3.00003-4
Corsini, M.T., S. Lovari & S. Sonnino (1995). Temporal activity patterns of crested Porcupines Hystrix cristata. Journal of Zoology 236(1): 43–54. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1995.tb01783.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1995.tb01783.x
Heath, M.E. & I.M. Coulson (1997). Preliminary studies on relocation of Cape Pangolins Manis temminckii. South African Journal of Wildlife Research 27: 51–56. https://doi.org/10.10520/EJC117030
Hughes, J.E. (2014). Thinking (with) the Indian Pangolin: A human-animal perspective on India‘s colonial and princely histories. Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, Teen Murti House, New Delhi, India, 45 pp.
Karawita, H., P. Perera, P. Gunawardane & N. Dayawansa (2018). Habitat preference and den characterization of Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) in a tropical lowland forested landscape of southwest Sri Lanka. PLoS ONE 13(11): e0206082. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0206082 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0206082
Mohapatra, R.K., S. Panda, M.V. Nair, L.N. Acharjyo & D.W.S. Challender (2015). A note on the illegal trade and use of pangolin body parts in India. TRAFFIC Bulletin 27(1): 33–40.
Lupo, K.D. & D.N. Schmitt (2005). Small prey hunting technology and zooarchaeological measures of taxonomic diversity and abundance: Eehnoarchaeological evidence from central African forest foragers. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 24(4): 335–353. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaa.2005.02.002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaa.2005.02.002
Mahmood, T., K. Jabeen, I. Hussain & A.R. Kayani (2013). Plant Species Association, Burrow Characteristics and the Diet of the Indian Pangolin, Manis crassicaudata, in the Potohar Plateau, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Zoology 45(6): 1533–1539.
Mahmood, T., D. Challender, A. Khatiwada, S. Andleeb, P. Perera, S. Trageser, A. Ghose & R. Mohapatra (2019). Manis crassicaudata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T12761A123583998. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T12761A123583998.en. Accessed on 16 February 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T12761A123583998.en
Mahmood, T., R.K. Mohapatra, P. Perera, N. Irshad, F. Akrim, S. Andleeb, M. Waseem, S. Sharma & S. Panda (2019). Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata (Geoffroy, 1803), pp. 71–88. In: Challender, D.W.S., H.C. Nash & C. Waterman. Pangolins: Science, Society and Conservation. Academic Press, Elsevier, London, United Kingdom, 658 pp. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-815507-3.00005-8
Mohapatra, R.K. & S. Panda (2014). Husbandry, behaviour and conservation breeding of Indian Pangolin. Folia Zoologica 63(2): 73–80. https://doi.org/10.25225/fozo.v63.i2.a4.2014 DOI: https://doi.org/10.25225/fozo.v63.i2.a4.2014
Prater S.H. (ed.) (2005). The Book of Indian Animals. Bombay Natural History Society, Oxford University Press, Mumbai, India, 324 pp.
Saltz, D. & P.U. Alkon (1989). On the spatial behaviour of Indian Crested Porcupines (Hystrix indica). Journal of Zoology 217(2): 255–266. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1989.tb02486.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1989.tb02486.x
Samanta, S., S. Mahato & A. Mukherjee (2021). Documentation of the globally threatened Indian Pangolin and its threats from Ajodhya Hills, Purulia, West Bengal, India. Zoo’s Print 36(12): 65–66.
Shepherd C.R., E. Connelly, L. Hywood & P. Cassey (2017). Taking a stand against illegal wildlife trade: the Zimbabwean approach to Pangolin conservation. Oryx 51: 280–285. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605316000119 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605316000119
Waseem, M., B. Khan, T. Mahmood, H. S. Hussain, R. Aziz, F. Akrim, T. Ahmad, R. Nazir, S. Hameed & M. N. Awan (2020). Occupancy, habitat suitability and habitat preference of endangered Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) in Potohar Plateau and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. Global Ecology and Conservation 23: e01135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01135 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01135
Willcox, D., H.C. Nash, S. Trageser, H.J. Kim, L. Hywood, E. Connelly, G. Ichu, J.K. Nyumu, C.L.M. Moumbolou, D.J. Ingram & D.W.S. Challender (2019). Evaluating methods for detecting and monitoring pangolin (Pholidata: Manidae) populations. Global Ecology and Conservation 17: e00539. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00539 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00539
Xu, L., J. Guan, W. Lau & Y. Xiao (2016). An overview of pangolin trade in China. TRAFFIC September 2016: 1–10.