Keywords (Extracted from title, table of contents and
abstract of thesis)
Evaluation, Bait Formulations,
Management, Indian Crested Porcupine, Hystrix Indica, Fumigation,
zinc phosphide |
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Abstract
Field trials were
conducted in Abbotabad-Balakot tract (Pakistan), during April 2004
to January 2007 to select cheap, locally available and suitable bait
formulations for Indian crested porcupine (Hystrix indica) and
tested these for their potentials to carry lethal quantities of
rodenticides. Results of no-choice, multiple-choice and
paired-choice tests revealed that groundnut was preferred, both in
the whole and cracked forms, over maize, wheat, millet, rice, gram
and oats. All the food items were consumed in significantly higher
quantities than in their whole form, except for rice. Consumption of
all the food grains significantly increased with increasing length
of its exposure to the novel food, indicating a careful nature of
the species in selecting new food. No-choice tests revealed that
groundnut - maize 1:1 mixture can be cost effective bait base and
its consumption was not signiifcantly different from that of pure
groundnut. Saccharin (5%) supplemented groundnut – maize (1:1) bait
was consumed in significantly higher quantities, while all other
aditives (common salt, egg yolk, egg shell powder, fish meal, peanut
butter, mineral oil, bone meal, coconut oil and yeast powder) at
both 2% and 5% concentrations and saccharin at 2% concentration did
not significantly increase the intake of groundnut – maize (1:1)
bait. Consumption of bait, offered after 3 days of pre-baiting,
significantly declined when poisoned with 3% zinc phophide and such
effects were delayed with 2% and 1% zinc phosphide. Groundnut –
maize (1:1) poisoned with 2% zinc phosphide resulted in maximum
decrease (55%) in porcupine burrow activity. Strychnine alkaloid
(2%) added groundnut – maize (1:1) bait was seriously shuned by
porcupine and caused minimum reduction (25%) in burrow activity.
Coumatetralyl (0.0375%) added bait caused the highest reduction
(80%) in burrow activity. Saccharin (5%) supplemented poison baits
were more acceptable and caused some 10% higher reduction in burrow
activity using allpoison cereal bait formulations.
Field trials on fresh food items suggested that guava was preferred
over potato, carrot and sweet potato. Peanut butter did not
significantly increase consumption of guava. Consumption of zinc
phosphide impregnated guava, offered after 3 days of prebaiting,
exhibited a decline and no bait was consumed on 3rd day of poison
baiting. Decline was the most rapid with 3% zinc phosphide and
minimum with 1% zinc
phosphide. Maximum reduction in burrow activity (55%) was recorded
with 2% zinc phosphide, followed by 1% (35%) and 3% (25%).
Fumigation of porcupine burrows with aluminium phosphide tablets
produced 100% reduction in burrow activity, by applying 8 tablets
per burrow, 85%, by 6 tablets and 75% by 4 tablets per burrow. A
100% reduction in burrow activity was recorded by applying 4 tablets
of aluminum phosphide per burrow in small, 6 tablets in medium and 8
tablets in large burrows.
The present study suggested that initial control of the porcupine
can be achieved by applying 2% zinc phosphide using guava or 1:1
groundnut – maize mixture supplemented with 5% saccharin.
Coumatetralyl (0.0375%) poisoned bait can give a higher control of
porcupine, yet involves a higher labour cost and can used as a
second line of action. Fumigation of burrows with aluminum phosphide
is though cost effective and can be used in the porcupine management
programme, yet is nonspecific in its action and hence can be pressed
into action under emergent conditions only.
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