Population Estimation and Habitat Analysis of Indian Grey Mongoose (Herpestes edwardsii) in Mirpur District, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Population Estimation and Habitat Analysis of Indian Grey Mongoose (Herpestes edwardsii) in Mirpur District, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Muhammad Furqan1, Usman Ali1,*, Anjum Ara1, Muhammad Mudassar Shahzad2, Muhammad Siddique Awan3, Riaz Aziz Minhas3, Khawaja Basharat Ahmad3, Qamar Zaman Qamar4 and Naeem Iftikhar Dar5
ABSTRACT
To study distribution, population status and habitat utilization of Indian grey mongoose (Herpestes edwardsii) 18 localities were sampled from 3 zones created in Mirpur district (Azad Jammu and Kashmir). Random transects of fixed length were laid and number of active burrows counted and habitat analysed using quadrat method. Mongoose was distributed with average population density of 9.8 animal/km2, with highest (17.8 animal/Km2) density at Kalyal and lowest (3.5 animal/km2) at Panyam. Most favored altitudinal range was 450 m to-550 m (asl). Population density was the highest (12 animals/km2) in October and lowest (7.4 animals/km2) in May. Dominant vegetation included Acacia nilotica (IV= 108.9), Senegalia modesta (IV= 94.23), Broussonetia papyrifera (IV= 94.19), Calotropis procera (IV= 145.46), Dodonaea viscosa (IV=120.17), Cynodon dactylon (IV= 174.94), Chrysopogon serrulatus (IV=152.96) and Artemisia scoparia (IV= 105.69), Parthenium hysterophorus (IV= 113.82), Saccharum spontaneum (IV= 199.88) Ziziphus mauritiana (IV= 51.35), Lantana indica (IV= 78.39) and Morus alba (IV= 31.38).
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April 2019
Vol. 51, Iss. 2, Pages 399-799
