Plant species association, burrow characteristics and the diet of the Indian pangolin, Manis crassicaudata, in the Potohar Plateau, Pakistan.

Abstract

The Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) is one of the least studied species in the country. The current study investigated its habitat and diet composition in the district of Attock of Potohar Plateau. Data were collected from two selected sites viz. Haddowali and Thatti Syedo Shah. For vegetation analysis, data about trees were recorded using point centered quarter method while shrubs and herbs were recorded by using quadrate method. Diet composition of animal was investigated by faecal analysis. Results showed that preference of the animal species is associated with Capparis decidua and Salvadora oleoides trees in its habitat for making its permanent burrows. The number of feeding and living burrows of the animal differed significantly (p< 0.01), as well as the height (p< 0.05) and width (p <0.05) of the openings of two types of burrows and the burrow depths (p <0.05). Analysis of faecal samples (n=50) revealed, body parts of ants (including heads 0.75% by volume, legs 7.32%, abdomens 20.6% and egg shells 0.21%), and plant matters (0.33 %), stones (0.1%), sand (22.75%) and clay (47.69 by %V). Identification of prey from recovered materials revealed two species of ants (Camponotus confucii and Camponotus compressus) and one species of termite (Odontotermis obesus) as main food items of the Indian pangolin in the study area.