Interaction in District Sudhnoti, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan

E Journal of Wildlife and Ecology (2020). 4(4):156-163 W Research Paper Open Access

Assessment of herpetofauna diversity and human-herpetofauna- interaction in district Sudhnoti, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan

Umara Noor1 and Rahima Haider1*

1. Department of Zoology, Women University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Bagh, Pakistan

*Corresponding author e-mail: [email protected]

ABSTRACT The Pakistan consists o f three large mountains ranges i.e. Hindukush, Himalayas, and Karakorum. This mountainous landscape has greatly affected the climate, geology and hydrology; and played a vital role in current era for distribution and composition of fauna and flora of an Indo-Pakistan . The main objectives of the study are to know the diversity and ethnopharmacological app lications of amphibians and reptiles of Sudhnoti, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. The li near count method is applied and amphibian and reptilian diversity is assessed through direct and indirect counts. The direct count is documentation of physical presence and voices whi le indirect count is citation of carcasses and group questionnaire survey. Binocular (32x50) is used to observe the animals. Book “Amphibian and reptiles of Pakistan” is consulted to correctly identify the species. For the statistical analysis PAST ´ version 2.17C is used to find out the Simpson diversity (S), Shannon diversity (H ), Evenness (E), Margalef (R) and Dominance (D). During the research 22 species are noted from Sudhnoti and Laudakia a grorensis is the most common (R.A=0.156) species of the area. The dominance of the study area is recorded as: Dominance (0.06474), Simpson (0.9353), Shannon (2.937), Evenness (0.82), and Richness (5.714). During the study noted that different herpetofauna is u sed in different medicinal uses as; fat of common krait, Himalayan, leopard gecko, Bengal monitor, rope snake, yellow belly common house gecko is used to treat skin infection, backbone, epilepsy, impotency and snake bite.

Keywords: Diversity, Fo lklore, Amphibians, Reptiles

Citation: Noor, U., R. Haider. 2020. Assessment of herpetofauna diversity and human-herpetofauna-interaction in district Sudhnoti, Azad Jamm u and Kashmir, Pakistan. Journal of Wildlife and Ecology. 4: 156-163. Received: 11, 09, 2020, Accepted: 22, 10, 2020, Published: 30, 12, 2020

INTRODUCTION The Pakistan consists large mountains ranges i.e. the Hindukush, the Himalayas, and the Karakorum (Roberts, 1997). This mountainous landscape has greatly affected the climate, geology and hydrology; and played a vital role in current era for distribution and composition of fauna and flora of an Indo-Pakistan (Khan, 2004, 2006). Herpetofauna feed on the insects (Hardy and Crnkovic, 2006). Coastal beaches are used by many species of sea turtle, i.e. dermochelys coriacea,

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Chelonia mydas and Lepidocheyls olivacea in Pakistan. They are hunted for eggs by human, most of the sea turtle are reduced whole world, and many species are on threshold of extinction (Das, 1991). The inland turtle are having similar human pressure due to deforestation and frequent anthropogenic impact in their environment. The shallow rivers in Punjab almost continuously flow during the rainy season, disturbing river nature and turtle metapopulation. Fresh water turtle’s eggs are hunted, turtle meat and soup is a popular dish and recommended by native physicians a use for several diseases (Khan, 1979; Altaf et al., 2020). Some people are energetically participating in damage of reptilian species. They contract in the deal of wild animals, reptiles and other. Generally recognized as “sanyasies”, “gagras”, and “Tapri- was,” they have menaced the natural reptilian population all over Pakistan (Khan, 1993). The harshly and continually hound numerous reptilian species like varanus bengalensis, varanus griseus, uromastyx hardwickii, uromastyx asmusii,Trapelus agilis, Python molurus, Ptyas muscocus, spalerosophis diadema,etc. Additionally, the remains of these reptiles are in large requirement in common markets, as national physicians utilize them in research of recipes for treatment of numerous general ailments (Khan, 1993, 2000; Altaf et al., 2020). Scincid population belonging to genera Ophiomorus, Novoeumeces Mabuya and Eurylepis, are in mostly demand in limited markets since they are required following by a high cost by “hakims.”To set up a hold for market, the animals are eviscerated living ,dehydrated in the sun ,and sold at high cost as “reg mahi,” an essential component of recipes which are called strong sex promoters (Khan, 1997). The body fat of different reptiles is thought to have healing characteristic for numerous diseases and is extensively used in research (Vohora and Khan, 1979, Khan, 1991; Khan, 2000; Altaf et al., 2018). Hoplobatrachus tigerinus and Uromastyx hardwickii are mostly used in the research laboratories and educational departments in Pakistan. Mostly reptiles are used to express anatomy, and physiological experiments; Uromastyx hardwickii collected from burrow, while Hoplobatrachus tigerinus is collected from puddles and ponds. Euphyctics cyanophlyctis microspinulata is depleted in Baluchistan and from different areas in various part of Punjab and also eliminated from these areas (Khan, 1990, 1991). Venomous snakes i.e. Naja naja, Bungarus caeruleus, Naja oxiana, Daboia russelii and Echis carinatus are provided in different health departments for venom and making of antivenin. The snakes are kept in overcrowded pens under bad conditions. Those that yield to bad situation are burned. Generally public herpetofauna especially snake on first sight, since all herpetofauna species are considered as poisonous and philosophy of all victims of is as “Kill it before it harms you”. Many of reptiles and amphibians are injured or killed on roads. (Khan, 1990) recorded data pertaining to road killed Bufo stomaticus. While many species, i.e. Fujervarya limnochairs, Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis, Calotes versicolor, Varanus griseus, Varanus bengalensi and turtles are injured or killed by bad drivers for fun and for the enjoyment of passengers. The vehicle is maneuvered to damage or kill the herpetofauna; it probability to cross road at same time (Khan, 1993). The main objectives of the study are to know the diversity and

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ethnopharmacological applications of amphibians and reptiles of Sudhnoti, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan.

MATERIALS AND METHODS Data are collected from January 2017 to December 2019 from Sudhnoti, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan.

Figure 1: Map of the study area.

STUDY AREA The district is divided into four tehsils i.e. Balouch, Trarkhal, Mang and Palandri (Figure 1). Sudhnoti has a population of 242,000. Awan, Khwaja, Sudhan, Qureshi, Mughal, Dar are main tribes of this area (Figure 1). Sudhnoti is one of the eight districts of Azad Kashmir in Pakistan. Sudhnoti is located at Latitude 33o 42’ 54” and Longitude 73o 41, 9”. It is located 90 kilometer away from Islamabad, the Capital of Pakistan. It is connected with Rawalpindi and Islamabad through Azad Pattan road. Weather of this district is pleasant throughout the year. Temperature in summer is almost 20 to 35o centigrade and in winter 2o centigrade. In winter, one may see snow on Mountains. Snow fall occur in; Balouch, Trarkhal, Qilan, Thill, Bethak, Baryote, Javali.

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ASSESSMENT OF AMPHIBIAN AND REPTILIAN DIVERSITY The linear count method is applied and amphibian and reptilian diversity is assessed through direct and indirect counts. The direct count is documentation of physical presence and voices while indirect count is citation of carcasses and group questionnaire survey (Altaf, 2016). Binocular (32x50) is used to observe the animals Khan (2006) is consulted to correctly identify the species.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS For the statistical analysis PAST version 2.17C is used to find out the Simpson diversity (S), Shannon diversity (H’), Evenness (E), Margalef (R) and Dominance (D) (Hammert, 2001).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Data collected from the male (48) and female (52) respondents; all are Muslims, mostly persons of the area having education as; Primary, Middle, Metric, FA, BA and few have no education. During the survey noted that selected person having different occupations i.e. housewives (51), army officers (12), laborers (32), student (2), teacher (2) and Farmers 1. During the surveys noted that selected person having the following age; 15 to 24 (n=43), 25 to 40 (24), 41 to 60 (3), and 51 to above 50 (30) (Figure 2).

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Gender Education Occupation Study area Age

Figure 2: Information of respondents of study area.

During the research noted that having 22 species recorded from Sudhnoti as shown in Table 1. It is noted that is Laudakia agrorensis the most common (R.A=0.156) species of these area.

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Table 1: Diversity of the herpetofauna of Sudhnoti. Scientific name Common name Urdu name Local Order Pi Species Authority name Family Amphiesma stolatum Striped keelback Lakeer dar Sup Squamata 0.067 Linnaeus, 1758 khar push Colubridae Bufo himalayanus Himalayan toad Hamalayai Dad Anura 0.044 Gunther, 1864 gauk Bufonidae Bufo Latastii Ladakh Toad Ladakhi gauk Dad Anura 0.044 Boulenger, 1882 Bufonidae Bufo melanostictus Black-spectacled Hazara gauk Dad Anura 0.067 Schneider, 1799 Toad Bufonidae Bufo Stomaticus Indus Valley toad Maidani gauk Dad Anura 0.022 Lutkin, 1862 Bufonidae Bungarus caeruleus caeruleus Common krait Sangchoor Kala sup Squamata 0.022 Schneider, 1801 samp Elapidae Daboia russelii russelii Russell's chain viper Koriala afi Sup Squamata 0.022 Shaw and Nodder, 1797 Viperidae Eryx johni Common Sand boa Du-mohi Do-moi sup Squamata 0.022 Russell, 1801 Boidae Fejervarya limnocharis Asian Grass Frog Pahari tidda Dad Anura 0.067 Gravenhorst, 1829 maindak Dicroglossidae Hemidactylus flaviviridis Yellow belly Ghar chapkali Gharailo Squamata 0.022 Ruppell, 1835 common house gecko sandaila Gekkonidae Laudakia agrorensis Agror agama / Agror wadi Kais kro Squamata 0.156 Stoliczka, 1872 Monitor lizard kirla Agamidae Laudakia himayalayana Himalayan agma Himalayaie Rat Squamata 0.044 Steindachner, 1869 Kirla mandaila Agamidae Laudakia pakistanica North-Pakistan Agma Pakistan Kirla Karbara Squamata 0.022 pakistanica Agamidae Baig, 1989 Laudakia tuberculata Blue rock Agma Neela kirla Kirk ila Squamata 0.089 Hardwicke and Gray, 1827 Agamidae Gloydius himalayanus Himalayan pit viper Himalayan Sup Squamata 0.022 Giinther, 1864 samp Colubridae Hemidactylus brookii Brooke's house gecko Barani Sandaila Squamata 0.022 Gray, 1845 sandaila Gekkonidae Naja oxiana Brown cobra Bhora nag Chhajla sup Squamata 0.022 Eichwald, 1837 Elapidae Oligodon arnensis arnensis Banded kukri snake Patta kukri Sup Squamata 0.044 Shaw, 1802 saamp Colubridae Ptyas mucosus mucosus Rope-snake Dhaman Sup Squamata 0.089 Linnaeus, 1758 Colubridae Eublepharis macularius Leopard gecko Panj gira Sandaila Squamata 0.044 Börner, 1981 Sandaila Eublepharidae Calotes versicolor Oriental Garden Girgit Sandaila Squamata 0.022 Daudin, 1802 Lizard Agamidae Lycodon mackinnoni Himalayan Wolf Mackinnoni Mackinoni Squamata 0.022 Wall, 1906 Snake saamp Sup Colubridae Varanus bengalensis Bengal monitor Bengali goh Peeli kro Squamata 0.044 Daudin, 1802 Varanidae

Himalayan toad (Bufo himalayanus) is recorded from the study area (with relative abundance as 0.044) from the Baloch, district Sudhnoti. Ladakh Toad (Bufo Latastii) is recorded from the study area (R.A 0.044) from the Baloch,

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district Sudhnoti. Black Spectacled Toad (Bufo Melanostictus) is recorded from the study area (R.A. 0.067) from the Baloch, district Sudhnoti. Indus Vally Toad (Buffo Stomaticus) is recorded from the study area (R.A. 0.022) from the Baloch, district Sudhnoti. Asian Grass Frog (Fejervarya Limnocharis) is recorded from the study area (R.A. 0.067) Baloch, district Sudhnoti. Himalayan agma (Laudakia himayalayana) is recorded from the study area (R.A. 0.044) from the Baloch, district Sudhnoti. North-Pakistan Agma (Laudakia pakistanica pakistanica) is recorded from the study area (R.A. 0.022) from the Baloch, district Sudhnoti. Bengal monitor (Varanus bengalensis) is recorded from the study area (R.A. 0.044) from the Baloch, district Sudhnoti. Common Sand boa (Eryx johni) is recorded from the study area (R.A. 0.022) from the Baloch, district Sudhnoti. Striped Keelback (Amphiesma stolatum) is recorded from the study area (R.A. 0.067) from the Baloch, district Sudhnoti. Rope-snake (Ptyas mucosus mucosus) is recorded from the study area (R.A. 0.089) from the Baloch, district Sudhnoti. Common krait (Bungarus caeruleus caeruleus) is recorded from the study area (R.A. 0.022) from the Baloch, and district Sudhnoti. Agror agama (Laudakia agrorensis) is recorded from the study area (R.A. 0.156) from the Baloch, district Sudhnoti. Blue rock Agma (Laudakia tuberculata) is recorded from the study area (R.A. 0.089) from the Baloch, district Sudhnoti. Yellow belly/ common house gecko (Hemidactylus flaviviridis) is recorded from these study area (R.A. 0.022) from the Baloch, district Sudhnoti. Russell's chain viper (Daboia russelii russelii) is recorded from the study area (R.A. 0.022) from the Baloch, district Sudhnoti. Brown cobra (Naja Oxiana) is recorded from the study area (R.A. 0.022) from the Baloch, district Sudhnoti.

Table 2: Diversity indices of collected data. Diversity Indices Values Species 23 Individuals 47 Dominance (D) 0.06474 Simpson (S) 0.9353 Shannon (H') 2.937 Evenness (E) 0.82 Margalef/ Richness (R) 5.714

The dominance of the study area is recorded as: Dominance (0.06474), Simpson (0.9353), Shannon (2.937), Evenness (0.82), Margalef /Richness (5.714) (Table 2). During the study noted that different herpetofauna used in different medicinal uses as; fat of common krait, Himalayan, leopard gecko, Bengal monitor, rope snake, yellow belly common house gecko is used to treat skin infection, backbone, epilepsy, impotency and snake bite (Table 3).

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Table 3: Medicinal use of Herpetofauna. Species Part use/mode of application Medicinal use Common krait Fat/Topical Backbone Himalayan agama Fat/Topical Impotency Leopard gecko Fat/Topical Snakebite Bengal monitor Fat/Topical Joint pain Rope Snake Fat/Topical Epilepsy Yellow belly common house gecko Fat/Topical Skin infection

REFERENCES Altaf, M., A.M. Abbasi, M. Umair, M.S. Amjad, K. Irshad, A.M. Khan. 2020. The use of fish and herptiles in traditional folk therapies in three districts of Chenab riverine area in Punjab, Pakistan. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 16: 1- 21. Altaf, M., M. Umair, A.R. Abbasi, N. Muhammad, A.M. Abbasi. 2018. Ethnomedicinal applications of animal species by the local communities of Punjab, Pakistan. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine. 14: 55. Altaf, M. 2016. Assessment of Avian and Mammalian Diversity at Selected Sites along river Chenab. PhD thesis submitted, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore-Pakistan. Das, 1991. Colour Guide to the Turtles and Tortoise of the Indian Subcontinent. R and A Publishing Limited, Prosthead, England. Hammert, Q., D.A.T. Harper, P.D. Ryan. 2001. Past paleontological statistical software package for education and data analysis. Palaeontol. stat.: 4. Khan, M.S. 1979. On a collections of amphibians from northern Punjab and Azad Kashmir,with ecological notes.Biologia.25(1-2):37-50. Khan, M.S. 1980.Affinities and Zoogeography of herpetiles of Pakistan.Biologia. 26(1):113-171. Khan, M.S. 1990.The impact of human activities on the status and distribution of amphibians in Pakistan.Hamadryad.15(1):21-24. Khan, M.S. 1991.Endangered species of reptiles of Pakistan and suggested to conservation measures,in: Handbook published to mark second seminar on Nature Conservation and Environment Protection, 12March. 1991, Islamabad.Pakistan Wildlife Conservation Foundation. Khan, M.S. 1993. Sar Zameen-a-Pakistan kay saanp (Snakes of Pakistan) Urdu Science Board,299 Upper Mall,Lahore. Khan, M.S. 1997.Biodiversity of geckonid faunaof Pakistan.pp.383-389. In Biodiversity of Pakistan. (S.A.Muff.C.A.Woods,S.A.Hasan,Eds.Pakistan Mus Nationlist .Islamabad and Gainesville,Florida. Khan, M.S. 2000.Sar Zameen-a-Pakistan kay maindak aur khazinday (Frogs and Lizards of Pakistan). Urdu Science Board.299Upper ,Mall,Lahore.Pakistan. Khan, M.S. 2004. Annotated checklist and key to the amphibian of Pakistan. Biologia. 22(2), 201-210. Khan, M.S. 2006. Amphibians and reptiles of Pakistan. Krieger Publishing Company.

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Roberts, T.J. 1997. The Mammals of Pakistan. Oxford University Press. New Yark. Hardy, L.M., A.C. Crnkovic. 2006. Diet of amphibians and reptiles from the Engare Ondare River Region of central Kenya, during the dry season. African Journal of Herpetology. 55: 143-159.

Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. Funding: Authors have no source of funding for this work. Availability of data: Authors have included all data in the manuscript that were collected during the field survey. Authors’ contributions: Noor and Haider have designed project, collected data and written this article.

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