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ORIGINAL ARTICLE Habitat Use and Diet Composition of the Indian Small Gray ( Herpestis edwardsii ) in Mayiladuthrai, Nagaipattinam District, Tamil Nadu

Moorthi Mahaly * and Srimathi Ravichadran

PG and Research Department of Zoology and Wildlife Biology, A.V.C. College (Autonomous), ( Affiliated to Bharathidasan University ) Mannampandal—609305, Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, India.

Abstract The present study focused on habitat and diet composition of the

Indian small grey mongoose ( edwardsii ) at Mayiladuthurai. The

study was conducted during the March 2018 to February 2019, the different study sites were classified for the identification of habitat and diet composition of Indian small grey mongoose, such as agricultural area, non- cultivable area and human settlements area at Mayiladuthurai. The line *Corresponding Author: transect method was used for the identification of habitat use. The diet composition of the was investigated by analysis of the fecal samples Moorthi Mahaly described by Dawson (2007). The result of the study shows the more level Email: [email protected] of habitat used in the non-cultivable area followed by other areas and more

number of footprint identification and diet matter collection in the same Received: 24/06/2020 Accepted: 21/09/2020 area. The results of diet matter small hairs and bones contain in T10 26 to T1 63%, vertebrates bones T8 19 to T2 51 %, plant materials like leaf, stem and seeds T6 9 to T9 17 % and unidentified materials T1 20 to T5 40%. This study is important for the reason, these make the ecological balance and control the increasing small , reptiles and insects.

: Habitat use, Diet composition, Herpestis edwardsii. Keywords 1. Introduction matter of identification (Seton, 1925; Indian grey mongoose (Herpestes edwardsii) is Camardella et al., 2000), the mongoose though most of a small mammal, is mainly found in South Asia; its diet is made up from live prey it catches from being Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Nepal up to Ceylon (now an opportunistic hunter, with mice, rats, , , Sri Lanka). The species also occurs in coastal areas of and beetles making up the bulk. The small Indian Saudi Arabia and Iran (Ewer, 1973; Nowak, 1991; mongoose is widely distributed in the province of Francis, 2008; Gilchrist et al ., 2009). In the IUCN Red Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan (Roberts, 1997). List of Threatened Species, both, the Small Indian However, there is no record in Mayiladuthurai, mongoose and the grey mongoose, are categorized as Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu. We have newly “Least Concern” (IUCN, 2015). The small Indian sighted the Indian grey mongoose (Herpestes mongoose using dry habitats, the mongoose is edwardsii) at Mayiladuthurai. This animal protection is terrestrial and diurnal carnivores inhabiting a wide extremely important since this animal formulates the variety of habitats (Roberts, 1997; Corbet and Hill, environmental stability, other than the Indian small 1992; Creel and Macdonald, 1995; Santiapillai et al ., grey mongoose was hunting to some public people for 2000). The grey mongoose occurs in the areas of the food, hair and other purposes as a result this species thickets, in cultivated fields and in bushy vegetation. It population gradually decreasing and consequently can also be found in open areas, grasslands scrub, open increasing small mammal, reptiles and insect forests, cultivated fields, often close to human population. The present study focused on habitat use habitations, termites nest and scrubland (Bridges, 1948; and diet composition of the Indian Small Gray Santiapillai et al ., 2000). The is Mongoose ( Herpestis edwardsii ) in Mayiladuthurai, an important carnivore in a biological niche. It is Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu, South India. omnivorous having a varied diet; it preys on , Mayiladuthurai is one part of the Cauvery delta area, snakes, birds’ eggs and hatchlings, lizards, small most of the area is under in agricultural practices. mammals, a variety of invertebrates and also plants material in the activity area of mongoose (Walker, 2. Materials and Methods 1996), the composition of the diet (Chinchilla, 1997; Santos and Hartz, 1999; Kauhala and Auniola, 2001), 2.1 Study Area regular changes in diet (Aragona and Setz, 2001), prey The Mayiladuthurai Taluk (11°6' N and 79°39' species inventory (Camardella et al., 2000). The diet E), Nagapattinam District is in general called as

Journal of Wildlife Research | July-September, 2020 | Volume 08 | Issue 03 | Pages 60-64 © 2020 Jakraya Mahaly and Ravichadran...Habitat Use and Diet Composition of the Indian Small Gray Mongoose (Herpestis Edwardsii) in Mayiladuthrai, Nagaipattinam District, Tamil Nadu

‘Granary’ of South India because of the range of agricultural operations concerning crop growing of 2.3 Diet Composition paddy, sugarcane, cotton, groundnut, banana, pulses Diet composition of the mongoose occurring in and other cereal. The predominant wood plant species the study, the region was investigated by analysis of found in the study area (Ali and Ripley, 1983; their diet samples. We conducted surveys to collect diet Manakadan and Pittie, 2001), in Mayiladuthurai the matter of the mongoose during March 2018 to February wet season is overcast, the dry period is windy and 2019. All diet matter was collected from outside of mostly cloudy, and it is hot and oppressive year round. and activity areas of mongoose in the study Over the course of the year, the temperature typically region. When a diet matter was encountered, the field varies from 75°F to 97°F and is rarely below 72°F or identification was determined based on physical above 101°F . The humidity comfort level on the dew appearance such as characteristic contents (hairs and point, staying within 2% throughout the year. Thick bones) (Seton, 1925; Jackson and Hunter, 1995). The human population though destroyed natural vegetation hairs of prey species were identified using a light and animals within the town; however, the allied area microscope, having objective lenses of 10x, 40x and has enough vegetation and provides good survival. In 100x magnification. Recovered seeds and fruit remains these habitat different varieties of plants, birds and were compared with reference material collected from mammals species were recorded as well as recently we the field and identified. Seeds were also sown in pots to have newly sighted the Indian grey mongoose. germinate for plant species identification (Faraz Akrim et al., 2019). The computed data was used by SPSS 2.2 Field Surveys for Habitat Using of (Version No. 10) for the statistical significance Mongoose adopting the reference P-value as 0.05. To record data on habitat using of the mongoose, field surveys were conducted from March 3. Results and Discussion 2018 to February 2019, throughout the agricultural area, non-cultivable area and human settlements area at 3.1 Habitat Used (Direct Identification) Mayiladuthurai. Transect site T1 to Transect site T10 The mongoose more occasions used habitat in (Fig 1) survey was recorded at the active time of animal the non-cultivable areas T10-37±5 and human which was early morning and evening. settlement areas T8-22±2, meanwhile used habitat in agricultural area T8-17±3 (Table 1). As a result of this, mongoose mostly used the habitat in the non-cultivable area. This may be a habitat behavioural adaptation and food availability of specific to that site (Nellis and Everard, 1983). The Csurhes and (2010) reported that the mongoose habitats used a , huge rows, den area, non-cultivable land, agricultural land, coastal areas, natural forests, planted forests, grassland and wetland areas. According to these results, more vegetation is an important component because it provides animals with suitable hiding places, proper hinder escape and increases detection of prey so that they can easily capture (Santiapillai et al., 2000).

3.2 Indirect Identification The mongoose footprint was identified in the selected habitat along with subsequently, the more diet matter collected in the non-cultivated area and similar results were observed in other areas (Table 2). It is one

of the solid evidence of mongoose present in the study The transect survey at a distance of 5 km to 10 areas. km. The presence of mongoose species was recorded by identifying their active burrows by locating 3.3 Diet Composition Analysis footprints and the presence of fecal pellets near or The results of collected mongoose diet matter around the burrows as described by Richardson et al. contain mammal hairs, bone of vertebrates, plant parts (1987). The direct sightings in the field binocular like a leaf, stem, some seeds and unidentified materials (Olympus, 10 x 50 mm DPSI) was used to identify the as food remains, in three groups of study areas the species and a digital camera (Canon A495) was used to percent of occurrence (%), the more level of diet photograph the species and their habitats. composition occurrence in non-cultivable area. The assessed results of diet composition in the mammalian hair T10-26 to T1-63%, bones of vertebrates T8-19 to

Journal of Wildlife Research | July-September, 2020 | Volume 08 | Issue 03 | Pages 60-64 © 2020 Jakraya 61 Mahaly and Ravichadran...Habitat Use and Diet Composition of the Indian Small Gray Mongoose (Herpestis Edwardsii) in Mayiladuthrai, Nagaipattinam District, Tamil Nadu

T2-51%, plant materials (leaf, stem, seed) T6-9 to T9- (%) of mammalian hair T9-19 to T3-39, bones of 17% and unidentified materials T2-20 to T5-40%. vertebrates T8-15 to T4-36, plant materials (leaf, stem, Similarly, agricultural area and human settlement areas seed) T6-5 to T7-19 and unidentified materials T1-20 also have the same contents noted (Table 3). The to T9-52 (Table 3). The diet of the small Indian agricultural area percent of occurrence (%) of mongoose consisted of hairs supposedly belonged to mammalian hair T2-19 to T5-49%, bones of vertebrates rodents’ species, also occurring in the same habitat. T8-15 to T3-39%, plant materials (leaf, stem, seed) T7- The insect parts recovered from the fecal analysis were 5 to T4-17 and unidentified materials T1-20 to T6-42 identified and found to be belonging to cockroaches (Table 3). The study sites of human settlements and grasshoppers, indicating that these invertebrates are territory showed the percent frequency of occurrence also an important component of the mongoose diet.

Table 1: Habitat used of Indian Small Gray Mongoose ( Herpestid edwardsii ) in Mayiladuthurai (Direct sights)

Different habitats Agricultural Area Non - Cultivable Area Human Settlements P < Value Preference (Direct sights) (Direct sights) Area (Direct sights) (0.05) T 1. 11±2 25±5 10±1 0.0001* T 2. 14±2 14±5 11±1 0.0001* T 3. 10±2 12±2 8±2 0.0001* T 4. 10±3 21±2 11±1 0.0002* T 5. 15±3 25±3 10±1 0.0001* T 6. 11±1 29±5 10±1 0.0001* T 7. 11±2 31±5 17±2 0.0001* T 8. 17±3 27±5 22±2 0.0001* T 9. 12±2 16±4 14±2 0.0001* T 10. 15±3 37±5 11±1 0.0001* P -Value (0.05) Significant* Non-significant**

Journal of Wildlife Research | July-September, 2020 | Volume 08 | Issue 03 | Pages 60-64 © 2020 Jakraya 62 Mahaly and Ravichadran...Habitat Use and Diet Composition of the Indian Small Gray Mongoose (Herpestis Edwardsii) in Mayiladuthrai, Nagaipattinam District, Tamil Nadu

Table 2: Identification of foot Prints and Feces collected in different habitats of Indian Small Gray Mongoose (Herpestid edwardsii ) in Mayiladuthurai (Indirect sights)

Different Agricultural Non - Human Agricultural Non - Human P-Value habitat Area (No. Cultivable Settlements Area (Diet Cultivable Area Settlements (0.05) Area of foot Area (No. of Area (No. of matter (Diet matter Area Prints) foot Prints) foot Prints) collected) collected) (Diet matter collected) T 1. 2±0.01 2±0.01 1±0.01 30±5 62±6 13±3 0.001* T 2. 0 1±0.01 1±0.01 34±5 57±6 11±2 0.001* T 3. 2±0.01 0 0 42±5 51±5 15±3 0.002* T 4. 2±0.01 1±0.01 1±0.01 32±4 63±6 9±2 0.001* T 5. 1±0.01 0 1±0.01 27±4 57±4 8±2 0.001* T 6. 1±0.01 3±0.02 0 10±2 12±2 5±1 0.001* T 7. 0 2±0.01 1±0.01 27±4 34±4 12±2 0.002* T 8. 2±0.01 0 0 31±5 54±4 10±2 0.001* T 9. 0 2±0.01 1±0.01 37±6 31±4 7±2 0.001* T 10. 1±0.01 2±0.01 0 25±3 69±5 11±2 0.001* P -Value (0.05) Significant* Non - significant**

Table 3: Diet Composition Analysis of Indian Small Gray Mongoose ( Herpestid edwardsii ) in different Habitat at Agricultural area, Non-cultivable area and Human settlement area

Habitats of Diet Diet Composition T1 T2 T3 T 4 T 5 T 6 T 7 T 8 T 9 T 10 Composition Analysis% Small Mammals Hairs% 27 19 48 37 49 31 34 31 43 25 Agricultural Area Vertebrates Bones% 21 22 39 21 29 23 17 15 27 17 % Plant and seed Materials% 15 10 13 17 12 8 5 9 7 12 Unidentified Materials% 20 24 35 40 23 42 37 33 30 35 Non - Cultivable Area % Small Mammals Hairs% 63 55 59 41 59 39 35 42 47 28 Vertebrates Bones% 47 51 41 38 34 29 24 19 34 29 Plant and seed Materials% 15 13 12 10 15 9 10 14 17 12 Unidentified Materials% 21 20 33 23 40 34 33 22 23 28 Human Settlements Area Small Mammals Hairs% 29 23 39 37 29 33 34 31 19 21 % Vertebrates Bones% 28 34 31 36 23 23 17 15 27 27 Plant and Seed 15 10 13 17 12 5 19 9 7 12 Materials% Unidentified Materials% 20 24 35 40 47 42 37 33 52 51

The plant and seeds recovered from the faecal pellets habitat. The conclusion of this study assessed in are most probably of the wild berries, also present in different habitats such as the agricultural area, non- the same area. The earlier studies conducted by cultivable area and human settlements area at Feldhamer et al. (1999) have shown that most Mayiladuthurai. The Indian small gray mongoose was Herpestes are predators, feeding on a wide range of more level of habitat used, footprint identified and animals including small mammals and birds, reptiles feces collected in the non-cultivable area, similar (especially snakes), a wide variety of insects and crabs. results were observed in other areas. The diet Some species of genus Herpestes also include composition of this animal consisted of small mammal vegetable materials in their diets, feeding on tubers, hairs, vertebrates bones, plant materials and fruits, and berries (Tariq et al., 2011). This animal unidentified materials are presented in all the area. This study is very important because this animal is balancing studies more essential of the ecological balance. The the ecosystem. Indian small gray are too controlling the pest, reptiles, and insects of this area and maintaining 4. Conclusion the ecosystem. Animal conservation is extremely Indian small gray mongoose ( Herpestis important since this animal formulates environmental edwardsii ) is well social behavior animals in the stability. habitat. It is a small animal an excellent hunter of this

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