Burrowing characteristics and food hoarding behaviour of bandicota bengalensis wardi wroughton in wheat fields,Muzaffarabad,Azad Jammu & Kashmir,Pakistan

Studied the burrowing characteristics and food hoarding behaviour of bandicota bengalensis wardi in wheat fields at an outskirts of muzaffarabad city,azad jammu & kashmir. lesser bandicoot rat constructed the burrow system according to some common plan wherein the values of the depth of tunnels,number of chambers and diameter of tunnels were similar to values as reported in other studies. however,the length and width of the burrow systems (n=4),number of surface openings and dead ends as recorded in this study,the values were far less than reported in other studies from bangladesh and india. this may be due to different soil porosity,physical structure and water contents at the present study site. the food hoarded material per burrow system on an average was 0.478±57.9 kg which equaled 660±179 ear heads recovered per burrow. the grain yield loss was estimated at 141.5 kg/ha,the support price of which was rs. 3361.00 during 2008. copyright 2011 zoological society of pakistan.