Population estimates,habitat preference and the diet of small Indian mongoose (Herpestes javanicus) in Potohar Plateau Pakistan

The small indian mongoose (herpestes javanicus) preys upon a variety of invertebrates,arthropods,small reptiles and mammalian species. in potohar region,it is distributed in different habitats. the present study was undertaken to collect information regarding the population,habitat preference and the diet of the species at six different study sites covering wild areas of chakwal and rawalpindi districts. the population was estimated using indirect method of burrows count and also by finding footprints in the activity areas. analysis of the diet was carried out by faecal pellet analysis,while the habitat preference of the species was studied by a comparison of three different habitats in the study area. the results revealed a population density of 0.083 /ha in chakwal region and 0.085 /ha in gujar khan region. analysis of scat samples of the species revealed that the faecal matter on average (by volume) consisted of mammals (66.18%),other vertebrates (7.11%),insects (10.54 %),plant parts (3.15 %),seeds (5.54 %) and unidentified food items (6.98 %). the hair recovered from the faecal samples of the two regions matched with the hair samples of rattus rattus collected from the study sites. the most preferred habitat of the species was the habitat located in the vicinity of human habituation,also having some poultry farms. copyright 2011 zoological society of pakistan.