Taxonomic inventory and ecology of the rodents and insectivores of Silent Valley National Park,Kerala
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Date
2016
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Department of Wildlife Sciences, College of Forestry, Vellanikkara
Abstract
Rodents and insectivores accoimts for about 55% of the total mammalian
diversity of the world and is tme with Kerala too. Very little studies have been
done on the rodents and insectivores of Kerala and no previous studies have been
done in Silent Valley NP. Thus, a study was conducted on the taxouomic inventory
and ecology of the rodents and insectivores of Silent Valley National Park, which
is one of the few remaining pristine rain forests of Kerala. The objectives was to
study the species diversity, relative abundance and habitat preference of the rodents
and insectivores • such as squirrels, mice, rats and shrews in Silent Valley National
Park. Thestudy was carried out from September 2015 to April 2016. The method
used for the study was using Sherman Traps technique. 50 Sherman traps were
used in each of the four study locations. The study was carried out in two season
viz. monsoon and summer and in two habitat types, evergreen forests and
grasslands.
Six species of rodents and one species of insectivore were recorded fiom
Silent Valley National Paric. The rodents recorded were members of Muridae,
Sciuridae and Hystricidae families. These includes Rattus yvroughtoni, Gohmda
ellioti, Ratiifa indica, Funambulus tristriatiis, Funambulus sublineatus and Hystrix
indica. The insectivore observed at SVNP was Suncus murinus of the family
Soricidae. Though the rodent and insectivore abundance was more during the
monsoon season, there was no significant difference. Similarly though the rodent
abundance was more at the evergreen forests, this was also insignificant. Among
the microhabitat parameters studied, the climber density has found to be
significantly influencing the rodents at Silent Valley. Rattus wroughtoni was the
most abundant species of rodent at Silent Valley. Among the rodents of Silent
Valley, Ratufa indica is endemic to peninsular India while Funambulus trisiriatus,
Funambuhis sublineatus are endemic to Western Ghats. The Funambulus
sublineatus is a threatoied species of squirrel seen at Silent Valley and the lUCN
Redlist category of this is Vulnerable.
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PG
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Citation
173787