Testing of Groundnut - Maize Bait as Carrier of Zinc Phosphide for the Management of Indian Crested Porcupine, Hystrix indica Kerr (Rodentia: Hystricidae)

Indian crested porcupine, Hystrix indica, is a serious pest of forest plantations, orchards and agricultural crops in different countries of the world. Field trials, conducted in Abbottabad - Balakot (Pakistan), suggested that consumption of groundnut - maize (1:1) bait poisoned with zinc phosphide, offered after three nights of pre-baiting practice, exhibited a decline and negligible amount of bait was consumed on 3 rd night of poison baiting. Degree of decline in bait consumption gradually increased with increasing zinc phosphide concentration from 1% to 3%. The consumption of poison bait with or without saccharin (5%) during the poison baiting nights were not significantly different, however, there was a persistent trend where the baits having 5% saccharin, as taste additive, were consumed in higher quantities as compared with those having no saccharin. This trend was equally reflected in the data on average consumption of control bait during each test night. Higher reduction in burrow activity (55%) was recorded with 2% zinc phosphide and 5% saccharin (without saccharin supplementation, 45% reduction was recorded), as compared with 1% (35% with saccharin and 30% without saccharin) and 3% (25% with saccharin and 15% without saccharin). The study suggested that 2% zinc phosphide can be used by using groundnut - maize (1:1) as bait base and 5% saccharin, at least for the initial control campaign of this mammal pest species. Further refinement of the rodenticide and sweetener concentrations may be more useful.