Activity and habitat selection of the Indian crested porcupine

Camera trapping has been used to assess the temporal activity patterns and the habitat selection of the Indian crested porcupine, Hystrix indica Kerr 1792, in the Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve (in Western Nepal). Data have been collected during two winter sessions (December 2008-April 2009, November 2009-January 2010). The effective sampling area is approximately 250 km(2). A total of 319 photos of porcupine were recorded during the periods. Porcupines were significantly more active in the central part of the night (from 11 p. m. to 2 a. m.) than in crepuscular and daylight periods. The analysis of the habitat selection (forests and grasslands), when significant, has shown that porcupines prefer grassland. This selection may depend on the distribution of food resources or on the presence of large forest predators (e. g. the leopard Panthera pardus).