Abstract
First detailed study in Machiara National Park was conducted from April 2003 to August 2003 to determine distribution, food and habitat preferences of small mammals. During this study nineteen species of small mammals, representing five orders, eleven families and eighteen genera, were recorded. Among these six species (Vulpes vulpes. Primmilurns bengalensis. Pagunui larvata. Metrics jlavigula, ilifusteht ermine(' and Herpestes javanicus) were carnivores, nine (//ystrix indica. Petaurisul petaurista. Hylopetes jimhriams, Rama minis, Rauio turkestanicus„4podemus 1.usiges, Mrs musadus, Ahicoht •o•lei and HyperacTius irrnnei) were rodents. and two (LePtis caPensis and Ochotona roylei) were lagomorphs. I-louse shrew (Suncus murinus) and Horseshoe hat (Rhinolophus ferruntequinum) represented the orders insectivora and chiroptera. respectively. The other species like Marks• jlavigula. Suncus mu•inus, Rattus turkestanicu•. Apodemus rusiges and Alti•ola roylei, were uncommon. Similarly, Paguuum larvata, Hylopetes jimb•iatus. Leptis capensis and Ochotona ro•lei were considered as vulnerable species in this area. Vtdpes vulpes, Hystrix indi•a. Ramis ruttu.e, Alms- musculus, Hvperacrius ilynnei and Rhinophus fer•umequinunt were common and widely distributed species. These mammals were studied and trapped from different major habitats including villages (houses and agriculture lands), mixed temperate forests, sub alpine scrub forests and alpine meadows and their food habit was also determined in different localities. Human related activities inside the Park area, were the major threats to the small mammals of study area.
MUHAMMAD SIDDIQUE AWAN , RIAZ AZIZ MINHAS, KHAWAJA BASHARAT AHMED , NAEEM FTIKHAR DAR. (2004) DISTRIBUTION, FOOD AND HABITAT PREFERENCES OF SMALL MAMMALS IN MACHIARA NATIONAL PARK, DISTRICT MUZAFFARABAD, AZAD KASHMIR, PAKISTAN , Punjab University Journal of Zoology, Volume 19, Issue .
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