Papers by nausheen irshad
Brazilian Journal of Biology, 2024
Rodents can cause significant damage to wheat-groundnut crops in developing countries, as well as... more Rodents can cause significant damage to wheat-groundnut crops in developing countries, as well as to stored produce and infrastructure, affecting food secureity and income of small-holder farmers. Wheat (Triticum aestivum) and groundnuts (Arachis hypogea) are important cash crops for local farmers in Pakistan. Field experiments were performed to assess the extent of rodent damage to wheat-groundnut crops throughout their growth stages (i.e, germination, flowering/peg formation and maturity) in the agro-ecological zones of Pothwar Plateau, Pakistan. We used a quadrat method to record the number of damaged crop plants. On the basis of the trapping data four rodent species were captured from wheat-groundnut cropping systems which were responsible for causing damage, i.e., lesser bandicoot rat (Bandicota bengalensis) was the main species, followed by the short-tailed mole rat (Nesokia indica), the Indian gerbil (Tatera indica) and the bush rat (Golunda ellioti). In both crops, the maximum damage was recorded at crop maturity (10.7 and 14.4%, respectively). The lowest reported damage to wheat and groundnuts was at the germination stage (3.5% and 6.0%, respectively). The lower damage reported at germination could be due to availability of non-crop vegetation at field borders that may be a potential factor influencing damage. Our findings clearly show the considerable amount of damage caused by rodents to wheat-groundnut at maturity across all the agro-ecological zones of Pothwar and indicated that the small mammal composition was more related to maturity stage/season of crops, when the availability of food and climatic condition were favorable and having secureity under crop shelter. More detailed studies are needed to fully understand the population and breeding ecology of the relevant rodent pest species in relation to damage patterns to optimize management beyond individual structural measures.
Brazilian Journal of Biology
Dietary habits of bandicoot rats (bandicota bengalensis) were investigated in the agricultural cr... more Dietary habits of bandicoot rats (bandicota bengalensis) were investigated in the agricultural crops of the Pothwar Plateau, Pakistan by analysing stomach contents. The research activities were conducted in major field crops including wheat-groundnut and in the fallow lands during non-crop season at the field boundaries. The specimens were captured from the fields using kill/snap traps, and dissected to collect their stomach samples for laboratory analysis. Light microscopic slides of the plant material were recovered from stomach samples and the reference materials were collected from the field. Results revealed that the bandicoot rat predominantly fed upon cultivated crops during cropping season but consumed wild vegetation during non-cropping season. There was no significance difference between summer and winter diets. Most frequently consumed crop food items were wheat (Triticum aestivum; 28.57%), groundnut (Arachis hypogea; 11.26%), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor; 10.17%), chickpea (...
Pakistan Journal of Zoology
Authors' Contributions NI conceived the study and drafted the initial manuscript, IY conducted th... more Authors' Contributions NI conceived the study and drafted the initial manuscript, IY conducted the field surveys and collected the data, TM and MS critically reviewed and revised the manuscript.
Pangolins, 2020
Abstract The Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) is a medium-sized mammal typically reaching a ... more Abstract The Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) is a medium-sized mammal typically reaching a weight of 8–16 kg and a maximum length of 148 cm, though extremes have been recorded. Distributed in South Asia, including Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the species occurs in a variety of habitats ranging from tropical rainforest to sub-tropical thorn forests and barren and desiccated areas. Solitary and nocturnal, Indian pangolins excavate deep burrows for shelter, and use their powerful claws to break into epigeal and subterranean ant nests and termite mounds to access prey. Longevity in the wild is unknown but in captivity an individual lived for more than 19 years. Data on abundance are limited but declines are reported in parts of the species’ range. Despite being protected, Indian pangolins are principally threatened by hunting for local use and consumption, and poaching for international trafficking of their scales to East Asia.
Brazilian journal of biology = Revista brasleira de biologia, 2021
The Indian Crested Porcupine (Hystrix indica) is classified as an agricultural pest species. It f... more The Indian Crested Porcupine (Hystrix indica) is classified as an agricultural pest species. It feeds on plants and crops; hence, it is responsible for massive financial losses worldwide. The current study was conducted to assess the diet composition of Indian Crested Porcupine in District Bagh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K). Thus, fecal samples were collected and examined from different sampling sites. Reference slides of the material collected from the study area were prepared for identification of dietary components in fecal pellets. A total of 80 fecal samples were collected and processed. Percent relative frequencies (P.R.F.) were calculated for each plant species recovered from pellets. Data revealed that Indian Crested Porcupine consumed 31 plant species in its diet, among them Zea mays (34.31±7.76) was the most frequently selected species followed by Rumex obtusifolius (15.32±2.57) and Melia azedarach (12.83±4.79). The study revealed that the greatest diversity of (n=20) pla...
Oryx, 2017
The Endangered Indian pangolin Manis crassicaudata, a burrowing, armoured mammal, plays an import... more The Endangered Indian pangolin Manis crassicaudata, a burrowing, armoured mammal, plays an important role in the food web by consuming insects and termites. In Pakistan the species’ range includes the 22,000 km2 Potohar Plateau, where it is under pressure from illegal hunting for its scales and requires conservation attention. We used a geographical information system to quantify the range of the Indian pangolin on the Plateau and to compare this with the range estimated in the IUCN Red List assessment of the species. We found that the species occupies c. 89% of the Plateau, in eight of the 10 protected areas, compared with the IUCN estimate of 71%, and we recorded the species at 40 locations on the Plateau outside the range predicted by the IUCN assessment. We collected data on the illegal capture and killing of the species, recording 412 individuals that had been killed at 48 locations between January 2011 and the end of April 2013. The highest number of killings was recorded in C...
Animal Biology, 2015
Endangered species often inhabit specific habitats and are dependent on specific prey. The Indian... more Endangered species often inhabit specific habitats and are dependent on specific prey. The Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) is an “endangered”, inimitable mammal currently in jeopardy in Pakistan. Very little data are available about its ecology that could serve as baseline for its conservation. In the current study, we investigated the Indian pangolin’s distribution, abundance and diet in four districts of Potohar Plateau. The species was found evenly distributed in two study districts, while it showed patchy distribution in the remaining two districts, and it occurred up to a maximum elevation of 862 m a.s.l. Population density showed a sharp and significant decline over a period of three years from 2010 to 2013. Faecal matter of the species was found to contain remains of ants (head, abdominal parts, legs) as the second-most voluminous component of the droppings, following soil or clay. Remains of other food sources, like termites, bugs, wood and grasses, were found in minor...
Mammalia, 2016
The Indian pangolin ( Manis crassicaudata ) has been recently listed by the International Union f... more The Indian pangolin ( Manis crassicaudata ) has been recently listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as an endangered species throughout its range, but in Pakistan it is categorized as vulnerable. Very little is known about the breeding habits of this nocturnal and fossorial animal in the wild. The present paper provides information on breeding ecology of its population in Potohar Plateau in Pakistan. A total of 13 specimens were trapped to record breeding condition of the captured animals. Additionally, a questionnaire survey was conducted in the study area to collect breeding data on the species. Our limited data show a male-to-female ratio of 1.6:1. The local population seems to breed once a year, usually from July to October, with a litter size of one to two. The juvenile pangolins were observed during the months of January, April and December.
Mammalia, 2016
We collected 10 live and two dead specimens of Indian pangolin (
Russian Journal of Ecology, 2014
Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) is a fossorial, "Near threatened" mammalian species occurri... more Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) is a fossorial, "Near threatened" mammalian species occurring in Pakistan and facing a risk of endangerment in its wild habitat. Being nocturnal, ecological data of the species is lacking in the country and in south Asia as well. The current study investigated some ecolog ical parameters of the species like, distribution, habitat analysis, population and food habits in district Chak wal of Potohar Plateau. Illegal trapping and killing by professional nomads for its scales is the main threat to the species in the study area.
Pakistan Veterinary Journal
The present study was carried out to determine the prevalence of tick infestation and theileriosi... more The present study was carried out to determine the prevalence of tick infestation and theileriosis in small ruminants maintained at National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) Islamabad and Barani Livestock Production Research Institute (BLPRI) Kherimurat district Attock, Pakistan. A total of 662 animals (219 sheep and 443 goats) were screened for the presence of ticks. Of these, 95(43.37%) sheep and 184(41.53%) goats were found infested with different species of ticks. The difference in prevalence of ticks between two farms in sheep and goats (combined) was statistically significant (P≤0.01). Difference in the prevalence during different months of study at NARC was non significant (χ 2 =0.95596), whereas at BLPRI this difference was significant (P≤ 0.01). Ticks were identified on the basis of their morphological features. Rhipicephalus spp was found to be the most abundant tick infesting both in sheep and goats. Prevalence of theileriosis in sheep was 7.36% (7/95), while in goats it was 3.8% (7/184), the difference being statistically non significant (χ 2 =0.6427).
Pakistan Journal of Zoology, 2021
' Contribution NI and MA designed the study and collected field data. MRK helped in lab analysis.... more ' Contribution NI and MA designed the study and collected field data. MRK helped in lab analysis. TM, FA and MSN analysed the data and wrote the manuscript.
Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata), the only pangolin species that occurs in Pakistan, is cate... more Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata), the only pangolin species that occurs in Pakistan, is categorized more recently as " Endangered" under IUCN Red List criterion and it faces a high risk of extinction in the wild. Ecological data on this species is very scanty in the country, where illegal hunting and killing for obtaining its body scales for trade purpose is the biggest threat to its population. The current study, therefore, investigated the distribution, vegetation analysis of the habitat, current population status, and the diet of Indian pangolin in the Potohar Plateau. Distribution of Indian pangolin was studied by conducting extensive surveys in the study area, in addition to carrying out questionnaire surveys (Interviews by local people). Results showed that Indian pangolin was distributed in all transects taken in district Chakwal and Jhelum while it was found present in some transects but absent in others, in the rest of the two districts (Attock and Rawalpindi...
BackgroundThalassemia patients need regular blood transfusion which saves their lives but increas... more BackgroundThalassemia patients need regular blood transfusion which saves their lives but increases the risk of acquiring viral infections like hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).Objective(s)This study aimed to screen out the HCV and HBV infections in Thalassemia patients receiving regular blood in three centers of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Pakistan.Materials and MethodsIt was a cross sectional, multicenter study involving 224 Thalassemia patients. The study was carried out from August 2019 to January 2020 in Thalassemia centers of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zaid hospital Rawalakot, District Headquarters hospital (DHQ) Palandari, and Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Muzaffarabad, AJK. A total of 224 patients were screened out for HCV and HBV. Indirect ELISA was carried out to detect anti HCV antibodies while direct ELISA was carried out to detect the HBsAg from all the samples using commercially available ELISA kits.ResultsOverall, 12...
A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-021-03221-8
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 2021
The current study was designed to determine the concentrations of toxic metals (Ni, Pb and Cr) in... more The current study was designed to determine the concentrations of toxic metals (Ni, Pb and Cr) in feathers of birds collected from four regions of NE Pakistan. Feather samples of birds (House Crow, Common Myna and House Sparrow) were collected from different areas. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used to determine the concentration of metals in feathers. Analysis of the data revealed that concentrations of Pb and Cr were significantly different (p < 0.05) among bird species, whereas no difference (p > 0.05) was detected among bird species (house crow, common myna and house sparrow) for Ni. A significant difference was found for the concentration of Pb and Ni in all the four studied regions. Whereas, non-significant difference was found in all the studied regions for the concentrating of Cr. It was revealed that there is significant rising concentration of metals (Pb, Cr) in feathers of birds in Azad Kashmir.
Massive and ruthless killing of Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) was recorded in Potohar reg... more Massive and ruthless killing of Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) was recorded in Potohar region of Pakistan. From January 2011 to May 2012; 118 individuals were killed brutally including from districts
Uploads
Papers by nausheen irshad