Diversity of feed plant, habitat, and use of porcupine (Hystrix sp.) in South Sumatra and East Kalimantan

Abstract

Farida WR. 2015. Diversity of feed plant, habitat, and use of porcupine (Hystrix sp.) in South Sumatra and East Kalimantan. Pros Sem Nas Masy Biodiv Indon 1: 673-681. The research was conducted with the aim of collecting data on the diversity of forest plant species as a food source, habitat, and the use of porcupine (Hystrix sp.). Research locations are South Sumatra and East Kalimantan. The method used is a method of roaming and interviewed local people to record the porcupine habitat distribution and collection of forest plant species as their food source. In South Sumatra, researchers obtained 48 forest plant species belonging to 24 families as sources of porcupine feed, whereas in East Kalimantan recorded 45 species of plants as porcupine feed belonging to 22 families and one type of food of animal origin. Parts of plants consumed by porcupine are dominated by umbut, bamboo shoots, seeds, fruits, tubers, rhizomes, young buds, young shoots, and bark. In South Sumatra, habitat of porcupine is in the form of soil pits and holes in the rocks on steep hills, while in East Kalimantan porcupine habitat is also in the form of pits on the ground and holes in the rocks on a slope of about 75o . Porcupine nest can still be found in South Sumatra, while in East Kalimantan, porcupine habitat suffered damage and lost due to forest clearing. Porcupine meat, both in South Sumatra and East Kalimantan, is used by people around the habitat as a source of protein, and in East Kalimantan porcupine quills are used as a souvenir. Forest clearing for plantations, mining, and settlements have reduced the availability of forest plants as food sources and further reduce habitat of porcupine, which makes the life of porcupine in the two provinces was increasingly threatened.