Observations of behavioral development on common Porcupines (Hystrix brachyura) undergoing domestication

Abstract

Common porcupine (Hystrix brachyura) is one of the protected mammals in Indonesia. The existence of this species is threatened due to habitat destruction and uncontrolled poaching. In order to maintain the sustainability of porcupine from extinction, the rescue is through captive breeding (ex situ conservation). The process of domestication of porcupine begins with observing the development of its behavior, making it easier to manage in captivity. The aim of the study was to determine the development of porcupine behavior related to the domestication process in captivity. The materials used were four porcupines (two males and two females) around 18 months old and a female porcupine and a young. Each pair of porcupines is placed inside an individual cage (3.9 m long, 2.1 m wide, and 2.6 m high), which has been equipped with a place to feed and drink. The parameters observed were eating and drinking activities, locomotion, resting, eliminative (urinating and defecating), grooming, and agonistic. Whereas the female porcupine and a young observed maternal porcupine care for the young. The observation method is based on one-zero sampling. Observations began at 6:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. with a time interval of 15 minutes. The results showed that daily activity of porcupines included 52.01% resting, 19.95% locomotion, 12.73% grooming, 10.05% feeding, 2.95% agonistic, 1.74% urinating, 0.39% drinking, and 0.18% defecating. Porcupine parental activity in the lactation period is breastfeeding (49.26%), cleansing the young’s body (36.16%), teaching grooming (5.71%), teaching opening the cage door (4.10%), teaching meal (2.89%), and agonistic (1.88%).

Morphological investigation of intestine structure of the Sunda Porcupine (Hystrix javanica)

“…The populations of hindgut bacterial colonies express digestive enzymes similar to those found in the rumen, thereby enabling enzymatic digestion of substances from plants that are difficult to digest to produce products having great energy potential (Furness et al 2015). According to Mori et al (2017) and Farida et al (2019), the types of diet for Hystrix sp and Erethizon dorsatum are browse, grass, bulbs, roots or fruits, sweet corn, sweet potato, guava, jicama, and water spinach, hence, they are categorized as herbivores. However, Coltrane (2012) classifies the American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) as a facultative specialist herbivore, in other words, it can consume feeds that are difficult or rarely consumed by other herbivores due to the presence of certain chemicals or mechanical traits in the feed.…”

“…Based on the natural diets of porcupines (Hystricidae and Erethizontidae), they are considered herbivores that consume a variety of browse, grass, bulbs, roots, or fruits (Mori et al 2017). In captivity, Hystrix brachyura, close relatives to Hystrix javanica, feed on sweet corn, sweet potato, guava, jicama, and water spinach (Farida et al 2019). The Indonesian Hystrix sp are known to live in the forest and hillside plantations, and they also make their holes in the ground or rocks (Farida 2015).…”

“…Captive breeding is one of strategy to conserve wildlife outside its natural habitat, also called ex-situ conservation, and requires special knowledge, expertise, and courage. The basic knowledge that must be possessed in capturing wild animals, such as porcupines, includes biology and ecology, reproduction, habitat, behavior, feed, disease management, and other aspects/maintenance techniques (Farida et al 2019). Several reports showed that gastrointestinal diseases occur in porcupines, such as bacterial infections, including Proteus mirabilis and Shigella flexneri.…”

The illegal hunting and exploitation of porcupines for meat and medicine in Indonesia

“…In one incident, actual porcupine meat on skewers was seized. Locally, porcupine meat is consumed as an alternative source of protein, as a medicinal cure for asthma and improving one's vitality, and as an aphrodisiac (Farida 2013;Farida 2015;Mustikasari et al 2019;Nurliani et al 2020). Quills were seized in three separate incidents in Aceh, Bali and West Kalimantan.…”

“…What clearly emerges from this study is that porcupines are being illegally hunted and exploited throughout their range in Indonesia for local subsistence and commercial trade. While it is difficult to determine the impact this has on porcupine populations, reports in Indonesia indicate the species are in decline due to habitat loss and conversion as well as uncontrolled poaching (Salviana et al 2017;Farida et al 2019;Mustikasari et al 2019). Similar declines in porcupine populations due to over-hunt-ing have been documented in other parts of their range including Malaysia (Loke et al 2020), Myanmar (McEvoy et al 2019, Singapore (Chung et al 2016) as well as Vietnam and Lao PDR (Brooks et al 2010).…”