Abstract:
Also known as the thick-tailed pangolin, M. crassicaudata is a medium-sized mammal that is
largely fossorial and myrmecophagous. At present, it is mainly confined to India, Nepal, Pakistan
and Sri Lanka, and believed to be extirpated or occurring in very low numbers in Bangladesh and
China. The species is under threat due to hunting for local consumption and illegal trafficking
ofscales, flesh and skins. The dearth of scientific studies on the ecology of the Indian pangolin has
impaired the accurate assessment of its conservation needs. Hence, this study investigated the
habitat preference, utilization andburrow characteristics of Indian pangolins in the Yagirala Forest
Reserve;a tropical lowland rainforest in Southwest Sri Lanka. A total of 75 burrows (54 feeding
burrows and 21 living burrows)of Indian pangolins in four different habitat types i.e.Secondary
forest, Pine-dominated forest, Rubber cultivations and Tea-dominated home gardens bordering
the forest were observed using fixed-width transects for the characterization of living and feeding
burrows. Burrow features of depth, burrow opening width, burrowopening height, midday
temperature and relative humidity inside the burrow, as well as habitat features such as % canopy
cover, slope, % undergrowth, distance to the closest human habitation, and distance to the closest
water source were evaluated to distinguish feeding and living burrows. Highest density of living
burrows was recorded from the Secondary forest (4ha-1), followed by Rubber cultivations (2.5ha-
1) while no living burrows were recorded from Pine-dominated forest and Tea-dominated home
gardens. In contrast, feeding burrows were more abundant in Pine-dominated forest (5.7ha-1),
followed by Rubber cultivations (2.5ha-1), Secondary forest (2.3ha-1) and Tea-dominated home
gardens (2ha-1). The features; burrow depth (t=13.53, p<0.05) burrow opening height (t=6.40,
p<0.05) and burrow opening width (t=4.97, p<0.05) were significantly higher compared to those
of feeding burrows. Living burrows were located in higher elevations(75-100m) with moderately
highslopes(450-600), dense canopy cover(>75%) and awayfrom human habitations (200-
400m).Feeding burrows showed a greater variability in terms of associated environmental
features with feeding burrows locatingevenin home gardens. The study further revealed that
Indian pangolins exclusively prefer areas with rock boulders to dig living burrows while location
of feeding burrows largely overlaping with the distribution of the prey species.
