Predictive habitat modelling for forest malaria vector species An. dirus in India - A GIS-based approach

Anopheles dirus is found in deep-forested areas where manual surveys are very difficult because of inaccessibility. Geographic Information System (GIS) and a Boolean operator have been used to map areas where the species is likely to be found. Being a forest-based species, thematic maps of forest cover, altitude, rainfall and temperature were prepared. Overlaying and integration of thematic maps were done using Arc/Info NT and analysis by Arc/view 3.1 (GIS ESRI) software. The results were validated through reported distribution and were found correct. The technique can cover vast and inaccessible areas, fast and easily duplicable in other parts of the world. Once the vector distribution is known, species-specific control measures can be formulated.