Clouded Leopard, Leopard, and Tiger are threatened felids in Southeast Asia, but little is known about the factors influencing their distributions. Using logistic regression, we assessed how habitat variables, prey detection patterns, and presence of intraguild predators affect the occurrence of these felids across 13 protected areas within Thailand. Our analysis is based on data from 1108 camera-trap locations (47,613 trap-nights). Clouded Leopard and Leopard are associated with habitat where Red Muntjac and Eurasian Wild Pig were most likely to be present. Tiger are associated with habitat with a higher likelihood for the presence of Gaur, Eurasian Wild Pig, and Sambar. Clouded Leopard and Tiger were both weakly associated with areas with mature evergreen forest. Besides availability of prey, associations with potential competitors also appear to influence the distribution of these felids, although the strength of these effects requires further investigation. Occurrence rates for Clouded Leopard were no different in protected areas with Leopard versus without Leopards. Leopard had similar occurrence rates regardless of the presence of Tiger, but Leopards were less likely to be detected at the same camera-trap points with the larger felid. Our results suggest that the two most commonly photographed prey species in the study areas serve as key prey species, Eurasian Wild Pig for all three carnivores and Red Muntjac for Leopard and Clouded Leopard.Abstract in Thai is available in the online version of this article.
Southeast Asia's tropical forests suffer the highest rates of deforestation and disturbance of any on Earth, with poorly understood impacts on native fauna. Asian tapirs (Tapirus indicus) are among the least studied of the large mammals in these forests. Using records from 9 camera trap surveys in 7 of the largest (>1000 km(2) ) protected area complexes, we assessed the influence of environmental variation and human-induced disturbance on tapir occurrence. Tapirs were detected at 13% of locations sampled, significantly associated with evergreen forest (P < 0.001). A multiple logistic regression model predicted tapir presence 87% of the time. According to this model, tapir occurrence was positively influenced by annual rainfall and proximity to the forest edge. However, tapirs may not avoid edges but instead prefer wetter evergreen forest, a habitat type that tended to occur further from the forest edge at higher elevations in our particular study sites (P < 0.001). By comparison, 4 other wild ungulate species that share habitats with tapirs showed a range of differing responses. Tapirs are expected to be less sensitive to disturbance because they are not targets for hunting and trade, and are almost entirely active at night, so avoid peak traffic periods in parks. Tapir populations in Thailand may be more stable than in other parts of their global range because rates of forest loss have decreased >40% over the past 20 years. We recommend surveys to fill gaps in the understanding of the status in lesser-known protected areas, research to better understand the fine-scale environmental influences on behavior and habitats of tapirs, and other forest ungulates, and continued legal status for tapirs in the highest category of protection.
No recent attempt has been made to survey dhole distribution, or to estimate remaining population numbers. We surveyed 15 protected areas in Thailand with camera traps from 1996 to 2010. We used the photo locations of dholes (n = 96) in the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model along with six environmental variables to model current dhole distribution, as well as species predictive occurrence layers for sambar, red muntjac, wild boar, tiger, and leopard. The MaxEnt model identifi ed the predicted probability of the presence of leopards and sambar as positive and the most important variables in modeling dhole presence, indicating that maintaining a suffi cient prey base may be the most important factor determining continued survival of dholes. Roughly 7 % of the total land area in Thailand is potentially suitable for dholes. However, surveys to date have focused on protected areas, which make up just a third of the potential suitable areas for dholes. Only in four protected areas do they occur across the entire landscape, suggesting that in the majority of places where they occur, habitats are not uniformly suitable. Using the model, we identifi ed several potential areas where dholes have not been reported, and therefore status surveys are needed, and where future research of the species might be focused.
Abstract. Charaspet K, Sukmasuang R, Khoewsree N, Pla-ard M, Songsaen N, Simchareon S. 2019. Movement, home range size and activity pattern of the golden jackal (Canis aureus, Linneaus, 1758) in Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand. Biodiversitas 20: 3430-3438. We studied the movement patterns, monthly home range sizes, and activity patterns of the golden jackal in Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary (HKK) from November 2017 to June 2019. Data were obtained by trapping and collaring a female jackal with a satellite collar, and from a concurrent camera trap survey. The female jackal had an average daily movement of 1.7 km, and her overall home range size was 26.3 km2, based on 1,191 locations across 7 months and using the 95% Minimum Convex Polygon (MCP) method. The monthly home range size (95% MCP) was the smallest in December (9.2 km2) and the largest in March (20.51 km2). Results from camera traps revealed 33 species of wild animals, including 16 species of carnivorous mammals and 17 non-carnivorous species. The relative abundance index (RAI) of the jackal was 24.33, which was the highest of all carnivore species, and the second-highest of all species, suggesting jackals were one of the most common mammal species in HKK. Based on camera trap data, the mean diel activity of jackals in HKKwas at 00: 46 hours, and their activity overlapped most with potential prey including hares and small rodents. Results also revealed that golden jackals prefer dry dipterocarp forest compared to other habitat types Our results lead to a better understanding of the ecology of golden jackals in Thailand, and provide a baseline for future research on this species.
The dhole (Cuon alpinus) is one of the least frequent studied endangered canid species and many aspects of ecological knowledge about this species are lacking. The objectives of this study were to investigate the spatial movement of dholes, prey abundance, prey selection, and prey overlaps with other large carnivorous species in the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand, during November, 2017 and October, 2018. Two adult female dholes were captured and fitted with GPS collars. Twenty camera trap sets were systematically used to survey the area. Scat collection was conducted along forest roads and trails. The home range sizes and activity radii of the two dholes were 3,151.63 ha. and 1,442.84 m, and 33.39 ha and 331.56 m, respectively. The sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) was the most abundant prey species (30.93%). However, dhole fecal analysis showed that the monitored dholes preferred red muntjac (Muntiacus muntjak) (57.1%). There was a high degree of prey overlap between dholes and leopards (98%), indicating very high prey competition. The dholes in this study represent movement patterns in richly abundant prey habitats, but with the presence of other predators that can affect prey selection and movement patterns of the dhole in the area.
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