Is the clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa extinct in Taiwan, and could it be reintroduced? An assessment of prey and habitat

Abstract

During - we conducted a nationwide camera-trapping survey and assessed the availability of prey and habitat for the clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa in Taiwan. We surveyed , camera-trap sites over , camera-trap days, from the seashore to an altitude of , m and covering various types of vegetation. No clouded leopards were photographed during , camera-trap days, including at  sites in other studies, confirming the presumed extinction of clouded leopards in Taiwan. Assessment of the prey base revealed altitudinal distribution patterns of prey species and prey biomass. Areas at lower altitudes and with less human encroachment and hunting supported a higher prey biomass and more of the typical prey species of clouded leopards. Habitat analysis revealed , km  of suitable habitat but this was reduced to , km  when adjacent areas of human encroachment were subtracted. In the absence of hunting and large mammalian carnivores the major prey of clouded leopards in Taiwan, such as Formosan macaques Macaca cyclopis, Reeves's muntjacs Muntiacus reevesi, Formosan serow Capricornis swinhoei and sambar Rusa unicolor, could become over-abundant. Thus, it is important to address the cascading effect of the disappearance of top-down predator control. Our assessment indicated that, with proper regulation of hunting, habitat restoration and corridor improvement, it may be possible to reintroduce the clouded leopard.

Community change and species richness reductions in rapidly advancing tree lines

“…The subalpine grassland above, dominated by the unpalatable Yushania niitakayamensis is not used for the grazing of domesticated herbivores or managed in any other way. Populations of native grazing and browsing animals are low at high altitude (Yen et al ., ; Chiang et al ., ), and hunting pressure from aboriginal peoples in believed to be unchanged over recent decades (Pei, ). Forest fires, whilst representing a potential threat to the species (Chou & Chen, ), are not recorded as having occurred in our research area in the last century (Council of Agriculture, Taiwan ), and cores collected at tree line sites show no evidence of recent fire (S. Greenwood, unpublished data).…”

Complementarity, completeness and quality of long-term faunal archives in an Asian biodiversity hotspot

“…Our new model of Hainan's long-term extinction dynamics can be compared and contrasted with data for other Asian regions, for example islands that have experienced either survival or extinction of species formerly present on Hainan (e.g. tigers, clouded leopards), to identify intrinsic or extrinsic correlates of species vulnerability and resilience and make predictive hypotheses to inform conservation planning [31,60,61]. Integrated faunal archives can also inform direct conservation management, for example to set new restoration or rewilding targets (e.g.…”

Habitat characteristics or protected area size: What is more important for the composition and diversity of mammals in nonprotected areas?

“…Forest structure changes make the understory vegetation more open, and the increase of herbaceous layer coverage is also beneficial to ungulates such as Reeve's muntjac ( Muntiacus reevesi ). Otherwise, such habitats can also cause specialists and human‐sensitive species to decline, such as felid species guilds (Cheyne et al., 2016; Chiang et al., 2014) and Wildebeest ( Connochaetes taurinus ) (Craigie et al., 2010; Thirgood et al., 2004). These species may travel to nonprotected areas at certain times for migration or to maintain large home ranges.…”