Managing threatened ungulates in logged-primary forest mosaics in Malaysia

Abstract

Across the tropics, large-bodied mammals have been affected by selective logging in ways that vary with levels of timber extraction, collateral damage, species-specific traits and secondary effects of hunting, as facilitated by improved access through logging roads. In Peninsular Malaysia, 3.0 million hectares or 61 percent of its Permanent Reserved Forests is officially assigned for commercial selective logging. Understanding how wildlife adapts and uses logged forest is critical for its management and, for threatened species, their conservation. In this study, we quantify the population status of four tropical ungulate species in a large selectively logged forest reserve and an adjacent primary forest protected area. We then conduct finer scale analyses to identify the species-specific factors that determine their occurrence. A combined indirect sign-camera trapping approach with a large sampling effort (2,665 km and 27,780 trap nights surveyed) covering a wide area (560 km2) generated species-specific detection probabilities and site occupancies. Populations of wild boar were widespread across both logged and primary forests, whereas sambar and muntjac occupancy was lower in logged forest (48.4% and 19.2% respectively), with gaur showing no significant difference. Subsequent modelling revealed the importance of conserving lower elevation habitat in both habitat types, particularly <1,000 m asl, for which occupancies of sambar, muntjac and gaur were typically higher. This finding is important because 75 percent (~13,400 km2) of Peninsular Malaysia’s Main Range Forest (Banjaran Titiwangsa) is under 1,000 m asl and therefore at risk of being converted to industrial timber plantations, which calls for renewed thinking around forest management planning.

Impact of natural salt lick on the home range of Panthera tigris at the Royal Belum Rainforest, Malaysia

“…Malayan sun bear (Helarctos malayanus malayanus) 0.0 ± 0.00 0.0 ± 0.00 0.0 ± 0.00 0.0 ± 0.00 0.0 ± 0.00 0.25 ± 0.25 www.nature.com/scientificreports/ In this study, the presence of prey such as muntjac, sambar deer and wild hog are widespread in all home range at the Royal Belum Rainforest. Surprisingly, this contradicts earlier findings denoting their lowest in Malaysia rainforest 37 . It is likely that the latter findings was conducted in a different geographical location (National Park) where activities favouring prey reduction were much more intense 18,21 .…”

“…The preferred prey of the Malayan tiger is namely the sambar deer, wild hog and muntjac [37][38][39][40] that were frequently noted around the salt licks indicated the impact of salt licks as an invaluable hunting grounds for this species. This could indicate that the Malayan tiger localises its home range, and roams around natural salt licks with confidence of capturing prey of its choice 8,41 .…”

“…3 ). Besides low prey populations, forest fragmentation and continued poaching are leading towards low occurrence of tigers in the same areas, and isolation of tigers in fragmented forests with no way to maintain the population 37 , 40 . It appears that poaching activity exist out within the Royal Belum Rainforest.…”

Occupancy of wild southern pig-tailed macaques in intact and degraded forests in Peninsular Malaysia

“…This study is based on camera trap data originally collected to assess habitat use of mainland clouded leopards ( Neofelis nebulosa ) in PFR ( Tan et al, 2017 ) as well as density and habitat use of Malayan tigers ( Panthera tigris jacksoni ), occupancy of ungulates and interactions between large carnivores in BTFC ( Rayan & Linkie, 2015 , 2016 , 2020 ). All necessary permits and support letters from the Perak State Parks Corporation, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks and the Forestry Department of Perak were acquired prior to data collection.…”

“…We are very grateful to the Tropical Ecological Assessment and Monitoring (TEAM) Network and the WWF Malaysia for sharing camera trap data on southern pig-tailed macaques. A full account of all parties to be credited for the collection of the original data and research funding is given in Rayan & Linkie (2015 , 2016 , 2020) and Tan et al (2017) . We also thank Monika Sündermann and Brigitte Schlögl for their support in the initial phase of this study, and Ammie Kalan for her advice on the application of occupancy modelling.…”