Many tropical mammalian carnivores are now threatened with extinction due to habitat loss and fra... more Many tropical mammalian carnivores are now threatened with extinction due to habitat loss and fragmentation, direct hunting pressure, and depletion of their prey reserves. Due to their cryptic behavior and relative rarity, we still know little regionally about baseline carnivore community composition and habitat preferences at individual sites across Southeast Asia, and consequently where and how best to study these communities, which further impedes conservation and management action. We sampled the mammalian carnivore community within diverse mosaic forest types of Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary in western Thailand using camera traps augmented with direct observations from spotlighting and incidental daytime observations to assess our ability to effectively sample the carnivore community. The community of mammalian carnivores in Thung Yai revealed by this combination of camera trapping and direct sighting consisted of 20 species ranging in size from small (banded linsangs, ...
Although small cats are presumed important as mesopredators in mammalian food chains, they have b... more Although small cats are presumed important as mesopredators in mammalian food chains, they have been largely ignored by biodiversity assessments of Thailand’s pro- tected areas. In November 2009, a workshop involving regional specialists and parti- cipants from local universities, conservation organizations and government agencies was convened to assess the current status and distribution of small carnivores. In this paper, we review the small cat by-catch from 24 camera-trap surveys primarily target- ing tigers Panthera tigris and other large mammals, two radio-telemetry studies, and a small number of direct sightings from 16 protected areas across Thailand. These data were collected between 1996 and 2011 and form the most current available informa- tion on distribution and threats for small cats in the country. A total of seven small to medium cat species have been recorded in Thailand. No cat species is restricted to Thailand and while some (leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis, mainland clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa, Asiatic golden cat Catopuma temminckii and marbled cat Pardofelis marmorata) are evidently widespread across the country where habitat is available, abundance and ranging patterns in the recorded sites are poorly under- stood. Fishing cat Prionailurus viverrinus, jungle cat Felis chaus and flat-headed cat Prionailurus planiceps are each known from few Thai records and localities, and populations may be particularly threatened due to persecution, and loss and degra- dation of habitat. Small and medium cats in general may be persecuted but seldom appear in wildlife trade inside Thailand with the exception of the clouded leopard. A thorough review of Thai historical records of small cats, to look for patterns of range contraction and habitat use, is needed, with a focus on those species which have not been widely found today (fishing cat, flat-headed cat and jungle cat).
Many tropical mammalian carnivores are now threatened with extinction due to habitat loss and fra... more Many tropical mammalian carnivores are now threatened with extinction due to habitat loss and fragmentation, direct hunting pressure, and depletion of their prey reserves. Due to their cryptic behavior and relative rarity, we still know little regionally about baseline carnivore community composition and habitat preferences at individual sites across Southeast Asia, and consequently where and how best to study these communities, which further impedes conservation and management action. We sampled the mammalian carnivore community within diverse mosaic forest types of Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary in western Thailand using camera traps augmented with direct observations from spotlighting and incidental daytime observations to assess our ability to effectively sample the carnivore community. The community of mammalian carnivores in Thung Yai revealed by this combination of camera trapping and direct sighting consisted of 20 species ranging in size from small (banded linsangs, ...
Although small cats are presumed important as mesopredators in mammalian food chains, they have b... more Although small cats are presumed important as mesopredators in mammalian food chains, they have been largely ignored by biodiversity assessments of Thailand’s pro- tected areas. In November 2009, a workshop involving regional specialists and parti- cipants from local universities, conservation organizations and government agencies was convened to assess the current status and distribution of small carnivores. In this paper, we review the small cat by-catch from 24 camera-trap surveys primarily target- ing tigers Panthera tigris and other large mammals, two radio-telemetry studies, and a small number of direct sightings from 16 protected areas across Thailand. These data were collected between 1996 and 2011 and form the most current available informa- tion on distribution and threats for small cats in the country. A total of seven small to medium cat species have been recorded in Thailand. No cat species is restricted to Thailand and while some (leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis, mainland clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa, Asiatic golden cat Catopuma temminckii and marbled cat Pardofelis marmorata) are evidently widespread across the country where habitat is available, abundance and ranging patterns in the recorded sites are poorly under- stood. Fishing cat Prionailurus viverrinus, jungle cat Felis chaus and flat-headed cat Prionailurus planiceps are each known from few Thai records and localities, and populations may be particularly threatened due to persecution, and loss and degra- dation of habitat. Small and medium cats in general may be persecuted but seldom appear in wildlife trade inside Thailand with the exception of the clouded leopard. A thorough review of Thai historical records of small cats, to look for patterns of range contraction and habitat use, is needed, with a focus on those species which have not been widely found today (fishing cat, flat-headed cat and jungle cat).
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