Predicted distribution of short-tailed mongoose Herpestes brachyurus (Mammalia: Carnivora: Herpestidae) on Borneo

J. W. Duckworth, Andrew J. Hearn, Joanna Ross, Hiromitsu Samejima, Azlan Mohamed, Susan M. Cheyne, Raymond Alfred, Dave M. Augeri, John Mathai, Matt Heydon, Ramesh Boonratana, Rustam, Gono Semiadi, Tim van Berkel, Jedediah F. Brodie, Anthony Giordano, James Eaton, Gabriella Fredriksson, Jon Hall, Jason J. HonYoshihiro Nakashima, David W. Macdonald, Jerrold L. Belant, Stephanie Kramer-Schadt, Andreas Wilting

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Short-tailed mongoose Herpestes brachyurus is known to inhabit Borneo, Sumatra and peninsular Malaysia. Locality records show that it is widespread and probably common in at least the northern half of Borneo. Records are much sparser south of 2°N. It occurs in forest and, to a poorly clarified extent, non-forest habitats. Eighty-six spatially precise records were used to model its Bornean distribution. This modelling is complicated by several factors: difficulties of field separation from collared mongoose H. semitorquatus (reducing the number of available records); limited interest in, and thus familiarity with, the species (perhaps reducing the reliability of the respondents’ opinions on habitat use); and strong evidence that altitudinal range and perhaps other aspects of habitat use differ between major landmasses (also potentially confounding opinions on habitat use). Within Borneo it is important to (1) clarify the extent of the specie’s use of degraded and non-forest habitats, and (2) assess whether the paucity of records in Borneo from south of 2°N reflects a rarity of animals or simply low survey effort. Irrespective of short-tailed mongoose’s precise habitat-use patterns in Borneo, it seems unlikely to be under major threat there. Its extent of occurrence encompasses all, or nearly all, the island; it has a large potential range outside the lowlands where large-scale forest clearance has been concentrated; there is no evidence of any association with any particularly threatened microhabitat; and it is highly unlikely to be subject to targeted or intensive hunting except locally as a livestock predator.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)132-141
Number of pages10
JournalRaffles Bulletin of Zoology
Volume2016
StatePublished - 2016

Keywords

  • Borneo Carnivore Symposium
  • Brunei
  • Conservation priorities
  • Habitat suitability index
  • Indonesia
  • Malaysia
  • Species distribution modelling
  • Survey gaps

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