Rediscovery of nycticebus coucang insularis Robinson, 1917 (Primates: Lorisidae) at Tioman Island and its mitochondrial genetic assessment

Slow lorises (Nycticebus) consist of eight species native to Southeast Asia while three species are recognised in Malaysia - N. coucang, N. menagensis and N. kayan. This study reports on the rediscovery of the subspecies N. coucang insularis Robinson, 1917 in Tioman Island and the genetic assessment of its mitochondrial DNA variation. Morphological measurements conform the specimen as the putative N. coucang but with distinct colour and markings. Two mitochondrial DNA segments (cytochrome b and control region) were produced from the subspecies representing their first registered sequences in GenBank. Genetically, the subspecies showed 99% of nucleotide similarity to N. coucang species type for both the DNA segments and constitute its own unique haplotype. Phylogenetic trees constructed using three methods (neighbour joining, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference) showed two major groups within Nycticebus; the basal group was formed by N. pygmaeus while the second group consisted of the remaining Nycticebus species. The phylogenetic position of the subspecies, however, remains unresolved due to the observed mixing between N. coucang and N. bengalensis. Several reasons could lead to this condition including the lack of well documented voucher specimens and the short DNA fragments used. In addition, the possibility of hybridisation event between N. coucang and N. bengalensis could not be excluded as a possible explanation since both species occur sympatrically at the Isthmus of Kra region until the Thailand-Malaysia border. The rediscovery of this subspecies displays the unique faunal diversity that justifies the importance of Tioman Island as a protected area

Multi-scale habitat modelling identifies spatial conservation priorities for mainland clouded leopards (Neofelis nebulosa)

Aim Deforestation is rapidly altering Southeast Asian landscapes, resulting in some of the highest rates of habitat loss worldwide. Among the many species facing declines in this region, clouded leopards rank notably for their ambassadorial potential and capacity to act as powerful levers for broader forest conservation programmes. Thus, identifying core habitat and conservation opportunities are critical for curbing further Neofelis declines and extending umbrella protection for diverse forest biota similarly threatened by widespread habitat loss. Furthermore, a recent comprehensive habitat assessment of Sunda clouded leopards (N. diardi) highlights the lack of such information for the mainland species (N. nebulosa) and facilitates a comparative assessment. Location Southeast Asia. Methods Species–habitat relationships are scale‐dependent, yet <5% of all recent habitat modelling papers apply robust approaches to optimize multivariate scale relationships. Using one of the largest camera trap datasets ever collected, we developed scale‐optimized species distribution models for two con‐generic carnivores, and quantitatively compared their habitat niches. Results We identified core habitat, connectivity corridors, and ranked remaining habitat patches for conservation prioritization. Closed‐canopy forest was the strongest predictor, with ~25% lower Neofelis detections when forest cover declined from 100 to 65%. A strong, positive association with increasing precipitation suggests ongoing climate change as a growing threat along drier edges of the species’ range. While deforestation and land use conversion were deleterious for both species, N. nebulosa was uniquely associated with shrublands and grasslands. We identified 800 km2 as a minimum patch size for supporting clouded leopard conservation. Main conclusions We illustrate the utility of multi‐scale modelling for identifying key habitat requirements, optimal scales of use and critical targets for guiding conservation prioritization. Curbing deforestation and development within remaining core habitat and dispersal corridors, particularly in Myanmar, Laos and Malaysia, is critical for supporting evolutionary potential of clouded leopards and conservation of associated forest biodiversity.Dr. Holly Reed Conservation Fund; Langtang National Park; World Animal Protection; Robertson Foundation; Point Defiance Zoo & Aquariu

Survival strategies of a frugivore, the sun bear, in a forest-oil palm landscape

As large areas of forest are lost throughout the tropics, prime habitat of many species decline and become fragmented. The island of Borneo is a prime example, with accelerated clearing of forests primarily for oil palm expansion. Borneo is recognized as an important stronghold for the conservation of the sun bear (Helarctos malayanus), but it is unclear how habitat reduction and fragmentation is affecting this frugivore. We used camera traps and sign surveys to understand patterns of sun bear habitat use in a matrix of fragmented forests and extensive oil palm development, which has existed as such for > 15 years: the Lower Kinabatangan floodplain in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Within these small forest fragments, squeezed between a major river and oil palm plantations, bears exhibited selection for areas farther from human activity (plantations, river boat traffic, and buildings), and were rarely active during the day, demonstrating both spatial and temporal avoidance of potential human-related threats. They selected large trees to feed and rest, and also exploited adjacent plantations to feed on oil palm fruits. We conclude that even relatively small forest fragments (~ 2000 ha) within large agricultural landscapes can be important for sun bears. Our research highlights the remarkable adaptations this species has employed to persist in a drastically modified landscape

Predicted distribution of the Sunda clouded leopard Neofelis diardi (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) on Borneo

The Sunda clouded leopard Neofelis diardi is a medium sized (15–25 kg) cat, found only on the Sundaic islands of Borneo and Sumatra. In recent years intensive camera-trapping surveys in Borneo have begun to shed light on the habitat associations and basic ecology of this elusive wild cat, but its distribution on an island-wide scale remains very poorly known. Such information is an essential element in the assessment of the Sunda clouded leopard’s conservation status and in the development of conservation action. In this paper we use MaxEnt niche distribution modelling to make predictions regarding the current distribution of this cat on Borneo. We collected a total of 259 occurrence records for the Sunda clouded leopard, stemming from all Bornean regions apart from Brunei and South Kalimantan, of which 48 (Balanced Model) or 94 (Spatial Filtering Model) were used in our modelling. Our habitat suitability model suggests that this species has a widespread distribution over a large contiguous portion of Borneo. The only exception is South Kalimantan, which is predicted largely to comprise unsuitable habitat. The predicted distribution closely follows the current distribution of little-encroached forest on Borneo (including selectively logged and unlogged areas). The species is notably predicted to be absent from the extensive areas of oil palm plantation, particularly in much of the low-lying coastal land. The predicted range encompasses a large proportion of the existing and proposed protected area network on Borneo. We highlight the priority areas for the conservation of the Sunda clouded leopard in Borneo based on our predicted distribution

Predicting biodiversity richness in rapidly changing landscapes: climate, low human pressure or protection as salvation?

Rates of biodiversity loss in Southeast Asia are among the highest in the world, and the Indo-Burma and South-Central China Biodiversity Hotspots rank among the world’s most threatened. Developing robust multi-species conservation models is critical for stemming biodiversity loss both here and globally. We used a large and geographically extensive remote-camera survey and multi-scale, multivariate optimization species distribution modelling to investigate the factors driving biodiversity across these two adjoining biodiversity hotspots. Four major findings emerged from the work. (i) We identified clear spatial patterns of species richness, with two main biodiverse centres in the Thai-Malay Peninsula and in the mountainous region of Southwest China. (ii) Carnivores in particular, and large ungulates to a lesser degree, were the strongest indicators of species richness. (iii) Climate had the largest effect on biodiversity, followed by protected status and human footprint. (iv) Gap analysis between the biodiversity model and the current system of protected areas revealed that the majority of areas supporting the highest predicted biodiversity are not protected. Our results highlighted several key locations that should be prioritized for expanding the protected area network to maximize conservation effectiveness. We demonstrated the importance of switching from single-species to multi-species approaches to highlight areas of high priority for biodiversity conservation. In addition, since these areas mostly occur over multiple countries, we also advocate for a paradigmatic focus on transboundary conservation planning.The majority of the team, as well as the data, were part of the core WildCRU effort supported principally by a Robertson Foundation grant to DWM

Mainland Clouded Leopard Habitat Suitability Model - 4 Thresholds

The zip file contains four GIS raster layers representing a range of thresholds of the mainland clouded leopard habitat suitability model. Layers include 50th, 75th, 90th, and 97.5th percentiles of the multi-scale GLMM. Suitable habitat is classified as 1; all habitat below a specified threshold is classified as 0. Raster resolution: 250m; coordinate system: Asia South Albers Equal Area Conic

Data from: Multi-scale habitat modeling identifies spatial conservation priorities for mainland clouded leopards (Neofelis nebulosa)

Aim Deforestation is rapidly altering Southeast Asian landscapes, resulting in some of the highest rates of habitat loss worldwide. Among the many species facing declines in this region, clouded leopards rank notably for their ambassadorial potential and capacity to act as powerful levers for broader forest conservation programmes. Thus identifying core habitat and conservation opportunities are critical for curbing further Neofelis declines and extending umbrella protection for diverse forest biota similarly threatened by widespread habitat loss. Furthermore, a recent comprehensive habitat assessment of Sunda clouded leopards (N. diardi) highlights the lack of such information for the mainland species (N. nebulosa), and facilitates a comparative assessment. Location Southeast Asia. Methods Species-habitat relationships are scale-dependent, yet <5% of all recent habitat modeling papers apply robust approaches to optimize multivariate scale relationships. Using one of the largest camera trap datasets ever collected, we developed scale-optimized species distribution models for two con-generic carnivores, and quantitatively compared their habitat niches. Results We identified core habitat, connectivity corridors, and ranked remaining habitat patches for conservation prioritization. Closed canopy forest was the strongest predictor, with ~25% lower Neofelis detections when forest cover declined from 100 to 65%. A strong, positive association with increasing precipitation suggests ongoing climate change as a growing threat along drier edges of the species' range. While deforestation and land use conversion were deleterious for both species, N. nebulosa was uniquely associated with shrublands and grasslands. We identified 800km2 as a minimum patch size for supporting clouded leopard conservation. Main Conclusions We illustrate the utility of multi-scale modeling for identifying key habitat requirements, optimal scales of use, and critical targets for guiding conservation prioritization. Curbing deforestation and development within remaining core habitat and dispersal corridors, particularly in Myanmar, Laos, and Malaysia, is critical for supporting evolutionary potential of clouded leopards and conservation of associated forest biodiversity

Mainland Clouded Leopard Habitat Suitability Model - Continuous

This GIS raster layer is the projected multi-scale habitat suitability model for the mainland clouded leopard, based on beta coefficients of the GLMM and a mean of 79.47 camera trap nights averaged across all camera stations. Model projection units are number of clouded leopard observations predicted across multivariate niche space, given 79.47 active camera trap nights. Thus the specific output value is of little importance; the model output should rather be interpreted on a relative scale. Habitat >4000m elevation was reclassified as non-suitable and assigned the lowest model output value. Resolution: 250m; coordinate system: Asia South Albers Equal Area Conic

Top 28 High Quality Habitat Patches for the Mainland Clouded Leopard

This GIS raster layer contains the top 28 patches of high quality habitat for the mainland clouded leopard, based on the 90th percentile threshold of the habitat suitability model. We identified and ranked all habitat patches >1000km2, based on descending habitat area. Table S8 in the Supplementary Information file associated with Macdonald et al. (2019) provides additional information for each habitat patch, including associated protected areas, mean correlation length within each patch, and percent of patch area designated as protected. Resolution: 500m; coordinate system: Asia South Albers Equal Area Conic