Carnivore hotspots in Peninsular Malaysia and their landscape attributes

Mammalian carnivores play a vital role in ecosystem functioning. However, they are prone to extinction because of low population densities and growth rates, and high levels of persecution or exploitation. In tropical biodiversity hotspots such as Peninsular Malaysia, rapid conversion of natural habitats threatens the persistence of this vulnerable group of animals. Here, we carried out the first comprehensive literature review on 31 carnivore species reported to occur in Peninsular Malaysia and updated their probable distribution. We georeferenced 375 observations of 28 species of carnivore from 89 unique geographic locations using records spanning 1948 to 2014. Using the Getis-Ord Gi*statistic and weighted survey records by IUCN Red List status, we identified hotspots of species that were of conservation concern and built regression models to identify environmental and anthropogenic landscape factors associated with Getis-Ord Gi* z scores. Our analyses identified two carnivore hotspots that were spatially concordant with two of the peninsula’s largest and most contiguous forest complexes, associated with Taman Negara National Park and Royal Belum State Park. A cold spot overlapped with the southwestern region of the Peninsula, reflecting the disappearance of carnivores with higher conservation rankings from increasingly fragmented natural habitats. Getis-Ord Gi* z scores were negatively associated with elevation, and positively associated with the proportion of natural land cover and distance from the capital city. Malaysia contains some of the world’s most diverse carnivore assemblages, but recent rates of forest loss are some of the highest in the world. Reducing poaching and maintaining large, contiguous tracts of lowland forests will be crucial, not only for the persistence of threatened carnivores, but for many mammalian species in general

Climatic influences on aedes mosquito larvae population

The impact of climate on Aedes larval population was studied.Monitoring of population was done using ovitraps. Ovitrap pr ovides a simple and convenient monitoring method for Aedes surveillance as the number of eggs laid in a standard trap within a specific time period give a relative measurement of the number of mosquito in the same area.Ovitraps were set outdoors in selec ted dengue prone areas in Desa Pandan, Kuala Lumpur for 66 weeks.Weather stations, consisting of a temperature and relative humidity data logger and an automated rain gauge were installed at key locations in the study site.Week-to-week variations of larval densities were correlated against variations in the individual climatic parameters.Results of the study showed that there was a close relationship between the heavy rainfall and the increased mosquito population in the study sites.The study showed that previous week rainfall plays a significant role in increasing the mosquito population

Phylogeography of the Sunda pangolin, Manis javanica: Implications for taxonomy, conservation management and wildlife forensics

The Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) is the most widely distributed Asian pangolin species, occurring across much of Southeast Asia and in southern China. It is classified as Critically Endangered and is one of the most trafficked mammals in the world, which not only negatively impacts wild Sunda pangolin populations but also poses a potential disease risk to other species, including humans and livestock. Here, we aimed to investigate the species' phylogeography across its distribution to improve our understanding of the species' evolutionary history, elucidate any taxonomic uncertainties and enhance the species' conservation genetic management and potential wildlife forensics applications. We sequenced mtDNA genomes from 23 wild Sunda pangolins of known provenance originating from Malaysia to fill sampling gaps in previous studies, particularly in Borneo. To conduct phylogenetic and population genetic analyses of Sunda pangolins across their range, we integrated these newly generated mitochondrial genomes with previously generated mtDNA and nuclear DNA data sets (RAD‐seq SNP data). We identified an evolutionarily distinct mtDNA lineage in north Borneo, estimated to be ~1.6 million years divergent from lineages in west/south Borneo and the mainland, comparable to the divergence time from the Palawan pangolin. There appeared to be mitonuclear discordance, with no apparent genetic structure across Borneo based on analysis of nuclear SNPs. These findings are consistent with the ‘out of Borneo hypothesis’, whereby Sunda pangolins diversified in Borneo before subsequently migrating throughout Sundaland, and/or a secondary contact scenario between mainland and Borneo. We have elucidated possible taxonomic issues in the Sunda/Palawan pangolin complex and highlight the critical need for additional georeferenced samples to accurately apportion its range‐wide genetic variation into appropriate taxonomic and conservation units. Additionally, these data have improved forensic identification testing involving these species and permit the implementation of geographic provenance testing in some scenarios

Carnivores of Malaysia with 2015 IUCN conservation status, and Peninsular Malaysia conservation status in 2007 and 2009 based on percent change in area of occupancy and expert opinion [28].

<p>Although 31 species are listed, three species may not be indigenous or extant. The highest threat status, based on IUCN Red List criteria A–E [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0194217#pone.0194217.ref029" target="_blank">29</a>] is reported for each species. EX = extinct, CE = critically endangered, EN = endangered, VU = vulnerable, NT = near threatened, LC = least concern.</p

Distribution of surveys (<i>n</i> = 133) of carnivores among different states in Peninsular Malaysia with records collected during 1948–2014.

<p>Data were based on 60 published papers and reports that used conventional trapping, direct observation, signs, remote cameras, or road kills. Some publications compiled data from several surveys and some geographic locations were surveyed more than once. Boundary layer: U.S. State Department, Humanitarian Information Unit (modified from Global Large Scale International Boundary Polygons). Inset map: U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (The World Factbook).</p

Locations of mammalian carnivore surveys and kernel density surface of Getis-Ord Gi* <i>z</i> scores of weighted ranking of IUCN red list categories for recorded species locations in Peninsular Malaysia, 1948–2014.

<p>Hillshade layer derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (STRM) 90-m Digital Elevation Data from Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and reprinted under a CC BY license, with permission from International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), original copyright 2004. Protected areas mentioned in the text are labeled; reprinted from World Database on Protected Areas (http://<a href="http://www.protectedplanet.net/" target="_blank">www.protectedplanet.net</a>) under a CC BY license, with permission from the United Nations Environmental Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre, original copyright 2010.</p

Procedure for the selection of studies of mammalian carnivores in Peninsular Malaysia with records collected during 1948–2014.

<p>Procedure for the selection of studies of mammalian carnivores in Peninsular Malaysia with records collected during 1948–2014.</p

Number of records of Carnivora species in Peninsular Malaysia.

<p>Data were obtained from surveys that used conventional trapping, direct observation, sign, remote cameras, or road kills collected during 1991–2014. Species are grouped by family and ranked by number of records.</p

Taxonomic and genetic assessment of captive White-Handed Gibbons (Hylobates lar) in Peninsular Malaysia with implications towards conservation translocation and reintroduction programmes

Conservation translocation and reintroduction for the purpose of repopulating and reinforcing extirpated or depleted populations has been recognised as an important conservation tool, particularly for gibbon conservation in the immediate future. Feasibility assessments involving multiple factors, including taxonomic and genetic assessment of rescued and captive gibbons, are imperative prior to translocation and reintroduction programmes. In this study, we attempt to determine the subspecies and origin of captive Hylobates lar, White-handed gibbons, from Peninsular Malaysia to assist in future translocation and reintroduction programmes. A total of 12 captive and rescued H. lar samples were analysed using the control region segment of mitochondrial DNA. Sequence analyses and phylogenetic trees constructed using neighbour-joining, maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference, and network methods congruently differentiate all 12 captive individuals used in this study from other H. lar subspecies suggesting that these individuals belong to the H. lar lar subspecies. In addition, two populations of H. l. lar were observed: (1) a southern population consisting of all 12 individuals from Peninsular Malaysia, and (2) a possible northern population represented by three individuals (from previous studies), which might have originated from the region between the Isthmus of Kra, Surat Thani-Krabi depression, and Kangar-Pattani. Our findings suggest that the complete control region segment can be used to determine the subspecies and origin of captive H. lar

Mitochondrial DNA profiling reveals two lineages of sun bears in East and West Malaysia

Sun bear populations are fragmented and at risk from habitat loss and exploitation for body parts. These threats are made worse by significant gaps in knowledge of sun bear population genetic diversity, population connectivity, and taxonomically significant management units. Using a complete sun bear mitochondrial genome, we developed a set of mitochondrial markers to assess haplotype variation and the evolutionary history of sun bears from Peninsular (West) Malaysia, and Sabah (East Malaysia). Genetic samples from 28 sun bears from Peninsular Malaysia, 36 from Sabah, and 18 from Thailand were amplified with primers targeting a 1,800 bp region of the mitochondrial genome including the complete mitochondrial control region and adjacent genes. Sequences were analyzed using phylogenetic methods. We identified 51 mitochondrial haplotypes among 82 sun bears. Phylogenetic and network analyses provided strong support for a deep split between Malaysian sun bears and sun bears in East Thailand and Yunnan province in China. The Malaysian lineage was further subdivided into two clades: Peninsular Malaysian and Malaysian Borneo (Sabah). Sun bears from Thailand occurred in both Sabah and Peninsular Malaysian clades. Our study supports recent findings that sun bears from Sundaland form a distinct clade from those in China and Indochina with Thailand possessing lineages from the three clades. Importantly we demonstrate a more recent and clear genetic delineation between sun bears from the Malay Peninsula and Sabah indicating historical barriers to gene flow within the Sundaic region