Status and Distribution of Smaller Cats in Myanmar
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264057613 Status and distribution of smaller cats in Myanmar Article · July 2014 CITATIONS READS 10 724 7 authors, including: Saw Htoo Tha Po Kyaw Thinn Latt Wildlife Conservation Society.(Myanmar Program) Wildlife Conservation Society 8 PUBLICATIONS 98 CITATIONS 4 PUBLICATIONS 75 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE Antony J. Lynam Wildlife Conservation Society 94 PUBLICATIONS 1,995 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Myanmar Elephant Conservation Action Plan View project World Wildlife Fund View project All content following this page was uploaded by Antony J. Lynam on 21 July 2014. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. ISSN 1027-2992 I Special Issue I N° 8 | SPRING 2014 Non-CATPanthera cats in newsSouth-east Asia 02 CATnews is the newsletter of the Cat Specialist Group, a component Editors: Christine & Urs Breitenmoser of the Species Survival Commission SSC of the International Union Co-chairs IUCN/SSC for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is published twice a year, and is Cat Specialist Group available to members and the Friends of the Cat Group. KORA, Thunstrasse 31, 3074 Muri, Switzerland For joining the Friends of the Cat Group please contact Tel ++41(31) 951 90 20 Christine Breitenmoser at [email protected] Fax ++41(31) 951 90 40 <[email protected]> Original contributions and short notes about wild cats are welcome Send <[email protected]> contributions and observations to [email protected]. Guest Editors: J. W. Duckworth Guidelines for authors are available at www.catsg.org/catnews Antony Lynam This Special Issue of CATnews has been produced with support Cover Photo: Non-Panthera cats of South-east Asia: from the Taiwan Council of Agriculture’s Forestry Bureau, Zoo Leipzig and From top centre clock-wise the Wild Cat Club. jungle cat (Photo K. Shekhar) clouded leopard (WCS Thailand Prg) Design: barbara surber, werk’sdesign gmbh fishing cat (P. Cutter) Layout: Christine Breitenmoser, Jonas Bach leopard cat (WCS Malaysia Prg) Print: Stämpfli Publikationen AG, Bern, Switzerland Asiatic golden cat (WCS Malaysia Prg) marbled cat (K. Jenks) ISSN 1027-2992 © IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group The designation of the geographical entities in this publication, and the representation of the material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the IUCN concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. CATnews Special Issue 8 Spring 2014 original contribution THAN ZAW1*, THAN MYINT1, SAW HTUN1, SAW HTOO THA PO1, KYAW THINN LATT1, MYINT Bell et al. 2004) and Thailand (Martin 1997, MAUNG2 AND ANTONY J. LYNAM3 Martin & Redford 2000, Shepherd & Nijman 2008) must be a powerful driver for wildlife Status and distribution of hunting. Logging, overhunting, and destruc- tive agricultural practices have spurred sig- smaller cats in Myanmar nificant declines in wildlife and natural habi- tats (Rao et al. 2002). Eight species of wild Camera-trapping in many areas across Myanmar shows that of six smaller cat spe- cats (tiger Panthera tigris, leopard Panthera cies, leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis, mainland clouded leopard Neofelis neb- pardus, clouded leopard, marbled cat, Asi- ulosa and Asiatic golden cat Catopuma temminckii remain widespread in the larger atic golden cat, fishing cat, leopard cat and remaining forested landscapes. Marbled cat Pardofelis marmorata is somewhat less jungle cat) are confirmed to occur in Myan- widely distributed or not so well documented by this survey method. Landscape- mar. According to Myanmar’s Protection of scale threats such as habitat fragmentation by mega-development projects may be Wildlife and Wild Plants and Conservation significant threats to these four species. The remaining two species - fishing cat of Natural Areas Law, 1994 (Myanmar For- Prionailurus viverrinus and jungle cat Felis chaus – may need specific conserva- est Department 2003), five species of cats tion actions to ensure their national survival. Most cats are completely protected by (tiger, leopard, clouded leopard, marbled cat existing wildlife law in Myanmar, but the legal status of fishing cat, leopard cat and and Asiatic golden cat) are “Completely Pro- jungle cat should be clarified. tected” (i.e. with penalties for illegally killing involving fines of up to 50,000 kyats, i.e. ca. Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) in ested (Harris et al. 2012), among the highest 50 US$, and up to seven years in prison). The South-east Asia covers 676,581 km² within proportion of forest cover of any South-east second and third protection categories, that 9°53’-28°25’′N/92°10’-101°10’′E. It is 2,195 Asian country (Leimgruber et al. 2005, Stibig of “Normally Protected” and “Seasonally km from north to south and 948 km wide in the et al. 2007). The human population in 2001 Protected Species”, contain no cat species, central part. Elevation varies from sea level to was estimated to be 51.14 million, increas- leaving fishing cats, leopard cats and jungle 5,881 m in the northern mountain ranges bor- ing at about 2% per year (Central Statistical cats unprotected. Reports or suggestions of dering China. As classified by MacKinnon & Organization 2001). This high growth rate occurrence of snow leopards Panthera uncia MacKinnon (1986), it contains parts of three and the export of timber as a source of hard and flat-headed cats Prionailurus planiceps 24 sub-regions of the Indo-Malayan Realm: the currency are causing rapid encroachment of in Myanmar, while plausible, have not been Indian sub-region (6% of the country) bor- some remaining natural habitats (Leimgruber confirmed (Rabinowitz & Saw Tun Khaing dering Bangladesh in the west and India in et al. 2005, Tordoff et al. 2005). Many rural 1998, Wilting et al. 2010). This compilation the north-west; the Indochinese sub-region people in Myanmar trade and eat wildlife of records from Myanmar discusses distribu- (91%), with a long common border with Chi- (Martin 1997, Rao et al. 2002, 2005, Tordoff tion range, natural history and conservation na, Lao PDR and Thailand, and the Sundaic et al. 2005). The country’s common borders status of the six small cat species recorded sub-region (3%), bordering Thailand. Myan- with China (itself a large sink for traded wild- in the country, based largely on previously un- mar retains large tracts of old forest, with life, including many small cat species; Li Yim- published data gathered between 1999 and 46-48% of the country’s land area being for- ing & Li Dianmo 1998, Li Yiming et al. 2000, 2011 by camera-trap surveys. It is supple- mented by the examination of wild animal re- mains in hunting camps, villages and markets and other incidental information. Structured research on distribution, habitat preferences, ecological attributes and population status of small cat species has barely been conducted in the country. Survey areas The surveys covered areas in northern, west- ern, central and southern Myanmar selecting habitat-blocks potentially able (based mainly on large extent of natural habitat) to support tigers (the main aim of survey at all sites excepting Hkakaborazi, Hponkanrazi and Naungmung; Lynam et al. 2006, 2009) and/ or other threatened large mammals (Fig. 1). In total, 19 areas were surveyed in a roughly comparable manner. Two further areas were visited but not camera-trapped, Thaung Dut Fig. 1a. Recent locality records of tiger and Fig. 1b. Recent locality records of cloud- Reserved Forest and Nankamu Reserved For- leopard, based on camera-trap records. ed leopard, based on surveys in SOM T5. est. Some large regions of Myanmar were CATnews Special Issue 8 Spring 2014 smaller cats in Myanmar not surveyed due to their inaccessibility at the time, notably most of the east, e.g. east- ern Shan State, Kayin State, Kayah State and Mon State, and hence some regions poten- tially important to threatened large mammals were not covered. The wide altitudinal range of 20-3,750 m was surveyed. All survey areas were within large (at least several hundred square kilometers) tracts of evergreen or semi-evergreen forest except Lemyathna & Ingabu which are entirely deciduous, while Momeik & Mabein, Panlaung & Padalin and Bago Yoma Swa Chaung consist of (semi-) evergreen forest mostly restricted to riverine strips. Other survey areas were adjacent to large stands of deciduous forests, e.g. Ma- hamyaing and Alaungdaw Kathapa. Large areas of grasslands and wetlands occur only in Hukaung Valley and montane scrub/ rock habitats in Hkakaborazi National Park. Smaller parts of several other areas include Fig. 1c. Recent locality records of mar- Fig. 1d. Recent locality records of leopard hill grass in Paunglaung catchment, season- bled cat and Asiatic golden cat, based cat, based on surveys in SOM T10, exclu- ally flooded grasslands in Tanintharyi and on surveys in SOM T6 and T8, excluding ding additional camera-trap records from montane scrub/rock in Saramati Taung. The camera-trap records from Tanintharyi NR. Tanintharyi NR. Paletwa (Mayu river catchment) survey area has such extensive bamboo (khayin-wa Me- was so extensive, and, in many cases diffi- trap-nights (SOM T1). The surveys were not locanna bambusoides) patches that bamboo cult of access, that only parts of it could be designed for small cats, so the results need covers nearly 60% of the total area; semi-ev- camera-trapped. Traps were deployed 1-3 km to be interpreted with caution (Than Zaw et 25 ergreen forest occurs mostly in ravines. The apart, with the co-ordinates of each recorded al. 2008). No baits/lures were used. Non- Myinmoletkat Taung survey area (Pe Chaung with, in the worst cases ±100 m accuracy, independent events were those where a Catchment) has only 30% evergreen forest, using Global Positioning System (GPS) de- given camera-site recorded what may have amid secondary growth from shifting cultiva- vices.