Monitored release of captive-born Binturongs Arctictis binturong in the southern Cardamom Mountains, Cambodia
Nick MARX and ROTH Bunthouen
Abstract
Two unrelated Binturongs Arctictis binturong, born at Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre near Cambodia’s capital city Phnom Penh, were taken to a release enclosure near the village of Chi Phat in the southern Cardamom Mountains, southwest Cambodia, in March 2010. They were kept in the enclosure, within forest, for one year to allow time to acclimate. In June 2010 a single cub could be monitored. The release door was opened, giving all the Binturongs access to the forest, at the season of peak fruiting; thewas second born; six litter months was then later three a further weeks two old. were The born.adult maleThe adults and the were older fitted cub withleft the radio enclosure collars thatso that night, post-release but remained movements close by her young cubs. Waypoint transmission from the female’s radio collar, which dropped off prematurely, was erratic. The male’s collarthe following functioned morning. better The but female also dropped was inside off beforeor near programmed the release cage to do for so. the The next male two stayed weeks, within after whichabout she1½ disappearedkm of the release with site. The female stayed closer. Camera-traps around the enclosure, where supplementary food remained available, showed that
Keywordsall five Binturongs: camera-trapping, survived morecaptive than breeding, two years rehabilitation, after release soft and release by late in this period were coming only erratically for food.
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Background recent years (authors’ own data), suggesting that the species may now be rare in the country (it is implausible that there is Binturong Arctictis binturong is the largest member of the civ- has declined sharply in much of its range and is now classed as Vul- fruit, although it will take birds’ eggs and a variety of animals. insufficientnerable on The demand IUCN forRed them List of to Threatened enter the trade). Species Binturong (IUCN 2013). Itset familymostly (Viverridae), nocturnal and weighing arboreal up habits to 20 hinderkg. It feeds its study; chiefly little on is known about its wild abundance or behaviour (IUCN 2013). Location In South-east Asia, many wild mammals have a commercial value, as food, medicine or pets, and are heavily hunted. Despite A mosaic of grassland and forest about 8 km from the village increasing enforcement efforts, few Binturongs have been con- of Chi Phat in the province of Koh Kong, on the edge of the southern Cardamom Mountains, southwest Cambodia, was se- fiscated from hunters or wildlife traders within Cambodia over Small Carnivore Conservation, Vol. 50: 30–34, July 2014 30 Monitored release of captive-born Binturongs lected for The Wildlife Alliance Wildlife Rehabilitation Station. parasites, using Ivermectin and Frontline, before release. Dur- ing this time they were fed once per day, in the late afternoon, the north of camp. The site, at about 11°22′N, 103°29′E and with market-purchased fruit, including banana and papaya, aboutA stream 23 flowsm asl, throughout was selected the after year surveys within the in severalforest 200 Cambo m to- dian forests assessed their suitability as release areas for wild 30 m enclosure, built using steel uprights and chain link fenc- animals. The need for remoteness had to be balanced with ac- ing,two wasduck open-topped eggs and a smallso that amount the Binturongs of meat couldor fish. climb The in 30 the × cessibility. Suitability of habitat and availability of permanent tall trees growing inside. Metal sheeting around the top of the water were also considered. fencing prevented escape. The substrate is soil with grasses Before Wildlife Alliance’s involvement in Chi Phat, illegal and other wild plants. Once in this enclosure, the Binturongs hunting and logging were major village activities. This previ- quickly reverted to apparently natural behaviour, generally ous heavy hunting means that the area’s wildlife populations are currently low, as evinced by villagers’ reports and the au- tops, even during heavy rain storms. shunning the nest boxes provided and sleeping in the tree - the Wildlife Rehabilitation Station for the Binturongs, around licethors’ patrol personal stations, experience. manned Thisby Cambodian area is within military many police hundred and 100 metersA 10 × 8from × 4 camp.m release The enclosure enclosure was was erected well branched in forest out at km² of evergreen lowland forest. Wildlife Alliance has six po and contained a small pool for drinking and, if wanted, bath- Proat, lies around 7 km from the rehabilitation station. Teams ofForestry community Administration rangers from officials. Chi Phat One also patrol patrol station, the forest Stung for to the higher branches. On 2 February 2010 the Binturongs wildlife crime. This protection, coupled with the hunting-in- wereing. Two transported blue plastic from barrels, Phnom or potentialPenh to Chi nest Phat boxes, and were then tied by duced low density of wild populations of most species of larg- er mammals, renders the area suitable for rehabilitation and by truck. The pair settled into their new environment well, release of rescued wildlife. Few if any large predators remain. evidentlyox cart to adapting the rehabilitation quickly to station,the change which of isclimate not accessible and sur- The rehabilitation station is too new to have reached its roundings. Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre has a long full potential. So far the only mammals besides Binturongs (see below) to have been released there are Long-tailed Macaques the southern Cardamoms, where it rains for nine months of Macaca fascicularis, Bengal Slow Lorises Nycticebus bengalen- theextremely year. In hot this dry forest season, enclosure whereas the temperatures Binturongs became are lower more in sis and East Asian Porcupines Hystrix brachyura. Birds released wary although they remained unafraid of their keepers, who here include hand-raised parakeets Psittacula and Hill Mynas brought their food (bananas, papaya, other fruit and duck Gracula religiosa. Three keepers maintain the camp and care eggs) each evening. Wild fruit from the forest was provided for the animals. Their constant presence ensures the safety when readily available. of the area. Hunting-reduced wildlife populations seem to be The release for the Binturongs was scheduled to allow a rebounding. Sambar Cervus unicolor, Red Muntjac Muntiacus long acclimation to the new area and climate, and for forest muntjak, chevrotain Tragulus, wild pig Sus, Common Palm Civ- fruiting to peak (March–April, around Chi Phat; pers. obs.). et Paradoxurus hermaphroditus, Small Indian Civet Viverricula On 3 June 2010, four months after their move, a faint mew- indica, Large-spotted Civet Viverra megaspila, ferret badger ing heard from one of the blue plastic barrels that served as Melogale, Leopard Cat Prionailurus bengalensis, East Asian Por- cupine, Long-tailed Macaque and Pileated Gibbon Hylobates then minimised all involvement, with entry into the enclosure pileatus are seen regularly, whilst bird populations are appar- nesting boxes indicated that a cub had been born. Keepers ently increasing. Local villagers say that Binturongs are pres- - ently rare in the area, presumably because of the former heavy perience).restricted Once to feeding the cub purposes, was seen foroutside around its barrel, six weeks it was – con best- hunting. A high density of fruiting trees suggests the area is sideredpractice tofor be most past captive the danger births stage of wild (many animals wild (personal animals will ex good habitat for Binturongs and other animals relying largely either reject or kill their offspring if they feel the young are in on fruit, such as other civets, gibbons and macaques. danger or are interfered with), so cage cleaning resumed. In preparation for a March release, the adults were sedated Narrative collars purchased from Followit, Lindesberg, Sweden, on 6 Februaryusing Xylazine 2011. and Each Ketamine collar weighed and fitted 240 withgrams. Tellus VHF 1Cfrequen radio- Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre, set in 23 km² of regenerating cies for the collars were 150.000 and 150.020 MHz. Although forestAs of late 40 km2013, south five of pairs Phnom of Binturongs Penh. The foundersare held at of the this Phnom popu- the collars looked uncomfortable for the Binturongs, the ani- mals made no obvious attempt to rid themselves of the collars. the original pairs have now produced young, some of which The collars had a VHF option that allowed manual tracking; havelation also were been confiscated paired. A from pair theof unrelated illegal wildlife Binturongs trade. Mostborn toof GPS waypoints were also transmitted via satellite and down- - loaded by email, which enabled the animals to be located if lated, checked for condition, and moved to a rehabilitation the VHF signal was lost. Both collars had been programmed to enclosureconfiscated closed animals to wasvisitors. selected Most for wild release. animal They diseases were isocan currently not be checked at veterinary laboratories in Cam- off somewhat prematurely. bodia, although TB was tested for. Blood readings came back remainJust on when the animals the release for six was months, being althoughconsidered, both two dropped more within normal parameters for Binturongs. Moreover, the pair cubs were born to the pair, on 14 February 2011. Were release remained healthy for over a year isolated in their rehabilita- to be delayed until these cubs were moving around indepen- tion enclosure. Animals were treated for internal and external dently, the prime fruiting period would be missed. Experience 31 Small Carnivore Conservation, Vol. 50, July 2014 Marx & Roth with Leopard Cats Prionailurus bengalensis - cated that a recent birth need not a complicate the release of The Binturongs were camera-trapped regularly at the feeding wild animals: it may even stabilise the adults (Marx and make 2008) it easiindi- sites,taking but significant as of late quantities 2013 had of never natural been food photographed soon after release. by the er to monitor the released animals. A female may be unwilling camera-traps placed elsewhere. Both adults wore collars and to move far from dependant young until they are older and looked very similar, hindering differentiation on camera-trap mobile. This approach entails minimisation of all disturbance, photographs. The older cub was recorded only when it came and provision of food for the released animals while they learn to the supplementary food: its size and the absence of a radio a new area. Thus, the release was not delayed. collar allowed easy distinction from the adults. On the evening of 7 March a slide door was permanently The female remained in or near the enclosure for around opened to allow the Binturongs to leave the enclosure and to three weeks post-release, tending to her second litter. These return at will. Supplementary food was provided each even- were too young to eat solid food and could not have survived without their mother and good shelter from the wet season’s the ground: one at the entrance to the enclosure, the other daily torrential downpours. On 23 March 2011, the female left ing following release at two points, both around six feet from the vicinity of the enclosure and the two cubs were no longer Long-tailed Macaques also released at the rehabilitation sta- in the nest barrel. The adults’ collars were delivering GPS way- tiona feeding began platformtaking the inside Binturong the cage. food, After the latter trade-confiscated was put out points indicating their movements (Fig. 2). The female’s collar after dark. Common Palm Civets and ferret badgers have been was less reliable than the male’s and often late in giving her photographed coming to feed when Binturongs are absent. position: it stopped delivering GPS waypoints on 1 April, al- The food is also eaten the following day by the macaques and though manual tracking could still be conducted. It dropped by Variable Squirrels Callosciurus finlaysonii and chevrotains. off (before programmed to do so) around 25 May 2011 and Radio-collar monitoring was supplemented by two other was never found. Following this, the only method of monitor- sources of records: direct sightings of the adults and older cub ing her was if she came to the supplementary food: and the waiting at dusk in the trees for the supplementary food (Fig. loss of collar ensured easy distinction from the male on cam- 1); and photographs from single camera-traps placed inside era-trap photos. She had moved largely to the north and east, the enclosure and at the two supplementary feeding sites. This always within the forest, but remained close to the release en- camera-trapping is ongoing, supplemented by information closure, probably to care for her cubs. However, readings were from other camera-traps placed elsewhere around the reha- few because of the collar’s unreliability. bilitation station (for other wild animals). The male’s collar functioned better. In March he moved west and the south of the release enclosure, but returned to Observations also to the north. Over time he moved somewhat over 1 km in On 8 March 2011, the morning following release, the male and everyfeed regularly. direction Infrom April the herelease changed enclosure; direction the andforest explored seems the oldest cub were outside but close to the enclosure. The uniform throughout this area. The collar gave its last waypoint female was inside the nest barrel with the new cubs. The fol- on 8 May 2011 and was recovered on 12 June, having dropped - off. He had visited and crossed a small stream to the north of camp. Both Binturongs were always located in forest habitat atlowing this stage.days the The male adults Binturong came to moved the supplementary further afield, feeding identi when tracked using VHF, but might have crossed grassland to sitesfied from periodically, waypoints although and manual not daily: tracking they conducted must have each started day enter some areas of forest. For seven weeks following release it was uncertain wheth- er any cubs survived, but the two adults were camera-trapped
Fig. 2. Waypoints from GPS collars attached to two captive-bred adult Fig. 1. Released captive-bred adult Binturong Arctictis binturong Binturongs Arctictis binturong (one male, one female) released in the waiting in trees near release-cage, waiting for food to be provisioned southern Cardamom Mountains, Cambodia. The darker areas are tall (predictable time and place), Chi Phat Wildlife Rehabilitation Station, forest, the plainer, paler, areas a mosaic of grass, scrub and non-woody southwest Cambodia. cultivation.
Small Carnivore Conservation, Vol. 50, July 2014 32 Monitored release of captive-born Binturongs regularly at the two feeding sites, both now positioned outside the release enclosure, one 2 m away, the other 20 m away. The camera-traps had been moved so that each focused on a feed- ing platform. On 10 May 2011, nearly seven weeks after the new litter cubs were camera-trapped at a feeding site (Fig. 3). They were thenhad disappeared photographed from regularly. the nest The box, oldest the female cub, forcedand two to younger survive independent of the mother since the arrival of the second lit-
2011. Following this, if close to the feeding site when food was beingter, was put first down positively in the evenings, identified it onwould camera-trap sometimes in takelate Junefood from the keepers’ hands (Fig. 4). The Binturongs’ visits to the feeding sites decreased on the morning of 14 February 2012. The adult female was foundgradually once over again time. in theThe nest most barrel significant inside changethe release took enclo place- sure. A faint mewing indicated that she was not alone. The fe- male and new-born cub disappeared about a week later. The on 23 March 2012. Following this, both mother and new cub appearednew cub was at the first feeding camera-trapped sites regularly just (Fig. over 5). five weeks later, By September 2013, animals came to the supplementary animals were harder to distinguish, but all seemed still to be alivefood onand only were around camera-trapped. half the nights. The ByBinturongs then, the haveoriginal also five on occasions entered camp by night and killed and eaten chickens that roosted outside their small coop. There were obvious differences in reaction of the differ- ent individual Binturongs to people. The adults, captive born Fig. 4. Released captive-bred young Binturong Arctictis binturong taking but raised by their natural mothers, were unafraid of people food from keeper’s hand at release cage, Chi Phat Wildlife Rehabilitation and took food from their keepers’ hands on occasions. The Station, southwest Cambodia. older cub also did the same. The anti-poaching patrols in the area meant that a lack of fear of humans posed no overt threat to the Binturongs, which anyway showed great caution in the unusual event of a stranger’s presence. However the second - ened if people approached. Even though the adults fed at the supplementarylitter of cubs, with feeding very littlesites experiencewhile being of watched, people, was these fright two cubs always raced away at if approached while feeding.
Fig. 5. Released captive-bred adult Binturong Arctictis binturong and wild-born cub visiting provisioning station at release site, Chi Phat Wildlife Rehabilitation Station, southwest Cambodia.
Discussion
We know of no other Binturongs, captive-bred or otherwise, Fig. 3. Released captive-bred adult Binturong Arctictis binturong and - captive-born cub visiting provisioning station at release site, ChiPhat mals released have survived for more than two years. A female, Wildlife Rehabilitation Station, southwest Cambodia. that have been released, anywhere in their range. All five ani
inexperienced in the wild, cared for two very small, dependant 33 Small Carnivore Conservation, Vol. 50, July 2014 Marx & Roth
- The protocols for this are being considered, including atten- tion to territoriality and the merit of another enclosure at a ancubs evidently during aappropriate period of difficult time. The weather older cub,immediately deprived follow of ma- different location, or whether cessation of supplementary food ternaling her attention release. These at any cubs early she age, removed also survived. from their Survival nest-box of the at would stimulate the Binturongs already released to move far enough away to permit the release of another pair in the same enclosure to acclimatise to the new environment; supplemen- area. taryfive animals feeding; was the highpresumably level of protectionassisted by of the the full area; year a insideconstant an benign human presence maintaining the safety of the release Acknowledgements site; the appropriate habitat; release at the optimal season for We thank the Cambodian Forestry Administration for government wild fruit; and the scarcity of predators and wild Binturongs. support and permits, the Barbara Delano Foundation for funding the The released Binturongs still take supplementary food project, and H. Rainey (WCS) who lent us the camera-traps. over two years after their release, but these visits have de- creased markedly over time. This food will be supplied each References IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.1. means of monitoring survival. Over time, records of visits to the
Small Carnivore Conservation, Vol. 50, July 2014 34