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A SMALL MAMMAL SURVEY WITHIN THE PLANTED FOREST ZONE, , SARAWAK

Roslina Ragai 1, and Andrew Alek Tuen 2 1 Conservation Department, Grand Perfect Sdn Bhd, Bintulu, Sarawak, 2 Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, UNIMAS, , Sarawak, Malaysia

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION

A small mammal survey was conducted in areas of Small mammals, as defined by Stoddart (1979) are planted forest and secondary growth forest in the mammals with an adult weight of less than 5 kg. They Forest Department Sarawak’s Planted Forest Zone are among the most successful group of mammals in (PFZ) in the . Two comprehensive the world in terms of number of species and the range small mammal trapping surveys were conducted of habitats that they occupy (see Tuen et al., 2006). within the period 4 July until 29 July 2006 in order to Although the small mammal species diversity and study the small mammal assemblages in acacia distribution in Sarawak tropical rain forests has been plantation blocks and forest remnants of the PFZ. The well studied (Tisen & Lading, 1997; Payne et al., two sites were Samarakan Planted Forest Zone 1998; Han, 2000; Han, 2005; Wilson & Helgen, 2005; (SPFZ) and Sg. Mina Wildlife Corridor (SMWC). For Tuen et al., 2006; Dagang, 2006) not nearly as much is both sites the traps were paired within acacia known about the assemblages and structure of small plantings and in adjacent natural secondary forest. mammal communities in tree plantations, especially in From a total effort of 1400 trap-nights, 13 species of plantations with a mixed mosaic of natural forest and small mammals comprising 33 individuals from the sylvicultural habitats (Stuebing, 2005). family Tupaiidae (4 species), Sciuridae (3 species) and Muridae (6 species) were captured, giving an overall The portions of the landscape devoted to tree capture rate of 2.3%. Ten species were trapped within plantations in Sarawak are expanding rapidly due to the acacia blocks and six species in secondary forest the increasing demand for industrial wood. With a (lowland forest and riparian forest) within the PFZ. total land area of approximately 124, 500 km2 This preliminary result suggests that species richness (Rautner, 2005), the government of Sarawak has was not influenced by forest types (acacia blocks planned for about 1,000,000 ha of land to be versus forest remnants) but rather by location of the developed, will be planted forests with fast growing sampling plot within the PFZ. When different acacia tree species for use as industrial wood (Chan, 1998). In blocks were compared, it was found that more species preceding sentence does she mean: to be developed as of small mammals were recorded in older acacia planted forests with fast growing tree specis to ge used compared to younger acacia blocks, e.g. eight versus for industrial wood? Over the past eight years, planted two species. Between the two forest remnants, riparian areas in Sarawak have increased to 55,000 ha in the forest of SMWC was the poorest while the lowland Forest Department Planted Forests Project’s Planted forest remnant of Samarakan was relatively rich in Forest Zone (PFZ) in Bintulu, Sarawak (Giman et al., small mammals. In comparison with other plantations, in press) compared to 13,000 ha in 1997 (FAO, 2002). e.g., Softwoods and Bukit Tarek Plantation The area of PFZ totals approximately 490,000 ha with Forest, the number of species was higher even though a target of 205,000 ha to be planted by the end of 2009 the number of individuals was much lower. The (Stuebing, 2005). underlying ecological causes for the pattern of small mammal distributions in the PFZ remain unclear. Wildlife inventory and monitoring are critical to Further studies within other areas of PFZ are planned determine wildlife species diversity and community in order to better understand the patterns seen so far. structure in this large area of patchy remnant forests

160 A Small Mammal Survey within the Planted Forest Zone, Bintulu, Sarawak and acacia trees. This study has been initiated in order moderately dense but adjoiningadjoining, which to create baseline information for monitoring of makes the understorey plants not highly dense. subsequent community changes in terms of species richness, diversity, distribution and abundance of Site B (SMWC): an area of three year-old A. mangium small mammals in several key areas of the PFZ. Live adjacent to the river buffer, the secondary growth trapping techniques were used to compare small forest at Sg. Mina Wildlife Corridor area (N 02º 47. mammal composition among forested areas consisting 276’ E 113º 10.936’). The acacia trees were young of stream buffers, swamplands, steep lands (unsuitable with canopy heights ±10 m and only a few numbers of lands for planting) and ex-shifting cultivation with Macaranga sp. occurs in this area. The understorey stands of different ages of acacia trees. Preliminary vegetation was very dense with weeds, shrubs and findings from recent surveys at two different locations ferns as the canopy were apart.not sure how to reword of PFZ will be discussed and compared with previous this previous sentence. Meanwhile, the neighboring surveys in same areas (SPFZ and SMWC) and also forest was mixed with secondary growth trees and the different sites, by Wilson and Helgen (2005) and Han canopy is joining. However this forest was fragmented (2005; 2006). with several abandoned roads that lead to an open area. The understorey plants were sparse with young dipterocarp trees, some and quite a few MATERIALS AND METHODS lianas.

Study Area Field Methods

The Planted Forest Zone (PFZ), is located in Bintulu This study involved two trapping visits of seven trap Division, central Sarawak between longitude 113°00’ nights each, which were made from 04–14 July and and 113°15’ E and latitude 3°15’ and 3°00’ N It is an 19–-29 July, 2006. One hundred collapsible wire live- area formerly covered by and hill traps (43 × 16 × 16 cm) were used to catch any forest. Most of its lowland forest previously cleared trappable small animals. A total of 100 traps were laid for cultivation now lies in fallow under dense young out in a line transect with 50 set up in the forest and secondary growth e.g., ex-shifting cultivation. This another 50 in the neighboring plantation. Along these large scale of plantation development will continue to lines, traps were set within 25 m intervals with one provide some forested areas as wildlife reservoirs. trap on either side of the transect. On one side of each transect, arboreal traps approximately 2 m above Two specific study sites within the PFZ that are part of ground e.g. on a horizontal fallen tree trunk or hand the acacia plantation still retain some forested areas made bridges were set for the purpose of sampling are the following: climbing/arboreal non-volant small mammals, while on the other side traps were set on the ground for Site A (SPFZ): an area of seven year old A. mangium sampling terrestrial small mammals. A combination of trees with neighboring lowland secondary forest near banana, oil palm seed, banana with rodent’s scents the plantations nursery at Samarakan (N 02°56.462’ E (lure), tapioca and roasted coconut were used as baits 113°07.603’). The average canopy height of the acacia for all traps. Several types of baits were used in order trees wereheight of the acacia trees was ±15 m which to catch the attention of different species of small already mixed with a young dipterocarps, figs and animals evenal though banana was preferred by both secondary growth trees such as Macaranga sp. The Langham (1983) and Lim (1973) to attract both forest understorey vegetation is relatively dense with and scrub species of rats, squirrels and treeshrews (see Calamus sp. (), Zingiberaceae (e.g. Etlingera Stuebing & Gasis, 1989). coccinea, Amomum coriaceum, A. dimorphum, Plagiostachys crocydocalyx and Hornstedtia On the morning of every second day or after captures, reticulata) and ferns. Acacia trees have fibrous roots all baits were replaced with new baits. All traps and easily broken stems, resulting in gap formation checked twice daily between 0800 and 1000 hrs in the when they fall, allowing enough light for the morning and 1530 and 1730 hrs in the evening. understorey to regenerate. These areas are already Trapping was terminated immediately after seven overridden by the secondary growth trees and shrubs. nights. Animals were taken to the laboratory, killed(do The adjacent forest was mixed with secondary growth you want to say euthanized instead of killed?) with of dipterocarp trees and only a few large trees (DBH chloroform, weighed, measured, and their and canopy heights, ±25 cm and ±25 m respectively) reproductive condition assessed. Females which were remain standing in this area. The canopy was lactating, or that possessed embryos/fetuses, and

161 Roslina Ragai and Andrew Alek Tuen males with scrotal testes were classified as the same site and obtained only three species (M. reproductively active. All the animals were identified rajah, M. whiteheadi and S. muelleri, with an overall based on morphological characteristics and body total of five individuals). Shadbolt (2006) sampled at a measurements described in Payne et al. (1998) and different patch of SMWC riparian forest and captured Yasuma et al. (2003). three species, M. rajah, T. picta and S. lowii with only one individual for each species. SMWC riparian forest seems to consistently show poor small mammal RESULTS abundance as well as few total species present. Wilson & Helgen (2005) and Han (2005; 2006), obtained a total of 11 species of non-volant small DISCUSSION mammals from SPFZ and SMWC, consisting of moonrats (1), treeshrews (2), squirrels (3) and rats (5) Stuebing and Gasis (1989) compared small mammal (Appendix 1). From the present survey, another six populations in logged forest surrounded by species (two treeshrews, two squirrels and two rats) monoculture tree plantations of Eucalyptus deglupta, were added to the list. This makes a total of 17 species Gmelina arborea, Paraserianthes (Albizia) falcataria, of non-volant small mammals recorded in two areas of and P. falcataria underplanted with cocoa (Theobroma the PFZ. However, this result does not include data cacao) within a single large plantation development collected such as that from direct observation or project (Sabah Softwoods). They found more species camera trapping. in the plantation (13 species) than in the forest (11 The present study recorded a total of 33 individuals species). In contrast, Laidlaw (1989) when comparing representing 13 species of small mammals from family the virgin, logged, fragmented and plantation forests in Tupaiidae (4 species), Sciuridae (3 species) and , found only 2 species (C. notatus Muridae (6 species), with an overall capture rate of and T. glis) in an acacia plantation and 13 species in 2.3% (based on individuals caught per trap-night). several types of forest within the general area. Among 13 species obtained, ten species were found in Compared with Laidlaw’s results, we recorded five acacia plantation, and six species were in neighboring times the number of species in the acacia plantation secondary forest remnants respectively. When but only about half the number of species from different ages of acacia blocks are compared, older adjacent remnant forest. If the findings of Wilson and acacia contains more species than the younger acacia Helgen (2005) and Han (2005; 2006) are blocks (8 species versus 2 species) but none of the includeincluded into our present list, a total of 17 species that occur in older acacia were recorded from species, 11 in plantation and 12 in forest have been the younger acacia blocks during the sampling period. recorded in PFZ. It is possible that Laidlaw either used Regarding species composition, preliminary results ineffective bait, or a trapping period that was too short. showed no significant difference in the species In fact, we suspect that with long-term trapping effort abundance at both sites, possibly due to the small that more species are yet to be discovered. sample size. There were several unusual patterns of species The plantain squirrel Callosciurus notatus, well- occurrence in the PFZ compared to Stuebing and adapted species of sciurids in monoculture plantations Gasis’ (1989) and Laidlaw’s (1996) findings. The (Payne et al., 1998), seems to be abundant in SPFZ (10 plantain squirrel, C. notatus captured in SPFZ both in individuals or 30.3% of the total catch) but was absent acacia and lowland forest remnant was not reported from SMWC. C. notatus was the most frequently from Sabah Softwoods. The slender treeshrew, T. captured species followed by Maxomys rajah and M. gracilis found exclusively in logged forest of Sabah whiteheadi with five individuals each comprising Softwoods, was found in acacia plantation of the 15.2% of total catch. Eight other species,Ptilocercus SPFZ. The brown spiny rat, M. rajah found only in an lowii, Tupaia gracilis, Sundasciurus lowii, Lariscus upland G. arborea plot within Sabah Softwoods, was insignis, M. cf. baeodon, Lenothrix canus, Sundamys found to be restricted to forest remnants in the PFZ. muelleri and Niviventer cremoriventer had the lowest Laidlaw (1996) claimed that S. hippurus is restricted percentage abundance with only one individual to virgin forest and is sensitive to habitat changes, but captured per species during the sampling period was recorded in the SPFZ acacia plantation (Wilson & (Appendix 2). None of the species occurred across all Helgen, 2005). Considering this information, perhaps habitats sampled. site selection for trapping and the experimental design used may play a rather important role. Moreover in an Only one species (two individuals) was obtained from area undergoing forest conversion such as the PFZ, the riparian forest of SMWC. Han (2006) sampled at forest mammals either die (e.g., through injury,

162 A Small Mammal Survey within the Planted Forest Zone, Bintulu, Sarawak starvation or fire) or move into adjoining areas of REFERENCE natural vegetation in which survival rates are unknown. Furthermore, the home range of the small Chan, B. 1998. Concerns of the industry on tree mammals may influence the capture rate in specific plantations in Sarawak. In: Chan, B., Kho, P.C. areas sampled. For example, treeshrews have large and Lee, H.S. (eds.). Proceedings of Planted home ranges, from 1.5 ha to 10.5 ha (Emmons, 2000). Forests in Sarawak—An international It is possible to trap them in acacia plantation (e.g. T. Conference. Forest Department Sarawak, Sarawak tana, T. picta, T. gracilis and P. lowii) although they Timber Association and Sarawak Development might not actually reside (reproduce and nesting) in Institute. the altered environment, but perhaps only forage for food. All treeshrew eat a mixed diet of fruits and Dagang, P. 2006. Small mammals survey at invertebrates and may enter the acacia plantation as a National Park, , Sarawak. rich source of invertebrate prey, such as earthworms Workshop. Biodiversity and Totally Protected and terrestrial insects (Belden Giman, pers comm.). Areas, Sarawak Forestry Corporation.

Ecological factors that contribute to some of the Emmons, L.H. 2000. Tupai: A field study of Bornean patterns seen so far still remain to be worked out and Treeshrews. University of California Press, further studies are planned in other areas of PFZ. Berkeley. Perhaps understandingPerhaps better understanding the pattern of small mammal distributions in tree FAO. 2002. Case study of the tropical plantations will assist in providing better plantation plantations in Malaysia. In: M. Varmola (ed.). design for conserving their communities. This is Working Paper FP/23. FAO, Rome (Italy). fundamental to success in conserving small mammal diversity within the larger landscape. Giman, B., Stuebing, R., Megum, N., McShea, W.J. and Steward, C.M. (in press). A camera trapping inventory for mammals in a mixed use tree ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS plantation in Sarawak. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology.

The author would like to thank Grand Perfect Sdn Bhd Han, K.H. 2000. Small mammals. In: Soepadmo, E. for providing the facilities and logistics for making and Chai, P.P.K. (eds.). Development of Lanjak- this project possible to proceed. Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary as a Totally Protected Area Phase I & II: Scientific Report. ITTO, Japan Much Sincere thanks to Mr Robert Stuebing, the and Sarawak Forest Department, Malaysia. Conservation Manager for his never ending support, encouraging advice and valuable comments on this Han, K.H. 2005. Field report on inventory study of project. small mammals and plants in Samarakan Nursery, Bintulu Planted Forest Area, Ulu from May Special thanks to Dr Han Kwai Hin, UTAR Lecturer 10 through 20, 2005. Grand Perfect Sdn Bhd, for his kindness in sharing his experience and valuable Unpublished Report. knowledge with regard to small mammals. Laidlaw, R.K. 1996. A comparison between A big thank you to the fantastic staff of Conservation populations of primates, squirrels, treeshrews and Department; Belden Giman, Nyegang Megom, Chin other mammals inhabiting virgin, logged, Sing Yun, Azizan Juhin, Stephen Stone, Diana James, fragmented and plantation forests in Malaysia. Angela Paul and Joanes Unggang for their friendship Conservation, Management and Development of and support in making the field work enjoyable and Forest Resources 141–159. successful. Mohamed, M. 2003. Uniqueness of Biodiversity in Much appreciation is also due to Antony Shadbolt Bornean Forest Ecosystem. Pg. 45–51. In: (University of Canterbury, New Zealand), Henry Hashimoto, Y. and Rahman, H. 2003. Inventory Nyegang, Last Gundie and Calvin Bryan for their and Collection: Total Protocol for Understanding patience, untiring work and helpfulness to carry out of Biodiversity. Research and Education the field workfieldwork as efficiently as we did. Component Programme, . 310 pp.

163 Roslina Ragai and Andrew Alek Tuen

Payne, J., Francis, C.M. and Phillipps, K. 1998. A Biodiversity. Institute of Biodiversity and Field Guide to the Mammals of : 3rd Environmental Conservation, Universiti Malaysia edition. The Sabah Society, Kota Kinabalu. Sarawak.

Rautner, M. 2005. Borneo: Treasure Island at Risk. Stuebing, R. 2005. An integrated approach to WWF Germany. biodiversity conservation for a planted forest in Sarawak. 14th Malaysian Forestry Conference. Shadbolt, A. 2006. Why did(n’t) the treeshrew cross Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. the road? Small mammals in the Planted Forest Zone (PFZ), Sarawak. Grand Perfect Sdn Bhd, Tisen, O.B. and Lading, E. 1997. Small mammals in unpublished report. Lambir Hill National Park. National Park and Wildlife Office, Forest Department, Kuching, Stuebing, R. and Gasis, J. 1989. A survey of small unpublished report. mammals within a Sabah tree plantation in Malaysia. Journal of Tropical Ecology 5: Wilson, D.E. and Helgen, K.M. 2005. Small mammal 203–214. survey of Bukit Sarang and Samarakan. Grand Perfect Sdn Bhd, unpublished report. Stuebing, R. 2005. Wildlife conservation in the planted forests of Sarawak: Blind Ambition? In Yasuma, S., Andau, M., Apin, L., Yu, F.T.Y. and Tuen, A.A. and Das, I. (Eds.). Wallace in Kimsui, L. 2003. Identification keys to the Sarawak-150 Years Later: Proceedings of an mammals of Borneo. Park Management International Conference on Biogeography and Component BBEC Programme, Kota Kinabalu.

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