University of Massachusetts Amherst ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst Masters Theses Dissertations and Theses August 2014 Ecology and Conservation of Endangered Species in Sumatra: Smaller Cats and the Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus Sumatrensis) As Case Studies Wulan Pusparini University of Massachusetts Amherst Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/masters_theses_2 Part of the Natural Resources and Conservation Commons Recommended Citation Pusparini, Wulan, "Ecology and Conservation of Endangered Species in Sumatra: Smaller Cats and the Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus Sumatrensis) As Case Studies" (2014). Masters Theses. 38. https://doi.org/10.7275/5460946 https://scholarworks.umass.edu/masters_theses_2/38 This Open Access Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Dissertations and Theses at ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES IN SUMATRA: SMALLER CATS AND THE SUMATRAN RHINOCEROS (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) AS CASE STUDIES A Thesis Presented By WULAN PUSPARINI Submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Massachusetts Amherst in partial fulfillment Of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE May 2014 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION © Copyright by Wulan Pusparini 2014 All Rights Reserved ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES IN SUMATRA: SMALLER CATS AND THE SUMATRAN RHINOCEROS (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) AS CASE STUDIES A Thesis Presented By WULAN PUSPARINI Approved by: ____________________________ Paul R Sievert, Co-Chair ____________________________ Todd K. Fuller, Co-Chair ____________________________ Timothy Randhir, Member _______________________________________ Curtice R. Griffin, Head Department of Environmental Conservation ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The first chapter of this study was a collaborative project between Wildlife Conservation Society and Leuser International Foundation (LIF) on Sumatran Tiger, funded by PANTHERA and AFEP (Aceh Forest and Environment Project). We are grateful mostly for constructive review from Will Duckworth, Tony Lynam and John Goodrich without which this paper would not be published in the Special Issue of CatNews Spring 2014. The second chapter of this study was funded by the Wildlife Conservation Society and also part of the Island-Wide large mammals’ survey initiative which I am grateful for the support of all collaborators: the Ministry of Forestry Government of Indonesia, Leuser International Foundation, Yayasan Badak Indonesia, Program Konservasi Harimau Sumatra, and Forum HarimauKita. The graduate school was supported by the Fulbright program scholarship through Master FIRST (Fulbright Indonesia, Research, Science and Technology) program, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst through academic and curriculum fee waiver. I would especially thank for the guidance of my advisors, Paul R. Sievert and Todd K. Fuller, for their trust, support and enthusiasm in my educational process. I would also thank Timothy O. Randhir for accepting to be my committee member and greatly improve the quality of the manuscript. I am also grateful for the recommendation given by Hariyo T. Wibisono, Matthew Linkie, and Martin Tyson in applying to a graduate degree. Learning experience in University of Massachusetts Amherst is very valuable for development of my skill and knowledge as a conservationist. In this institution, I benefit a lot from the availability of these faculties in providing time for discussion and guidance: John Finn and Andrew Stein, Quantitative Science Group: Kevin McGarigal, Andrew Whitely, Adrian Jordaan, and Benjamin Letcher. The learning process in UMass Amherst would not be enjoyable and easier without friends, thank you so much for the company of colleagues: Ammara Talib, Hla Naing, Ahmed A. Hassabelkreem, Eric LeFlour, Nathaniel Rayl, Mike Akresh, Luisa Galindo, Ronak Sripal, Blake Massey, Patrick Boudjan, Melanie Klein, Grace Barber, Nathan Bush, Casey Clapp, Ross Jackson, Zac Robinson, Supagit, Dennis Babaasa, and all Eco Grad Students. I would also thanks all my friends and colleague in 2012 Indonesia Fulbright grantee, especially all of my friends in the ‘GRE fans club’. iv I would thanks all my colleague in Sumatran endangered species conservation, Hariyo T. Wibisono, Arief Rubianto, Dwi Nugroho, Donny Gunaryadi, Hariyawan Agung Wahyudi, G. V. Reddy, Noviar Andayani, Rudi S. Putra, Marcellus Adi, Andjar Rafiastanto, Waladi Isnan, and many others. Special gratitude goes to the late Pak Nico, Nicolaas Jan van Strien (1946 – 2008), for being a very good mentor and laying the foundation of conserving Sumatran Rhinoceros in Sumatra forest. I am also grateful for the contribution of all researchers and staff: WCS Tiger team (Hamzah Ritonga, Adnun Salampessy, Tedi Wahyudi. Iswandri, Pandu, Dicky, Herwansyah, Susilo, Dodo, Hasan Basri, Blower, Wirza Wardian), LIF Tiger team (Tarmizi, Eka Ramadiyanta), all Rhino Protection Unit members, especially in Bukit Barisan Selatan (Maman Suherman, Ujang Suryadi, Sulaeman, Titus) and Way Kambas (Rusdiyanto, Toto), and Wildlife Crime Unit Team (Giyanto, Edward Rumapea). Gratitude also goes to the Director General of Nature Conservation (Dedeh Juanda, Ikeu) and The Gunung Leuser National Park, Way Kambas National Park, and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (Head of the Park: Kurnia Rauf (2008) and John Kenedie (2012-current), Hagnyo Wandono, Diah Qurani, Tri, and the late Iwen Yuvanho) for permission and support to carry out this research. Gratitude also goes to the Sidarta’s family in Philladephia and Shresta’s family in Virginia. Last, but definitely not least, for my parents, for believing and continue supporting what I want to do in my life. My sisters, Sherina Febriani, Hazrina Fauhan, and brother, Reinaldi Risyad for all the love and support. And for my grandmother and late grandfather, for all the pray and support throughout my life. v ABSTRACT ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES IN SUMATRA: SMALLER CATS AND THE SUMATRAN RHINOCEROS (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) AS CASE STUDIES MAY 2013 WULAN PUSPARINI, B. Sc., UNIVERSITY OF INDONESIA Directed by: Paul R. Sievert, Todd K. Fuller and Timothy O. Randhir The island of Sumatra is rich with mammal biodiversity, and like many other developing country, the trajectory of their survival is mostly downward. Small- and medium-sized cats are a group of endangered species often neglected, overshadowed by the larger Sumatran tiger. Using results from a camera-trap study originally designed for tigers, spatial and temporal distribution of smaller cats in Gunung Leuser are described. Four of the five small cats were identified 68 camera stations yielding 3,452 trap nights. The Golden cat Catopuma temmincki was the most frequently photographed species (0.72 independent captures/100 trap nights), followed by the Sunda clouded leopard Neofelis diardi (0.41), the marbled cat Pardofelis marmorata (0.23) and the leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis (0.20). Golden cats were mostly photographed in montane forests at elevations of 1,800-2,500m (34%), marbled cats in medium elevation hills 400-900m (38%) and montane forests (38%), clouded leopards in medium elevation hills (43%), and leopard cats in the lowlands <150m (100%). Golden cats seemed to be diurnal, clouded leopards and marbled cats were active at dawn/dusk, and leopard cats were strongly nocturnal. Trade in Medan of clouded leopards and golden cats (live and stuffed specimens) indicates some level of harvest, but data are insufficient to determine whether such harvest is a significant threat to their populations. Because I used data from a study focused on tigers, caution is warranted when estimating relative abundance since the camera set-up was biased against more arboreal cat species. vi While we should celebrate the bicentennial of naming the Sumatran rhinoceros (SR), the only extant population on earth might be on the island of Sumatra. Since Strien's 1986 study in Mamas Valley, Leuser, very little more has been learned about how this species distributed and what factors are influencing its extirpation. This study is the first conducted in Sumatra at an Island-wide scale. Using hierarchical models, I estimate the occurrence rates (%) and indices of abundance of SR on three remaining population areas: Leuser Landscape (LL) in 2007 (2.77%, 26 (CI 12-61)), Way Kambas (WK) in 2008 (33.58%, 27 (CI 14-50)) and Bukit Barisan Selatan (BBS) in 2010 (36.4%, 31 (CI 19-66)). Primary dry land forest and rivers are factors affecting SR occurrence in LL, but the index of abundance also is affected by deforestation, roughness of terrain, and and a vegetation index. The index of abundance in WK is more affected by major roads, and brush and savannah cover types, and the occurrence there is additionally affected by deforestation. Secondary dry land forest, regular roads, and deforestation is affecting both the occurrence rate and index of abundance of SR in BBS. The identification of these environmental and disturbance factors is translated into spatially explicit map that can be used to update the IUCN distribution map. In LL, by comparison to the historical distribution based on Strien (1986), the small population in Bendahara Mountain might still persist outside the core population in Mamas Valley. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Table Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ……………………………………………………………..