Review of Cynogale bennettii, Macaca arctoides, Polyplectron schleiermacheri and Pitta nympha for countries other than Malaysia with long-standing import suspensions (Version edited for public release) A report to the European Commission Directorate General Environment ENV.E.2. – Environmental Agreements and Trade by the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre August, 2009 PREPARED FOR The European Commission, Brussels, Belgium UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre DISCLAIMER 219 Huntingdon Road Cambridge The contents of this report do not necessarily CB3 0DL reflect the views or policies of UNEP or United Kingdom contributory organisations. The designations Tel: +44 (0) 1223 277314 Fax: +44 (0) 1223 277136 employed and the presentations do not imply Email: [email protected] the expressions of any opinion whatsoever on Website: www.unep-wcmc.org the part of UNEP, the European Commission or contributory organisations concerning the ABOUT UNEP-WORLD CONSERVATION legal status of any country, territory, city or MONITORING CENTRE area or its authority, or concerning the The UNEP World Conservation Monitoring delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Centre (UNEP-WCMC), based in Cambridge, UK, is the specialist biodiversity information © Copyright: 2009, European Commission and assessment centre of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), run cooperatively with WCMC 2000, a UK charity. The Centre's mission is to evaluate and highlight the many values of biodiversity and put authoritative biodiversity knowledge at the centre of decision-making. Through the analysis and synthesis of global biodiversity knowledge the Centre provides authoritative, strategic and timely information for conventions, countries and organisations to use in the development and implementation of their policies and decisions. The UNEP-WCMC provides objective and scientifically rigorous procedures and services. These include ecosystem assessments, support for the implementation of environmental agreements, global and regional biodiversity information, research on threats and impacts, and the development of future scenarios. CITATION UNEP-WCMC. 2009. Review of Cynogale bennettii, Macaca arctoides, Polyplectron schleiermacheri and Pitta nympha for countries other than Malaysia with long-standing import suspensions. UNEP-WCMC, Cambridge. Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 4 SPECIES: Cynogale bennettii .............................................................................................................. 5 SPECIES: Macaca arctoides ................................................................................................................. 9 SPECIES: Polyplectron schleiermacheri ............................................................................................ 15 SPECIES: Pitta nympha .................................................................................................................... 19 Introduction 1. INTRODUCTION An SRG 47 document (Malaysia: A review of trade in CITES-listed species) identified seven species for review, of which five were selected on the basis of long-standing import suspensions from Malaysia. Four of those species (Cynogale bennettii, Macaca arctoides, Polyplectron schleiermacheri and Pitta nympha) are also subject to long-standing import suspensions from other countries. At SRG 47, it was agreed that the suspension for Malaysia for all four species would be removed, and all applications referred to the SRG. Following this meeting, UNEP-WCMC was requested to review these four species for countries other than Malaysia which are also subject to long-standing suspensions. Reviews for these species are presented in this report. Trade data were extracted on 8th May 2009. Introduction REVIEW OF SELECTED SPECIES REVIEW OF FOUR SPECIES FOR COUNTRIES OTHER THAN MALAYSIA WITH LONG-STANDING IMPORT SUSPENSIONS MAMMALIA VIVERRIDAE SPECIES: Cynogale bennettii SYNONYMS: Cynogale lowei COMMON NAMES: Odder-desmerkat (Danish), Ottercivetkat (Dutch), Otter-civet (English), Sunda Otter-civet (English), Saukkobeletti (Finnish), Civette-loutre de Sumatra (French), Mampalon (German), Otterzivette (German), Civetta lontra (Italian), Mampalon (Italian), Civeta nutria (Spanish), Civeta de Sumatra (Spanish), mampalo (Swedish), utterpalmmård (Swedish) RANGE STATES: Brunei Darussalam, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore (ex), Thailand, Viet Nam RANGE STATES UNDER REVIEW: Brunei Darussalam, China, Indonesia, Thailand IUCN RED LIST: Endangered PREVIOUS EC OPINIONS: Current Article 4.6 (b) suspensions for wild specimens from Brunei Darussalam, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand first applied on 22/12/1997 and last confirmed on 21/05/2009. Previous Article 4.6 (b) suspension for wild specimens from Singapore first applied on 22/12/1997 and removed on 10/05/2006. Previous Article 4.6 (b) suspension for wild specimens from Viet Nam first applied on 22/12/1997 and removed on 29/10/2001. At SRG 47 it was agreed that Article 4.6 (b) suspension for wild specimens from Malaysia would be removed and that all applications would be referred to the SRG. TRADE PATTERNS: Cynogale bennettii has been listed in CITES Appendix II since 1975. No trade into the EU has been reported by EU-27 countries 1975-2007, but Canada reported the export of one skin to Germany in 1985 (Purpose and Source not specified), and the United States reported the export of one wild-sourced specimen originating from Malaysia to France in 2006, for scientific purposes. Introduction Globally, the only trade reported 1975-2007 referred to ten bodies of wild origin for educational purposes, reported as an import by Republic of Korea from Indonesia in 2000. CONSERVATION STATUS in range states Cynogale bennettii is a semi-aquatic carnivorous civet found in tall and secondary forests of Peninsular Thailand and Malaysia and the islands of Sumatra and Borneo (Payne et al., 1985; Schreiber et al., 1989; Veron et al., 2006; Duckworth et al., 2008). Payne et al. (1985) reported the species‘ occurrence in north Viet Nam, but in a recent review of its distribution, Veron et al. (2006) reported that its presence in Viet Nam and southern China could not be confirmed. In a 2008 assessment, it was classified as Endangered in the IUCN Red List (Duckworth et al., 2008), with the following justification: ‗This species is listed as Endangered because of a serious ongoing population decline, estimated to be more than 50% over the past 3 generations (estimated to be 15 years), inferred from direct habitat destruction, and indirect inferred declines due to pollutants. In so doing we also estimate that the species does not use severely degraded and converted areas to any significant degree. Although the species is poorly known, the forest habitats within its range have been reduced more than 50% in the last 3 generations (15 years) and are projected to deteriorate further in the next decade. Riverine habitats are increasingly polluted and disturbed. This species is found primarily in lowland forested habitats, with habitat specificity near streams, which are areas that have been increasingly converted to oil palm plantations. There remains uncertainty about the tolerance of the species to habitat loss, especially in areas where riverine forest remains in a mosaic of logged forest, and if viable populations are found to persist in such areas, then the red listing will need revision. There is a need to know more about life history and ecology of this species.‖ Jennings and Veron (2009) noted that ―there is a scarcity of recent records for the otter civet, and little is known about current populations‖. Veron et al. (2006) reported that ―Based on the scarcity of recent observations or carcasses, otter civet populations are probably in decline‖ and Duckworth et al. (2008) recorded the species‘ population trend as unknown. The main threats to C. bennettii were reported to be the reduction in primary forest habitat and habitat alteration (mainly due to clear-cutting and selective logging), along with conversion of peat swamp forests to oil palm plantations (Duckworth et al., 2008; Jennings and Veron, 2009). Hunting was not thought to be a major threat, as there was little evidence that this species is targeted directly, although it may be exposed to snares and traps set for other ground-dwelling species (Duckworth et al., 2008). Schreiber et al. (1989) noted that C. bennettii was probably heavily affected by human colonisation and by expanding rice culture along rivers. Veron et al. (2006) reported that ―Conservation of the otter civet requires the protection of forest and riverine habitat, and policing against illegal harvesting. Future field studies are needed to further assess otter civet distribution and monitor their populations.‖ Brunei Darussalam: Occurrence reported by Wilson and Reeder (2005), but not by Jennings and Veron (2009). Records of C. bennettii were reported for S. Seang-seang (Medway, 1977) and Tasik Merimbun (Payne et al., 1985). Veron et al. (2006) reported that there were no known field observations for Brunei and only one museum specimen – from S. Seang- seang, as reported by Medway (1977). No information on conservation status was found. China: Occurrence not reported by Wilson and Reeder (2005). Veron et al. (2006) reported that the presence of C. bennettii in southern China could not be confirmed.