NAT. NAT. HIST. BUL L. SIAM Soc. 54(2): 195-207 ，2006 SMALL MAMMALS AROUND A KAREN VILLAGE IN NORTHERN MAE HONG SON PROVINCE ，THAILAND: ABUNDANCE ，DISTRIBUTION AND HUMAN CONSUMPTION Nattha Nattha Wattanaratchaki t' and Sompoad Srikosamatarcl ABSTRACT The aim of 出is study was to understand the ecology of small mammals around a Karen village village and the relationships between small mammals and the lifestyle of the Karen people. Th e abundance ，distribution and species diversity of small mammals were studied around a Ka 民 n village ，Muang Pham ， Pang Ma Pa District ， in Mae Hong Son Province. Ten species were captured. captured. Menetes berdmorei ， Rattus rattus ，如 d Niviventer bukit were the most common species around around the village. R. rattus w ぉ abundant in paddy fields ， whereas M. berdmorei was captu 問 d more often in com fields. N. bukit was most common in multiple-use forest area. 明le highest abundance abundance of small mammals was found in 恥 agricultural area ，whereas 曲eir gl 四回 tspecies diversity diversity was in the community fores t. Most species that occur 四 d in the agricultural 蹴 a were pest pest species. Maxomys su ゆ r had low density around the village but was a valuable source of of protein for Karen villagers. About 3，000 raωweighing a to 飽1 of more 血an 300 kg we 問 ∞nsumed in Muang Pham village during November 20 04- January 2005. Disturbance from agriculture ， and harvest of timber and non-timber forest products around the village have caused caused a high abundance of pest species around 白is Karen village. Most species were tolerant of of disturbed areas ， whereas species most sensitive to disturbance ，such ぉ M. surifer ， were rare ne 紅 the village.τ 'h e consumption of rat meat is tending to decf ぬ se in the younger generations. Key words: Abundance ，Human consumption ，Karen ， Northem τ'h ailand ， Small manunals 別 TRODUCTION Small mammals are good ecological indicators for the condition of te 町田町ial habitats (WILES ， 1981; ELLI O' π EJ AL ， 1989; KA.N CHANASAKA ， 1992; W 札悶R & RAB 町 OWITZ ， 1992; 1992; PlNN OY ， 1993; LYNAM ， 1997; HAMAR 汀， 1997). 百ley are important seed dispersers and seed predators ，佃d are also food for several predators. Many species of small mantmal are are serious pests 泊 agricultural areas around the world (DAVIDSON ， 2000; DOA ，2001 ， WOOD & CHENG ， 2003). Most studies of small mammals have focused on their ecological roles roles and role as pests. Few studies have examined all linkages between small mantmals and the local community. Th is research focused on the density and species diversity of small mammals around a Karen village 加 Mae Hong Son Pr ovince ，and on their roles as p 回 ts and human food. τ'h e Karen are the largest h i1l位 ibe group in 百四land (SANTASOMBAT ，1999). 官 ley are are farmers who practice rotational swidden cultivation in mountain valleys.τ 'h e Karen cultivate cultivate rice ， their most important agricultural crop ， in both dry fields and paddy fields IDep 紅 tment of Biology ，Faculty of Science ，Mallidol University ，Rama VI Road ，Bangkok 10400 ，百 lail 釦 d Rec 哩ived 21 De cember 2005; accepted 17 August 2006. 195 195 196 196 NATIHA WATIANARATCHAKIT AND SOM 即 AD SRIKOSAMATARA (UNDP ，2004). 百le Karen are known to have high environment a1 awareness and aI芯 good conservationists conservationists (PROSAO & SIRALUK ， 1999; SANTASOMBAT ， 1999; UNDP ，2004). 官 ley believe 伽 t most wild animals are homes of human spirits (PROSAO & SIRALUK ， 1999). They hunt wildlife ， but are not dependent on this activity as 釘 'e other hill tribe groups such as 白e Lahu and 町即時 (S 百別METZ & MA 百 ffiR ， 1996; Tu NGITTIPLAKORN ET AL ， 1999). Th e food of Karen people comes mostly from agriculture and includes rice ，com ， beans and many kinds of vegetables. In addition to agricultural products ， other food the for Karen fru:n ily comes from forest 釘 eas around the village ，and includes wild vegetables ，insects ， amphibians ， birds and many species of sm a1 1m ru:n m a1 s including tltose 出at are agricultur a1 pests. pests. STUDY AREA Muang Ph ru:n village lies in Mae Hong Son Pr ovince ，nortltem 百凶land (98 ・19-35' ， UTM 0427650 ， 2165500). This village lies at an a1 titude of 80 0- 1200 m witlt surrounding 釘 eas covered mostly by mixed deciduous ， dry dipterocarp ，and bru:n boo fores t. Th ere 訂 e several several major stre ru:n s running through the area including the Huai N ru:n Pru:n， Huai Kut-on ，Huai Pa Muang ，Huai Rai and Huai Pong. Muang Ph ru:n village is about 40 years old ，and consists of about 120 households (CHAEKPIMAI ET AL ， 2001). Most vi1l agers are farmers who st i1l practice rotational swiddening. swiddening. Rice is planted in bo 白 dry fields and paddy fields; tlteir minor crops include com ，beans ，garlic and many other vegetables. Agricul 旬 ra1 areas 釘 e mostly located ne 訂 the the village. 百le Karen people gener a1 1y classify forest 訂 'eas around tlteir villages accord 泊g to to the resources utilized from tlte forest ， or on their activities in tlte fores t. τ'h e four main types types are: multiple-use forest ， cemetery forest ， conserved forest ，and community forest (SANTASOMBAT ， 2001). 官 le forest area ne 紅 'est the village was mostly multiple~use forest where tlte villagers harvested harvested both timber and nontimber forest products (NTFPs). Th e main vegetation was mostly mostly deciduous forest witlt some areas dominated by bru:n boo. Gibbons and hombills were still found in tlte multiple-use forest north of tlte village. Gener a1 1y ，tlte villagers avoided avoided disturbing tlte habitat of tltese two species. 官le cemetery forest ，where dead people people were buried ，was sm a1 1 in area and ne 釘 tlte village. 百le conserved forest included the the watersheds where major stre ru:n s of 出e village orig 泊ated ，and consisted of mixed deciduous deciduous forest and 批y dipterocarp fores t. Strict rules for protecting tlte forest are still enacted; enacted; human activities such as 印刷ng wood and hunting are prohibited in this 釘 ea. Most of conserved forest has been declared as a part of Sun Pan Dan Wildlife Sanctuary. Th e community forest covers a small area soutlt of tlte village ，where Mixed Deciduous Forest Forest dominates. It contains two sites of speci a1 interest: Pong Luang ， the largest mineral lick lick in Muang Ph ru:n v出age ，and Wang Pla ，a small reservoir witlt a tempor 紅 yd ru:n to provide provide water and conserve fish for consumption. Th ere 釘 'e strict rules prohibiting both villagers villagers and outside people 合om catching fish 血血is 釘 ea. 官 le villagers avoid doing any activities activities in tlte Community Forest ，especi a1 1y hunting and cutting timber ， because tltey believe 白紙 this area is a holy place. Most trees in 出is forest have been ordained ，which is is a way for loc a1 people to protect large trees. In addition ，everybody 泊 tlte village must help help to make firebreaks to prevent forest frres each ye 低 SMALL MAMMALS AROUND A KAREN VILLAGE 197 420 日日 o 43 口000 440 口口 o 450 口口口 218 日目白日 ‘tftL1 218 日日日日 Th d .， -<r ' rRe一 、，昔、下f ，、、司 lth 217 日ロ 00 2170 口00 ι Jf 。 e，， いが K れ--(ι札や 2 16日日口口 216 日日日日 iy 2 15日日口口 2 150 口口口 214 日口口口 214 日日日日 o 10 20 213 日日日日 』一一一一一一一寸 213 日日目。 K M 38 口口口 o 390000 400000 4 唱日日日日 42 口口旧日 43000 口 44 口口 00 45 口口口口 Fig ur e 1. Location s of hi lJ削除 villag es in SlI n Pan D，m a nd L lIl11 Nam Pai Wildljfe Sanctuarie s. The hi ghli ght ed area area outLin es th巴 wa tershed surr oun din g th e m ain slu dy vi ll age ，Muan g Pham METHODS Trapp ing S ix square grids were plac ed around th 巴 Ka r巴n village in both the agriculture area and fOI 巴st ar eas (Table 1，Fig . 2) . Grids 1-2 were l ocated in ag ricultural area ，Grids 3-5 w ere set set in multiple-u se forest ，and Grid 6 was la id in the sm all CO l11l11 unity Fores t. Each grid contained 36 tr aps in a6 x 6 sq uare， covering 1 ha . Trap s were spa ced 20 111 apar t. Liv e tr aps 14 x 14 x 24 C Il1 w 巴re pl ac 巴d on th e gro und. Th 巴 traps w e re set for 4 co nsec utive night sa nd bait 巴d fo r an average of 144 trap-nights. Traps were baited with ripe ripe ban ana and were checked twic e a day (0800- 1000 h and 1600 -1 800 h)w hil e se t. After After checking the traps we rec leaned of old bait and feces ，and rebait ed. Captured ll1 am l11 als W 巴r巴 weighed ，individu all y m arked by hair -cl ippin g，and release d at the point of capture A nimal sp ecies we re id 巴nti fied w ith ASKINS (J 977) ，MARSHALL (1 977) and CORBE 竹& H 止し(1 992). D ata on sex and age cla ss were also co l1 ected. The recaptured animals w 巴re recog ni ze d by unique patt 巴rn s of h air cli pping.