Susan M. Cheyne

Modelling the species distribution of flat-headed cats (Prionailurus planiceps), an endangered South-East Asian small felid.

Background The flat-headed cat (Prionailurus planiceps) is one of the worlds least known, highly threatened felids with a distribution restricted to tropical lowland rainforests in Peninsular Thailand/Malaysia, Borneo and Sumatra. Throughout its geographic range large-scale anthropogenic transformation processes, including the pollution of fresh-water river systems and landscape fragmentation, raise concerns regarding its conservation status. Despite an increasing number of camera-trapping field surveys for carnivores in South-East Asia during the past two decades, few of these studies recorded the flat-headed cat. Methodology/Principal Findings In this study, we designed a predictive species distribution model using the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) algorithm to reassess the potential current distribution and conservation status of the flat-headed cat. Eighty-eight independent species occurrence records were gathered from field surveys, literature records, and museum collections. These current and historical records were analysed in relation to bioclimatic variables (WorldClim), altitude (SRTM) and minimum distance to larger water resources (Digital Chart of the World). Distance to water was identified as the key predictor for the occurrence of flat-headed cats (>50% explanation). In addition, we used different land cover maps (GLC2000, GlobCover and SarVision LLC for Borneo), information on protected areas and regional human population density data to extract suitable habitats from the potential distribution predicted by the MaxEnt model. Between 54% and 68% of suitable habitat has already been converted to unsuitable land cover types (e.g. croplands, plantations), and only between 10% and 20% of suitable land cover is categorised as fully protected according to the IUCN criteria. The remaining habitats are highly fragmented and only a few larger forest patches remain. Conclusion/Significance Based on our findings, we recommend that future conservation efforts for the flat-headed cat should focus on the identified remaining key localities and be implemented through a continuous dialogue between local stakeholders, conservationists and scientists to ensure its long-term survival. The flat-headed cat can serve as a flagship species for the protection of several other endangered species associated with the threatened tropical lowland forests and surface fresh-water sources in this region.

Density and population estimate of gibbons (Hylobates albibarbis) in the Sabangau catchment, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

We demonstrate that although auditory sampling is a useful tool, this method alone will not provide a truly accurate indication of population size, density and distribution of gibbons in an area. If auditory sampling alone is employed, we show that data collection must take place over a sufficient period to account for variation in calling patterns across seasons. The population of Hylobates albibarbis in the Sabangau catchment, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, was surveyed from July to December 2005 using methods established previously. In addition, auditory sampling was complemented by detailed behavioural data on six habituated groups within the study area. Here we compare results from this study to those of a 1-month study conducted in 2004. The total population of the Sabangau catchment is estimated to be about in the tens of thousands, though numbers, distribution and density for the different forest subtypes vary considerably. We propose that future density surveys of gibbons must include data from all forest subtypes where gibbons are found and that extrapolating from one forest subtype is likely to yield inaccurate density and population estimates. We also propose that auditory census be carried out by using at least three listening posts (LP) in order to increase the area sampled and the chances of hearing groups. Our results suggest that the Sabangau catchment contains one of the largest remaining contiguous populations of Bornean agile gibbon.

Intensive hunting of large flying foxes Pteropus vampyrus natunae in Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo

Pteropus vampyrus natunae , the Bornean subspecies of the large flying fox, has important roles in pollination but unsustainable hunting has been reported in Malaysian states. We provide the first description of hunting techniques and intensity in Indonesian Borneo. In forests around Palangka Raya this species is captured in canopy-level nets to support trade in the provincial capital. We estimate that in 2003 4,500 individuals were extracted from a single location in 30 days, which, together with trends reported in interviews with hunters and traders, suggests that hunting in this region is intensive and probably causing severe population declines. Further surveys are needed throughout Kalimantan to determine if this trend is occurring around other cities and whether intervention is needed to safeguard viable populations.

Wild felid diversity and activity patterns in Sabangau peat-swamp forest, Indonesian Borneo

A study to identify the felid biodiversity of the Sabangau Forest, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, was initiated in May 2008 and involved continuous sampling until October 2009. A total of 44 cameras in 27 locations were used and 5,777 functional trap nights (of 6,542 survey nights) resulted in confirmed sightings of the Sunda clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa , leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis , marbled cat Pardofelis marmorata and flat-headed cat Prionailurus planiceps , representing four of the five wild felids of Borneo. The long-term use of fixed and roving cameras provided insight into the movements, occurrence and activity patterns of these elusive felids within a disturbed peat-swamp forest. In an area of 145 km 2 (including buffer) the clouded leopard was the most commonly photographed felid (22 photo-captures of 53 total captures), followed by the leopard cat (21), flat-headed cat (7) and marbled cat (3). A total of 231 camera-trap nights were required to obtain the first photograph of a felid, the leopard cat, 704 for the clouded leopard, 3,498 for the flat-headed cat, and 5,423 (476 calendar days) for the marbled cat. A female clouded leopard was not photographed until 5,764 trap nights. This highlights the importance of long-term camera-trapping studies to maximize capture probability of these elusive felids and especially to account for potential differences in home range size and use by clouded leopard males and females.

Vegetation correlates of gibbon density in the peat-swamp forest of the Sabangau catchment, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Understanding the complex relationship between primates and their habitats is essential for effective conservation plans. Peat‐swamp forest has recently been recognized as an important habitat for the Southern Bornean gibbon (Hylobates albibarbis), but information is scarce on the factors that link gibbon density to characteristics of this unique ecosystem. Our aims in this study were firstly to estimate gibbon density in different forest subtypes in a newly protected, secondary peat‐swamp forest in the Sabangau Catchment, Indonesia, and secondly to identify which vegetation characteristics correlate with gibbon density. Data collection was conducted in a 37.1u2009km2 area, using auditory sampling methods and vegetation “speed plotting”. Gibbon densities varied between survey sites from 1.39 to 3.92u2009groups/km2. Canopy cover, tree height, density of large trees and food availability were significantly correlated with gibbon density, identifying the preservation of tall trees and good canopy cover as a conservation priority for the gibbon population in the Sabangau forest. This survey indicates that selective logging, which specifically targets large trees and disrupts canopy cover, is likely to have adverse effects on gibbon populations in peat‐swamp forests, and calls for greater protection of these little studied ecosystems. Am. J. Primatol. 72:607–616, 2010.

Biodiversity Monitoring Protocols for REDD+: Can a One-Size-Fits-All Approach Really Work?

Development of a standard monitoring protocol for assessing the impacts of REDD+ (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) projects on biodiversity is desirable. Drawing on the conservation literature and our personal experience, we review whether such a one-size-fits-all approach is justifiable on scientific and practical grounds. We conclude that achieving a model biodiversity monitoring protocol suitable for use in all potential REDD+ sites is probably an unrealistic objective, owing to the huge differences among the worlds forests in terms of structure, species composition, ecological interactions and ecosystem services provided. Moreover, to provide useful feedback for conservation managers, ecological monitoring programmes must be designed around a projects conservation goals, which will vary from project to project, owing to these differences in forest ecology and human threats faced. Thus, site-specific biodiversity monitoring programmes are needed. No single monitoring method is likely to be optimal, or even suitable for use, in all REDD+ forests. Instead, we suggest that a standard approach be adopted, in which ecological monitoring research is (i) designed to reflect a projects biodiversity conservation goals; (ii) based upon scientifically-tractable, policy-relevant questions regarding the impacts of management interventions on the ecosystem; (iii) founded on detailed knowledge of the habitat type in question; (iv) includes monitoring of a number of indicators, as appropriate to the project; and (v) defines appropriate reference/baseline conditions against which progress can be assessed.

Behavioural Ecology of Gibbons (Hylobates albibarbis) in a Degraded Peat-Swamp Forest

Gibbons are small arboreal apes inhabiting the rainforests of South-East Asia, Northwest India and Bangladesh (Carpenter 1940; Chivers 1977). The taxonomy of gibbons is under dispute, as the status of several taxa as species or subspecies is uncertain. Within the family Hylobatideae, there are four genera of gibbons: Bunopithecus (hoolock gibbon), Hylobates, Nomascus (crested gibbons) and Symphalangus (siamangs), and at least 12 species (Brandon-Jones et al. 2004). Apart from the sympatric Hylobates agilis/Hylobates lar and siamangs in Sumatra and peninsular Malaysia, gibbons are allopatric (Leighton 1987; Reichard and Sommer 1997). Some hybrids have been found within the genus Hylobates, including populations in Borneo (Hylobates albibarbis and Hylobates muelleri: Mather 1992), in Thailand (H. lar and Hylobates pileatus: Brockelman and Gittins 1984) and in peninsular Malaysia (H. lar and H. agilis: Brockelman and Gittins 1984). The Bornean agile or southern gibbon (H. albibarbis) occurs in southern Borneo, between the Kapuas and Barito rivers (Brandon-Jones et al. 2004). Its taxonomic status is unclear, but recent molecular evidence identifies it as a separate species, rather than a sub-species of H. agilis (Brandon-Jones et al. 2004; Geissmann 2007; Groves 2001).

Primate dietary ecology in the context of food mechanical properties.

Substantial variation exists in the mechanical properties of foods consumed by primate species. This variation is known to influence food selection and ingestion among non-human primates, yet no large-scale comparative study has examined the relationships between food mechanical properties and feeding strategies. Here, we present comparative data on the Youngs modulus and fracture toughness of natural foods in the diets of 31 primate species. We use these data to examine the relationships between food mechanical properties and dietary quality, body mass, and feeding time. We also examine the relationship between food mechanical properties and categorical concepts of diet that are often used to infer food mechanical properties. We found that traditional dietary categories, such as folivory and frugivory, did not faithfully track food mechanical properties. Additionally, our estimate of dietary quality was not significantly correlated with either toughness or Youngs modulus. We found a complex relationship among food mechanical properties, body mass, and feeding time, with a potential interaction between median toughness and body mass. The relationship between mean toughness and feeding time is straightforward: feeding time increases as toughness increases. However, when considering median toughness, the relationship with feeding time may depend upon body mass, such that smaller primates increase their feeding time in response to an increase in median dietary toughness, whereas larger primates may feed for shorter periods of time as toughness increases. Our results emphasize the need for additional studies quantifying the mechanical and chemical properties of primate diets so that they may be meaningfully compared to research on feeding behavior and jaw morphology.

Home-Range Use and Activity Patterns of the Red Langur (Presbytis rubicunda) in Sabangau Tropical Peat-Swamp Forest, Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo

Knowledge of a species’ ranging patterns is vital for understanding its behavioral ecology and vulnerability to extinction. Given the abundance and even distribution of leaves in forested habitats, folivorous primates generally spend less time feeding; more time resting; have shorter day ranges; and require smaller home ranges than frugivorous primates. To test the influence of frugivory on ranging behavior, we established the activity budget and home-range size and use in a highly frugivorous population of the Borneo-endemic colobine, Presbytis rubicunda, within Sabangau tropical peat-swamp forest, Central Kalimantan, and examined relationships between fruit availability and ranging patterns. We collected 6848 GPS locations and 10,702 instantaneous focal behavioral scans on a single group between January and December 2011. The group had the largest home-range size recorded in genus Presbytis (kernel density estimates: mean = 108.3 ± SD 3.8 ha, N = 4 bandwidths). The annual activity budget comprised 48 ± SD 4.0% resting; 29.3 ± SD 3.9% feeding, 14.2 ± SD 2.5% traveling, and 0.4 ± SD 0.4% social behaviors. Mean monthly day-range length was the highest recorded for any folivorous primate (1645 ± SD 220.5 m/d). No significant relationships existed between ranging variables and fruit availability, and ranging behaviors did not vary significantly across seasons, potentially owing to low fluctuations in fruit availability. Our results suggest that colobine monkeys maintain larger than average ranges when high-quality food resources are available. Their extensive range requirements imply that protecting large, contiguous tracts of habitat is crucial in future conservation planning for Presbytis rubicunda.

The Role of Reintroduction in Gibbon Conservation: Opportunities and Challenges

Gibbon populations have been declining dramatically for the past 30–40 years, primarily due to habitat destruction and fragmentation through timber felling, charcoal burning, encroachment cultivation, and general bush burning for hunting (Bodmer et al. 1991) or conversion to rubber plantations (Haimoff et al. 1987), tea and pine plantations (Nijman and van Balen 1998), and recently oil palm plantations (Curran et al. 2004). Other factors contributing to their decline include the illegal wildlife trade, the use of body parts in the manufacture of traditional medicines, and hunting for food. The majority of gibbons found in rescue and rehabilitation centers come from the illegal pet trade, though many are also rescued from plantations as forests are cut down. Gibbons in the illegal pet trade are almost always born in the wild, and infant gibbons can fetch from US