Bornean Clouded Leopard Programme

Crocker's cloudies rolling in...

2011-12-07T16:54:00.001+07:00

Yesterdaywas a good day – a very good day. OnMonday Gil, Gul and I packed our bags and headed to the village of Ulu Senagang,where the trail up onto the Senagang ridge rises, and where the last of ourcameras to be checked awaited us. Theweek before produced the first of our clouded leopard photos from Crocker Range, allof a single male clouded leopard, so we were excited to see whether this same animal, or indeedany of his friends, had also used the Senagang ridge.

It had originallytaken us four days of camping to put the camera traps out along this ridge, sowe thought we could shave some time off and do it in three. We did it in two (very painful) days, justmanaging to leave the forest as night fell. On arrival back at the house we were all exhausted,and so, despite our excitement, we agreed to look through the new photos in themorning. But perhaps just one camera trap before bed…

And that’s when the fun began! Camera after camera began to reveal more and more cool animals, including some Hose’s civet, a handful of leopard cat, yet another Malay weasel and even some more Linsang, and….. loads of clouded leopards!

By 12:00am this morning we had finally finished going through all the photos; we knew we had some new animals, but final identification of the cloudies would have to wait.

Like I say, we knew we had some new animals, but having carefully cropped and compared all the images I was blown away to find that we now have SIX animals – 1 female and five males!!!!! On one occasion, the female has walked past the camera, followed immediately by a new male, and later by another (perhaps young male).

This is an amazing start, and it bodes well for Crocker Range’s clouded leopard population. If the photos keep coming in at this rate, I think we can do some useful science. Stay tuned.

Caption: top to bottom, Male 1, Female 1, Male 2, Male 3, Male 4, Male 5. As you can see, camera trap images are not always pretty... but these are more than adequate to idenitify the animal to an individual. The shots are in black and white as this particulalr camera trap shoots in infrared at night. Although some animals can see this light quite clearly, it doesn't seem to bother most of them.

Amazing first results from Crocker Range

2011-11-29T15:35:00.001+07:00

With the last camera trap finally in place, the fun phase has begun…time to check the cameras. And what a start; in addition to the usual crowd ofpigs, muntjac, mousedeer, malay civet and the like, we’ve been getting a numberof amazing results, including some species that we rarely ever encounter, andeven a first for the project….

This is a wild catproject after all, so I'll start with the stars of the show. After morethan six months of cam trapping in Sepilok and the surrounding oil palmplantation, without even a hint of a clouded leopard, you can imagine howexcited we all were last week when we returned to the house after a camping tripto check the cameras and a perfectly composed (see right) clouded leopard photo appearedon our screen. Since then we’ve picked up several more, and we now have 5photo events from 4 camera sites. Careful scrutiny of the photos shows thatthey all belong to a single male, spread over 23km2!! It’s still early days, but the reasonableencounter rate and the lack of any other individuals, hints at a low populationdensity, which is not altogether surprising. It’s hard to say at this stagewhether we’ll have enough data to conduct a density analysis – so fingerscrossed the photos keep rolling in. We’ve also got confirmation of marbled cat(only 1 photo to date), and leopard cat (from 3 sites), but alas no Bay cat sofar. Come on bay cat, where are you?

Our extensive surveying of six forestsites in Sabah, over four years, resulted in a measly 3 banded linsang Prionodon linsang photographs. Although little known, it’s generally thoughtthat this little carnivore species is semi-arboreal, perhaps also skulkingaround in dense bushy vegetation, waiting to pounce on small mammals and otherprey. So it’s not altogether surprising that these guys rarely show up incamera trap surveys. However, despite having only checked about half of our camerasso far we’ve already recorded linsang at 3 different ridgeline sites. Amazing! Perhaps the lack of a contiguous canopyat these heights forces them to move more frequently along the ground? Whoknows – anyway it’s great to see these guys on camera.

Another great resultis that of the Endangered Hose’s civet Diplogalehosei. This rarely detected Bornean endemic is thought to be associatedwith mossy forests at higher altitudes, although a handful of (questionable?)sightings in relatively low forest suggests that they may be more adaptablethan previously thought. So far we’ve detected Hose’s civet at three relativelyhigh level sites (867 -1280m), establishing the first confirmed record of thiscivet in Crocker Range!! Let’s hope these guys keep getting snapped, so that wecan start piecing together some information regarding their ecology. Perhaps Crockerwould be the perfect place to start some in depth studies of this beastie… any takers?

Last, but certainly notleast, is a personal favorite of mine, a tiny, brightly orange colouredcarnivore with a white head – the Malay weasel Mustela nudipes. Althoughthought to be relatively common throughout its range (southernThailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo and Sumatra), andfound in a range of habitats (we even recorded some in an oil palm plantation),it is yet another Bornean carnivore that is rarely camera trapped. Why then are we recording them relativelyfrequently (3 different sites so far) in Crocker? Although listed as Least Concern by the IUCN ithas never been studied.

Clearly a great start… I can’t wait to see what the remainingunchecked cameras reveal!

Yep, its pretty Steep! Research starts in Crocker Range

2011-11-06T12:19:00.000+07:00

One monthinto our latest survey and I’m pleased to report that things are progressingvery well. After a number of meetingswith Sabah Parks, the State authority who manage the Crocker Range NationalPark, we settled into our new home in the village of Ulu Senagang, nestled justwithin the park boundaries and walled in by high ridgelines.

As usual, our first task was to begin planning where we will deploy the camera traps within the park, decisions which are ultimately based on maximizing the chances of capturing cloudeds and other wild cats on camera, as well by the logistics of physically getting there. Our plan is to spread 36 camera stations over 150km2 – no easy task even on relatively even forest, let alone a mountain range. From talking to Sabah Parks employees and local people it quickly became apparent that the Park is rarely accessed (at least on official/legal business) and thus established trails are therefore few and far between, particularly on the scale that we’ll be operating.

Our strategy, then, was to determine ridgeline formations from basic topographic maps, features which aid our movement and which we have demonstrated are used extensively by wild cats, transfer the spatial info onto our GPS units, and then follow the routes deep into the park, setting up cameras as we go. At this stage we had little idea of what the travel routes would be like, how open the forest would be, and thus how far we could reasonably expect to move each day.

So, loaded up with several days of food, camping gear, camera trapping gear and our trusty GPS the team headed up out of the village and climbed to the first of several ridgelines that would take us northwest, and into the park. Unfortunately, but unsurprisingly, this was no gentle introduction to Crocker’s forests, and after a slippery and relentless 400m ascent, and with burning muscles, we eventually reached the relatively even terrain of the ridgeline. Once there we were pleased by how relatively clear the forest was, and although the trekking was at times pretty tough, we moved swiftly and set eight camera stations and covered a distance of over 24km in 4 days.

Great! Well, kind of… Our rapid movement through the forest is largely because the routes we have been following are also being used by local poachers from surrounding villages, hence the relative openness. One month in, we have now covered over 150km of routes, and on all occasions, regardless of how deep into the forest we have travelled, we have always found signs of people, their camps, and snares and their shot gun cartridges. Clearly the use of the forest by poachers here, in terms of area, is extensive. What is less clear is how many people and how much poaching is occurring. We have found some great camera sites and are very optimistic of getting some wild cat photo captures, but the threat of camera theft by the poachers is very much playing on my mind. In the next few weeks we will begin checking our cameras… stay tuned for (eventual (-: )updates

Volunteer field assistants needed for a Clouded leopard survey of the Crocker Range National Park

2011-07-15T19:12:00.003+07:00

Borneo’s Clouded Leopards Need You!

We are now busy preparing for what is arguably going to be the most exciting, yet toughest of our challenges to date, an intensive, clouded leopard focused camera trap survey of the mountainous Crocker Range National Park.

To help us in our endeavour we are now offering volunteer placements for individuals to help us in the field starting September 2011. If you fancy experiencing the ‘real’ Bornean rainforest, learning new skills and helping us learn about the elusive Sunda clouded leopard, then read on...

What/Why?

Our work is focused on providing basic, yet scientifically sound information regarding the Sunda clouded leopard and other threatened felids in Sabah to help guide viable conservation strategies for these species. As such, one of the core questions that we are attempting to answer is:

What is the distribution and conservation status of Sunda clouded leopards and other felids throughout Sabah, and what factors affect their presence and abundance?

To help address this question we have developed a research approach primarily constructed around multiple 6-month camera trap surveys designed to estimate clouded leopard densities and felid community structure in areas of forest exposed to different forest management strategies. Few data exist regarding Bornean felid communities in higher altitude areas, and so from September onwards we will be deploying our camera traps in the hill Dipterocarp and lower montane forests of Sabah’s Crocker Range National Park.

When?

We are looking for volunteers to start as early as the beginning of September 2011, but positions will be available throughout the survey – ending in February 2012. You must be available to work on the project for a minimum of 1 month, although we will consider taking on candidates for shorter periods if they already have sufficient experience. Get in touch if you are interested and we’ll take it from there.

Where?

The Crocker Range National Park is located in the west coast of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. At approximately 75km in length and 15km in width, it is the largest protected area in Sabah, comprising an area of 139,919ha, which is about twice the size of Singapore! Altitude across the park varies from around 100m to 2050m at the peak of Mt. Alab, and consequently the park is swathed in a dense blanket of primary hill Dipterocarp and lower montane forest, See the Sabah Park's website for further details.

Duties

Volunteers will assist with all aspects of the project (see earlier posts on the blog for an idea of what we get up to), including, but not restricted to: mapping and creation of forest trails and incorporation of spatial data into a GIS, deploying and checking camera traps over an approximate area of 150km2 of forest, questionnaire surveys of local people, and photographic data management.

Requirements

We are ideally looking for candidates with (or currently undertaking) at least a first degree in an appropriate Natural Science, although this is by no means a prerequisite and we will happily consider keen individuals with a demonstrated interested in wildlife conservation. Above all else candidates should have a high level of fitness and a willingness to work in a challenging environment. The work will involve long and arduous hikes over difficult terrain, and will frequently necessitate camping for up to 6 nights at a time at remote locations, deep in the National Park. Volunteers must be able to carry 50+ litre rucksacks weighing upwards of 15kg. The ideal candidates will have some experience of the activities described above, although this is not essential as full training will be provided.

Costs

We will not ask for any contribution towards project costs but you must be able to cover both your own transport costs to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, and your subsistence costs (i.e., food and accommodation costs at field sites). Contact me for more details of estimated costs.

Further questions

For further information and to apply please email me

Are clouded leopards locally extinct in Sepilok?

2011-07-14T15:56:00.000+07:00

The usual suspects... A female leopard cat and her kitten, photographed close to

the border with an oil palm plantation. Leopard cats were the only species of

wild cat recorded in this forest.

Rather worryingly our camera trap survey of the Kabili-Sepliok Forest Reserve has failed to detect the Sunda clouded leopard. Is this a true reflection of the localised extinction of these felids in this small and relatively isolated forest block or simply our failure to detect what is actually there?

Camera trapping is undoubtedly a powerful research tool and can quickly produce indisputable evidence of a species’ presence in an area. Proving beyond doubt the absence of a species, however, is a rather more difficult affair, and the lack of any camera trap images obtained during a survey does not necessarily prove its absence. This is particularly true of difficult to detect species such as clouded leopards.

Stray dogs were found at multiple sites across the whole of the forest.

Could their presence be one causal factor in the absence of clouded leopards?

Nevertheless, this was a relatively intensive survey involving a high density of 35 paired cameras sites coupled with an additional 14 sites at which video camera traps were operational. This effort resulted in over 39,000 images and video sequences, including the similarly difficult to detect sun bear. Given this effort, in my opinion, we probably would have detected clouded leopard had they been present, and thus I am strongly inclined to conclude that they are no longer found in Sepliok. That is not to say that there are not any transient individuals moving through the area from time to time, but it seems unlikely to me that there is a resident population of animals living there.

Although unwelcome news, this is not altogether surprising given the fact that the forests in Sepliok have been reduced to about the size of a single clouded leopard’s home range – ca 40 km2. Although unwelcome, this finding is another piece in the puzzle to understand what factors control the distribution of this felid on Borneo.

Whilst it's not great news for Sepliok's Sunda clouded leopards, a number of Bornean carnivores were detected in this forest, including leopard cats, sun bears, common and banded palm civets, and yellow throated martens (see video sequence above). Potential prey species including mouse deer, yellow muntjac, sambar deer and bearded pigs were present in apparently good numbers.

Our team will now conduct an extensive questionnaire survey of the Sabah Wildlife and Forestry Department officers working in this area, in an attempt to determine when this species was reliably last seen. Meanwhile, we have recently moved our camera traps to an area of oil palm plantation immediately to the west of Sepilok, to investigate what species are using this highly modified habitat.

Next up – The Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve

2011-04-06T12:45:00.001+07:00

Taking a well-earned rest whilst out surveying for trails in Sepilok. L-R,
Jasz, Tom (volunteer) and me. Photo: Gilmore Belongon (on Tom's camera)

Our team cannot be accused of hanging around. Having unloaded the last of our gear from the Danau Girang Field Centre’s boat to our trusty truck, we waved goodbye to the mighty Kinabatangan river and set off in search of our next survey site: The Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve.

Map of the Sepilok region and surrounding area. Clearly Sepilok is rather
isolated, the only link to other forest areas being a tenuous link through
a narrow corridor of mangrove forest.

The Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve and the adjacent Sepilok Forest Reserve (typically collectively referred to as Sepilok) is an incredibly interesting forest. Home to the world famous Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre, and just a stone’s throw from Sabah’s second largest city, Sandakan, it is home to a diverse array of forest formations and wildlife. Hill Dipterocarp, riverine, Kerangas (heath), and mangrove forests all jostle for space in this relatively small (km²) and isolated forest fragment. And therein lies the potential problem for its felid inhabitants. Surrounding this matrix of forest, and forming the northern, eastern and western borders, is an assortment of anthropogenically modified habitats, predominated by oil palm, but also including orchards, industrial areas and housing (see below). Beyond the mangroves to the south lies the Sepilok Sea, and in the far south west corner a narrow corridor of mangrove links the Sepilok fragment to an extensive area of mangrove that reaches, albeit broken in places, to the mouth of the lower Kinabatangan.

Does this mangrove constitute a corridor connecting wild felid populations between Sepilok and the Kinabatangan, and if not, is Sepilok large enough to support viable populations of clouded leopards and other felids? What species of wild cat still persist here? Over the next few months we will attempt to shed light on these important questions. Wish us luck!

Insights from the Kinabatangan river

2011-03-29T20:45:00.001+07:00

Danau Girang, one of several Ox-bow lakes in the region
and location of the Danua Girang Field Centre - our home from home.

The opening days of 2011 witnessed the retrieval of the last of our camera traps from the forests of the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Reserve and the beginning of a new challenge – a camera trap survey of the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve.

The survey of the Kinabatangan’s wild felids turned out to be a tough one; we suffered heavy losses of camera trap units – both as a result of people stealing them (presumably because they don’t want to be caught poaching), but also as a result of our aging camera population finally succumbing to the destructive (at least for electronics) powers of Borneo’s rain-forests (these particular cameras have been running since 2006 – so not a bad innings really).

Despite these challenges we were able to come away with some very useful insights into the lives of the Kinabatangan’s felids:

CLF3, one of three female clouded leopards detected in
the Kinabatangan

- The narrow corridors of forest along certain sections of the Kinabatangan are actively used by Bornean felids – extension and development of such corridors could thus be a useful tool in the conservation of these cats in this highly fragmented landscape.

- Initial analyses suggest that Sunda Clouded leopard and marbled cat likely exist at lower densities here than elsewhere in Sabah, such as the extensive and comparatively contiguous forests of the Yayasan Sabah Management Area.

- We have found no evidence of Bornean bay cat in these lowland forests.

- Whilst flat-headed cat have been recorded, low photographic capture rates suggest that even here, one of the areas highlighted as prime habitat for this species (Wilting et al 2010), these felids are found at low densities.

One of only two photo-captures of marbled cat.

As ever though, our initial work in this unique area has raised more questions than answers, and we are now making steps to kick-off a study of the spatial ecology of these cats as part of a larger programme investigating Bornean Carnivore community ecology. Stay tuned for more details in the near future. Well OK, not too near, going by my previous history of updating this blog...

I'll end with a big thank you to the staff and PTY students at the Danau Girang Field Centre, who have been amazing at supporting our wild cat work here in the Kina. Also a big thank you to to Drs David Macdonald and Luke Hunter for their invaluable advice, and all our project funders, and particularly to the Kaplan- Recanti family, Panthera, and the Clouded Leopard Project

Kinabatangan's clouded leopards reveal themselves

2010-09-28T23:05:00.000+07:00

Sunda clouded leopards recently photographed in the
Kinabatangan Wildife Sanctaury

After a rather slow start, the number of wild cat photo captures from the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary and surrounding forests are starting to mount up. Our focal species, the Sunda clouded leopard, appears to have been particularly busy along Sabah’s largest river since I last wrote, and we have now collected nine photo captures, of five separate events. Careful observation of the photos (see left) reveals that so far we have recorded 1 male, and two females.

A sliver of forest adjacent to the Kinabatangan river. Such narrow

strips of riparian forest may act as corridors for threatened

species such as Bornean felids, and provide essential linkages

for otherwise fragmented blocks of forest

The female clouded leopards were snapped close to the banks of Danau Tongog, a beautiful oxbow lake to the west of our study area. Both individuals were photographed approximately 1 km apart, walking along a well-worn forest trail that encircles the lake, which is frequently used by staff and tourists of the nearby community-run tourist facility, the Tongog Ecocamp. These photo-captures lend further support to our theory that existing trails, even those regularly frequented by people, are one of the best locations to detect Sunda clouded leopards with camera traps.

One of these females, CLF1, was also photographed moving through a relatively narrow band (ca. 100 m wide) of riparian forest in Lot 5, which is sandwiched between the river and the surrounding oil palm plantations. This location is close to where we previously observed a flat-headed cat whilst spotlighting (detailed in Hearn et al 2010), and thus provides some of the first evidence that such riparian forest buffers may be utilised by Bornean felids, and may thus provide essential connectivity between otherwise isolated forest fragments along the Kinabatangan. The potential role of forest corridors as a tool for Bornean carnivore conservation is something that we aim to explore further during our new project, the Kinabatangan Carnivore Programme.

Two more cat photos!!

2010-09-07T10:21:00.000+07:00

Our second flat-headed cat photo. Frustratingly, the other camera failed to
pick up the cat.

Great news... we’ve got two more wild cat photos from the Kinabatangan! We’re still busy surveying the forest and cutting trails in the second of our two sub areas, and so we’ve only found the time to check the cameras once so far, but members of our team (volunteers from Cardiff University) checked one of the camera sites yesterday and discovered two more cat photos... a leopard cat and yet another flat-headed cat!

Interestingly, both of the new cat photos were from the very same site that we had previously photo-captured the flat-headed – an area of riverine forest, close to the main river, in one of the of the region’s larger forest fragments: Lot 5. This bodes well for our planned radio-tracking project (more on this later) as this could well be an excellent site to deploy a live trap. The photo is not ideal, so it is difficult to determine the sex or whether if it is the same individual as the previous photo.

Alas, no Sunda clouded leopard so far, but as I say we’ve only checked the camera once so far, so fingers crossed.

A leopard cat. This adaptable species is thought to respond well to habitat disturbance,
and unlike the other 4 Bornean felids can be found residing in oil palm plantations.
It's a little surprising then, that this is our first photo of this species - but again it is early days.

The Bornean wild cat Team. Right to left: Andy (tingi) Harrison
(volunteer from Cardiff Univ.), Gilmoore (Gil) Bolongon, Saya (me), and Jasmi (Jasz) Joroh.

First wild cat photo from Kinabatangan!

2010-08-28T10:07:00.001+07:00

Our first wild cat photo- capture - a flat-headed cat

Three years of intensive camera trapping in our previous five Sabah field sites resulted in photographic captures of leopard cat (1000+), Sunda Clouded leopard (300+), marbled cat (100+), and bay cat (30). Over the same period we obtained just a single photograph of the elusive flat-headed cat, which was snapped just a few hundred metres from the Danum Valley Field Centre buildings! Indeed, throughout the historical range of this species (Peninsular Thailand and Malaysia, Borneo and Sumatra) the flatty is infrequently recorded, raising concern as to its current status.

So with this in mind, we were particularly delighted, whilst checking our freshly deployed cameras in the Kinabatangan, to discover our first cat photo.... yep, a flat-headed cat! He/she was photographed close to the main Kinabatangan river, in a stretch of riparian forest. Hopefully this is the first of many felid photos to come!

So far we've also captured several images of sun bears.

First survey underway... The Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary

2010-08-20T09:31:00.004+07:00

To kick off our new programme we are starting with an intense camera trap survey of the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary (LKWS), a protected, but highly fragmented and degraded collection of forest patches along Sabah’s mighty Kinabatangan river. Managed by the Sabah Wildlife Department, the LKWS is one of the few remaining examples of lowland forest in Sabah, and consists of a range of lowland forest formations, including permanently inundated and seasonally flooded swamp forests, riparian and lowland Dipterocarp forest. However, much of the region’s forests have been cleared for oil palm development and the remaining forests of the LKWS are now highly fragmented.

Nevertheless, as a Wildlife Sanctuary the area is a focal point for conservation in Sabah, and contains important populations of numerous threatened species; a recent study of the potential distrbution of the flat-headed cat (Wilting et al, 2010) and some recent observations (Hearn et al, 2010) suggest that the LKWS is an important area for the conservation of this felid.

Our focal aim will be to determine the density of Sunda clouded leopards in this unique habitat, but the cameras will also provide vital information regarding the other members of the Bornean felid guild, as well as other wildlife. Additional key questions that we’ll attempt to answer are: how do clouded leopard and other wild felids persist in this fragmented habitat; can they move between non-contiguous forest blocks, and how effective are the existing riparian corridors at facilitating the movement of animals? Following our model that we’ve developed over the last four years, we will spend approximately six months surveying the region’s forests patches, cutting trails and setting camera at a total of 70 sites.

Our team have now arrived at our new home from home, the Danau Girang Field Centre, which is located in the Lot 6 of the LKWS. The centre is jointly managed by Cardiff University and the Sabah Wildlife Department, both of whom are providing us with exceptional logistical support. Wish us luck!!

Evolution of a project...

2010-05-03T20:44:00.002+07:00

After more than three years of hard work the ‘Bornean Wild Cats & Clouded Leopard Project’ is sadly drawing to a close. The Parangs (local style machete) have been placed back in their sheaths, the camera traps removed from the forest, and we’re now busy translating the hard won data into tangible conservation science.

But alas this is not the end of our project; Borneo’s wild cats remain threatened, and there is still much to learn about them in order to help develop appropriate management and conservation actions. Rather this is the closing of the first chapter, and the beginning of the next, for the project is evolving into the: ‘Bornean Clouded Leopard Programme’.

The Global Canopy Programme have now handed the reins over to the WildCRU, at the University of Oxford, who, having previously been the scientific advisor to the project, will now be the lead partner in our new programme. Please check back here soon for details of our new programme.

So at the dawning of our new endeavour we’d like take a step back and offer a big thank you to all those that have supported the project and shared our desire to help begin shedding light on this unique, but little known guild of Bornean felids.

We thank the many organisations that have provided financial support, and in particular, we thank the UK Government’s Darwin Initiative, who provided the core funding to our previous work in Sabah. We thank our research assistants and the volunteers that helped us with the often challenging fieldwork. A big thank you to the host country organisations that have supported us and given us permission to carry out the project, including the Yayasan Sabah, Sabah Wildlife Department, DVMC, Economic Planning Unit, and of course our project partners at the ITBC, Universiti Malaysia Sabah. Sincere thanks go to our project counterpart, Dr Henry Bernard, and the Royal Society SEARRP’s Dr Glen Reynolds, who both provided invaluable logistical and technical assistance, and also a friendly ear.

Lastly we offer a big thank you to the Global Canopy Programme’s Andrew Mitchell and Katherine Secoy, both for doing a sterling job at managing the project and for seeing the potential in two eager Conservation Biologists, desperate to start a wild cat conservation project in Borneo.

(Photos: Top: A leopard cat photographed at the Danum Valley Field Station - one of the projects very first cat photos - we now have well over a thousand! Bottom: Andy, Katherine Secoy and Jo, overlooking the Danum Valley canopy.)

Identifying individual cloudys...

2010-01-17T01:34:00.004+07:00

Great news from the field… we’ve discovered yet another male Sunda clouded leopard, which means that we can now identify at least six males and two females from our study area in Tabin. I say ‘at least’ because for some of these guys we only have photographs of one side of the animal, which means that we cannot be 100% sure that some of the photographs are not from the same individual.

The photo above is a collage of all of our cloudys we’ve discovered so far in Tabin. As with other felids each clouded leopard has a distinct coat pattern which we can use to tell individuals apart. Clouded leopards share many features of their coat pattern, but close inspection of the size and shape of individual’s clouds and spots will reveal key differences. Surprisingly, we’re finding that there may be less variability in the coat morphology of Tabin’s clouded leopards (see photo). Could this be the result of reduced gene pool? We've also noticed that coat and tail morphology may differ between male and female clouded leopards, but that's a story for another day...

To aid in the ID’ing of these beasties we use ‘Photoshop’ to produce a tightly cropped image of both left and right sides (if we have them) of each animal. If needed, we can use the programme to sharpen the image or increase contrast etc. This reference collection can then be used to identify new cloudy photos as and when they come in.

New clouded leopard identified from Tabin!

2009-12-09T22:30:00.005+07:00

The latest cloudie to be identified at Tabin - Clouded leopard Male 4.

Although the photograph is a little blurry it is good enough to enable

unequivocal identifiaction.

We’re delighted to announce that our hard work at Tabin appears to be paying off, with the exciting discovery of some new clouded leopard photographs. The latest check of cameras has revealed a new, previously unknown, clouded leopard male, and yet more photographs of our far from camera shy Male 3. The new photographs come as somewhat of a relief to our team as not only is it a pleasure to see these spectacular animals but it is also essential to get as many photographs as possible during our survey period in order for us

to do some real conservation science and to generate a robust estimate of the density of these little known cats.

Male 3 posing for the camera.

The new male was photographed along ‘Jalan Raya Bagus’, the old abandoned logging road, which, as mentioned in an earlier post, was one of our most promising camera locations. We now know that at least three different clouded leopard males are using this trail.

We’ve also obtained photographs of Male 3, who is proving to be a bit of a star and has now been photographed at 5 different locations over a range of approximately 25 square kilometres. Male 3 must have been in a particularly curious mood as he decided to hang around the camera station for about two minutes and was snapped a total of eight times

Bears, elephants, and thieves

2009-10-23T09:17:00.002+07:00

Camera trappers around the world will be familiar with the feeling of nervous anticipation each and every time they go to check a camera trap in the field. Thoughts race through your head as you reach the final bend in the trail before setting sight on the camera trap.... are the batteries still OK, has it been damaged, is it even still there?

And so it was this week when we arrived to check camera site 22, situated uncomfortably close to the main road along Tabin’s western border, which is frequented by plantation workers and the occasional poacher alike. To our dismay both cameras were gone, presumably stolen by poachers. Pieces of plastic from one of the cameras littered the floor, but otherwise there was no trace of the cameras and the invaluable data they contained. The tree that one of the cameras was attached to had been cut down with a parang (local machete).

Poaching – Borneo style. The main quarry targeted are Samba deer, muntjac, and bearded pig. Thankfully the number of poachers using the core road appears low, but the threat remains.

The loss of a single pair of cameras, although frustrating, should not have too detrimental an affect on our survey, but the loss of further cameras could be a real problem. We also recently photographed poachers on the main core road (photo above) that runs through the centre of Tabin. An individual can be seen standing in the back of a Toyota Hylux, spotlight in hand. Thankfully these guys left the cameras alone.

Borneo’s wildlife also give us sleepless nights when it comes to causing havoc with the cameras. The ubiquitous elephants are a frequent thorn in our side, typically knocking cameras over, but also on occasion ripping them out of the ground and walking away with them. Over the years we’ve developed a number of anti elephant-damage measures, of varying success, but thankfully Tabin’s elephants have been relatively kind so far. In a previous survey of Malua Forest Reserve the elephants were particularly aggressive, frequently knocking over, and occasionally “stealing” cameras!

One of Tabin’s elephants; we arrived 20 mins after this photo was taken to check the camera.

And now a new contender for the No.1 nuisance animal may be emerging – the sun bear. In the past we’ve had little trouble from the world’s smallest bear species, but just recently a bear took a dislike to two of our cameras and ripped them off their respective trees, resulting in a large hole in the casings, and then preceded to chew on the box, despite the metal spikes that jut out from the case at multiple angles. He returned days later to finish off what he started and to destroy the remaining camera. Let’s just hope that this is a one-off, and that he was just having a bad day.

The sun bear spots the camera and immediately makes a bee-line for it.

Bear-cam….. Good night Vienna! The final photographs from the camera as it is mauled by the irate sun bear.

The bear returns days later and has his fun with the broken camera before taking-out the remaining camera.

The cameras didn’t stand a chance! These two will likely be winging their way to the new clouded leopard exhibit at Point Defiance Zoo, as part of the Clouded leopard Project’s (CLP) education display.

NEWS FLASH.

Since writing this blog it seems as though the bear-trashed cameras may in fact pull through, despite both being full of water for several days. The exposure seems to be affected, but they may be fine during the night and as a back-up? Sorry Karen (CLP), but we have many more broken cameras!

First wild cat photos from Tabin!

2009-10-19T16:38:00.002+07:00

After two months of seriously tough work setting up the first block of camera traps we are delighted to inform you that we are beginning to see results, including photos of leopard cats, marbled cats and clouded leopards!

As expected, the first wild cat photograph that we captured at Tabin was of a leopard cat. Since then we have captured a further 19 Leopard cats on camera, mainly along the core road, but also along some of the abandoned logging roads and some of our freshly cut trails.

Leopard cat photographed on the core road at 7:25 pm.

To date we have captured five independent (i.e. taken at different times) photographs of clouded leopards, two from the core road that runs through the reserve, two from an old logging road (jalan Raya bagus). Unfortunately, on all occasions only one camera out of the pair photographed the cat, meaning that we have only either left or right sided photos – not both – as we desperately need in order to identify individual animals unambiguously. Nevertheless, from comparing only left sides we can tell that that we have at least three different animals – all males.

Clouded leopard Male 2 or Mr Fish (Jo thinks he has a fish shape marking or cloud, on his side)

Surprisingly, we have captured four independent photos of two individual marbled cats, both female. I say surprisingly because it is very rare to get this species on camera. These two were photographed at a single site along a trail that we created from new. On all but one occasion the marbled cats were walking directly along the path that we had previously swept clean, leading us to tentatively assume that our trail cutting and sweeping have encouraged these cats to use the trail.

A female marbled cat photographed along a “purpose-built” trail.

This is a great start to the survey, let’s hope that the good luck continues!

Finding 74 needles in a haystack - the search for camera sites is on

2009-09-29T16:38:00.004+07:00

An understatement….. estimating the density of Sunda clouded leopards using camera traps isn't easy!

In addition to the physical challenges of deploying and repeatedly checking the network of cameras the statistical framework to estimate density requires that several (ideally at least 10) different cloudies are photo-trapped on more than one occasion (as many as possible). However, getting a cloudie on camera can be a rare event, requiring as much as 200 camera trap nights* to get a single photograph. Randomly placing your cameras will almost certainly result in zero photo-captures!

Clearly, finding the best locations to situate the cameras is of vital importance, and, ultimately will make the difference between a successful or unsuccessful density survey. A sobering thought! The problem is, finding the perfect camera site is like looking for a needle in a rather large haystack, and finding 74 such sites is a real challenge.

The Bornean Wild Cat Team, after a hard day cutting trails. Left to right: Jo, Sajaril (Itoi),

Remy, and Jasmi (Jas), (Andy -taking photograph).

Fortunately we have nearly 3 years of experience to help guide us, and there are certain tricks that we’ve learned along the way. For starters, when surveying for Sunda clouded leopards in Bornean forest old logging roads are like gold-dust. We’ve found that they can be prime locations to photo-trap cloudies and, in addition, they provide us (and, unfortunately, poachers) with much needed access to the forest interior. We’ve discovered that cloudies tend to favour travel routes that require less effort; natural ridgelines and well worn existing human trails (ideally relatively dry underfoot) can be hot-spots for cloudie activity, although these associations may also be related to hunting success.

Thus, on arrival in Tabin our first priority was to survey the area for existing (i.e. still drivable) and abandoned (i.e, not drivable and swathed in recovering forest) logging roads. We discovered two existing roads, one running north-south along Tabin’s western border and one running west-east for about 10 km through the centre of Tabin. The first road is used extensively by plantation contractors, and so the risk of theft would be too high to deploy cameras here, but it will provide much needed access along the Western border. Despite also posing a theft risk (although to a lesser degree) the second “Core Area” road will almost certainly be a clouded leopard hotspot and will thus be of such intrinsic value, in terms of getting photo-captures, that we will have to run the risk and have decided to place six camera pairs along its ca 10km length.

The search for abandoned logging roads is very much more a hit or miss affair, requiring plenty of guesswork and a lot of luck. We start by looking at a very course-scale topographic map of Tabin and try to guess where the old logging roads were built, typically along flat areas, ridges etc. and we then go out on foot and try to locate them. Frequently our searches come up empty handed, and we simply try to plot a course through the forest to the approximate area that we need a camera. We then search the area for the best location, set up the cameras, and then cut a 200m section of trail, centred on the cameras. We even sweep the trail clear of leaf litter and other debris, in an attempt to “persuade” the cloudies to use the trail.

Four wheeled drive vehicles and ATVs are a must for survey work in Borneo.

New team member, Jas (L) and Sajaril (R).

So how are we getting on? Well, as of the end of September we have already finished setting the first 37 camera sites – which required cutting over 60km of trail! We have been successful in finding several old logging roads, some good (e.g. one we’ve named Jalan Raya bagus = great logging road) and some not so good. We’ve found several very promising ridglines and are very optimistic. Watch this space for news of how we get on!

*A camera trap night is a unit of trapping effort. One camera trap night is equal to one camera operating for a 24hr period; so 10 cameras operating for 10 days equals 100 camera trap nights.

Felid survey of Tabin Wildlife Reserve underway

2009-09-17T10:42:00.002+07:00

Having successfully completed felid surveys of the Danum Valley, Ulu Segama and Malua Forest Reserves, and the Danum Palm plantation, we are now focusing our attention to the wild cats within the Tabin Wildlife Reserve. Tabin is a large (1205.2 km2) area of predominantly logged over lowland Dipterocarp forest (logging ceased in 1989) with a central primary forest area of approximately 20.1 km2.

Map of Eastern Sabah, showing the Tabin Wildlife Reserve and commercial forest reserves to the north.

What makes Tabin particularly interesting is that it is almost* completely surrounded by a vast area of oil palm and cocoa plantations, and there are a number of human settlements in the immediate vicinity. All five species of Bornean wild cat are believed to be found in Tabin, although we know very little about the status of these felids in this reserve. Thus, Tabin serves as an ideal location in which to investigate wild cat status and use of these altered habitats.

Our base at Tabin; kindly provided by the Sabah Wildlife Department

A primary aim of our research in Tabin will be to estimate the density of the reserve’s Sunda clouded leopard population, and we will tailor our camera surveys to address this question whilst simultaneously gathering information about the other wild cats and wider mammal community. Following survey protocols developed for tigers in India we will deploy a network of camera traps over at least 120km2 of Tabin’s forest and attempt to photograph or photo-trap as many individual clouded leopards as possible within a four-month period.

An area of this size presents huge logistical challenges and so we will need to split the survey into two discrete sub-areas of around 60km2. Within each sub area we will deploy 37 pairs of camera traps, located so as to maximise the chance of a successful photo-trap. The last three years have taught us much about the best locations to place the camera traps, and we will need to draw on all of this experience as the favoured camera locations –old logging roads –are few and far between in Tabin, and so much the cameras will require extensive trail cutting and hiking in order to set and check the cameras.

We will keep you informed of our progress.... wish us luck!

* A small narrow corridor still connects Tabin to the forest reserves along the coastline.

Mammals residing in the oil palm plantations

2009-07-15T09:19:00.006+07:00

In March 2009 the camera traps were moved to an oil palm plantation to investigate to what extent the Bornean wild cats, and indeed the wider mammal community, use plantations, and to estimate the density of leopard cats, which are thought to do well in this habitat. Our study site, the Danum Palm plantation is the southernmost tip of a vast contiguous plantation area, and is sandwiched between the Segama river, to the east, and the Ulu Segama and Malua Forests Reserves, to the West.

During the survey we recorded over 23 species of mammal that were using the plantation, although, importantly, some species such as the sambar deer and mouse deer were only recorded at the forest-plantation boundary. Bornean yellow muntjac and red muntjac were recorded in some areas, however, photo-capture rates of these species are lower than that from our forest surveys, which suggests that they may be found at lower densities in plantations. Bearded pigs, porcupines and Pig-tailed macaques were found in good numbers throughout the plantation, whereas long-tailed macaques tended to be associated with the camera sites adjacent to the Segama river.

Leopard cats were the most commonly recorded carnivore, although Malay civets and common palm civets were also frequently recorded. On several occasions photographs were also obtained of mongooses and yellow-throated martens. It’s likely that the high densities of rodents found in these plantations are being exploited to differing degrees by these particular carnivores. In addition to leopard cats we also photo-trapped a single male marbled cat, on 4 separate occasions, which is extremely rare, even for forest surveys. Crucially, as with the Samba and mousedeer, this marbled cat was only detected on the very edge (literally) of the forest. We found no evidence of the clouded leopard, bay cat or flat-headed cat using the plantation, although it should be highlighted that survey was too brief to conclude that these felids are not using the plantation.

Leopard cat photographed along one of the palm terraces (Top).

Yellow throated marten photographed along a gravel road(Bottom)

We have now removed all the cameras from the plantation, where they will be sadly missed by the local children who found them an endless source of fascination!

Mystery of missing leopard cats solved!

2009-05-21T16:22:00.004+07:00

In May 2008 we captured our first leopard cat, an adult male, along the gravel road that leads to the Danum Valley Field Centre. LC M1, aka ‘Eddie’, was radio-tagged and tracked successfully over the next 4 months in the dense secondary forest of the Ulu Segama FR, moving a few hundreds metres each day and exhibiting a homerange of around 2km2, typical of our leopard cats. On the 13th of September 2008 we located Eddie resting close to an old logging road, but, as it would turn out, this would be the last day we would find him.

In January 2009 we captured our 5th male leopard cat, with the help of Zara, from the Felidae Conservation Fund (FCF), and Paloma, our temporary vet from Peru. LC M5 became the first leopard cat ever to be collared with a (rather expensive) GPS collar, courtesy of FCF. This collar consists of a radio transmitter, but unlike standard radio collars this collar also records its position at predefined periods using the on-board GPS receiver, storing the data on the collar itself. To access the data we need to track the cat using the on-board standard radio transmitter, wait for the collar to fall off (via a fabricated weak point in the collar material), and then manually download the data to a PC. LC M5 was located near to the trap site the following day, but thereafter we have been unable to locate him…… until this week that is!

Earlier this year we moved our camera traps into an area of oil palm plantation located around 25 km from our main forest field site. In the 7 weeks that the cameras have been running we’ve accumulated over 400 leopard cat photos. You’ll understand our absolute astonishment when, whilst reviewing the recent photos from the oil palm, we discovered photos of both Eddie and LC M5! Both cats are still in excellent physical condition and the collars appear to be undamaged. So it would appear that both these cats have upped sticks and travelled over 25 km to a completely new homerange, which explains our being unable to find them over the last few months. Sajaril has just this minute returned from the field and has great news…. he and Remmy have radiotracked both cats in the plantation. It’s fantastic to catch up with our old friends!

First insights into the world’s least-known wild cat

2009-05-04T01:27:00.010+07:00

The Bornean bay cat Pardofelis badia is a small endangered felid found only in the forests of Borneo. Arguably the world’s least known wild cat, this species was first photographed in the wild as recently as 2002! We know very little about this cat’s ecology –such as its population size or its habitat requirements – we don’t even know what this species eats. We do know that this cat is threatened from the rapid forest loss that is underway in Borneo, and that we need to increase our knowledge of the bay cat if we are to help conserve it.

For the last two and half years Jo, myself and our colleagues have been trying to answer some of these questions with the aid of radiotracking and camera traps. Whilst we’ve had little luck in catching these elusive cats our trusty camera traps have captured an amazing 23 images of bay cats (only 32 photos of this cat in the wild have ever been taken!) and are beginning to shed some light on the secret lives of these mysterious cats. We’re learning that although these cats can be active at night they exhibit a largely diurnal (daytime) activity cycle with a peak in activity at dawn. We’ve found that the two pelage colour phases (grey and red) can be present in the same population and that, at least in the Danum region, neither phase is dominant. We’re also getting a handle on minimum population densities, and, perhaps most importantly, we’re providing evidence that these cats can persist in recovering and recently selectively logged forests, but that their densities may be reduced from that found in primary forest.

Preparations for field course

2009-05-01T20:34:00.007+07:00

Preparations are now underway for our 4th “Mammal Field Research Techniques” training course. Aimed at encouraging local conservation biology undergraduates to conduct much-needed mammal field research in Borneo, the course provides grounding in the primary field techniques used to study mammals, such as camera trapping, radiotracking and habitat analysis. The course is conducted in collaboration with Dr Henry Bernard from the Institute for Tropical Biology & Conservation (ITBC) at the local UMS University. Following the end of the current Darwin Initiative programme the training course will be integrated into the ITBC’s Conservation Biology BSc syllabus. This May we will be working alongside ITBC staff and expanding our curriculum to include reptiles and amphibians, in a trial integration of this course and their existing field course programme.

Flat-headed cat photographed in Danum

2009-01-23T22:42:00.003+07:00

Last April we obtained our first (and to date only) photograph of a flat-headed cat. This is the first time this species has been photographed within the Ulu Segama Forest Reserve and this record means that the Ulu Segama is the first known forest on Borneo where there is definitive evidence of the existence of the entire 5-species Bornean felid guild. The flattie was photo-captured in an area of primary forest about 300m away from the Danum Valley Field Centre buildings. To date we have collected over a thousand leopard cat and over two hundred Sunda clouded leopard photos, which demonstrates just how rare this little cat is. The flattie’s conservation status was raised to endangered earlier this year by the IUCN: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/18148

Helicopter search for Aly

2008-10-27T16:28:00.005+07:00

On the 7th October 2008, Jo, Daniel and I climbed aboard a helicopter, with the aim of tracking down our missing clouded leopard. For a few months we had tried in vain to locate her. On foot we climbed all the highest peaks and ridges in the area, and in our trusty Toyota Hylux we drove along old abandoned logging roads, far from where we had previously located her, in the hope that she may have moved to a new area. It soon became clear that the only way we could find her was to search from the air.
After several months we raised the funds to hire a helicopter to search for her, thanks primarily to a generous grant from the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit at the University of Oxford, and so in October we took to the skies. Before departing the flight engineer removed the two rear doors to enable Dan and I to hang our radio antennas out each side, with us safely strapped in courtesy of a ‘monkey harness’; Jo was positioned up front, helping to guide our flight path and record any potential signals. We had previously arranged a flight pattern with our pilot, Captain Francis, which would take us over Aly’s old range and then to the north and east, where we had a hunch she was now dwelling.

We took off from the small boggy grassland that serves as Danum Valley Field Centre’s well-used football pitch and began to soar over the rainforest canopy. We headed for the areas of forest where we had previously picked up Ally’s signal, but we heard nothing. Acting on a hunch we headed North of this area and after a few minutes we began to approach the hard edge of the Ulu Segama, where disturbed forest meets oil palm plantation. Still nothing, with each costly minute ticking by. Then I thought I heard a weak beeping sound on the receiver and informed the others. There was no repeat beep, and I began to think that I had imagined it when Daniel informed everyone that he had the signal. We definitely had a signal, but something was wrong. Instead of being a clear high-pitched beep the sound was dull, but the time between beeps appeared to be correct. We tried to re-tune the receiver, as sometimes radio collars frequencies ‘walk’ or change slightly over time, but that did not help. We were fairly confidant that it was Ally’s collar; if it was, the collar had malfunctioned, and we would find it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to find it on foot.

There was nothing more we could do, and so we headed south to try and find two of our collared leopard cats that had also been alluding us. As we approached the main logging road the sound of one of our male leopard cat’s radio collar announced itself on the receiver. This time the signal was strong and clear, and we were able to get a usable approximate location. The next day we would go in on foot to try and get a more accurate location, and we would get a surprise –but that is another story. Time was running out, and we were forced to return to the DVFC with mixed emotions. We had located LCM4, a 2.3 kg leopard cat, which was great news, but we had also discovered that we probably would be unable to locate Ally again.

Clouded leopard captured

2008-10-27T15:37:00.005+07:00

One morning in January 2008 Jo and I were met by an excited friend of ours who had news of a captured clouded leopard! Wong, who had been studying sun bears and beared pigs in Danum for over 10 years, informed us that his team had accidentally captured the cloudie in one of their traps set for pigs. This was fantastic news for us, as one of the primary aspects of our research was to learn how these threatened wild cats use their habitat, such as how much space do they need to survive? It turned out that the clouded leopard was a subadult female. After sedating her we fitted a radio collar to her to enable us to track her movements in the dense Ulu Segama forest. We named her Alumis, or Aly for short, which in the local Kadasan-Dusan language means beautiful. This was the first time this species of cat had been tagged. For several months afterward we successfully tracked Aly, although she frequently disappeared for a week or so. Then in March ’08, she vanished, despite our considerable efforts to find her.

Rare Sumatran Rhino captured by camera trap

2008-09-14T15:35:00.001+07:00

After running camera traps almost continuously over two years we have just captured our first photos of the critically endangered Sumatran Rhino!! These two images of a young female rhino confirm the continued presence of this species within Sabah. However, the fact that these remain to be the only photos we have obtained, and that this is only the second time a rhino has been photographed in this region, highlights the severity of the threat to the rhinos’ continued existence.

Project Update August 2008

2008-08-06T00:00:00.000+07:00

(i) Camera trapping:
Phase 1 of camera trapping in the primary forest of the Danum Valley Conservation area revealed the presence of the apparently extremely rare Bornean bay cat, the first confirmed record of this species in this protected area, and the forth ever photograph of this felid in the wild. No other felids were photo captured during this 6 month operation.

Phase 2 involved camera trapping along abandoned logging roads and trails within an area of good quality selectively logged forest –the Ulu Segama Forest Reserve. Felid photo captures included bay cat, marbled cat, leopard cat and clouded leopard, although the capture rates of the bay and marbled cats proved to be too low to conduct any quantitative density analysis. Photo capture rates of Bornean clouded leopards, however, proved to be sufficiently high to enable the implementation of a density estimation utilising a capture-mark-recapture framework. This has provided the first scientifically robust density estimate for clouded leopards on Borneo and
indeed the first for this species.

During Phase 3 we have returned to the primary forest to re-attempt to conduct a density estimate survey of the clouded leopard. With a greater number of camera traps, thanks in part to the International Trust for Nature Conservation, we have been able to survey at a significantly higher camera density and over a wider area than Phase 1. To date we have collected a further 3 photo capture events of the bay cat and a further 3 of the marbled cat, which is helping us to build a picture of these felid’s activity and habitat use. We photo-captured 3 individual clouded leopards in this area, on several occasions; however, the photo-capture rate is again too low to
perform a capture-recapture analysis.

In the forthcoming stages of camera trapping we plan to move the cameras to an area of heavily logged forest, in which the logging operation has only recently ceased (Dec ’07). This area is much more representative of Borneo’s remaining logged forest, and will provide an excellent area in which to conduct a clouded leopard density estimate. Later phases will entail camera trapping within the Ulu Segama forest (as in Phase 2) at a much higher camera density, which will enable us to conduct a density estimate of the leopard cat and other small individually identifiable mammalian carnivores. Density estimates for these species will also be obtained using molecular scatology techniques, which will enable us to investigate the relative efficacy of these two techniques.

(ii) Live trapping and radio tracking.
Live trapping has now begun in earnest and on 31st January 2008 we successfully trapped and radio collared a female sub-adult Sundaland (Bornean) clouded leopard; this is the first time this species has been radio collared. VHF radio-tracking has proved to be difficult but possible in this heavily forested and rugged terrain. After several months of tracking the female clouded leopard home range had exceeded 20 km2 (100% MCP), although the increase in range size following sequential locations has not reached an asymptote, suggesting that the actually home range is larger. The female began to move in a northerly direction until the signal was lost. To date we have been unable to locate this female and we are now preparing to conduct an aerial search using a helicopter.

In the last 2 months we have also been successful in capturing and tagging 6 leopard cats (4 males, 2 females), and we are successfully collecting excellent data on four of these individuals. Two individuals are proving to be difficult to locate, but these have only been collared for a few weeks.

The live trapping operation has now closed, and it is envisaged that we will reopen the traps in September ’08.

Project Update July '08

2008-07-17T21:56:00.000+07:00

Camera trapping
Most of July has been spent mapping and assessing the new survey area – Malua Forest Reserve. It seems feasible that an area of at least 80 km2 can be effectively surveyed with paired camera traps. From initial surveys here looking for scat and prints it seems that there are several different carnivore species present and also elephant and banteng. A single leopard cat was also sighted here. At the beginning of July the cameras from around Borneo Rainforest Lodge were brought in and we found that we have finally been successful in obtaining a photo-capture of a clouded leopard from one of these sites. The individual photo-trapped is a juvenile who had been sighted on one of the trails a few days before the photo. This brings our total number of individual clouded leopards from the Conservation Area to three and unfortunately with such a low hit rate and re-captures of only one animal we will not be able to quantify these data. We also have recorded marbled cat and have several more bay cat photos from this area of primary forest, but again sample sizes are too small to quantify the data. The new chips in the cameras that allow a higher sensitivity setting are proving very useful, we are capturing more small mammals and small birds, compared to the cameras with the old chips.

Radio tracking
We continue to obtain useful data on the collared leopard cats and our knowledge about their ranges continues to increase. The female remains more difficult to track than the males, but we are managing to get useful data on all the leopard cats. Daniel has been co-ordinating the field work whilst Andy and I have been in the UK and has been sending regular updates with details of radio tracking, however the data will not be fully analysed until our return to Sabah.

Project Update June '08

2008-06-11T21:53:00.000+07:00

Camera trapping

Throughout June the cameras from the Conservation Area have been brought in, assessed for damage, and repaired where possible; a few cameras remain in the Conservation Area to be brought in at a later date. The new survey area is the old Malua Forest Reserve, now part of the new Ulu Segama-Malua Forest Reserve in which a sustainable forest management scheme is being run. Logging ceased in this area in December 2007 with logs being removed until April 2008. This area of forest has a low, relatively open canopy and is much more disturbed than the Infapro area where the first density survey was conducted. Before positions for the cameras are chosen the area will be mapped with the GPS to ensure there is an adequate road network and trails, skids and roads will be carefully chosen to guarantee the optimum camera layout.

Live trapping
Live trapping ceased on June 10th as our volunteer vet had to return to the UK. However, before this date we were successful in trapping a further two male leopard cats, male 3 on June 4th and male 4 on June 6th. Both cats were healthy adults and free from trap injuries. Both immobilisations went very well, with smooth recoveries and both cats were fitted with radio collars. The live traps are now all closed and have been brought in from the field. They will be repaired or replaced where necessary and stored ready for the next phase of live-trapping in September/October.

Radio tracking
Radio tracking the leopard cats is going well. Male 3 has moved several kilometres from his trap site to the field centre and most of the locations we have for him are around the buildings here. As female 1 seems to stay away from the larger roads she is more challenging to keep track of, but we are managing to obtain locations for her. We have the most locations for male 1 and his home range so far is about 3 km2, which is comparable with the findings from the only other leopard cat study on Borneo: Rajaratnam’s study at Tabin Wildlife Reserve. There is also some overlap between the home ranges of male 1 and male 2. Unfortunately we are still unable to relocate Ally. We are making plans to use a helicopter for a one hour aerial search of the forest.

Personnel
Our volunteer vet Rosalie has now left the project and returned to the UK, we wish her the best of luck in finding a new job there. Todd, who will volunteer with us for the next few months has recently joined us and is a welcome new member of the team. We will, however, need to have a new vet on the team for the next phase of live trapping.

Project Update May 2008

2008-05-14T21:51:00.000+07:00

Camera trapping

After running 16 pairs of cameras in the Conservation Area for the last few months it has become apparent that the capture probability for clouded leopards in this forest type is too low to analyse the data in a capture-mark-recapture framework. This is not to say that there are fewer clouded leopards in the primary forest, simply that it is much more difficult to identify the areas through which clouded leopards will move and so it is more challenging to place the cameras in areas that will result in high numbers of photo-captures. Therefore we plan to move the cameras from the Conservation Area and onto the next phase – a mark-recapture study in very recently logged forest.

Live trapping
Throughout May 20 small live traps baited with live rats, electronic sound lures or a combination of the two were deployed in the logged forest of the INFAPRO area. The first leopard cat, a healthy male, was trapped on 12th May and this was followed by 2 females on the 21st May and a second male on the 26th May. All leopard cats were healthy and free from trap injuries. All immobilisations went very smoothly and all animals were fitted with radio collars. In addition to the success of the leopard cats several Malay civets have been trapped, a monitor lizard, a common porcupine, a binturong and a mouse deer. All non-target animals have been free from trap injuries and quickly released at the trap site.

Radio tracking
We are still unable to obtain a signal for Ally despite trying all the usual places and also some new areas. Tracking of the leopard cats has proved successful to date, despite being unable to re-locate female 2 so far. Although data are few to date, it appears that the males often use the roads and have day-time rest sites at the edge of the forest close to the road. The female seems to use forest areas and very overgrown old roads preferentially to the more open roads.

Vehicle
As always, project activities are hindered by only having one vehicle available to us. Checking the live traps has to be the first priority for the day, however, as this takes the use of the car the radio tracking of all animals is impeded and becomes biased towards the afternoon locations and activity of the collared animals. We are still investigating the feasibility of using motorbikes or a quad bike for checking traps and radio tracking.

Project Overview

2007-01-20T20:40:00.000+07:00

Project Overview
Bornean tropical forest contains a guild of five felid species: clouded leopard, bay cat, flat-headed cat, marbled cat and leopard cat. One is endangered, three threatened, and their presumed primary habitat is rapidly being lost and/or altered in the region. The behavioural ecology of none is well-known, and the impact of forest destruction and management on each of these species is obscure. This project, based at Danum Valley, an area of protected primary lowland Dipterocarp rainforest within a 9730 km2 timber concession - The Ulu Segama-Malua Forest Reserve and Tabin Wildlife Reserve (TWR), a predominantly logged lowland Dipterocarp forest surrounded by oil palm plantations, both located in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo will provide base-line data regarding the behaviour and ecology of the five species of Bornean wild cat and their responses to selective logging, upon which informed conservation and management decisions can be based.

Additional aims are to provide conservation research training to host country scientists and students, by means of mammal field-research courses and the intensive training of a postgraduate from the Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ITBC) at the University of Malaysia, Sabah. We will increase awareness of the Bornean wild cats in Sabah by producing and disseminating wild cat-specific environmental education materials. Questionnaire surveys will be conducted throughout the communities surrounding the Tabin Wildlife Reserve, to assess the potential level of hunting/trade of the wild cats and their prey and to assess local people's knowledge, beliefs, attitudes and perceptions about conservation. Project findings will be used to provide recommendations for a Bornean wild cat conservation action plan, and presented at a Bornean wild cat conservation workshop at the end of the project.

Project Mission

2007-01-15T19:13:00.001+07:00

Project Mission

The Bornean Wild Cat and Clouded Leopard Project aims to protect Borneo’s resident wild cat species, through the creation of a multi-disciplinary project, merging pioneering research, conservation awareness and training. The tropical rainforests of Borneo are home to five species of wild cat: flat-headed cat (Prionailurus planiceps), marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata) leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) the endemic bay cat (Catopuma badia) and the enigmatic clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa). These species are all currently threatened, and four are now listed on the 2004 IUCN Red Data List as Endangered or Vulnerable. We will create a national flagship project on Borneo based in the Danum Valley Conservation Area and Tabin Wildlife Reserve, focusing on the clouded leopard to draw international attention to the conservation of Borneo’s wild cats and their forest environment. Armed with accurate information regarding the ecological requirements of these felids we will enable the development of effective conservation strategies to help ensure these species’ survival.

Project Objectives

1. To study the behaviour and ecology of the Bornean wild cats, with a focus on the clouded leopard. Using a combination of camera trapping and radio-tracking we will conduct the first field study of the five species of Bornean wild cats.

2. To investigate the effects of habitat alteration on Bornean wild cats. How well do Borneo’s cats adapt to managed forests and plantations? Our project will compare cat ecology in both primary and managed forests at Danum Valley and secondary forest and oil palm plantations at Tabin Wildlife Reserve.

3. To increase awareness of the Bornean wild cats and their conservation needs, using the clouded leopard as a flagship species. We will produce wild cat specific education materials for use in an established education programme at Danum Valley and will produce educational posters for display at two major tourist resorts in the area: The Borneo Rainforest lodge and Tabin Wildlife Resort.

4. To train host country scientists/students in a range of ecological/behavioural field techniques. We will train local scientists and students in mammal field research techniques including animal trapping and handling, the use of camera trapping and radio-tracking equipment, and associated data analysis techniques.

5. To investigate threats to the Bornean wild cats from hunting and trade in Sabah. A potentially significant threat to the Bornean wild cats, yet little is known about the rate at which hunting/trade occurs. We will conduct questionnaire surveys throughout the towns and villages surrounding the Tabin Wildlife Reserve. This will also provide an insight into local peoples’ views and knowledge of Borneo’s felids.

The Clouded leopard

Looking like a big cat in miniature, the clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) has the powerful, robust build of a large cat, yet it weighs between 11-20 kg. The tail is very long, typically equivalent to head-body length (up to 80-90 cm), and the legs are short, with broad paws. The fur is instantly recognisable, with its distinctive cloud shaped markings. Coat colour varies from dark grey to pale, yellowish brown, and melanistic individuals have been reported from Borneo. Another distinctive feature of the clouded leopard is its long canine teeth, which are longer in proportion to body size than those of any other species of wild cat.

The Clouded leopard is found throughout south-east Asia, and is usually characterised as being most closely associated with primary evergreen tropical rainforest, but it also makes use of other types of habitat including secondary and logged forest, as well as grassland and scrub. The species has also been recorded from mangrove swamps in Borneo.

Early accounts of the clouded leopard suggest that it is highly arboreal, secretive and nocturnal, however more recent observations suggest it may not be as arboreal or nocturnal as previously thought. Nevertheless, Clouded leopards have arboreal talents rivalling those of the Margay of South America, and have been seen to run down tree trunks headfirst, climb upside down underneath tree branches and hang from branches with their hind feet. Their short legs provide excellent leverage and a low centre of gravity while climbing. Large paws with sharp claws allow clouded leopards to gain a good grip on tree branches, and their extremely long tail serves as an excellent balancing aid. What little is known of the feeding ecology of the clouded leopard suggests that it preys on a variety of arboreal and terrestrial vertebrates. In Borneo the cat is reported to prey on pigs, deer, monkeys, orang utans and smaller mammals.

Project justification

Little is known of the clouded leopard’s status in any part of its geographic range, although it is widely held that the wild populations are declining and in need of protection. Based on estimates of density and geographic range, the clouded leopard’s total effective population size is estimated at below 10,000 mature breeding individuals, and no sub-population is thought to exist that contains more than 1,000 mature breeding individuals. Consequently, the IUCN classifies the clouded leopard as Vulnerable.

The decline of clouded leopard populations is largely attributed to habitat degradation and fragmentation due to anthropogenic activities such as logging and conversion to agriculture. Hunting for trophies and the pet trade are also perceived to be a significant threat. Clouded leopards have always been hunted throughout their range for their pelts, ownership of which was, and still is in some places, seen as a status symbol. The teeth are also highly prized and their bones and organs are used in some parts of its range in traditional medicine. In addition, some restaurants that cater towards wealthy Asian tourists feature clouded leopards on their menus. Hunting of other wildlife, such as pigs, deer and monkeys, is also thought to indirectly affect clouded leopard numbers through a reduction in their prey base.

Despite these threats little is known regarding the natural history and ecology of the clouded leopard, and the extent to which hunting and trade occurs is also unclear. To address this, we intend to initiate a multi-disciplinary project, merging pioneering ecological research, education and training. We will create a national flagship project within the Danum Valley Conservation Area (DVCA) and Tabin Wildlife Reserve in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, to draw international attention to the conservation of all of Borneo’s wild cats and their rainforest environment.

Through pioneering scientific research our project will provide base-line data regarding the behaviour and ecology of the five felids, upon which informed conservation and management decisions can be based. We will aim to answer such questions as: at what density are these animals found, how much space does a viable population require, and how does habitat alteration affect clouded leopards? The IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group has identified this research as a global priority project. We will use these data to produce a conservation plan, which will be distributed free of charge to wildlife managers and other interested parties throughout Sabah and the rest of Borneo. In addition, we will provide conservation research training to host country scientists and students, and improve awareness of the wild cats by running education workshops for local schools and tourists. We will also conduct questionnaire surveys in the villages surrounding the Tabin Wildlife Reserve to assess the potential level of hunting/trade of this species and its prey base. Simultaneously, we will investigate the possible role of the clouded leopard in enhancing environmental awareness in the area, and as a flagship for Bornean wildlife conservation as a whole.

Study Areas

Our project will primarily be based within the Danum Valley Conservation Area (DVCA) in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. The DVCA covers 438 km2 of primary lowland dipterocarp rainforest, within a 9730 km2 timber concession, the Ulu Segama Forest Reserve. Selective logging since 1960 has resulted in a mosaic of forest types from undisturbed forest through to newly logged areas. This, therefore, makes it an ideal site to obtain base line data on the five felids in pristine forests and to investigate the effects of selective logging on these cats. Our environmental education activities will also be based here, incorporated into an existing education programme. Tabin Wildlife Reserve comprises 1205.2 km2 of predominantly logged over lowland Dipterocarp forest with a central primary forest area of approximately 20.1 km2; active extraction of timber ceased in 1989. Tabin Wildlife Reserve is completely surrounded by a vast oil palm plantation and thus serves as an ideal site to investigate the effects that conversion to plantation crops may have on Borneo’s five felids.

Project breakdown

The project will run for three years and will comprise of distinct components. An initial field survey for cat sign and trails will enable efficient placement of camera traps. Data obtained from the camera trapping and field survey will allow efficient placement of live traps. The camera trapping survey will continue throughout the three years; the live trapping will begin approximately half way through year one and will finish roughly six months before the project end.

Year 1
• Camera trapping survey initiated
• Live trapping and radio tracking programme initiated
• 1st mammal research field course held
• Preliminary hunting/trade survey conducted

Year 2
• Camera trapping and radio tracking continued
• Environmental education materials produced
• 2nd mammal research field course held
• 2nd hunting/trade survey conducted

Year 3
• Camera trapping and radio tacking programmes terminated
• 3rd mammal research field course held
• Project dissemination workshop held
• Final reports published

Project Partners

This project will be co-ordinated by the GCP. The Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ITBC), at the University Malaysia Sabah, and the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) at the University of Oxford, will provide scientific and technical expertise.

Funding

Funding for this project is being provided by the Darwin Initiative. The Darwin Initiative is funded by the U.K. Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Additional funding has been provided by Wild About Cats.