Conservation status, ex situ priorities and emerging threats to small carnivores

Abstract

Madagascar contains the highest concentration of threatened carnivore species anywhere in the world. The country's deteriorating protected‐area network makes it a priority for small carnivore conservation, and several species may need some form of ex situ action. Small carnivores in South East Asia are under significant pressure from hunting to supply the illegal wildlife trade, as well as habitat loss, and the interactions between these two factors. Owston's civet Chrotogale owstoni is the conservation priority from this region. The rapidly declining status of Large‐spotted civet Viverra megaspila needs careful monitoring, as it may warrant intervention soon. Otters (Lutrinae) in Asia are in decline and there may exist as yet undescribed conservation units that are extremely threatened. Hairy‐nosed otter Lutra sumatrana is not yet a priority for ex situ conservation because of low feasibility; efforts should focus on managing the populations of Smooth‐coated otter Lutrogale perspicillata and Asian small‐clawed otter Aonyx cinereus already in human care. The future of European mink Mustela lutreola and Black‐footed ferret Mustela nigripes will depend on ongoing support to conservation‐breeding efforts, as well as threat reduction. To a lesser extent, Red panda Ailurus fulgens conservation is also dependent on continued support to its integrated conservation plan. There are no obvious candidate species for ex situ conservation of small carnivores from Africa, though the bushmeat trade, planned large‐scale infrastructure projects and a growing transnational wildlife trade link to Asia may change this assessment in the near future. It is unclear what role ex situ conservation would have for Pygmy raccoon Procyon pygmaeus: the main threat to this species is hurricanes. A speculative assessment of emerging threats to small carnivores includes: infrastructural development in the tropics, illegal wildlife trade networks that include Latin American, African and Asian markets, and the growing Vietnamese and Chinese diasporas that operate in other Asian countries, Africa and Latin America, and the interactions between all of these factors.