Abstract
A study on the small carnivores in Silent Valley National Park (SVNP), southern Western Ghats, Kerala, India was conducted from September 2015 to April 2016, using the camera trap technique. Seven species of small carnivores were recorded during the study. The most common species of small carnivore of SVNP was Viverricula indica (44%) followed by Paradoxurus jerdoni (20%) and Herpestes vitticollis (17%). The other small carnivores found at SVNP were Herpestes fuscus (7%), Prionailurus bengalensis (6%), Aonyx cinereus (5%) and Martes gwatkinsii (1%). P. jerdoni and M. gwatkinsii are endemic to the Western Ghats. We discuss the niche partitioning among small carnivores in SVNP.
Highlights
The need to undertake biodiversity studies is accelerated by the rapid destruction of forests, in the tropics including the Western Ghats
The first record of Martes gwatkinsii from Parambikulam Tiger Reserve was reported by Sreehari & Nameer (2013), and the social behavior, feeding habits and activity pattern of Martes gwatkinsii were reported from Pampadum Shola National Park (PSNP) (Anil et al 2018)
We report the status and distribution of small carnivores in Silent Valley National Park (SVNP)
Summary
The need to undertake biodiversity studies is accelerated by the rapid destruction of forests, in the tropics including the Western Ghats. The number of small carnivore species reported from different protected areas of Kerala vary, e.g., 11 species from Parmbikulam Tiger Reserve (Sreehari & Nameer 2016), nine species from Eravikulam National Park (Nikhil & Nameer 2017), and Wayanad Wildlife. The first record of Martes gwatkinsii from Parambikulam Tiger Reserve was reported by Sreehari & Nameer (2013), and the social behavior, feeding habits and activity pattern of Martes gwatkinsii were reported from Pampadum Shola National Park (PSNP) (Anil et al 2018). The lack of details on small carnivores from the Silent Valley National Park (SVNP), except on the sighting records of M. gwatkinsii (Christopher & Jayson 1996) and habitat characterization of M. gwatkinsii (Balakrishnan 2005), prompted the present study. We report the status and distribution of small carnivores in SVNP
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