Abstract
AbstractThe mammal family Tenrecidae (Afrotheria: Afrosoricida) is endemic to Madagascar. Here we present the conservation priorities for the 31 species of tenrec that were assessed or reassessed in 2015–2016 for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Six species (19.4%) were found to be threatened (4 Vulnerable, 2 Endangered) and one species was categorized as Data Deficient. The primary threat to tenrecs is habitat loss, mostly as a result of slash-and-burn agriculture, but some species are also threatened by hunting and incidental capture in fishing traps. In the longer term, climate change is expected to alter tenrec habitats and ranges. However, the lack of data for most tenrecs on population size, ecology and distribution, together with frequent changes in taxonomy (with many cryptic species being discovered based on genetic analyses) and the poorly understood impact of bushmeat hunting on spiny species (Tenrecinae), hinders conservation planning. Priority conservation actions are presented for Madagascar's tenrecs for the first time since 1990 and focus on conserving forest habitat (especially through improved management of protected areas) and filling essential knowledge gaps. Tenrec research, monitoring and conservation should be integrated into broader sustainable development objectives and programmes targeting higher profile species, such as lemurs, if we are to see an improvement in the conservation status of tenrecs in the near future.
Highlights
The mammal family Tenrecidae (Supercohort Afrotheria: Order Afrosoricida), endemic to the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar, contains currently recognized extant species in three subfamilies: the Geogalinae, Oryzorictinae ( ) and Tenrecinae ( )
Most tenrecs are dependent on forest habitats, and, with Madagascar having lost c. % of its forests in the last years (Harper et al, ), the conservation status of many species is of concern
We review the current conservation status of the Tenrecidae, as defined in the last species assessments conducted for the IUCN Red List in, with the aim of identifying trends in extinction risk, habitat needs and threats
Summary
The mammal family Tenrecidae (Supercohort Afrotheria: Order Afrosoricida), endemic to the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar, contains currently recognized extant species in three subfamilies: the Geogalinae ( species), Oryzorictinae ( ) and Tenrecinae ( ). We review the current conservation status of the Tenrecidae, as defined in the last species assessments conducted for the IUCN Red List in – , with the aim of identifying trends in extinction risk, habitat needs and threats. To ensure we consider the latest recognized taxonomies, here we treat the three species of otter-shrew on mainland Africa (once considered tenrecs) as a separate family, the Potamogalidae (following Everson et al, ) We follow those authors’ synonymization of the genus Limnogale with Microgale (see Asher & Helgen, ) and placement of the large-bodied shrew tenrecs Microgale dobsoni and Microgale talazaci in the genus Nesogale
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