Leopard Cat Research Articles

Distribution, relative abundance and occupancy of selected mammals along paved road in Kubah National Park, Sarawak, Borneo

Research on ecological impacts of roads has seldom been studied on Borneo. This includes information on their influence on wildlife dynamic in National Parks and other areas harbouring biodiversity. This knowledge is important to prescribe best management practices, by avoiding, minimising and compensating for adverse impacts such structures may have on individuals, populations and communities. In order to understand the effects of a paved road, located within a protected area (Kubah National Park, Sarawak, western Borneo), on the local mammal species, we set up an array of 20 camera traps using stratified sampling, along a spatial gradient of five distance categories from the road. This ranged from the edge of the road to the interior part of the forests, in the following manner: A) 0–5 m at the edge, B) 5–100 m, C) 100–200 m, D) 200–300 m, and E) 300–400 m. We explored the relationships between the distance to the road with mammalian species richness, and subsequently, for carnivores, ungulates, and Viverridae sp. (civets) and finally, attempted to estimate the density of these animal groups. Camera trap surveys accumulated 2161 camera days, which resulted in 1938 independent animal photos that consisted of 19 species of wild mammals, six species of birds and one reptile species along the gradient. This study suggests that areas close to the road (0–5 m) are used significantly less than other areas (n = 8), while cameras located within the distance range from 5–100 m and 100–200 m detected the highest number of species (n = 18). The highest numbers of ungulates and members of the family Viverridae (civets) were recorded at 5–100 m, while the distance category 100–200 m recorded the most numbers of carnivores. Several species that could be tolerant to some level of disturbance, such as the leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), banded palm civet (Hemigalus derbyanus), long-tailed porcupine (Trichys fasciculata), and lesser mousedeer (Tragulus kanchil) showed preference at 5–100 m. This might be due to their general diet behaviour and abundance of food resources nearby the forest edge. The findings from this study need to be carefully interpreted as it is based on a small scale project, therefore may not provide information required to quantify and mitigate the negative effects of roads in protected areas. Comprehensive long-term monitoring with appropriate replications, will be required for making appropriate management recommendations for enhancing conservation within the protected areas of Sarawak.

High altitude ungulate communities in southwest China

Abstract In southwest China, three major rivers, the Yangtze, Mekong and Salween, flow down from the Tibetan plateau, creating a complex topography with a diverse, little-known ungulate community. We used camera traps and multi-species occupancy modeling to determine presence/absence, habitat use and estimate species richness/occupancy. At Langdu, east of the Yangtze, we had 23 camera sites in four habitats from 4000 to 4815 m asl; at Gehuaqing in the south of Baimaxueshan Nature Reserve (BNR) between Mekong and Yangtze we had 14 sites in two habitats from 3050 to 3600 m asl. At Langdu, we photographed tufted deer Elaphodus cephalophus (Milne-Edwards 1872) most often followed by serow Capricornis milneedwardsii (David 1869) and alpine musk deer Moschus chrysogaster (Hodgson 1839). At Gehuaqing, we photographed serow most often followed by tufted deer and forest musk deer Moschus berezovskii (Flerov 1929). Tufted deer were in the most habitats, and alpine musk deer were at an elevation higher than previously reported (4815 m). The only large carnivore recorded was Asian black bear Ursus thibetanus (Cuvier 1823) leopard cats Prionailurus bengalensis (Kerr 1792) were at 4579 m asl, higher than previously documented. Langdu had higher species richness than Gehuaqing, and tufted deer had the highest occupancy at both sites. We discuss differences with another site in the north of BNR.

Activity patterns of the threatened northern tiger cat Leopardus tigrinus and its potential prey in a Brazilian dry tropical forest

Activity patterns of mammals are shaped by abiotic pressures and biotic interactions. Here, we describe the daily activity pattern of the northern tiger cat Leopardus tigrinus in semiarid drylands, an Endangered species in Brazil, and test its overlap with those of potential prey, small mammals and ground birds. Also, we test the effect of the lunar phase on the synchrony of the predator-prey interactions. Camera trap data were obtained from ten areas in the Caatinga of the Rio Grande do Norte state, totalling a sampling effort of 7271 camera-days. The northern tiger cat activity pattern was primarily nocturnal, although it shows a considerable crepuscular activity and some daytime activity. Results suggest a high activity overlap with small mammals, that were strongly nocturnal, but a low activity overlap with ground birds that were diurnal and crepuscular. The lunar cycle did not affect the activity of the northern tiger cat, but changed the activity of small mammals, which were most active during new moon phase. A feeding study performed in another geographic region of the Caatinga suggests, in contrast, that northern tiger cats should have a higher activity during the day or during the crepuscular period. Our results suggest that the stressful conditions of the day period in the Caatinga drylands, the virtual absence of nocturnal top predators in our study area, and the higher availability of small mammals during the night are propably shaping the activity pattern of the northern tiger cat. Our study contributes to enlarge our knowledge on the behavioural ecology of a threatened small cat providing one of the first insight on its predator-prey interactions.

Does one size fit all? A multispecies approach to regional landscape corridor planning

AbstractAimThe practical value of the single‐species approach to conserve biodiversity could be minimal or negligible when sympatric species are limited by factors that are not relevant to the proposed umbrella species. In this study, we quantitatively evaluated as follows: (1) habitat suitability and potential movement corridors of a single umbrella species, giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca); (2) habitat suitability of sympatric mammals; and (3) the potential effectiveness of the single‐species corridor planning to preserve suitable habitat and its connectivity of other focal species.LocationQinling Mountains, central part of China (15,000 km2).MethodsWe collected species distribution, environmental and anthropogenic data and conducted species occupancy modelling for giant panda and six other sympatric species (i.e., takin Budorcas taxicolor, tufted deer Elaphodus cephalophus, Chinese goral Naemorhedus griseus, Reeve's muntjac Muntiacus reevesi, leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis and yellow‐throated marten Martes flavigula). We then conducted circuit models to identify potential corridors for each species and evaluated the effectiveness of giant panda corridors to restore the habitat connectivity for these sympatric mammals.ResultsOccupancy modelling revealed that each species had a unique set of environmental variables associated with its distribution in the Qinling Mountains. We found that giant panda and all other focal species had some degree of fragmentation to their suitable habitat that required restoring habitat connectivity. Among the eight potential giant panda corridors, conservation efforts to reduce anthropogenic impacts would significantly improve the effectiveness of six corridors, while the other two corridors would require altering the vegetation. Five proposed giant panda corridors had remarkable overlap with corridors proposed for other species. We suggest two giant panda corridors as a priority due to their potential to maximize the benefits to both giant panda and a broader suite of mammals.Main conclusionsCorridor planning in this region of China will likely continue using the single‐species policy, but our results highlight that not all potential giant panda corridors have equal effectiveness for other wildlife species. When offered multiple alternative actions, conservation planners can prioritize corridor development based on a multispecies perspective without loss of connectivity for the priority species. This approach has strong implications to the conservation of wildlife communities in China, and elsewhere, where conservation plans developed for a single‐species garner most available funding and institutional support.

Assessment of the current distribution and human perceptions of the Pampas cat Leopardus colocolo in northern Peru and southern Ecuador

AbstractThe Pampas cat Leopardus colocolo occurs in a variety of habitats from northern Ecuador to southern Argentina, yet the species has been poorly studied. There is scant information about its northern distribution or about populations in desert and dry forest. We aimed to determine the presence of the Pampas cat in the Sechura Desert and seasonally dry forest of north-western Peru and south-western Ecuador, identify threats to the species, and describe people's perceptions of it. Using 32 camera traps and compiling confirmed and unpublished records, we mapped the species’ distribution and identified 12 new localities, three in the Sechura Desert and nine in the dry forest. The first records of the Pampas cat in the Ecuadorian dry forest are reported from La Ceiba Natural Reserve and Jorupe Reserve; the northernmost record in the dry forest is from Cerros de Amotape National Park, Peru. In 56 semi-structured interviews with local people we found that most of them (76.8%) did not know the species; 61.5% of those who knew the species had a neutral perception and did not think the cat affected their personal activities. Here we update the northern distribution of the Pampas cat, describe threats to the species in arid ecosystems, and highlight the need for further studies to identify other possible threats and mitigation methods.

Serological evidence of H5-subtype influenza A virus infection in indigenous avian and mammalian species in Korea.

In Korea, H5-subtype highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has caused huge economic losses in poultry farms through outbreaks of H5N1 since 2003, H5N8 since 2013 and H5N6 since 2016. Although it was reported that long-distance migratory birds may play a major role in the global spread of avian influenza viruses (AIVs), transmission from such birds to poultry has not been confirmed. Intermediate hosts in the wild also may be a potential factor in viral transmission. Therefore, a total of 367 serum samples from wild animals were collected near major migratory bird habitats from 2011 to 2016 and tested by AIV-specific blocking ELISA and hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test. Two mammalian and eight avian species were seropositive according to the ELISA test. Among these, two mammalian (Hydropotes inermis and Prionailurus bengalensis) and three avian (Aegypius monachus, Cygnus cygnus, and Bubo bubo) species showed high HI titres (>1,280) against one or two H5-subtype AIVs. As H. inermis (water deer), P. bengalensis (leopard cat), and B. bubo (Eurasian eagle owl) are indigenous animals in Korea, evidence of H5-subtype AIV in these animals implies that continuous monitoring of indigenous animals should be followed to understand interspecies transmission ecology of H5-subtype influenza viruses.

Activity patterns and spatial co-occurrence of sympatric mammals in the moist temperate forest of the Kashmir Himalaya, India

Little is known about the activity pattern and co-occurrence of mammalian species coexisting sympatrically in the rugged terrains of the Himalaya. By using camera traps we quantified diel activity patterns and temporal overlap as well as probabilistic model of spatial species co-occurrence amongst eight species. The jungle cat and the Indian porcupine tended to be strictly nocturnal whereas the leopard cat and the red fox were primarily nocturnal and crepuscular, yellow-throated marten was diurnal. The Asiatic black bear, leopard and the hangul showed no clear pattern. We found highest temporal overlap (Δ1 = 0.84, 95%CI = 0.54-0.86) between leopard and Asiatic black bear followed by pairs between red fox and leopard cat (Δ1 = 0.83, 95%CI = 0.72-0.91) and jungle cat (Δ1 = 0.82, 95%CI = 0.60-0.91). The lowest temporal overlap was found between yellow-throated marten and Indian porcupine (Δ = 0.11, 95%CI = 0.08-0.20). The results from probabilistic pairwise species co-occurrence analysis suggest that out of 28 possible species pairs 25 had random associations and one pair was unclassifiable. The remaining two species pairs had positive associations of co-occurrences between leopard cat and hangul (Pgt < 0.05) and Indian porcupine and hangul (Pgt < 0.05). Our results provided new insights into this unique community of mammals of the western Himalaya and will facilitate future studies on the mechanism determining coexistence of animal species within complex system.

Population density estimates and conservation concern for clouded leopards Neofelis nebulosa, marbled cats Pardofelis marmorata and tigers Panthera tigris in Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary, Sagaing, Myanmar

AbstractThe clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa is a potent ambassador species for conservation, occurring from the Himalayan foothills eastwards to Indochina, between which Myanmar is a biogeographical land bridge. In Myanmar's Northern Forest Complex, the species co-occurs with the tiger Panthera tigris, leopard Panthera pardus, marbled cat Pardofelis marmorata, golden cat Catopuma temminckii and leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis. We deployed cameras within the Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary over 2 consecutive years. In 2014–2015 we deployed 82 camera stations around the Nam Pa Gon stream (Catchment 1) for 7,365 trap days. In 2015–2016 we deployed 80 camera stations around the Nam E Zu stream (Catchment 2) for 7,192 trap days. In Catchment 1 we identified five tigers from 26 detections, five clouded leopards from 41 detections (68 photographs) and 11 marbled cats from 13 detections. Using Bayesian-based spatial capture–recapture we estimated the densities of tigers and clouded leopards to be 0.81 ± SD 0.40 and 0.60 ± SD 0.24 individuals per 100 km2, respectively. In Catchment 2 we identified two tigers from three detections, nine clouded leopards from 55 detections and 12 marbled cats from 37 detections. Densities of clouded leopards and marbled cats were 3.05 ± SD 1.03 and 8.80 ± SD 2.06 individuals per 100 km2, respectively. These differences suggest that human activities, in particular gold mining, are affecting felid populations, and these are a paramount concern in Htamanthi. We demonstrate the importance of Htamanthi within the Northern Forest Complex and highlight the Yawbawmee corridor as a candidate for protection.

&lt;b&gt;Small carnivores of the montane forests of Eravikulam National Park in the Western Ghats, India&lt;/b&gt;

The study of small carnivores of the montane forests of Eravikulam National Park in the southern Western Ghats, India recorded nine species of small carnivores using the camera trapping technique. These include three species of Mongoose (Herpestidae), two species each of lesser cats (Felidae) and civets (Viverridae), one species each of Otter and Marten (Mustelidae). They are Stripe-necked Mongoose Herpestes vitticollis, Brown Mongoose Herpestes fuscus, Indian Grey Mongoose Herpestes edwardsii, Jungle Cat Felis chaus, Leopard Cat Prionailurus bengalensis, Common Palm Civet Paradoxurus hermaphrodites, Small Indian Civet Viverricula indica, Asian Small-clawed Otter Aonyx cinereus, and Nilgiri Marten Martes gwatkinsii. It is interesting to note that the felines (lesser cats) are the more common small carnivores in the montane forests. Felis chaus was the most abundant small carnivore, which is followed by Prionailurus bengalensis and Herpestes vitticollis. Two species are Vulnerable as per the IUCN Red List, viz., Martes gwatkinsii and Aonyx cinereus.

Erratum to: Estimating occupancy of the Vulnerable northern tiger cat Leopardus tigrinus in Caatinga drylands

The original version of this article, unfortunately, contained an error. In the “Results” section of the above article originally published with an error. Originally reading “...significant lack of fit (test statistic = 144.83, p = 0.29)”, this should instead have read “...significant lack of fit “( $$ \widehat{\boldsymbol{c}}=\mathbf{0.95} $$ ; Test statistic = 144.83, p = 0.29)”.

Habitat Potential Mapping of Marten (Martes flavigula) and Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) in South Korea Using Artificial Neural Network Machine Learning

This study developed habitat potential maps for the marten (Martes flavigula) and leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) in South Korea. Both species are registered on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which means that they need to be managed properly. Various factors influencing the habitat distributions of the marten and leopard were identified to create habitat potential maps, including elevation, slope, timber type and age, land cover, and distances from a forest stand, road, or drainage. A spatial database for each species was constructed by preprocessing Geographic Information System (GIS) data, and the spatial relationship between the distribution of leopard cats and environmental factors was analyzed using an artificial neural network (ANN) model. This process used half of the existing habitat location data for the marten and leopard cat for training. Habitat potential maps were then created considering the relationships. Using the remaining half of the habitat location data for each species, the model was validated. The results of the model were relatively successful, predicting approximately 85% for the marten and approximately 87% for the leopard cat. Therefore, the habitat potential maps can be used for monitoring the habitats of both species and managing these habitats effectively.

Epidemiologic survey of feline leukemia virus in domestic cats on Tsushima Island, Japan: management strategy for Tsushima leopard cats.

The Tsushima leopard cat (TLC) Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus, a subspecies of P. bengalensis, is designated a National Natural Monument of Japan, and lives only on Tsushima Island, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. TLCs are threatened by various infectious diseases. Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) causes a serious infectious disease with a poor prognosis in cats. Therefore, the transmission of FeLV from Tsushima domestic cats (TDCs) to TLCs may threaten the TLC population. We investigated the FeLV infection status of both TDCs and TLCs on Tsushima Island by screening blood samples for FeLV p27 antigen and using PCR to amplify the full-length FeLV env gene. The prevalence of FeLV was 6.4% in TDCs and 0% in TLCs. We also demonstrated that the virus can replicate in the cells of TLCs, suggesting its potential cross-species transmission. The viruses in TDCs were classified as genotype I/clade 3, which is prevalent on a nearby island, based on previous studies of FeLV genotypes and FeLV epidemiology. The FeLV viruses identified on Tsushima Island can be further divided into 2 lineages within genotype I/clade 3, which are geographically separated in Kamijima and Shimojima, indicating that FeLV may have been transmitted to Tsushima Island at least twice. Monitoring FeLV infection in the TDC and TLC populations is highly recommended as part of the TLC surveillance and management strategy.

Estimating occupancy of the Vulnerable northern tiger cat Leopardus tigrinus in Caatinga drylands

Understanding the distribution and habitat preference of threatened species is essential for their conservation. We conducted the first systematic camera trap survey of the Vulnerable northern tiger cat Leopardus tigrinus in Caatinga drylands (Brazil) and tested how its occupancy and detectability patterns are affected by environmental and anthropogenic factors. Species detection-non-detection data, obtained by 7263 camera-days distributed throughout 187 sampling sites on ten Caatinga landscapes, were used to evaluate species detectability and occupancy according to ten environmental and anthropogenic predictors. We built seven detection models and 30 hierarchical occupancy models that have been ranked based on the Akaike Information Criterion. The estimated average occupancy of 0.46 was 38% higher than the naive occupancy rate (0.34). Species occupancy was higher in locations with greater forest cover and at greater distance to agrarian settlements. Hunting and persecution of northern tiger cats by residents and a possible reduction of their natural prey by hunting may explain the result. On the contrary, more forested environments may represent higher-quality habitats providing greater availability of prey and shelters and protection against anthropogenic threats and extreme temperatures. These results improve the understanding of the ecology of a threatened and poorly known small cat, and they can guide conservation actions such as the creation of dense forest protected areas and provide information for mitigating human-carnivore conflict.

Estimating Population Density of Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) from Camera Traps in Maekdo Riparian Park, South Korea

Estimating Population Density of Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) from Camera Traps in Maekdo Riparian Park, South Korea

Sistema de grupos sanguíneos AB em felídeos neotropicais e compatibilidade com gatos domésticos

RESUMO O principal sistema de grupos sanguíneos reconhecido para gatos é o AB. Os felinos apresentam anticorpos naturais contra o antígeno do tipo sanguíneo a que não pertencem, o que torna os testes de compatibilidade e as tipagens sanguíneas importantes na prevenção de reações transfusionais. O objetivo deste estudo foi realizar a tipagem sanguínea de oito gatos-mouriscos (Puma yagouaroundi), oito jaguatiricas (Leopardus pardalis), sete gatos-palheiros (Leopardus colocolo), sete gatos domésticos (Felis catus) da raça Persa e oito gatos domésticos sem raça definida (SRD), bem como realizar testes de compatibilidade entre os tipos sanguíneos iguais das diferentes espécies, para avaliar a possibilidade de transfusões interespecíficas. A técnica empregada para a tipagem foi a hemaglutinação em tubos de ensaio. A ocorrência do tipo sanguíneo tipo A foi de 100% entre as jaguatiricas, os gatos-palheiros e os gatos Persas e de 85,72% entre os gatos SRD. A ocorrência do tipo B foi de 100% nos gatos-mouriscos e de 14,28% nos gatos SRD. Considerando os testes de compatibilidade sanguínea, 87,5% (n=4) das jaguatiricas foram incompatíveis com os gatos domésticos, 100% (n= 6) dos gatos-palheiros foram compatíveis com os gatos domésticos e 100% (n= 4) dos gatos-mouriscos foram incompatíveis com os gatos domésticos do tipo B.

Shifts in habitat suitability and the conservation status of the Endangered Andean cat Leopardus jacobita under climate change scenarios

AbstractOrganisms adapted to life at high elevations are particularly threatened by climate change, which can cause them to become isolated on mountain tops, yet their responses may vary according to their position in the food chain and their ecological flexibility. Predicting the future distributions of such organisms requires fine-tuned species-specific models. Building on a previous ecological niche model, we explored shifts in the suitability of habitats for the Endangered Andean cat Leopardus jacobita, and assessed how these will be represented within existing protected areas in the future. Using a robust set of presence records and corrected climate surfaces, we applied the Maxent algorithm to model habitat suitability for this carnivore and for its preferred prey, the mountain viscacha Lagidium viscacia. Our predictions indicate that the areas climatically suitable for Andean cats could contract by up to 30% by 2080 under the most pessimistic scenario, with an overall upwards shift of 225 m and a polewards displacement of 98–180 km. The predicted range contraction was more pronounced in the species’ core range, in the Bolivian and Peruvian Andes, whereas suitable conditions may increase in the southern range in Patagonia. Bolivia and Peru are predicted to suffer the most marked decline in habitat representativeness within protected areas. The southern range appears to be less vulnerable to climate change, offering opportunities for the conservation of this genetically distinct population. We discuss the value and limitations of using species distribution modelling to assess changes in the potential distribution and conservation status of this and other Andean species.

Low genetic variation in the MHC class II DRB gene and MHC-linked microsatellites in endangered island populations of the leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) in Japan.

Isolated populations of the leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) on Tsushima and Iriomote islands in Japan are classified as subspecies P. b. euptilurus and P. b. iriomotensis, respectively. Because both populations have decreased to roughly 100, an understanding of their genetic diversity is essential for conservation. We genotyped MHC class II DRB exon 2 and MHC-linked microsatellite loci to evaluate the diversity of MHC genes in the Tsushima and Iriomote cat populations. We detected ten and four DRB alleles in these populations, respectively. A phylogenetic analysis showed DRB alleles from both populations to be closely related to those in other felid DRB lineages, indicating trans-species polymorphism. The MHC-linked microsatellites were more polymorphic in the Tsushima than in the Iriomote population. The MHC diversity of both leopard cat populations is much lower than in the domestic cat populations on these islands, probably due to inbreeding associated with founder effects, geographical isolation, or genetic drift. Our results predict low resistance of the two endangered populations to new pathogens introduced to the islands.

Influence of vegetation area and edge length on mammals in urban woods

ABSTRACTWe investigated the relationships between vegetation area, edge length, and mammals in the urban woods of Daejeon Metropolitan City, South Korea. The vegetation patches included in this study varied from 2.1 to 501.0 ha in size. Surveys were conducted monthly between February and October 2015, with a survey route measuring 1 km in length and 10 m width established in each forest patch. Field signs of 14 species of mammals were recorded in the 33 chosen forest patches over the course of the study period, and the number of species in each patch varied from 2 to 11. Mammal species richness was positively correlated with vegetation area, and field sign frequency was positively correlated with vegetation area and negatively correlated with edge length. The field sign frequencies of large moles Mogera robusta, Siberian chipmunks Tamias sibiricus, leopard cats Prionailurus bengalensis, Korean hares Lepus coreanus, water deer Hydropotes inermis, and wild boars Sus scrofa were positively correlated with vegetation area. Moreover, that of large moles, leopard cats, Korean hares, and water deer were negatively correlated with edge length. Remnant vegetation area and edge length are the primary determinants of mammal species richness and field sign frequency in urban woods, highlighting the importance of vegetation patch size for mammal conservation in fragmented urban landscapes.

KEPADATAN POPULASI MAMALIA DARAT KARNIVORA DI CAMP LEAKEY KAWASAN TAMAN NASIONAL TANJUNG PUTING, KALIMANTAN TENGAH

Borneo has wide land that support high biodiversity. One of them is Tanjung Puting National Park (TPNP), which have biodiversity such as terrestrial mammalian carnivore. Carnivore has a role to maintain its ecosystems. But, there are no data for population density of terrestrial mammalian carnivore. The object of this research is to find out population density of terrestrial mammalian carnivore in Camp Leakey, TPNP, Central Borneo. This research accomplished in September-October 2015 in Camp Leakey. Using line-transect sampling. Data collection was accomplished at 18.00-24.00 Central Indonesian Time (WITA) on eight transects with three times replication by direct surveys and indirect surveys. This research has obtained five species, malayan sun bear (Helarctos malayanus), sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi), leopard cat, and group of civet, like small-toothed palm civet (Arctogalidia trivirgata) and asian palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus). Population density of each species from the highest to the lowest is 13,5 Individual of leopard cat/km2, 9,84 Individual of malayan sun bears/km2, 4,31 Individual of sunda clouded leopard/km2, and 3,65 Individual of civet/km2. Malayan sun bears, sunda clouded leopards and civets prefer to be in land forest. Leopard cats prefers to be in transition forest.

Identificação de Espécies de Animais Silvestres por Meio de Sequências Mitocondriais Utilizados no Combate aos Crimes Contra a Fauna – Mato Grosso – Brasil

The Brazil has an unquestionable importance in the setting of global biodiversity which makes it one of the countries most targeted to this which is the third largest illicit trade of the world, the trafficking of wild animals. Even with the recognition of technique as important tool in identifying, still hangs a discussion about what the best segment of DNA to be used (Cytb or IOC) and if these are effective for degraded samples, as is the case of forensic samples. Objective was to contribute to the dissolution of the questioning and deposit in the GenBank database of mitochondrial DNA sequences generated. The samples were divided into two groups, calls to reference samples (collected animals of the Zoo of UFMT) and challenged samples (sent to Technical Scientific Police laboratory for species identification). After extraction, amplification and sequencing, the sequences were confronted with samples already deposited in GenBank. The best results were obtained for the shorter sequences of Cytb. In only 10% of species achieved success in sequencing the IOC segment. The resulting sequences of samples references, when faced with the sequences deposited in GenBank showed similarity between 100% 93.9%, with the exception of the sample Leopardus pardalis which resulted in 91.9% of similarity with the species Prionailurus bengalensis. For the resulting sequences of samples questioned obtained similarity index greater than 97% of species of hydrochaeris Hydrochoerus, Tapirus terrestris and Euprhactus sexcinctus. For the obtained sequences of species, Pecari tajacu, Rhynchotus rufescens, Leptotila verreauxi and Tupinambis teguixin, the index of similarity was of 94.3% with Pecari tajacu, 96.5% with Ramphasto toco, 96.1% with Amazona guildingii and 98.3% with the species Tupinambis merianae, respectively. Thus this work contributed to standardize and show the efficiency of the technique and the need to carry out a major project of sequencing of the entire fauna Silvestre Brazilian to make them available in public databases.