Taxonomic inventory and ecology of the bats of silent valley national park, Kerala
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Date
2016
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Department of Wildlife Science, College of Forestry, Vellanikkara
Abstract
Status, distribution and habitat preference of small carnivores in
Silent Valley National Park (SVNP) was studied during September 2015 to April
2016, using camera trap survey and day transects survey for the direct and indirect
evidence. Seven species of small carnivores were recorded during the study. They are
Small Indian Civet Viverricula indica, Brown Palm Civet Paradoxurus jerdoni,
Stripe-necked Mongoose Herpestes vitticollis, Brown Mongoose Herpestes fuscus,
Leopard Cat Prionailurus bengalensis, and Asian Small-clawed Otter Aonyx
cinereus, and Nilgiri Marten Martes gwatkinsii. 12 mammal species other than small
carnivores were reported along with 7 species of birds and one species of reptile
during this present study. Small Indian Civet is the most abundant small carnivore in
SVNP followed by Brown Palm Civet, and Stripe-necked Mongoose. From the
diversity indices, it is found that species diversity was high during rainy season
compared to non-rainy season.
The analysis of activity pattern of small carnivores of SVNP showed
a significant difference in activity distribution of sympatric species. The Stripe-
necked Mongoose has diurnal activity pattern where Brown Mongoose has a
nocturnal activity pattern. Two species of viverrids, Small Indian Civet and Brown
Palm Civet showed a nocturnal activity, but they have varying peak activity periods.
Leopard Cat had a nocturnal activity pattern.
Logistic regression analysis was done for predicting the presence of
small carnivore species based on 20 habitat parameters. The predictive accuracy of
the regression model for occurrence of Stripe-necked Mongoose and Leopard Cat
were 100%, which of Brown Mongoose, Brown Palm Civet and Small Indian Civet
was 97%, 80%, and 79% respectively. Differential preferences of the species for the
studied habitat variables were examined using discriminant analysis. It is interesting
to note that the small carnivores of Silent Valley shows niche overlapping.
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PG
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Citation
173776