Project Update: September 2005

Based on 12,416 hours of camera operations, 176 pictures were taken. 12 mammals and one bird species was photographed. Macaca nemestrina became the most captured on photo target (22.2 %) followed by Hystrix brachyura (11.9), Tapirus indicus (11.4), Muntiacus muntjak (8), Sus scrofa (7.4), Presbytis melalophos (6.8), Macaca fascicularis and Panthera tigris (1.7), Argusianus argus & Helarctos malayanus (1.1) and Manis javanica, Martes flavinuca & Tragulus javanicus (0.6). Activity of local people also was recorded (19.9 %). Of 9 photos (5.1 %) still unconfirmed due to the low of light intensity and targets are too small (graphic 1: attached).

Occasions percentage of tapir photographed (number of times that Tapir passed through the camera / number of trapping hours) during this studies (0.089) is higher than previous studies in Kerinci Seblat National Park, where Jeremy et al. (2003), only record 0.017 – 0.081.

Based on camera placement, only three points from eight camera placement detect the Malayan Tapir, which those points located near and in salt lick area. This early results indicated the need of Tapir on such this area.

Early results also indicate that preference of tapir to active at night and tend to be solitary. All photos of Tapir are recorded at nigh until early morning (19:57 to 04:25), and all are single individual.