Brief Survey Of Non-Volant Small Mammals On Pulau Perhentian Besar, Terengganu, Malaysia

Abstract

A brief survey of non-volant small mammals was conducted in Pulau Perhentian Besar, Terengganu, Malaysia from 13th to 19th of September 2015. Pulau Perhentian Besar is well-known as ecotourism island, located on the northeast coast off Kuala Besut, Terengganu and nowadays is known as the Pulau Perhentian Marine Park after been gazette as Fisheries Protected Areas. Non-volant small mammals were captured using cage traps baited with banana and pit fall traps at Teluk Keke area along a 1 km trail. Direct observations were conducted through Visual Encounter Survey (VES) along existing trails as transects. This study had documented 11 species of non-volant small mammals from four orders. Tupaia glis (42.4% of total individuals) were recorded as the most captured species followed by Rattus rattus (25.4% of total individuals). During VES, Callosciurus notatus, Galeopterus variegatus were among the most frequently observed species during the daytime and nighttime respectively. Since the last report published, Trachypithecus obscurus was only species of big mammal frequently recorded during the survey. This survey also had updated our knowledge of species diversity by an additional of five species, namely, Crocidura malayana, Rattus rattus, Sundamys muelleri, R. tiomanicus and Maxomys whiteheadi. More field studies are needed to account for trap-shy species, as there is still a lot of forest cover left untouched on the island.