15 as Mariarano forest. Mariarano forest comprises 65 km² of west- ern dry deciduous forest, wooded grass and bush land, a wetland complex and agricultural land (Moat & Smith 2007, Washington et al. 2009) and has been noted for its rich lemur populations (Andriantompohavana et al. 2006, Olivieri et al. 2006). Mariar- ano forest is one of the few remaining patches of unprotected western deciduous forest larger than 800 ha (Smith 1997) and is under intense anthropogenic pressure—Ackermann (2003) quantified annual deforestation rates of 3% in the forest. Since 2009, a collaborative project has been assessing the forest’s biodiversity. The partnership comprises Operation Introduction Madagascar has been described as the world’s top conserva- tion priority (Mittermeier et al. 2005), containing a mammal fauna both highly diverse and highly threatened. The endemic carnivores (Eupleridae) remain so poorly studied that their conservation planning is impeded. Mariarano classified forest (15°29′00″S, 46°41′37″E) and the adjacent Matsedroy forest fragment (15°29′23″S, 46°38′25″E) (Fig. 1) are part of an unprotected forest block in the northwest of Madagascar, 50 km northeast of Mahajanga. Hereafter, the combined forest patches are together referred to The carnivores of Mariarano forest, Madagascar: first insights B. EVANS 1 , F. RAKOTONDRAPARANY 2 , L. COLE 3 , S. GRAHAM 4 , P. LONG 5 and R. GANDOLA 6 Abstract The carnivores of Mariarano forest, northwestern Madagascar, were surveyed in June–August 2012 as part of a wider biodiver- sity survey. Seven camera-traps provided photographs of Western Falanouc Eupleres major and the introduced Small Indian Civet Viverricula indica. Observations of tracks and faeces suggested the presence of Fosa Cryptoprocta ferox, although no direct sighting occurred. Keywords: camera-trapping, Cryptoprocta ferox, deciduous forest, Eupleres major, Viverricula indica Ireo biby mpihina-nofo (Karnivôra) ao anaty alan’i Mariarano: fanadihadiana voalohany Famintinana Natao ny fanadihadiana ny fisian’ireo karazam-biby mpihina-nofo (Karnivôra) mipetraka ao anaty alan’i Mariarano (any ava- ratra andrefan’i Madagasikara), tamin’ny volana Jiona sy Aogositra 2012, nandritra ny asa ankapobeny momba ny fanaraha maso ireo biby amin’iny faritra iny. Fakantsary fandrika fito (07) no nahitana ny fisian’ny Fanaloka Andrefana Eupleres major sy ilay biby vahiny Jaboady Viverricula indica. Ny tainy sy ny dian-tongony kosa no nahafantarana ny fisian’ny Fosa Cryptoprocta ferox. Hatreto izany dia tsy hita mivantana avy hatrany ireo biby ireo. Fig. 1. Locaion of Mariarano Forest, Madagascar (image: P. Long). Small Carnivore Conservation, Vol. 49: 15–19, December 2013