376
Naing et al.: Mammal and bird richness in Myanmar
Assessing large mammal and bird richness from camera-trap records
in the Hukaung Valley of Northern Myanmar
Hla Naing
1, 2
, Todd K. Fuller
1*
, Paul R. Sievert
3
, Timothy O. Randhir
1
, Saw Htoo Tha Po
2
, Myint Maung
4
,
Antony J. Lynam
5
, Saw Htun
2
, Win Naing Thaw
4
, Than Myint
2
Abstract. Myanmar is regarded as a last frontier of biodiversity in Asia. We used results from camera-traps set
for tigers (Panthera tigris) during 2001–2011 in the Hukaung Valley Wildlife Sanctuary of northern Myanmar to
assess overall species richness of large mammals and birds, and to identify differences in species detection rates
spatially and temporally. We deployed 403 camera stations during the dry seasons, October–July, of 2001–2011,
placing 260 in the Core area (~1,800 km²) and 143 in the Extension area (~15,500 km²). From 10,750 trap-nights
we obtained 2,077 independent photographs of wildlife species and 645 of humans. Wildlife included 35 species of
mammals (19 carnivores, four primates, one elephant, six even-toed ungulates, one pangolin, and four rodents) and
16 species of birds. Of these, one is considered Critically Endangered, seven are Endangered, 11 are Vulnerable, and
5 are Near Threatened. Some species that probably occur in the Sanctuary (e.g., arboreal or semi-aquatic mammals)
were not recorded, likely because of camera placement or rarity. In total, 48 species of wildlife were recorded in
the Core area, while only 33 species were detected in the Extension area. Roughly half of the photographs were
of poachers, villagers, and park rangers. The greater diversity of wildlife in the Core area may be partly due to
increased patrol efforts, but is most likely due to differences in elevation, slope, density of streams, trails, and roads,
DQG YHJHWDWLRQ DOO RI ZKLFK LQﾀXHQFH DFFHVV WR SRDFKHUV 7KH GHFOLQH LQ GHWHFWLRQ RI WLJHUV LQ WKH &RUH DUHD DQG
several of their prey species, during this decade-long study suggests a need for increased management of human
activities in order to conserve wildlife diversity in the Hukaung Valley Wildlife Sanctuary.
Key words. abundance, anthropogenic, biodiversity, distribution, Southeast Asia, wildlife
RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY 63: 376–388
Date of publication: 1 September 2015
http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:89DE5E17-293E-42A6-9245-579D86B291DB
© National University of Singapore
ISSN 2345-7600 (electronic) | ISSN 0217-2445 (print)
1
Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst,
MA 01003 USA; Email: hlanain@eco.umass.edu (HN); tkfuller@eco.umass.edu
(
*
corresponding author) (TKF); randhir@eco.umass.edu (TOR)
2
Wildlife Conservation Society Myanmar Program, Yangon 11051 Myanmar; Email:
htootha@gmail.com (SHTP); sawhtunwcs@gmail.com (SH); utm.myint062@gmail.
com (TM)
3
U.S. Geological Survey, Massachusetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research
Unit, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003 USA; Email: psievert@
eco.umass.edu (PRS)
4
1:&' )RUHVW 'HSDUWPHQW 2IｿFH 1R 1D\S\LWDZ 0\DQPDU (PDLO P\LQWNRXQ#
gmail.com (MM); nwcdfdmof@gmail.com (WNT)
5
Wildlife Conservation Society–Center for Global Conservation, Bronx NY 10460,
USA. Email: tlynam@wcs.org (AJL)
INTRODUCTION
Biodiversity is thought to play a key role in the functioning of
ecosystems, and thus current high rates of species extinction
may have dramatic effects on environmental health. Globally,
one-third of wild vertebrate species declined between 1970
and 2006, especially in freshwater ecosystems (41% decline)
and the tropics (59% decline; United Nations, 2010). Myers
HW DO LGHQWLｿHG JOREDO HFRUHJLRQ KRWVSRWV EDVHG
on species richness and endemism, and four of those are in
Southeast Asia (Indo-Burma, Sundaland, Philippines, and
Wallacea). Importantly, Southeast Asian tropical forests have
seen the highest rates of deforestation, and it is projected
that 75% of the original forest, and 41% of its biodiversity,
will be lost by the end of this century (Sodhi et al., 2004).
Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) encompasses a major
hotspot area and is regarded as the last country in Southeast
Asia containing large areas that have not been surveyed
for biodiversity, and could harbor ~5% of mammal species
(Corbett & Hill, 1992) and ~10% of bird species of the
world (Avibase, 2015). Because Myanmar has been largely
unavailable for survey and exploration for the last four
decades, unusual natural diversities may have been preserved
that are yet to be discovered. In addition, baseline information
on species occurrence and distribution is urgently needed to
update conservation and protected area management plans.
Economic expansion, climate change, poaching, and social
reform are all factors potentially affecting biodiversity in
Myanmar (Rao et al., 2013; Nijman & Shepherd, 2015;
Donald et al., 2015).
The aim of our study was to collate the records from camera
trap surveys conducted over the last decade to assess species
diversity, distribution, and relative abundance (cf., Stein et
al., 2008; McCarthy et al., 2010; Coudrat et al., 2014) for
large mammals and birds in a protected area in northern
Myanmar. We hypothesised that species richness/diversity
and abundance of large mammals and birds would be highest
in the most actively protected portion of the Sanctuary, but
Conservation & Ecology