Malays. Appl. Biol. (December 2000) 29(1&2): 133-143
A SMALL MAMMAL TRAPPING STUDY ON MOUNT KINABALU, SABAH, MALAYSIA
SHUKOR, M.N.
Centre of Environment and Natural Resources Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
ABSTRACT
Penangkapan dan pelepasan semula mamalia kecil di enam paras ketingggian di sepanjang transek laluan utama ke puncak Gunong Kinabalu telah dijalankan dari bulan November 1994 hingga April 1995. Daripada 3780 perangkap-malam telah menghasilkan 824 penangkapan yang mewakili 12 spesies mamalia kecil. Spesies yang ditangkap termasuk dua spesies tupai, dua spesies tupai-muncung, tujuh spesies tikus, dan satu spesies cencurut. Dikalangan spesies ini Tupaia montana sangat tinggi kelimpahannya dengan 375 individu (46% dari jumlah keseluruhan penangkapan) diikuti oleh Rattus baluensis dengan 253 individu (30%). Individu dan spesies yang ditangkap tidak seimbang taburannya di semua paras ketinggian. Hanya spesies Leopoldamys sabanus mempunyai taburan yang luas dan seimbang kelimpahannya disemua paras ketinggian, manakala Callosciurus orestes, Maxomys ochraceiventer dan Tupaia tana adalah tiga spesies yang terhad taburannya hanya pada satu ketinggian sahaja. Secara keseluruhannya, jumlah individu yang tangkap dan peratus kejayaan penangkapan di setiap paras ketinggian disepanjang transek gunong ini adalah rendah pada paras ketinggian yang rendah (diantara 700 - 1200 m), tertinggi pada paras ketinggian pertengahan (diantara 1700 - 2200m), dan sederhana pada paras ketinggian teratas (diantara 2700-3200 m). Data penangkapan menunjukkan kesemua tikus adalah nokturna manakala tupai-muncung, cencurut dan tupai adalah diurnal.
ABSTRAK
A capture-release of small mammals at six elevational sites along the main summit trail of Gunong Kinabalu (summit at 4101 m) was conducted between November 1994 to April 1995. From 3780 trap-nights, 824 captures were made representing 12 small mammal species. Species captured included two species of squirrels, two species of treeshrews, seven species of murid rodents, and one species of gymnure. Among these species, Tupaia montana was the most numerous, with 375 individuals trapped (46% of the total catch) followed by Rattus baluensis with a total of 253 individuals (30%). Individuals and species caught in this study were not evenly distributed at the six elevational sites. Leopoldamys sabanus was the only widely distributed and equally abundant species across the elevations and Callosciurus orestes, Maxomys ochraceiventer and Tupaia tana were the only three species restricted to a single elevation. In general, the total number of individuals captured and percent of trap success at each elevation along the transect on this mountain was depauperate at low elevation (between 700 - 1200 m), highest at middle elevation (between 1700 - 2200 m), and moderately high at high elevation (between 2700 - 3200 m). Capture data indicated that all of the murid rodents are nocturnal and the treeshrews, gymnure and squirrels are diurnal.
Key words: small mammals, Mount Kinabalu, ecology, community composition, elevational distribution.
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