Impacts of anthropogenic pressures on the contemporary biogeography of threatened crocodilians in Indonesia. Issue 3 (10th November 2017)
- Record Type:
- Journal Article
- Title:
- Impacts of anthropogenic pressures on the contemporary biogeography of threatened crocodilians in Indonesia. Issue 3 (10th November 2017)
- Main Title:
- Impacts of anthropogenic pressures on the contemporary biogeography of threatened crocodilians in Indonesia
- Authors:
- Shaney, Kyle J.
Hamidy, Amir
Walsh, Matthew
Arida, Evy
Arimbi, Aisyah
Smith, Eric N. - Abstract:
- Abstract: The Greater Sunda region of South-east Asia supports a rich diversity of economically and ecologically important species. However, human pressures are reshaping contemporary biogeography across the region. Megafaunal distributional patterns have been particularly affected because of deforestation, poaching and human–wildlife conflict. Crocodilians are at the centre of these conflicts in Indonesia and yet remain poorly studied across much of the archipelago. We conducted population surveys of salt-water crocodiles Crocodylus porosus and false gharials Tomistoma schlegelii in Sumatra, and examined whether crocodile abundance and distribution are correlated with variations in human disturbance, fishing pressure, and habitat type. We then used these data to model remaining suitable habitat for T. schlegelii across South-east Asia. We found that abundance of T. schlegelii and C. porosus was correlated with distance from human settlements, and fish-trapping pressure. We recorded the presence of T. schlegelii in a river system in which it was previously unknown, thus expanding the known range of the species. We also found that the predicted remaining suitable habitat for T. schlegelii in Indonesia is largely limited to areas of low human activity. From these empirical and modelling approaches we propose several key conservation priorities: (1) eliminate the use of fish traps in remaining patches of T. schlegelii habitat, (2) prioritize crocodile population surveys inAbstract: The Greater Sunda region of South-east Asia supports a rich diversity of economically and ecologically important species. However, human pressures are reshaping contemporary biogeography across the region. Megafaunal distributional patterns have been particularly affected because of deforestation, poaching and human–wildlife conflict. Crocodilians are at the centre of these conflicts in Indonesia and yet remain poorly studied across much of the archipelago. We conducted population surveys of salt-water crocodiles Crocodylus porosus and false gharials Tomistoma schlegelii in Sumatra, and examined whether crocodile abundance and distribution are correlated with variations in human disturbance, fishing pressure, and habitat type. We then used these data to model remaining suitable habitat for T. schlegelii across South-east Asia. We found that abundance of T. schlegelii and C. porosus was correlated with distance from human settlements, and fish-trapping pressure. We recorded the presence of T. schlegelii in a river system in which it was previously unknown, thus expanding the known range of the species. We also found that the predicted remaining suitable habitat for T. schlegelii in Indonesia is largely limited to areas of low human activity. From these empirical and modelling approaches we propose several key conservation priorities: (1) eliminate the use of fish traps in remaining patches of T. schlegelii habitat, (2) prioritize crocodile population surveys in remaining suitable habitat, particularly in remote areas, (3) consider T. schlegelii to be potentially Endangered locally in Sumatra, and (4) expand existing reserves around the Lower Kampar River and Berbak National Park/Sembilang National Park areas of Sumatra. … (more)
- Is Part Of:
- Oryx. Volume 53:Issue 3(2019)
- Journal:
- Oryx
- Issue:
- Volume 53:Issue 3(2019)
- Issue Display:
- Volume 53, Issue 3 (2019)
- Year:
- 2019
- Volume:
- 53
- Issue:
- 3
- Issue Sort Value:
- 2019-0053-0003-0000
- Page Start:
- 570
- Page End:
- 581
- Publication Date:
- 2017-11-10
- Subjects:
- Endangered, -- false gharial, -- fish trapping, -- refugial, -- remote, -- reserve, -- Sumatra
Wildlife conservation -- Periodicals
Nature conservation -- Periodicals
639.9 - Journal URLs:
- http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=ORX ↗
- DOI:
- 10.1017/S0030605317000977 ↗
- Languages:
- English
- ISSNs:
- 0030-6053
- Deposit Type:
- Legaldeposit
- View Content:
- Available online (eLD content is only available in our Reading Rooms) ↗
- Physical Locations:
- British Library STI - ELD Digital store
- Ingest File:
- 11063.xml