Niche Overlap between Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii and Helarctos malayanus Raffles within Small Scale Habitat in Punggualas Area, Sebangau National Park

The Sebangau National Park is a major stronghold for Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) ranging from 6000 – 9000 individuals. In comparison with Bornean Orangutans, very little ecological fieldwork has been conducted to investigate sun bear biology, and there have been no thorough surveys of distribution or population densities. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the basic information on niche overlap between these two endangered species, specifically to quantify their relationship within the small-scale habitat in Punggualas area, SNP. Data was collected and measured during 15 – 21 June 2019; using line transects methods. A total of 6580 m was walked along 8 consecutive transects. Bear and aging sign follow Augeri protocols. A total 18 printed mark-claw and 17 Orangutan nests was measured according to the mentioned methodology. The relationships between signs use binary logistic regressions (StatPlus for Mac) and PCA model (using R), while interspecific relationships use Co-Occurrence modeling, ESP for Windows. The results showed that there is no difference between bear sign and orangutan nest (c2: 26.249; df :1, p-value : 0.001); While the results on habitat selection between transects is failed to reject the null hypothesis (c2 = 0.29; df :1, p-value : 0.490). The Mann-Whitney U test, also confirmed no distinctive overlap between the Orangutan and the Sun Bear (Z: 0.84; p-value: 0.40). The co-occurrence simulations also revealed significant results (C-Score = 1.00), by means both target animals co-existed in the habitat. Obviously, the Orangutan and Sun Bear occupy the same habitat. There is no distinctive overlap between them in terms of tree species selection and having a close interrelationship in terms of feeding ground, whereas the fruiting is not available. The only distinctive difference is that the Bear sign was tend hindering waterlogged terrain.

Study on the impacts of LULC change on the wildlife habitat and the livelihood of people in and around Dampa Tiger Reserve, Mizoram, India

Anthropogenic activities are a matter of serious concern in the Indian Himalayan region due to adverse impacts on wildlife and habitats. This study examines resource use patterns by local people in relation to the habitat of Malayan Sun Bear in and around Dampa Tiger Reserve in Mizoram. Standard questionnaire surveys and vegetation sampling methods were used for data collection and analysis. It was found that 221.3 km2 (33.3%) of the forested areas have high human interference in the form of logging, indiscriminate tree falling and fuel wood collection, while 26% was moderately affected and 18% of the reserve had no impact. Among vegetation resources, fuel wood was used in the highest quantity (28%) followed by bamboo and edible plants (21%) and (11%), respectively. Ethno-zoological usage comprises of parts of animals like snake, bear, monitor lizard, and porcupine. Sun bears were considered pests that feed on maize, cucumber, sweet potato and pumpkins grown in ‘jhum’ crop fields. Anthropogenic pressures from farm-bush hunting, monoculture, and unplanned roads have contributed to severe biodiversity loss, and must be constrained for the conservation of sun bear and their habitat in the region. The Land Use/ Land Cover on human built-up, jhum land (current and abandoned jhum/shifting cultivation), forests (dense and open), bamboo forest, plantation etc. were used to develop maps for each village. The land use pattern for the eight villages studied. Information obtained from MIRSAC and its mapping in Arcview shows that highest number of agricultural land was in villages of West Phaileng (319sq.ha) and Damparengpui (283.8sq.ha). Closed or dense forest was in highest proportion in Phuldungsei and least in Tuipuibari (120sq.ha). Grazing activities was relatively low or absent in most part of DTR. Abandoned jhum fields were in largest number in Damparengpui (939.60sq.ha) followed by Silsuri (881.17sq.ha) and Serhmun (880.99sq.ha).

Gross Morphological and Light Microscopic Studies of the Spleen of Malayan Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus)

Background: Bear specialist group recommended that the basic research on the Malayan sun bear is the highest priority need. Without such information, the establishment and implementation of scientifically-sound conservation plans is difficult. Therefore, present study was designed to provide information on gross morphological and light microscopic architecture of the spleen.Methods: The present study was conducted on the spleen of one Malayan sun bear. After doing the gross parameters the tissues were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin and were processed for light microscopic studies. Blocks were cut at 6μ thickness by Leica Semimotorized Rotary Microtome and stained by Harris’ haematoxylin and eosin for routine study. Result: The spleen of Malayan sun bear was located in the left hypogastric region and entirely intrathoracic as the stomach was almost empty. The parietal surface faces the diaphragm and left lateral abdominal wall, whereas the visceral surface was divided into gastric face and intestinal face by the ridge like hilus. The spleen of Malayan Sun Bear was surrounded by a thick connective tissue capsule invested by the peritoneum. The capsule, trabeculae and reticular fibers support the splenic parenchyma composed of a red pulp and a white pulp.

Mitochondrial DNA profiling reveals two lineages of sun bears in East and West Malaysia

Sun bear populations are fragmented and at risk from habitat loss and exploitation for body parts. These threats are made worse by significant gaps in knowledge of sun bear population genetic diversity, population connectivity, and taxonomically significant management units. Using a complete sun bear mitochondrial genome, we developed a set of mitochondrial markers to assess haplotype variation and the evolutionary history of sun bears from Peninsular (West) Malaysia, and Sabah (East Malaysia). Genetic samples from 28 sun bears from Peninsular Malaysia, 36 from Sabah, and 18 from Thailand were amplified with primers targeting a 1,800 bp region of the mitochondrial genome including the complete mitochondrial control region and adjacent genes. Sequences were analyzed using phylogenetic methods. We identified 51 mitochondrial haplotypes among 82 sun bears. Phylogenetic and network analyses provided strong support for a deep split between Malaysian sun bears and sun bears in East Thailand and Yunnan province in China. The Malaysian lineage was further subdivided into two clades: Peninsular Malaysian and Malaysian Borneo (Sabah). Sun bears from Thailand occurred in both Sabah and Peninsular Malaysian clades. Our study supports recent findings that sun bears from Sundaland form a distinct clade from those in China and Indochina with Thailand possessing lineages from the three clades. Importantly we demonstrate a more recent and clear genetic delineation between sun bears from the Malay Peninsula and Sabah indicating historical barriers to gene flow within the Sundaic region.

Spatial Assessment of Potential Conflict of Sun Bear- Human Based on Landscape Ecology in Pasaman

The sun bear is conservation mammal in Indonesia. The ecological problems as conflict among mammals and human often happen around wildlife, the one of the case is the conflict between sun bear (helarctos malayanus) with human. In Pasaman where around the anthropogenic landscape is bounded by natural forest as sun bear habitat. In this decade, the story has recorded about ±16 incidents. The aim of this research is to geospatial modeling the area of potential conflict between sun bear- human. The method in this research is to use natural logarithmic and regression logistic. The tool is geographical information system and maximum entropy. The result of this research, there has found the distribute energy each variable landscape ecosystem. The statistical model of the potential conflict it has spread on landscape ecosystem. The average value of AUC prediction in this model is at number of 0.91. The variable contribution which affect are forest edge at number of 39.2%, the alternative food (plantation) at number of 31.4%, and forest fragmentation at number of 16.9%.