ۺۦۍ
ﯥېۍﮡۛۦۣﮠۙۛۘۦۖۡٷۗﮠۧ۠ٷۢۦ۩ۣ۞ﮡﮡﮤۤۨۨۜ
ẽỄểۦۣۚ ۪ۧۙۗۦۙۧ ۠ٷۣۢۨۘۘﯠ
ۙۦۙۜ ﭞۗ۠ﯙ ﮤۧۨۦۙ۠ٷ ۠ٷۡﯗ
ۙۦۙۜ ﭞۗ۠ﯙ ﮤۣۧۢۨۤۦۗۧۖ۩ۑ
ۙۦۙۜ ﭞۗ۠ﯙ ﮤۧۨۢۦۤۙۦ ۠ٷۗۦۣۙۡۡﯙ
ۙۦۙۜ ﭞۗ۠ﯙ ﮤ ۙۧ۩ ۣۚ ۧۡۦۙے
ٷۛ۩ۚۙۦ ۣۙ۠ۖۧۧۤ ۺۚۨۢۙۘ ۣۨ ۧۛۢۨۜۛۧ ۨۗۙۦۘ ۘۢٷ ۣۣۧۨۜۤ ۤٷۦۨ ٷۦۙۡٷۗ ۛۢۧۓ
ۨ ẰẾẺặẬẲỀẾ ẹẰếẾẮẳẰẽẴۖۖٷۦ ۘۙۤۦۨۧ ۢٷۦۨٷۡ۩ۑ ۙ۠ۖٷۦۙۢ۠۩ ۨۜۙ Џۦۣۚ
ۣ۪ۧ۠ﮐ ﮠﯙ ﭞۦٷﯞ ۘۢٷ ۣۣۢۧۖﯤ ﮠے ۣۺۦٷﯜ ﮞۺۜۨۦٷﯙۗﯞ ﮠێ ۙ۠ۺﮏ ﮞۦۙ۠۠۩ﯘ ﮠﮏ ۣۘۘے ﮞۺۜۨۦٷﯙۗﯞ ﮠﮐ ۦۙۚۢۢۙﯣ
ڽۀۀ үڿۀ ۤۤ ﮞھڽڼھ ۺ۠۩ﯣ ﮡ ڿڼ ۙ۩ۧۧﯢ ﮡ ңۀ ۙۡ۩ۣ۠ Џﮡ ۺۦۍ
ھڽڼھ ۺٷﯞ ڿڼ ﮤۣۙۢ۠ۢ ۘۙۜۧ۠ۖ۩ێ ﮞڽҢڼڼڼڼھڽڿҢڼңڼڿڼڼۑﮡҮڽڼڽﮠڼڽ ﮤﯢۍﯚ
ڽҢڼڼڼڼھڽڿҢڼңڼڿڼڼۑﮰۨۗٷۦۨۧۖٷﮡۛۦۣﮠۙۛۘۦۖۡٷۗﮠۧ۠ٷۢۦ۩ۣ۞ﮡﮡﮤۤۨۨۜ ﮤۙ۠ۗۨۦٷ ۧۜۨ ۣۨ ﭞۢﮐ
ﮤۙ۠ۗۨۦٷ ۧۜۨ ۙۨۗ ۣۨ ۣ۫ﯜ
ۤٷۦۨ ٷۦۙۡٷۗ ۛۢۧۓ ﮠ۶ھڽڼھڿ ۣ۪ۧ۠ﮐ ﮠﯙ ﭞۦٷﯞ ۘۢٷ ۣۣۢۧۖﯤ ﮠے ۣۺۦٷﯜ ﮞۺۜۨۦٷﯙۗﯞ ﮠێ ۙ۠ۺﮏ ﮞۦۙ۠۠۩ﯘ ﮠﮏ ۣۘۘے ﮞۺۜۨۦٷﯙۗﯞ ﮠﮐ ۦۙۚۢۢۙﯣ
ﮠۨ ẰẾẺặẬẲỀẾ ẹẰếẾẮẳẰẽẴۖۖٷۦ ۘۙۤۦۨۧ ۢٷۦۨٷۡ۩ۑ ۙ۠ۖٷۦۙۢ۠۩ ۨۜۙ Џۦۣۚ ٷۛ۩ۚۙۦ ۣۙ۠ۖۧۧۤ ۺۚۨۢۙۘ ۣۨ ۧۛۢۨۜۛۧ ۨۗۙۦۘ ۘۢٷ ۣۣۧۨۜۤ
ڽҢڼڼڼڼھڽڿҢڼңڼڿڼڼۑﮡҮڽڼڽﮠڼڽﮤۣۘ ڽۀۀүڿۀ ۤۤ ﮞңۀﮞۺۦۍ
ۙۦۙۜ ﭞۗ۠ﯙ ﮤ ۣۧۢۧۧۡۦۙێ ۨۧۙ۩ۥۙې
ھڽڼھ ۤۙۑ ڼڽ ۣۢ ҢھھﮠھڽڽﮠҰڽڽﮠүھڽ ﮤۧۧۙۦۘۘٷ ێﯢ ﮞﯥېۍﮡۛۦۣﮠۙۛۘۦۖۡٷۗﮠۧ۠ٷۢۦ۩ۣ۞ﮡﮡﮤۤۨۨۜ ۣۡۦۚ ۘۙۘٷۣۣ۠ۢ۫ﯚ
Short Communication
Using camera-trap photographs and direct sightings
to identify possible refugia for the Vulnerable
Sumatran striped rabbit Nesolagus netscheri
JENNIFER L. MCCARTHY, TODD K. FULLER, KYLE P. MCCARTHY
H A R I Y O T . W I B I S O N O and M A R K C . L I V O L S I
Abstract The endemic Sumatran striped rabbit Nesolagus
netscheri, categorized as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List,
is one of the rarest lagomorphs and little is known about its
ecology, status or distribution. After nearly a decade with no
published sightings, new camera-trap photos have been
taken and observations made in Bukit Barisan Seletan and
Kerinci Seblat National Parks, renewing interest in this rare
species. We suggest that Bukit Barisan Seletan National Park
is an ideal location to initiate a much needed ecological
study of the species. Documentation and protection of a
population in this Park would facilitate refinement of study
techniques applicable to other areas in Sumatra, including
Kerinci Seblat National Park, and thus facilitate an
assessment of the status and distribution of the species.
We believe that in light of ongoing encroachment and
deforestation in many of Sumatra’s protected areas it is
important to implement immediate conservation initiatives
in both parks to ensure the persistence of these known
populations.
Keywords Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, camera
trap, Kerinci Seblat National Park, Nesolagus netscheri,
Sumatran striped rabbit
T
he Sumatran striped rabbit Nesolagus netscheri, categorized as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List (Meijaard
& Sugardjito, 2008), is a lagomorph thought to be endemic
to the Barisan mountain range in Sumatra (Blouch, 1984;
Meijaard & Sugardjito, 2008). Because of the small number
of museum specimens and paucity of historical sightings it
has been referred to as the rarest lagomorph (Flux, 1990). In
JENNIFER L. McCARTHY (Corresponding author) and TODD K. FULLER
Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts
Amherst, 160 Holdsworth Way, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA. E-mail
jennifermccart@gmail.com
KYLE P. McCARTHY and MARK C. LIVOLSI Department of Entomology and
Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, Newark, USA
HARIYO T. WIBISONO, Wildlife Conservation Society—Indonesia Program,
Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
Received 3 November 2011. Revision requested 8 December 2011.
Accepted 12 January 2012. First published online 3 May 2012.
1990 Flux stated that ‘a discovery of a population and its
protection pending a widespread survey for the rabbit is
extremely urgent’. Conservation actions were subsequently
proposed but never funded or initiated (Meijaard &
Sugardjito, 2008). To date there has been no identification
of a viable study population or elucidation of the ecology of
the species, and these activities remain conservation goals
for the IUCN (Meijaard & Sugardjito, 2008).
There have been relatively few published records of the
Sumatran striped rabbit. Historical documentation of the
species consists of a small number of museum specimens
collected during 1880–1916 (Flux, 1990). In 1984 a regionwide mammal survey described local accounts of the species
from three areas in South Sumatra (Blouch, 1984) but a
subsequent visit to these areas provided no documentation
of the species (Flux, 1990). The first documented sighting
was in 1972 by M. Borner in Gunung Leuser National Park
(Flux, 1990). In 1978 J. Seidensticker made an unconfirmed
sighting near Gunung Kerinci (Flux, 1990) but the species
remained unphotographed in the wild until 1998, when
Fauna & Flora International recorded an individual in a
camera-trap photograph in Kerinci Seblat National Park
(FFI, 1998). Since 1998 three additional sightings have been
reported, all from Bukit Barisan Seletan National Park, a
protected area of 3,568 km2 that spans the southern
Sumatran provinces of Lampung, Bengkulu and South
Sumatra. In 2007 the Wildlife Conservation Society–
Indonesia Program documented the species in two
photographs from a camera trap in the Pulau Beringin
area (BBC, 2007; H.T. Wibisono, unpubl. data), in 2008 an
individual was photographed by a scientist from WWF
(WWF, 2009), and in 2009 an individual was sighted along a
road that bisects Bukit Barisan Seletan National Park
(Dinets, 2010).
Since 2008 we have been conducting an ecological study
of four sympatric felids in the Liwa region of Bukit Barisan
Seletan National Park. The majority of our study site
comprises primary evergreen forest located along a large
ridgeline with elevations up to 1,200 m. Because of the
ruggedness of the ridgeline this is one of the few areas of the
Park that has experienced relatively little encroachment
from surrounding settlements and thus a relatively low level
of poaching. In 2011 we began a camera-trapping survey for
© 2012 Fauna & Flora International, Oryx, 46(3), 438–441
http://journals.cambridge.org
Downloaded: 10 Sep 2012
doi:10.1017/S0030605312000051
IP address: 128.119.112.225
Refugia for the Sumatran striped rabbit
small- and medium-sized felids in the area. Seven Reconyx
HC500 HyperFire infrared digital cameras (Reconyx,
Holmen, USA) were deployed continuously during
March–September 2011 for a total of 1,293 trap days. The
camera sites were randomly selected from 20 locations
where camera traps had been set in a previous survey of the
area (Wibisono, 2006). At each location the cameras were
set within 10 m of the original location, facing a trail or other
area of likely travel for wildlife, and placed 20–25 cm above
the ground. They were set to take pictures 24 hours per day,
with five frames per triggering event and a 1-minute delay
between triggers. The cameras were placed within a locked,
armoured box to prevent theft and elephant damage but
were not baited with a lure or attractant. The batteries in the
cameras were changed every 1–2 months and at no time did
any of the cameras run out of power prior to being changed.
However, one camera ceased to function in June and was
subsequently removed.
We obtained a total of 10 photographs of Sumatran
striped rabbits, on two separate occasions at camera sites
790 m apart. The first series of photographs was taken at
104°10′21″ E 5°7′20″ S (altitude 1,100 m) on 4 March 2011.
Five consecutive photographs were taken from 21.21.42 to
21.21.46. A single individual emerged from the right of
the camera and appeared to be slowly moving down the
trail away from the camera. The second series of
five photographs, from 00.01.20 to 00.01.24, was taken at
104°10′4″ E 5°7′39″ S (953 m) on 4 August 2011. An individual
appeared to be moving away from the camera along the trail,
emerging relatively quickly from the left of the camera
and pausing in the middle of the trail for several frames. In
both photographic events the characteristic pelage of the
Sumatran striped rabbit is clearly visible (Plate 1). Both
events were on particularly dark nights when the moon was
either new or waning. Neither rabbit appeared to be startled
or look at the camera, possibly due in part to their position
facing away from the camera. Each individual was in a
relatively open area and appeared to be moving along a wellestablished wildlife trail.
To investigate whether there have been unpublished
sightings of the Sumatran rabbit we conducted an informal
survey of colleagues who have conducted research in
Sumatra. We asked if they had any camera-trap photos,
had sighted, or had received any anecdotal reports of the
species. The survey included researchers who have worked in
nearly every major protected area in Sumatra (including
Kerinci Seblat National Park, Bukit Barisan Selatan National
Park, Way Kambas National Park, Gunung Leuser National
Park and the Aceh region) as well as many forest concessions.
The majority of researchers surveyed had no record of the
species but Kerinci Seblat National Park emerged as the one
other area where there have been multiple recent sightings.
The 13,791 km2 Kerinci Seblat National Park is the largest
in Sumatra, spanning the provinces of West Sumatra, Jambi,
Bengkulu and South Sumatra. In the Park D. Martyr (pers.
comm., 2011) sighted an individual Sumatran rabbit at
900 m altitude in the Sipurak Ecosystem Area of Merangin
District in 1999, and another at 1,150 m in the Kerinci district
in 2001. J. Holden (pers. comm., 2011) recorded camera-trap
photographs of the species in 1997 on Gunung Tujuh and
in 1999 in Sipurak. In 2001 a Tiger Protection and
Conservation Unit sighted an individual at 1,600 m in
mossy forest on Gunung Raya and in 2003 another Unit
sighted an individual in primary montane habitat at 1,900 m
on Gunung Kerinci (D. Martyr, pers. comm., 2011). In 2010
a individual was photographed by a camera trap in
submontane primary forest at 1,163 m in the Renah Kayu
Embun area (W.M. Wong, pers. comm., 2011). There are
several additional unconfirmed reports of the species in the
Kerinci area during the late 1990s. A WWF staff member
saw an individual crossing the road near Padang Aro and, in
1999, a visiting ornithologist spotted an individual on the
trail to Gunung Kerinci. In addition, many local people in
the area of Kerinci Seblat have reported sightings of the
species (J. Holden, pers. comm., 2011).
Although the species was previously thought only to
occur above 600 m, we obtained two reports of Sumatran
rabbits from lowland forests. In 1997 A. Rafiastanto (pers.
comm., 2011) saw a Sumatran striped rabbit in the lowland
forests outside Pemerihan, and a photograph of an
individual was recorded by a camera trap in 2011 in a
primary/selectively logged lowland forest at 544 m in Ipuh in
Bengkulu Province (W.M. Wong, pers. comm., 2011).
Although there have been several camera-trap photographs of the species, given the amount of camera trapping
that has been conducted in Sumatra the number of
photographs is low and could suggest the species is rare.
However, the majority of camera-trap studies in Sumatra are
focused on the Sumatran tiger Panthera tigris sumatrae,
with the camera traps usually set c. 45 cm above the
ground and perpendicular to trails. Rabbits may not trigger
the camera if they are passing beneath its detection radius.
Our study attained a relatively high number of photographs
in relatively few trap days but we were targeting smaller
felids, with the cameras set 25 cm above the ground. In
addition, both cameras that captured the Sumatran striped
rabbit were facing along a wildlife trail, from where it would
be more difficult for the rabbits to miss the detection beam
of the camera. There is an indication that some of the
photographs of the species captured by tiger studies may
also be from cameras that were oriented along game trails,
or with the beam aimed slightly down (H.T. Wibisono,
unpubl. data).
Although the paucity of photographic records of the
Sumatran rabbit from other protected areas may be an
artifact of study design, a combination of recent photographic records and sightings in Bukit Barisan Seletan and
Kerinci Seblat National Parks indicate their importance as
© 2012 Fauna & Flora International, Oryx, 46(3), 438–441
http://journals.cambridge.org
Downloaded: 10 Sep 2012
IP address: 128.119.112.225
439
440
J. L. McCarthy et al.
PLATE 1 Two camera-trap photographs of the Sumatran striped rabbit Nesolagus netscheri from Bukit Barisan Seletan National Park
obtained in March (top) and August (bottom) 2011, with enlarged insets. The sharpness, brightness and contrast of the inset images
have been adjusted for clarity.
current refugia for the species (although, despite a lack of
recent records, it is possible that the species persists in
several other protected areas). Because of the more recent
and accurately described sightings and photographs from
Bukit Barisan Seletan National Park we suggest that this
may be the most suitable area for the first targeted research
on the species. An ecological study of the Sumatran rabbit
would provide valuable knowledge and facilitate the
refinement of research techniques for surveys in other
protected areas such as Kerinci Seblat National Park. Such
surveys would be the first step in assessing the conservation
status of the species and designing an action plan. The
extensive deforestation and encroachment that is currently
occurring in many of Sumatra’s protected areas makes it
essential to initiate conservation schemes for the Sumatran
rabbit in both Bukit Barisan Seletan and Kerinci Seblat
National Parks to safeguard these confirmed refugia for the
species.
Acknowledgements
This study was funded by the Mohamed bin Zayed Species
Conservation Fund, Panthera and the University of
© 2012 Fauna & Flora International, Oryx, 46(3), 438–441
http://journals.cambridge.org
Downloaded: 10 Sep 2012
IP address: 128.119.112.225
Refugia for the Sumatran striped rabbit
Delaware. It was undertaken in cooperation with the
University of Indonesia, the University of Lampung, the
staff of Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, the Indonesian
Ministry of Research and Technology and the Indonesian
Ministry of Forestry. We thank our field assistants Agus,
Nedy and Teeunk, and are grateful to the following
researchers who helped us track down unreported sightings
and information on the species: Debbie Martyr, Jeremy
Holden, Matthew Linkie, Sunarto, Dollie Priatna, Andjar
Rafiastanto, Yoan Dinata and Wai Ming Wong.
M E I J A A R D , E. & S U G A R D J I T O , J. (2008) Nesolagus netscheri. In IUCN
Red List of Threatened Species v. 2011.1. Http://www.iucnredlist.org
[accessed 12 October 2011].
W I B I S O N O , H.T. (2006) Population ecology of Sumatran tigers
Panthera tigris sumatrae and their prey in Bukit Barisan Selatan
National Park, Sumatra, Indonesia. MSc thesis, University of
Massachusetts, Amherst, USA.
WWF (2009) Rare rabbit species directly photographed. Http://www.
savesumatra.org/index.php/newspublications/newsdetail/14
[accessed 12 October 2011].
Biographical sketches
References
BBC (2007) Striped Rabbit Spotted in Sumatra. Http://news.bbc.co.uk/
2/hi/6530365.stm [accessed 12 October 2011].
B LO U C H , R.A. (1984) Current status of the Sumatran rhino and
other large mammals in southern Sumatra. IUCN/WWF Report
Number 4, Project 3033 Field Report. Bogor, Indonesia.
D I N E T S , V. (2010) Observation of Sumatran striped rabbit (Nesolagus
netscheri) in the wild. Mammalia, 74, 1.
FFI (F A U N A & F LO R A I N T E R N AT I O N A L ) (1998) Rare rabbit and cat
captured on film. Fauna & Flora News, 9, 3.
F L U X , J.E.C. (1990) The Sumatran striped rabbit. In Rabbits, Hares and
Pikas: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan (eds J.A.
Chapman & J.E.C. Flux), pp. 137–139. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.
J E N N I F E R L . M C C A R T H Y has conducted field research in Sumatra
since 2008, focusing on camera trapping and live trapping to assess the
distribution and density of four species of wild felids. She has also
conducted research to characterize the conflict between humans and
felids in South Sumatra. T O D D K . F U L L E R works to identify factors
that affect variation in mammal density and distribution. K Y L E
P. M C C A R T H Y studies animal behaviour and the conservation of wild
felids in Central Asia, South-east Asia and the Americas. H A R I Y O
T. W I B I S O N O is the Tiger Conservation Coordinator for the Wildlife
Conservation Society–Indonesia Program. He is also the Director of
the Harimau Kita Forum, which coordinates collaboration on tiger
conservation in Sumatra. M A R K C . L I V O L S I has worked for the
Indonesian Wild Cat Conservation Project since 2011, assisting with
camera trapping and human–wildlife conflict studies in Sumatra.
© 2012 Fauna & Flora International, Oryx, 46(3), 438–441
http://journals.cambridge.org
Downloaded: 10 Sep 2012
IP address: 128.119.112.225
441