IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library
   

 

View printer friendly
Hearn, A.J.; Ross, J.; MacDonald, D.W.; Samejima, H.; Heydon, M.; Bernard, H.; Augeri, D.M.; Fredriksson, G.; Hon, J.; Mathai, J.; Mohamed, A.; Rustam,; Meijaard, E.; Hunter, L.T.B.; Breitenmoser-Wrsten, C.; Kramer-Schadt, S.; Wilting, A.
Predicted distribution of the bay cat Catopuma badia (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) on Borneo
2016  Raffles bulletin of Zoology (33): 165-172

The bay cat _Catopuma badia_ is a small cat endemic to the tropical forests of Borneo. One of only seven cats to be listed as Endangered by The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the bay cat is seldom seen, rarely photographed and is widely held to be one of the least known of the world's wild cats. Consequently its distribution is known only poorly, hindering efforts for its conservation. Here we use MaxEnt niche distribution modelling to make predictions regarding its current distribution on Borneo. We collected a total of 71 occurrence records for the bay cat, stemming from all Bornean regions apart from Brunei and South Kalimantan, of which 40 were used in our modelling. Our habitat suitability modelling predicts that an extensive, contiguous area of interior Borneo, much of it hill forest, but also containing lowland and submontane forest, is suitable for the bay cat, supporting an earlier hypothesis that this cat is widespread across the island. Extreme lowlands, supporting mangrove and swamp forest habitats, were typically predicted as low suitability, as were the considerable areas of Borneo now converted to oil palm plantations. Based on the current predicted distribution we provide a list of priority areas for the conservation of the bay cat across Borneo.

PDF files are only accessible to Friends of the Cat Group. Joining Friends of the Cat Group gives you unlimited access and downloads in the Cat SG Library for one year, and allows you to receive our newsletter Cat News (2 regular issues per year plus special issues). More information how to join here

 

(c) IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group ( IUCN - The World Conservation Union)