Estimating the Anoa (Bubalus spp.) Occupancy Area and Environmental Factors Effect in Dako Mountain Nature Reserve, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

EasyChair Preprint 9205, version 1

Abstract

Anoa, a tiny buffalo endemic to the Indonesian island of Sulawesi (and surrounding offshore islands) is the largest wild terrestrial mammal in Sulawesi. It is protected by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, categorized as Endangered (EN) based on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and included in Appendix I according to the Checklist of CITES Species. Information about the area occupied by anoa is needed and important for conservation efforts, particularly in dealing with potential threats to the population decline of this animal. This study aims to determine the level of anoa habitat occupancy and environmental factors that affect anoa habitat occupancy in the Dako Mountain Nature Reserve, Tolitoli District, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. The occupancy area of Anoa was surveyed directly at 10 study sites of ca.400 ha each and indirectly by using six camera traps on 6 sites. The data was analyzed using a species occupancy model while the environmental factors influencing the occupancy area of anoa were analyzed by using the PRESENCE software. From 10 sites of direct surveys, anoa was detected in 7 sites. Meanwhile, from a camera trap method anoa was recorded occupying four of six sites. The three best environmental factors positively correlated with occupancy area indicate that anoa prefers areas that are far from cultivated areas and roads and has extensive primary forest cover. The closest distance between the cultivated area and the road where anoa was detected was 1.329 meters and 2.051 meters, respectively while the minimum forest vegetation cover in which anoa was detected was 22.9%. Therefore, these three factors need attention from stakeholders in the conservation planning of this endemic animal.

Keyphrases: Endemic buffalo, Occupancy area, Species Occupancy Model, Sulawesi, environmental factors

@booklet{EasyChair:9205,
  author    = {Yusuf Sulo and Sri Ningsih Mallombasang and Abdul Rosyid and Shahabuddin Saleh},
  title     = {Estimating the Anoa (Bubalus spp.) Occupancy Area and Environmental Factors Effect in Dako Mountain Nature Reserve, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia},
  howpublished = {EasyChair Preprint 9205},
  year      = {EasyChair, 2022}}