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Deforestation is a major threat to terrestrial tropical ecosystems, particularly in Southeast Asia where human activities have dramatic consequences for the survival of many species. However, responses of species to anthropogenic impact are highly variable. In order to establish effective conservation strategies, it is critical to determine a species' ability to persist in degraded habitats. Here, we used camera trapping data to provide the first insights into the temporal and spatial distribution of southern pig-tailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina, listed as 'Vulnerable' by the IUCN) across intact and degraded forest habitats in Peninsular Malaysia, with a particular focus on the effects of clear-cutting and selective logging on macaque occupancy. Specifically, we found a 10% decline in macaque site occupancy in the highly degraded Pasoh Forest Reserve from 2013 to 2017. This may be strongly linked to the macaques' sensitivity to intensive disturbance through clear-cutting, which significantly increased the probability that M. nemestrina became locally extinct at a previously occupied site. However, we found no clear relationship between moderate disturbance, i.e., selective logging, and the macaques' local extinction probability or site occupancy in the Pasoh Forest Reserve and Belum-Temengor Forest Complex. Further, an identical age and sex structure of macaques in selectively logged and completely undisturbed habitat types within the Belum-Temengor Forest Complex indicated that the macaques did not show increased mortality or declining birth rates when exposed to selective logging. Overall, this suggests that low to moderately disturbed forests may still constitute valuable habitats that support viable populations of M. nemestrina, and thus need to be protected against further degradation. Our results emphasize the significance of population monitoring through camera trapping for understanding the ability of threatened species to cope with anthropogenic disturbance. This can inform species management plans and facilitate the development of effective conservation measures to protect biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study to investigate the activity pattern of clouded leopard was carried out in Gunung Basor and Stong Utara Forest Reserves, Kelantan, Malaysia, using camera traps, over a period of 6 months. All camera traps were set to operate 24 hours a day, and are mounted on trees that face suitable paths like ridges, old logging paths and forest paths. A total of 69 pairs of camera traps have been used for this study. From this study, 152 photographed images of clouded leopard have been captured in both study areas. The results showed that clouded leopard can be classified into cathemeral classes where they are active during the day and night. If compared to other studies, clouded leopard was classified into nocturnal and diurnal. However, more studies need to be carried out on this species to get more information to help the conservation organizations and also the Wildlife Department in preserving and conserving this species and its habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To obtain information on density of tiger Panthera tigris in selectively logged forest, a 9-month camera-trapping survey was conducted over elevations of 190-850 m in lowland and hill/upper dipterocarp and lower montane forests in Gunung Basor Forest Reserve, Peninsular Malaysia. Capture-recapture sampling methods were used to estimate tiger population density in the Reserve. The number of individual tigers captured was six. Using the M h jackknife estimator the average capture probability per sampling occasion was 0.28 and the corresponding estimate of population size 8 ±SE 1.89. The overall probability of photo-capturing a tiger present in the sampled area was 0.75. Using an approach based on distances between photo-captures, a buffer width of 3.22 km and an effectively sampled area of 308 km 2 was estimated. This resulted in a density estimate of 2.59 ± SE 0.71 adult tigers per 100 km 2 . The results indicate that selectively logged forests such as Gunung Basor Forest Reserve have the potential to accommodate a high density of tigers. Decision makers and conservation planners should not therefore perceive selectively logged forests to have limited conservation value. Further research on the ecology of tigers and their prey in selectively logged forests is urgently needed. Such research would enable conservationists to recommend tiger-friendly management guidelines for sustainable forest management and thereby significantly contribute to tiger conservation in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]