Nesolagus

Abstract: The Annamite mountains of Viet Nam and the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao) are an area of exceptional mammalian endemism but intensive poaching has defaunated much of the region, creating an extinction crisis for the endemic species. To make efficient use of limited conservation resources, it is imperative that conservation stakeholders obtain basic information about poorly known and threatened endemics. We present the first comprehensive information on the ecology, distribution and status of the little-known endemic Annamite striped rabbit Nesolagus timminsi. We used a systematic camera-trapping design to study the species in five areas in Viet Nam and Lao. In 29,180 camera-trap-nights we recorded 152 independent events at 36 of 266 stations. We obtained an additional 143 independent detections across 12 stations from a supplementary non-systematic survey. We analysed activity patterns and social behaviour. We also used single-species occupancy models to assess factors that influence occupancy at the landscape scale. We used N-mixture models to obtain local abundance estimates in one target area. The Annamite striped rabbit was found to be nocturnal and primarily solitary. Species occupancy was best explained by a proxy for past hunting pressure, with no significant relationships to current anthropogenic or environmental factors. Local abundance was 0.57 individuals per camera-trap station for one of our sites, and estimated to be zero at the other site where hunting appears to have been more intense. Our results provide information on priority areas for targeted anti-poaching efforts and give the first conservation baseline for the species.

Abstract: Approximately % of all mammal species are categorized as Data Deficient on the IUCN Red List (Schipper et al., , Science, , –), a status that potentially hampers conservation planning, prioritization and action (Bland et al., , Conservation Biology, , –). The Annamite striped rabbit Nesolagus timminsi is a forest-dwelling lagomorph restricted to the Annamite mountain range on the border of Viet Nam and Lao. The species was discovered by science just over  years ago (Surridge et al., Nature, , , ) and, until recently, little was known about its ecology or population status. It was thus categorized as Data Deficient in  and  (Abramov et al., , The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.TA) although, like all terrestrial mammals in the Annamites, this species has probably declined as a result of the snaring prevalent in the region (Gray et al., , Biodiversity & Conservation, , –). Recent studies, in particular using camera trapping, have provided new insights into the status of the Annamite striped rabbit across much of its range. Although some studies in Viet Nam have detected the species, mostly at only a small per cent (# %) of camera-trap stations, others have failed to record it, despite considerable camera-trapping effort. Many of these studies have also failed to record other species known to be highly susceptible to snaring, suggesting these results are a consequence of snaring-driven declines rather than naturally low densities. Landscape-scale camera trapping across a protected area complex in central Viet Nam has recorded low Annamite striped rabbit occupancies, with most detections in the less accessible and better patrolled parts of the surveyed area (Tilker et al., , Oryx, , –). The species appears to be approaching local extinction in one protected area where snaring has probably been more intensive, providing further evidence for snaring-driven declines. Together, this body of information indicates that Annamite striped rabbit populations have almost certainly declined by. % over the past  years and, given increasing levels of snaring, will probably decline by a similar rate over the next decade, triggering a categorization as Endangered based on criteria Ad + d + d (Tilker et al., , The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.TA). Without effective conservation actions this species is in danger of extinction. In addition to underscoring the tenuous existence of the Annamite striped rabbit, the new categorization is a cautionary lesson highlighting the risk of silent extinction that many Data Deficient species face (Howard & Bickford, , Diversity and Distributions, , –). What will it take to save the Annamite striped rabbit? As with most threatened Annamite mammals, the highest priority action is to reduce snaring, especially within strategic core areas. This will be a difficult undertaking as most protected areas in Viet Nam and Lao fail to provide effective protection for ground-dwelling mammal species (Corbet, , IUCN, lad.nafri.org.la/fulltext/-.pdf). Given the difficulties of halting snaring, it may be prudent to start a captive population of the Annamite striped rabbit as it is not currently held in captivity. Conservation stakeholders must act quickly to protect this little-known lagomorph. There is little doubt that, with continued extensive snaring across the Annamites, the species could drift silently into extinction.

Abstract: Tinh Province in 2000 (Averianov et al., 2000), and so far few specimens in the zoological collections are exist. Most of the records from Vietnam based on the interview data or camera-trap records (Can et al., 2001). In May and June 2016, we conducted a biodiversity survey in three conservation areas, located in the western part of Nghe An Province, Vietnam, namely Pu Mat National Park, Pu Huong Nature Reserve and Pu Hoat Nature Reserve. In the Pu Mat National Park the main camp was located on the Forest Service station (18°57′ 24.6′′ N, 104°41′04.3′′ E), at elevation 418 m above sea level), near the boundary with the polydominant primary tropical forest. On 20 May, 2016, at 2 PM during the night herpetological survey in the floodplain of forest creek at 500 meters from the base camp, N.L. Orlov and his colleagues observed an adult female Nesolagus timminsi with two leverets. He took twenty photographs of the animals using the camera Nikon D7000 and Nikkor Micro 105mm objective (Figs. 1–2). Annamite striped rabbit Nesolagus timminsi Averianov et al., 2000 (Mammalia, Leporidae) is one of the rarest and least-known species of lagomorphs in the world. It is endemic to the Annamites, mountain chain which lies along the border between Vietnam and Laos (Can et al., 2001; Abramov et al., 2008). Preferred habitats of N. timminsi seem to be wet evergreen forests that mean little or no dry season and generally occur on the seaward facing slopes of the Annamite Mountains. Very little is known about the status of N. timminsi and it is therefore listed as Data Deficient in The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Abramov et al., 2008). Acquisition of more data is most likely to range its conservation status anywhere from Near Threatened to Endangered. Main part of species range located in Vietnam. Anyway it is known here only from few localities in the Annamites (Can et al., 2001; Abramov et al., 2008). The species was described from the single specimen from Ha Short communication