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Status of proboscis monkeys in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia: insights from population surveys and habitat assessment

Proboscis monkeys, an iconic Bornean endemic species, are facing threats from habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation due to human activities. Past surveys have covered only a limited number of proboscis monkey populations across their range, leaving the status of many populations largely unkno...

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Main Authors: Henry Bernard, Sharifah N. H. B. Mohammad-Shom, Nicola K. Abram, Ikki Matsuda
Format: Article
Language:English
English
Published: Primate Specialist Group 2024
Subjects:
QL700-739.8 Mammals
SF1-1100 Animal culture
Online Access:https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/42022/1/ABSTRACT.pdf
https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/42022/2/FULL%20TEXT.pdf
https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/42022/
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spelling my.ums.eprints.420222024-11-26T05:37:55Z https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/42022/ Status of proboscis monkeys in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia: insights from population surveys and habitat assessment Henry Bernard Sharifah N. H. B. Mohammad-Shom Nicola K. Abram Ikki Matsuda QL700-739.8 Mammals SF1-1100 Animal culture Proboscis monkeys, an iconic Bornean endemic species, are facing threats from habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation due to human activities. Past surveys have covered only a limited number of proboscis monkey populations across their range, leaving the status of many populations largely unknown. We surveyed the previously unexplored Kota Belud region in northwestern Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, to determine the population and distribution of proboscis monkeys. Our assessment of the threats to their survival focused specifically on land-use and land-cover patterns, with the primary goal of evaluating the population status of proboscis monkeys in this region through an analysis of habitat change. Between January and September 2022, we conducted boat-based surveys in wetland forests—potential habitats of the proboscis monkeys. Of the six sites we surveyed, we directly observed proboscis monkeys at just one, although local residents reported their presence at other sites. Our observations identified 25 individuals in at least three one-male-multifemale groups and one all-male group, all along the Tempasuk River near the coastline. Overall, our study highlights the concerning state of the proboscis monkey population in Kota Belud, which is small, highly fragmented, and likely reaching its limits of adaptability to habitat changes due to human activities. While acknowledging the need for further studies, urgent conservation strategies are needed. For the long-term survival of the proboscis monkeys in Kota Belud, we recommend prioritizing the identification and protection of remaining habitats, rehabilitation, reconnection of isolated areas, and proactive measures to prevent further habitat fragmentation. Primate Specialist Group 2024 Article NonPeerReviewed text en https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/42022/1/ABSTRACT.pdf text en https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/42022/2/FULL%20TEXT.pdf Henry Bernard and Sharifah N. H. B. Mohammad-Shom and Nicola K. Abram and Ikki Matsuda (2024) Status of proboscis monkeys in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia: insights from population surveys and habitat assessment. Primate Conservation (37). pp. 174-184. ISSN 0898-6207
institution Universiti Malaysia Sabah
building UMS Library
collection Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
content_provider Universiti Malaysia Sabah
content_source UMS Institutional Repository
url_provider http://eprints.ums.edu.my/
language English
English
topic QL700-739.8 Mammals
SF1-1100 Animal culture
spellingShingle QL700-739.8 Mammals
SF1-1100 Animal culture
Henry Bernard
Sharifah N. H. B. Mohammad-Shom
Nicola K. Abram
Ikki Matsuda
Status of proboscis monkeys in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia: insights from population surveys and habitat assessment
description Proboscis monkeys, an iconic Bornean endemic species, are facing threats from habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation due to human activities. Past surveys have covered only a limited number of proboscis monkey populations across their range, leaving the status of many populations largely unknown. We surveyed the previously unexplored Kota Belud region in northwestern Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, to determine the population and distribution of proboscis monkeys. Our assessment of the threats to their survival focused specifically on land-use and land-cover patterns, with the primary goal of evaluating the population status of proboscis monkeys in this region through an analysis of habitat change. Between January and September 2022, we conducted boat-based surveys in wetland forests—potential habitats of the proboscis monkeys. Of the six sites we surveyed, we directly observed proboscis monkeys at just one, although local residents reported their presence at other sites. Our observations identified 25 individuals in at least three one-male-multifemale groups and one all-male group, all along the Tempasuk River near the coastline. Overall, our study highlights the concerning state of the proboscis monkey population in Kota Belud, which is small, highly fragmented, and likely reaching its limits of adaptability to habitat changes due to human activities. While acknowledging the need for further studies, urgent conservation strategies are needed. For the long-term survival of the proboscis monkeys in Kota Belud, we recommend prioritizing the identification and protection of remaining habitats, rehabilitation, reconnection of isolated areas, and proactive measures to prevent further habitat fragmentation.
format Article
author Henry Bernard
Sharifah N. H. B. Mohammad-Shom
Nicola K. Abram
Ikki Matsuda
author_facet Henry Bernard
Sharifah N. H. B. Mohammad-Shom
Nicola K. Abram
Ikki Matsuda
author_sort Henry Bernard
title Status of proboscis monkeys in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia: insights from population surveys and habitat assessment
title_short Status of proboscis monkeys in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia: insights from population surveys and habitat assessment
title_full Status of proboscis monkeys in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia: insights from population surveys and habitat assessment
title_fullStr Status of proboscis monkeys in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia: insights from population surveys and habitat assessment
title_full_unstemmed Status of proboscis monkeys in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia: insights from population surveys and habitat assessment
title_sort status of proboscis monkeys in kota belud, sabah, malaysia: insights from population surveys and habitat assessment
publisher Primate Specialist Group
publishDate 2024
url https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/42022/1/ABSTRACT.pdf
https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/42022/2/FULL%20TEXT.pdf
https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/42022/
_version_ 1817843850279911424
score 13.223943

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