小灵猫(Viverricula indica)是国家一级重点保护野生动物, 有关该物种在我国的当前分布和栖息地生态学的资料非常有限, 不利于其保护管理策略的制定。2021年10月至2023年8月, 作者在海南大田国家级自然保护区通过红外相机技术监测调查了小灵猫的分布, 采用核密度函数和Vanderploeg & Scavia资源选择指数分析了小灵猫的活动节律和栖息地选择。本次调查在区内50个位点共布设了120台红外相机, 总相机工作日累计24,778天, 获得独立有效照片6,250张, 调查期间在13个位点获取了48次小灵猫独立有效探测, 证实小灵猫在该区域稳定存在。小灵猫的活动节律为典型的夜行性, 日活动曲线呈单峰分布, 活动高峰处于22:00前后。区内小灵猫对于人类活动在时间层面呈现明显回避(重叠系数∆ = 0.04), 与同域分布竞争物种豹猫(Prionailurus bengalensis)之间存在时间生态位上的分离(P < 0.001)。在栖息地选择上, 小灵猫偏好利用食物资源丰富的杧果(Mangifera indica)林、乔木郁闭度中等(50%-75%)、干扰强度中低的生境。本调查研究填补了海南岛小灵猫分布及生态信息方面的空缺, 为后续的深入研究提供了基础信息, 也为更多区域野生小灵猫的保护和管理提供了一定的科学依据。

Aims: The small Indian civet (Viverricula indica) is a national first-class key protected wild animal in China. However, there is very little information about the current distribution and habitat ecology of this species in China. The aims of this study were to: (1) understand how the diel activity pattern of V. indica is affected by sympatric species and human activities; and (2) investigate habitat selection of V. indica in Hainan Datian National Nature Reserve.
Methods: From October 2021 to August 2023, the diel activity pattern and habitat selection of V. indica in the nature reserve were studied by camera trapping, with 120 camera traps placed at 50 sites. A non-parametric circular kernel-density method was adopted to analyze the diel activity patterns of V. indica, sympatric leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis), murine rodents, squirrels, and humans. We used the Mann-Whitney U test to compare differences in habitat characteristics between plots where V. indica were detected (number of plots N = 13) and those where they were not (N = 19). These habitat characteristics included the number of prey animals (murine rodents and squirrels), tree diameter at breast height, tree height, grass cover, distance to the nearest water source, and distance to the nearest road. Vanderploeg & Scavia’s resource selection index was used to select three discrete variables to model civets’ habitat preferences: vegetation types, tree canopy, and disturbance intensity.
Results: Our sampling effort totaled 24,778 camera days, during which we recorded 48 independent detections of V. indica from 13 sites, thus confirming that V. indica was stably distributed in the region. The diel activity pattern of the species was strictly nocturnal, with a nighttime activity peak around 22:00. The study suggested that the activities of V. indica didn’t align with human activity, with a very low temporal overlap index (∆ = 0.04) between them. Squirrels had similar activity rhythms to humans, which obviously differed from V. indica (∆ = 0.14). The activity time of V. indica and P. bengalensis overlapped greatly (∆ = 0.58), but their activity rhythms were significantly different (P < 0.001). Murine rodents were common prey of V. indica and P. bengalensis, with both predators displaying a large temporal overlap with murine rodents (V. indica: ∆ = 0.77; P. bengalensis: ∆ = 0.65). In terms of habitat selection, V. indica preferred Mangifera indica forests, which feature moderate levels of tree canopy (50% to 75%) as well as low to medium disturbance intensity. In addition, plots used by V. indica had significantly greater numbers of prey animals than unused plots (P < 0.001).
Conclusion: The diel activity pattern of V. indica was strictly nocturnal. They obviously avoided human activities, and their activity rhythms were significantly different from P. bengalensis. Viverricula indica preferred habitats with abundant food resources in Mangifera indica forests, featuring a moderate level of tree canopy and weak to moderate disturbance.