Abstract:

Wolong National Nature Reserve is the core nature reserve in the reserve network found in the Qionglai Mountains. Between 2014 and 2016, we conducted a baseline survey in Wolong on large fauna using camera-trapping. After an extensive survey effort comprised of 10,961 camera-days from 83 camera stations in 58 survey blocks (1 km × 1 km each), we recorded 32 wild and 4 domestic mammal species (belonging to 6 orders and 15 families) with 2,095 detections. Five and eleven mammals were listed as Class I and Class II Nationally Protected Wildlife, respectively, and 4, 6, and 4 species were listed as EN, VU, and NT species, respectively, according to the IUCN Red List. Among the recorded wild mammals, Carnivora was the order with the greatest species richness (16 from 6 families), followed by Artiodactyla (8 from 4 families) and Rodentia (5 from 2 families), whereas Artiodactyla was the order with greatest detection (accounting for 63.33% of all mammal detections), followed by Carnivora (20.01%) and Rodentia (5.73%). The most detected species in Carnivora was the hog badger (Arctonyx collaris, RAI = 12.23), and tufted deer (Elaphodus cephalophus, RAI = 32.21) in Artiodactyla. Three large apex carnivores were detected in Wolong, including snow leopard (Panthera uncia), wolf (Canis lupus) and dhole (Cuon alpinus). We recorded 59 bird species (belonging to 5 orders and 18 families) with a total detection of 655, including 4 newly recorded species in the reserve. Pheasants (Galliformes) had the highest detection of bird groups and accounted for 56.76% of all bird detections. Our results provide basic information on the community structure, spatial distribution and relative abundance of terrestrial wild mammals and birds in Wolong, which provide support and guidelines for reserve management and long-term monitoring of Wolong.

Key words: Wolong National Nature Reserve, Qionglai Mountains, biodiversity inventory, camera-trapping, wildlife monitoring