Abstract:

Aim: We aim to investigate the biological inventory of large and medium-sized mammals and ground-dwelling birds along the Sichuan-Tibet Railway (Kangding-Batang section) using camera-trapping techniques.
Methods: Eighty-five camera-traps were placed between 3,100 m and 4,400 m a.s.l. from March 2019 to March 2020. The relative abundance index (RAI) was used to evaluate the population sizes of different species.
Results: During 20,440 camera-days, 3,656 independent photographs were recorded including 2,571 of mammals and 565 of birds. Twenty-six wild mammal species (5 orders and 12 families) and 31 bird species (4 orders and 14 families) were identified. Five of these species are listed as first-class National Protected Wildlife (Panthera pardus, Moschus chrysogaster, Felis bieti, Grus nigricollis and Tetraophasis szechenyii), and 18 species are listed as second-class National Protected Wildlife (Ursus arctos, Macaca mulatta, Capricornis milneedwardsii, and others). Two species (Moschus chrysogaster and Pseudois schaeferi) were listed as Endangered, Seven as Vulnerable and five as Near Threatened according to the IUCN Red List. Seven species were listed as Appendix I, eight as Appendix II and four as Appendix III according to the CITES. The most detected species of mammal was the tufted deer (Elaphodus cephalophus, RAI = 8.366), and the most detected species of bird was the blood pheasant (Ithaginis cruentus, RAI = 0.861).
Conclusions: These findings indicate the Sichuan-Tibet Railway (Kangding-Batang section) has a high species diversity that include rare and endangered species. This study provides an important foundation for further biodiversity investigations.

Key words: Sichuan-Tibet Railway, Ganzi Prefecture, mammals, birds, camera-trapping survey