Camera-trapping survey on mammals and birds in the Guangdong Yunkaishan national nature reserve

Abstract

In order to document the wildlife resources in the Guangdong Yunkaishan National Nature Reserve, 61 infrared cameras were used to monitor mammals and birds at 3 observation plots from January 2017 to September 2019. Based on the camera data, we found 9 mammal species belonging to 4 orders and 7 families, and 34 bird species belonging to 6 orders and 14 families. There were two species listed as Class II National Protected Wildlife in China: the red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus) and silver pheasant (Lophura nycthemera). Common green magpie (Cissa chinensis) was a new recorded species in Guangdong Province. The five most abundant mammal species with the highest relative abundance index (RAI) were Pallas’s squirrel (Callosciurus erythraeus), red muntjac (Muntiacus vaginalis), Chinese ferret-badger (Melogale moschata), wild boar (Sus scrofa) and palm civet (Paguma larvata), respectively. In addition, the three most abundant bird species with the highest RAI were blue whistling thrush (Myiophoneus caeruleus), scaly thrush (Zoothera dauma) and red billed leiothrix bird (Leiothrix lutea), respectively. The activity rhythm analysis ofthe three dominant mammals and three dominant bird species revealed that the Chinese ferret-badger was a diurnal animal, while the three birds (blue whistling thrush, scaly thrush and red billed leiothrix bird) and one mammal (Pallas’s squirrel) were nocturnal animals. The daily activity rhythm of the red muntjac showed two active peaks at 12:00-14:00 and 18:00-20:00. Our results provide important data on mammal and bird diversity in Guangdong Yunkaishan National Nature Reserve, which will be beneficial for wildlife protection and management in the reserve.