Prediction of Habitat Suitability of Sambar Deer (Rusa unicolor) in the Main Forest Complex of the National Park and Their Surroundings

Abstract

The sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) population has declined and was categorized as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List in 2014. The objective of this study was to identify environmental factors that influence the habitat suitability of sambar deer, consisting of slope, elevation, land use, distance from urban, distance from river, and lithology analyzed using geographic information system (GIS). Sambar deer presence data from 1992-2008 were integrated with environmental factors using a maximum entropy model to identify suitable habitats for sambar deer in the main forest complex of Taman Negara. The results of this study showed that the distance from the river contributed the most to the habitat suitability model of sambar deer, at 47.7%. While distance from urban, land use type, elevation, slope and lithology accounted for 21.8%, 16.1%, 7.2%, 6.7%, and 0.4%, respectively. Suitable habitats for sambar deer cover 37% of the total study area (2,218,389 hectares). The determination of the potential suitable sambar deer habitat in the main forest complex of Taman Negara is important for wildlife management such as re-release activities.