Anthropogenic pressure on large carnivores and their prey in the highly threatened forests of Tanintharyi, southern Myanmar

The Tanintharyi Region in southern Myanmar is
rich in biodiversity yet is facing threats from varying degrees
of anthropogenic pressure. In this research we examine how
anthropogenic pressures are influencing large carnivores
(tiger Panthera tigris, leopard Panthera pardus and dhole
Cuon alpinus) and their major prey species (wild pig Sus
scrofa, muntjac Muntiacus spp., sambar Rusa unicolor,
gaur Bos gaurus and banteng Bos javanicus) in the Lenya
Reserved Forest and adjacent areas of Sundaic forest. We
used data from camera-trap surveys during May –
March  and logistic regression to analyse the relationships
between the presence of large carnivores and explanatory
variables such as human disturbance, landscape
variability and changes in prey distribution. Tiger presence
was positively associated with the occurrence of gaur and
distance to villages. The occurrence of prey did not explain
the detection of leopards in the study area. We suspect this
was because leopards have a broad diet, including arboreal
primates, and their prey was not fully recorded in our cameratrap
survey. Dholes were positively associated with wild pigs
and the total number of prey but not associated with forest
type and landscape variables. To restore the carnivore population
and conserve the biodiversity of this area, effective
protection of predators and habitat management for large
ungulates are crucial.