Mammal biodiversity in the northeast forests, and the distribution of fishing cats in Bangladesh

Abstract

Although Bangladesh is densely populated by humans, it also hosts a vast array of mammal diversity. I used camera-traps in the northeast of Bangladesh to quantify local mammal species richness and community composition. My study confirmed presence of high mammal diversity in the Northeast Bangladesh. I have recorded 23 wild mammal species in four different forested areas in the region, however the forest patches differ in species richness and composition. The areas with better protection have higher species richness, however, no large ranging mammals occur in the protected area, likely due to the lack of connectivity, and smaller size. My findings suggest that the local people generally have antagonistic attitudes toward small felids and wildlife in general. Although my original focal species were five sympatric felids, I captured few in my camera traps, with zero fishing cat captures in the hilly, forested region of the Northeast. This led me to explore potential fishing cat distributions using records of fishing cat occurrence collected from various parts of the country. I used Maxent to predict their distribution, and my findings suggest that the mangrove forest of the Sundarbans and the wetlands in the northeast Bangladesh are key suitable habitats for fishing cats. My study provides the baseline for mammal species richness, community composition in the northeast forest patches, and potential fishing cat distribution throughout Bangladesh. Based on my findings I recommend that public-private partnerships, targeted protected areas, and awareness among the local people may shift the scenario toward an improved future with a win-win situation for both the humans and the wild mammals that live across northeast Bangladesh and the fishing cats throughout Bangladesh.