Samujjal Saharia

• Biodiversity Journal, 12 (4): 0893-0897

  Samujjal Saharia & Prasanta Kumar Saikia
  Ecological studies and status of lesser cats and other small carnivores in India
  https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2021.12.4.893.897

  ABSTRACT
  Small carnivores play a significant role in regulating the ecosystem as they are crucial predators, prey, and seed dispersers. South-east Asia, including India, has a rich assemblage of several species of these carnivores. India is home to a rich variety of small carnivores belonging to the Families Felidae, Mustelidae, Viverridae, and Procyonidae. Habitat use by these carnivores is primarily influenced by food availability and interaction with other species. Often, they are threatened by illegal hunting, human encroachment, increasing urbanization, and industrialization. However, very little research has focussed on their conservation and management. Therefore, in the present review, an attempt has been made to evaluate the distribution, ecology, habitat use, and activity patterns of small carnivores in India concerning Southeast Asia. Scats, footprints, and camera traps are primarily used for their detection in a given area. Small carnivores show varying habitat and food preferences. They are mostly nocturnal and elusive in behavior tmaking their detection difficult in a particular site. No significant differences were observed in their activity patterns during dry and wet seasons. Some of the carnivores are arboreal, which poses another limitation to study them through camera-traps set at or little above the ground level. Though several studies have been conducted on their ecology, still, there are gaps in our knowledge that require a better understanding of their habitat use and activity patterns using advanced methods. This study provides an overview of the habitat ecology and activity patterns of some small carnivores, along with the limitations and future research prospects.

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