Small carnivores of Silent Valley National Park, Kerala, India

Abstract

A study on the small carnivores in Silent Valley National Park (SVNP), southern Western Ghats, Kerala, India was conducted from September 2015 to April 2016, using the camera trap technique. Seven species of small carnivores were recorded during the study. The most common species of small carnivore of SVNP was Viverricula indica (44%) followed by Paradoxurus jerdoni (20%) and Herpestes vitticollis (17%). The other small carnivores found at SVNP were Herpestes fuscus (7%), Prionailurus bengalensis (6%), Aonyx cinereus (5%) and Martes gwatkinsii (1%). P. jerdoni and M. gwatkinsii are endemic to the Western Ghats. We discuss the niche partitioning among small carnivores in SVNP.

Keywords

• camera traps
• civets
• martens
• mongoose
• otters
• small cats
• western ghats.