Predicted distribution of the banded civet Hemigalus derbyanus (Mammalia: Carnivora: Viverridae) on Borneo

© 2016 National University of Singapore. The banded civet Hemigalus derbyanus is a small, little-known civet with a geographical range comprising Indonesia (Kalimantan, Sumatra and some associated islands), Malaysia, Brunei, peninsular Myanmar and peninsular Thailand. Habitat loss and degradation are the main threats to the species leading to its classification as globally Vulnerable by The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The banded civet uses degraded habitat to some extent, but its exact ecological requirements and the extent of its dependence on primary forest are unknown. We analysed 65 (Balanced Model) and 104 (Spatial Filtering Model) location records of the banded civet to predict habitat suitability on Borneo. The resulting model predicted the majority of Borneo to be suitable habitat; although in general, the low-lying coastal areas, swamp forests and high-altitude areas were predicted to be unsuitable. Given this large area of predicted suitable habitat and the high overlap of habitat suitability and protected areas, the results from the distribution modelling do not suggest any urgent special conservation measures for the banded civet beyond maintenance of the current remaining forested habitat and protected areas. However protection and, in some cases, ecological rehabilitation of habitat corridors will also be important to ensure connectivity among populations in increasingly isolated protected areas.