Small mammal diversity at mangrove area of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu

Abstract

The study on small mammal diversity was conducted at the mangrove area of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT). The purposes of this study are to study the diversity of small mammals at mangrove area of UMT and also to enrich the checklist of small mammal at mangrove area of UMT. Four times sampling (August 2006 until January 2007), with five consecutive trapping days was conducted using cage-traps. A total of 25 individuals belonging to five species of small mammal were recorded. The species were Rattus tiomanicus jalorensis (56%), Rattus tiomanicus sabae (20%), Rattus exulans (16%), Rattus argentiventer and Paradoxurus hermaproditus with 4% respectively. The most dominant family was Muridae with 96% and Yiverridae with only 4%. Site 2 noted the highest number of small mammal with 13 individuals as compared to Site I only 12 individuals. The value of Shannon Weiner index showed that Site 2 was more diverse with 1.2854 compared to Site 1, 0.5660. Finding of two new species had enriched the checklist of small mammals at mangrove area of UMT established by Rozleen (2004). Changes in environmental conditions would be predicted to have profound impacts on rodent communities.