The conservation of tigers and other wildlife in oil palm plantations

Species survival within the oil palm crop
Species diversity within oil palm
Species presence within the oil palm crop was measured from a grid of 16 cameras
placed randomly with 500m spacing. The grid was left in three different areas of the
oil palm for one month in each, providing a total of 1111 camera-trap nights. These
data were then supplemented with opportunistic sightings recorded whilst moving
around the plantation.
Table 9 shows the species recorded and their conservation value. The results show
that a sizeable number of species were recorded present at some point within the oil
palm – 17 species or 45% of species known to exist in the area were recorded within
the oil palm crop at some point during the study. Several of these have a conservation
value, most notably sun bear, otters, pig-tailed macaques and porcupines. However,
of the species recorded, just four, or 10% of species in the area, were regularly
detected. Of these, none are of particular conservation importance, although leopard
cats are a protected species.
Table 9 - Species recorded in oil palm and their conservation status. Only the two pig species,
leopard cats and common palm civets (in red) were detected on a regular basis
Latin name Common name Red list category Indonesian status Sightings Photos
Helarctos malayanus Sun bear Vulnerable* Protected 1 1
Macaca nemestrina Pig-tailed Vulnerable Protected 5 0
macaque
Hystrix brachyura East Asian Vulnerable Protected 2 7
porcupine
Lutrogale perspicillata Smooth-coated Vulnerable Not protected 1 0
otter
Manis javanica Pangolin Near threatened Protected 1 0
Presbytis melalophos Banded langur Near threatened Protected 1 0
Macaca fascicularis Long-tailed Near threatened Not protected 1 2
macaque
Nycticebus coucang Slow loris Least concern Protected 1 0
Prionailurus bengalensis Leopard cat Least concern Protected 95 37
Cervus unicolor Sambar Least concern Protected 2 0
Muntiacus muntjak Muntjac Least concern Protected 1 0
Tupaia glis Common tree Least concern Not protected 1 1
shrew
Paradoxurus Common palm Least concern Not protected 45 7
hermaphroditus civet
Callosciurus prevostii Prevost’s Least concern Not protected 2 0
squirrel
Echinosorex gymnura Moon rat Least concern Not protected 2 0
Sus barbatus Bearded pig Least concern Not protected 4 11
Sus scrofa Pig (wild) Least concern Not protected 22 303
Species distribution within oil palm
Plotting the location of photographs taken during the study (Figure 19) further
highlights the limitation of oil palm for most species. Of all the species detected just
five (13% of species in the area) were detected in the centre of the oil palm habitat.
These were the four species that were regularly recorded; common and bearded pigs,
leopard cats and palm civets and also the moon rat which was probably common but
was at the size limit for regular detection by the methods used. All other records of
species in oil palm consisted of occasional evidence on the fringes of the oil palm.
Wildlife conservation in oil palm plantations 31