the northeastern India comprising the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Tripura forms part of a rich biogeographic unit and is among the biodiversity "Hotspots" of the world (Myers 1988, 1991). However, extensive documentation of its diverse fauna has not so far been done, particularly for small carnivores. Status reports on the small carnivores of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have been published recently (Choudhury 1997a,b). Accounts on small carnivores of Assam are also found in Choudhury (1994, 1997c) and parts of Arunachal Pradesh in Datta (1999). The region has 13 species of mustelids (including one probable species), seven viverrids and three herpestids. General information on these groups (including their tentative status in the region) are found in some synoptic works especially Prater (1971), Ellerman & Morrison-Scott (1951) and Corbet & Hill (1992). This paper reviews the status of mustelids, viverrids and herpestids in northeast India.

MUSTELIDS
Yellow-bellied weasel Mustela kathiah

It has been recorded from Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland (a killed specimen sold at Kohima market for food in 1997; photo by K. Sohe), Meghalaya, Assam (mainly in the Barail Range), and Manipur. Possibly it occurs in Mizoram also. Not uncommon but rarer than Martes flavigula. It is found between 1000 and 2000 m elevation. In winter, it may come down to lower than 1000 m also.

Siberian weasel Mustela sibirica
A species of high elevation occurring in the mountains of eastern Himalayas, Mishmi hills and Dapha Bum range in Arunachal Pradesh. Since it occurs mostly above 2400 m elevation, it is unlikely to be found in other areas of the region.

Back-striped weasel Mustela strigidorsa
Found in areas above 1000 m and usually below 2000 m elevation, especially in the middle ranges of the eastern Himalayas, Mishmi hills and Dapha Bum range in Arunachal Pradesh. In Patkai range, it occurs at elevations lower than 1000 m in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.

Beech marten or Stone marten Martes foina
Found in northern part of Arunachal Pradesh extending from Tawang to Lohit district occurring in the middle and higher ranges of the eastern Himalayas and Mishmi hills (usually above 1500 m elevation). May also occur in Dapha Bum range.

Yellow-throated marten Martes flavigula
It is common all over northeast in the forested areas only. Observed in Dhansiri Reserved Forest (RF) of Karbi Anglong district, Assam at an elevation of about 160 m (Choudhury 1997c). Corbet & Hill (1992) mentioned that it occurs between 300 and 3000 m in the Himalayas. Usually seen singly although two animals have also been sighted on a number of occasions. Occurs from near the edge of hills to the mountains. In the less disturbed forests, it can also be seen during daytime.

Ratel or Honey badger Mellivora capensis
Found in forests, scrub jungle and among tall elephant grasslands of western and central Assam. It is not recorded in eastern and southern Assam. Usually an animal of drier country it was not known from anywhere in northeastern India (Prater 1971, Corbet & Hill 1992). The only record is of a lone animal in Kaziranga National Park, near Bimoli camp in Bagori Range area (Choudhury 1997a,c). The only other record from nearer to the region is from Hashimara in Jalpaiguri district, northern West Bengal, recorded by the Zoological Survey of India in 1992 (Choudhury 1999).

Hog-badger Arctonyx collaris
Perhaps the most common of all the badgers/ferret-badgers, this species is wide spread in the forests as well as well-wooded countryside. Most of the sightings were of lone animals among high elevation areas. An immature specimen was recently caught near Tenga in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh at 1300 m elevation.

Large-toothed ferret-badger Melogale personata

Though it is found all over northeast, its status is unknown. Its sighting is very difficult due to its nocturnal habit. Occurs in both hill forests as well as in grassland on the plains. Some recent records are from Dibang Valley district (Arunachal Pradesh), Dhansiri RF and Innerline RF (Assam). There is a specimen at the Zoological Survey of India obtained from Khasi Hills, Meghalaya.

Small-toothed ferret-badger Melogale moschata
It is found all over northeast India; however, its exact status is unclear. Like Burmese ferret-badger its sighting is very difficult. It has recently been recorded from Namdapha National Park (Arunachal Pradesh), Dhansiri RF and Innerline RF (Assam).

Eurasian otter Lutra lutra

Click Map to Zoom

It is common all over the states, especially in the hill streams. Occurs in the mountains often ascending above 3000 m elevation in summer in Arunachal Pradesh. Seen singly, in twos (often pairs) or small groups. A few records of lifting of village chicken are there. In the 1950s, one was killed by a dog in Shillong. Some recent records are from Barail RF (Cachar and North Cachar hills districts), Innerline RF (Hailakandi and Cachar districts), Manas, Nameri and Kaziranga National Parks (Assam), Narpuh RF (Jaintia hills district), Balphakram National Park, Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary (Meghalaya), Sangti Valley (West Kameng district), Eaglenest, Kamlang, Mehao, and Pakhui Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Namdapha National Park (Arunachal Pradesh).

Smooth-coated otter Lutra perspicillata
It is quite common and most familiar of all the otter species in northeast India. It is very common in Kaziranga National Park as well as in many other localities of the Brahmaputra Valley in Assam including vicinity of human habitation along the rivers, lakes, marshes, pools, ponds and even road-side ditches (sighted in Nambor [north block] RF, Golaghat district portion, in 1991-92). In Kaziranga, this species has been mistakenly recorded as Lutra lutra during wildlife census (L. lutra is also found but less numerous). Seen alone or in small groups, it is usually not found in the higher hills.

Oriental small-clawed otter Aonyx cinerea
Not uncommon in wetlands but less numerous than the smooth-coated otter. Found mainly in the plains and foothills. There is a record at Gandhigram at 1100 m elevation near Namdapha National Park (Ghosh, 1987). A specimen from similar elevation was examined in 1998 at Sessa Orchid Sanctuary, also in Arunachal Pradesh. The type locality of the subspecies concolor is Garo Hills, Meghalaya (Choudhury, 1997c).

VIVERRIDS
Large Indian civet Viverra zibetha

Very common and widespread all over. Found in the plains as well as hills affecting forest, tea plantations, scrub jungle and wooded countryside. Usually it is seen singly. Innumerable locality records, some of the recent are from Dolu tea garden (Cachar district), Daldali RF, Dhansiri RF (Karbi Anglong district), Innerline RF (Hailakandi and Cachar districts), Dibru-Saikhowa, Kaziranga, Manas, Nameri, and Orang National Parks, Garampani Wildlife Sanctuary, some localities in Guwahati city (Assam), Narpuh RF (Jaintia Hills district), near Nongpoh (Ri-Bhoi district), Balpakram National Park, Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary (Meghalaya), Eaglenest, Kamlang, Mehao and Pakhui Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Namdapha National Park (Arunachal Pradesh).

Small Indian civet Viverricula indica
It is very common in northeast India. It prefers vicinity of human habitation and regularly lifts domestic chicken and ducks. It is common even in busy towns and cities including the heart of Guwahati.

Spotted linsang Prionodon pardicolor
The rarest of all small carnivores covered in this paper. There are very few recent records. Perhaps occurs in the hill forests as well as grasslands near forests. Skull and skin recorded in Upper Siang (Katti et al. 1990). Also recorded in Mouling National Park (Singh et al. 1996) and Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary (Chakraborty & Sen 1991). One sighting was on the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border (at Nameri National Park-Pakhui Wildlife Sanctuary border) in February 1999 (P. Saikia, pers. comm).

Common palm civet Paradoxurus hermaphroditus
Very common in the region, occurring all over including forests and well wooded villages. A familiar and well known lifter of domestic chicken.

Masked palm civet or Himalayan palm civet Paguma larvata
Also common but less abundant than the common palm civets. It occurs all over northeastern India, especially in the forests and light woodlands in the foothills and hills. Although the range map in Corbet & Hill (1992) shows its distribution only in the Himalayan region, it occurs all over northeastern India including Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.

Binturong Arctictis binturong
It is common in the forests, both in the plains and hills throughout Arunachal Pradesh to Tripura. However, it is more common in the foothills and hills with good tree-cover. Some specific areas where the species has been recorded include Manas National Park, near Kakoijana RF (Bongaigaon district; photo by Nature’s Foster), Dulung RF, Kakoi RF (Lakhimpur district), hill forests of Karbi Anglong, North Cachar Hills, Cachar and Hailakandi districts (Assam), Panir RF of Papum Pare and Lower Subansiri districts, Dibang RF of Dibang Valley district, Namdapha National Park, and Kamlang, Pakhui, Eaglenest, and Mehao Wildlife Sanctuaries of Dibang Valley (all in Arunachal Pradesh), and Balphakram National Park (Meghalaya).

Small-toothed palm civet Arctogalidia trivirgata
Found in the hills and foothills of the south bank of the Brahmaputra river. Although not uncommon, its exact status is unclear. In Arunachal Pradesh, it occurs in the districts of Tirap, Changlang, Lohit and perhaps Dibang Valley. Also in Nagaland and Manipur. Recently observed (1994) in Upper Dihing (west block) RF, Tinsukia district and in village woodlands near Kothalguri, Dibrugarh district (Assam).

HERPESTIDS
Small Indian mongoose Herpestes javanicus/ auropunctatus

Very common all over northeast India, occurring in almost all types of habitats ranging from forests, scrub jungle, and grasslands to the vicinity of human habitation in towns and villages.

Indian grey mongoose Herpestes edwardsii
Also common and widespread, mainly in the western parts of the northeast India. Less common than auropunctatus especially near human habitations. Exact status in other parts especially eastern areas is unclear. The eastern most record is from Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary (Chakraborty & Sen 1991).

Crab-eating mongoose Herpestes urva
It is common in the forests, both in the plains and hills in Arunachal Pradesh. Occurs along the wetlands and forest streams including small marshes inside forests. Not observed near human habitations. Observed recently in Innerline RF (Hailakandi district) and at the edge of Dhansiri RF (Karbi Anglong district) in Assam and Dichu RF (Arunachal Pradesh). Sightings are however rare. The species is less agile than the other two species but vanishes among undergrowth whenever any human being is noticed. Usually seen in twos or more.

Discussion

Most of the small carnivores are nocturnal and shy, thus they are difficult to observe. However, there is an urgent need to take up baseline studies on the small carnivores. For the surveys to ascertain the exact status and distribution (especially of the least known and endangered species), camera-trapping may be effective. It appears that the exact status of many species is still unclear (e.g., Mustela sibirica, M. kathiah, M. strigidorsa, Melogale spp., Prionodon pardicolor and Arctogalidia trivirgata). Occurrence of Eurasian badger Meles meles in northeast India is yet to be confirmed but its possible presence cannot be ruled out in the extreme northern and eastern areas because of records from the adjacent areas of Tibet and northern Myanmar. Considering the large-scale deforestation, forest-dwelling species such as the spotted linsang and binturong are becoming rarer day by day. A number of records of the binturong (mostly of animals killed or caught by locals) were from degraded forests, thus indicating its vulnerability to forest destruction.

Most of the mustelids, viverrids, and herpestids are considered edible by many of the tribal groups inhabiting the different parts of northeastern India. Frequently these are trapped with the help of crude snares, or shot with guns for the pot. Because most species are nocturnal, the pressure exerted by such hunting is difficult to assess. Species such as small Indian civet, common palm civet and small mongoose appear to be in no danger from any corner and their survival is assured because of their adaptability within a diverse range of habitats (including human habitations). The existing protected area network in the region also helps conservation of some of these animals. Because of large size and diverse habitat (tropical to subtropical), some protected areas such as Dibang (4149 km²), Namdapha (1985 km²), Kamlang (783 km²), Pakhui (862 km²), Manas (500 km²), and Dampa (500 km²) are believed to have viable populations of many species of small carnivores. There is a record (examination of skin) of the striped-necked mongoose H. vitticollis from Dichu Valley (1100 m ASL) of Lohit district (Singh et al, 1995) but it was obviously a case of misidentification of H. urva as the distribution of H. vitticollis is confined only to the south western India and Sri Lanka.

References

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