Status and conservation of the giant muntjac Megamuntiacus vuquangensis, and notes on other muntjac species in Laos

Abstract

The large-antlered, or giant, muntjac Megamuntiacus vuquangensis was described from Vietnam in 1994 and found concurrently in the Annamite Mountains and nearby hill ranges of central and southern Laos. The northerly and southerly range limits are still unknown. It may occupy a wide range of habitats and is found sympatrically with the common muntjac Muntiacus muntjak. Another muntjac species, the taxonomic affinity of which is as yet undetermined, was recently discovered to occur within its range. The large-antlered muntjac is probably not threatened with extinction in the near future, but in view of its restricted range and threats from habitat degradation and hunting, it should be classified as Vulnerable in the Red Data Book. Its future in Laos is largely dependent on the recently created protected-areas system to maintain large tracts of habitat and reduce hunting pressure.

Holocene range collapse of giant muntjacs and pseudo‐endemism in the Annamite large mammal fauna

“…Habitat preferences of giant muntjac in the Annamite region remain unclear, but the species is considered today to be probably dependent upon dense, wet evergreen and semi‐evergreen forest (either closed‐canopy forest habitat, or a habitat mosaic including this forest type), and is apparently absent from drier semi‐evergreen and deciduous forests (Schaller & Vrba, ; Timmins et al ., , ; Rasphone, ). In contrast, red muntjac has been recorded from a wide range of wet and dry forests and anthropogenically modified vegetation types in the Annamites (Schaller & Vrba, ; Timmins et al ., ). The apparent wider environmental tolerance shown by red muntjac may therefore be associated with greater resilience to regional extinction, explaining the different patterns of Holocene population extirpation or persistence displayed by these two formerly sympatric large‐bodied muntjac species.…”

“…This ecoregion is famous for the discovery of several previously unknown, regionally endemic and highly threatened mammal species from the 1990s onwards, including the saola ( Pseudoryx nghetinhensis ), a Critically Endangered forest bovid (Dung et al ., ), several muntjacs (Giao et al ., ; Amato et al ., ), representatives of ancient rodent and lagomorph evolutionary lineages (Surridge et al ., ; Dawson et al ., ), and a possible distinct wild pig (Groves et al ., ; Robins et al ., ). The first and most distinctive of the recently recognized and geographically localized Annamite muntjacs was the large‐antlered or giant muntjac ( Muntiacus vuquangensis ), the largest extant muntjac, which was described in 1994; this species was originally considered to be so different to other muntjacs, partly on the basis of its unusually large, morphologically distinctive antlers, that it was assigned to the monotypic genus Megamuntiacus before being reassigned to Muntiacus (Tuoc et al ., ; Schaller & Vrba, ; Timmins et al ., ). It is classified as Endangered by IUCN (Timmins et al ., ).…”