The ecology of the Common tree shrew, Tupaia glis in peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

The Common tree shrew was studied over three and half years in tropical rainforest habitats in West Malaysia, using various trapping methods. It was more terrestrial than arboreal and the overall sex ratio remained close to unity. The main reproductive period was between February and June and the litter size invariably two. Some females bred more than once a season and the age at first pregnancy was seven months. Growth rate was measured from weaning to adult weight. Density varied from about two to five animals per hectare. The monthly survival rate was 0·75–0·93, and the maximum age recorded was over 4 years. The main period of emigration or mortality was during the breeding period or the North East Monsoon. The main food was invertebrates with some vegetable matter. These results support captive studies that T. glis are territorial with about two pairs per hectare prior to breeding. Predation did not seem to be important. Although survival resembled that of temperate insectivores, the litter size was more like lower primates. The annual breeding coincided with the abundance of invertebrates after the dry season, also shown by insectivorous birds. The low production of young was compensated for by the relatively high longevity of adults.

Diversity and biomass of terrestrial small mammals at a Malaysian primary rainforest reserve (Segari Melintang Forest Reserve, Peninsular Malaysia)

“…In literature, 2-5 individuals of T. glis per hectare were reported in a Dipterocarp forest of the Malay Peninsula [15]. In this study however, a remarkably higher mean abundance of 26 animals per hectare was Volume 5 | Number 1 | January | 2015 Table 1.…”

“…This could lead to a higher number of individuals compared to seasons when there is less roaming activity. However, taking into account that T. glis has an average litter size of only two [15] and only one third of all sexed individuals in this study were still subadults, this alone could not explain the high abundance of this species at the study site. The proximity of the study plots to vast oil palm plantation lands that serve as additional foraging ground may help in supporting a bigger population.…”

“…Tupaia glis lives in monogamous relationships, and pairs vigorously defend their territory [15]. The breeding season of T. glis on the Malaysian Peninsular has been shown to peak between February and June, and offspring grows to sexual maturity within seven months [15].…”

“…The union between males and females seems permanent as revealed by scent marking between the pair and sharing of the same territory [28][29]. They form small temporary family groups [15,28] and the male and female of the primary pair heavily defend their territory against co-specific intruders. However, when foraging, they are mostly observed solitary and intersexual encounters are much more frequent than intrasexual encounters.…”

“…Especially the small mammals of the Peninsular are only little addressed in literature [12][13][14][15][16][17]. In fact, the least known mammals in the region include squirrels, treeshrews, rats, mice, and civets [18].…”