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Carnivorous Mammals in Bangladesh

Submitted To

Dr. Kazi Mohammad Masum

Associate Professor, DFES, SUST

Submitted By

Reg. No. 2017631001

Session: 2017-18

Department of Forestry & Environmental Science

Shahjalal University of Science and Technology
Sylhet-3114, Bangladesh.
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Contents
1.Sloth Bear........................................................................................................................................3
2. Leopard..........................................................................................................................................4
3. Clouded Leopard ............................................................................................................................5
4. Tiger...............................................................................................................................................6
5. Eurasian Otter, European Otter........................................................................................................7
6. Smooth-coated Otter ......................................................................................................................8
7. Sun Bear, Malayan Sun Bear ............................................................................................................9
8. Asiatic Black Bear, Himalayan Black Bear ........................................................................................ 10
9. Dhole, Red Dog ............................................................................................................................. 11
10. Fishing Cat .................................................................................................................................. 12
11. Oriental Small-clawed Otter ........................................................................................................ 13
12. Bengal Fox .................................................................................................................................. 14
13. Asian Golden Cat......................................................................................................................... 15
14. Hog Badger................................................................................................................................. 16
15. Yellow-throated Marten .............................................................................................................. 17
16. Binturong, Bear Cat ..................................................................................................................... 18
17. Masked Palm Civet...................................................................................................................... 19
18. Jungle Cat, Swamp Cat ................................................................................................................ 20
19. Leopard Cat ................................................................................................................................ 21
20. Crab-eating Mongoose ................................................................................................................ 22
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1.Sloth Bear
Melursus ursinus

Local Name: Manthar Bhaluk

Taxonomy
Order: Carnivora
Family: Ursidae
Genus: Melursu
Species: Melursus ursinus

Habitat:
They are non-territorial. The Sloth Bear had the widest distribution among all the three bear
species found in Bangladesh. The species has historically been rare within the country in the
southeast,east, and northeastern areas (Sarkar 2006 in Islam etal. 2013). Occasional presence of
Sloth Bears has been recorded from Madhupur Tract, Garo Hills and in Sherpur District, which
are located in the central and north-central regions of the country respectively (Islam et al. 2013).
They were also present in Rangpur-Dinajpur area in northwestern part of the country some 50
years back (during 1960s) and were also surviving in a small population in Sylhet, Chittagong
and Chittagong Hill Tracts with sightings in Teknaf and Kassalong Reserve Forest

Food Habit:
They feed largely on fruits and insects supplemented by carrion

Red List Category & Criteria:

Regionally Extinct (EX) ver 3.1
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2. Leopard
Panthera pardus

Local Name: Chitah Bagh

Taxonomy
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus: Panthera
Species: Panthera pardus

Habitat
It is both nocturnal and diurnal, although most hunting takes place at night where there are other
larger predators but would do so at day where such predators are absent (M.A.R. Khan pers
comm.) Leopard is an expert climber and often hides its kill in treetops. It is a solitary hunter.

Food habit
Its regular food includes ungulates, hares, galliform birds, cattle, dogs and some reptiles.

Red List Category & Criteria:

Critically Endangered (CR) A2cd ver 3.1
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3. Clouded Leopard
Neofelis nebulosa

Local Name: Gecho Bagh

Taxonomy
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus: Neofelis
Species: Neofelis nebulosa

Habitat:
It is only found in the mixed evergreen forests of the northeast and southeast parts of the country.
Clouded Leopard is arboreal and restricted to patches of the mixed evergreen forests only.

Food Haibt:
It preys upon both arboreal and terrestrial vertebrates.

Red List Category & Criteria:

Critically Endangered (CR) A2cd ver 3.1
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4. Tiger
Panthera tigris

Local Name: Bagh, Dora Bagh

Taxonomy
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus: Panthera
Species: Panthera tigris

Habitat:
Tigers are found mainly in and around the forests of tropical Asia, although they historically
occurred more widely in drier and colder climes. One subspecies, the Amur Tiger P. t. altaica,
persists in the temperate forests of Russian Far East. The Sundarbans is the only mangrove
habitat for Tigers in Bangladesh. Availability of a sufficient prey based on large ungulates
(particularly deer and wild boar) is the key requirement of the Tiger. Tigers need to kill 50 large
prey animals per year (Karanth et al. 2004).

Food Habit:
Tigers are opportunistic predators and their diet includes primates, porcupines, birds, fish,
rodents, insects, amphibians, reptiles, etc.

Red List Category & Criteria:

CR A1bcd ver 3.1
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5. Eurasian Otter, European Otter

Lutra Lutra

Local Name: Vodor, Udbiral

Taxonomy
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mustelidae
Genus: Lutra
Species: Lutra Lutra

Habitat:
It occurs in a wide variety of aquatic habitats including rivers, streams, lakes, swamps, marshes,
rice-fields, swamp forests and coastal wetlands. It is active at night and spends the day roosting
in a burrow or a hollow of tree.

Food Habit:
Feeds mainly on fish and crustaceans, but also on small mammals, birds, bird eggs, insects,
worms and even vegetation.

Red List Category & Criteria:

CR A2ac ver 3.1
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6. Smooth-coated Otter
Lutrogale perspicillata

Local Name: Bhodor,Uud

Taxonomy
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mustelidae
Genus: Lutrogale
Species: Lutrogale perspicillata

Habitat:
The Smooth-coated Otter inhabits major rivers, mangroves and estuaries.

Food Habit:
It is predominantly a fish eater, but supplements its diet with shrimp/crayfish, crab and insects,
and other vertebrates such as frog, mudskippers, birds and rats

Red List Category & Criteria:

CR A2acd ver 3.1
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7. Sun Bear, Malayan Sun Bear

Helarctos malayanus

Local Name: Choto Bhaluk, SHurjo

Bhaluk

Taxonomy
Order: Carnivora
Family: Ursidae
Genus: Helarctos
Species: Helarctos malayanus

Habitat:
In Bangladesh, Sun Bear prefers only mixed evergreen forest. It is the smallest among the eight
living bear species in the world.

Food Habit:
Sun Bear diet includes termites and ants, beetle larvae, honey bee larvae, and even small rodents,
birds and lizards, honey and variety of fruit species, especially figs (Ficus spp.)

Red List Category & Criteria:

CR C2a (i); D ver 3.1
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8. Asiatic Black Bear, Himalayan Black Bear

Ursus thibetanus

Local Name: Kalo Bhaluk, Bhalu

Taxonomy
Order: Carnivora
Family: Ursidae
Genus: Ursus
Species: Ursus thibetanus

Habitat:
This species inhabits mixed evergreen forests and bamboo thickets in the hilly regions. It is
terrestrial, usually nocturnal and solitary, during day time they hide inside den or caves, thickets,
bushes, and tree holes.

Food Habit:
feeds on plant parts, insects, small mammals, birds, honey bee, honey, carrion, fruits, nuts,
berries, etc.

Red List Category & Criteria:

CR A2cd ver 3.1
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9. Dhole, Red Dog

Cuon alpinus

Local Name: Bon kutta, Ram kutta

Taxonomy
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Cuon
Species: Cuon alpinus

Habitat:
Dhole is found mostly in family packs of 2-30 individuals and unites in groups during day time
but rarely at night. Prey animals include medium-sized ungulates such as deer, wild boar and
wild goat, and occasionally domestic cattle. It sleeps inside a den.

Food Habit:
its prey animals mostly include Wild Boar, Barking Deer, Sambar, supplemented with smaller
ground-dwelling vertebrates

Red List Category & Criteria:

EN A2cd ver 3.1
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10. Fishing Cat

Prionailurus viverrinus

Local Name: Mecho Biral, Mecho Bagh

Taxonomy
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus: Prionailurus
Species: Prionailurus viverrinus

Habitat
It prefers wetlands, marshes and haor areas. It is also recorded from the rural areas along river
system or close to water bodies (Khan 2008) as well as in countryside thickets on banks of
wetlands.

Food Habit:
It is basically a fish eater but would kill any small animal that it can grab. Often these include
poultry, ducks and geese, kids of goat and sheep when this cat lives near human settlements.

Red List Category & Criteria:

EN A2ac ver 3.1
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11. Oriental Small-clawed Otter

Aonyx cinerea

Local Name: Dhaira Uud. Uud biral

Taxonomy
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mustelidae
Genus: Aonyx
Species: Aonyx cinerea

Habitat
It inhabits natural habitats of ponds and lakes, rivers and streams, coastal tide pools and
estuaries, freshwater and mangrove swamps and also near human habitats, especially in rice
fields (Khan 2008).

Food Habit:
It feeds mainly on invertebrates such as crustaceans and mollusks, but is also known to feed on
vertebrates, in particular amphibians

Red List Category & Criteria:

EN A2ce ver 3.1
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12. Bengal Fox

Vulpes bengalensis

Local Name: Khek Shial, Kheki

Taxonomy
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Vulpes
Species: Vulpes bengalensis

Habitat
This species is found mostly in family groups. Basically, nocturnal but also active during the
day, especially throughout monsoon period when sky is overcast

Food Habit:
It hunts small mammals (especially rodents), reptiles, insects and crabs occasionally
supplemented by sweet fruits.

Red List Category & Criteria:

VU A2bc ver 3.1
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13. Asian Golden Cat

Catopuma temminckii

Local Name: Shonali Biral

Taxonomy
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus: Catopuma
Species: Catopuma temminckii

Habitat
There are several confirmed records of the species in the southeast (Chittagong Hill Tracts; Khan
2008, S.C. Rahman pers comm. 2014) and northeast.

Food Habit:
It feeds mainly on mammals (small and medium-sized), birds and lizards; also rarely kills
domestic goats.

Red List Category & Criteria:

VU B2b (ii, iii) ver 3.1
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14. Hog Badger

Arctonyx collaris

Local Name: Gorkhudini, Balu-shuor

Taxonomy
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mustelidae
Genus: Arctonyx
Species: Arctonyx collaris

Habitat:
Mixed evergreen forest is the Hog Badger’s principal habitat. It spends the day time in burrows
that it digs for itself or in convenient natural shelters. It has been also reported from the
homestead vegetation bordering forests.

Food Habit:
Its feeding behaviour is to some extent similar to Wild Boar as it keeps digging in the wet and
soft forest floor to fetch the worms and small creature as well as plant matters with its
pronounced snout

Red List Category & Criteria:

VU B1ab (i, ii) ver 3.1
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15. Yellow-throated Marten

Martes flavigula

Local Name: Holud Gaas, Gokul

Taxonomy
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mustelidae
Genus: Martes
Species: Martes flavigula

Habitat
This species is usually active during day, but rarely at night. Occurs solitary or in pairs. Very
agile and can move quickly on ground and in tree canopy.

Food Habit:
Feeds on small vertebrates, large invertebrates and bee hives.

Red List Category & Criteria:

VU B2b (ii, iii) ver 3.1
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16. Binturong, Bear Cat

Arctictis binturong

Local Name: Gecho Bhaluk, Gas Bhaluk

Taxonomy
Order: Carnivora
Family: Viverridae
Genus: Arctictis
Species: Arctictis binturong

Habitat
This species occurs in the mixed evergreen forest and bamboo clumps in the northeast and
southeast regions of Bangladesh. Binturongs are nocturnal and mostly solitary and tend to evade
each other, but are not strictly territorial. They spend the majority of their time in tree but also
have a high level of ground activity as they are too large to jump from tree to tree.

Food Habit:
They are classified as carnivores but eat most anything that suits their fancy: mainly fruits, but
also vegetables, birds, small mammals, and fish.

Red List Category & Criteria:

VU B1ab (iii) + 2ab (iii) ver 3.1
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17. Masked Palm Civet

Paguma larvata

Local Name: Pahari vam, Boishne Ula

Taxonomy
Order: Carnivora
Family: Viverridae
Genus: Paguma
Species: Paguma larvata

Habitat:
It inhabits in mixed evergreen forests. Masked Palm Civet is arboreal, solitary and nocturnal
(Nowak, 1999). It sleeps during the day in ‘day beds’, which are in trees over 80% of the time.
These beds are located in the top 10% of the tree

Food Habit:
It feeds on fruits, small vertebrates and insects.

Red List Category & Criteria:

VU A2 cd ver 3.1
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18. Jungle Cat, Swamp Cat

Felis chaus

Local Name: Ban Biral, Wab

Taxonomy:
Order:Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus: Felis
Species: Felis chaus

Habitat:
In Bangladesh, the Jungle Cat inhabits variety of habitats namely bushes, forests, swamps,
cultivation and near human settlements (Khan 2008).

Food Habit:
It commonly consumes rodents, lizards, snakes, frogs, fish, insects, livestock and even fruits.

Red List Category & Criteria:

Near Threatened (NT) ver 3.1
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19. Leopard Cat

Prionailurus bengalensis

Local Name: Chita Biral

Taxonomy
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus: Prionailurus
Species: Prionailurus bengalensis

Habitat:
This cat occurs in a broad spectrum of habitats that include moist deciduous Sal forest, wet
coastal mangrove forest and semi evergreen forest, as well as shrubs and grasslands

Food Habit:
it is opportunistic and prey on small rodents, reptiles, amphibians, birds, fish, crabs, insects, deer
fawn and feeds on carrion

Red List Category & Criteria:

Near Threatened (NT) ver 3.1
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20. Crab-eating Mongoose

Herpestes urva

Local Name: Moucha Beji, Kankra Bhuk Beji

Taxonomy
Order: Carnivorous
Family: Herpestidae
Genus: Herpestes
Species: Herpestes urva

Habitat
It inhabits mixed evergreen forest, near water and paddy field, forest undercover and the areas
bordering forests.

Food Habit:
It is diurnal, shy and carnivorous; feeding on frogs, lizards, small birds and bird eggs and small
rodents.

Red List Category & Criteria:

Near Threatened (NT) ver 3.1