Kurtis Pei

National Pingtung University of Science and Technology · Institute of Wildlife Conservation

Context Elucidating how demography and contemporary landscape features regulate functional connectivity is crucial to implementing effective conservation strategies. We assessed the impacts of landscape features on the genetic variation of a locally endangered carnivore, the leopard cat ( Prionailurus bengalensis ) in Taiwan. Objectives We aim to...

The reproductive uniqueness of pangolins has been documented through diverse biological reports with discernible data discrepancies in gestation, copulation, and pregnancy. These mechanistic reproductive differences have yet to be endocrinologically quantified, which could assist in optimizing natural breeding in zoos to recover endangered species....

Pangolins in Nepal are found mostly in human‐dominated landscapes where their numbers are declining due to illegal hunting and trade. Positive attitudes of local people are believed to be powerful drivers for the conservation of threatened species. We explored local attitudes using a semi‐structured questionnaire survey of 1017 people from 105 vill...

Formosan macaque (Macaca cyclopis) is the only non-human primate in Taiwan Island. We performed de novo hybrid assembly for M. cyclopis using Illumina paired-end short reads, mate-pair reads and Nanopore long reads and obtained 5065 contigs with a N50 of 2.66 megabases. M. cyclopis contigs > = 10 kb were assigned to chromosomes using Indian rhesus...

The Sunda Clouded Leopard (Neofelis diardi) and Indochinese Clouded Leopard (N. nebulosa) are medium-sized felids native to tropical south and southeast Asia. In 2019, we began investigating the trade in Clouded Leopards and their parts in Asia. This was partly inspired by social media posts of an apparent pet Sunda Clouded Leopard. Investigations...

Elucidating how demography and contemporary landscape features regulate functional connectivity and diversity is crucial to implementing effective conservation strategies, especially in highly fragmented landscapes. We analyzed the impacts of landscape features and demographic events on the dispersal and genetic structure of a locally endangered ca...

Two species of pangolins occur in Nepal: the Chinese pangolin Manis pentadactyla and the Indian pangolin Manis crassicaudata . They are categorized as Critically Endangered and Endangered, respectively, on the IUCN Red List, and are protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1973 in Nepal. Although both this national law and C...

Wildlife is increasingly forced to live in close proximity to humans, resulting in human-wildlife conflict and anthropogenic mortality. Carnivores persisting in human-dominated landscapes respond to anthropogenic threats through fine-scaled spatial and temporal behavioral adjustments. Although crucial for conservation, quantitative information on t...

Prey behavioral responses to predation risk cues may vary between species; moreover, the strength of these behaviors may differ depending on risk cue. In northwestern Taiwan, we used the giving up density (GUD) framework supported with camera trap observations to test how two wild murid rodents that differ by up to fivefold in body size (striped fi...

Understanding local knowledge about wildlife, local uses, and local people's willingness to support conservation activities are crucial factors in formulating wildlife conservation strategies. We conducted a semi-structured questionnaire survey of 1017 people from 105 villages located in different ecological regions across all seven Provinces of Ne...

Context. Conservation performance payment (CPP) is increasingly used to promote human– carnivore co-existence. The leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) is a small felid, which suffers from high levels of anthropogenic mortality. In Taiwan, CPP has recently been introduced to stimulate leopard cat conservation in rural townships. A CPP scheme for...

The extant biological reports on pangolins have mainly been established from rescued gravid individuals or a handful of observations done in captivity, thus, generating data discrepancies. The present research characterizes the Taiwanese pangolin's annual seasonal reproductive pattern by measuring immunoreactive estrogens and progestagens in 34 cap...

Pangolins are under severe threat of surging poaching rates globally; therefore, there is a demand to ascertain reproductive measures to ensure captive breeding and management strategies. Due to the absence of substantial information on the pangolin, endocrinology and reproductive physiology studies around the globe are merely based on captive obse...

Rodents threaten agricultural industries and food security on a global scale. Rodent management practices routinely involve the use of chemical products, mainly anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs). An understanding of farmer rodent control behaviors is crucial in order to implement management changes to more environmentally friendly practices. In this...

Morphometric relationships and condition factors are crucial to quickly understanding the fitness and well-being of animals. Total length (cm) and bodyweight (g) of 282 (male = 167 and female = 115) pangolins were accounted for in this study which was received and rehabilitated in Pingtung Rescued Center, Pingtung and Endemic Species Research Insti...

Behavioural and ecological studies often require capture and handling of animals for marking or collaring. Cage traps, in various designs, are commonly used for live‐capture of small mammals. Apart from costs and practicality, trap designs need to balance trap success and safety for the trapped animal. Inevitably, trapping and handling causes stres...

Pests cause devastating losses on agricultural industries worldwide. Common pest management practices include using chemical products. The efficacy of these toxins remains inconclusive, however, and their application can have adverse effects on non-target wildlife from both direct and indirect exposure. In parts of Taiwan, threatened species may be...

Observations of Chinese pangolin ( Manis pentadactyla ) in the wild are extremely rare and challenging because of their nocturnal and cryptic activity patterns and low population density. The present article reported the first field observation in eastern Taiwan, from October 4, 2012 to June 16, 2016, on the reproductive behavior of the Chinese pan...

Observations of Chinese pangolin ( Manis pentadactyla ) in the wild are extremely rare and challenging because of their nocturnal and cryptic activity patterns and low population density. The present article reported the first field observation in eastern Taiwan, from October 4, 2012 to June 16, 2016, on the reproductive behavior of the Chinese pan...

Since 2013, a high incidence of bilateral symmetrical alopecia has been observed in free-ranging Formosan macaques ( Macaca cyclopis ) in Mt. Longevity, Taiwan. We hypothesized that stress induces alopecia in this population. To verify our hypothesis, we evaluated the histopathological characteristics of skin biopsy and used a validated enzyme immu...

Since 2013, a high incidence of bilateral symmetrical alopecia has been observed in free-ranging Formosan macaques ( Macaca cyclopis ) in Mt. Longevity, Taiwan. We hypothesized that stress induces alopecia in this population. To verify our hypothesis, we evaluated the histopathological characteristics of skin biopsy and used a validated enzyme immu...

The Indochinese clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) was recently declared extinct in Taiwan but is a potential candidate for reintroduction. We assessed the level of public support for reintroduction and the value of clouded leopards to Taiwanese residents via their willingness-to-pay (WTP) among indigenous and urban communities for a potential rei...

The Formosan sika deer was declared extinct in the wild in Taiwan around 1969. In 1994, a series of reintroductions was initiated in Taiwan’s Kenting National Park. Today a wild population is established in the core area of the Park, and even continues to expand. Between October 2016 to March 2018, we used Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) to survey t...

Background: Understanding how wild species respond to novel situations with associated risk can provide valuable insights for inter-specific behavioral variation and associations with pace-of-life (POL). Rodents, a globally distributed and diverse taxonomic group, have been the subjects of countless studies emulating risky situations. Controlled l...

Pangolins are ‘keystone species’ driven towards extinction due to a lack of profound awareness and illegal trade. The drivers urge for immediate development in the understanding of demographics and reproductive dynamics of this species. In this study, we developed and validated a quantitative method to measure pangolin fecal extracts using the elec...

Pangolins are the most trafficked mammalian species in the world and have recently been transferred from Appendix II to Appendix I in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), due to poaching and international population decline. Given their principally solitary, elusive, and typically nocturnal be...

The masked palm civet (Paguma larvata) in Japan is considered as an alien species; however, the details on introduction routes to Japan and the expansion history are still unclear. In the present study, to further solve these questions, we analyzed the mitochondrial DNA control region (523 base-pairs) of 226 individuals from Japan and Taiwan, and i...

Background: Rodents, a globally distributed and diverse taxonomic group, have been the subjects of countless studies emulating risky situations. In controlled laboratory experiments the majority of focus has been on captive-bred rodents, whereas far less attention has been paid to their wild counterparts. Understanding how wild species respond to n...

Background: Understanding how wild species respond to novel situations with associated risk can provide valuable insights for inter-specific behavioral variation and associations with pace-of-life (POL). Rodents, a globally distributed and diverse taxonomic group, have been the subjects of countless studies emulating risky situations. Controlled la...

Pangolins are highly-threatened due to illegal hunting and poaching, and by the loss, degradation, and fragmentation of their habitats. In Nepal, effective conservation actions for pangolins are scarce due to limited information on the distribution of pangolins in many areas of the country. To identify the nationwide distribution of pangolins in Ne...

Social acceptance is crucial to reintroduction projects involving large felids, yet few studies have assessed public attitudes toward reintroduction candidates prior to release. To assess attitudes toward clouded leopards, a reintroduction candidate in Taiwan, we conducted interviews with 263 rural indigenous locals in southern Taiwan and distribut...

Ant and termite colonies are so-called superorganism and have great biomass in most tropical and subtropical ecosystems. Ant-and termite-eating, or myrmecophage, is a foraging behavior for many mammalian species. Seasonal climatic factors strongly affect the life cycles of ants and termites, including colony development and dispersal flight. Chines...

This study aimed to assess the distribution of spent pesticides in an agro-farming area and to evaluate their impact on the ecological risk for an endangered species combing the health risk assessment concept with the modelling algorithm proposed by European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). An agricultural area in western Taiwan was chosen to investig...

All pangolins have a taper-shaped head and short neck that makes traditional collaring methods unsuitable and tracking devices are therefore typically attached to one of the larger keratinous scales that cover the body. However, the issue of early tag detachment has limited the duration of most Asian pangolin tracking studies up to the present. In...

The diet of myrmecophagous mammals is usually studied by investigating the chitinous remains of termites and ants obtained from stomachs, guts, and faeces; however , this process is time and labour intensive. Moreover, faeces of obligate myrmecophagous mammals contain other materials such as soil, sand, rocks, and plant matter , which hinder the ac...

The Sunda Pangolin Manis javanica is naturally present in Gaya Island, Sabah, but its population status is largely unknown. Results from a recent survey using camera traps indicated the presence of a few individuals, who were strictly nocturnal. There is a strong indication that the population in Gaya Island is in danger of local extinction. There...

Understanding the human dimension is critical for effective conservation management of species involved in human–carnivore conflict. There is also a need to recognize who among the local human population is supportive of wildlife conservation. We investigated how local people's attitudes and knowledge of the leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis are...

Globally, pangolins are threatened by poaching and illegal trade. Taiwan presents a contrary situation, where the wild pangolin population has stabilized and even begun to increase in the last two decades. This paper illustrates the factors responsible for causing mortality and morbidity in the wild Taiwanese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla pentadacty...

The Sunda Pangolin Manis javanica is naturally present in Gaya Island, Sabah, but its population status is largely unknown. Results from a recent survey using camera traps indicated the presence of a few individuals, who were strictly nocturnal. There is a strong indication that the population in Gaya Island is in danger of local extinction. There...

Generally, when investigating the ant community in territorial environments, pitfall trap and Winkler litter extraction are often used in combination to complement each other to obtain a more holistic picture of ant diversity. Pangolins, the obligate myrmecophagous mammals, use powerful limbs and claws to dig out and feed on the ant colonies underg...

The Formosan pangolin mainly inhabits the lowland forest in Taiwan. Biological information on pangolins is limited due to their solitary behavior. This study reports the first field record of the behavior development and growth pattern of a newborn male Formosan pangolin during the entire nursing period in the wild. The methods used in this study w...

Globally, pangolins are overt for poaching and illegal trade, but Taiwan projects totally a contrary image where their population is stable and increasing. This paper illustrated the factors responsible for causing mortality and morbidity in free ranging Formosan pangolin (M. pentadactyla pentadactyla). Results from radio-tracking showed that Formo...

Background Taiwan had been considered rabies free since 1961, until a newly established wildlife disease surveillance program identified rabies virus transmission within the Formosan ferret-badger (Melogale moschata subaurantiaca) in 2013. Ferret-badgers occur throughout southern China and Southeast Asia, but their ecological niche is not well desc...

Skull morphological comparison of meso-carnivore rabies reservoirs, including the Formosan ferret-badger. (DOCX)

Formosan pangolin, a sub-species of Chinese pangolin is a critically endangered insectivorous mammal found only in Taiwan. Pathological studies are helpful in the diagnosis and investigation of wildlife diseases. Pathological findings in pangolins have not been well documented. The present paper reports the pathological findings of 14 free-ranging...

Chinese pangolins are critically endangered insectivorous mammals distributed in several South and Southeast Asian countries. In recent years, there has been an increase in spread of tick-borne diseases in both humans and animals worldwide. Currently, limited information is available on ticks and associated pathogens infesting pangolins. The object...

The first radio tracking study on the endangered leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) in Taiwan was conducted from November 2006 to April 2008. Average minimum convex polygon home range size for combined sex was 5.0 km2 (SD = 3.2, N = 4). Males had much larger home ranges than females, but only males reduced their ranges significantly in the dry...

There are 8 species of Pangolins found in Asia and Africa. Among them, the Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) is an endangered insectivorous mammal found only in Asia. Hematology and serum chemistry reference intervals are critical for evaluating an animal's well-being and can be useful for clinical diagnostic purposes. Currently, there are no s...

The Taiwanese (Formosan) macaque ( Macaca cyclopis ) is the only nonhuman primate endemic to Taiwan. This primate species is valuable for evolutionary studies and as subjects in medical research. However, only partial fragments of the mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of this primate species have been sequenced, not mentioning its nuclear genome. W...

During 1997-2012 we conducted a nationwide camera-trapping survey and assessed the availability of prey and habitat for the clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa in Taiwan. We surveyed 1,249 camera-trap sites over 113,636 camera-trap days, from the seashore to an altitude of 3,796 m and covering various types of vegetation. No clouded leopards were pho...

Previous studies have shown that despite having a clear seasonal fluctuation in fecal testosterone concentration, the significantly lower testosterone levels found in velvet stags of the nonseasonal breeder muntjac (Muntiacus sp.) apparently did not stop their spermatogenesis as in other deer species. In the present study, in vitro cultivated Leydi...

Background Gibbons (Hylobatidae) are the most diverse group of living apes. They exist as geographically-contiguous species which diverged more rapidly than did their close relatives, the great apes (Hominidae). Of the four extant gibbon genera, the evolutionary histories of two polyspecific genera, Hylobates and Nomascus, have been the particular...

We used participatory epidemiology (PE) in remote areas to understand the observed distribution and prevalence of infestation by sarcoptic mange mites (Sarcoptes scabiei) on wild Formosan serow (Capricornis swinhoei) in Taiwan. A semistructured interview protocol was used for 37 interviews during June-December 2008. Serow with skin lesions consiste...

The masked palm civet Paguma larvata (Carnivora: Viverridae) in Japan has been phylogeographically considered an introduced species from Taiwan. To reveal the population structures and relationships among the P. larvata populations in Japan, seven compound microsatellite loci were isolated from the genome and genotyped for 287 individuals collected...

Carnivores are at the higher trophic levels and have garnered much attention in conservation and management efforts. In this study, we attempted to understand resource partitioning among sympatric carnivores existing in a primary forest with minimal human disturbance in southern Taiwan by camera trapping after the disappearance of the top carnivore...

The Endangered Asian Species Trust, founded by Monkey World – Ape Rescue Centre, United Kingdom, organizes the rehabilitation and release of threatened South Vietnamese primates at the new Dao Tien Endangered Primate Species Centre in Cat Tien National Park Vietnam. This work supports the Vietnamese Government to enforce laws on stopping the trade...

The Formosan pangolin, Manis pentadactyla pentadactyla Linnaeus, is an endangered species currently. To understand the termite species available as pangolin food sources, a field survey was conducted in a 120-ha habitat in Southeast Taiwan. One hundred and thirty three termite samples were collected, representing 7 species in 6 genera and 3 familie...

本文採用 Berkes 等（2007）適應性共管成熟度的量表，以無尾港水鳥保護區及其周遭社區、墾丁國家公園與社頂部落、太魯閣國家公園與大同大禮部落、崙埤部落與林務單位的林地資源共管醞釀等為個案，分析台灣在地居民與自然資源經營管理機關，共同經營管理保護區的狀況與未來的展望。結果顯示：無尾港水鳥保護區案以參與式工作坊遂行的保護區經營管理有高度的適應性共管成熟度；墾丁國家公園的社頂部落雖少指涉經營管理決策，能充分發展生態旅遊也約可達中度成熟度；太魯閣國家公園與大同大禮部落因政策不確定、部落組織運作未臻成熟尚屬初期；崙埤部落案因部落組織自主性高、運作成熟、對外網絡連結良好，雖尚在醞釀共管事宜，部分項目也有中度的表現。綜整四個個案，在現今法規未具強制執行共管的情況下，只要政策架構清楚、不直接指涉經營管...

Parasites threaten human and animal health globally. It is estimated that more than 60% of people on planet Earth carry at least one parasite, many of them several different species. Unfortunately, parasite studies suffer from duplications and inconsistencies between different investigator groups. Hence, groups need to collaborate in an integrated...

Avian pox viruses (APVs) have been reported to cause infection in diverse avian species worldwide. Herein we report the first case of APV infection in a free-living bird, a subadult crested serpent eagle (Spilornis cheela), in Taiwan. In addition to the typical wart-like lesions distributed on the cere, eyelid, and face, there were also yellowish n...

Natural infection of hantavirus in orangutans has never been reported. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), Indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), and RT-PCR were used to diagnosis a suspected case in a pet orangutan in southern Taiwan. Although the RT-PCR result was negative, the high IgG titer in the beginning and its dramatic drop after...

Uniquely among hominoids, gibbons exist as multiple geographically contiguous taxa exhibiting distinctive behavioral, morphological, and karyotypic characteristics. However, our understanding of the evolutionary relationships of the various gibbons, especially among Hylobates species, is still limited because previous studies used limited taxon sam...

本文採用崙埤部落的個案材料，以馬告國家公園計畫與宜蘭縣無尾港野生動物保護區的經驗為參考資料，探究依森林法劃設的自然保護區發展共管機制的機會與可能面臨的挑戰。研究結果顯示，雖然法規的正當性支持及社區內部的凝聚與共識是重要的因素，但主管機關的堅實支持與願意培力賦權在地社區更是建構共管機制的關鍵。其中，官署與在地社區間的互信是建構共管機制的基礎，由社區參與監測著手則有助於促進互信。此外，促進者在發展過程可扮演搭建對話空間的正面角色。總的來說，現前相關法規已具備擬訂與運作共管機制的空間，能否實地嘗試端賴官署的態度。

The source areas of the Japanese populations of the masked palm civet Paguma larvata (Viverridae, Carnivora), an alien species in Japan, have not been identified. In the present study, to reveal their origins and genetic features, we determined the full mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b sequences (1,140 base-pairs) of a total of 206 individuals of P....

We spent 3 yr (2000-2003) surveying the status of larger mammals (> 0.5 kg) in the highly fragmented and degraded landscape of Hong Kong using 373 camera-trap sites distributed in 43 terrestrial wildlife habitat patches. In total, 20 mammal species were recorded including 15 larger mammals. The Malayan porcupine (Hystrix brachyura) and red muntjac...

Camera-trapping was used to examine the activity patterns and habitat use of a small carnivore community in southern Taiwan from March 1998 to February 2001. Six small carnivore species occurred in disturbed and successional stage forests in southern Taiwan. The small carnivore community was mainly composed of four species, including small Indian c...

Kurtis Jai-Chyi Pei, Kerry Foresman, Bing-Tsan Liu, Long-Hwa Hong, and John Yuh-Lin Yu (2009) Testosterone levels in male Formosan Reeve's muntjac: uncoupling of the reproductive and antler cycles. Zoological Studies 48(1): 120-124. Cervid species are generally assumed to be seasonal in their reproductive activity, and species that develop antlers...

The captive breeding program for the Formosan sika deer (Cervus nippon taiouanus) was initiated in 1986 with a founder group of 22 deer in the Cheting Sika Deer Sanctuary in Kenting National Park. Their productivity was estimated to be 0.73/adult female/year according to three total counts between 1990 and 1996 in different sub-regions within the s...

Canine distemper is an acute or subacute, highly contagious, febrile disease that is caused by canine distemper virus (CDV). Two CDV-infected wild Taiwan ferret-badgers (Melogale moschata subauantiaca) were found in Kaohsiung County, southern Taiwan, in 2005. Each case was confirmed by detecting CDV RNA in lung and brain tissues. A suspected third...

Food quality of the Formosan sika deer (Cervus nippon taiouanus) in the Cheting area, Kenting National Park (NP), southern Taiwan was evaluated using the fecal nitrogen content. Percent fecal nitrogen content of the deer showed a positive correlation (R2 = 0.74) with the nitrogen content of pangola grass (Digitaria decumbens) which they feed on. Re...

The present status of larger mammals in Kenting National Park and their conservation concerns was discussed. The park is located on Hengchun Peninsula in the southernmost part of Taiwan. Ten endemic species or subspecies were recorded in the study conducted for the present distribution of the mammals in the park. Species such as white-faced flying...

Daily activities of the Taiwan ferret badger (Melogale moschata subaurantiaca) were studied by using a time-lapse recorder to record the individual behaviors of five animals in captivity from January to March 1993 in southern Taiwan. The activity level was low during emergence at dusk, increased gradually to the highest level right before sunrise,...

We studied home ranges, activity patterns, population density and food relationships of Reeves' muntjacs (Muntiacus reevest) in the mountains of Taiwan from September 1992 to December 1993 using radioelemetry remote cameras, and fecal nitrogen analysis. Average minimum convex polygon home range size was 107.7 ha, and no difference between the sexes...

The hunting system of the Rukai tribe in southern Taiwan was studied from January 1996 to January 1997. Based on interviews with tribal members, three characteristics in their hunting system were identified that may contribute to its sustainability in the present day: (1) they hunted only in winter months and mainly on hoofed animals, which with hi...

Wildlife habitats in Taiwan are dominated by mountain terrain and dense forests. Direct observation of wildlife is difficult. Twenty auto-trigger cameras were used in the field to record activity patterns of wildlife during February 1992-November 1993. Activity patterns of Formosan macaque (Macaca cyclopis), Formosan ferret badger (Melogale moschat...

A total of 383 Formosan Reeves' muntjacs Muntiacus reevesi micrurus were examined during December 1988 and January 1989 in Ilan, Taiwan. All specimens were aged according to their tooth eruption or the wear pattern of the 1st lower molars. Growth of the mandibular diastema showed no difference between the 2 sexes, and the maximum length was reached...

During December 1988 and January 1989, 225 juvenile Formosan Reeves' muntjacs (Muntiacus reevesi micrurus) were examined in I-Lan, Taiwan. All specimens were aged according to their tooth eruption. The distribution of births was reconstructed indirectly by back-dating from the dates of death for juveniles. Results showed that births occurred every...