CONSERVATION STATUS OF SMALL ASIAN MONGOOSE HERPESTES JAVANICUS (E. GEOFFROY SAINT-HILAIRE, 1818) (MAMMALIA: CARNIVORA: HERPESTIDAE) IN LAO PDR

摘要

Small Asian Mongoose Herpestes javanicus (E. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1818) is not much recorded through conventional (evergreen-forest-centred) wildlife surveys in South-east Asia, and available literature contains few records from Lao PDR. Collatingrecords from the country reveals a wide distribution in the lowlands of its centre and south, and persistence in areas whence most other wild mammals (other than murids and bats) have been eradicated, including extensive farmland and suburban areas. Records from largely natural habitats are in or adjacent to deciduous biomes: the species is indeed rare in or absent from evergreen forests, hence the paucity of records during conventional survey. It evidently survives through rather evasive behaviour, andwhile populations may be much below carrying capacity, the paucity of records does not reflect a cause for conservation concern. It remains unclear whether the species inhabits the extensive hill and mountain ranges of Lao PDR.