Tropical Animals

Muhammad Akbar Saputra

Habitat degradation in former production forests necessitates systematic rehabilitation to restore ecological functions and biodiversity. Monitoring avian communities serves as a vital bioindicator for evaluating the success of such restoration efforts. This study aimed to evaluate bird species diversity and community structure within the forest rehabilitation zone of Resort PTN Tapos, Mount Gede Pangrango National Park. Surveys were conducted in July 2023 using point count and MacKinnon list methods across observation points in the Cinakimun forest block. The study documented a relatively diverse bird community consisting of endemic and protected species, indicating that the rehabilitation area provides important habitat resources for avifauna. Ecological analyses demonstrated moderate species diversity, high distribution evenness, and low species dominance, reflecting a relatively stable bird community structure within the rehabilitated forest ecosystem. Vertical stratification observations further revealed that most bird activities were concentrated in the middle canopy layer, highlighting the ecological importance of vegetation structure in supporting bird habitat utilization. The findings indicate that the rehabilitation zone effectively supports a stable and diverse avian community, validating the success of current ecosystem recovery strategies in restoring vital wildlife habitats.

Tropical Animals

Ahmad Riski, Fauzan Fauzan, Zulmardi Zulmardi

Tropical reptile diversity is increasingly threatened by habitat degradation and anthropogenic disturbance, while baseline ecological data in many protected forests of West Sumatra remain limited. This study aimed to document reptile diversity and habitat distribution in the Nagari Simancuang Protected Forest, West Sumatra, Indonesia. Reptile surveys were conducted from September to October 2023 using the Visual Encounter Survey (VES) method combined with line transect sampling in terrestrial and aquatic habitats during daytime and nighttime observations. A total of 56 individuals representing 13 species from 7 families were recorded, with Colubridae as the dominant family. The overall Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index (H') indicated moderate diversity (H' = 2.44), while terrestrial habitats showed higher diversity values than aquatic habitats. The Evenness Index (E = 1.0) suggested relatively even distribution among recorded species. Differences in species composition between habitat types were reflected by a low Sorensen Similarity Index (IS = 14%), indicating variation in habitat use and microhabitat characteristics among reptile species. The presence of endemic species such as Trimeresurus parias sumatranus highlights the ecological importance of the Nagari Simancuang Protected Forest for reptile conservation in West Sumatra. These findings provide baseline information that may support future ecological monitoring and conservation management within the protected forest area.

Tropical Animals

Yazee Shyne C. Tulbo, Nethan A. Ramos, Alleyah Nicolette I. Lina, Clinton D. Sequihod

The butterfly species found in Sitio Inadan, San Miguel, Surigao del Sur, Philippines were surveyed and documented using transect walks, visual observation, and hand net collection. Four transects were established in selected habitat areas, each measuring approximately 3.05 mi. Sampling was conducted from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM over six consecutive weekends, with one primary observer recording all sightings and captures. A total of 16 species belonging to four families and 14 genera were identified. The family Nymphalidae comprised about 56% of the recorded species, followed by Pieridae, Papilionidae, and Lycaenidae. Abundance categories were based on encounter frequency, where species observed once or twice were classified as Very Rare, and those seen more often were categorized as Common or Very Common. Conservation status was verified using the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List to distinguish global status from local rarity. Although most species are listed as Least Concern, limited sampling suggests possible undersampling of the area.

Tropical Animals

Marsono Marsono

Bird diversity plays a key role in maintaining ecosystem stability, yet habitat modification and land use pressure continue to threaten avian communities, even within protected areas. This study assessed bird species diversity, abundance, evenness, and dominance at the Tretes Waterfall Resort, part of the Raden Soerjo Grand Forest Park in East Java, Indonesia. Field observations were conducted at two sampling stations using the point count method from 06: 00–09: 00 WIB over a two day period (February 1–2, 2020), totaling 6 hours of observation effort per station. In total, 29 bird species representing 8 orders and 16 families were recorded. Shannon–Wiener diversity values were 2.77 at Station 1 and 2.75 at Station 2, indicating moderate species diversity. Evenness indices (0.898 and 0.891) suggested balanced species distributions, while low dominance values (0.079 and 0.083) indicated the absence of a single dominant taxon. Several conservation priority species were detected, including protected and endemic taxa such as Heleia javanica, Psilopogon javensis, and Harpactes oreskios. Although the short sampling duration limits broader ecological generalization, findings indicate that the resort’s heterogeneous forest edge mosaic supports relatively stable bird communities. These results reinforce the ecological value of upland forest habitats and highlight the need for ongoing habitat preservation.

Tropical Animals

Irvan Ardian

Amphibians of the order Anura are highly sensitive to environmental change, making them important indicators for ecological studies and relevant objects for biology education. However, vertebrate zoology practicums in Aceh, Indonesia, still lack contextual, local-based learning resources derived from field biodiversity data. This study had two interconnected aims: (1) to document Anura species and their morphological ecological characteristics in the Pucoek Krueng Alue Seulaseh area, Southwest Aceh, and (2) to transform the resulting field data into research-based learning media for vertebrate zoology practicum. Exploratory field surveys were conducted over three consecutive days using visual encounter methods across terrestrial and aquatic microhabitats during morning, midday, and evening periods. Four Anura species from four families were recorded, namely Phrynoidis aspera (19 individuals), Kaloula pulchra (3 individuals), Fejervarya cancrivora (9 individuals), and Odorrana hosii (26 individuals), yielding a total of 57 individuals. Each species exhibited distinct habitat associations, substrate use, skin texture, coloration, and behavioral activity. Given the short survey duration and limited temporal coverage, the recorded species richness represents a minimum baseline estimate rather than a complete inventory. The biological findings were adapted into educational outputs, including a practicum module, reference book, instructional video, and preserved specimens. Expert validation indicated feasibility scores of 85.7% for the reference book and 75% for the instructional video, while student responses (n = 10) yielded an average score of 90%. These results demonstrate the novelty of integrating local amphibian data into contextual learning media while underscoring the need for further ecological and educational evaluation.

Tropical Animals