Scavenger Observations on Small Mammal Carrion in Tropical Landscapes of Borneo (2023–2024)

Description SummaryTropical forests of Borneo are megadiverse ecosystems, yet they lack obligate vertebrate carrion scavengers. Scavenging is assumed to be performed opportunistically by facultative scavengers, but very little is known about these species or their interaction with carrion. This dataset provides one of the first systematic assessments of facultative scavengers of small mammal carrion in a Bornean old-growth forest and an adjacent oil palm plantation.We experimentally placed small mammal carrion (Mus musculus) at two contrasting sites: the old-growth forest of Danum Valley Conservation Area (OG) in Lahad Datu, and an oil palm plantation at Benta Wawasan, Tawau (OP), to assess the influence of land-use change on the scavenger community. To document scavenger activity, we used a combination of camera traps and pitfall traps. The dataset includes: (i) Vertebrate scavenger species captured on camera while interacting with carrion; (ii) Vertebrates that passed through the area but did not scavenge and (iii) invertebrates captured in pitfall traps, sorted to order level. A total of 89 HC500 Reconyx camera traps were deployed—58 at the old-growth site and 31 at the oil palm site. Camera points were spaced 200 meters apart, each with two pitfall traps placed anterior and posterior to the carrion. Species detections from camera traps were considered independent if >30 minutes apart. This dataset contributes new insight into the scavenger composition and interaction between these facultative scavengers in Southeast Asian tropical landscapes, with relevance for understanding ecological processes in disturbed versus undisturbed habitats.Contact detailsFor more information, please contact Mrs. Sui P Heon at [e-mail]. Funding These data were collected as part of research funded by: ATBC Seed Grant (Standard grant , https://tropicalbiology.org/ ) Russell train Education for Nature grant (Standard grant , EFN16908 , https://www.worldwildlife.org/initiatives/russell-e-train-education-for-nature ) Nagao Natural Environmental Foundation (Standard grant , https://www.nagaofoundation.or.jp/e/ ) This dataset is released under the CC-BY 4.0 licence, requiring that you cite the dataset in any outputs, but has the additional condition that you acknowledge the contribution of these funders in any outputs. Permits These data were collected under permit from the following authorities: Sabah Biodiversity Council ( Research licence JKM/MBS.1000-2/2 JLD.19 (174)) JAWATANKUASA ETIKA HAIWAN UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SABAH ( Research licence AEC 0026 / 2022) Files This dataset consists of 1 file: small_mammal_carrion-baited_camera_trap_detections.xlsx small_mammal_carrion-baited_camera_trap_detections.xlsx This file contains dataset metadata and 1 data tables: Small mammal carrion baited camera trap detections Worksheet: CT_Detections Description: Animals detected using camera traps at the baiting stations Number of fields: 11 Number of data rows: 217 Land_use: Location of the sampling sites either in the old-growth forest (OG) or in the oil palm (OP) (type: categorical) Point_number: Point ID (type: location) Start_date: The first day the carrion was placed in the sampling site (type: date) End_date: The day the carrion was removed or completely decomposed (type: date) Detection_no: The count of species detected at each site (type: numeric) Detections_common_names: The photos on the camera trap were annotated with species identified; the invertebrate species were further confirmed by pitfall trap samples (type: taxa) Scavenger_class: the guild of the scavenger identified on the camera traps (type: categorical) Occasion: Date of animal detection on the camera trap. (type: datetime) Time_period: the time period of the species activity observation (type: categorical) Observation: general comments on the behaviour and the activity observed on camera (type: comments) Notes: additional information regarding the sampling (type: comments) Extents Date range: 2023-02-26 to 2024-08-02 Latitudinal extent: 4.628° to 4.968° Longitudinal extent: 117.444° to 117.81° Taxonomic coverage This dataset contains data associated with taxa and these have been validated against appropriate taxonomic authority databases. GBIF taxa details The following taxa were validated against the GBIF backbone dataset (version 2023-08-28). If a dataset uses a synonym, the accepted usage is shown followed by the dataset usage in brackets. Taxa that cannot be validated, including new species and other unknown taxa, morphospecies, functional groups and taxonomic levels not used in the GBIF backbone are shown in square brackets. - Animalia - - Arthropoda - - - Arachnida - - - - Araneae - - - Diplopoda - - - Insecta - - - - Coleoptera - - - - - Scarabaeidae - - - - - - Parascatonomus - - - - - - - Parascatonomus semiaureus - - - - Diptera - - - - - Calliphoridae - - - - Hymenoptera - - - - - Formicidae - - - - - - Camponotus - - - - - - Dinomyrmex - - - - - - - Dinomyrmex gigas - - - - - - Leptogenys - - - - - - Oecophylla - - - - - - - Oecophylla smaragdina - - - - Orthoptera - - - - - Tettigoniidae - - - - - - Arachnacris - - - - - - - Arachnacris tenuipes (as synonym: Macrolyristes imperator) - - Chordata - - - Aves - - - - Columbiformes - - - - - Columbidae - - - - - - Chalcophaps - - - - - - - Chalcophaps indica - - - - Cuculiformes - - - - - Cuculidae - - - - - - Carpococcyx - - - - - - - Carpococcyx radiceus - - - - Galliformes - - - - - Phasianidae - - - - - - Argusianus - - - - - - - Argusianus argus - - - - - - Lophura - - - - - - - Lophura ignita - - - - Passeriformes - - - - - Corvidae - - - - - - Pica - - - - - - - Pica serica - - - - - Muscicapidae - - - - - - Copsychus - - - - - - - Copsychus stricklandii - - - - - - Trichixos - - - - - - - Trichixos pyrropygus (as homotypic_synonym: Copsychus pyrropygus) - - - Mammalia - - - - Artiodactyla - - - - - Cervidae - - - - - - Muntiacus - - - - - - - Muntiacus atherodes - - - - - - Rusa - - - - - - - Rusa unicolor (as synonym: Cervus unicolor) - - - - - Tragulidae - - - - - - Tragulus - - - - Carnivora - - - - - Canidae - - - - - - Canis - - - - - - - Canis lupus - - - - - - - - Canis lupus familiaris - - - - - Felidae - - - - - - Prionailurus - - - - - - - Prionailurus bengalensis - - - - - Herpestidae - - - - - - Herpestes - - - - - - - Herpestes brachyurus (as synonym: Urva brachyura) - - - - - Mephitidae - - - - - - Mydaus - - - - - - - Mydaus javanensis - - - - - Mustelidae - - - - - - Mustela - - - - - - - Mustela nudipes - - - - - Viverridae - - - - - - Paradoxurus - - - - - - - Paradoxurus hermaphroditus - - - - - - Viverra - - - - - - - Viverra tangalunga - - - - Pholidota - - - - - Manidae - - - - - - Manis - - - - - - - Manis javanica - - - - Rodentia - - - - - Hystricidae - - - - - - Hystrix - - - - - - - Hystrix crassispinis - - - - - Muridae - - - - - - Maxomys - - - - - - - Maxomys rajah - - - - - - - Maxomys surifer - - - - - - Rattus - - - - Soricomorpha - - - - - Soricidae - - - - - - Crocidura - - - - - - - Crocidura foetida - - - Squamata - - - - Varanidae - - - - - Varanus - - - - - - Varanus salvator - - Mollusca - - - Gastropoda