Sulawesi scooter

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Sulawesi scooter
Sulawesi roller (Macrogalidia musschenbroekii)

Sulawesi roller ( Macrogalidia musschenbroekii )

Systematics
Order : Predators (Carnivora)
Subordination : Feline (Feliformia)
Family : Crawling cats (Viverridae)
Subfamily : Palm Roller (Paradoxurinae)
Genre : Macrogalidia
Type : Sulawesi scooter
Scientific name of the  genus
Macrogalidia
Black , 1910
Scientific name of the  species
Macrogalidia musschenbroekii
( Schlegel , 1877)

The Sulawesi roller or Celebes roller ( Macrogalidia musschenbroekii ) is a species of predator from the family of the crawling cats (Viverridae). It is endemic to the island of Sulawesi and is also the largest naturally occurring species of predator on the island.

features

Their physique corresponds with the elongated body, the short legs and the long tail that of other crawling cats. Their short, dense fur is colored brown on the upper side, the underside is whitish except for the reddish breast. On the flanks there are indicated spots arranged in stripes, only the tail is conspicuously curled in light brown-dark brown. These animals reach a head body length of 65 to 71 centimeters, in addition there is a 48 to 54 centimeter long tail, and their weight is 4 to 6 kilograms.

Distribution area and existence

Distribution area of ​​the Sulawesi scooter

As the name suggests, Sulawesi scooters are endemic to the Indonesian island of Sulawesi (Celebes) . It used to be assumed that they were restricted to the northern Sulawesi peninsula, but these animals have now also been discovered in other regions of the island.

Due to the shy, nocturnal lifestyle, it is hardly possible to provide information about the degree of danger. They are neither considered particularly common nor acutely threatened, the IUCN lists them as endangered (vulnerable). Although the animals do not appear to be exclusively restricted to high forests, viable populations seem to be dependent on areas with this type of vegetation. The rapidly progressing forest destruction thus represents a potential threat to the survival of the species. The species can be found in some protected areas, for example in the Rawa Aopa National Park , the Tanjung Peropa Game Reserve , the Mangolo Recreation Forest , and in the Lore Lindu National Park .

Way of life

Little is known about the way of life of the Sulawesi scooters. Their habitat are forests, both lower-lying tropical rainforests and mountain forests up to 2600 meters above sea level. They prefer primary forests. Sometimes they occur together with the Malay civet , which is generally more common and also occurs in villages, on cultivated land and in secondary forests.

The little that is known comes mainly from evaluations of images from camera traps. The animals can climb well, but mainly look for food on the ground. They are nocturnal and live solitary. Sulawesi rollers are omnivores that eat small mammals and other meat and fruit. The food composition of numerous excrement samples from the Sulawesi scooter in the Lore Lindu National Park resulted in 47% rodents, 4% soil muskets ( Strigocuscus celebensis ), 2% birds, 2% grasses and larger proportions of palm fruits of the genera Arenga and Pandanus . Sometimes they sneak up on human settlements where they kill poultry or young pigs .

literature

  • Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World . Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999 ISBN 0-8018-5789-9

Individual evidence

  1. a b c d Nowak, 1999
  2. Macrogalidia musschenbroekii in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2011. Posted by: Meijaard, E. MacKinnon, J., Jennings, AP & Veron, G., 2008. Accessed on February 11 2012th
  3. Chris Wemmer, Dick Watling: Ecology and status of the sulawesi palm civet Macrogalidia musschenbroekii schlegel . Biological Conservation, Volume 35, Issue 1, 1986, Pages 1-17. online link
  4. ^ AP Jennings, G. Veron, (2009). Family Viverridae (Civets, Genets and Oyans). In: Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier (eds.): Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Volume 1: Carnivores. Lynx Edicions, 2009, ISBN 978-84-96553-49-1 , (p. 227).

Web links

Commons : Sulawesi Roller ( Macrogalidia musschenbroekii )  - Collection of images, videos and audio files