Habitat Preference and Spatiotemporal Habitat Use of the Endangered Flat-Headed Cat in the Proposed Lundu Mangrove Protected Forest, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Abstract

The flat-headed cat Prionailurus planiceps is one of the least-detected and most threatened felids in Southeast Asia, and limited field records have constrained understanding of its habitat associations and activity patterns. An initial biodiversity survey in the proposed Lundu Mangrove Protected Forest, Sarawak, yielded no detections; however, a subsequent photographic record in November 2021 prompted a targeted camera-trap survey to document habitat-specific detection patterns and spatiotemporal activity. Between August 2021 and May 2024, 148 camera trap units were deployed across multiple habitat types in this area. We obtained two still images and 57 video recordings, including documentation of an adult female with a kitten. Detection frequency varied markedly among habitat types, with 49 independent detections recorded in the nibong habitat, followed by nine in the buta-buta habitat and only one in the nipah swamp. Individual cats were frequently recorded foraging in shallow water puddles within the nibong habitat, suggesting localised resource use that may influence detection rates. Temporal patterns of detection were highly variable, ranging from consecutive-day occurrences to extended intervals of non-detection spanning weeks or months, while several camera stations yielded only a single detection event throughout the study period. Activity was concentrated from the evening through late morning, with activity peaking around midnight, while detections remained evident during daylight hours, particularly in the nibong habitat, indicating temporal flexibility rather than strict nocturnality. These findings indicate that nibong habitat represents the most suitable habitat for the flat-headed cat within the study area, while the buta-buta habitat also provides important complementary habitat under intermediate hydrological conditions. This study provides important baseline ecological information to support future monitoring, habitat management, and conservation planning for the species in tropical regions.