Abstract:
From March 2020 to November 2022, 386 infrared cameras were set up to continuously monitor large and medium-sized mammals and bird species in the forest of Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve in Sichuan Province. Under 137,200 effective camera working days, 37,981 independent and effective records were obtained, and 26 species of wild mammals and 53 species of wild birds were identified. Among them, there were 5 mammals and 2 birds of national first-class protected animals, 9 mammals and 10 birds of national second-class protected animals. There were two endangered (EN) species, six vulnerable (VU) species and four near threatened (NT) species in the IUCN Red List. There were 7 species of mammals and 6 species of birds endemic to China. Based on the relative abundance index (RAI) and site occupancy (SO), Chinese Takin (
Budorcas tibetana) (RAI=
9.8622; SO=93.78%), Chinese Muntjac (
Muntiacus reevesi) (RAI=
3.9978; SO=60.10%), Wild Boar (
Sus scrofa) (RAI=
2.7442; SO=88.34%), Chinese Goral (
Naemorhedus griseus) (RAI=
2.4235; SO=80.83%), Temminck’s Tragopan (
Tragopan temminckii) (RAI=
0.6655; SO=26.94%) were ranked as the 5 most abundant mammal and bird species. Meanwhile, five bird species including Tibetan Snowcock (
Tetraogallus tibetanus), Alström's Warbler (
Phylloscopus soror), Alpine Thrush (
Zoothera mollissima), yebrowed Thrush (
Turdus obscurus), Himalayan Bush-robin (
Tarsiger rufilatus) were new records in the nature reserve. The mammal species richness was higher in different functional zones and different regional locations of the reserve, while the bird species richness was higher in the core area. It is suggested to strengthen the monitoring of the uncovered areas, and strengthen the evaluation of the health and stability of the ecosystem in this nature reserve.