SUMMARY: On the nights of 20 and 23 June 2023 I photographed Streaked Dwarf Porcupine (Coendou ichillus, Voss and da Silva, 2001) in lowland forest 60 km south of Iquitos (Loreto, northeastern Peru), having found both with a thermal scope whilst in the company of Juan Pacaya (a guide from Tahuayo Lodge). These two records appear to be the first in situ records from northeastern Peru. C. ichillus is a poorly known porcupine confirmed from only nine sites (Ramírez-Chaves et al, 2020). One of the two sites in Peru is the Iquitos area in northeastern Peru where the only known specimen is a juvenile purchased by Pekka Soini in 1971 from a market near Iquitos and its collection point was never known (Voss and da Silva, 2001).
Continue readingDead Humpback Whale off Steenbras River Mouth (False Bay, South Africa)
First published 25 Nov 2022 3 PM; revised 26 Nov 2022 after the whale washed up at The Strand.
At 8.30 AM on 25 Nov 2022 I photographed from shore a dead Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) floating about 2-3 km offshore from Steenbras River Mouth (on Clarence Drive south of Gordon’s Bay). I later heard that it had washed up in front of the Indoor Swimming Pool at The Strand at around 3 PM the same day, so over about 6 hours it seems to have moved 9 to 10 km. On 26 Nov at 7 AM I went to The Strand and photographed it before its removal by city officials.
Continue readingBali mammal records (Indonesia, 2004-2022)
SUMMARY: My mammal highlights in Bali were Dugong, whilst surfing at Uluwatu (2004), and Horsfield’s Tree Shrew at Bedugul Botanical Gardens. I saw 12 species of mammals on various trips, including a two-month stay in 2015.
Continue readingGeoffroy’s Rousette colony at Pura Goa Lawah (Bali, Indonesia), April 2015
SUMMARY: Pura Goa Lawah is home to a large colony of Geoffroy’s Rousette (Rousettus amplexicaudatus) that can be seen at the cave entrance. On my visit (29 April 2015) there were least 1,000 bats roosting in the cave; presumed to all be the same species.
Continue readingDugong at Uluwatu Beach, Bali (Indonesia)
SUMMARY: Uluwatu Beach is a popular surf spot about 1.5 km north of Uluwatu Temple on the Bukit Peninsula (Bali). Whilst surfing here in January 2004 and waiting in the line-up (small surf, only about 3-foot) I saw the back of a Dugong (Dugong dugon) break the surface, about 15 meters away. An hour later when back on the cliff-top I looked down and had clear views of it feeding on the seagrass.
Continue readingGamboa Area (Panama): mammal records
SUMMARY: This post summarizes my mammal records (30 species) in the Gamboa area, Panama, from six nights in Feb 2022 (6-10th and 18-20th). Species included Ocelot, Panama Mouse Opossum, Geoffroy’s Tamarin, Western Lowland Olingo, Gabb’s Cottontail, Rothschild’s Porcupine, Tomes’s Spiny Rat and 9 bat species (including images of Mesoamerican Mustached Bat).
Continue readingAlston’s Woolly Mouse Opossum (Marmosa alstoni) in Boquete, Panama
By Paul Carter (22 Feb 2022). Revised 22 March 2022 to match the open access report lodged on Zenodo as:
CARTER, Paul. (2022). Alston’s Woolly Mouse Opossum, Marmosa alstoni (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae), in Boquete, Panama. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6374907
SUMMARY
On 17 Feb 2022 at 9:00 PM I photographed Marmosa alstoni (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae) in the Boquete area, Panama. Mammal Diversity Database (2022 v1.8) treat M. alstoni as endemic to Costa Rica, following the recent review of the M. alstoni complex by Voss et al. (2021). Following the taxonomy in Voss et al (2021) and their review of previous records in Panama it appears that this record in Boquete is the first photographic record of M. alstoni in Panama; and possibly the first confirmed record in Panama.
Boquete (Panama): mammal records (2022)
Paul Carter, 21 Feb 2022
This post summarizes key mammal records (six species) from five nights (13-18 Feb 2022) in Boquete, Panama; staying at Los Naranjos Cottage; part of a two-week trip with Chi Phan. The record of Alston’s Woolly Mouse Opossum (Marmosa alstoni), currently listed as endemic to Costa Rica, is seemingly the first confirmed record for Panama. The Los Naranjos cottage is recommended as a place to stay if wanting to see Cacomistle; I don’t know of it being reported at any other accommodation in Boquete. These records are mostly from the two dry nights of our visit.
Contents below: 1) Sites; 2) Mammal List; 3) Images.
Creaser’s Mud Turtle (Kinosternon creaseri) in Belize
SUMMARY: This record of Creaser’s Mud Turtle (Kinosternon creaseri), observed on 7 Dec 2021 at La Milpa (Northern Belize), appears to be the first record in Belize for a species regarded at the time as endemic to Mexico.
Continue readingManed Rat (Lophiomys imhausi) in Ethiopia
Location: Harenna Forest, Ethiopia.
Date: 2018 Mar 24 – 8.24 PM.
Summary: Rarely seen in Ethiopia; only two other recent records (as at 2019).
Arctic Fox at Modrudalur (Northern Iceland)
In August 2020, midway through a 3,300 km drive around Iceland and about 65 km from Lake Myvatn, I was driving east on the ring-road when I came across a remote cafe – Fjalladýrð Kaffi. It was the only building at the intersection with a dirt road (#901) to the south. I stopped for a coffee and randomly picked up a brochure on “one of the most isolated farms” in Iceland; the brochure included a photo of an Arctic Fox (Vulpes lagopus). This was of interest as it appeared that they were locally protected, unlike many other parts where they are hunted. I had seen habituated Arctic Fox earlier at Heydular and when I mentioned that later to the owner of another farm-stay she replied that it was not right to encourage foxes; she also said she had been to a mink farm and “the mink seemed happy” **. So instead of continuing east on the ring-road I headed south on the track to Modrudalur/Fjalledyrd, about 7 km south of the ring-road. Modrudalur at 469 meters above sea level is the highest inhabited farm in Iceland and it includes turf houses, a church, restaurant, campground and an Arctic Fox den. The den is easily found on a grassy bank about 50 meters north of the restaurant and just off the wooden boardwalk that leads to some accommodation.
Continue readingDunedin Farm: Mammal Guide (2021)
Revised 23 Dec 2022
Introduction
Dunedin Farm is an excellent place to look for Riverine Rabbit, although sightings are not guaranteed. Other species of interest include Large-eared Mouse, Spectacled Dormouse, Karoo Rock Sengi and Le Sueur’s Wing-gland Bat.
This 2021 guide updates my 2016 report and includes data from 13 nights over 3 trips (19-22 March 2016; 6-11 March 2018 and 9-14 March 2021; the first two trips with Clide Carter). The Mammal Checklist (List 1) shows 51 native species recorded and is based on records by the Moolmans, myself and other mammal-watchers (as indicated). List 3 notes the 2 species introduced. List 2 describes 17 species that are possible and/or known in the region. The 13 species on the reptile list are my records only.
