Occurrence records of small and medium sized mammal species in Tana River Basin, Kenya

Simon Musila; Joseph Rumoky; Leah Muthama; George Legrange; Aziza Zuhura; Kevin Odhiambo; Peris Kamau; Siro Masinde

doi:10.15468/xtsgbk

Occurrence records of small and medium sized mammal species in Tana River Basin, Kenya

Citation

Musila S, Rumoky J, Muthama L, Legrange G, Zuhura A, Odhiambo K, Kamau P, Masinde S (2020). Occurrence records of small and medium sized mammal species in Tana River Basin, Kenya. Version 1.3. National Museums of Kenya. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/xtsgbk accessed via GBIF.org on 2025-05-20.

Description

The dataset represents 501 mammal records. This include 213 occurrence records of mammal species recorded in a field expedition undertaken in mid Tana River Basin (TRB) ecosystem (Bangal, Garissa, Bura and Hola), in between 1st to 7th November 2019. A total of 38 different small and medium sized mammal species of 11 orders were recorded from above expedition. Order Cetartiodactyla (Even-toed Ungulates), Carnivora (Carnivorans) and Primates (Primates) were the most common. Of the 213 mammal observations counted in the entire study areas, the sightings of Kirk’s Dik-dik (Madoqua kirkii) were the most abundant followed by Yellow Baboon (Papio cynocephalus). Three groups of Reticulated Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) cumulatively of 35 animals, were observed in between Garissa to Bulanandir-Kora Kora. The rangeland in the study areas (Bangal, Garissa, Bura and Hola) was devoid of large and medium sized mammals, probably because of illegal bush-meat hunting, highly degraded habitats by livestock overgrazing and continuous invasion by the exotic Prosopsis juliflora bushes. An additional, 288 records of stuffed skins/skulls were retrieved and digitized from specimens collected and preserved at the Mammalogy Section lab, National Museums of Kenya (NMK). These specimens were mainly of small mammals (rodents, shrews and bats) collected in different localities within the entire Tana River Basin (TRB) ecosystem in between 1903-2015. The most dominant were individuals of the Order Rodentia (210), followed by Soricomorpha (white-toothed Shrews (22) and Order Chiroptera (bats (21). This information underscores the importance of the entire TRB ecosystem for the conservation of mammal biodiversity in Kenya.

Taxonomic Coverages

Mammal species: Phylum - Chordata, Class – Mammalia; represented by 13 Orders, 40 families and 76 genera. Identification - Species and subspecies.

Carnivora
rank: order
Cetartiodacytla
rank: order
Chiroptera
rank: order
Erinaceomorpha
rank: order
Hyracoidea
rank: order
Lagomorpha
rank: order
Macroscelidea
rank: order
Perissodactyla
rank: order
Primates
rank: order
Proboscidea
rank: order
Rodentia
rank: order
Soricomorpha
rank: order
Tubulidentata
rank: order

Geographic Coverages

Tana River Basin, south eastern Kenya

Bibliographic Citations

Cáceres-Martnez C, Rincón A, González-Maya F. 2016. Terrestrial medium and large-sized mammal’s diversity and activity patterns from Tamá National Natural Park and buffer zone, Colombia. Therya 7:285−298. - DOI: 10.12933/therya-16-397
Geleta M, Bekele A. 2016. Survey of medium and large-sized mammals in Wacha Protected Forest, Western Ethiopia. J Agri Sci. 6:71−79. -
Kingdon, J. 2015. Kingdon’s field guide to African mammals, 2nd edition. Bloomsburg publishing. London-UK. -
Legese K, Bekele A, Kiros S. 2019. A Survey of large and medium-sized mammals in Wabe forest fragments, Gurage zone, Ethiopia. Int J Avian & Wildlife Biol. 4(2):32‒38. DOI: 10.15406/ijawb.2019.04.00149 -
Melo GL, Sponchiado J, Cáceres NC. 2012. Use of camera-traps in natural trails and shelters for the mammalian survey in the Atlantic Forest. Série Zool 102: 88–94. -
Roberts NJ. 2011. Investigation into survey techniques of large mammals: surveyor competence and camera-trapping vs. transect sampling. Biosci. Horizons 4: 40–49. -
Van Beukering, P, De Moel, H. (eds) (2015). The Economics of Ecosystem Services of the Tana River Basin. Available at https://www.ivm.vu.nl/en/Images/R15-03_Tana_River_Basin_TEEB_report_tcm234-757604.pdf -

Contacts

Simon Musila
originator
position: Head, Mammalogy Section
National Museums of Kenya
Museum Hill Road
Nairobi
40658 - 00100
Nairobi
KE
email: smusila@museums.or.ke
homepage: http://www.museums.or.ke

Joseph Rumoky
originator
National Museums of Kenya
Museum Hill Road
Nairobi
40658 - 00100
Nairobi
KE
email: josephrumoky@gmail.com

Leah Muthama
originator
email: lwangithi@gmail.com

George Legrange
originator
email: georgelegrange95@gmail.com

Aziza Zuhura
originator
position: Lab Technician - Mammalogy Section
National Museums of Kenya
Museum Hill Road
Nairobi
40658 - 00100
Nairobi
KE
email: azizazuhura@gmail.com
homepage: http://www.museums.or.ke

Kevin Odhiambo
originator
position: Project Assistant
National Museums of Kenya
Museum Hill Road
Nairobi
40658 - 00100
Nairobi
KE
email: kevinabrahamsodhiambo@gmail.com

Peris Kamau
originator
position: Senior Research Scientist
National Museums of Kenya
Museum Hill Road
Nairobi
40658 - 00100
Nairobi
KE
email: periskamau2@yahoo.com
homepage: http://www.museums.or.ke

Siro Masinde
originator
position: Principal Research Scientist
National Museums of Kenya
Museum Hill Road
Nairobi
40658 - 00100
Nairobi
KE
email: siromasinde@hotmail.com
homepage: http://www.museums.or.ke

Simon Musila
metadata author
position: Head, Mammalogy Section
National Museums of Kenya
Museum Hill Road
Nairobi
40658 - 00100
Nairobi
KE
email: smusila@museums.or.ke
homepage: http://www.museums.or.ke

Esther Mwangi
processor
position: Research Scientist
National Museums of Kenya
Museum Hill Road
Nairobi
40658 - 00100
Nairobi
KE
email: ewmwangi@museums.or.ke
homepage: http://www.museums.or.ke

Lawrence Monda
publisher
position: ICT Manager
National Museums of Kenya
Museum Hill Road
Nairobi
40658 - 00100
Nairobi
KE
email: lmonda@museums.or.ke
homepage: http://www.museums.or.ke

Simon Musila
administrative point of contact
position: Head, Mammalogy Section
National Museums of Kenya
Museum Hill Road
Nairobi
40658 - 00100
Nairobi
KE
email: smusila@museums.or.ke
homepage: http://www.museums.or.ke