Occurrence records of mammal species in Tana River Basin, Kenya

Simon Musila; Robert Syingi; Daniel Mutavi; Kevin Odhiambo; Siro Masinde

doi:10.15468/0msz3d

Occurrence records of mammal species in Tana River Basin, Kenya

Citation

Musila S, Syingi R, Mutavi D, Odhiambo K, Masinde S (2019). Occurrence records of mammal species in Tana River Basin, Kenya. Version 1.1. National Museums of Kenya. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/0msz3d accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-12-15.

Description

The dataset represents occurrence records for mammal species in the Tana River Basin (TRB) ecosystem as well as a few outliers from the Aberdare National Park. The data were mainly sourced from published literature and the accessions register of mammal collections maintained by the Mammalogy Section, National Museums of Kenya (NMK). A few additional records were gleaned from unpublished grey literature as well as sightings and reports by ecotourism websites and lodges operating in TRB. Existing records were supplemented by fieldwork in selected areas to help in ground-truthing and filling data gaps. A total of 935 occurrence records represented by 16 orders, 46 families, 124 genera and 183 mammal species are presented here. Sites frequently visited in the past including Mt. Kenya and Meru National Parks had the largest number of mammal observations, while less visited sites such as Mumoni Hill Forest had very few records. The TRB is important for the protection of nine mammals endemic to Kenya including Cercocebus galeritus (Tana River Mangabey), Tachyoryctes rex (King Root-rat), Tachyoryctes spalacinus (Embi African Root-rat), Grammomys gigas (Giant Thicket Rat), Hylomyscus endorobae (Endorobo Wood Mouse), Otomys orestes (Afroalpine Vlei Rat), Crocidura fumosa (Smoky White-toothed Shrew), Surdisorex norae (Aberdare Mole-shrew) and Surdisorex polulus (Mount Kenya Mole-shrew). The ecosystem is also important for the conservation of three endemic mammal sub-species: Colobus guerza kikuyuensis (Mount Kenya Guereza), Cercopithecus mitis albotorquatus (Pousargues’s Monkey) and Perodicticus potto stockleyi (Mount Kenya Potto). Other species of conservation concern found in TRB are two Critically Endangered (CR) species namely, Beatragus hunteri (Hirola) and Diceros bicornis (Black Rhinoceros) as well seven endangered (EN) mammal species (Procolobus rufomitratus (Eastern Red Colobus), Cercocebus galeritus (Tana River Mangabey), Lycaon pictus (African Wild Dog), Equus grevyi (Grévy’s Zebra), Redunca fulvorufula (Mountain Reedbuck), Oryx beisa (Beisa Oryx) and Grammomys gigas (Giant Thicket Rat). This information underscores the importance of the entire TRB ecosystem for the conservation of mammal biodiversity.

Taxonomic Coverages

Mammal species: Phylum - Chordata, Class – Mammalia; represented by 16 Orders, 46 families and 124 genera.

Mammalia
rank: class

Geographic Coverages

Tana River Basin Ecosystem in southeastern Kenya from the upper catchment in Mt. Kenya to the floodplains of Tana River delta at the Indian Ocean. Latitude: 0.01472222 - -2.011389, Longitude: 38.42861 - 40.25

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Contacts

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

Robert Syingi
originator
position: Research Technician
National Museums of Kenya
Museum Hill Road
Nairobi
P. O. Box 40658 - 00100, Nairobi
Nairobi
KE
email: robertsyingi@gmail.com

Daniel Mutavi
originator
position: Research Intern
National Museums of Kenya
Museum Hill Road
Nairobi
P. O. Box 40658 - 00100
Nairobi
KE

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

Siro Masinde
originator
position: Principal Research Scientist
National Museums of Kenya
Museum Hill Road
Nairobi
P. O. Box 40658 - 00100, Nairobi
Nairobi
KE
email: siromasinde@hotmail.com

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