Some nocturnal and crepuscular mammals of Kakamega Forest: photographic evidence

Abstract

Kakamega Forest is a small remnant of Guineo-Congolian rainforest in Kenya. Along with direct observation, we used an automatic camera to sample the nocturnal and crepuscular mammalian fauna within 1.5 km of the Kakamega Forest Station near Isecheno. We detected 11 indigenous species belonging to 10 genera, as well as domestic cats and dogs. We directly observed pottos and African palm civets. Additionally, we photographed giant pouched rats, African civets, white-tailed mongooses, a marsh mongoose, a tree pangolin, servaline genets, blotched genets, side-striped jackals, and what appears to be an African wildcat. We found both whitetailed and black-tailed morphs of the white-tailed mongooses. Similarly, we recorded side-striped jackals with and without white-tipped tails. Our findings offer insight about the seldom studied nocturnal and crepuscular mammals of Kakamega Forest, including which species are persisting there, their various morphs, and some bait preferences, thus adding to and reaffirming previous reports.

Keywords: Guineo-Congolian rainforest, African mammals, automatic camera, nocturnal species survey, crepuscular mammals, colour morphs