Southeast Asia is rich in small carnivore species, but baseline information on these species is frequently lacking. Many of the region’s remaining forests are degraded, which can drastically change ecosystem function and structure. The Javan mongoose is a small generalist carnivore with a wide distribution across Southeast Asia, whose population, home-range size, and micro-habitat selection are poorly known. We investigated each within a degraded forest fragment in Northeast Thailand using a multimethod approach involving camera trap and radio telemetry data. We found mongoose abundance was positively associated with dry dipterocarp forest (DDF) and has a negative relationship with basal area of small trees (diameter at breast height < 10 cm). Across our entire study site, we found a mean abundance of 1.10 animals per sampling station (SE 0.30 95% CI 0.65–1.92) and within the DDF we found 3.04 animals per station (SE 0.75 95% CI 1.87–4.96). The mean home-range size for two males was 1.86 km2 and for one female was 0.27 km2. Availability of termite mounds with entry holes was our top model for den site selection. Prey availability did not affect micro-habitat selection by mongoose, presumably due to an even distribution of small mammals across the DDF. Mongoose selected for areas with low numbers of small trees, indicating an avoidance of closed forest environments. Our findings indicate that Javan mongoose select for open dry forest and can tolerate moderate forest degradation.

There have been frequent reports of the Javan pipistrelle in Singapore, the latest being from Upper Thomson (Baker, 2017). The reports give the impression that this bat inhabits urban areas and seems to be common. The present observation appears to suggest that this species may not roost communally, and may not use the same roost every day.

The specimen is preserved and catalogued as ZRC 4.9490 in the Zoological Reference Collection of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum at the National University of Singapore. It is not known how the bat had died, but the skin on the right side of his abdomen was split open, indicating that he may have suffered a violent impact. It is possible that the bat may have collided with the rotating blades of the giant ceiling fans at the train station platform. This is the second confirmed record of the Javan pipistrelle in Singapore (see: Chan et al., 2009). Both local records of this species are from urban areas

More than a month later, on 29 July 2016, the contributor found another individual crouching on the floor of the sixth storey corridor in the same building. It was noted at around 2159 hrs, but had disappeared about half an hour later, presumably having flown off. In addition to the present observations, other recent records of the Javan pipistrelle in Singapore have all been from urban areas (Chan et al., 2009; Yap & Chua, 2014)

This is another instance of the Javan pipistrelle being observed in an urban environment, albeit next to a forested nature reserve, in Singapore. Recent records of this species have been from industrial and residential areas in Ayer Rajah (Chan et al., 2009), Paya Lebar (Yap & Chua, 2014) and Punggol (Tan, 2016). In Singapore, the Javan pipistrelle is regarded as ‘widespread but uncommon’ by Baker & Lim (2012: 163).