Short-tailed mongoose Herpestes brachyurus is known to inhabit Borneo, Sumatra and peninsular Malaysia. Locality records show that it is widespread and probably common in at least the northern half of Borneo. Records are much sparser south of 2°N. It occurs in forest and, to a poorly clarified extent, non-forest habitats. Eighty-six spatially precise records were used to model its Bornean distribution. This modelling is complicated by several factors: difficulties of field separation from collared mongoose H. semitorquatus (reducing the number of available records); limited interest in, and thus familiarity with, the species (perhaps reducing the reliability of the respondents’ opinions on habitat use); and strong evidence that altitudinal range and perhaps other aspects of habitat use differ between major landmasses (also potentially confounding opinions on habitat use). Within Borneo it is important to (1) clarify the extent of the specie’s use of degraded and non-forest habitats, and (2) assess whether the paucity of records in Borneo from south of 2°N reflects a rarity of animals or simply low survey effort. Irrespective of short-tailed mongoose’s precise habitat-use patterns in Borneo, it seems unlikely to be under major threat there. Its extent of occurrence encompasses all, or nearly all, the island; it has a large potential range outside the lowlands where large-scale forest clearance has been concentrated; there is no evidence of any association with any particularly threatened microhabitat; and it is highly unlikely to be subject to targeted or intensive hunting except locally as a livestock predator.

Small-toothed palm civet Arctogalidia trivirgata occurs widely across Borneo. Eighty-two spatially precise records were used to model its distribution on the island. While the model predicts some regions of low suitability, the scatter of records (mostly insufficiently spatially precise for use in the model) within them and the generally low relevant search effort make a conclusion of genuine low suitability of these areas premature. Modern surveys rely heavily upon ground-level camera-trapping, a technique demonstrably unsuited to this largely arboreal species, which is therefore often overlooked unless spotlighting or arboreal camera-trapping is undertaken. It is at least locally numerous in Borneo and occurs over a wide altitudinal range, well above the heavy deforestation of the lowlands. Its arboreal habits are likely to insulate it from trapping. Its use of monoculture plantations is unclear, but if it does not use these, its total Bornean population is likely to have declined roughly in proportion to the level of forest conversion in the last few decades. However, its survival on Singapore even a century after forest cover was reduced to small, degraded isolates indicates high adaptability to forest encroachment, provided some native forest survives, although such tolerance cannot yet be confirmed for Borneo. Even if oil palm, rubber and acacia plantations are unsuitable for small-toothed palm civet, current plans across Borneo for native forest retention through protected areas and low-impact logging appear sufficient to ensure its long-term survival.

The flat-headed cat Prionailurus planiceps is classified as one of the most threatened cat species in the world. Its range is restricted to southern Thailand, peninsular Malaysia and the two largest Sunda Islands, Borneo and Sumatra. Its association with wetlands and lowland areas puts great pressure on this species, because these habitats are most threatened by degradation and agricultural conversions. Borneo has been identified as the stronghold for flat-headed cat. Of 140 flat-headed cat occurrence records for Borneo, 50 (Balanced Model) or 76 (Spatial Filtering Model) were used to estimate potential habitat suitability. Although we predicted suitable habitat for the flat-headed cat scattered across the lowlands of Borneo, some large lowland areas are predicted to be unsuitable, a likely consequence of forest conversion to oil palm plantations. Of particular predicted importance are forests in Brunei Darussalam, the Sabangau National Park and surrounding forest complex in Central Kalimantan and forests in North Kalimantan, as well as the central forest block in Sabah. The main threat to the flat-headed cat is on-going transformation of forested areas to monoculture plantations, as the species appears unable to use these human-dominated habitats. Of particular importance for long-term survival of flat-headed cat is conservation of land near rivers and peat swamp forests.

The leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis is one of the smallest cat species found on Borneo and is the most widely distributed wild cat species in Asia. It is listed on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Least Concern. The leopard cat is known to tolerate habitat disturbance and to occur in a range of vegetation types including primary and secondary forests, plantations and orchards. However, the extent to which the leopard cat can tolerate habitat disturbance and utilise non-forest areas is still unknown. In this paper, we collected 373 leopard cat location records across Borneo; of these, 228 records were obtained between 2001 and 2011. We analysed 63 (Balanced Model) and 102 (Spatial Filtering Model) records to model habitat suitability. The models predicted more than two-thirds of Borneo to be suitable habitat for the leopard cat. Almost the entire area of Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei and East Kalimantan were predicted to be suitable. The south of Central Kalimantan and the majority of West Kalimantan were predicted to be marginally suitable whereas half of South Kalimantan was predicted to be unsuitable for this species. Although more intensive surveys in Brunei, West Kalimantan and South Kalimantan would help to understand leopard cat distribution, no conservation actions are needed for this species.

Small-toothed palm civet Arctogalidia trivirgata occurs widely across Borneo. Eighty-two spatially precise records were used to model its distribution on the island. While the model predicts some regions of low suitability, the scatter of records (mostly insufficiently spatially precise for use in the model) within them and the generally low relevant search effort make a conclusion of genuine low suitability of these areas premature. Modern surveys rely heavily upon ground-level camera-trapping, a technique demonstrably unsuited to this largely arboreal species, which is therefore often overlooked unless spotlighting or arboreal camera-trapping is undertaken. It is at least locally numerous in Borneo and occurs over a wide altitudinal range, well above the heavy deforestation of the lowlands. Its arboreal habits are likely to insulate it from trapping. Its use of monoculture plantations is unclear, but if it does not use these, its total Bornean population is likely to have declined roughly in proportion to the level of forest conversion in the last few decades. However, its survival on Singapore even a century after forest cover was reduced to small, degraded isolates indicates high adaptability to forest encroachment, provided some native forest survives, although such tolerance cannot yet be confirmed for Borneo. Even if oil palm, rubber and acacia plantations are unsuitable for small-toothed palm civet, current plans across Borneo for native forest retention through protected areas and low-impact logging appear sufficient to ensure its long-term survival.

The leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis is one of the smallest cat species found on Borneo and is the most widely distributed wild cat species in Asia. It is listed on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Least Concern. The leopard cat is known to tolerate habitat disturbance and to occur in a range of vegetation types including primary and secondary forests, plantations and orchards. However, the extent to which the leopard cat can tolerate habitat disturbance and utilise non-forest areas is still unknown. In this paper, we collected 373 leopard cat location records across Borneo; of these, 228 records were obtained between 2001 and 2011. We analysed 63 (Balanced Model) and 102 (Spatial Filtering Model) records to model habitat suitability. The models predicted more than two-thirds of Borneo to be suitable habitat for the leopard cat. Almost the entire area of Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei and East Kalimantan were predicted to be suitable. The south of Central Kalimantan and the majority of West Kalimantan were predicted to be marginally suitable whereas half of South Kalimantan was predicted to be unsuitable for this species. Although more intensive surveys in Brunei, West Kalimantan and South Kalimantan would help to understand leopard cat distribution, no conservation actions are needed for this species.

The common palm civet Paradoxurus hermaphroditus is a small carnivore occurring in a broad array of habitats on Borneo, including logged and unlogged forest, cultivated land, and the outskirts of villages and towns. It is assigned incomplete legal protection in Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam. In addition, the recent, rapidly expanding increase in capture for use in civet coffee production, especially in Indonesia, might adversely affect its population. We used 67 (Balanced Model) and 113 (Spatial Filtering Model) occurrence records within a MaxEnt niche distribution modelling approach to predict its current possible distribution on Borneo. A large proportion of Borneo is predicted to be suitable habitat, including human-modified areas such as plantations. Predicted suitability was lower in coastal regions. Despite its high adaptability to habitat change, conservation actions for this species might be needed because it is widely caught for the production of civet coffee and killed as a pest or for meat. Further research is needed to investigate how these legal and illegal activities affect the common palm civet populations.

Short-tailed mongoose Herpestes brachyurus is known to inhabit Borneo, Sumatra and peninsular Malaysia. Locality records show that it is widespread and probably common in at least the northern half of Borneo. Records are much sparser south of 2 degrees N. It occurs in forest and, to a poorly clarified extent, non-forest habitats. Eighty-six spatially precise records were used to model its Bornean distribution. This modelling is complicated by several factors: difficulties of field separation from collared mongoose H. semitorquatus (reducing the number of available records); limited interest in, and thus familiarity with, the species (perhaps reducing the reliability of the respondents' opinions on habitat use); and strong evidence that altitudinal range and perhaps other aspects of habitat use differ between major landmasses (also potentially confounding opinions on habitat use). Within Borneo it is important to (1) clarify the extent of the specie's use of degraded and non-forest habitats, and (2) assess whether the paucity of records in Borneo from south of 2 degrees N reflects a rarity of animals or simply low survey effort. Irrespective of short-tailed mongoose's precise habitat-use patterns in Borneo, it seems unlikely to be under major threat there. Its extent of occurrence encompasses all, or nearly all, the island; it has a large potential range outside the lowlands where large-scale forest clearance has been concentrated; there is no evidence of any association with any particularly threatened microhabitat; and it is highly unlikely to be subject to targeted or intensive hunting except locally as a livestock predator.

Malay weasel Mustela nudipes is restricted to the Sundaic sub-region, in Borneo, Sumatra and the Malay-Thai peninsula. A distribution model suggested that the species is widespread on Borneo and occurs in a wide range of habitats. The ecology of the species is poorly known, making it difficult to predict how its populations are likely to be affected by ongoing deforestation and forest degradation. A summary of likely key habitats and priority actions for this species on Borneo is provided.

The flat-headed cat Prionailurus planiceps is classified as one of the most threatened cat species in the world. Its range is restricted to southern Thailand, peninsular Malaysia and the two largest Sunda Islands, Borneo and Sumatra. Its association with wetlands and lowland areas puts great pressure on this species, because these habitats are most threatened by degradation and agricultural conversions. Borneo has been identified as the stronghold for flat-headed cat. Of 140 flat-headed cat occurrence records for Borneo, 50 (Balanced Model) or 76 (Spatial Filtering Model) were used to estimate potential habitat suitability. Although we predicted suitable habitat for the flat-headed cat scattered across the lowlands of Borneo, some large lowland areas are predicted to be unsuitable, a likely consequence of forest conversion to oil palm plantations. Of particular predicted importance are forests in Brunei Darussalam, the Sabangau National Park and surrounding forest complex in Central Kalimantan and forests in North Kalimantan, as well as the central forest block in Sabah. The main threat to the flat-headed cat is on-going transformation of forested areas to monoculture plantations, as the species appears unable to use these human-dominated habitats. Of particular importance for long-term survival of flat-headed cat is conservation of land near rivers and peat swamp forests.

The masked palm civet Paguma larvata is a small carnivore within the civet family Viverridae, currently listed as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Across its global range the masked palm civet uses a range of habitats in tropical and subtropical regions, from lowlands to highlands, but its exact ecological requirements and the use of modified habitat remains unclear. We analysed 49 (Balanced Model) and 72 (Spatial Filtering Model) location records of the masked palm civet from Borneo to predict habitat suitability. The resulting model predicted the interior and high elevation areas of Borneo to be suitable habitat, while the coastal and other low-lying areas, such as the extensive peat swamp forests in Central Kalimantan, were predicted to be unsuitable. Greater survey effort in South, Central and West Kalimantan and in Brunei is necessary to obtain more records to improve current models and understanding. The species is probably widespread in Borneo and its likely stronghold is in the higher-elevation forests which are currently less threatened and for a large part protected. Thus, species-specific conservation efforts are not considered warranted at this time.

Small-toothed palm civet Arctogalidia trivirgata occurs widely across Borneo. Eighty-two spatially precise records were used to model its distribution on the island. While the model predicts some regions of low suitability, the scatter of records (mostly insufficiently spatially precise for use in the model) within them and the generally low relevant search effort make a conclusion of genuine low suitability of these areas premature. Modern surveys rely heavily upon ground-level camera-trapping, a technique demonstrably unsuited to this largely arboreal species, which is therefore often overlooked unless spotlighting or arboreal camera-trapping is undertaken. It is at least locally numerous in Borneo and occurs over a wide altitudinal range, well above the heavy deforestation of the lowlands. Its arboreal habits are likely to insulate it from trapping. Its use of monoculture plantations is unclear, but if it does not use these, its total Bornean population is likely to have declined roughly in proportion to the level of forest conversion in the last few decades. However, its survival on Singapore even a century after forest cover was reduced to small, degraded isolates indicates high adaptability to forest encroachment, provided some native forest survives, although such tolerance cannot yet be confirmed for Borneo. Even if oil palm, rubber and acacia plantations are unsuitable for small-toothed palm civet, current plans across Borneo for native forest retention through protected areas and low-impact logging appear sufficient to ensure its long-term survival.

Malay weasel Mustela nudipes is restricted to the Sundaic sub-region, in Borneo, Sumatra and the Malay–Thai peninsula. A distribution model suggested that the species is widespread on Borneo and occurs in a wide range of habitats. The ecology of the species is poorly known, making it difficult to predict how its populations are likely to be affected by ongoing deforestation and forest degradation. A summary of likely key habitats and priority actions for this species on Borneo is provided.

The Sunda clouded leopard Neofelis diardi is a medium sized (15–25 kg) cat, found only on the Sundaic islands of Borneo and Sumatra. In recent years intensive camera-trapping surveys in Borneo have begun to shed light on the habitat associations and basic ecology of this elusive wild cat, but its distribution on an island-wide scale remains very poorly known. Such information is an essential element in the assessment of the Sunda clouded leopard’s conservation status and in the development of conservation action. In this paper we use MaxEnt niche distribution modelling to make predictions regarding the current distribution of this cat on Borneo. We collected a total of 259 occurrence records for the Sunda clouded leopard, stemming from all Bornean regions apart from Brunei and South Kalimantan, of which 48 (Balanced Model) or 94 (Spatial Filtering Model) were used in our modelling. Our habitat suitability model suggests that this species has a widespread distribution over a large contiguous portion of Borneo. The only exception is South Kalimantan, which is predicted largely to comprise unsuitable habitat. The predicted distribution closely follows the current distribution of little-encroached forest on Borneo (including selectively logged and unlogged areas). The species is notably predicted to be absent from the extensive areas of oil palm plantation, particularly in much of the low-lying coastal land. The predicted range encompasses a large proportion of the existing and proposed protected area network on Borneo. We highlight the priority areas for the conservation of the Sunda clouded leopard in Borneo based on our predicted distribution.

The Sunda clouded leopard Neofelis diardi is a medium sized (15-25 kg) cat, found only on the Sundaic islands of Borneo and Sumatra. In recent years intensive camera-trapping surveys in Borneo have begun to shed light on the habitat associations and basic ecology of this elusive wild cat, but its distribution on an island-wide scale remains very poorly known. Such information is an essential element in the assessment of the Sunda clouded leopard's conservation status and in the development of conservation action. In this paper we use MaxEnt niche distribution modelling to make predictions regarding the current distribution of this cat on Borneo. We collected a total of 259 occurrence records for the Sunda clouded leopard, stemming from all Bornean regions apart from Brunei and South Kalimantan, of which 48 (Balanced Model) or 94 (Spatial Filtering Model) were used in our modelling. Our habitat suitability model suggests that this species has a widespread distribution over a large contiguous portion of Borneo. The only exception is South Kalimantan, which is predicted largely to comprise unsuitable habitat. The predicted distribution closely follows the current distribution of little-encroached forest on Borneo (including selectively logged and unlogged areas). The species is notably predicted to be absent from the extensive areas of oil palm plantation, particularly in much of the low-lying coastal land. The predicted range encompasses a large proportion of the existing and proposed protected area network on Borneo. We highlight the priority areas for the conservation of the Sunda clouded leopard in Borneo based on our predicted distribution.