It is present in a wide variety of primary and secondary forest types. In South Asia it is found in subtropical dry deciduous forests, shola grasslands,temperate coniferous and broadleaved forests, and has been found to occupy arable land near Lantana bushes (Molur et al. 2005). In Southeast Asia it is only found in forested areas and occasionally in moderately disturbed areas such as upland gardens in forests. In China, it has been reported from upland rice fields and other disturbed habitats (Smith and Xie 2008).

Red List Category

Red List Criteria

Year Assessed

Assessor/s

Reviewer/s

Justification

History

• 1996
  Lower Risk/least concern

The species is abundant.

Stable

There are no major threats to the species.

It is presumed to be present in many protected areas. It is possibly present in some protected areas in northeastern India (eg. Namdhapha National Park, Arunachal Pradesh), and is almost certainly present in some protected areas in Southeast Asia. It is categorised as a vermin (Schedule V) of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act. No direct conservation measures are currently needed for this widespread and adaptable species. In South Asia, general taxonomic research, field surveys, and monitoring of populations are recommended for this species (Molur et al. 2005).