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Sharma HP, Katuwal HB, Bhattarai BP, Bhandari S, Adhikari D, Aryal B, Tamang K, Nepali A, KC S, Baral BD, Devkota S, Koirala S, Mandal DN, Regmi S. Factors affecting the occupancy of sloth bear and its detection probability in Parsa-Koshi Complex, Nepal. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10587. [PMID: 37794874 PMCID: PMC10547580 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding factors associated with coexistence of human and wildlife in human-dominated landscapes is crucial for effective species conservation. Among the wildlife species, the sloth bears Melursus ursinus are found both inside and outside the protected areas of Nepal, and with increasing cases of human and bear conflicts in both areas. This highlights the necessity for a comprehensive understanding of anthropogenic and ecological factors that affect the occurrence of sloth bear. The understanding of these factors is important for its coexistence and conservation in human-dominated areas through establishing management and conservation action plan. We studied the sloth bear's occupancy and their coexistence in human-dominated environments with other large predators in the Parsa-Koshi Complex of Nepal using camera traps from December 2022 to March 2023. We identified the occupancy and detection probability of the sloth bear as 0.12 and 0.31, respectively. Our analysis reveals a positive relationship between sloth bear occurrence and the presence of large predators (βpredators = 3.104 ± 0.968), such as tigers (Panthera tigris) and leopards (Panthera pardus), as well as the number of humans detected (βhuman = 1.428 ± 1.216) and canopy cover percentage (βcc = 1.002 ± 0.737). However, the number of livestock detected shows a negative interaction with the occurrence of sloth bears (βlivestock = -2.240 ± 1.467). There was insignificant interaction between sloth bear occupancy and distance to human settlements, roads, and water bodies. These findings underscore the complex dynamics between sloth bears, humans, large predators, and livestock in human-dominated landscapes. To ensure the long-term survival of sloth bear populations and promote species conservation, comprehensive conservation strategies that account for both ecological and socio-economic factors are essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hari Prasad Sharma
- Central Department of Zoology, Institute of Science and TechnologyTribhuvan UniversityKirtipur, KathmanduNepal
- Nepal Zoological SocietyKirtipur, KathmanduNepal
| | - Hem Bahadur Katuwal
- Nepal Zoological SocietyKirtipur, KathmanduNepal
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical GardenChinese Academy of SciencesMenglaChina
| | - Bishnu Prasad Bhattarai
- Central Department of Zoology, Institute of Science and TechnologyTribhuvan UniversityKirtipur, KathmanduNepal
- Nepal Zoological SocietyKirtipur, KathmanduNepal
| | - Shivish Bhandari
- Department of BiologyMorgan State UniversityBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | | | - Bishnu Aryal
- Central Department of Zoology, Institute of Science and TechnologyTribhuvan UniversityKirtipur, KathmanduNepal
| | - Krishna Tamang
- Central Department of Zoology, Institute of Science and TechnologyTribhuvan UniversityKirtipur, KathmanduNepal
| | - Amrit Nepali
- Central Department of Zoology, Institute of Science and TechnologyTribhuvan UniversityKirtipur, KathmanduNepal
| | - Sabin KC
- Central Department of Zoology, Institute of Science and TechnologyTribhuvan UniversityKirtipur, KathmanduNepal
| | - Bashu Dev Baral
- Central Department of Zoology, Institute of Science and TechnologyTribhuvan UniversityKirtipur, KathmanduNepal
| | - Surya Devkota
- Central Department of Zoology, Institute of Science and TechnologyTribhuvan UniversityKirtipur, KathmanduNepal
| | | | | | - Sandeep Regmi
- Central Department of Zoology, Institute of Science and TechnologyTribhuvan UniversityKirtipur, KathmanduNepal
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical GardenChinese Academy of SciencesMenglaChina
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Raymond S, St. Clair CC. Urban coyotes select cryptic den sites near human development where conflict rates increase. J Wildl Manage 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sage Raymond
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta 77 University Campus Edmonton AB T6G 2R3 Canada
| | - Colleen Cassady St. Clair
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta 77 University Campus Edmonton AB T6G 2R3 Canada
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Faure U, Domokos C, Leriche A, Cristescu B. Brown bear den characteristics and selection in eastern Transylvania, Romania. J Mammal 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Dens are important for species that need to survive and reproduce during harsh winters. Brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Romania, listed by the European Union as a population of concern, use dens for several months each year. To date, few quantitative assessments of denning habitat have been carried out for this population or others in Europe. In 2008–2013 and 2015–2017, we used local knowledge and telemetry data from brown bears fitted with GPS collars to identify 115 winter dens and eight open ground nests used by bears in eastern Transylvania, Romania. We located most dens in mountainous areas (64%) and fewer in foothills (36%). Den entrances in mountainous areas were significantly narrower than entrances in foothills, likely due to the need for reduced thermal loss during more severe winters at higher elevations. We selected seven habitat characteristics (abiotic and biotic) and human-related covariates associated with known locations of dens and open nests to identify potential brown bear denning habitat using maximum entropy modeling. We found that terrain ruggedness was the single most important factor when predicting bear denning habitat. The habitat map derived from this study can be used in the future to safeguard bear denning areas from potential human disturbances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulysse Faure
- Faculté des Sciences Site St Jérôme, Aix Marseille Univ, Marseille, France
| | - Csaba Domokos
- Milvus Group Bird and Nature Protection Association, Tîrgu Mureș, Romania
| | - Agathe Leriche
- Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Univ, CNRS, IRD, IMBE. Technopôle de l’Arbois-Méditerranée, Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Bogdan Cristescu
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild), Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
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Roder S, Biollaz F, Mettaz S, Zimmermann F, Manz R, Kéry M, Vignali S, Fumagalli L, Arlettaz R, Braunisch V. Deer density drives habitat use of establishing wolves in the Western European Alps. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Roder
- Division of Conservation Biology Institute of Ecology and Evolution University of Bern Bern Switzerland
| | - François Biollaz
- Division of Conservation Biology Institute of Ecology and Evolution University of Bern Bern Switzerland
| | - Stéphane Mettaz
- Division of Conservation Biology Institute of Ecology and Evolution University of Bern Bern Switzerland
| | | | - Ralph Manz
- KORACarnivore Ecology and Wildlife Management Muri Switzerland
| | - Marc Kéry
- Swiss Ornithological Institute Sempach Switzerland
| | - Sergio Vignali
- Division of Conservation Biology Institute of Ecology and Evolution University of Bern Bern Switzerland
| | - Luca Fumagalli
- Laboratory for Conservation Biology Department of Ecology and Evolution University of Lausanne Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Raphaël Arlettaz
- Division of Conservation Biology Institute of Ecology and Evolution University of Bern Bern Switzerland
- Swiss Ornithological Institute Sempach Switzerland
| | - Veronika Braunisch
- Division of Conservation Biology Institute of Ecology and Evolution University of Bern Bern Switzerland
- Forest Research Institute Baden-Württemberg Freiburg Germany
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Ciucci P, Boitani L, Falco M, Maiorano L. Hierarchical, multi-grain rendezvous site selection by wolves in southern Italy. J Wildl Manage 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Ciucci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”; University of Rome La Sapienza; Viale dell'Università 32 Roma 00185 Italy
| | - Luigi Boitani
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”; University of Rome La Sapienza; Viale dell'Università 32 Roma 00185 Italy
| | - Matteo Falco
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”; University of Rome La Sapienza; Viale dell'Università 32 Roma 00185 Italy
| | - Luigi Maiorano
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”; University of Rome La Sapienza; Viale dell'Università 32 Roma 00185 Italy
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Kabir M, Hameed S, Ali H, Bosso L, Din JU, Bischof R, Redpath S, Nawaz MA. Habitat suitability and movement corridors of grey wolf (Canis lupus) in Northern Pakistan. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0187027. [PMID: 29121089 PMCID: PMC5679527 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Habitat suitability models are useful to understand species distribution and to guide management and conservation strategies. The grey wolf (Canis lupus) has been extirpated from most of its historic range in Pakistan primarily due to its impact on livestock and livelihoods. We used non-invasive survey data from camera traps and genetic sampling to develop a habitat suitability model for C. lupus in northern Pakistan and to explore the extent of connectivity among populations. We detected suitable habitat of grey wolf using a maximum entropy approach (Maxent ver. 3.4.0) and identified suitable movement corridors using the Circuitscape 4.0 tool. Our model showed high levels of predictive performances, as seen from the values of area under curve (0.971±0.002) and true skill statistics (0.886±0.021). The main predictors for habitat suitability for C. lupus were distances to road, mean temperature of the wettest quarter and distance to river. The model predicted ca. 23,129 km2 of suitable areas for wolf in Pakistan, with much of suitable habitat in remote and inaccessible areas that appeared to be well connected through vulnerable movement corridors. These movement corridors suggest that potentially the wolf range can expand in Pakistan's Northern Areas. However, managing protected areas with stringent restrictions is challenging in northern Pakistan, in part due to heavy dependence of people on natural resources. The habitat suitability map provided by this study can inform future management strategies by helping authorities to identify key conservation areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Kabir
- Carnivore Conservation Lab, Department of Animal Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Shoaib Hameed
- Carnivore Conservation Lab, Department of Animal Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Hussain Ali
- Carnivore Conservation Lab, Department of Animal Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Luciano Bosso
- Wildlife Research Unit, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Universita n. 100, Portici, Napoli, Italy
| | - Jaffar Ud Din
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Snow Leopard Trust, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Richard Bischof
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Steve Redpath
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Muhammad Ali Nawaz
- Carnivore Conservation Lab, Department of Animal Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
- Snow Leopard Trust, Seattle, WA, United States of America
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Sidorovich V, Schnitzler A, Schnitzler C, Rotenko I. Wolf denning behaviour in response to external disturbances and implications for pup survival. Mamm Biol 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2016.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Passoni G, Rowcliffe JM, Whiteman A, Huber D, Kusak J. Framework for strategic wind farm site prioritisation based on modelled wolf reproduction habitat in Croatia. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-017-1092-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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Sen Majumder S, Paul M, Sau S, Bhadra A. Denning habits of free-ranging dogs reveal preference for human proximity. Sci Rep 2016; 6:32014. [PMID: 27535214 PMCID: PMC4989282 DOI: 10.1038/srep32014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Dens are crucial in the early development of many mammals, making den site selection an important component of parental care in such species. Resource availability and shelter from predators primarily govern den selection. Species inhabiting human-dominated landscapes typically den away from human disturbance, often shifting dens to avoid humans during the early life of their young. Domesticated dogs have evolved in human proximity over centuries, being bred and reared in human homes for generations. While pets rely on their owners for shelter and care, free-ranging dogs roam uncared, and typically whelp in dens. We conducted a study on 148 free-ranging dog dens in India to understand their denning habits. Distance from resources influenced den choice, but anthropogenic disturbance did not. Dens were found in areas of high human activity, and begging from humans was preferred over scavenging. A study on 15 pregnant females revealed that females actively searched for denning sites, rejecting several intermediate ones before selecting the final den. We propose that the obvious preference of dogs for denning close to humans is a behavioural adaptation that helps them to survive in the urban landscape, in spite of the high human induced mortality during the early life of pups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sreejani Sen Majumder
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, India
| | - Manabi Paul
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, India
| | - Shubhra Sau
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, India
| | - Anindita Bhadra
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, India
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Den site selection of wolves (Canis lupus) in response to declining caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) density in the central Canadian Arctic. Polar Biol 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-015-1759-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Milanesi P, Caniglia R, Fabbri E, Galaverni M, Meriggi A, Randi E. Non-invasive genetic sampling to predict wolf distribution and habitat suitability in the Northern Italian Apennines: implications for livestock depredation risk. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-015-0942-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Spatial heterogeneity in human activities favors the persistence of wolves in agroecosystems. PLoS One 2014; 9:e108080. [PMID: 25251567 PMCID: PMC4176725 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0108080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2014] [Accepted: 08/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
As human populations expand, there is increasing demand and pressure for land. Under this scenario, behavioural flexibility and adaptation become important processes leading to the persistence of large carnivores in human-dominated landscapes such as agroecosystems. A growing interest has recently emerged on the outcome of the coexistence between wolves and humans in these systems. It has been suggested that spatial heterogeneity in human activities would be a major environmental factor modulating vulnerability and persistence of this contentious species in agroecosystems. Here, we combined information from 35 den sites detected between 2011 and 2012 in agroecosystems of western Iran (Hamedan province), a set of environmental variables measured at landscape and fine spatial scales, and generalized linear models to identify patterns of den site selection by wolves in a highly-modified agroecosystem. On a landscape level, wolves selected a mixture of rangelands with scattered dry-farms on hillsides (showing a low human use) to locate their dens, avoiding areas with high densities of settlements and primary roads. On a fine spatial scale, wolves primarily excavated dens into the sides of elevated steep-slope hills with availability of water bodies in the vicinity of den sites, and wolves were relegated to dig in places with coarse-soil particles. Our results suggest that vulnerability of wolves in human-dominated landscapes could be compensated by the existence of spatial heterogeneity in human activities. Such heterogeneity would favor wolf persistence in agroecosystems favoring a land sharing model of coexistence between wolves and people.
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