1
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Nams VO, Parker DM, Weise FJ, Patterson BD, Buij R, Radloff FGT, Vanak AT, Tumenta PN, Hayward MW, Swanepoel LH, Funston PJ, Bauer H, Power RJ, O'Brien J, O'Brien TG, Tambling CJ, de Iongh HH, Ferreira SM, Owen‐Smith N, Cain JW, Fattebert J, Croes BM, Spong G, Loveridge AJ, Houser AM, Golabek KA, Begg CM, Grant T, Trethowan P, Musyoki C, Menges V, Creel S, Balme GA, Pitman RT, Bissett C, Jenny D, Schuette P, Wilmers CC, Hunter LTB, Kinnaird MF, Begg KS, Owen CR, Steyn V, Bockmuehl D, Munro SJ, Mann GKH, du Preez BD, Marker LL, Huqa TJ, Cozzi G, Frank LG, Nyoni P, Stein AB, Kasiki SM, Macdonald DW, Martins QE, van Vuuren RJ, Stratford KJ, Bidner LR, Oriol‐Cotteril A, Maputla NW, Maruping‐Mzileni N, Parker T, van't Zelfde M, Isbell LA, Beukes OB, Beukes M. Spatial patterns of large African cats: a large‐scale study on density, home range size, and home range overlap of lions
Panthera leo
and leopards
Panthera pardus. Mamm Rev 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Vilis O. Nams
- Department of Plant, Food and Environmental Scienes, Faculty of Agriculture Dalhousie University Truro NS B2N 5E3 Canada
- Wildlife and Reserve Management Research Group, Department of Zoology & Entomology Rhodes University P.O. Box 94 Grahamstown 6140 South Africa
| | - Dan M. Parker
- Wildlife and Reserve Management Research Group, Department of Zoology & Entomology Rhodes University P.O. Box 94 Grahamstown 6140 South Africa
- School of Biology and Environmental Sciences University of Mpumalanga Nelspruit 1200 South Africa
| | - Florian J. Weise
- Centre for Wildlife Management University of Pretoria Pretoria 0002 South Africa
- CLAWS Conservancy, Pride in Our Prides Worcester MA 01608 USA
- N/a'an ku sê Research Programme P.O. Box 99292 Windhoek Namibia
| | - Bruce D. Patterson
- Negaunee Integrative Research Center Field Museum of Natural History Chicago IL 60605 USA
| | - Ralph Buij
- Animal Ecology Group Wageningen University & Research Droevendaalsesteeg 3A 6708 PB Wageningen The Netherlands
- The Peregrine Fund 5668 West Flying Hawk Lane Boise ID 83709 USA
| | - Frans G. T. Radloff
- Department of Conservation and Marine Sciences, Faculty of Applied Sciences Cape Peninsula University of Technology P.O. Box 652 Cape Town 8000 South Africa
| | - Abi Tamim Vanak
- Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment Bangalore 560064 India
- School of Life Sciences University of KwaZulu‐Natal Durban 3629 South Africa
| | - Pricelia N. Tumenta
- Department of Forestry, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences University of Dschang P.O. Box 138 Yaounde Cameroon
- Regional Training Centre Specialized in Agriculture, Forestry‐wood and Environment (CRESA Foret Bois) University of Dschang P.O. Box 138 Yaounde Cameroon
| | - Matt W. Hayward
- Conservation Science Research Group, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and the Environment University of Newcastle Callaghan NSW 2308 Australia
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute University of Pretoria Pretoria 0002 South Africa
| | | | - Paul J. Funston
- Department of Nature Conservation Tshwane University of Technology Private Bag X680 Pretoria 0001 South Africa
- Panthera New York NY 10018 USA
| | - Hans Bauer
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Zoology Department University of Oxford, The Recanati‐Kaplan Centre Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney Abingdon OX13 5QL UK
| | - R. John Power
- Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism North West Provincial Government Mahikeng 2735 South Africa
| | - John O'Brien
- Wildlife and Reserve Management Research Group, Department of Zoology & Entomology Rhodes University P.O. Box 94 Grahamstown 6140 South Africa
| | - Timothy G. O'Brien
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Programs 2300 Southern Blvd. Bronx NY 10460 USA
| | - Craig J. Tambling
- Department of Zoology and Entomology University of Fort Hare Alice Eastern Cape 5700 South Africa
- Department of Zoology and Entomology University of Pretoria Pretoria 0028 South Africa
| | - Hans H. de Iongh
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department Biology University of Antwerp Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk, Building D 132 Antwerpen Belgium
- Institute of Environmental Sciences Leiden University Einsteinweg 2, P.O. Box 9518 2300 RA Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Sam M. Ferreira
- Scientific Services, SANParks Private Bag x 402 Skukuza 1350 South Africa
| | - Norman Owen‐Smith
- Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences University of the Witwatersrand Private Bag 3 Wits 2050 South Africa
| | - James W. Cain
- Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences University of the Witwatersrand Private Bag 3 Wits 2050 South Africa
| | - Julien Fattebert
- Panthera New York NY 10018 USA
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences University of KwaZulu‐Natal Durban 4000 South Africa
| | - Barbara M. Croes
- Institute of Environmental Sciences Leiden University Einsteinweg 2, P.O. Box 9518 2300 RA Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Goran Spong
- Forestry and Environmental Resources College of Natural Resources, NCSU Raleigh 27695 USA
- Molecular Ecology Group Wildlife, Fish, & Environmental Studies, SLU 90183 Umeå Sweden
| | - Andrew J. Loveridge
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Zoology Department University of Oxford, The Recanati‐Kaplan Centre Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney Abingdon OX13 5QL UK
| | - Ann Marie Houser
- Cheetah Conservation Botswana Private Bag 0457 Gaborone Botswana
| | | | - Colleen M. Begg
- Niassa Carnivore Project Private Bag X18 Rondebosch South Africa
| | - Tanith Grant
- Wildlife and Reserve Management Research Group, Department of Zoology & Entomology Rhodes University P.O. Box 94 Grahamstown 6140 South Africa
| | - Paul Trethowan
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Zoology Department University of Oxford, The Recanati‐Kaplan Centre Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney Abingdon OX13 5QL UK
| | | | - Vera Menges
- Department Evolutionary Ecology Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Alfred‐Kowalke‐Str. 17 D‐10315 Berlin Germany
| | - Scott Creel
- Department of Ecology Montana State University Bozeman MT 59717 USA
| | - Guy A. Balme
- Panthera New York NY 10018 USA
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa University of Cape Town Private Bag X3 Rondebosch 7701 South Africa
| | - Ross T. Pitman
- Panthera New York NY 10018 USA
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa University of Cape Town Private Bag X3 Rondebosch 7701 South Africa
| | - Charlene Bissett
- Wildlife and Reserve Management Research Group, Department of Zoology & Entomology Rhodes University P.O. Box 94 Grahamstown 6140 South Africa
- Scientific Services, SANParks Private Bag x 402 Skukuza 1350 South Africa
| | - David Jenny
- Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques 17 Rte de Dabou, Abidjan Ivory Coast
- Zoologisches Institut Universität Bern Baltzerstrasse 6 Bern 3012 Switzerland
| | - Paul Schuette
- Department of Ecology Montana State University Bozeman MT 59717 USA
| | | | - Luke T. B. Hunter
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Programs 2300 Southern Blvd. Bronx NY 10460 USA
- School of Biological and Conservation Sciences University of KwaZulu‐Natal, Westville Campus Private Bag X54001 Durban 4000 South Africa
| | | | - Keith S. Begg
- Niassa Carnivore Project Private Bag X18 Rondebosch South Africa
| | - Cailey R. Owen
- School of Life Sciences University of KwaZulu‐Natal Durban 3629 South Africa
| | - Villiers Steyn
- Department of Nature Conservation Tshwane University of Technology Private Bag X680 Pretoria 0001 South Africa
| | - Dirk Bockmuehl
- Department Evolutionary Ecology Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Alfred‐Kowalke‐Str. 17 D‐10315 Berlin Germany
| | - Stuart J. Munro
- N/a'an ku sê Research Programme P.O. Box 99292 Windhoek Namibia
| | - Gareth K. H. Mann
- Wildlife and Reserve Management Research Group, Department of Zoology & Entomology Rhodes University P.O. Box 94 Grahamstown 6140 South Africa
- Panthera New York NY 10018 USA
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Cape Town Cape Town 7701 South Africa
- The Cape Leopard Trust Cape Town 7806 South Africa
| | - Byron D. du Preez
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Zoology Department University of Oxford, The Recanati‐Kaplan Centre Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney Abingdon OX13 5QL UK
| | | | - Tuqa J. Huqa
- Kenya Wildlife Service P.O. Box 40241 00100 Nairobi Kenya
| | - Gabriele Cozzi
- Botswana Predator Conservation Trust Private Bag 13 Maun Botswana
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies Zurich University Winterthurerstr. 190 Zürich 8057 Switzerland
| | - Laurence G. Frank
- Living with Lions, Mpala Research Centre P.O. Box 555 Nanyuki 10400 Kenya
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology University of California Berkeley CA 94720 USA
| | - Phumuzile Nyoni
- Wildlife and Reserve Management Research Group, Department of Zoology & Entomology Rhodes University P.O. Box 94 Grahamstown 6140 South Africa
- Debshan Ranch PO Box 24 Shagani Zimbabwe
| | - Andrew B. Stein
- CLAWS Conservancy, Pride in Our Prides Worcester MA 01608 USA
- Department of Environmental Conservation University of Massachusetts Amherst MA 01003 USA
- Landmark College Putney VT 05346 USA
| | | | - David W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Zoology Department University of Oxford, The Recanati‐Kaplan Centre Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney Abingdon OX13 5QL UK
| | - Quinton E. Martins
- The Cape Leopard Trust Cape Town 7806 South Africa
- True Wild LLC Glen Ellen CA USA
| | | | - Ken J. Stratford
- Ongava Research Centre 102A Nelson Mandela Avenue Windhoek Namibia
| | | | - Alayne Oriol‐Cotteril
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Zoology Department University of Oxford, The Recanati‐Kaplan Centre Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney Abingdon OX13 5QL UK
- Living With Lions, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California Berkeley CA 94720 USA
| | - Nakedi W. Maputla
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute University of Pretoria Pretoria 0002 South Africa
| | - Nkabeng Maruping‐Mzileni
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute University of Pretoria Pretoria 0002 South Africa
| | - Tim Parker
- Wildlife and Reserve Management Research Group, Department of Zoology & Entomology Rhodes University P.O. Box 94 Grahamstown 6140 South Africa
| | - Maarten van't Zelfde
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department Biology University of Antwerp Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk, Building D 132 Antwerpen Belgium
| | - Lynne A. Isbell
- Mpala Research Centre P.O. Box 555 Nanyuki 10400 Kenya
- Department of Anthropology University of California Davis CA 95616 USA
| | - Otto B. Beukes
- Department of Conservation and Marine Sciences, Faculty of Applied Sciences Cape Peninsula University of Technology P.O. Box 652 Cape Town 8000 South Africa
| | - Maya Beukes
- Department of Conservation and Marine Sciences, Faculty of Applied Sciences Cape Peninsula University of Technology P.O. Box 652 Cape Town 8000 South Africa
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Greyling E, Comley J, Cherry MI, Leslie AJ, Müller L. Facilitation of a free-roaming apex predator in working lands: evaluating factors that influence leopard spatial dynamics and prey availability in a South African biodiversity hotspot. PeerJ 2023; 11:e14575. [PMID: 36718440 PMCID: PMC9884037 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Apex predators ideally require vast intact spaces that support sufficient prey abundances to sustain them. In a developing world, however, it is becoming extremely difficult to maintain large enough areas to facilitate apex predators outside of protected regions. Free-roaming leopards (Panthera pardus) are the last remaining apex predator in the Greater Cape Floristic Region, South Africa, and face a multitude of threats attributable to competition for space and resources with humans. Using camera-trap data, we investigated the influence of anthropogenic land modification on leopards and the availability of their natural prey species in two contrasting communities-primarily protected (Cederberg) and agriculturally transformed (Piketberg). Potential prey species composition and diversity were determined, to indicate prey availability in each region. Factors influencing spatial utilisation by leopards and their main prey species were also assessed. Estimated potential prey species richness (Cederberg = 27, Piketberg = 26) and diversity indices (Cederberg-H' = 2.64, Ds = 0.90; Piketberg-H' = 2.46, Ds = 0.89), supported by both the Jaccard's Index (J = 0.73) and Sørensen's Coefficient (CC = 0.85), suggested high levels of similarity across the two regions. Main leopard prey species were present in both regions, but their relative abundances differed. Grey rhebok, klipspringer, and rock hyrax were more abundant in the Cederberg, while Cape grysbok, Cape porcupine, chacma baboon, and common duiker were more abundant in Piketberg. Leopards persisted across the agriculturally transformed landscape despite these differences. Occupancy modelling revealed that the spatial dynamics of leopards differed between the two regions, except for both populations preferring areas further away from human habitation. Overall, anthropogenic factors played a greater role in affecting spatial utilisation by leopards and their main prey species in the transformed region, whereas environmental factors had a stronger influence in the protected region. We argue that greater utilisation of alternative main prey species to those preferred in the protected region, including livestock, likely facilitates the persistence of leopards in the transformed region, and believe that this has further implications for human-wildlife conflict. Our study provides a baseline understanding of the potential direct and indirect impacts of agricultural landscape transformation on the behaviour of leopards and shows that heavily modified lands have the potential to facilitate mammalian diversity, including apex predators. We iterate that conservation measures for apex predators should be prioritised where they are present on working lands, and encourage the collaborative development of customised, cost-effective, multi-species conflict management approaches that facilitate coexistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugene Greyling
- Department of Botany & Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa,The Cape Leopard Trust, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - Jessica Comley
- Wildlife and Reserve Management Research Group, University of Mpumalanga, Mbombela, Mpumalanga, South Africa,Current Affiliation: Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Brunei Darussalam
| | - Michael I. Cherry
- Department of Botany & Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - Alison J. Leslie
- Department of Conservation Ecology & Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - Lana Müller
- The Cape Leopard Trust, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
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Vissia S, Fattebert J, van Langevelde F. Leopard density and interspecific spatiotemporal interactions in a hyena-dominated landscape. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9365. [PMID: 36225822 PMCID: PMC9534747 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Scavenging is widespread in the carnivore guild and can greatly impact food web structures and population dynamics by either facilitation or suppression of sympatric carnivores. Due to habitat loss and fragmentation, carnivores are increasingly forced into close sympatry, possibly resulting in more interactions such as kleptoparasitism and competition. In this paper, we investigate the potential for these interactions when carnivore densities are high. A camera trap survey was conducted in central Tuli, Botswana, to examine leopard Panthera pardus densities and spatiotemporal activity patterns of leopard and its most important competitors' brown hyena Parahyaena brunnea and spotted hyena Crocuta crocuta. Spatial capture-recapture models estimated leopard population density to be 12.7 ± 3.2 leopard/100 km2, which is one of the highest leopard densities in Africa. Time-to-event analyses showed both brown hyena and spotted hyena were observed more frequently before and after a leopard observation than expected by chance. The high spatiotemporal overlap of both hyena species with leopard is possibly explained by leopard providing scavenging opportunities for brown hyena and spotted hyena. Our results suggest that central Tuli is a high-density leopard area, despite possible intense kleptoparasitism and competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sander Vissia
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation GroupWageningen UniversityWageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Julien Fattebert
- School of Life Sciences, Westville CampusUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalDurbanSouth Africa
| | - Frank van Langevelde
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation GroupWageningen UniversityWageningenThe Netherlands,School of Life Sciences, Westville CampusUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalDurbanSouth Africa
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4
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Samarasinghe DJ, Wikramanayake ED, Gopalaswamy AM, Jayewardene R, Kumara J, Fernando J, Gunawardene K, Alexander JS, Braczkowski A. Evidence for a critical leopard conservation stronghold from a large protected landscape on the island of Sri Lanka. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
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5
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A Multi-Point Identification Approach for the Recognition of Individual Leopards (Panthera pardus kotiya). Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12050660. [PMID: 35268228 PMCID: PMC8909430 DOI: 10.3390/ani12050660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary All of the previous research on photography-based leopard identification was conducted based on the assumption that leopard spots and rosette formations do not change in shape or form. We observed 29 instances of changes to spot and rosette formations in continuously observed leopards at Yala National Park, Block 1. Since the previous approaches have flaws and errors, the same leopard may be misdiagnosed and counted numerous times, overestimating leopard populations if the spot and rosette formation of a leopard has changed. To address this issue, we developed the multi-point leopard identification method, which is a novel process for identifying Sri Lankan leopards. The minimum leopard population of Yala National Park, Block 1, on 31 March 2021, was established during the study. Abstract Visual leopard identifications performed with camera traps using the capture–recapture method only consider areas of the skin that are visible to the equipment. The method presented here considered the spot or rosette formations of either the two flanks or the face, and the captured images were then compared and matched with available photographs. Leopards were classified as new individuals if no matches were found in the existing set of photos. It was previously assumed that an individual leopard’s spot or rosette pattern would not change. We established that the spot and rosette patterns change over time and that these changes are the result of injuries in certain cases. When compared to the original patterns, the number of spots may be lost or reduced, and some spots or patterns may change in terms of their prominence, shape, and size. We called these changes “obliterate changes” and “rejig changes”, respectively. The implementation of an earlier method resulted in a duplication of leopard counts, achieving an error rate of more than 15% in the population at Yala National Park. The same leopard could be misidentified and counted multiple times, causing overestimated populations. To address this issue, we created a new two-step methodology for identifying Sri Lankan leopards. The multi-point identification method requires the evaluation of at least 9–10 spot areas before a leopard can be identified. Moreover, the minimum leopard population at the YNP 1 comprises at least 77 leopards and has a density of 0.5461 leopards per km2.
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Population density estimate of leopards (Panthera pardus) in north-western Mpumalanga, South Africa, determined using spatially explicit capture–recapture methods. Mamm Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-021-00179-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Abstract
Abstract
Populations of carnivore species outside protected areas may be of considerable importance for conservation, as many protected areas do not provide sufficient space for viable populations. Data on carnivore population sizes and trends are often biased towards protected areas, and few studies have examined the role of unprotected areas for carnivore conservation. We used camera-trapping data and spatial capture–recapture models to estimate population densities for four sympatric carnivores: the African leopard Panthera pardus, spotted hyaena Crocuta crocuta, brown hyaena Parahyaena brunnea and African civet Civettictis civetta in Platjan, a predominantly agricultural, mixed land-use system, South Africa. Mean densities per 100 km2 for the leopard were 2.20 (95% CI 1.32–3.68) and 2.18 (95% CI 1.32–3.61) for left and right flank data, respectively; spotted hyaena, 0.22 (95% CI 0.06–0.81); brown hyaena, 0.74 (95% CI 0.30–1.88); and African civet 3.60 (95% CI 2.34–5.57; left flanks) and 3.71 (95% CI 2.41–5.72; right flanks). Our results indicate that although densities are lower than those reported for protected areas, humans and predators coexist in this unprotected agricultural matrix. We suggest that increased conservation effort should be focused in such areas, to mitigate human–carnivore conflicts. Our study improves the knowledge available for carnivore populations on privately owned, unprotected land, and may benefit conservation planning.
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Coleman BT, Setchell JM, Hill RA. Seasonal variation in the behavioural ecology of samango monkeys (Cercopithecus albogularis schwarzi) in a southern latitude montane environment. Primates 2021; 62:1005-1018. [PMID: 34403014 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-021-00939-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Samango monkeys (Cercopithecus albogularis schwarzi) in the Soutpansberg Mountains, South Africa, experience a highly seasonal climate, with relatively cold, dry winters. They must show behavioural flexibility to survive these difficult conditions near the southern limit of the species' distribution and maintain the minimum nutritional intake they require. Through environmental monitoring and behavioural observations of a habituated group of samango monkeys, we explored how they adapted to the highly seasonal climate they experienced in the mountains. Our results indicated that the monkeys varied their foraging behaviours to account for changes in climate and daylight availability. The samangos increased their food intake in colder months, specifically leaves, likely due to an increased need for calories during winter to maintain body temperature. Samango monkeys have anatomical and physiological adaptations for digesting leaves, and these are likely important in explaining their ability to adapt to the broad range of climatic conditions they experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben T Coleman
- Research Policy Unit, University of Wolverhampton, Wulfruna Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1LY, UK. .,Primate & Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, 522, Louis Trichardt (Makhado), 0920, South Africa.
| | - Joanna M Setchell
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Dawson Building, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Russell A Hill
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Dawson Building, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK.,Department of Zoology, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa
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Bhandari A, Ghaskadbi P, Nigam P, Habib B. Dhole pack size variation: Assessing the effect of Prey availability and Apex predator. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:4774-4785. [PMID: 33976847 PMCID: PMC8093734 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
In multipredator systems, group sizes of social carnivores are shaped by the asymmetric intraguild interactions. Subordinate social carnivores experience low recruitment rates as an outcome of predation pressure. In South and Southeast Asia, the Tiger (Panthera tigris), Dhole (Cuon alpinus), and Leopard (Panthera pardus) form a widely distributed sympatric guild of large carnivores, wherein tigers are the apex predators followed by dhole and leopard. In this study, we attempted to understand the variation in pack size of a social carnivore, the dhole, at two neighboring sites in the Central Indian landscape. We further evaluated local-scale patterns of variation in pack size at a larger scale by doing a distribution-wide assessment across the dhole ranging countries. At the local scale, we found an inverse relationship between the density of tiger and pack size of dhole while accounting for variability in resources and habitat heterogeneity. Larger dhole packs (16.8 ± 3.1) were observed at the site where the tiger density was low (0.46/100 km2), whereas a smaller pack size (6.4 ± 1.3) was observed in the site with high tiger density (5.36/100 km2). Our results for the distribution-wide assessment were concordant with local-scale results, showing a negative association of pack size with the tiger densities (effect size -0.77) and a positive association with the prey abundance (effect size 0.64). The study advances our understanding to answer the age-old question of "what drives the pack size of social predators in a multipredator system?" This study also highlights the importance of understanding demographic responses of subordinate predator for varying competitor densities, often helpful in making informed decisions for conservation and management strategies such as population recovery and translocation of species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aishwarya Bhandari
- Department of Animal Ecology and Conservation BiologyWildlife Institute of IndiaDehradunIndia
| | - Pallavi Ghaskadbi
- Department of Animal Ecology and Conservation BiologyWildlife Institute of IndiaDehradunIndia
| | - Parag Nigam
- Department of Wildlife Health and ManagementWildlife Institute of IndiaDehradunIndia
| | - Bilal Habib
- Department of Animal Ecology and Conservation BiologyWildlife Institute of IndiaDehradunIndia
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Kittle AM, Watson AC, Samaranayake PKL. Edge effects and distribution of prey forage resources influence how an apex predator utilizes Sri Lanka's largest protected area. J Zool (1987) 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. M. Kittle
- The Wilderness & Wildlife Conservation Trust Colombo Sri Lanka
| | - A. C. Watson
- The Wilderness & Wildlife Conservation Trust Colombo Sri Lanka
| | - P. K. L. Samaranayake
- Department of Zoology University of Colombo Colombo Sri Lanka
- Department of Chemistry Northeastern University Boston Massachusetts USA
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Davis RS, Stone EL, Gentle LK, Mgoola WO, Uzal A, Yarnell RW. Spatial partial identity model reveals low densities of leopard and spotted hyaena in a miombo woodland. J Zool (1987) 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- R. S. Davis
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences Nottingham Trent University Southwell Nottinghamshire UK
| | - E. L. Stone
- Department of Applied Sciences University of the West of England Bristol UK
- Carnivore Research Malawi & Conservation Research Africa Lilongwe Malawi
| | - L. K. Gentle
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences Nottingham Trent University Southwell Nottinghamshire UK
| | - W. O. Mgoola
- Department of National Parks and Wildlife Malawi Lilongwe Malawi
| | - A. Uzal
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences Nottingham Trent University Southwell Nottinghamshire UK
| | - R. W. Yarnell
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences Nottingham Trent University Southwell Nottinghamshire UK
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12
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Pereira JA, Thompson J, Di Bitetti MS, Fracassi NG, Paviolo A, Fameli AF, Novaro AJ. A small protected area facilitates persistence of a large carnivore in a ranching landscape. J Nat Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2020.125846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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13
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A paradox of local abundance amidst regional rarity: the value of montane refugia for Persian leopard conservation. Sci Rep 2019; 9:14622. [PMID: 31604967 PMCID: PMC6788991 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50605-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The population densities of leopards vary widely across their global range, influenced by prey availability, intraguild competition and human persecution. In Asia, particularly the Middle East and the Caucasus, they generally occur at the lower extreme of densities recorded for the species. Reliable estimates of population density are important for understanding their ecology and planning their conservation. We used a photographic spatial capture-recapture (SCR) methodology incorporating animal movement to estimate density for the endangered Persian leopard Panthera pardus saxicolor in three montane national parks, northeastern Iran. We combined encounter history data arising from images of bilaterally asymmetrical left- and right-sided pelage patterns using a Bayesian spatial partial identity model accommodating multiple “non-invasive” marks. We also investigated the effect of camera trap placement on detection probability. Surprisingly, considering the subspecies’ reported low abundance and density based on previous studies, we found relatively high population densities in the three national parks, varying between 3.10 ± SD 1.84 and 8.86 ± SD 3.60 individuals/100 km2. The number of leopards detected in Tandoureh National Park (30 individuals) was larger than estimated during comparable surveys at any other site in Iran, or indeed globally. Capture and recapture probabilities were higher for camera traps placed near water resources compared with those placed on trails. Our results show the benefits of protecting even relatively small mountainous areas, which accommodated a high density of leopards and provided refugia in a landscape with substantial human activity.
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Estimating leopard density across the highly modified human-dominated landscape of the Western Cape, South Africa. ORYX 2019. [DOI: 10.1017/s0030605318001473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractApex predators play a critical role in maintaining the health of ecosystems but are highly susceptible to habitat degradation and loss caused by land-use changes, and to anthropogenic mortality. The leopard Panthera pardus is the last free-roaming large carnivore in the Western Cape province, South Africa. During 2011–2015, we carried out a camera-trap survey across three regions covering c. 30,000 km2 of the Western Cape. Our survey comprised 151 camera sites sampling nearly 14,000 camera-trap nights, resulting in the identification of 71 individuals. We used two spatially explicit capture–recapture methods (R programmes secr and SPACECAP) to provide a comprehensive density analysis capable of incorporating environmental and anthropogenic factors. Leopard density was estimated to be 0.35 and 1.18 leopards/100 km2, using secr and SPACECAP, respectively. Leopard population size was predicted to be 102–345 individuals for our three study regions. With these estimates and the predicted available leopard habitat for the province, we extrapolated that the Western Cape supports an estimated 175–588 individuals. Providing a comprehensive baseline population density estimate is critical to understanding population dynamics across a mixed landscape and helping to determine the most appropriate conservation actions. Spatially explicit capture–recapture methods are unbiased by edge effects and superior to traditional capture–mark–recapture methods when estimating animal densities. We therefore recommend further utilization of robust spatial methods as they continue to be advanced.
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15
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Leopard Density Estimation within an Enclosed Reserve, Namibia Using Spatially Explicit Capture-Recapture Models. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9100724. [PMID: 31557967 PMCID: PMC6826368 DOI: 10.3390/ani9100724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Due to continuous levels of human–wildlife conflict, habitat loss and fragmentation, the establishment of protected and enclosed reserves constitute a solid foundation for the long-term survival of threatened species. Because species living in enclosed systems often behave differently compared to their free-roaming counterparts, research is forming an important and essential tool to understand their ecology and behavior. For a population to be sustainable in a closed, fenced system, effective conservation and management strategies need to be developed on the basis of robust population estimates. We found that the study area, a protected nature reserve, is harbouring the highest leopard density in Namibia to date, highlighting that small, enclosed reserves can play a vital role for the survival of threatened species in the future. Abstract The establishment of enclosed conservation areas are claimed to be the driving force for the long-term survival of wildlife populations. Whilst fencing provides an important tool in conservation, it simultaneously represents a controversial matter as it stops natural migration processes, which could ultimately lead to inbreeding, a decline in genetic diversity and local extinction if not managed correctly. Thus, wildlife residing in enclosed reserves requires effective conservation and management strategies, which are strongly reliant on robust population estimates. Here, we used camera traps combined with the relatively new class of spatially explicit capture-recaptured models (SECR) to produce the first reliable leopard population estimate for an enclosed reserve in Namibia. Leopard density was estimated at 14.51 leopards/100 km2, the highest recorded density in Namibia to date. A combination of high prey abundance, the absence of human persecution and a lack of top-down control are believed to be the main drivers of the recorded high leopard population. Our results add to the growing body of literature which suggests enclosed reserves have the potential to harbour high densities and highlight the importance of such reserves for the survival of threatened species in the future.
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16
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Rogan MS, Balme GA, Distiller G, Pitman RT, Broadfield J, Mann GKH, Whittington‐Jones GM, Thomas LH, O'Riain MJ. The influence of movement on the occupancy–density relationship at small spatial scales. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S. Rogan
- The Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa University of Cape Town Private Bag X3, Rondebosch Cape Town 7701 South Africa
- Panthera 8 West 40th Street New York New York 10018 USA
- Centre for Statistics in Ecology, the Environment and Conservation University of Cape Town Rondebosch Cape Town 7701 South Africa
| | - Guy A. Balme
- The Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa University of Cape Town Private Bag X3, Rondebosch Cape Town 7701 South Africa
- Panthera 8 West 40th Street New York New York 10018 USA
| | - Greg Distiller
- The Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa University of Cape Town Private Bag X3, Rondebosch Cape Town 7701 South Africa
- Centre for Statistics in Ecology, the Environment and Conservation University of Cape Town Rondebosch Cape Town 7701 South Africa
- Department of Statistical Sciences University of Cape Town Rondebosch Cape Town 7701 South Africa
| | - Ross T. Pitman
- The Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa University of Cape Town Private Bag X3, Rondebosch Cape Town 7701 South Africa
- Panthera 8 West 40th Street New York New York 10018 USA
| | - Joleen Broadfield
- The Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa University of Cape Town Private Bag X3, Rondebosch Cape Town 7701 South Africa
- Panthera 8 West 40th Street New York New York 10018 USA
| | - Gareth K. H. Mann
- The Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa University of Cape Town Private Bag X3, Rondebosch Cape Town 7701 South Africa
- Panthera 8 West 40th Street New York New York 10018 USA
| | | | | | - M. Justin O'Riain
- The Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa University of Cape Town Private Bag X3, Rondebosch Cape Town 7701 South Africa
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17
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Havmøller RW, Tenan S, Scharff N, Rovero F. Reserve size and anthropogenic disturbance affect the density of an African leopard (Panthera pardus) meta-population. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0209541. [PMID: 31188824 PMCID: PMC6561539 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Determining correlates of density for large carnivores is important to understand their ecological requirements and develop conservation strategies. Of several earlier density studies conducted globally, relatively few addressed a scale (usually >1000 km2) that allows inference on correlates of density over heterogeneous landscapes. We deployed 164 camera trap stations covering ~2500 km2 across five areas characterized by broadly different vegetation cover in the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania, to investigate correlates of density for a widespread and adaptable carnivore, the leopard (Panthera pardus). We modelled data in a spatially explicit capture-recapture framework, with both biotic and abiotic covariates hypothesised to influence density. We found that leopard density increased with distance to protected area boundary (mean±SE estimated effect = 0.44±0.20), a proxy for both protected area extent and distance from surrounding human settlements. We estimated mean density at 4.22 leopards/100 km2 (85% CI = 3.33‒5.35/100 km2), with no variation across habitat types. Results indicate that protected area extent and anthropogenic disturbance limit leopard populations whereas no support was found for prey availability and trap array as drivers of leopard density. Such vulnerability is relevant to the conservation of the leopard, which is generally considered more resilient to human disturbance than other large cats. Our findings support the notion that protected areas are important to preserve viable population of leopards, increasingly so in times of unprecedented habitat fragmentation. Protection of buffer zones smoothing the abrupt impact of human activities at reserve edges also appears of critical conservation relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rasmus Worsøe Havmøller
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Section for Evolutionary Genomics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Simone Tenan
- Vertebrate Zoology Section, MUSE-Museo delle Scienze, Trento, Italy
| | - Nikolaj Scharff
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Francesco Rovero
- Tropical Biodiversity Section, MUSE-Museo delle Scienze, Trento, Italy
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
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18
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Baauw AH, Heyne H, Williams KS, Hill RA, Heitkönig IMA, Williams ST. First records of Hyalomma rufipes and Ixodes neitzi (Acari: Ixodidae) found on large carnivores in South Africa. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 10:128-131. [PMID: 30253935 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2016] [Revised: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Ixodid ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) are important disease vectors for large carnivores, but the composition of the tick communities that parasitize carnivores is poorly understood. We collected ticks from leopards (Panthera pardus) and brown hyenas (Hyaena brunnea) in the Soutpansberg Mountains, South Africa, to determine which species feed on these carnivores. We identified a total of eight tick species belonging to six genera, and recorded Ixodes neitzi and Hyalomma rufipes on P. pardus for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna H Baauw
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Heloise Heyne
- Epidemiology, Parasites & Vectors, ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Research, Private Bag X5, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa
| | - Kathryn S Williams
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Dawson Building, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom; Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, PO Box 522, Louis Trichardt, 0920, South Africa
| | - Russell A Hill
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Dawson Building, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom; Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, PO Box 522, Louis Trichardt, 0920, South Africa; Department of Zoology, University of Venda, Private bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa
| | - Ignas M A Heitkönig
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Samual T Williams
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Dawson Building, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom; Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, PO Box 522, Louis Trichardt, 0920, South Africa; Department of Zoology, University of Venda, Private bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa; Institute for Globally Distributed Open Research and Education (IGDORE), Hoedspruit, South Africa
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19
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Leopard Panthera pardus density in southern Mozambique: evidence from spatially explicit capture–recapture in Xonghile Game Reserve. ORYX 2018. [DOI: 10.1017/s0030605318000121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractRigorous status estimates of populations of large carnivores are necessary to inform their management and help evaluate the effectiveness of conservation interventions. The African leopard Panthera pardus faces rising anthropogenic pressures across most of its contracting sub-Saharan range, but the scarcity of reliable population estimates means that management decisions often have to rely on expert opinion rather than being based on sound evidence. This is particularly true for Mozambique, where little is known about the ecology or conservation status of leopard populations as a result of prolonged armed conflict. We used camera trapping and spatially explicit capture–recapture models to provide a leopard density estimate in Xonghile Game Reserve in southern Mozambique, which is part of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier conservation initiative. The estimated population density was 2.60 ± SE 0.96 leopards/100 km2. Our study provides a baseline leopard density for the region and the first empirical density estimate for southern Mozambique. Our results also suggest that current methods used to set trophy hunting quotas for leopards, both in Mozambique and elsewhere in Africa, may be leading to unsustainable quotas, which highlights the importance of robust empirical data in guiding conservation policy.
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20
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Williams KS, Williams ST, Fitzgerald LE, Sheppard EC, Hill RA. Brown hyaena and leopard diets on private land in the Soutpansberg Mountains, South Africa. Afr J Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn S. Williams
- Department of Anthropology; Durham University; Durham UK
- Primate and Predator Project; Louis Trichardt South Africa
| | - Samual T. Williams
- Department of Anthropology; Durham University; Durham UK
- Primate and Predator Project; Louis Trichardt South Africa
- Department of Zoology; University of Venda; Thohoyandou South Africa
- Institute for Globally Distributed Open Research and Education (IGDORE)
| | - Leanne E. Fitzgerald
- Department of Anthropology; Durham University; Durham UK
- Primate and Predator Project; Louis Trichardt South Africa
| | | | - Russell A. Hill
- Department of Anthropology; Durham University; Durham UK
- Primate and Predator Project; Louis Trichardt South Africa
- Department of Zoology; University of Venda; Thohoyandou South Africa
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21
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Devens C, Tshabalala T, McManus J, Smuts B. Counting the spots: The use of a spatially explicit capture-recapture technique and GPS data to estimate leopard (Panthera pardus) density in the Eastern and Western Cape, South Africa. Afr J Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn Devens
- Centre for Wildlife Management; University of Pretoria; Pretoria South Africa
| | | | - Jeannine McManus
- Research Department; Landmark Foundation; Riversdale South Africa
- Animal Plants and Environmental Sciences; University of the Witwatersrand; Johannesburg South Africa
| | - Bool Smuts
- Research Department; Landmark Foundation; Riversdale South Africa
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22
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Kerr TJ, Matthee C, Matthee S, Govender D, Engelbrecht S. Evaluating the Diversity of the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV): A Leopard Perspective. AFRICAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2017. [DOI: 10.3957/056.047.0092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tanya J. Kerr
- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Faculty of AgriScience, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch, 7602 South Africa
- Division of Medical Virology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg Campus, P.O. Box 241, Cape Town, 8000 South Africa
| | - Conrad Matthee
- Evolutionary Genomics Group, Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch, 7602 South Africa
| | - Sonja Matthee
- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Faculty of AgriScience, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch, 7602 South Africa
| | - Danny Govender
- Scientific Services, SANParks, Private Bag X402, Skukuza, 1350 South Africa
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110 South Africa
| | - Susan Engelbrecht
- Division of Medical Virology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg Campus, P.O. Box 241, Cape Town, 8000 South Africa
- National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Tygerberg Coastal, Cape Town, 8000 South Africa
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23
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Singh P, Macdonald DW. Populations and activity patterns of clouded leopards and marbled cats in Dampa Tiger Reserve, India. J Mammal 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyx104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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24
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Westerberg M, Craig E, Meheretu Y. First record of African leopard (Panthera pardus pardus
L.) in semi-arid area of Yechilay, northern Ethiopia. Afr J Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Westerberg
- United States Peace Corps Volunteer - Ethiopia, Environment/Agriculture Sectors; Mekelle Ethiopia
| | - Evan Craig
- United States Peace Corps Volunteer - Ethiopia, Environment/Agriculture Sectors; Mekelle Ethiopia
| | - Yonas Meheretu
- Department of Biology; Mekelle University; Mekelle Ethiopia
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25
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Leopard diets and landowner perceptions of human wildlife conflict in the Soutpansberg Mountains, South Africa. J Nat Conserv 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2017.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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26
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Williams ST, Williams KS, Lewis BP, Hill RA. Population dynamics and threats to an apex predator outside protected areas: implications for carnivore management. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:161090. [PMID: 28484625 PMCID: PMC5414262 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.161090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2016] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Data on the population dynamics and threats to large carnivores are vital to conservation efforts, but these are hampered by a paucity of studies. For some species, such as the leopard (Panthera pardus), there is such uncertainty in population trends that leopard trophy hunting has been banned in South Africa since 2016 while further data on leopard abundance are collected. We present one of the first assessments of leopard population dynamics, and identify the key threats to a population of leopards outside of protected areas in South Africa. We conducted a long-term trap survey between 2012 and 2016 in the Soutpansberg Mountains, and drew on a previous estimate of leopard population density for the region from 2008. In 24 sampling periods, we estimated the population density and assessed population structure. We fitted eight leopards with GPS collars to assess threats to the population. Leopard population density declined by 66%, from 10.73 to 3.65 leopards per 100 km2 in 2008 and 2016, respectively. Collared leopards had a high mortality rate, which appeared to be due to illegal human activity. While improving the management of trophy hunting is important, we suggest that mitigating human-wildlife conflict could have a bigger impact on carnivore conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samual T. Williams
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Dawson Building, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
- Primate and Predator Project, PO Box 522, Louis Trichardt, 0920, South Africa
- Department of Zoology, University of Venda, Private bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa
- e-mail:
| | - Kathryn S. Williams
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Dawson Building, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
- Primate and Predator Project, PO Box 522, Louis Trichardt, 0920, South Africa
| | - Bradley P. Lewis
- Primate and Predator Project, PO Box 522, Louis Trichardt, 0920, South Africa
- Bainbridge Island School District, 8489 Madison Avenue NE, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110, USA
| | - Russell A. Hill
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Dawson Building, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
- Primate and Predator Project, PO Box 522, Louis Trichardt, 0920, South Africa
- Department of Zoology, University of Venda, Private bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa
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27
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Ramesh T, Kalle R, Rosenlund H, Downs CT. Low leopard populations in protected areas of Maputaland: a consequence of poaching, habitat condition, abundance of prey, and a top predator. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:1964-1973. [PMID: 28331603 PMCID: PMC5355197 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Revised: 12/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying the primary causes affecting population densities and distribution of flagship species are necessary in developing sustainable management strategies for large carnivore conservation. We modeled drivers of spatial density of the common leopard (Panthera pardus) using a spatially explicit capture-recapture-Bayesian approach to understand their population dynamics in the Maputaland Conservation Unit, South Africa. We camera-trapped leopards in four protected areas (PAs) of varying sizes and disturbance levels covering 198 camera stations. Ours is the first study to explore the effects of poaching level, abundance of prey species (small, medium, and large), competitors (lion Panthera leo and spotted hyenas Crocuta crocuta), and habitat on the spatial distribution of common leopard density. Twenty-six male and 41 female leopards were individually identified and estimated leopard density ranged from 1.6 ± 0.62/100 km2 (smallest PA-Ndumo) to 8.4 ± 1.03/100 km2 (largest PA-western shores). Although dry forest thickets and plantation habitats largely represented the western shores, the plantation areas had extremely low leopard density compared to native forest. We found that leopard density increased in areas when low poaching levels/no poaching was recorded in dry forest thickets and with high abundance of medium-sized prey, but decreased with increasing abundance of lion. Because local leopard populations are vulnerable to extinction, particularly in smaller PAs, the long-term sustainability of leopard populations depend on developing appropriate management strategies that consider a combination of multiple factors to maintain their optimal habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tharmalingam Ramesh
- School of Life Sciences University of KwaZulu-Natal Scottsville Pietermaritzburg KwaZulu-Natal South Africa
| | - Riddhika Kalle
- School of Life Sciences University of KwaZulu-Natal Scottsville Pietermaritzburg KwaZulu-Natal South Africa; School of Ecology and Environment Studies Nalanda University Rajgir India
| | - Havard Rosenlund
- School of Life Sciences University of KwaZulu-Natal Scottsville Pietermaritzburg KwaZulu-Natal South Africa
| | - Colleen T Downs
- School of Life Sciences University of KwaZulu-Natal Scottsville Pietermaritzburg KwaZulu-Natal South Africa
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28
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Nowak K, Richards SA, le Roux A, Hill RA. Influence of live-capture on risk perceptions of habituated samango monkeys. J Mammal 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyw083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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29
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Braczkowski AR, Balme GA, Dickman A, Fattebert J, Johnson P, Dickerson T, Macdonald DW, Hunter L. Scent Lure Effect on Camera-Trap Based Leopard Density Estimates. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0151033. [PMID: 27050816 PMCID: PMC4822812 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Accepted: 02/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Density estimates for large carnivores derived from camera surveys often have wide confidence intervals due to low detection rates. Such estimates are of limited value to authorities, which require precise population estimates to inform conservation strategies. Using lures can potentially increase detection, improving the precision of estimates. However, by altering the spatio-temporal patterning of individuals across the camera array, lures may violate closure, a fundamental assumption of capture-recapture. Here, we test the effect of scent lures on the precision and veracity of density estimates derived from camera-trap surveys of a protected African leopard population. We undertook two surveys (a 'control' and 'treatment' survey) on Phinda Game Reserve, South Africa. Survey design remained consistent except a scent lure was applied at camera-trap stations during the treatment survey. Lures did not affect the maximum movement distances (p = 0.96) or temporal activity of female (p = 0.12) or male leopards (p = 0.79), and the assumption of geographic closure was met for both surveys (p >0.05). The numbers of photographic captures were also similar for control and treatment surveys (p = 0.90). Accordingly, density estimates were comparable between surveys (although estimates derived using non-spatial methods (7.28-9.28 leopards/100km2) were considerably higher than estimates from spatially-explicit methods (3.40-3.65 leopards/100km2). The precision of estimates from the control and treatment surveys, were also comparable and this applied to both non-spatial and spatial methods of estimation. Our findings suggest that at least in the context of leopard research in productive habitats, the use of lures is not warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Richard Braczkowski
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Tubney, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Guy Andrew Balme
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street,18th Floor, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Amy Dickman
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Tubney, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
- Ruaha Carnivore Project, Iringa, Tanzania
| | - Julien Fattebert
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street,18th Floor, New York, New York, United States of America
- School of Life Sciences, University of Kwazulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Durban, South Africa
| | - Paul Johnson
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Tubney, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Tristan Dickerson
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street,18th Floor, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - David Whyte Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Tubney, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Luke Hunter
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street,18th Floor, New York, New York, United States of America
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Isbell LA, Bidner LR. Vervet monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) alarm calls to leopards (Panthera pardus) function as a predator deterrent. BEHAVIOUR 2016. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-00003365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Behavioural predator–prey interactions are difficult to study, especially when predators avoid humans. To gain greater understanding of their dynamism, we conducted a 14-month field study in which we minimized human presence by employing acoustic recorders and camera traps, along with GPS collars deployed on vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) and leopards (Panthera pardus) in Laikipia, Kenya. Recordings at the vervets’ sleeping site revealed that they gave ‘leopard’ alarm calls most frequently near dusk and dawn, whereas photographs showed that leopards approached vervets more closely at night, when the monkeys alarm-called less often. GPS data showed that after vervets alarm-called, leopards within 200 m quickly moved away, changing direction, but when vervets did not alarm-call, leopards continued moving forward. These results reveal that vervets’ leopard alarm calls function as a predator deterrent in addition to a conspecific warning call.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynne A. Isbell
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya
| | - Laura R. Bidner
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya
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Swanepoel LH, Somers MJ, Dalerum F. Density of leopardsPanthera parduson protected and non-protected land in the Waterberg Biosphere, South Africa. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2015. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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Nowak K, le Roux A, Richards SA, Scheijen CP, Hill RA. Human observers impact habituated samango monkeys’ perceived landscape of fear. Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Living in a landscape of fear: the impact of predation, resource availability and habitat structure on primate range use. Anim Behav 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.11.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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