Density estimation of leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis using capture-recaptures sampling in lowland forest of Pakke Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh, India

Abstract

In this study, we estimated leopard cat abundance and density using photographic capture-recapture methods. The leopard cat, Prionailurus bengalensis, is a common spread small cat in Asia, which is mainly nocturnal and solitary in nature. It occurs in across a range of habitat types. The study was conducted in Pakke Tiger Reserve (PTR) 26°54′–27°16′N, 92°36′–93°09′E), which lies in the eastern Himalayan state of Arunachal Pradesh (27°29′–29°23′N 94°02′–95°15′E) and covers an area of 862 km2. Population status and abundance estimates were made through individual identification using camera trapping combined with mark-recapture methods. A total of 900 trap nights yielded seven leopard cat individuals, with 16 left flank and nine right flanks. The population abundance was 7±1.0 and the density was 3.2 individuals/100 km2. Estimated probability of capture, p-hat=0.15. Program closure test indicates that closure assumption was not violated in the study. Our density estimates (3.21) seems to be low as the leopard cat shares resources with five other small cats in the area.