Abstract
Monitoring populations and designing effective conservation actions for endangered species present significant challenges. An accurate understanding of current distribution, ecological traits and habitat requirements is imperative in formulating conservation strategies. Recent surveys on the southernmost Cuvier’s Gazelle (Gazella cuvieri) population, an ungulate endemic to North Africa, showcase its importance in terms of numbers and genetic diversity. This population inhabits a remote region in the extreme north-western portion of the Sahara Desert and has not been well studied. Here, we examine the potential distribution of Cuvier’s Gazelle and the environmental factors limiting the species in a Saharan environment, by combining broad-scale field survey data and species distribution models. Our objective was to identify high priority conservation areas in the southernmost known portion of the species’ distribution by modelling habitat selection at the landscape scale using a predictive distribution map. Our results show that the distribution of Cuvier’s Gazelle is strongly related to mountainous areas with heterogeneous terrain and remoteness from large human settlements over other ecological factors that had less impact on the species’ presence and distribution. We also provide a quantitative estimate of the potential distribution range of Cuvier’s Gazelle in southern Morocco, identifying two well-demarcated key areas. The two core areas currently contain enough rugged terrain isolated from human encroachment to support the endangered species in this harsh desert environment. We encourage the implementation of conservation planning for Cuvier’s Gazelle as an “umbrella species”, which will confer effective protection to higher-quality habitat zones and co-occurring species, leading to sustainable and ecologically responsible development in the region.
Highlights
Monitoring populations and designing effective conservation actions for endangered species present significant challenges
Our study illustrates an example of how to successfully deal with a lack of key data in developing well-designed wildlife conservation actions in remote areas, such as the hard environment of the Sahara Desert, through combining large scale field surveys and distribution modelling. This approach has clear applications for any type of study on the population distribution and dynamics of threatened species that live in these types of regions, wild ungulates and carnivores or other mammals of medium to large size
Our analyses confirm that the species presence and distribution of Cuvier’s Gazelle in the study area are primarily influenced by the variability or complexity of the terrain and the increasing distance to large human settlements
Summary
Monitoring populations and designing effective conservation actions for endangered species present significant challenges. Cuvier’s Gazelle appears to avoid areas covered in heavy snow at high altitudes in winter and ranges to the Sahara Desert on rocky mountains and desert plateaux, limited to areas with argan and thorn trees Acacia spp. forests[9] In this environment, recent surveys in the Bas Drâa-Aydar region (Morocco) show promising distribution and numbers of Cuvier’s Gazelle[20], since this population has been described as one of the largest populations of the species, with 935 individuals (95% CI 597–1607)[20]. Recent surveys in the Bas Drâa-Aydar region (Morocco) show promising distribution and numbers of Cuvier’s Gazelle[20], since this population has been described as one of the largest populations of the species, with 935 individuals (95% CI 597–1607)[20] This population of Cuvier’s Gazelle inhabits the extreme north-western portion of the Sahara Desert and is probably the most important in terms of numbers and genetic diversity, making it essential to the species’ longevity and conservation[20]. The final purpose of this study is to contribute to the biological conservation management of Cuvier’s Gazelle by identifying the extent of its potential habitat and high priority areas to ensure the species’ survival in the southernmost area of its distribution
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