Abstract
AbstractProtected areas may be important refuges for large carnivores, but many are not large enough to sustain viable populations. Without sufficient dispersal between protected areas, large carnivore populations inside them are at risk of becoming genetically isolated and demographically vulnerable. In this study, we use the jaguar population in and around Emas National Park in the Brazilian Cerrado as a case study to evaluate the demographic sustainability of a large carnivore population within a small and potentially isolated protected area. We used camera trapping data and spatially explicit capture‐recapture models to estimate density and corresponding population size of jaguars in Emas National Park. We then used a matrix‐based age and sex structured stochastic population model to evaluate the demographic viability of jaguar populations across a range of population sizes, including those estimated for Emas. We detected 10 individual jaguars during our survey with a total of 74 detections. Our density estimation became unbiased using a buffer width of 30 km and produced a density of 0.17 jaguars per 100 km2. The estimated population sizes of 10–60 animals suffered extinction risks of 70–90% without net immigration. However, only a low number of immigrants were required to suppress extinction risk towards zero. Our density estimate for jaguars was lower than in previous studies, and our simulations suggested that this population may have a substantial extinction risk. Ensuring dispersal and connectivity outside of protected areas, through the implementation of habitat corridors, can greatly reduce this extinction risk, and we suggest that this scenario is potentially applicable to many other large carnivore populations.
Highlights
Large carnivores have suffered historic declines from persecution and habitat loss (Dalerum et al, 2009; Estes et al, 2011)
The detections were distributed across the Emas National Park, the majority of detections were in its southern half (Fig. 1)
Protected areas may be important for large carnivore populations by buffering them from anthropogenic impacts (Santini et al, 2016), our results suggest that the jaguar population in and around Emas National Park may suffer substantial extinction risk
Summary
Large carnivores have suffered historic declines from persecution and habitat loss (Dalerum et al, 2009; Estes et al, 2011). This conflict is ongoing, and despite considerable conservation efforts the future of many large carnivore species is uncertain (Ripple et al, 2014). Protected areas have become important refuges for large carnivores (Woodroffe, 2001), recent expansions of large carnivores across Europe (Ensenrink & Vogel, 2006; Chapron et al, 2014) and India (Athreya et al, 2013) suggest that these species may exist in a matrix of human-dominated landscapes. The extensive areas required by these animals make it logistically daunting to create protected
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
