Simulation of the Movement Behavior of Leopardus Guigna using Random Walkers

Abstract

Scarcity of information regarding the natural history of Leopardus guigna, an endangered felid native to Chile and western Argentina, hampers the successful implementation of conservation strategies. Very little is known about the movement behavior of L. guigna and home range estimates rest on less than a handful of radiotracking studies. Due to the difficulties inherent in any study requiring the live capture of protected species, we suggest a mathematical approach to the modeling of territories occupied by individual guignas. Our approach is based on the hypothesis that L. guigna maintains a sedentary behavior in a specific area of a given territory, whereby starting points can be derived from point observations. In this context, the present article shows a way to simulate a distribution of points in a territory using random walkers to emulate field data as could be obtained by means of telemetry. Our model allows for an estimation of mean distances covered by individual cats from a fixed starting point and thus enables the prediction of interactions with known threats to the species, such as motor vehicles, free-roaming dogs, and people. The knowledge gained in this process can be of much help when defining the boundaries of protected areas and, more generally, in the planning of infrastructure, rural and urban development.