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A Multi-Scale Analysis of Jaguar (Panthera Onca) and Puma (Puma Concolor) Habitat Selection and Conservation in the Narrowest Section of Panama

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A Multi-Scale Analysis of Jaguar (Panthera Onca) and Puma (Puma Concolor) Habitat Selection and Conservation in the Narrowest Section of Panama Antioch University AURA - Antioch University Repository and Archive Student & Alumni Scholarship, including Dissertations & Theses Dissertations & Theses 2019 A Multi-Scale Analysis of Jaguar (Panthera onca) and Puma (Puma concolor) Habitat Selection and Conservation in the Narrowest Section of Panama. Kimberly A. Craighead Antioch University of New England Follow this and additional works at: https://aura.antioch.edu/etds Part of the Animal Studies Commons, Biodiversity Commons, Environmental Studies Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Other Animal Sciences Commons, Other Environmental Sciences Commons, and the Population Biology Commons Recommended Citation Craighead, Kimberly A., "A Multi-Scale Analysis of Jaguar (Panthera onca) and Puma (Puma concolor) Habitat Selection and Conservation in the Narrowest Section of Panama." (2019). Dissertations & Theses. 474. https://aura.antioch.edu/etds/474 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Student & Alumni Scholarship, including Dissertations & Theses at AURA - Antioch University Repository and Archive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations & Theses by an authorized administrator of AURA - Antioch University Repository and Archive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Department of Environmental Studies DISSERTATION COMMITTEE PAGE The undersigned have examined the dissertation entitled: A MULTI-SCALE ANALYSIS OF JAGUAR (PANTHERA ONCA) AND PUMA (PUMA CONCOLOR) HABITAT SELECTION AND CONSERVATION IN THE NARROWEST SECTION OF PANAMÁ Presented by Kimberly A. Craighead Candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, and hereby certify that it is accepted* Committee Chair: Beth A. Kaplin, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Environmental Studies, Antioch University New England Committee Member: Peter A. Palmiotto, D.F. Chair, Department of Environmental Studies, Antioch University New England Committee Member: Marcella J. Kelly, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Fish & Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech Defense Date: April 2019 *Signatures are on file with the Registrar’s Office, Antioch University New England. A MULTI-SCALE ANALYSIS OF JAGUAR (PANTHERA ONCA) AND PUMA (PUMA CONCOLOR) HABITAT SELECTION AND CONSERVATION IN THE NARROWEST SECTION OF PANAMÁ by Kimberly A. Craighead BSc. California State University, Hayward, CA, 2004 A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Environmental Studies at Antioch University New England Keene, New Hampshire, USA 2019 © 2019 by Kimberly A. Craighead All rights reserved DEDICATION For my dad, my biggest fan. I love you Pops. i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation has been quite a journey. I have many people to thank, but first and foremost is my partner Milton Yacelga. Without your love and endless support, this dissertation would not have been possible. You’ve stuck by me through thick and thin, back and forth to Panamá and trekked umpteen miles over hill and dale checking camera traps with me, and for me…I can’t thank you enough! My supportive committee has shown me how to advance my scholarship. I am grateful to my advisor Beth Kaplin, who has always had faith in my work and my process. Beth stood by my decisions to change research plans along the way and gave me the insight and confidence to carry on. Peter Palmiotto, your patience and compliments have been greatly appreciated! Marcella Kelly, thank you for sharing your knowledge on camera traps, and for your flexibility. Thank you all for providing me with the space to follow my passion. I want to acknowledge all of my supportive friends. Sue Townsend you were a guiding light for me when I was on my puma track, still you are a wise mentor to me. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and opinions and for the tough love I needed along the way. I want to give special thanks to my friend and classmate Michele Losee who has been by my side from the start of this journey, I am so appreciative of your companionship. My good friend Lynne, thanks for driving me to campus and for lending me your car, because of you I was able to get to class! Dina, you have been my sounding board, our walks around the lake and your understanding of this process has been most appreciated. Amy Gotliffe, thanks for believing in my work. ii I have sought the expertise of many who have helped guide me through this dissertation. Sam Cushman, you’re a brilliant and collaborative scientist, thanks for letting me stay in your home while learning how to use Random Forests. Ho Yi Wan, your technical mind is something to envy! Thank you for pulling me through the analyses and for sharing your expertise. Bobby Vogt, I am so thankful of your GIS skills, your help has been indispensable. In Panamá, I thank the Mamoní Valley Preserve who graciously provided logistical support for my project. Nico, you are a star, always there to pick up the slack for me. I can’t thank my field team enough, Gabriel, Polo, Virgilio, Tomas and Modesto. These men are super-human and vital to the success of this research. Without their incredible knowledge of the forest and abilities to survive the harsh jungle environment, this project could not have existed. I want to thank you for keeping me alive and able to write this dissertation today! This study was supported by Mamoní Valley Preserve, Tom Kaplan’s Panthera Foundation, the Liz Claiborne and Art Ortenberg Foundation, The Laney Thornton Foundation and The Shanbrom Foundation for their belief in my research. I want to thank Evan Shanbrom for his continued support after spending time with me in the jungle. I would also like to thank Idea Wild for contributing field gear, and I especially want to thank BioMaAs for their incredible generosity. Cullen Wilkerson, you made it possible to spend time away from my consulting work, thank you for having so much confidence in my project. Immense gratitude goes out to my mom and dad. You have been endlessly supportive of me throughout my life. You’ve put up with my adventurousness and dedication to wildlife and travel; thank you for being there for me, no matter which path I chose. iii ABSTRACT Over the past two centuries, large terrestrial carnivores have suffered extreme population declines and range contractions resulting from the synergistic anthropogenic threats of land-use change and indirect effects of climate change. In Panamá, rapid land use conversion coupled with climate change is predicted to negatively impact jaguar (Panthera onca) and puma (Puma concolor). This dissertation examined the environmental variables and scales influencing jaguar and puma habitat selection by season (annual, wet, and dry), using multi-scale optimized habitat suitability models and a machine-learning algorithm (Random Forests), in the narrowest section of Panamá. The models derived from the data of an intensive camera trapping effort (2016– 2018) captured a wide spectrum of ecological relationships for the sympatric felid species. Jaguar habitat selection was limited by secondary forest at a broad scale (home range), suggesting that jaguars preferred primary forest. Therefore, the persistence of primary forest in the narrowest section of the country is key for the long-term survival of the species. Pumas incorporated primary forest at a fine scale (patch) and agropecuary (agriculture and livestock) at broad scales (home range), providing evidence of the plasticity and adaptability of the species to a diverse range of landscapes. Seasonal differences in habitat suitability were evident for both species which is most likely related to prey availability. The models also provided a set of seasonal habitat suitability maps (annual, wet season and dry season) from which spatial information on jaguar and puma distribution are presented. This study improves our understanding of species-environment relationships and habitat selection of jaguars and pumas in eastern Panamá, and contributes to the growing number of studies that demonstrate the strong conceptual and inferential advantages of a multi-scale approach. Further, I examined the iv implications of the potential relocation of the Guna Yala Indigenous communities from the San Blas Archipelago, Panamá, to a critical forest region on the mainland. My review highlights the interconnectedness of climate change, Indigenous people’s migration in response to climate change, and the implications for jaguar conservation in the region. Keywords: distribution, habitat suitability, Random Forests, climate change, Guna Yala This dissertation is available in open access at AURA, http://aura. antioch. edu/ and OhioLINK ETD Center, https:// etd.ohiolink.edu/etd. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... iv LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... viii LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................................... x LIST OF APPPENDICES.............................................................................................................. xi Chapter I: Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 Dissertation overview ................................................................................................................
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