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Investigating Abundance, Density and Potential Threats of Sand Cat in the South-Eastern Parts of Iran

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Investigating Abundance, Density and Potential Threats of Sand Cat in the South-Eastern Parts of Iran Archive of SID Journal of Wildlife and Biodiversity 1(1): 47-55 (2017) by Arak University, Iran (http://jwb.araku.ac.ir/) Research Article Investigating abundance, density and potential threats of Sand cat in the South-Eastern parts of Iran ’ individuals per km. To investigate the effect of 1 Samira Ghafaripour , Morteza the moon status, we planned study design and 2* 3 Naderi , Hamid R. Rezaei covered all lunar nights. The results revealed 1Department of Environmental sciences, Faculty that the highest rate of encounter rate with the of Natural Resources, University of Zabol, species occurred at the initial and final phases Zabol, Iran of the lunar nights while encounter rate with the *2Department of Environmental Sciences, species was at the lowest level in two middle Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, weeks of the lunar months (0.052 and 0.02 Arak University, Arak, 38156-8- 8349, Iran individuals per km respectively). The increased e-mail: [email protected] agricultural activities, grazing livestock Departmen Enviromental Science, Gorgan University of Agricultural Science and Natural including camels and goats, and accompanying Resources, Gorgan, Iran dogs are some of the main threatening factors. As a solution, we suggest establishing Received: 3 August 2017 / Revised: 7 September 2017 / Accepted: 23 September 2017 / Published online: 30 September 2017. Ministry environmental force guard stations in the region of Sciences, Research and Technology, Arak University, Iran. and also employing some local peaoples as wildlife protection guards. Abstract Keywords: Abundance, Density, Distance Sand cat is known as a rare species mainly due methods, Morphology, Sand cat. to the destruction of its habitat. Because of its nocturnal and secretive behavior, dense hair in Introduction the soles, and the overall characteristics of its As one of the little-known cats with discrete habitat, there is little data about this species, distribution through the deserts of northern especially in Iran. In this study, like the general Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and southwest method for nocturnal mammalian species, and central Asia (Nowell and Jackson 1996, spotlight surveying was used to estimate density Sunquist and Sunquist 2002, Wozencraft 2005, and abundance of this species. During the study, Wilson and Mittermeier 2009, Mallon et al. 660 km strip transects in Samsoor and 615 km 2011), sand cat is a least concern species based in the habitats located in Chahe-Hashem were on recent data downloaded from IUCN Red List traversed randomly. Data analysis was (Sliwa et al. 2016). performed using Distance 6.2 which resulted This species prefers areas of sparse vegetation that the density and abundance of sand cat in mixed with sandy and rocky areas, which Samsoor area is 0.163 and 45 (CI: 29-72) supports rodent and small prey bird (Sliwa respectively. Considering the recorded number 2013) and with its thickly furred feet, it is well of individuals and the length of the traversed adapted to the extremes of a desert environment, transects, it can be inferred that the encounter living in areas far from water, and tolerant of rate with the species is equal with 0.04 www.SID.ir Archive of SID 48 | Journal of Wildlife and Biodiversity 1(1): 47-55 (2017) extremes of hot and cold temperatures (Nowell (Cole and Wilson 2015). Species density and and Jackson 1996, Sunquist and Sunquist 2002, abundance estimation is important for Sliwa 2013). Daytime surface temperatures may management of the species and its habitats. approach even near to 124°C and the air Different direct and indirect methods are temperature can range up to 58°C in the shade, employed to estimate the abundance and density but night air temperatures are much lower, of the mammalian species in the desert areas. In ranging 30 to −0.5°C (Yunker and Guirgis 1969, this regard, selecting an appropriate method Goodman and Helmy 1986, Cunningham 2002). suitable to the species of the interest, locality, In many areas where sand cat occurs, the best and resources also play key roles (Wilson and vegetation growth is in March and April, and Delahay, 2001). Although no method is many rodents breed during this time providing foolproof, the most accurate estimate of an abundant food resource (Roberts 1997). population density is whole count (McNeilage et Differences in climate or resource availability al. 2001) or focus group studies on the home influence breeding season length (Cole and range (Fashing and Cords 2000) that require a Wilson 2015). This species is known as a rare huge effort, especially in large areas. The species (Nowell and Jackson 1996, Sunquist and spotlight is a technique that is widely used to Sunquist 2002, Sliwa 2013) with low density in determine the presence of nocturnal species as the desert habitats (Nowell and Jackson 1996). well as their density and frequency with a fairly The species low density can be related to the accurate estimate in some desert species (Scott habitat quality (Sliwa 2013) and its severe et al. 2005). This technique is widely used to destruction especially in dune areas (Abahussain check large number of nocturnal mammals, et al. 2002, Al-Sharhan et al. 2003, Mallon and including dingo (Canis dingo), foxes (Vulpes Budd 2011). Ecological and biological status of vulpes), rabbit (Lepus europaeus) (Barnes and the species has not been well studied (Cole and Tapper 1985, Mahon et al. 1998, Edwards et al. Wilson 2015) and there are not sufficient data 2000, Heydon et al. 2000), rodents (Ralls and about the species especially in Iran. Eberhardt 1997), and communities of African As well as nocturnal and secretive behavior, the mammals (Duckworth 1992, Monadjem et al. existence of long and relatively dense hair on the 1998). soles and also general habitat characteristics The strip transects (Short et al. 1997) or linear cause the studies face with some difficulties transect (Buckland et al. 1993, Heydon et al. (Nowell and Jackson 1996). Documented 2000) are mostly used methods among the distribution map for the species is not also appropriate methods introduced in this regard. reliable because of many unknown habitats Several mammalian species are currently of where host sand cats all over the world (Nowell conservation concern due to dramatic and Jackson 1996) and certainly Iran. In general, population declines and local extinctions as a the total population of the sand cat in the world result of habitat modification and over-grazing is estimated more than 10000 individuals (IUCN (Abu-Zinada et al. 1987, Hatough-Bouran and 2015). Disi 1991, Qumsiyeh et al. 1993). There is an Density and abundance of the carnivores depend urgent need to assess the presence and on several factors such as prey availability abundance of wildlife in these areas at present (Carbone and Gittleman 2002), competition (Hatough-Bouran and Disi 1991) and develop between species (Creel and Creel 1996), effective techniques to monitor populations to potential anthropogenic threats (Inskip and aid future wildlife conservation. Probably due to Zimmermann 2009) and habitat destruction the habitat destruction of desert sand cat www.SID.ir Archive of SID 49 | Journal of Wildlife and Biodiversity 1(1): 47-55 (2017) population and a decrease in the number of the repeatable accuracy and reducing disruption and relevant prey items, there is no detailed destruction of habitat, rarely track, was re- information on this species (Sunquist and surveyed (Scott et al., 2004). Field sampling in Sunquist 2002, Wilson and Mittermeier 2009, the area started one hour after sunset and Mallon et al. 2011). continued to one hour before sunrise. Car Thus, the present study was conducted to cruising was done at a constant speed of 10 km/h estimate sand cat population density in the (scott et al. 2004) by an observer, while a 300- Bazman region located in Iranshahr (Sistan and meter strip with a 100w handheld spotlight was Baluchistan, Iran) and investigating the potential scanned and monitored. Once its eye shine was threats of the species in the study area. diagnosed, the car was stopped and the species was identified using the binoculars. Material and methods The distance between the observer and sand cat, sand cat angle relative to the transect line, and Study Area weather conditions during the observation time Iranshahr city is located in the central region of were recorded. In order to determine the density Baluchistan with an area of over 30200 km2 and of species by distance methods, functions has an average elevation of 591 meters above including half-normal, uniform, and hazard rate sea level at a distance of 345 km from the simple polynomial and Uniform Hermite provincial capital of Sistan and Baluchistan. In polynomial with the lowest Delta Akaike's value this study, 15% of the province was accounted was selected. for the presence of the sand cat in Bazman and Estimates were periodically supervised using Dalgan. Average annual precipitation and mean the reflective objects (Heydon et al. 2000). A temperature in Iranshahr is about 2.1 mm and protractor was used to measure angles between 24.6℃ respectively (Sistan and Baluchistan detected points with transect line. Since the cats Meteorological Organization, 2015). stayed motionless when exposed to spot light, it The dominant vegetation consists mainly of was possible to capture and mark them alive Zygophyllum eurypterum, Tamarix sp, and (Fig. 1). The identified individuals were marked Hammada salicornica. Based on observations by coloring the inner part of their ear to prevent made during the study period, the carnivores the observeration error and double recording coexisting with sand cats are common fox (Kei and Baroski 1995). (Vulpes vulpes), Sand fox (Vulpes rueppellii), In line with the estimation of the population Blanford’s fox (Vulpes cana), Striped hyaena abundance and density, we studied activity (Hyaena hyaena), Golden Jackal (Canis pattern of the species during the study period.
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