DOCSLIB.ORG

Population Dynamics of Steller Sea Lions, Eumetopias Jubatus, in the Eastern Gulf of Alaska

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Population Dynamics of Steller Sea Lions, Eumetopias Jubatus, in the Eastern Gulf of Alaska Population dynamics of steller sea lions, Eumetopias jubatus, in the Eastern Gulf of Alaska Item Type Thesis Authors Maniscalco, John Michael Download date 04/10/2021 13:45:21 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/11122/5750 POPULATION DYNAMICS OF STELLER SEA LIONS, EUMETOPIAS JUBATUS, IN THE EASTERN GULF OF ALASKA By RECOMMENDED: Dr. Larissa-A. Horstmann \Li Dr. Sara J. Iverson Dr.»r. AlanAlan M.M. SpringerSnrineer —^ Advisory Committee Chair Dr. Katrin B. Iken Chair, Graduate Program in Marine Science and Limnology APPROVED: QSul Dr. Joan F. Braddock Interim Dean, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences POPULATION DYNAMICS OF STELLER SEA LIONS, EUMETOPIAS JUBATUS , IN THE EASTERN GULF OF ALASKA A DISSERTATION Presented to the Faculty of the University of Alaska Fairbanks in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy By John Michael Maniscalco, B.S., M.S. Fairbanks, Alaska May 2015 ABSTRACT Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) were listed as endangered following a collapse of the western population beginning in the late 1970s. Low juvenile survival and reduced reproductive rates (natality) have been implicated as important factors in the decline. I conducted separate mark-recapture analyses to estimate juvenile survival and natality in an area of the western population where Steller sea lions have begun to show signs of recovery since the early 2000s. I then used these vital-rate estimates in a population matrix to estimate the strength of the recovery and assess which rates pose the greatest threats to recovery. First year survival was estimated at 80% for both males and females, but second-year survival dropped to a low of 40.6% for males and 64.2 % for females that were weaned at age 1. In contrast, survival was greatly improved (88.2%) for males and females that continued to suckle between ages 1 and 2. Cumulative survival to age 4 was double (35.7%) that estimated during the population decline. Natality was also higher in recent years (70%) than during the height of the decline in the 1980s (55%). The mean rate of population growth, based on matrix modeling of vital rates estimated in this study, was 4.1% per year between 2003 and 2013. By projecting these trends into the future, I estimated that the population in the study area may be fully recovered within 14 years, if density independent growth is to be expected in the near future. If density dependent factors come into play, the population will need another 37 years to fully recover. As would be expected from a long-lived, K-selected species, population growth rate was most sensitive to variation in adult survival, less sensitive to juvenile survival, and least sensitivity to natality. The findings of this study have important implications for Steller sea lion population management and suggest research priorities should be shifted from an emphasis on natality to an emphasis on survival rates and causes of mortality. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page SIGNATURE PAGE............................................................................................................................. i TITLE PAGE........................................................................................................................................iii ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................................... v TABLE OF CONTENTS....................................................................................................................vii LIST OF FIGURES.............................................................................................................................. x LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................................... xi LIST OF APPENDICES......................................................................................................................xi PREFACE .......................................................................................................................................... xiii CHAPTER 1: GENERAL INTRODUCTION....................................................................................1 General Biology.............................................................................................................................. 1 Population Dynamics.................................................................................................................... 5 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................. 10 CHAPTER 2: THE EFFECTS OF BIRTH WEIGHT AND MATERNAL CARE ON SURVIVAL OF JUVENILE STELLER SEA LIONS (EUMETOPIAS JUBATUS) .....................23 ABSTRACT .....................................................................................................................................23 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................... 24 MATERIALS AND METHODS................................................................................................... 26 Ethics Statement...........................................................................................................................26 Study Site and Field Methods......................................................................................................27 Data Analysis................................................................................................................................29 RESULTS......................................................................................................................................... 30 vii DISCUSSION ..................................................................................................................................33 Survival Comparisons Past and Present, East and......................................................... West 33 The Effect o f Mass........................................................................................................................34 The Effect of Extended Maternal .......................................................................................Care 35 Sex Differences in Survival..........................................................................................................37 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...............................................................................................................39 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................40 CHAPTER 3: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF STELLER SEA LION NATALITY RATES IN THE GULF OF ALASKA WITH COMPARISONS TO CENSUS DATA ............................57 ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................................... 57 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................58 MATERIALS AND METHODS................................................................................................... 60 Ethics Statement...........................................................................................................................60 Study Site and Observational Methods.......................................................................................60 Data Analysis................................................................................................................................64 RESULTS......................................................................................................................................... 67 DISCUSSION ..................................................................................................................................69 Mark-Recapture Parameter Estimates.......................................................................................69 Comparisons with Census Data................................................................................................. 71 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...............................................................................................................73 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................73 viii CHAPTER 4: PROJECTING THE POPULATION TREND OF STELLER SEA LIONS IN THE EASTERN GULF OF ALASKA WITH ESTABLISHED VITAL RATES AND LIFE TABLES ...............................................................................................................................................87 ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................................... 87 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................88 MATERIALS AND METHODS................................................................................................... 90 Ethics Statement...........................................................................................................................90 Study Site and Methods............................................................................................................... 91 RESULTS........................................................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Dental and Temporomandibular Joint Pathology of the Kit Fox (Vulpes Macrotis)
    Author's Personal Copy J. Comp. Path. 2019, Vol. 167, 60e72 Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect www.elsevier.com/locate/jcpa DISEASE IN WILDLIFE OR EXOTIC SPECIES Dental and Temporomandibular Joint Pathology of the Kit Fox (Vulpes macrotis) N. Yanagisawa*, R. E. Wilson*, P. H. Kass† and F. J. M. Verstraete* *Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences and † Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA Summary Skull specimens from 836 kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis) were examined macroscopically according to predefined criteria; 559 specimens were included in this study. The study group consisted of 248 (44.4%) females, 267 (47.8%) males and 44 (7.9%) specimens of unknown sex; 128 (22.9%) skulls were from young adults and 431 (77.1%) were from adults. Of the 23,478 possible teeth, 21,883 teeth (93.2%) were present for examina- tion, 45 (1.9%) were absent congenitally, 405 (1.7%) were acquired losses and 1,145 (4.9%) were missing ar- tefactually. No persistent deciduous teeth were observed. Eight (0.04%) supernumerary teeth were found in seven (1.3%) specimens and 13 (0.06%) teeth from 12 (2.1%) specimens were malformed. Root number vari- ation was present in 20.3% (403/1,984) of the present maxillary and mandibular first premolar teeth. Eleven (2.0%) foxes had lesions consistent with enamel hypoplasia and 77 (13.8%) had fenestrations in the maxillary alveolar bone. Periodontitis and attrition/abrasion affected the majority of foxes (71.6% and 90.5%, respec- tively).
    [Show full text]
  • Biologie V Období Baroka a Osvícenství
    Biologie v období baroka a osvícenství Historické pozadí Za mezník, stojící na počátku této historické epochy lze bezesporu pokládat anglickou buržoazní revoluci (1649 - 1660). Po krátkém období existence republiky, se na anglický trůn sice vrací stuartovská dynastie, ale zvrat k předrevolučním poměrům již nenastal. Oliver Cromwell Politická moc šlechty byla oslabena , což předznamenalo další hospodářský a politický vývoj země a její rozsáhlou koloniální expanzi v mimoevropském světě. Francie se za vlády Ludvíka XIV. stala nejsilnější mocností starého kontinentu a řadou válek rozšířila své území. Avšak ani tyto úspěchy, ani oslnivý lesk dvora "krále slunce", nemohly zakrýt narůstající rozpory v zemi. Na východě Evropy trvale rostl vliv a význam Ruska, které na cestu modernizace a dalšího rozvoje uvedl schopný a energický car Petr I. Veliký. Tlak, který stupňovali Britové ve svých osadách za oceánem, vedl k revolučnímu výbuchu. Výsledkem byl vznik prvního nezávislého státu v Novém Světě - Spojených států amerických (1776). Velká francouzská revoluce, jejíž význam přerostl rámec Francie, je mezníkem, který definitivně uzavřel epochu feudalismu. Školství základní V základním školství je v evropských zemích zaváděna povinná školní docházka. V Rakousku a tedy i u nás, 6. XII. 1774. Neexistovaly učitelské ústavy, takže na vsích běžně dělali kantory vysloužilí vojáci, kteří sotva uměli číst a psát; pokud dovedli násobit a dělit, byli již považováni za vysoce kvalifikované. V mnoha státech však postupně přechází základní školství ze správy obcí pod správu státu. Jako příklad struktury základního školství doby osvícenské může sloužit školství rakouské, zahrnující 3 typy základních škol. Školy triviální (1 nebo 2 třídní obvykle s jedním učitelem): zřízené všude, kde v dosahu žilo 80-100 dětí, tedy v městečkách, při vesnických farách i filiálních kostelích.
    [Show full text]
  • Brown Bear (Ursus Arctos) John Schoen and Scott Gende Images by John Schoen
    Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) John Schoen and Scott Gende images by John Schoen Two hundred years ago, brown (also known as grizzly) bears were abundant and widely distributed across western North America from the Mississippi River to the Pacific and from northern Mexico to the Arctic (Trevino and Jonkel 1986). Following settlement of the west, brown bear populations south of Canada declined significantly and now occupy only a fraction of their original range, where the brown bear has been listed as threatened since 1975 (Servheen 1989, 1990). Today, Alaska remains the last stronghold in North America for this adaptable, large omnivore (Miller and Schoen 1999) (Fig 1). Brown bears are indigenous to Southeastern Alaska (Southeast), and on the northern islands they occur in some of the highest-density FIG 1. Brown bears occur throughout much of southern populations on earth (Schoen and Beier 1990, Miller et coastal Alaska where they are closely associated with salmon spawning streams. Although brown bears and grizzly bears al. 1997). are the same species, northern and interior populations are The brown bear in Southeast is highly valued by commonly called grizzlies while southern coastal populations big game hunters, bear viewers, and general wildlife are referred to as brown bears. Because of the availability of abundant, high-quality food (e.g. salmon), brown bears enthusiasts. Hiking up a fish stream on the northern are generally much larger, occur at high densities, and have islands of Admiralty, Baranof, or Chichagof during late smaller home ranges than grizzly bears. summer reveals a network of deeply rutted bear trails winding through tunnels of devil’s club (Oplopanx (Klein 1965, MacDonald and Cook 1999) (Fig 2).
    [Show full text]
  • The Wily and Courageous Red Fox: Behavioural Analysis of a Mesopredator at Resource Points Shared by an Apex Predator
    animals Article The Wily and Courageous Red Fox: Behavioural Analysis of a Mesopredator at Resource Points Shared by an Apex Predator Eamonn Wooster *, Arian D. Wallach and Daniel Ramp Centre for Compassionate Conservation, University of Technology Sydney, P.O. Box 123, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia; [email protected] (A.D.W.); [email protected] (D.R.) * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 21 September 2019; Accepted: 31 October 2019; Published: 4 November 2019 Simple Summary: The red fox is one of the Earth’s most widespread mammalian predators. Human globalisation has further expanded its range, so that today they are found on most continents. Despite their abundance, knowledge of fox behaviour remains limited. Most studies have observed foxes either in captivity or in their native range where both they and their predators are killed by humans. We conducted a behavioural study on foxes outside of their native range in Australia, at a unique location where all wildlife are protected. We developed an ethogram to explore fox behaviour at resource points shared with a potentially deadly apex predator, the dingo. We were surprised to find that foxes were in a confident state more often than in a cautious state, even leaving territorial markings over those of dingoes. One possible explanation for the confidence of foxes is that the social stability of both foxes and dingoes makes their world more predictable. Abstract: The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a widespread and ecologically significant terrestrial mesopredator, that has expanded its range with human globalisation. Despite this, we know relatively little about their behaviour under the wide range of ecological conditions they experience, particularly how they navigate the risk of encounters with apex predators.
    [Show full text]
  • Ecology of Cougars (Puma Concolor) in North-Central Montana
    Ecology of Cougars (Puma concolor) in north-central Montana: Distribution, resource selection, dynamics, harvest, and conservation design Chippewa Cree Tribal Wildlife Program In cooperation with World Wildlife Fund Northern Great Plains Program Bozeman, Montana Final Report April 2012 Kyran Kunkel1, Tim Vosburgh2, and Hugh Robinson3 1World Wildlife Fund; presently University of Montana, Gallatin Gateway, MT; 2Chippewa Cree Tribal Wildlife Program; presently Bureau of Land Management, Lander, WY; 3University of Montana; presently Panthera, New York, NY Space for Cougar photo Photo credit: Kyran Kunkel 1 Ecology of Cougars (Puma concolor) in north-central Montana: Distribution, resource selection, dynamics, harvest, and conservation design Kyran Kunkel, Tim Vosburgh, and Hugh Robinson Chippewa Cree Tribal Wildlife Program in cooperation with World Wildlife Fund, Final Report April 2012 Citation: Kunkel, K, T. Vosburgh, and H. Robinson. 2012. Ecology of cougars (Puma concolor) in north-central Montana. Final Report to the US Fish and Wildlife Service. World Wildlife Fund Northern Great Plains Program 202 S. Black, Ste 3 Bozeman, MT 59715 P.O. Box 7276 Bozeman, Montana 59771 (406) 582-0236 To learn more, visit www.worldwildlife.org/ngp/ ©2010 WWF. All rights reserved by the World Wildlife Fund, Inc. 2 1. Introduction opportunity. Information about cougar recolonization and ecol- Increasing attention is being directed to ecological ogy of established populations will greatly enhance restoration in North American grasslands (Forrest et understanding and management of cougars in the al. 2004), particularly with respect to species that grasslands and prairie breaks of north-central Mon- have been lost or eliminated from these systems. tana. This is especially important because cougars Some species, notably wolf (Canis lupus), bear (Ursus have been little studied in this type of landscape (Wil- spp.), and cougar are expanding in Montana through liams 1992) and very little work has been conducted reintroductions and natural recolonization.
    [Show full text]
  • History and Status of the American Black Bear in Mississippi
    History and status of the American black bear in Mississippi Stephanie L. Simek1,5, Jerrold L. Belant1, Brad W. Young2, Catherine Shropshire3, and Bruce D. Leopold4 1Carnivore Ecology Laboratory, Forest and Wildlife Research Center, Mississippi State University, Box 9690, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA 2Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, 1505 Eastover Drive, Jackson, MS 39211, USA 3Mississippi Wildlife Federation, 517 Cobblestone Court, Suite 2, Madison, MS 39110, USA 4Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, Box 9690, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA Abstract: Historically abundant throughout Mississippi, American black bears (Ursus americanus) have declined due to habitat loss and overharvest. By the early 1900s, the bear population was estimated at ,12 individuals, and Mississippi closed black bear hunting in 1932. However, habitat loss continued and by 1980 suitable habitat was estimated at 20% (20,234 km2) of historic levels (101,171 km2) with the decline continuing. Although black bear abundance is currently unknown, a recent increase in occurrence reports and documented reproduction suggests the population may be increasing. There have been 21 reported nuisance complaints since 2006, of which 7 were apiary damage. Additionally, 31 bear mortalities were reported since 1972; 80% were human caused. Government and private organizations have emphasized education on bear ecology and human–bear coexistence, while habitat restoration through land retirement programs (e.g.,
    [Show full text]
  • Steller's Sea
    eptember 1741. Captain-commander Vitus Bering’s ship, St. Peter, was stumbling somewhere among the long desolate string of Aleutian Islands in the far North Pacific. All on board recognized that it was unlikely they’d ever make it home. Scurvy had flattened several of the crew, two men had already died, and Captain Bering himself was terribly ill. The fresh water stored in barrels was mostly foul, and the storm-force winds and seas were constantly in their faces. Sailing aboard St. Peter and sharing the cabin with Captain Bering was a German physician and naturalist Snamed Georg Wilhelm Steller. On his first voyage, Steller was certain they were near to land because he saw floating seaweed and various birds that he knew to be strictly coastal. But no one listened to him, in part because he hadn’t been shy in showing that he thought them all idiots, and also because his idea of exactly where they happened to be was wrong. Bering’s expedition continued, blindly groping westward toward Siberia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. The storms raged on, more men died, then eventually, somehow, they made it to a small protected harbor in the middle of the night. They hoped it was the mainland. Steller and his servant rowed several of the sickest men ashore the next morning. He thought the place was an island because of the shape of the clouds and how the sea otters carelessly swam over to the boat, unafraid of man. Once ashore, Steller noticed a huge animal swimming along the coast, a creature that he had never seen before and was unknown in cold, northern waters.
    [Show full text]
  • Ecology of the European Badger (Meles Meles) in the Western Carpathian Mountains: a Review
    Wildl. Biol. Pract., 2016 Aug 12(3): 36-50 doi:10.2461/wbp.2016.eb.4 REVIEW Ecology of the European Badger (Meles meles) in the Western Carpathian Mountains: A Review R.W. Mysłajek1,*, S. Nowak2, A. Rożen3, K. Kurek2, M. Figura2 & B. Jędrzejewska4 1 Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Pawińskiego 5a, 02-106 Warszawa, Poland. 2 Association for Nature “Wolf”, Twardorzeczka 229, 34-324 Lipowa, Poland. 3 Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland. 4 Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Waszkiewicza 1c, 17-230 Białowieża, Poland. * Corresponding author email: [email protected]. Keywords Abstract Altitudinal Gradient; This article summarizes the results of studies on the ecology of the European Diet Composition; badger (Meles meles) conducted in the Western Carpathians (S Poland) Meles meles; from 2002 to 2010. Badgers inhabiting the Carpathians use excavated setts Mustelidae; (53%), caves and rock crevices (43%), and burrows under human-made Sett Utilization; constructions (4%) as permanent shelters. Excavated setts are located up Spatial Organization. to 640 m a.s.l., but shelters in caves and crevices can be found as high as 1,050 m a.s.l. Badger setts are mostly located on slopes with southern, eastern or western exposure. Within their territories, ranging from 3.35 to 8.45 km2 (MCP100%), badgers may possess 1-12 setts. Family groups are small (mean = 2.3 badgers), population density is low (2.2 badgers/10 km2), as is reproduction (0.57 young/year/10 km2). Hunting by humans is the main mortality factor (0.37 badger/year/10 km2).
    [Show full text]
  • In the Lands of the Romanovs: an Annotated Bibliography of First-Hand English-Language Accounts of the Russian Empire
    ANTHONY CROSS In the Lands of the Romanovs An Annotated Bibliography of First-hand English-language Accounts of The Russian Empire (1613-1917) OpenBook Publishers To access digital resources including: blog posts videos online appendices and to purchase copies of this book in: hardback paperback ebook editions Go to: https://www.openbookpublishers.com/product/268 Open Book Publishers is a non-profit independent initiative. We rely on sales and donations to continue publishing high-quality academic works. In the Lands of the Romanovs An Annotated Bibliography of First-hand English-language Accounts of the Russian Empire (1613-1917) Anthony Cross http://www.openbookpublishers.com © 2014 Anthony Cross The text of this book is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC BY 4.0). This license allows you to share, copy, distribute and transmit the text; to adapt it and to make commercial use of it providing that attribution is made to the author (but not in any way that suggests that he endorses you or your use of the work). Attribution should include the following information: Cross, Anthony, In the Land of the Romanovs: An Annotated Bibliography of First-hand English-language Accounts of the Russian Empire (1613-1917), Cambridge, UK: Open Book Publishers, 2014. http://dx.doi.org/10.11647/ OBP.0042 Please see the list of illustrations for attribution relating to individual images. Every effort has been made to identify and contact copyright holders and any omissions or errors will be corrected if notification is made to the publisher. As for the rights of the images from Wikimedia Commons, please refer to the Wikimedia website (for each image, the link to the relevant page can be found in the list of illustrations).
    [Show full text]
  • Evolutionary Steps in Ichthyology and New Challenges*
    ISSN: 0001-5113 ACTA ADRIAT., UDC: 597(091) AADRAY 49(3): 201 - 232, 2008 Evolutionary steps in ichthyology and new challenges* Walter NELLEN 1* and Jakov DULČIĆ 2 1 Institut for Hydrobiology and Fisheries, University of Hamburg, Olbersweg 24, 22767 Hamburg, Germany 2 Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, P.O. Box 500, 21 000 Split, Croatia * Corresponding author, e-mail: [email protected] One may postulate that man’s interest in fish emerged as soon as he was able to express his thoughts and notions as fish, among other animals, were subject of early communications. These were transmitted first by drawings, later by inscriptions and in writings. It was but much later that fishes began to occupy man’s interest as objects of science. Aristotle’s treatises on “History of Ani- mals” is the first known document dealing with fish as a zoological object. No earlier than in the 16th century fish regained the interest of learned men, among these Olaus Magnus (1490 –1557), Gregor Mangolt (1498–1576), Guillaume Rondelet (1507–1557), Pierre Belon (1512–1564), Hip- polyto (Ippolito) Salviani (1513–1572) and, above all, Conrad Gesner (1516–1565). The 17th and more so the 18th century is known as the period of Enlightenment. Respect must be paid to three pioneers in this field, i.e. Francis Willughby (1635–1672), Peter Artedi (1705–1735), and Marc Elieser Bloch (1723–1799) who became clearly aware that the class of fish consists of species which may be classified and typically described as such. After the species concept had been embodied in the scientific way of thinking by Linné, a tremendous expansion of activities emerged in the field of ichthyology.
    [Show full text]
  • Periodic Status Review for the Steller Sea Lion
    STATE OF WASHINGTON January 2015 Periodic Status Review for the Steller Sea Lion Gary J. Wiles The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife maintains a list of endangered, threatened, and sensitive species (Washington Administrative Codes 232-12-014 and 232-12-011, Appendix E). In 1990, the Washington Wildlife Commission adopted listing procedures developed by a group of citizens, interest groups, and state and federal agencies (Washington Administrative Code 232-12-297, Appendix A). The procedures include how species listings will be initiated, criteria for listing and delisting, a requirement for public review, the development of recovery or management plans, and the periodic review of listed species. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is directed to conduct reviews of each endangered, threatened, or sensitive wildlife species at least every five years after the date of its listing. The reviews are designed to include an update of the species status report to determine whether the status of the species warrants its current listing status or deserves reclassification. The agency notifies the general public and specific parties who have expressed their interest to the Department of the periodic status review at least one year prior to the five-year period so that they may submit new scientific data to be included in the review. The agency notifies the public of its recommendation at least 30 days prior to presenting the findings to the Fish and Wildlife Commission. In addition, if the agency determines that new information suggests that the classification of a species should be changed from its present state, the agency prepares documents to determine the environmental consequences of adopting the recommendations pursuant to requirements of the State Environmental Policy Act.
    [Show full text]
  • Trends in Cheetah Acinonyx Jubatus Density in North‐Central Namibia
    Received: 30 September 2018 Revised: 24 November 2019 Accepted: 8 January 2020 Published on: 26 February 2020 DOI: 10.1002/1438-390X.12045 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Trends in cheetah Acinonyx jubatus density in north- central Namibia Ezequiel Chimbioputo Fabiano1 | Chris Sutherland2 | Angela K. Fuller3 | Matti Nghikembua4 | Eduardo Eizirik5,6 | Laurie Marker4 1Department of Wildlife Management and Ecotourism, University of Namibia, Abstract Katima Mulilo, Namibia Assessing trends in abundance and density of species of conservation concern 2Department of Environmental is vital to inform conservation and management strategies. The remaining Conservation, University of population of the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) largely exists outside of protected Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts areas, where they are often in conflict with humans. Despite this, the population 3U.S. Geological Survey, New York status and dynamics of cheetah outside of protected areas have received rela- Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research tively limited attention across its range. We analyzed remote camera trapping Unit, Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York data of nine surveys conducted from 2005 to 2014 in the Waterberg Conser- 4Ecology Division, Cheetah Conservation vancy, north-central Namibia, which included detections of 74 individuals Fund, Otjiwarongo, Namibia (52 adult males, 7 adult females and 15 dependents). Using spatial capture– 5Laboratório de Biologia Genômica e recapture methods, we assessed annual and seasonal trends in cheetah density. Molecular, Escola de Ciências, Pontifícia We found evidence of a stable trend in cheetah density over the study period, Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do 2 Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil with an average density of 1.94/100 km (95% confidence interval 1.33–2.84).
    [Show full text]