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A CASE-STUDY OF THE AFRICAN LEOPARD (PANTHERA PARDUS PARDUS) POPULATION ON THE NAMBITI PRIVATE GAME RESERVE
Title
A CASE-STUDY OF THE AFRICAN LEOPARD (PANTHERA PARDUS PARDUS) POPULATION ON THE NAMBITI PRIVATE GAME RESERVE.
Creator
Castaneda, Erica, Borgon, Robert, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
The Nambiti Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa is a nature reserve that aids in the conservation of some of the world's most renown species. This includes members of the "Big Five," which is comprised of the African lion (Panthera leo), the African elephant (Loxidonta africana), the Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer), the black and white rhinoceroses (Diceros bicornis and Ceratotherium simum, respectively), and the African leopard (Panthera pardus pardus). These animals represent...
Show moreThe Nambiti Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa is a nature reserve that aids in the conservation of some of the world's most renown species. This includes members of the "Big Five," which is comprised of the African lion (Panthera leo), the African elephant (Loxidonta africana), the Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer), the black and white rhinoceroses (Diceros bicornis and Ceratotherium simum, respectively), and the African leopard (Panthera pardus pardus). These animals represent the top five African animals desired by trophy hunters and by tourists hoping to view wildlife (Caro and Riggio, 2014). While studies concerning the African leopard population status have been completed on surrounding game reserves (Balme et al., 2009; Chapman and Balme, 2010), there have not been any studies done investigating the African leopard population on Nambiti. It is important that the population on Nambiti be identified since conservation management of leopards is largely influenced by their population numbers. For example, southern African countries rely on population estimates to establish trophy hunting quotas (Balme et al., 2010). Furthermore, knowledge on the reserve's leopard population can also lead to ecotourism benefits by attracting tourists to visit areas of known leopard activity (Lindsey et al., 2007). This case study investigated baited camera trapping footage, obtained by Nambiti rangers between May 2015 - May 2017, to determine the African leopard population on Nambiti. Camera footage results revealed that there were four leopards identified in six different locations on the reserve between May 2015 - May 2017. Baited Location J in the Western region of the reserve showed the greatest amount of leopard activity, indicating that it is the baited location most likely to provide ecotourism benefits. Furthermore, 23 non-target species were identified from the camera trapping footage, providing insight into the reserve's biodiversity, prey availability, and competition among predators.
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Date Issued
2018
Identifier
CFH2000285, ucf:45908
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000285
Cross-Continental Insights into Jaguar (Panthera onca) Ecology and Conservation
Title
Cross-Continental Insights into Jaguar (Panthera onca) Ecology and Conservation.
Creator
Figel, Joseph, Noss, Reed, Quintana-Ascencio, Pedro, Jenkins, David, Quigley, Howard, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
The jaguar (Panthera onca) is a widely distributed large carnivore and the focal species of a range-wide connectivity initiative known as the jaguar conservation network (JCN). Comprised of ~83 Jaguar Conservation Units (JCUs) and ~75 corridors from northern Mexico to Argentina, the JCN functions as a conduit for jaguar movement and gene flow. Key linkages in the network are imperiled by human population growth, large-scale agriculture, highway expansion, and other infrastructural development...
Show moreThe jaguar (Panthera onca) is a widely distributed large carnivore and the focal species of a range-wide connectivity initiative known as the jaguar conservation network (JCN). Comprised of ~83 Jaguar Conservation Units (JCUs) and ~75 corridors from northern Mexico to Argentina, the JCN functions as a conduit for jaguar movement and gene flow. Key linkages in the network are imperiled by human population growth, large-scale agriculture, highway expansion, and other infrastructural development. Labeled (")corridors of concern,(") these vulnerable linkages are imperative to the maintenance of connectivity and genetic diversity throughout jaguar distribution. I take a multi-faceted approach to analyze conservation issues and identify potential solutions in three of the most vulnerable connections of the JCN. I estimate densities and assess local residents' perceptions of jaguars in a fragmented JCU in western Mexico, analyze 3 years of data from 275 camera-trap sites to evaluate jaguar habitat use in a corridor of concern in Colombia, and quantify the umbrella value of jaguars for endemic herpetofauna in Nuclear Central America, a ~ 370,000 km(&)#178; sub-region of the Mesoamerican biodiversity hotspot. My research produces the first jaguar density estimate in a JCU containing human population densities (>)50 people/km2 and provides the strongest support for jaguar association with wetlands collected to date. In Nuclear Central America, one of the most important yet vulnerable areas of the JCN, I demonstrate the umbrella value of this wide-ranging felid. I conclude with a discussion on the need to reevaluate extirpation thresholds of jaguars in human-use landscapes, to direct more research on wetlands as keystone habitats for jaguars, and to further assess the utility of umbrella analyses using jaguars as focal species to support holistic conservation planning.
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Date Issued
2017
Identifier
CFE0006591, ucf:51258
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006591