Lion and spotted hyena distributions within a buffer area of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem

Mwampeta, Stanslaus B.; Wilton, Clay M.; Mkasanga, Imani J.; Masinde, Lusato M.; Ranke, Peter Sjolte; Fyumagwa, Robert D.; Belant, Jerrold L.

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-01518-6

Cited by 9 publications

(15 citation statements)

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“…We suggest that because buffer protected areas with www.nature.com/scientificreports/ weaker protection experience increased edge effects 19 , their edges provide lower quality habitat than edges of strongly protected buffer areas. However, we found that toward the interior of the protected area complex, buffer areas with medium protection provided similar habitat value for lions as compared to core protected areas, while allowing lions to move away from protected area complex edges and increasing habitat value of the core protected area 35 . Though seasonal avoidance of protected area complex edges is likely due to greater anthropogenic pressures 19,35,82 , lion avoidance of edges may also have been influenced by seasonal prey distributions 26,43 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 71%

“…However, we found that toward the interior of the protected area complex, buffer areas with medium protection provided similar habitat value for lions as compared to core protected areas, while allowing lions to move away from protected area complex edges and increasing habitat value of the core protected area 35 . Though seasonal avoidance of protected area complex edges is likely due to greater anthropogenic pressures 19,35,82 , lion avoidance of edges may also have been influenced by seasonal prey distributions 26,43 . During the dry season in the northern study area, increased lion use of strongly protected buffer areas over the core protected area was more pronounced and lions did not avoid protected area edges, as compared to the wet season.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 71%

“…Lion harvest is prohibited in Tanzania except in game reserves and wildlife management areas, but GGR, IWMA, and IGR prohibit hunting 31 . Harvest of lions is allowed in MGR during 1 July–31 December, but no legal harvest of lions has occurred in MGR since 2013 35 . The majority of tourism activity occurs in the Serengeti protected area complex during May–September 39 .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Because the surrounding buffer areas have varying regulations and amounts of funding, law enforcement, and community-based benefit sharing 12 , 19 , 32 , this protected area complex is an ideal system to examine variation in effectiveness of buffer protected areas for lions. Though much is known about lion habitat use in the Serengeti ecosystem 27 , 33 , 34 , there has been little research on how buffer protected areas and their protection strength influence lion space use 35 .

Figure 1 Locations of GPS-collared lions during the wet (November–May) and dry (June–October) seasons in the northern and southern study areas in the protected area complex, with protected area classification (core protected area, buffer protected areas with medium or strong protection) 38 , Serengeti ecosystem, Tanzania, 2018–2019.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Factors influencing lion movements and habitat use in the western Serengeti ecosystem, Tanzania

Schooler

Finnegan

Fowler

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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Protected areas that restrict human activities can enhance wildlife habitat quality. Efficacy of protected areas can be improved with increased protection from illegal activities and presence of buffer protected areas that surround a core protected area. Habitat value of protected areas also can be affected by seasonal variation in anthropogenic pressures. We examined seasonal space use by African lions (Panthera leo) within a core protected area, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, and surrounding buffer protected areas with varying protection strengths. We used lion locations in logistic regression models during wet and dry seasons to estimate probability of use in relation to protection strength, distance to protected area edge, human and livestock density, distance to roads and rivers, and land cover. Lions used strongly protected buffer areas over the core protected area and unprotected areas, and moved away from protected area boundaries toward the core protected area when buffer protected areas had less protection. Lions avoided high livestock density in the wet season and high human density in the dry season. Increased strength of protection can decrease edge effects on buffer areas and help maintain habitat quality of core protected areas for lions and other wildlife species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 71%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 71%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Factors influencing lion movements and habitat use in the western Serengeti ecosystem, Tanzania

Schooler

Finnegan

Fowler

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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“…We broadcasted vocalizations at call‐in sites following Belant et al (2016, 2017) during three surveys, two in SNP during 2015–2016 (Belant et al 2016, 2017, Mwampeta et al 2021) and one in MGR during 2017 (Mwampeta et al 2021). Overall, we established 119 call‐in sites in SNP and 20 in MGR spaced at least 6–8 km apart (Fig.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Efficacy of spotlights and thermal cameras to detect lions Panthera leo and spotted hyenas Crocuta crocuta depends on species and management regime

et al. 2022

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Accurate abundance estimates can contribute to effective management of large carnivore populations. Lion Panthera leo and spotted hyena Crocuta crocuta populations are frequently estimated at night by eliciting their approach using broadcasted vocalizations. Spotlights are typically used to observe these species on approach but can disturb animals and adversely affect counts. We compared the efficacy of spotlight with red filters and forward looking infrared (FLIR) thermal monocular to enumerate lions and spotted hyenas in Serengeti National Park (SNP; non-hunted area) and Maswa Game Reserve (MGR; hunted area), Tanzania, during 2015-2017. We established 119 callin sites in SNP and 20 in MGR and conducted repeated call-ins at 1-2 week intervals. During call-ins we conducted systematic paired counts using both devices. We assessed the influence of device order, species, hunting regime and land cover on species counts. We found that FLIR was more efficacious for counting hyenas in MGR and spotlight for counting lions in SNP. We found evidence for temporary artificial light disturbance in MGR, as counts were higher when FLIR was used as the second device. Habitat type within 200 m of call-in sites did not influence device performances. Greater spotlight efficacy in SNP is a likely consequence of lower perceived risk and less anthropogenic disturbance compared to MGR. To improve accuracy of counts and subsequent population estimates for lions and spotted hyenas, we recommend consideration of variation in device efficacy, based on species surveyed and management regime.

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Social–ecological predictors of spotted hyena navigation through a shared landscape

Wilkinson,

Xu,

Luneng Solli

et al. 2024

Ecology and Evolution

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Human–wildlife interactions are increasing in severity due to climate change and proliferating urbanization. Regions where human infrastructure and activity are rapidly densifying or newly appearing constitute novel environments in which wildlife must learn to coexist with people, thereby serving as ideal case studies with which to infer future human–wildlife interactions in shared landscapes. As a widely reviled and behaviorally plastic apex predator, the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) is a model species for understanding how large carnivores navigate these human‐caused ‘landscapes of fear’ in a changing world. Using high‐resolution GPS collar data, we applied resource selection functions and step selection functions to assess spotted hyena landscape navigation and fine‐scale movement decisions in relation to social–ecological features in a rapidly developing region comprising two protected areas: Lake Nakuru National Park and Soysambu Conservancy, Kenya. We then used camera trap imagery and Barrier Behavior Analysis (BaBA) to further examine hyena interactions with barriers. Our results show that environmental factors, linear infrastructure, human–carnivore conflict hotspots, and human tolerance were all important predictors for landscape‐scale resource selection by hyenas, while human experience elements were less important for fine‐scale hyena movement decisions. Hyena selection for these characteristics also changed seasonally and across land management types. Camera traps documented an exceptionally high number of individual spotted hyenas (234) approaching the national park fence at 16 sites during the study period, and BaBA results suggested that hyenas perceive protected area boundaries' semi‐permeable electric fences as risky but may cross them out of necessity. Our findings highlight that the ability of carnivores to flexibly respond within human‐caused landscapes of fear may be expressed differently depending on context, scale, and climatic factors. These results also point to the need to incorporate societal factors into multiscale analyses of wildlife movement to effectively plan for human–wildlife coexistence.

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Lion and spotted hyena distributions within a buffer area of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem

Cited by 9 publications

References 59 publications

Factors influencing lion movements and habitat use in the western Serengeti ecosystem, Tanzania

Factors influencing lion movements and habitat use in the western Serengeti ecosystem, Tanzania

Efficacy of spotlights and thermal cameras to detect lions Panthera leo and spotted hyenas Crocuta crocuta depends on species and management regime

Social–ecological predictors of spotted hyena navigation through a shared landscape

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