Prey depletion as a threat to the world's large carnivores

Wolf, Christopher; Ripple, William J.

doi:10.1098/rsos.160252

Cited by 207 publications

(166 citation statements)

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“…4). Three of these (Wild Buffalo, Gaur and Sambar; over 175kg) are large prey species that are all threatened and particularly vulnerable to poaching (Wolf & Ripple 2016;IUCN 2017). In the case of large mammalian carnivores, however, species capture rates were higher in Panbari compared to Bansbari-Bhuyanpara, although significant differences were noticed only for Wild Dogs (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

<b>Camera-trapping survey to assess diversity, distribution and photographic capture rate of terrestrial mammals in the aftermath of the ethnopolitical conflict in Manas National Park, Assam, India</b>

Lahkar

Ahmed²,

Begum

et al. 2018

J. Threat. Taxa

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Information on the presence and distribution of species is crucial for conservation planning and management within a region. Documentation of species assemblages in Manas National Park (MNP) in the aftermath of conflict is critical for informed conservation interventions. For nearly two decades , conservation efforts in MNP were compromised by ethno−political conflict. We conducted camera trapping surveys of terrestrial mammals across three administrative forest ranges (Panbari, Bansbari and Bhuyanpara) of MNP in 2017. A systematic survey with 118 trap locations accumulated data over 6,173 trap-days. We obtained 21,926 photographs of mammals belonging to 13 families and 25 species, of which 13 are threatened. We calculated photographic capture rate index (PCRI) using independent events. Trap specific PCRI's were used to map the spatial variation in capture rates. We observed variation in capture rate between Bansbari-Bhuyanpara where conflict ended in 2003 and has remained peaceful, and Panbari, a forest range where conflict ended later in 2016. Our results further indicate lower capture rates of mammalian prey species and small felids, but higher capture rates of four large carnivores in Panbari as opposed to Bansbari-Bhuyanpara. These results highlighted the fact that despite a history of ethno-political conflict in the region, although almost all mammalian species expected to occur in the park were detected and confirmed, present evidence indicated ethno-political conflict influences the distribution of several key species. In depth studies assessing mammalian prey densities, distribution and density are required to further understand the effects of conflict.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

<b>Camera-trapping survey to assess diversity, distribution and photographic capture rate of terrestrial mammals in the aftermath of the ethnopolitical conflict in Manas National Park, Assam, India</b>

Lahkar

Ahmed²,

Begum

et al. 2018

J. Threat. Taxa

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“…Regardless of human motivations, large carnivores are particularly susceptible to human-caused mortalities due to slow life histories that include a reliance on adult female longevity and long interbirth intervals (Darimont, Fox, Bryan & Reimchen, 2015). Without management interventions that aid carnivores, many apex predators are predicted to decline to extinction (Ripple et al, 2014;Wolf & Ripple, 2016).…”

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confidence: 99%

Multiple anthropogenic interventions drive puma survival following wolf recovery in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

Elbroch

Marescot

Quigley

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

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Humans are primary drivers of declining abundances and extirpation of large carnivores worldwide. Management interventions to restore biodiversity patterns, however, include carnivore reintroductions, despite the many unresolved ecological consequences associated with such efforts. Using multistate capture–mark–recapture models, we explored age‐specific survival and cause‐specific mortality rates for 134 pumas (Puma concolor) monitored in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem during gray wolf (Canis lupus) recovery. We identified two top models explaining differences in puma survivorship, and our results suggested three management interventions (unsustainable puma hunting, reduction in a primary prey, and reintroduction of a dominant competitor) have unintentionally impacted puma survival. Specifically, puma survival across age classes was lower in the 6‐month hunting season than the 6‐month nonhunting season; human‐caused mortality rates for juveniles and adults, and predation rates on puma kittens, were higher in the hunting season. Predation on puma kittens, and starvation rates for all pumas, also increased as managers reduced elk (Cervus elaphus) abundance in the system, highlighting direct and indirect effects of competition between recovering wolves and pumas over prey. Our results emphasize the importance of understanding the synergistic effects of existing management strategies and the recovery of large, dominant carnivores to effectively conserve subordinate, hunted carnivores in human‐dominated landscapes.

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“…Poaching of endangered wildlife, in particular, can push those species to the brink of extinction (Gross 2018). Prey depletion is considered a driving force of global declines in carnivore numbers (Wolf and Ripple 2016). Prey depletion is considered a driving force of global declines in carnivore numbers (Wolf and Ripple 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inferring wildlife poaching in southeast Asia with multispecies dynamic occupancy models

Marescot

Lyet

Singh³

et al. 2019

Ecography

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Determining the 'space race' between co-occurring species is crucial to understand the effects of interspecific interactions on the extinction risk of species threatened by poachers and predators. Dynamic two-species occupancy models provide a flexible framework to decompose complex species interaction patterns, while accounting for imperfect detection. These models can describe poachers-wildlife interactions, as they allow estimating occupancy, extinction and colonisation probabilities of wildlife conditional on the occurrence of poachers and vice versa. We applied our model to a case study on wildlife poaching in the eastern plains of Cambodia. We used co-occurrence data extracted from the database of the SMART partnership to study the distribution dynamics between poachers and six ungulate species pooled together into the tiger prey guild. We used four years of survey data reporting the locations of snares and of presence signs of the ungulates recorded by rangers during their monthly multi-patrolling sessions. Our results showed that a substantial proportion of the sites occupied by ungulate species went extinct over the years of the study while the proportion of sites colonised by poachers increased. We also showed, for the first time, that spatiotemporal heterogeneity in the patrolling effort explains a great deal of the variation in the detection of poachers and ungulates. Our approach provides practitioners with a flexible and robust tool to assess conservation status of species and extinction risk of wildlife populations. It can assist managers in better evaluating, learning and adapting the patrolling strategies of rangers.

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Prey depletion as a threat to the world's large carnivores

Cited by 207 publications

References 40 publications

<b>Camera-trapping survey to assess diversity, distribution and photographic capture rate of terrestrial mammals in the aftermath of the ethnopolitical conflict in Manas National Park, Assam, India</b>

<b>Camera-trapping survey to assess diversity, distribution and photographic capture rate of terrestrial mammals in the aftermath of the ethnopolitical conflict in Manas National Park, Assam, India</b>

Multiple anthropogenic interventions drive puma survival following wolf recovery in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

Inferring wildlife poaching in southeast Asia with multispecies dynamic occupancy models

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