Spatial and temporal analysis of leopards (Panthera pardus), their prey and tigers (Panthera tigris) in Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand

Abstract

Despite their extensive distribution globally, recent reports indicate leopards are declining, especially in Southeast Asia. To support conservation efforts we analyzed the behavioral interactions between leopards (Panthera pardus), their prey, and tigers to determine if leopards fine-tune their activity to maximize contact with four prey species (sambar; wild boar; barking deer; banteng) and avoid tigers and if prey alter their temporal activity in response to variation in their relative abundance ratio with leopards. A lower density of sambar in the northern part of our study area and a lower density of wild boar and a higher density of tigers in the southern part allowed us to examine fine-grained differences in the behavior of leopards and their prey. We used camera trap data to investigate spatial and temporal overlap. Differences in tiger relative abundance did not appear to impact the temporal activity of leopards. Leopards had similar cathemeral activity at all sites with highest activity at dawn and dusk. This behavior appears to be a compromise to provide access to diurnal wild boar and barking deer and nocturnal sambar and banteng. Sambar showed higher temporal avoidance of leopards in the north where its RAI was lowest; in contrast, wild boar had the highest temporal avoidance in the south where its density was lowest. This is the first study in Southeast Asia to quantify spatial and temporal interactions between the leopard, its primary ungulate prey, and the tiger. It provides new insights for conserving this declining subspecies.

Spatial and temporal overlaps of top predators: Dhole, tiger and leopard, and their potential preys in Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand

“…Nevertheless, in Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary tiger populations were 2.5 times and leopard populations were 7.5 times more than those of tiger and leopard found in the Western Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary according to the study results of Saisamorn et al (2019). Saisamorn et al (2019) also reported that the difference and abundance of tiger in Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary did not affect the activity times of leopard which mostly hunt during dusk and dawn. This corresponded to the activities of wild boar and red muntjac which mostly hunt at the same time as leopard, while sambar deer and banteng would avoid that time period.…”

“…Camera traps were widely used to study eating habits as they could be installed in several positions. They were used to study dhole (Kamler et al 2020), and leopard (Saisamorn et al 2019). It clarified more the sharing of important resources of the large carnivores in the ecosystem.…”

Spatiotemporal Overlap between the European Brown Hare and Its Potential Predators and Competitors

“…Camera-traps have become cost-effective tools and may provide researchers with a good amount of data [ 11 ]. In the last ten years, many studies dealing with the activity rhythms of mammalian species and their interspecific overlap have been published [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ]. These studies have mostly focused on prey-predator relationships involving large carnivores [ 16 , 17 , 18 ], intraguild interactions [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ], population density and structure [ 24 ], and activity bouts at artificial feeding sites [ 25 , 26 ].…”

“…Environmental improvement programs increasing habitat heterogeneity have succeeded in augmenting the local hare populations [ 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 ], even without predator culling [ 43 ]. Prey species may avoid predators by increasing their activity on the darkest nights, whereas carnivores may be more successful in hunting on bright moonlight nights [ 7 , 12 , 19 ]. A high synchronization has been observed in Southern Italy between the hare and the grey wolf Canis lupus [ 16 ].…”

Golden jackal, a natural disperser or an invasive alien species in Slovakia? A summary within European context

“…They both inhabit similar habitats and overlap food habits (e.g. rodents, carrion), what can represent direct impacts on rodents, brown hare and roe deer as presented with other predatory species all over the world (Lanszki and Heltai, 2002;Lanszki et al, 2006Lanszki et al, , 2016Radović and Kovačić, 2010;Kidawa and Kowalczyk, 2011;Markov and Lanszki, 2012;Ćirović et al, 2014;Penezić and Ćirović, 2015;Kowalczyk et al, 2015;Hayward et al, 2017;Saisamorn et al, 2019). Although there is no published data is also much probable to occur direct competition with the invasive raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides), due to the same reasons determined with golden jackals and red foxes.…”