The use of camera trapping for estimating Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) home ranges

Abstract

The use of non-invasive long-term monitoring data to estimate home ranges of the critically endangered Iberian lynx has been evaluated. This programme began in 2002 and consisting of both annual latrine and camera-trap surveys, with the aims of detecting and individually identifying the maximum number of individuals and delineating female home range boundaries. Radio-tracking data were used to evaluate the accuracy of home range estimates constructed with camera-trapping data. There was little overlap of camera-trapping home ranges (7.0%±1.47), which suggests the existence of real territories consistent with the land tenure system expected for the species. Camera trapping home range estimates were half the size of radio-tracking data (54.1%±6.0 of overlapping). When comparing core areas, only the radio-tracking data did not yield improved results (36.7±5.4 of overlapping). Estimation of territories, which escaped detection each year, ranged from 0.0% to 5.7%. The results produced by camera-trapping data in this non-intrusive monitoring programme could be considered precise, and are therefore well suited to provide the knowledge required for appropriate conservation of this endangered species.

Disease-mediated bottom-up regulation: An emergent virus affects a keystone prey, and alters the dynamics of trophic webs

“…The apex predator monitored in the SA study area was the Iberian lynx, which was surveyed using camera-trapping methods as described in Gil-Sánchez et al 56. and Garrote et al 57…”

“…Lynx were individually identified from the photographs using their coat patterns5657. Given the intensive monitoring since 2002 and the small population size of Iberian lynx, all adult population is individually identified at SA2056. Therefore, we were able to estimate the absolute number of territorial females in our study area from camera-trapping records.…”

“…Therefore, our measure of fecundity regards to the number of kittens per territorial female detected during the period of post-weaning dependence. We identified a lynx as territorial if the individual had breeding status, determined through cub detection, and/or if the camera-trapping results supported a non-overlapping intrasexually minimum convex polygon 100 (MCP100)5658.…”

The applicability of camera trapping to estimate population density of chamois in Biokovo Nature Park

“…Praćenje stanja i brojnost populacije divljih životinja predstavlja ključ u njihovom gospodarenju i zaštiti (Galaverni, et al, 2011;Gil-Sánchez, et al, 2011). Postoji više metoda za procjenu brojnog stanja divljih životinja (Tomljanović, et al, 2009), ali današnje spoznaje ukazuju da su podatci dobiveni obradom senzornih kamera jedni od najrelevantnijih (Plhal, et al, 2011).…”

“…Korištenje senzornih kamera daje dobre rezultate, jednostavne su za primjenu iako su u početku potrebna veća ulaganja, daju više informacija (dob, struktura populacije, kondicijsko stanje...) i zahtijevaju manje utrošenog vremena (Tomljanović, et al, 2009;Plhal, et al, 2011;Towerton, et al, 2011). Također je vrlo važna činjenica da podatke prikupljamo bez uznemiravanja divljači (Trolle and Kery , 2005, Galaverni, et al, 2011, Gil-Sánchez, et al, 2011 …”