Scent lure effect on camera-trap based leopard density estimates

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dc.contributor.authorBraczkowski, Alexander Richarden_ZA
dc.contributor.authorBalme, Guy Andrewen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorDickman, Amyen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorFattebert, Julienen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorJohnson, Paulen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorDickerson, Tristanen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorMacdonald, David Whyteen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorHunter, Lukeen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2016-04-13T12:39:17Z
dc.date.available2016-04-13T12:39:17Z
dc.date.issued2016en_ZA
dc.description.abstractDensity estimates for large carnivores derived from camera surveys often have wide confidence intervals due to low detection rates. Such estimates are of limited value to authorities, which require precise population estimates to inform conservation strategies. Using lures can potentially increase detection, improving the precision of estimates. However, by altering the spatio-temporal patterning of individuals across the camera array, lures may violate closure, a fundamental assumption of capture-recapture. Here, we test the effect of scent lures on the precision and veracity of density estimates derived from camera-trap surveys of a protected African leopard population. We undertook two surveys (a 'control' and 'treatment' survey) on Phinda Game Reserve, South Africa. Survey design remained consistent except a scent lure was applied at camera-trap stations during the treatment survey. Lures did not affect the maximum movement distances (p = 0.96) or temporal activity of female (p = 0.12) or male leopards (p = 0.79), and the assumption of geographic closure was met for both surveys (p >0.05). The numbers of photographic captures were also similar for control and treatment surveys (p = 0.90). Accordingly, density estimates were comparable between surveys (although estimates derived using non-spatial methods (7.28-9.28 leopards/100km 2 ) were considerably higher than estimates from spatially-explicit methods (3.40-3.65 leopards/100km 2 ). The precision of estimates from the control and treatment surveys, were also comparable and this applied to both non-spatial and spatial methods of estimation. Our findings suggest that at least in the context of leopard research in productive habitats, the use of lures is not warranted.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationBraczkowski, A. R., Balme, G. A., Dickman, A., Fattebert, J., Johnson, P., Dickerson, T., ... Hunter, L. (2016). Scent lure effect on camera-trap based leopard density estimates. <i>PLoS One</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/18862en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationBraczkowski, Alexander Richard, Guy Andrew Balme, Amy Dickman, Julien Fattebert, Paul Johnson, Tristan Dickerson, David Whyte Macdonald, and Luke Hunter "Scent lure effect on camera-trap based leopard density estimates." <i>PLoS One</i> (2016) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/18862en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationBraczkowski, A. R., Balme, G. A., Dickman, A., Fattebert, J., Johnson, P., Dickerson, T., ... & Hunter, L. (2016). Scent lure effect on camera-trap based leopard density estimates. PLoS One, 11(4), e0151033. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0151033en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Braczkowski, Alexander Richard AU - Balme, Guy Andrew AU - Dickman, Amy AU - Fattebert, Julien AU - Johnson, Paul AU - Dickerson, Tristan AU - Macdonald, David Whyte AU - Hunter, Luke AB - Density estimates for large carnivores derived from camera surveys often have wide confidence intervals due to low detection rates. Such estimates are of limited value to authorities, which require precise population estimates to inform conservation strategies. Using lures can potentially increase detection, improving the precision of estimates. However, by altering the spatio-temporal patterning of individuals across the camera array, lures may violate closure, a fundamental assumption of capture-recapture. Here, we test the effect of scent lures on the precision and veracity of density estimates derived from camera-trap surveys of a protected African leopard population. We undertook two surveys (a 'control' and 'treatment' survey) on Phinda Game Reserve, South Africa. Survey design remained consistent except a scent lure was applied at camera-trap stations during the treatment survey. Lures did not affect the maximum movement distances (p = 0.96) or temporal activity of female (p = 0.12) or male leopards (p = 0.79), and the assumption of geographic closure was met for both surveys (p >0.05). The numbers of photographic captures were also similar for control and treatment surveys (p = 0.90). Accordingly, density estimates were comparable between surveys (although estimates derived using non-spatial methods (7.28-9.28 leopards/100km 2 ) were considerably higher than estimates from spatially-explicit methods (3.40-3.65 leopards/100km 2 ). The precision of estimates from the control and treatment surveys, were also comparable and this applied to both non-spatial and spatial methods of estimation. Our findings suggest that at least in the context of leopard research in productive habitats, the use of lures is not warranted. DA - 2016 DB - OpenUCT DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0151033 DP - University of Cape Town J1 - PLoS One LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2016 T1 - Scent lure effect on camera-trap based leopard density estimates TI - Scent lure effect on camera-trap based leopard density estimates UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/18862 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0151033en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/18862
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationBraczkowski AR, Balme GA, Dickman A, Fattebert J, Johnson P, Dickerson T, et al. Scent lure effect on camera-trap based leopard density estimates. PLoS One. 2016; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/18862.en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisherPublic Library of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Biological Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.rightsThis is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.en_ZA
dc.rights.holder© 2016 Braczkowski et alen_ZA
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0en_ZA
dc.sourcePLoS Oneen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://journals.plos.org/plosoneen_ZA
dc.subject.otherLeopardsen_ZA
dc.subject.otherPopulation densityen_ZA
dc.subject.otherProbability densityen_ZA
dc.subject.otherSurveysen_ZA
dc.subject.otherDemographyen_ZA
dc.subject.otherCarnivoraen_ZA
dc.subject.otherCarnivoryen_ZA
dc.subject.otherGrasslandsen_ZA
dc.titleScent lure effect on camera-trap based leopard density estimatesen_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceArticleen_ZA
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