Estimating the abundance of Nepal's largest population of tigers Panthera tigris. Issue 1 (January 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Karki, Jhamak B.; Pandav, B.; Jnawali, S. R.; Shrestha, R.; Pradhan, N. M. B.; Lamichane, B. R.; Khanal, P.; Subedi, N.; Jhala, Y. V.
• Is Part Of: Oryx. Volume 49:Issue 1(2015)
• Page Start: 150
• Page End: 156
• Publication Date: 2015-01
• Subjects: Wildlife conservation -- Periodicals; Nature conservation -- Periodicals; 639.9
• DOI: 10.1017/S0030605313000471
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0030-6053

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="normal"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Information on the abundance of tigers <italic>Panthera tigris</italic> is essential for effective conservation of the species. The main aim of this study was to determine the status of tigers in Chitwan National Park, Nepal, including the Churia hills, using a camera-trap based mark–recapture abundance estimate. Camera traps (n = 310) were placed in an area of 1, 261 km<sup>2</sup> from 20 January to 22 March 2010. The study area was divided into three blocks and each block was trapped for 19–21 days, with a total effort of 3, 582 man-days, 170 elephant-days and 4, 793 camera-trap nights. The effectively camera-trapped area was 2, 596 km<sup>2</sup>. Camera stations were located 1.5–2 km apart. Sixty-two tigers (age ⩾ 1.5 years), comprising 15 males, 41 females and six of unidentified sex, were identified from 344 photographs. The heterogeneity model Mh (jackknife) was the best fit for the capture history data. A capture probability (<inline-formula><alternatives><inline-graphic xlink:href="ark:/27927/pgj46pt2bf" xlink:type="simple" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" /><tex-math><![CDATA[$\hat P$]]></tex-math></alternatives></inline-formula>) of 0.05 was obtained, generating a population estimate (<inline-formula><alternatives><inline-graphic xlink:href="ark:/27927/pgj46pt1bz" xlink:type="simple" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" /><tex-math><![CDATA[$\hat N$]]></tex-math></alternatives></inline-formula>) of 125 ± SE 21.8 tigers. The density of tigers in the area, including Churia and Barandabhar (buffer zone forest linked with mid hill forest), was estimated to be 4.5 ± SE 0.35 tigers per 100 km<sup>2</sup>, using a Bayesian spatially explicit capture–recapture model in <italic>SPACECAP</italic>. Our study showed the use of Churia by tigers and we therefore conclude that the Chitwan tiger population serves as a source to maintain tiger occupancy of the larger landscape that comprises Chitwan National Park, Parsa Wildlife Reserve, Barandabhar buffer zone, Someswor forest in Nepal and Valmiki Tiger Reserve in India.</p> </abstract>