Estimating density of leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) using spatially explicit capture recapture framework in Gir Protected Area, Gujarat, India

Despite their high dietary and behavioural flexibility, leopards have lost > 70% of their historic range due to the causes like habitat loss, prey depletion and poaching. Precise abundance estimates are among the essential information required for leopard conservation. We provide estimates of leopard population density from Gir Protected Area, Gujarat, India, using camera traps deployed from May to June 2017. Our survey consists of 50 sampling sites covering an area of 200 km(2) in the western part of Gir. We used the likelihood-based spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) framework to assess leopard density in Gir. We identified 39 unique leopard individuals, among which 21 were males, 15 were females and three were of unknown sex. SECR analysis found the leopard density in Gir to be 19.90 +/- 3.38 (S.E.) individuals/100 km(2), where females had higher detection probabilities (0.14 +/- 0.05 (S.E.)) than males (0.09 +/- 0.02 (S.E.)). Males had a larger sigma value (sigma) (in meters) (953.90 +/- 92.99(S.E.)) than females (675.80 +/- 84.78 (S.E.)). Possible reasons for the reported high leopard density are stringent protection measures which rule out chances of additive mortality in leopards, high preferred prey density, and limited effect of competitive interactions with Asiatic lions. A very high density of leopards could have implications for their own population regulation, prey population dynamics, and maintenance of the leopard population in the surrounding area through dispersal. The present study holds the potential to act as a baseline for future monitoring and inform management strategies for leopards in Gir.

Automated summary

Despite the significant loss of their habitat, leopards in Gir Protected Area, Gujarat, India, have a population density of 19.90 +/- 3.38 (S.E.) individuals/100 km². This study holds importance for future monitoring and management strategies.