IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library
   

 

View printer friendly
Swanepoel, L.H.; Somers, M.J.; van Hoven, W.; Schiess-Meier, M.; Owen, C.; Snyman, A.; Martins, Q.; Senekal, C.; Camacho, G.; Boshoff, W.; Dalerum, F.
Survival rates and causes of mortality of leopards _Panthera pardus_ in southern Africa
2014  Oryx: 1-9

Estimation of survival rates is important for developing and evaluating conservation options for large carnivores. However, telemetry studies for large carnivores are often characterized by small sample sizes that limit meaningful conclusions. We used data from 10 published and 8 unpublished studies of leopards _Panthera pardus_ in southern Africa to estimate survival rates and investigate causes of leopard mortality. Mean survival rates were significantly lower in non-protected (0.55 ñ SE 0.08) compared to protected areas (0.88 ñ 0.03). Inside protected areas juveniles had significantly lower survival (0.39 ñ 0.10) compared to subadults (0.86 ñ 0.07) and adults (0.88 ñ 0.04). There was a greater difference in cause of death between protected and non-protected areas for females compared to males, with people being the dominant cause of mortality outside protected areas for both females and males. We suggest there is cause for concern regarding the sustainability of leopard populations in South Africa, as high female mortality may have severe demographic effects and a large proportion of suitable leopard habitat lies in non-protected areas. However, because a large proportion of deaths outside protected areas were attributed to deliberate killing by people, we suggest that management interventions may have the potential to increase leopard survival dramatically. We therefore stress the urgency to initiate actions, such as conflict mitigation programmes, to increase leopard survival in non-protected areas.

PDF files are only accessible to Friends of the Cat Group. Joining Friends of the Cat Group gives you unlimited access and downloads in the Cat SG Library for one year, and allows you to receive our newsletter Cat News (2 regular issues per year plus special issues). More information how to join here

 

(c) IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group ( IUCN - The World Conservation Union)