IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Khorozyan, I.G.; Malkhasyan, A.G.; Asmaryan, S.G.; Abramov, A.V. | |
| Using Geographical Mapping and Occupancy Modeling to Study the Distribution of the Critically Endangered Leopard (_Panthera pardus_) Population in Armenia | |
| 2010 Book Chapter | |
In this paper, we apply scat counts to study the spatial issues of distribution and detection of the rare Caucasian leopard (_P. p. ciscaucasica_), synonym Persian leopard (_P. p. saxicolor_), in Armenia by using GIS mapping, occupancy modeling and analysis of multiple-season detection probability. Guesstimates show that no more than 10-15 leopards survive today in southern and south-western Armenia (Khorozyan et al. 2005). In the 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species this cat is classified as globally "endangered", but in Armenia and elsewhere in the Caucasus it should be listed as "critically endangered" (IUCN 2003, 2007). We discuss distribution of the 16 habitat variables over the 16 study areas, their correlation and difference between the areas where leopard scats were found and not, leopard detection and habitat selectivity patterns across the range. Ultimately, we use this information to identify the Priority Leopard Conservation Areas (PLECAs) and propose the improved presence-absence survey design for this vanishing big cat. |
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