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Ghoddousi, A.; Hamidi, A.K.; Ghadirian, T.; Ashayeri, D.; Khorozyan, I.
The status of the Endangered Persian leopard _Panthera pardus saxicolor_ in Bamu National Park, Iran
2010 Oryx (44): 551-557
We describe the use of camera-trapping with capture-recapture, occupancy and visitation rate modelling to study the size, demographic structure and distribution of the Persian leopard _Panthera pardus saxicolor_ in Bamu National Park, southern Iran. A total sampling effort of 1,012 trap-nights yielded photo-captures of four adults, two subadult individuals and a cub over 21 sampling occasions. The leopard population size estimated by the M(h) model and jackknife estimator was 6.00 +/- SE 0.24 individuals. This gives a density of 1.87 +/- SE 0.07 leopards per 100 km2. Detection probability was constant and low and, as a result, estimated occupancy rate was significantly higher than that predicted from photographic capture sites alone. Occupancy was 56% of the protected area and visitation rates were 0.01-0.05 visits per day. The most imminent threats to leopards in Bamu are poaching and habitat fragmentation.
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