IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Craft, M.; Whitman, K.; Packer, C.; Durant, S.; Funston, P.; Maddox, T. | |
| How to Count Lions: Census Techniques for Estimating Densities of Large Felids | |
| 2007 Conference Proceeding | |
Accurately estimating densities of wildlife species is critical to effective management and conservation. Species that live at low densities, such as carnivores, are notoriously difficult to census, as are gregarious species whose clumped distributions produce extremely high variances in population estimates. We estimated the density of Serengeti lions using both indirect and direct survey techniques: spoor counts, playbacks using hyena vocalizations, day and night fixed-route transects, and nonrandom line transect surveys. We compared these estimates (mean and confidence intervals) to the known number of lions (as determined through individual recognition and frequent radio telemetry by the Serengeti Lion Project) during the same time frame. All of the estimates derived from the direct/indirect survey techniques required correction factors, and repeated re-estimates would be required to reduce their associated variances. We summarize the benefits and drawbacks of each technique in terms of accuracy, precision, expense, effort, practicality, suitable habitat type and behavioral bias. |
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