IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
| Barlow, A.C.D.; Ahmed, I.U.; Smith, J.L.D.; Hossain, A.N.M. | |
| Small Sample Size and Wild Extrapolation; Preliminary Results from a Telemetry Study of Tigers in the Sundarbans of Bangladesh | |
| 2007 Conference Proceeding | |
The Sundarbans of Bangladesh and India represent one of the largest remaining wild tiger habitats. Effective management of this area will require information on tiger resource needs and population status. A study using Geographical Positioning System collars has been initiated to help fulfil this need. Live and dead cow baits were used to entice tigers into areas with leg-hold snares. Two adult female tigers were captured from 506 "cow nights". The tigers were monitored for 6 and 2.5 months respectively. The collars recorded 648 and 1,528 locations. Estimated 95% Minimum Convex Polygon home ranges were 13.9 and 11.5 km2. Each tiger used 64% (CV 0.21) and 83% (CV 0.33) of its home range every month. Estimated age at capture and subsequent movement patterns suggest that both tigers were resident territory holders. Incorporating these preliminary results into "optimistic" and "pessimistic" scenarios implies a carrying capacity of resident female tigers in the Bangladesh Sundarbans of between 95-286 individuals. Further collaring of tigers living in different parts of the Sundarbans is required, however, to make stronger inference on resource selection and variation in home range size under the different ecological variable represented by this unique habitat. |
|
 |
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) |