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Bashir, T.; Bhattacharya, T.; Poudyal, K.; Sathyakumar, S.; Quershi, Q.
Estimating leopard cat _Prionailurus bengalensis_ densities using photographic captures and recaptures
2013  Wildlife Biology (19): 462-472

Precise estimates of abundance and density are crucial for species conservation. For secretive felids, such as leopard cat _Prionailurus bengalensis_, acquiring such estimates based on conventional methods is difficult. We demonstrated the possibility of individual identification of leopard cats using coat patterns, and estimated their density using photographic capture-recaptures in a small watershed (182 km2) of Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve, Sikkim, India. On comparing the different body parts, we found that hind-quarter had the maximum usability (83.9%) for individual identification. The overall photo-capture rate representing an index of leopard cat relative abundance was calculated as 3.7 6 1.27 captures/100 trap days. We used both non-spatial and spatially explicit capture recapture (SECR) approaches to estimate leopard cat abundance and density. Our spatially explicit models estimated leopard cat density as 17 6 5.33 (maximum-likelihood based approach) and 17.52 6 5.52 (Bayesian approach with Markov chain Monte Carlo simulations) individuals/100 km2, while in our non-spatial model, density estimates varied from 18.01 to 22.25 individuals/100 km2. Camera trap results also indicated that the leopard cat used temperate and subtropical habitats to a large extent. Our study validated the applicability of camera trap based capture-recapture techniques to estimate the density of leopard cat. Therefore, we recommend the use of this technique with appropriate site-specific modifications for population estimation and monitoring of this species throughout its distribution range.

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