ESTIMATING ABUNDANCE AND HABITAT-BASED POPULATION FOR OCELOT (LEOPARDUS PARDALIS) AND MARGAY (LEOPARDUS WIEDII) IN CENTRAL SURINAME NATURE RESERVE USING CAMERA TRAPPING Soraya Wijntuin, CI-SURINAME
Table of contents: Introduction 1. Ocelot 2. Margay Methodology 1. Study area 2. Vegetation description 3. Camera trapping 4. Data-analysis Results & discussion Conclusion Recommendations Acknowledgements
Introduction Main research question: Do the populations of ocelot and margay have a habitat preference in tropical forest of the Central Suriname Nature Reserve over the past seven years? Hypothesis: There is a difference in the relative populations over the past seven years and the habitat preference of the ocelot and the margay in the Central Suriname Nature Reserve.
Introduction Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) Local name Description Habitat Abundance Activity Behavior Conservation Status hétigrikati black rosettes, spots and stripes, shorter tail variety of habitat types, very adaptable to disturbance most abundant small felid nocturnal and diurnal solitary, secretive and terrestrial Least concerned 4
Introduction Margay (Leopardus wiedii) Local name Description Habitat Abundance Activity Behavior Conservation Status tigrikati black rosettes, spots and stripes, long thick tail, very large eyes, rotating ankle joints densely forested areas, less tolerant to disturbance one of the least abundant felids nocturnal solitary, territorial and highly arboreal near threatened 5
Methodology Study area TEAM site Tropical Ecology Monitoring & Assessment network since 2008 2 arrays 30 camera trap points/array Size: 200 Km2
Methodology Vegetation description
Methodology Selected camera trap sites for vegetation description CT s with highest sightings Camera Vegetation type trap 1.4 High dryland forest 1.6 Marsh forest 2.9 High dryland forest 2.15 Creek forest CT s with lowest sightings Camera Vegetation type trap 2.1 High dryland forest 2.5 High dryland forest 2.8 Creek forest 2.16 Swamp forest
Methodology Camera trapping Camera with a infra red sensor, it is shock/waterproof Non-invasive method to monitor terrestrial animals Detects heat in motion Monitoring: dry season (september-december) Active: at least 30 days
Methodology Identification of individuals (ocelot)
Methodology Identification of individuals (margay) 11
Methodology Identification of individuals (ocelot)
Methodology Identification of individuals (margay)
Methodology Statistical-analysis 2 programs were used: CAPTURE : Population size, Abundance PRESENCE: Habitat preference
Results & discussion Population estimate Extrapolated ocelot population: 1611.20 Extrapolated margay population: 640
Results & discussion Year Abundance Camera trap nights CAPTURE # individual ocelots CAPTURE abundance ocelots CAPTURE # individual margays CAPTURE abundance Margays 2008 2859 38 0.013 9 0.003 2009 2492 36 0.014 7 0.003 2010 2284 31 0.014 16 0.007 2011 1654 17 0.010 14 0.008 2012 1883 12 0.006 7 0.004 2013 2757 22 0.008 11 0.004 2014 1616 10 0.006 3 0.002 Highest abundance Wildsumaco Wildlife Sanctuary of : 0.026, (2.64 captures/100 camera-trap nights)
Results & discussion Habitat preference PRESENCE H o : The ocelot and margay have a habitat preference H 1 : The ocelot and margay do not have a habitat preference P > 0.05 => conclusion: retain the H o and reject the H 1
Sightings/ specie Results & discussion Habitat preference 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 The sightings of the ocelot and margay per vegetation type from 2008-2013 High dryland forest Marsh forest Creek forest Swamp forest ocelot sightings Vegetation Type margay sightings
Results & discussion Activity patterns In Kwamalasemutu in South-Suriname: ocelot most active between 00.00 2.00 am
Conclusion Population & abundance Ocelot s population size in CSNR: 1611.20 Margay s population size margay in CSNR: 640 Ocelot s highest abundance in CSNR: 0.014 in 2009,2010 Margay s highest abundance in CSNR: 0.008 in 2011
Conclusion Habitat preference & activity patterns Both the species have a habitat preference Ocelot: all four forest types, but prefers marsh forest in the CSNR Margay: prefers creek and high dryland forest in the CSNR Ocelot s activity: nocturnal and diurnal. Margay s activity: nocturnal
Recommendations Expand the research by studying the activity patterns of their prey species during different seasons. Include the TEAM weather data analysis, because the weather conditions may have an effect on the water level in the Coppename River and the creeks. This data can be used as baseline data and be compared with other areas in Suriname that have threats such as logging and goldmining.
Acknowledgements Conservation International Suriname (CIS) and Anton de Kom University of Suriname for making it possible to do this research. All data in this publication were provided by the Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring (TEAM) Network, a collaboration between Conservation International, the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Wildlife Conservation Society, and partially funded by these institutions, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and other donors.
Thank you.