- Title
- Making the most of by-catch data: assessing the feasibility of utilising non-target camera trap data for occupancy modelling of a large felid
- Creator
- Edwards, Sarah; Cooper, Sue; Uiseb, Kenneth; Hayward, Matt; Wachter, Bettina; Melzheimer, Joerg
- Relation
- African Journal of Ecology Vol. 56, Issue 4, p. 885-894
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/aje.12511
- Publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2018
- Description
- Camera traps are an increasingly used tool in ecology, having the ability to capture large numbers of photographic records in short survey periods. For many surveys, the number of non-target records outweighs those of focal species, making them a potentially rich and often under-utilised data source. Occupancy analysis of non-target data represents a potential way to optimise survey output, whilst increasing "return on investment." This study assessed the feasibility of using non-target data from a Hartmann's mountain zebra Equus zebra hartmannae survey in Gondwana Canyon Park, southern Namibia, for occupancy analysis on leopard Panthera pardus. Using a survey design with 15 camera traps at water sources, 26 leopard events were detected over 72 days. Model fit was adequate and produced a model-averaged occupancy of 0.64 (SE 0.36) and a detection probability of 0.24 (SE 0.07). Whilst there was a lack of precision in the final occupancy estimate, the study provided valuable pilot data for future surveys. The results highlight the ability of camera traps to obtain information-rich datasets, which, when properly archived, can be used for providing information on a number of ecological topics, ranging far beyond that which the traps were originally deployed for.
- Subject
- by‐catch; camera trap; distribution; leopard; Namibia; occupancy
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1402188
- Identifier
- uon:35016
- Identifier
- ISSN:0141-6707
- Rights
- This is the peer reviewed version of above article, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.12511. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions.
- Language
- eng
- Full Text
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