Spatial density estimates of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in the French Jura and Vosges Mountains
Abstract Obtaining estimates of animal population density is a key step in providing sound conservation and management strategies for wildlife. For many large carnivores however, estimating density is difficult because these species are elusive and wide‐ranging. Here, we focus on providing the first...
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doaj-db22306771e8440db9df479315889c692021-04-02T08:42:58ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582019-10-01920117071171510.1002/ece3.5668Spatial density estimates of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in the French Jura and Vosges MountainsOlivier Gimenez0Sylvain Gatti1Christophe Duchamp2Estelle Germain3Alain Laurent4Fridolin Zimmermann5Eric Marboutin6CEFE CNRS EPHE IRD Univ Montpellier Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3 Montpellier FranceOffice National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage Gières FranceOffice National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage Gap FranceCentre de Recherche et d'Observation sur les Carnivores (CROC) Lucy FranceOffice National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage Gières FranceKORA Muri SwitzerlandOffice National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage Gières FranceAbstract Obtaining estimates of animal population density is a key step in providing sound conservation and management strategies for wildlife. For many large carnivores however, estimating density is difficult because these species are elusive and wide‐ranging. Here, we focus on providing the first density estimates of the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in the French Jura and Vosges mountains. We sampled a total of 413 camera trapping sites (with two cameras per site) between January 2011 and April 2016 in seven study areas across seven counties of the French Jura and Vosges mountains. We obtained 592 lynx detections over 19,035 trap days in the Jura mountains and 0 detection over 6,804 trap days in the Vosges mountains. Based on coat patterns, we identified a total number of 92 unique individuals from photographs, including 16 females, 13 males, and 63 individuals of unknown sex. Using spatial capture–recapture (SCR) models, we estimated abundance in the study areas between 5 (SE = 0.1) and 29 (0.2) lynx and density between 0.24 (SE = 0.02) and 0.91 (SE = 0.03) lynx per 100 km2. We also provide a comparison with nonspatial density estimates and discuss the observed discrepancies. Our study is yet another example of the advantage of combining SCR methods and noninvasive sampling techniques to estimate density for elusive and wide‐ranging species, like large carnivores. While the estimated densities in the French Jura mountains are comparable to other lynx populations in Europe, the fact that we detected no lynx in the Vosges mountains is alarming. Connectivity should be encouraged between the French Jura mountains, the Vosges mountains, and the Palatinate Forest in Germany where a reintroduction program is currently ongoing. Our density estimates will help in setting a baseline conservation status for the lynx population in France.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5668camera trappinglarge carnivoresnoninvasive samplingphoto identificationspatially explicit capture–recapture models |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Olivier Gimenez Sylvain Gatti Christophe Duchamp Estelle Germain Alain Laurent Fridolin Zimmermann Eric Marboutin |
spellingShingle |
Olivier Gimenez Sylvain Gatti Christophe Duchamp Estelle Germain Alain Laurent Fridolin Zimmermann Eric Marboutin Spatial density estimates of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in the French Jura and Vosges Mountains Ecology and Evolution camera trapping large carnivores noninvasive sampling photo identification spatially explicit capture–recapture models |
author_facet |
Olivier Gimenez Sylvain Gatti Christophe Duchamp Estelle Germain Alain Laurent Fridolin Zimmermann Eric Marboutin |
author_sort |
Olivier Gimenez |
title |
Spatial density estimates of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in the French Jura and Vosges Mountains |
title_short |
Spatial density estimates of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in the French Jura and Vosges Mountains |
title_full |
Spatial density estimates of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in the French Jura and Vosges Mountains |
title_fullStr |
Spatial density estimates of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in the French Jura and Vosges Mountains |
title_full_unstemmed |
Spatial density estimates of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in the French Jura and Vosges Mountains |
title_sort |
spatial density estimates of eurasian lynx (lynx lynx) in the french jura and vosges mountains |
publisher |
Wiley |
series |
Ecology and Evolution |
issn |
2045-7758 |
publishDate |
2019-10-01 |
description |
Abstract Obtaining estimates of animal population density is a key step in providing sound conservation and management strategies for wildlife. For many large carnivores however, estimating density is difficult because these species are elusive and wide‐ranging. Here, we focus on providing the first density estimates of the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in the French Jura and Vosges mountains. We sampled a total of 413 camera trapping sites (with two cameras per site) between January 2011 and April 2016 in seven study areas across seven counties of the French Jura and Vosges mountains. We obtained 592 lynx detections over 19,035 trap days in the Jura mountains and 0 detection over 6,804 trap days in the Vosges mountains. Based on coat patterns, we identified a total number of 92 unique individuals from photographs, including 16 females, 13 males, and 63 individuals of unknown sex. Using spatial capture–recapture (SCR) models, we estimated abundance in the study areas between 5 (SE = 0.1) and 29 (0.2) lynx and density between 0.24 (SE = 0.02) and 0.91 (SE = 0.03) lynx per 100 km2. We also provide a comparison with nonspatial density estimates and discuss the observed discrepancies. Our study is yet another example of the advantage of combining SCR methods and noninvasive sampling techniques to estimate density for elusive and wide‐ranging species, like large carnivores. While the estimated densities in the French Jura mountains are comparable to other lynx populations in Europe, the fact that we detected no lynx in the Vosges mountains is alarming. Connectivity should be encouraged between the French Jura mountains, the Vosges mountains, and the Palatinate Forest in Germany where a reintroduction program is currently ongoing. Our density estimates will help in setting a baseline conservation status for the lynx population in France. |
topic |
camera trapping large carnivores noninvasive sampling photo identification spatially explicit capture–recapture models |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5668 |
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