Spatial density estimates of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in the French Jura and Vosges Mountains

Ecology and Evolution

Olivier Gimenez¹  Estelle Germain²  Fridolin Zimmermann³  Christophe Duchamp⁴  Alain Laurent⁵  Sylvain Gatti⁵  Eric Marboutin⁵ 

[1]CEFE CNRS EPHE IRD Univ Montpellier Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3 Montpellier France

[2]Centre de Recherche et d'Observation sur les Carnivores (CROC) Lucy France

[3]KORA Muri Switzerland

[4]Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage Gap France

[5]Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage Gières France

关键词: camera trapping;    large carnivores;    noninvasive sampling;    photo identification;    spatially explicit capture–recapture models;   

DOI  :  10.1002/ece3.5668

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

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.

【 授权许可】

Unknown