Topic
Persian leopard
About: Persian leopard is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 82 publications have been published within this topic receiving 1614 citations. The topic is also known as: Panthera pardus saxicolor.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
TL;DR: This model will allow us to predict the diet of leopards in areas where dietary information is lacking, also providing information to assist wildlife managers and conservation bodies on predator carrying capacity and predator– prey interactions.
Abstract: Leopards Panthera pardus have a catholic diet and are generally thought to prey on medium-sized ungulates; however, knowledge on which species are actually preferred and avoided is lacking, along with an understanding of why such preferences arise. Twenty-nine published and four unpublished studies of leopard diet that had relative prey abundance estimates associated with them were analysed from 13 countries in 41 different spatial locations or temporal periods throughout the distribution of the leopard. A Jacobs’ index value was calculated for each prey species in each study and the mean of these was then tested against a mean of 0 using t or sign tests for preference or avoidance. Leopards preferentially prey upon species within a weight range of 10–40 kg. Regression plots suggest that the most preferred mass of leopard prey is 25 kg, whereas the mean body mass of significantly preferred prey is 23 kg. Leopards prefer prey within this body mass range, which occur in small herds, in dense habitat and afford the hunter minimal risk of injury during capture. Consequently, impala, bushbuck and common duiker are significantly preferred, with chital likely to also be preferred with a larger sample size from Asian sites. Species outside the preferred weight range are generally avoided, as are species that are restricted to open vegetation or that have sufficient anti-predator strategies. The ratio of mean leopard body mass with that of their preferred prey is less than 1 and may be a reflection of their solitary hunting strategy. This model will allow us to predict the diet of leopards in areas where dietary information is lacking, also providing information to assist wildlife managers and conservation bodies on predator carrying capacity and predator– prey interactions.
600 citations
TL;DR: This model provides a tool to improve search effectiveness for leopard in the Caucasus, Middle East and central Asia as well as for the conservation and management of the species.
Abstract: Summary
1
Top predators are seen as keystone species of ecosystems. Knowledge of their habitat requirements is important for their conservation and the stability of the wildlife communities that depend on them. The goal of our study was to model the habitat of leopard Panthera pardus in west and central Asia, where it is endangered, and analyse the connectivity between different known populations in the Caucasus to enable more effective conservation management strategies to be implemented.
2
Presence and absence data for the species were evaluated from the Caucasus, Middle East and central Asia. Habitat variables related to climate, terrain, land cover and human disturbance were used to construct a predictive model of leopard habitat selection by employing a geographic information system (GIS) and logistic regression.
3
Our model suggested that leopards in west and central Asia avoid deserts, areas with long-duration snow cover and areas that are near urban development. Our research also provides an algorithm for sample data management, which could be used in modelling habitats for similar species.
4
Synthesis and applications. This model provides a tool to improve search effectiveness for leopard in the Caucasus, Middle East and central Asia as well as for the conservation and management of the species. The model can predict the probable distribution of leopards and the corridors between various known populations. Connectivity patterns can be used to facilitate corridor planning for leopard conservation, especially in the Caucasus, where the leopard is a top priority conservation species. Also, as top predators are often associated with high biodiversity, the leopard habitat model could help to identify biodiversity hotspots. The protection of biodiversity hotspots is seen as the most effective way to conserve biodiversity globally.
117 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used Bayesian occupancy modeling to measure the effects of livestock grazing, logging and poaching on distribution of six large mammal species in the Hyrcanian forest.
79 citations
TL;DR: The range of the Leopard is still known to include large areas of Iran as mentioned in this paper, and data have been gathered mainly at nine sites since 1976, and the results show that there are about 550-850 specimens in Iran, some 55% of which live in protected areas.
Abstract: The range of the Leopard is still known to include large areas of Iran. Data have been gathered mainly at nine sites since 1976. The results show that there are about 550–850 specimens in Iran, some 55% of which live in protected areas.
64 citations
1 Jan 2019
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors utilized the ensemble modeling based on six species distribution models in order to predict the spatial vulnerability of the globally endangered Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor) to climate change in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, a semi-arid region in Iran.
Abstract: Land use changes in suitable areas, habitat loss, and fragmentation are likely to be the most important consequences of climate change for wildlife populations. Yet, little is known about the response of large carnivores to climate change, globally and regionally. In this study, we utilized the ensemble modeling based on six species distribution models in order to predict the spatial vulnerability of the globally endangered Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor) to climate change in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, a semi-arid region in Iran. We showed that about 12.12 to 22.38% of leopard habitats in the area may be lost by 2050 due to climate change under four representative concentration pathways (RCPs) within the framework of two general circulation models (GCMs). In contrast, 1.87 to 13.01% of currently unsuitable habitats can become suitable with climate change. Overall, a considerable portion of the leopard range will remain intact under global warming, but still habitat loss to climate change will vary from 5.89 to 14.59%. Thus, large-scale but locally focused and flexible conservation strategies should be applied in intact and sensitive areas so that to prevent the intensification of anthropogenic threats such as overgrazing and forest degradation from collection of firewood, charcoal, and medicinal plants under changing climate.
54 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2020 | 12 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2018 | 9 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2016 | 6 |