Endangered Florida panther population size determined from public reports of motor vehicle collision mortalities

摘要: Summary 1. Reliably estimating the abundance of rare or elusive animals is notoriously difficult. An archetypical example endangered Florida panther, whose conservation status intrinsically linked to population size, but for which reliable information lacking across its range. This due not only inherent difficulty sampling a and species over large geographic area, also because restricted scientific access private land. 2. Human interactions with wildlife are regular occurrence, non-scientists constitute an important underutilized source about distribution abundance. For example, motor vehicle collisions panthers recurrent on vast network roads within public lands comprising range in southern Florida, USA. 3. Capitalizing tendency report concern officials, we describe novel methodology using reports along routine telemetry monitoring data produce first statistically defensible estimates panther entire breeding In essence, our approach uses traffic volume road density estimate probability collision mortality from telemetered models counts reported by accordingly. 4. Despite low probabilities, achieved reasonable precision (29% CV) that was similar previous studies conventional approaches much smaller study areas. While recovery criteria require establishment three distinct populations 240 panthers, found this single may never have exceeded 150 individuals 2000 2012. 5. Synthesis applications. By extracting critical demographic aspects human–wildlife ecology, citizen-based can cost less than alternatives could conceivably be used long-term other broad areas, avian wind farm collisions, beached whales marine mammal boat strikes. additional benefit it applied historical sets carcass programmes, case permitting estimation 13-year period.