Occupancy estimation of jaguar Panthera onca to assess the value of east-central Mexico as a jaguar corridor

摘要: The use of wildlife corridors to maintain landscape connectivity has become increasingly relevant the conservation wide-ranging species, including jaguar Panthera onca. Jaguars are particularly threatened in Mexico, where corridor linkages tenuous as a result habitat fragmentation. Our study assessed section potential south Sierra Madre Oriental eastern Mexico. We conducted 245 interviews with local inhabitants 140 36-km(2) sampling units over 5-month period and compiled detection histories for jaguars five prey species: collared peccary Pecari tajacu, red brocket deer Mazama americana, white-tailed Odocoileus virginianus, spotted paca Agouti paca, nine-banded armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus. These were then analysed using site occupancy modelling. Each unit was assigned probability based on (1) two smaller species (paca armadillo) (2) at least larger (collared species) that unit. This estimate considered proxy base each therefore unit's suitability corridor. Although some areas appears adequate support population, large-scale development projects paucity sign major obstacles this region's results suggest coast Mexico may not be priority area range-wide conservation.