Habitat quality effects on the ecology of leopard on a small enclosed reserve.

摘要: Although the leopard (Panthera pardus) is one of more successful large carnivores, challenges for conservation emulate those other endangered and they are a model species investigating issues affecting carnivore persistence worldwide. This thesis represents sixyear study on Karongwe Game Reserve, South Africa, which provided unique opportunity to observe various aspects behavioural ecology in absence prey availability constraints or human persecution. Small, enclosed reserves such as make up 16.8% total land Africa undertaking sound ecological research these areas provides valuable data evidence-based management. The notoriously shy difficult I used free darting habituation enhance visual observation, order understand processes influencing reproductive success survival. My results show that high area studied, consume almost double number ungulates similar habitats elsewhere. generalist predator improved its hunting by selecting vulnerable selectively hunted intermediate density, where preferred were most abundant. Ample nutrition played key role health reduced duration parameters below previously recorded literature. Any additional nutritional input could not translate into increased population growth females already reproducing optimally. Female territorial size habitat selection determined riparian resources their prey. Territoriality however was governed biomass. Neighbouring leopards territorial, sharing little space (average 11% overlap) five times often core than rest territory. During periods richness, became there positive “bottom up” effect through subadult recruitment. Density-dependent intraspecific interspecific competition limited regulated around carrying capacity, constrained growth. These provide fundamental baseline about disturbance, constraints. They highlight that, although influence optimal important territoriality leopard, quality quantity ultimately what govern capacity size. reproductive, agencies developing policy, setting priorities management, well protection restoration, only this but threatened well.