The spatial distribution and population density of tigers in mountainous terrain of Bhutan

摘要: Abstract Habitat loss, prey depletion, and direct poaching for the illegal wildlife trade are endangering large carnivores across globe. Tigers (Panthera tigris) have lost 93% of their historical range experiencing rapid population declines. A dominant paradigm current tiger conservation focuses on 6% presently occupied habitat deemed to be source sites. In Bhutan, little was known about distribution or abundance during time such classification, no part country included in so-called solution. Here we evaluate whether Bhutan is a potential site by rigorously estimating density spatial country. We used scale remote-camera trapping n = 1129 sites 2014–2015 survey all Bhutan. estimated 90 individual tigers (60 females) mean 0.23 adult per 100 km2. has significantly higher numbers than almost identified With low human swaths forest cover, landscape adjacent northeast India promising stronghold should prioritized large-scale efforts.