McBride, R. T. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2018

Spatial ecology of Paraguay’s last remaining Atlantic forest jaguars (Panthera onca): implications for their long-term survival

Using GPS telemetry we quantified space use and movements of jaguar (Panthera onca) in remnant populations in the Paraguayan Atlantic forest within a comparative context with populations in the Argentine and Brazilian Atlantic forest. Mean estimated home range size was 160 km2; estimated to be nearly equal to jaguars in the Morro do Diabo State Park in Brazil but jaguars in other populations in Argentina and Brazil had a 73% (Iguazu/Iguacu national park complex) and 96% (Ivinhema State Park) probability of having larger home ranges. We found no relationship between home range size or movements and human population or the Human Footprint Index, while 75% of locations from all individuals were in protected areas. Our data and analysis highlight the dependence of Atlantic forest jaguars on protected areas, an avoidance of the landscape matrix and an extreme isolation of the remaining Paraguayan Atlantic forest jaguars.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2017

Space use and movement of jaguar (Panthera onca) in western Paraguay

We estimated home range and core area size for jaguar (Panthera onca) in western Paraguay in the Dry Chaco, Humid Chaco and Pantanal using an autocorrelated kernel density estimator. Mean home range size was 818 km2 (95% CI:425-1981) in the Dry Chaco and 237 km2 (95% CI:90-427) in the Humid Chaco/Pantanal. Core areas, defined as the home range area where use was equal to expected use, was consistent across sexes and systems represented on average by the 59% utility distribution isopleth (range:56-64%). Males had a higher probability of larger home ranges and more directional and greater daily movements than females collectively and within systems. The large home ranges in the Dry Chaco are attributable to the relatively low productivity of that semi-arid ecosystem and high heterogeneity in resource distribution while larger than expected home ranges in the Humid Chaco/Pantanal compared to home range estimates from the Brazilian Pantanal may be due to differences in geomorphology and hydrological cycle. The large home ranges of jaguars in western Paraguay and a low proportional area of protected areas in the region demonstrate the importance of private ranchland for the long-term conservation of the species.

ecology↗