Affiliations 

  • 1 Center for Tropical Forest Science - Forest Global Earth Observatory, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, PO Box 37012, Washington, DC, 20012, USA. mattluskin@gmail.com
  • 2 Fauna & Flora International - Indonesia Programme, PO Box 42, Sungai Penuh, Kerinci, Jambi, 37111, Sumatra, Indonesia
  • 3 San Diego Zoo Global, Institute for Conservation Research, 15600 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA, 92027-7000, USA
Nat Commun, 2017 12 05;8(1):1783.
PMID: 29208916 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01656-4

Abstract

The continuing development of improved capture-recapture (CR) modeling techniques used to study apex predators has also limited robust temporal and cross-site analyses due to different methods employed. We develop an approach to standardize older non-spatial CR and newer spatial CR density estimates and examine trends for critically endangered Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae) using a meta-regression of 17 existing densities and new estimates from our own fieldwork. We find that tiger densities were 47% higher in primary versus degraded forests and, unexpectedly, increased 4.9% per yr from 1996 to 2014, likely indicating a recovery from earlier poaching. However, while tiger numbers may have temporarily risen, the total potential island-wide population declined by 16.6% from 2000 to 2012 due to forest loss and degradation and subpopulations are significantly more fragmented. Thus, despite increasing densities in smaller parks, we conclude that there are only two robust populations left with >30 breeding females, indicating Sumatran tigers still face a high risk of extinction unless deforestation can be controlled.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.