Animals; Population Density; Conservation of Natural Resources/methods; Models, Biological; Ecosystem; Macaca fascicularis; Conservation of Natural Resources; Multidisciplinary
Abstract :
[en] Accurately estimating population sizes for free-ranging animals through noninvasive methods, such as camera trap images, remains particularly limited by small datasets. To overcome this, we developed a flexible model for estimating upper limit populations and exemplified it by studying a group-living synanthrope, the long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis). Habitat preference maps, based on environmental and GPS data, were generated with a maximum entropy model and combined with data obtained from camera traps, line transect distance sampling, and direct sightings to produce an expected number of individuals. The mapping between habitat preference and number of individuals was optimized through a tunable parameter ρ (inquisitiveness) that accounts for repeated observations of individuals. Benchmarking against published data highlights the high accuracy of the model. Overall, this approach combines citizen science with scientific observations and reveals the long-tailed macaque populations to be (up to 80%) smaller than expected. The model's flexibility makes it suitable for many species, providing a scalable, noninvasive tool for wildlife conservation.
Disciplines :
Life sciences: Multidisciplinary, general & others
Author, co-author :
Koch Liston, André L ; Department of Anthropology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA ; Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA ; The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark
Zhu, Xueying ; The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark ; Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark ; School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
Bang, Tran V ; The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark ; Southern Institute of Ecology, Institute of Applied Material Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Phiapalath, Phaivanh; The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark
Ilham, Kurnia ; The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark ; Museum of Zoology, Department of Biology, Andalas University, Padang, Indonesia ; Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Lwin, Ngwe ; Fauna & Flora International Myanmar, Yangon, Myanmar
Frechette, Jackson L ; Conservation International, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Agger, Cain; Wildlife Conservation Society Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Ai, Suzuki ; Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan ; Open Innovation & Collaboration Research Organization, Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan
Auda, Emeline ; Wildlife Conservation Society Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Gazagne, Eva ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Biologie, Ecologie et Evolution > Biologie du comportement - Ethologie et psychologie animale
Kamler, Jan F ; Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
Groenenberg, Milou ; World Wide Fund for Nature Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Banet-Eugene, Sarah ; World Wide Fund for Nature Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Challis, Neil; The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark ; Neil Challis Photography, Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Lappan, Susan ; Department of Anthropology, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, USA ; Malaysian Primatological Society, Kulim, Malaysia
Zainol, Zaki; School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Albanese, Valeria; The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark
Alexiadou, Athanasia ; The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark ; Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Nielsen, Daniel R K; The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark
Holzner, Anna ; The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark
Ruppert, Nadine ; The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark ; Malaysian Primatological Society, Kulim, Malaysia ; School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Briefer, Elodie F ; The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark ; Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Fuentes, Agustin ; Department of Anthropology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA ; The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark
Hansen, Malene F ; Department of Anthropology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA ; The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark ; Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark ; Wildlife Trade Research Group, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
