Recipient Organization
STATE UNIV OF NEW YORK
(N/A)
SYRACUSE,NY 13210
Performing Department
Environmental & Forest Biology
Non Technical Summary
The jaguar (Panthera onca) is a near-threatened species (IUCN 2010) and has suffered a 54%reduction of historic range (Rabinowitz & Zeller 2010). Proactive conservation efforts focus onestablishing a range-wide corridor network (Sanderson et al. 2005). The Jaguar CorridorInitiative aims to implement range-wide connective corridor (Rabinowitz & Zeller 2010). Thisstudy focuses specifically on jaguar population persistence within the Brazilian Pantanal, alocation at the heart of the Jaguar Corridor Initiative.The overall goal of this project is to quantify the probability of jaguar population persistenceover time in sites of differing land use and human pressures , specifically within two protectedareas (Pantanal National Park; Acurizal RPPN) and two working cattle ranches (Fazenda SaoBento; Fazenda Jofre) in the Brazilian Pantanal.A habitat-based population viability analysis (PV A) will be developed from the collected data,and allow for inter-site comparisons in population characteristics. This study will use acombination of non-invasive field surveys, GPS-collared animals, and genetic techniques toobtain demographic data necessary to develop the PV A. Genetic and demographic data will becoupled to strengthen inferences on dispersal, as well as inter- and intra-population reproductiverates. The reproductive data will be used to identify source versus sink populations, while thePV A will be used to explore probable future scenarios under alternative management techniques(Quigley & Crawshaw 1992).The first year has been devoted to developing the theoretical questions and appropriate empiricalmethods driving this project, as well as collecting initial movement and density data viaindividual jaguar movements recorded by GPS collars and a camera trap survey. Prey presenceand absence estimates were also collected via an initial camera trap survey. Collaborators includeexperts within the leading Brasilian government organization, the National Center for theConservation of Natural Predators (CENAP), run by the Chico Mendes Institute for theConservation of Biodiversity (ICMBio). Additional collaboration is being fostered with the nongovernmentorganization Ecotropica, which manages Acurizal RPPN.Awrded Start Date: 6/20/12End Date: 5/31/16 (as of 6/15/16)Sponsor: Panthera Corporation
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
100%
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Goal IQuantify Fecundity and Survival Rates to Identify Source vs. Sink Population StructureFecundity and survival rates will be quantified via demographic censuses of and radiocollar datafor a subset of marked individuals within each local population. Survival rates will be estimatedvia bi-annual counts of marked individuals and failure-time analysis ofradioed individuals.More specifically, demographic data (e.g., survival; reproductive rate; emigration rate) will beused to develop a practical criterion for distinguishing net contributing populations versus netdrain populations (Mills 2007). The fecundity of females will be determined via den-site visits,determined from radiotelemetry and GPS cluster searches. Patterns of relatedness inferred fromgenotyping cubs and juveniles will also inform the past fecundity of female jaguars viamaternally-inherited mitochondrial DNA analyses, and paternally-inherited Y-linked markers.Goal IIDocument Dispersal Patterns among SubpopulationsDemographic data will be used to obtain current dispersal patterns of juvenile and adult jaguars.As carnivores tend to disperse over large areas (Mills 2007), radiotelemetry and GPS locationswill aid in tracking the direct movement patterns of individual jaguars. These data are critical forunderstanding the habitat preferences, gene flow routes and population persistence of jaguars.Genetic data will be used in both the development of the proposed PVAs, and in forming anestimate of jaguar genetic connectivity within the Pantanal. The data will be used to produce amap of genetic dispersal, as well as degree of relatedness, across the populations of jaguarswithin the Pantanal. I will determine the source population of individuals within each populationby comparing the genotype of each individual to the population in which they were captured, toother populations in which they may have been born.Goal IIIUse a Spatially-Explicit PVA to Evaluate Alternative Land Management Techniques for theirContributions to Jaguar PersistenceThe final goal of this study is to use demographic data to develop a spatially-explicit PVA withineach of the various land management areas. Individual responses to environmental characteristicswill be used to develop a diagnostic tool for optimal, acceptable and suboptimal habitatconditions (Turner et al. 2001). As jaguars are typically quite flexible in their use of habitat(Sanderson et al. 2002), it is anticipated that local populations of this species can endure multipleforms of habitat modification (Rabinowitz & Zeller 2010).To further inform the spatial preferences of jaguar, as well as resource selections, surveys will beconducted on habitat composition and prey species presence I absence within each study site. ·The evaluation of habitat types within the protected areas versus the working cattle ranches willenable further comparative measure between areas of differing land use. Prey species presenceand absence will also inform on the resources available to jaguars within each site-and howland use might impact species distribution.
Project Methods
a. Explain the methodology and implementation (specifically how each of the above stated goals andobjectives will be met).Demographic data will be collected from marked individuals within each resident population(e.g., mark I recapture via camera trapping and genetic techniques; resighting; retrapping), aswell as via radio- and GPS-collar data from known individuals. The majority of data will becollected during the dry and early wet seasons (June - early December), while GPS collar datawill be collected year-round. The GPS collar data will be used to determine home range size,mean maximum distance moved, interactions between individuals, and habitat preferences ofindividual jaguar.Population density will be estimated via mark-recapture models, informed by camera traps(Silver et al. 2004) and genetic analyses. Camera traps will be deployed in a grid network basedupon the smallest known home range of jaguar within the Pantanal region (Soisalo & Cavalcanti2006). A total of at least 30 camera trap sites, with 2 cameras per site, will be established duringthe driest part of the year(Acurizal RPPN & PNP: June-August; Fazendas: September -November). Each sampling period will be limited to 40 days, to assume population closure(Karanth & Nichols 1998; Silver et al. 2004; Soisalo & Cavalcanti 2006). Sites will bepredetermined using ArcGIS, and modified as necessary in field. A distance of no more than5km will be allowed between each camera trap site, and the effectively sampled area around eachsite will be based on the minimum home range size of female jaguar (Silver et al. 2004; Soisalo& Cavalcanti 2006). The program MARK will be used to estimate mark-recapture-based samplearea abundances and overall jaguar density (Karanth & Nichols 1998; Silver et al. 2004).Habitat data will be collected following the protocols established by Prance & Schaller (1982).Prey surveys will be conducted along pre-cut transect and freshly-cut lines within the fazendas,and along freshly-cut lines in the protected areas. Transect lines will be 2km in length, andwalked at a pace of lkm per hour. The distance of sighted species from the line will be measuredusing a rangefinder.b. Animal Trapping Methods: Please include type of traps used, frequency of monitoring traps, how animalswill be handled during trapping process, how the researchers plan to deal with animal emergencies thatmay arise during the trapping process.Individual jaguars will be trapped with soft-hold foot snares (Logan et al. 1999; Frank et al.2003; Balme et al. 2007). The foot snares will be placed close enough that the first and last trapswill be no more than one hour's travel from each other, or a maximum distance of 15km(Crawshaw 2010). Transmitters will be fitted to the snares and set for a "fight" trigger; thistrigger will activate the transmitter in the event of snare activation. Snares will be opened atl 800h and closed at 0600h each day. Snare transmitter VHF frequencies will be monitored frombase camp hourly to once every 2 hours while opened. In the event of snare trigger, a surveyteam will be deployed to confirm capture of an animal. Upon capture of an animal, the teamveterinarian will prepare and deliver the tranquilizer (Zoletil, Virbac do Brasil). The protocolsfor handling and emergency plans are addressed in the section below.c. Immobilization Methods: Please include drug(s) and dosage(s), and method of administration used forimmobilization, care of animal during immobilization, procedure(s) to be carried out duringimmobilization, how the researchers plan to deal with animal emergencies that may arise during themobilization process.The protocol for the immobilization of captured jaguars will closely follow that detailed in theJaguar Health Manual (Deem & Karesh 2005). Captured jaguars will be tranquilized withZoletil (Virbac do Brasil) at a dosage of 7mg I kg (Crawshaw 2010). The tranquilizer will bedelivered with an 18 gauge collared dart. The tranquilizer laden dart will be intramuscularlyinjected in the hindquarters via C02 gun. Zoletil will be measured and administered by theproject veterinarian, who will also be responsible for monitoring the temperature, respiratory andheart rates of the jaguar every 5-10 minutes for the duration of its sedation (:Sl hour).During immobilization, temperatures between 37-39.5°C, respiratory rates between 8-24 breathsper minute, and heart rates between 70-140 beats per minute will be considered normal (Deem &Karesh 2005). Once immobilized, the jaguar will be laterally laid on flat ground with headpositioned to facilitate breathing. The eyes will be protected and ointment administered toprevent drying. Biometric, vital rate, and biological (e.g., blood; tissue; fecal) data will becollected. In the event of animal emergencies, the team will respond according to the protocolsdetailed by the Jaguar Health Manual (Deem & Karesh 2005):d. Marking and Telemetry of Individuals: Please include details on marking, banding or tagging, andtelemetry devices.Captured juvenile or adult individuals were fitted with appropriately-sized Vectronics GPSGlobalStar collars (under discussion with Panthera researchers; may modify manufacturer priorto first snaring campaign). I aim to obtain a triangulated VHF location of each collaredindividual once per day, with at least one tight location per individual per week. The GPSfunction is set to record waypoints every 4-6 hours, and SMS files are sent to the PI for dataprocessing and map composition. Upon receiving the download, data points are analyzed via ageographic information system (e.g., LOAS; ArcMap ). GPS clusters of interest include pointswhere two or more points within 200m distance are collected from an individual within 24 hours(Sand et al. 2005). Site searches were and will be conducted around the clusters, with the aim torecover any potential kills or note any other site characteristics of interest (e.g., potential femaledens).e. Collection of Biological Material: Please include details on material to be sampled (blood, tissue, stomachcontents, feathers, skin, fur etc), methods used in obtaining sample from individual animals (in depth),method of preservation of sample (brief), method of analysis of sample (brief).All sample collection procedures will be performed under the supervision of the projectveterinarian, and will adhere to the protocols detailed in the Jaguar Health Manual (Deem &Karesh 2005).BloodBlood samples will be collected by the project veterinarian, and will adhere to the protocoloutlined in the Jaguar Health Manual (Deem & Karesh 2005). About 5-lOmL of blood will becollected from adult jaguars via a 21-gauge needle and 25mL syringe.Storage methods will follow those outlined in the Felid Genetics Manual (Amato, Rabinowitz &Hunter 2010). Blood samples will be stored in blood tubes containing a buffer cocktail, and willbe kept at room temperature in a cool, dark location. The blood samples will be used for geneticanalyses, to determine individual identification, as well as for veterinary diagnostic procedures(e.g., PCV; chemistries; hemoparasite analysis).TissueSkin scrapes will be collected from all immobilized jaguars; a razor blade will be scraped againstthe inner ear to remove a surface layer of tissue. All tissue samples will be stored in a labeledFalcon tube containing 70% ethanol, according to the protocol cited in the Felid GeneticsManual (Amato, Rabinowitz & Hunter 2010). The tissue samples will be used in geneticanalyses, as well as for veterinary diagnostic procedures (e.g., ectoparasite analysis).Scat