Work

Spatiotemporal Overlap of Common Leopard (panthera Pardus) and Prey Species in a Moderately Hilly Region of Nepal

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: The common leopard (Panthera pardus) is a large carnivore species primarily ranging in the protected areas within the flat plains of Nepal.Facing competition from tigers (Panthera tigris) and decline prey population within these areas, the leopards venture into the mid-hills, leading to increased conflicts with local people.This study was designed to identify the predator and determine the spatiotemporal interactions between predators and potential prey species in the Chhatradev Rural Municipality (CRM) of Arghakhanchi, Nepal.The study utilized 18 camera traps in two phases: from March 2 nd to August 3 rd , 2021 and from August 5 th to January 6 th , 2022, with a total sampling effort of 2,402 trap night.Two common leopards and individuals of six prey species were identified.The findings indicated that common leopard activities were primarily nocturnal, with distinct crepuscular peaks at dawn and dusk, when the highest spatiotemporal overlaps were seen with wild boar and barking deer.Composite scores indicated that wild boars and barking deer had relatively higher scores, suggesting that they are the main prey species for common leopards.Our study confirmed the presence of common leopards in the mid-hill regions of Nepal, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a healthy prey population for leopard conservation and human conflict reduction.

Source: Applied Ecology and Environmental Research

DOI: 10.15666/aeer/2206_58855900