Data from: Population dynamics and threats to an apex predator outside protected areas: implications for carnivore management

Data on the population dynamics and threats to large carnivores are vital to conservation efforts, but these are hampered by a paucity of studies. For some species, such as the leopard (Panthera pardus), there is such uncertainty in population trends that leopard trophy hunting was banned in South Africa in 2016 while further data on leopard abundance are collected. We present one of the first assessments of leopard population dynamics, and identify the key threats to a population of leopards outside of protected areas in South Africa. We conducted 24 camera trap surveys between 2012 and 2016 in the Soutpansberg Mountains, and drew on a previous estimate of leopard population density for the region from 2008. In each survey we estimated the population density and assessed population structure. We fitted eight leopards with GPS collars to assess threats to the population. Leopard population density declined by 66%, from 10.73 to 3.65 leopards per 100 km² in 2008 and 2016 respectively. Collared leopards had a high mortality rate due to illegal human activity. While improving the management of trophy hunting is important, we suggest that mitigating human-wildlife conflict could have a bigger impact on carnivore conservation.

大型食肉动物的种群动态及其受胁数据对物种保护工作至关重要，但相关研究的匮乏却掣肘了保护工作的开展。对于豹（Panthera pardus）等部分物种而言，其种群趋势存在较大不确定性，因此南非于2016年暂停了豹的战利品狩猎活动，同时启动了针对豹种群丰度的补充数据收集工作。本研究为首批豹种群动态评估研究之一，同时明确了南非保护区外豹种群所面临的主要威胁因素。本研究于2012至2016年间在索特潘斯山脉开展了24次相机陷阱（camera trap）调查，并引用了2008年该区域豹种群密度的既往估算结果。每次调查均对种群密度进行估算，并同步评估种群结构。我们为8只豹佩戴了GPS项圈，以调查该种群面临的各类威胁。豹种群密度下降幅度达66%，从2008年的每100平方公里10.73只降至2016年的3.65只。佩戴GPS项圈的豹因人类非法活动出现了较高的死亡率。尽管优化战利品狩猎管理颇具必要性，但本研究认为，缓解人兽冲突对食肉动物保护的推动作用可能更为显著。