Combining camera trap surveys and IUCN range maps to improve knowledge of species distributions

AbstractReliable maps of species distributions are fundamental for biodiversity research and conservation. Range maps created by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List are often considered authoritative but may not match species occurrence data. We tested concordance between occurrences from camera trap surveys and predicted occurrence from IUCN maps for 510 medium- to large-bodied mammalian species in 80 camera-trap sampling areas. Across all areas, cameras detected 39% of the species that were expected to occur based on IUCN ranges.  The probability of mismatches between camera traps and IUCN range maps was significantly higher for smaller-bodied mammals and habitat specialists in the Neotropics and Indomalaya, and in areas with shorter canopy forests. Our results indicate that in many areas within their range map distributions species may be rare or absent. We suggest that combining range map data with accumulating data from ground-based biodiversity sensors, such as camera traps, acoustic recorders, and eDNA surveys, provides a richer knowledge base for conservation mapping and planning.