Dataset for analysing spatiotemporal dynamics of large carnivores in Kasungu National Park, Malawi

Effective conservation management requires an understanding of the spatiotemporal dynamics driving large carnivore density and resource partitioning. In African ecosystems, reduced prey populations and the loss of competing guild members, most notably lion (Panthera leo), are expected to increase levels of competition between remaining carnivores. Consequently, intraguild relationships can be altered, potentially increasing the risk of further population decline. Kasungu National Park (KNP), Malawi, is an example of a conservation area that has experienced large-scale reductions in both carnivore and prey populations, leaving a resident large carnivore guild consisting of only leopard (Panthera pardus) and spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta). Here we quantify the spatiotemporal dynamics of these two species and their degree of association, using a combination of co-detection modelling, time-to-event analyses, and temporal activity patterns from camera trap data. Detection of leopard and sp...