Efficacy of spotlights and thermal cameras to detect lions, Panthera leo, and spotted hyenas, Crocuta crocuta, depends on species and management regime

Accurate abundance estimates can contribute to effective management of large carnivore populations. Lion, Panthera leo, and spotted hyena, Crocuta crocuta, populations are frequently estimated at night by eliciting their approach using broadcasted vocalizations. Spotlights are typically used to observe these species on approach but can disturb animals and adversely affect counts. We compared the efficacy of spotlight with red filters and forward looking infrared (FLIR) thermal monocular to enumerate lions and spotted hyenas in Serengeti National Park (SNP; non-hunted area) and Maswa Game Reserve (MGR; hunted area), Tanzania, during 2015−2017. We established 119 call-in sites in SNP and 20 in MGR and conducted repeated call-ins at 1–2 week intervals. During call-ins we conducted systematic paired counts using both devices. We assessed the influence of device order, species, hunting regime, and land cover on species counts. We found that FLIR was more efficacious for counting hyenas in MG...准确的种群丰度估算可为大型食肉动物种群的有效管理提供重要支撑。狮子（Panthera leo）与斑鬣狗（Crocuta crocuta）的种群调查常于夜间开展，通过播放回放发声诱使其靠近，随后通常借助聚光灯观测接近的个体，但聚光灯可能惊扰动物并对计数结果造成不利影响。本研究于2015至2017年间，在坦桑尼亚塞伦盖蒂国家公园（SNP，非狩猎区域）与马萨瓦禁猎区（MGR，狩猎区域），对比了搭载红色滤光片的聚光灯与前视红外（FLIR）热成像单筒望远镜在狮子和斑鬣狗种群数量统计方面的效能。我们在塞伦盖蒂国家公园布设119个诱叫调查点，在马萨瓦禁猎区布设20个诱叫调查点，并以1至2周为间隔开展重复诱叫调查。诱叫过程中，我们采用两种设备开展系统性配对计数。本研究评估了设备使用顺序、物种类型、狩猎管理制度以及土地覆被类型对物种计数结果的影响。研究发现，前视红外热成像设备在马萨瓦禁猎区统计鬣狗种群时效能更优……