Density trends of wild felids in northern Laos

Abstract

Determining the density trends of a guild of species can help illuminate their interactions, and the impacts that humans might have on them. We estimated the density trends from 2013 to 2017 of the clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa, leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis and marbled cat Pardofelis marmorata in Nam Et—Phou Louey National Park (NEPL), Laos, using camera trap data and spatial capture-recapture models. Mean (± SD) density estimates (individuals/100 km2) for all years were 1.77 ± 0.30 for clouded leopard, 1.50 ± 0.30 for leopard cat, and 3.80 ± 0.70 for marbled cat. There was a declining trend in density across the study years for all three species, with a ≥ 90% probability of decline for clouded leopard and leopard cat and an 83% probability of decline for marbled cat. There was no evidence that mesopredator release occurred as a result of tiger (Panthera tigris) and leopard (P. pardus) extirpations. We believe that snaring, the factor that led to the extirpation of tiger and leopard in NEPL, is now contributing to the decline of smaller felids, to an extent that over-rides any potential effects of mesopredator release on their densities and interactions. We recommend that the NEPL managers implement a more systematic and intensified snare removal program, in concert with extensive community outreach and engagement of local people to prevent the setting of snares. These actions might be the only hope for saving the remaining members of the felid community in NEPL.

Diet and prey selection of clouded leopards and tigers in Laos

“…For clouded leopards, a detailed camera-trap study from 2013 to 2017 estimated a density of 1.8 individuals/100 km 2 in our study site with a minimum of 41 different individuals detected and a high turnover of individuals between years (Rasphone et al, 2021); thus, the scats we collected over 4 years likely were not biased towards a few individuals. Interestingly, clouded leopards apparently do not defecate on trails to mark their territories (Rabinowitz et al, 1987), in contrast to other felids (Harmsen et al, 2010;Kamler, Inthapanya, et al, 2020;Rodgers et al, 2015), which may explain the low sample size in our study, and why no previous dietary studies were conducted on clouded leopards (i.e., researchers rarely, if ever, find scats of this species).…”

Marbled cats in Southeast Asia: Are diurnal and semi‐arboreal felids at greater risk from human disturbances?

“…The marbled cat is currently listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN RL, as its global population is thought to be declining due to habitat loss and poaching (largely indiscriminate snaring) (Rasphone et al, 2021; Ross et al, 2016). This listing of Near Threatened is one of the lowest among Southeast Asian felids (Table 1).…”

“…Further research on this topic may provide clarity on the marbled cat's need for tree connectivity and may be accomplished with movement tracking studies. Marbled cat movements and home range size also remain unclear since only a single individual has been successfully radio‐tracked (Grassman et al, 2005) and there are only four published density estimates (Hearn et al, 2016; Naing et al, 2019; Rasphone et al, 2021; Singh & Macdonald, 2017). The varied patterns of the marbled cat's coat allow for individuals to be uniquely identified and make them good candidates for spatial capture–recapture studies.…”

Identifying gaps in the conservation of small wild cats of Southeast Asia

“…If the rampant snaring in this region is not staunched, other species will soon follow (Johnson et al 2016). Indeed, all small felids except leopard cat are likely already extirpated from Vietnam (Willcox et al 2014), and clouded leopard, marbled cat and leopard cat appear to be rapidly declining in northern Laos' largest and best protected area (Rasphone et al 2021). Therefore, the snaring crises in Southeast Asia does not bode well for the future of small felids, despite favourable habitat still occurring in the region.…”

“…Of these, tigers and leopards have been the main focus of past conservation efforts and economic investments (Brodie 2009; Macdonald et al 2015), and clouded leopards have recently gained attention (Macdonald et al 2018;Macdonald et al 2019). Information for smaller felids is often lacking or limited to circumscribed geographic contexts (Haidir et al 2018;Hearn et al 2018;Rasphone et al 2021;Rostro-Garcia et al 2021). However, small felids have crucial ecological roles in the trophic structure of ecosystems (Roemer et al 2009), and some of them can also take on the role of apex predators through ecological release when larger carnivores are extirpated (de Oliveira et al 2010).…”