Population status of jaguars (Panthera onca) and pumas (Puma concolor) in northeastern Sonora, Mexico

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Jaguars are endangered in Mexico and the United States, necessitating careful monitoring of population status. We determined minimum numbers of jaguars and sympatric pumas in a small population in northern Sonora, Mexico, the nearest known breeding population to the United States, by photographic captures supplemented by idiosyncratic features of tracks from track surveys (1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005). We also developed a discriminant function to differentiate species (jaguar v. puma) and sexes within species, which also aided in individual identification. Photographic captures identified 5 individual jaguars; this estimate was increased to 12 using idiosyncratic features and discriminant analysis of tracks. Jaguar kittens were only detected by track surveys. All jaguars identified by photographs were previously detected by tracks, but most (7 of 12) known from tracks were not captured in photographs. Jaguar presence was fluid; we identified 6 individual jaguars from 1999-2003, but only 3 of these were still present in 2004. We documented 4 new individuals during 2005, when none of the previously identified jaguars were detected. Similarly, we identified 14 individual pumas by tracks, but only 11 of these were captured in photographs. Four hindfoot measurements varied among species and sexes of jaguars and pumas, and these measurements were able to correctly classify 85-97% of tracks to the correct species and sex. Due to the high turnover of this jaguar population, which is at its fringe of the jaguar range in North America, we recommend constant monitoring of population status with camera traps and track surveys. If only limited resources are available, we recommend monitoring only with track surveys because they detected a greater number of individuals and all age classes of individuals. Key words: Camera trap, Density, Jaguar, Mexico, Panthera onca, Puma concolor, Population status, Sonora, Track identification. ISSN 0065-1737 Acta Zoológica Mexicana (n.s.), 28(1): 86-101 (2012) Recibido: 21/02/2011; aceptado: 15/09/2011. Acta Zool. Mex. (n.s.) 28(1) (2012 87 RESUMEN. El jaguar se encuentra enlistado en peligro de extinción en México y los Estados Unidos. Por esta razón esta especie necesita monitoreos cuidadosos del estado de su población. El presente estudio se condujo en una región con una pequeña población de jaguares, que es la población reproductiva conocida más cercana a los Estados Unidos. En el noreste de Sonora, México, se determinó el número mínimo de jaguares y pumas simpátricos, por medio de capturas fotográficas, complementado por medio de rastreo de huellas y características idiosincráticas de las mismas (1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005). Desarrollamos un análisis discriminante que nos ayudó a diferenciar entre jaguares y pumas, además del sexo entre ambos y sirvió también de apoyo para diferenciarlos individualmente. Por medio de capturas fotográficas se identificaron 5 jaguares; esta estimación se incrementó a 12 jaguares usando características idiosincrá...

Effects of habitat deterioration on the population genetics and conservation of the jaguar

“…This area is situated close to the northern limit of the species' range and is probably more vulnerable to stochastic demographic effects (Vucetich & Waite 2003;Chavéz et al 2005). Additionally, the Yucatan Peninsula population is connected northward to areas with groups of individuals that occur at the lowest densities reported for jaguars, including the relict populations of Sinaloa and Baja California (Navarro-Serment et al 2005, Rosas-Rosas & Bender 2012) (see Figure 1A). Jaguars have been extirpated to the south of the Yucatan, in parts of Nicaragua and Honduras, and this loss may have disrupted the gene flow with individuals from further south (Sanderson et al 2002).…”

Recovering the jaguar Panthera onca in peripheral range: a challenge to conservation policy

“…Estimates of jaguar numbers in Sonora, Mexico, are 50–271 (USFWS, 2012a). Jaguars there face heavy human-induced mortality (Rosas-Rosas, 2006), and the effect of hunting on prey is also of concern (Brown & López-González, 2001). Zeller (2007) estimated that only 4% of jaguar habitat in Sonora receives some protection.…”

Diet of pumas (Puma concolor) in Sonora, Mexico, as determined by GPS kill sites and molecular identified scat, with comments on jaguar (Panthera onca) diet

“…Sonora has the northernmost population of jaguars, which has been estimated by researchers at a density of 1.05-1.1/100 km 2 (Gutierrez-Gonzalez et al, 2012;Rosas-Rosas and Bender, 2012) and is considered to be one of the lowest reported in the literature for all jaguar distribution (Maffei et al, 2011). A few jaguars still disperse into the southwestern United States, where they are legally protected as an endangered species (Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior, 1997).…”