First density estimation of two sympatric small cats, Leopardus colocolo and Leopardus geoffroyi, in a shrubland area of central Argentina

CARUSO N.; MANFREDI C.; LUENGOS VIDAL E.; CASANAVE E.B.; LUCHERINI M.

ANNALES ZOOLOGICI FENNICI

FINNISH ZOOLOGICAL BOTANICAL PUBLISHING BOARD

Año: 2012 vol. 49 p. 181 - 191

0003-455X

Geoffroy’s and Pampas cats are small felids with large distribution ranges in South America. A camera trap survey was conducted in the Espinal of central Argentina to estimate abundance based on capture-recapture data. For density estimations we used both non-spatial methods and spatially explicit capture-recapture models (SECR). For Geoffroy’s cat we also obtained density estimates from 8 radio tracked individuals. Based on 10 Geoffroy’s cats and 7 Pampas cats, non-spatial methods produced density ranges of 16.21- -21.94 individuals/100km2 and 11.34- -17.58 individuals/100km2, respectively. Density using SECR models were 45 animals/100km2 for Geoffroy’s cat whereas we were unable to produce a reliable estimate for Pampas cat. The SECR estimate for the Geoffroy’s cat is more similar to that obtained from telemetry data (58.82 cats/100km2). In agreement with the hypothesis of its greater adaptability, the Geoffroy’s cat was more abundant than the Pampas cat.