Comparing capture-recapture, mark-resight and spatial mark-resight models for estimating puma densities via camera traps

RICH, LINDSEY N.; KELLY, MARCELLA; SOLLMANN, RAHEL; NOSS, ANDREW; MAFFEI, LEONARDO; ARISPE, ROSARIO; PAVIOLO, AGUSTÍN; DE ANGELO, CARLOS; DI BLANCO, YAMIL; DI BITETTI, MARIO

JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY

ALLIANCE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP DIVISION ALLEN PRESS

Lugar: Lawrence; Año: 2014 vol. 95 p. 382 - 391

0022-2372

Camera-trapping surveys, in combination with traditional capture?recapture or spatially explicit capture? recapture techniques, have become popular for estimating the density of individually identifiable carnivores. When only a portion of the population is uniquely identifiable, traditional and spatial mark?resight models provide a viable alternative. We reanalyzed a data set that used photographic capture?recapture methods to estimate the densities of pumas (Puma concolor) across 3 study sites in Belize, Argentina, and Bolivia using newer, more-advanced modeling including spatial and nonspatial mark?resight techniques. Additionally, we assessed how photo identification influenced density estimates by comparing estimates based on capture histories constructed by 3 independent investigators. We estimated the abundances of pumas using mark?resight models in program MARK and then estimated densities ad hoc. We also estimated densities directly using spatial mark? resight models implemented in a Bayesian framework. Puma densities did not vary substantially among observers but estimates generated from the 3 statistical techniques did differ. Density estimates (pumas/100 km2) from spatial mark?resight models were lower (0.22?7.92) and had increased precision compared to those from nonspatial capture?recapture (0.50?19.35) and mark?resight techniques (0.54?14.70). Our study is the 1st to estimate the density of a population of carnivores, where only a subset of the individuals are naturally marked, using camera-trapping surveys in combination with spatial mark?resight models. The development of spatial mark?resight and spatially explicit capture?recapture techniques creates the potential for using a single cameratrapping array to estimate the density of multiple, sympatric carnivores, including both partially marked and uniquely marked species.