Explore the vast range of titles available.

Time and space are essential niche dimensions along which species tend to coexist. We assessed spatiotemporal resource partitioning between leopards and lions and hypothesized the differential use of spatiotemporal resources by leopards with respect to lions. We used a systematic camera trap survey to collect the data at 50 sites. The data were analyzed using overlap indices, and non-parametric test statistics to assess the spatiotemporal associations. Leopard and lion were crepuscular and nocturnal in their activity pattern. They did not segregate temporally and showed substantially high overlap and strong temporal association. Leopard segregates with lion spatially by overlapping less and showing no association in space use at specific camera trap sites. Leopards showed preference for dense habitats, while the lion preferred both dense and open habitats. Leopard showed moderate-overlap and positive association with key prey species, i.e., chital and sambar. Lion, however showed low site-specific overlap and negative association with its crucial prey species, i.e., sambar and wild pig. We conclude that site-specific spatial partitioning along with differential affinities for habitat is helping leopards to partition their spatio-temporal resources with lions and hence facilitate coexistence of leopards with lions in Gir forest.

Time and space are essential niche dimensions along which species tend to coexist. We assessed spatiotemporal resource partitioning between leopards and lions and hypothesized the differential use of spatiotemporal resources by leopards with respect to lions. We used a systematic camera trap survey to collect the data at 50 sites. The data were analyzed using overlap indices, and non-parametric test statistics to assess the spatiotemporal associations. Leopard and lion were crepuscular and nocturnal in their activity pattern. They did not segregate temporally and showed substantially high overlap and strong temporal association. Leopard segregates with lion spatially by overlapping less and showing no association in space use at specific camera trap sites. Leopards showed preference for dense habitats, while the lion preferred both dense and open habitats. Leopard showed moderate-overlap and positive association with key prey species, i.e., chital and sambar. Lion, however showed low site-specific overlap and negative association with its crucial prey species, i.e., sambar and wild pig. We conclude that site-specific spatial partitioning along with differential affinities for habitat is helping leopards to partition their spatio-temporal resources with lions and hence facilitate coexistence of leopards with lions in Gir forest.

Time and space are essential niche dimensions along which species tend to coexist. We assessed spatiotemporal resource partitioning between leopards and lions and hypothesized the differential use of spatiotemporal resources by leopards with respect to lions. We used a systematic camera trap survey to collect the data at 50 sites. The data were analyzed using overlap indices, and non-parametric test statistics to assess the spatiotemporal associations. Leopard and lion were crepuscular and nocturnal in their activity pattern. They did not segregate temporally and showed substantially high overlap and strong temporal association. Leopard segregates with lion spatially by overlapping less and showing no association in space use at specific camera trap sites. Leopards showed preference for dense habitats, while the lion preferred both dense and open habitats. Leopard showed moderate-overlap and positive association with key prey species, i.e., chital and sambar. Lion, however showed low site-specific overlap and negative association with its crucial prey species, i.e., sambar and wild pig. We conclude that site-specific spatial partitioning along with differential affinities for habitat is helping leopards to partition their spatio-temporal resources with lions and hence facilitate coexistence of leopards with lions in Gir forest.

Despite their high dietary and behavioural flexibility, leopards have lost > 70% of their historic range due to the causes like habitat loss, prey depletion and poaching. Precise abundance estimates are among the essential information required for leopard conservation. We provide estimates of leopard population density from Gir Protected Area, Gujarat, India, using camera traps deployed from May to June 2017. Our survey consists of 50 sampling sites covering an area of 200 km 2 in the western part of Gir. We used the likelihood—based spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) framework to assess leopard density in Gir. We identified 39 unique leopard individuals, among which 21 were males, 15 were females and three were of unknown sex. SECR analysis found the leopard density in Gir to be 19.90 ± 3.38 (S.E.) individuals/100 km 2 , where females had higher detection probabilities (0.14 ± 0.05 (S.E.)) than males (0.09 ± 0.02 (S.E.)). Males had a larger sigma value (σ) (in meters) (953.90 ± 92.99(S.E.)) than females (675.80 ± 84.78 (S.E.)). Possible reasons for the reported high leopard density are stringent protection measures which rule out chances of additive mortality in leopards, high preferred prey density, and limited effect of competitive interactions with Asiatic lions. A very high density of leopards could have implications for their own population regulation, prey population dynamics, and maintenance of the leopard population in the surrounding area through dispersal. The present study holds the potential to act as a baseline for future monitoring and inform management strategies for leopards in Gir.