Effects of temporary closure of a national park on leopard movement and behaviour in tropical Asia
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Published source details
Ngoprasert D., Lynam A.J. & Gale G.A. (2017) Effects of temporary closure of a national park on leopard movement and behaviour in tropical Asia. Mammalian Biology, 82, 65-73.
Published source details Ngoprasert D., Lynam A.J. & Gale G.A. (2017) Effects of temporary closure of a national park on leopard movement and behaviour in tropical Asia. Mammalian Biology, 82, 65-73.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Exclude or limit number of visitors to reserves or protected areas Action Link |
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Exclude or limit number of visitors to reserves or protected areas
A before-and-after study in 2003–2004 of a forest national park in Thailand (Ngoprasert et al. 2017) found that closing the park to visitors resulted in leopards Panthera pardus using larger areas of the park. At least six leopards were recorded and the density did not differ between when the park was closed or open to visitors. However, leopards occurred in more locations during the closed period (22 camera-trap locations) than in the open period (13 camera-trap locations). Additionally, there was a 45% higher daily detection rate during the closed than during the open period. Human presence was lower during the closed period (nine photos) than the open period (68 photos). Following flooding in October 2003, the park was closed to visitors. Camera traps were placed for three weeks at each of 72 locations, which were approximately 2 km apart, between November 2003 and January 2004. Previously, the same monitoring strategy had been implemented during March–May 2003, when the park was open to visitors.
(Summarised by: Nick Littlewood)
