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Measuring body dimensions of leopards (Panthera pardus) from camera trap photographs

Measurement of body dimensions of carnivores usually requires the chemical immobilization of subjects. This process can be dangerous, costly and potentially harmful to the target individuals. Development of an alternative, inexpensive, and non-invasive method therefore warrants attention. The object...

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Autores principales: Tarugara, Allan, Clegg, Bruce W., Gandiwa, Edson, Muposhi, Victor K., Wenham, Colin M.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: PeerJ Inc. 2019
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6754725/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31579582
http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.7630
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author Tarugara, Allan
Clegg, Bruce W.
Gandiwa, Edson
Muposhi, Victor K.
Wenham, Colin M.
author_facet Tarugara, Allan
Clegg, Bruce W.
Gandiwa, Edson
Muposhi, Victor K.
Wenham, Colin M.
author_sort Tarugara, Allan
collection PubMed
description Measurement of body dimensions of carnivores usually requires the chemical immobilization of subjects. This process can be dangerous, costly and potentially harmful to the target individuals. Development of an alternative, inexpensive, and non-invasive method therefore warrants attention. The objective of this study was to test whether it is possible to obtain accurate measurements of body dimensions of leopards from camera trap photographs. A total of 10 leopards (Panthera pardus) were captured and collared at Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve, Zimbabwe from May 7 to June 20, 2017 and four body measurements namely shoulder height, head-to-tail, body, and tail length were recorded. The same measurements were taken from 101 scaled photographs of the leopards recorded during a baited-camera trapping (BCT) survey conducted from July 1 to October 22, 2017 and differences from the actual measurements calculated. Generalized Linear Mixed Effects Models were used to determine the effect of type of body measurement, photographic scale, posture, and sex on the accuracy of the photograph-based measurements. Type of body measurement and posture had a significant influence on accuracy. Least squares means of absolute differences between actual and photographic measurements showed that body length in the level back-straight forelimb-parallel tail posture was measured most accurately from photographs (2.0 cm, 95% CI [1.5–2.7 cm]), while head-to-tail dimensions in the arched back-bent forelimb-parallel tail posture were least accurate (8.3 cm, 95% CI [6.1–11.2 cm]). Using the BCT design, we conclude that it is possible to collect accurate morphometric data of leopards from camera trap photographs. Repeat measurements over time can provide researchers with vital body size and growth rate information which may help improve the monitoring and management of species of conservation concern, such as leopards.
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spelling pubmed-67547252019-10-02 Measuring body dimensions of leopards (Panthera pardus) from camera trap photographs Tarugara, Allan Clegg, Bruce W. Gandiwa, Edson Muposhi, Victor K. Wenham, Colin M. PeerJ Animal Behavior Measurement of body dimensions of carnivores usually requires the chemical immobilization of subjects. This process can be dangerous, costly and potentially harmful to the target individuals. Development of an alternative, inexpensive, and non-invasive method therefore warrants attention. The objective of this study was to test whether it is possible to obtain accurate measurements of body dimensions of leopards from camera trap photographs. A total of 10 leopards (Panthera pardus) were captured and collared at Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve, Zimbabwe from May 7 to June 20, 2017 and four body measurements namely shoulder height, head-to-tail, body, and tail length were recorded. The same measurements were taken from 101 scaled photographs of the leopards recorded during a baited-camera trapping (BCT) survey conducted from July 1 to October 22, 2017 and differences from the actual measurements calculated. Generalized Linear Mixed Effects Models were used to determine the effect of type of body measurement, photographic scale, posture, and sex on the accuracy of the photograph-based measurements. Type of body measurement and posture had a significant influence on accuracy. Least squares means of absolute differences between actual and photographic measurements showed that body length in the level back-straight forelimb-parallel tail posture was measured most accurately from photographs (2.0 cm, 95% CI [1.5–2.7 cm]), while head-to-tail dimensions in the arched back-bent forelimb-parallel tail posture were least accurate (8.3 cm, 95% CI [6.1–11.2 cm]). Using the BCT design, we conclude that it is possible to collect accurate morphometric data of leopards from camera trap photographs. Repeat measurements over time can provide researchers with vital body size and growth rate information which may help improve the monitoring and management of species of conservation concern, such as leopards. PeerJ Inc. 2019-09-18 /pmc/articles/PMC6754725/ /pubmed/31579582 http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.7630 Text en © 2019 Tarugara et al. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, reproduction and adaptation in any medium and for any purpose provided that it is properly attributed. For attribution, the original author(s), title, publication source (PeerJ) and either DOI or URL of the article must be cited.
spellingShingle Animal Behavior
Tarugara, Allan
Clegg, Bruce W.
Gandiwa, Edson
Muposhi, Victor K.
Wenham, Colin M.
Measuring body dimensions of leopards (Panthera pardus) from camera trap photographs
title Measuring body dimensions of leopards (Panthera pardus) from camera trap photographs
title_full Measuring body dimensions of leopards (Panthera pardus) from camera trap photographs
title_fullStr Measuring body dimensions of leopards (Panthera pardus) from camera trap photographs
title_full_unstemmed Measuring body dimensions of leopards (Panthera pardus) from camera trap photographs
title_short Measuring body dimensions of leopards (Panthera pardus) from camera trap photographs
title_sort measuring body dimensions of leopards (panthera pardus) from camera trap photographs
topic Animal Behavior
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6754725/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31579582
http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.7630
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