TY - JOUR
T1 - Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) energetic requirements
T2 - Implications for conserving wild tigers
AU - Miller, C. S.
AU - Hebblewhite, M.
AU - Petrunenko, Y. K.
AU - Seryodkin, I. V.
AU - Goodrich, J. M.
AU - Miquelle, D. G.
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank A. Astafiev, Director, and Y. Pimenova, Assistant Director of the Sikhote-Alin Zapovednik for their ongoing support of our research. The Siberian Tiger Project staff, particularly N. Rybin and V. Melnikov, helped collect data in the field. Comments from J. Stetz and three anonymous reviewers substantially improved the manuscript. Funding was provided by the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, Panthera’s Kaplan Graduate Award Program, Liz Claiborne and Art Ortenburg Foundation, Save the Tiger Fund, USFWS Tiger Rhino Conservation Fund, University of Montana, and the Wildlife Conservation Society.
PY - 2014/2
Y1 - 2014/2
N2 - The Global Tiger Recovery Program has identified increasing prey populations as a crucial component of recovering wild tiger numbers because prey density is a key determinant of tiger density, especially for Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) living at the northern limit of tiger distribution, where both tiger and prey densities are the lowest range wide. To understand potential prey requirements for Amur tigers, we developed a predictive energetics model based on allometric scaling and literature values for the costs of reproduction to estimate energetic requirements. We parameterized the energetics model with empirical activity budgets and movement rates estimated from 5. GPS radiocollared tigers between 2009 and 2013. To avoid starvation, adult male tigers must consume a minimum of 5.2. kg/day, non-reproducing adult females 3.9. kg/day, and an adult female raising 4 cubs to independence needs 200% more energy, or an average of 11.4. kg/day over the 651. day reproduction period. Given knowledge of Amur tiger diet composition and prey biomass in the Russian Far East, male tigers would consume 24.8. prey per year, non-reproducing females 18.2. prey per year, and a female raising 4 cubs 53.8. prey per year. However, our energetics model underestimated empirical consumption rates, emphasizing that while the relative costs of reproduction are valid, wild tigers are likely consuming more prey than predicted by basal metabolic demands alone. Quantifying the energetic requirements of tigers allows resource managers to estimate nutritional carrying capacity, estimate the impact of tigers on prey, and develop science-based conservation recommendations.
AB - The Global Tiger Recovery Program has identified increasing prey populations as a crucial component of recovering wild tiger numbers because prey density is a key determinant of tiger density, especially for Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) living at the northern limit of tiger distribution, where both tiger and prey densities are the lowest range wide. To understand potential prey requirements for Amur tigers, we developed a predictive energetics model based on allometric scaling and literature values for the costs of reproduction to estimate energetic requirements. We parameterized the energetics model with empirical activity budgets and movement rates estimated from 5. GPS radiocollared tigers between 2009 and 2013. To avoid starvation, adult male tigers must consume a minimum of 5.2. kg/day, non-reproducing adult females 3.9. kg/day, and an adult female raising 4 cubs to independence needs 200% more energy, or an average of 11.4. kg/day over the 651. day reproduction period. Given knowledge of Amur tiger diet composition and prey biomass in the Russian Far East, male tigers would consume 24.8. prey per year, non-reproducing females 18.2. prey per year, and a female raising 4 cubs 53.8. prey per year. However, our energetics model underestimated empirical consumption rates, emphasizing that while the relative costs of reproduction are valid, wild tigers are likely consuming more prey than predicted by basal metabolic demands alone. Quantifying the energetic requirements of tigers allows resource managers to estimate nutritional carrying capacity, estimate the impact of tigers on prey, and develop science-based conservation recommendations.
KW - Amur tiger
KW - Energetics
KW - Panthera tigris altaica
KW - Prey requirements
KW - Russian Far East
KW - Tiger
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84893178422&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.biocon.2013.12.012
DO - 10.1016/j.biocon.2013.12.012
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84893178422
SN - 0006-3207
VL - 170
SP - 120
EP - 129
JO - Biological Conservation
JF - Biological Conservation
ER -