The spatial distribution and population density of tigers in mountainous terrain of Bhutan

Tshering Tempa; Mark Hebblewhite; Jousha F. Goldberg; Nawang Norbu; Tshewang R. Wangchuk; Wenhong Xiao; L. Scott Mills

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2019.07.037

The spatial distribution and population density of tigers in mountainous terrain of Bhutan

Tshering Tempa
, Mark Hebblewhite
, Jousha F. Goldberg
, Nawang Norbu
, Tshewang R. Wangchuk
, Wenhong Xiao
, L. Scott Mills

Office of Research and Creative Scholarship

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

33 Scopus citations

Abstract

Habitat loss, prey depletion, and direct poaching for the illegal wildlife trade are endangering large carnivores across the globe. Tigers (Panthera tigris) have lost 93% of their historical range and are experiencing rapid population declines. A dominant paradigm of current tiger conservation focuses on conservation of 6% of the presently occupied tiger habitat deemed to be tiger source sites. In Bhutan, little was known about tiger distribution or abundance during the time of such classification, and no part of the country was included in the so-called 6% solution. Here we evaluate whether Bhutan is a potential tiger source site by rigorously estimating tiger density and spatial distribution across the country. We used large scale remote-camera trapping across n = 1129 sites in 2014–2015 to survey all potential tiger range in Bhutan. We estimated 90 individual tigers (60 females) and a mean density of 0.23 adult tigers per 100 km². Bhutan has significantly higher numbers of tigers than almost all identified source sites in the 6% solution. With low human density and large swaths of forest cover, the landscape of Bhutan and adjacent northeast India is a promising stronghold for tigers and should be prioritized in large-scale conservation efforts.

Original language	English
Article number	108192
Journal	Biological Conservation
Volume	238
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2019.07.037
State	Published - Oct 2019

Funding

The whole Department of Forests and Park Services (DoFPS) was behind Nation-wide tiger survey and many individuals participated in many ways. We would like the thank all field staff under DoFPS who participated in the nationwide tiger survey. We would also like to thank Ugyen Tenzin (from UWICE), Sangay Dorji (NCD), Dorji Duba (from JSWNP), Tshering (JSWNP), Letro (JSWNP), Dew Badhur Kumar (RMNP), and Mr. Tashi Dendup (UWICER) for their hard work and dedication in setting camera traps and getting camera traps data. We had the opportunity to work with some truly exceptional leaders within the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests. We thank His Excellency Lyonpo Yeshi Dorji, the former Agriculture and Forests Minister, His Excellency Lyonpo Yeshy Penjor, the current Agriculture and Forests Minister, Dasho Rinzin Dorji, Honorable Secretary, Dasho Chencho Norbu, former Director General of Department of Forests and Park Services (DoFPS), Mr. Phento Tshering, former Director of DoFPS, and Mr. Lobzang Dorji, the current Director of DoFPS for their support and guidance and support.We would also like to thank Bhutan Foundation, Jigme Singye Wangchuck Research and Training Fund at UWICE, WWF , WCS , National Geographic Society (Waitt Grants), and Karuna Foundation for their generous funding support. The whole Department of Forests and Park Services (DoFPS) was behind Nation-wide tiger survey and many individuals participated in many ways. We would like the thank all field staff under DoFPS who participated in the nationwide tiger survey. We would also like to thank Ugyen Tenzin (from UWICE), Sangay Dorji (NCD), Dorji Duba (from JSWNP), Tshering (JSWNP), Letro (JSWNP), Dew Badhur Kumar (RMNP), and Mr. Tashi Dendup (UWICER) for their hard work and dedication in setting camera traps and getting camera traps data. We had the opportunity to work with some truly exceptional leaders within the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests. We thank His Excellency Lyonpo Yeshi Dorji, the former Agriculture and Forests Minister, His Excellency Lyonpo Yeshy Penjor, the current Agriculture and Forests Minister, Dasho Rinzin Dorji, Honorable Secretary, Dasho Chencho Norbu, former Director General of Department of Forests and Park Services (DoFPS), Mr. Phento Tshering, former Director of DoFPS, and Mr. Lobzang Dorji, the current Director of DoFPS for their support and guidance and support.We would also like to thank Bhutan Foundation, Jigme Singye Wangchuck Research and Training Fund at UWICE, WWF, WCS, National Geographic Society (Waitt Grants), and Karuna Foundation for their generous funding support.

Funders
Bhutan foundation
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Hornocker Wildlife Institute/Wildlife Conservation Society
National Geographic Society
Ministry of Forests and Environment
WWF International

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10.1016/j.biocon.2019.07.037

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@article{129a7b1778ae4cb889842d01859f2671,

title = "The spatial distribution and population density of tigers in mountainous terrain of Bhutan",

abstract = "Habitat loss, prey depletion, and direct poaching for the illegal wildlife trade are endangering large carnivores across the globe. Tigers (Panthera tigris) have lost 93\% of their historical range and are experiencing rapid population declines. A dominant paradigm of current tiger conservation focuses on conservation of 6\% of the presently occupied tiger habitat deemed to be tiger source sites. In Bhutan, little was known about tiger distribution or abundance during the time of such classification, and no part of the country was included in the so-called 6\% solution. Here we evaluate whether Bhutan is a potential tiger source site by rigorously estimating tiger density and spatial distribution across the country. We used large scale remote-camera trapping across n = 1129 sites in 2014–2015 to survey all potential tiger range in Bhutan. We estimated 90 individual tigers (60 females) and a mean density of 0.23 adult tigers per 100 km2. Bhutan has significantly higher numbers of tigers than almost all identified source sites in the 6\% solution. With low human density and large swaths of forest cover, the landscape of Bhutan and adjacent northeast India is a promising stronghold for tigers and should be prioritized in large-scale conservation efforts.",

author = "Tshering Tempa and Mark Hebblewhite and Goldberg, \{Jousha F.\} and Nawang Norbu and Wangchuk, \{Tshewang R.\} and Wenhong Xiao and Mills, \{L. Scott\}",

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year = "2019",

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doi = "10.1016/j.biocon.2019.07.037",

language = "English",

volume = "238",

journal = "Biological Conservation",

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AU - Tempa, Tshering

AU - Hebblewhite, Mark

AU - Goldberg, Jousha F.

AU - Norbu, Nawang

AU - Wangchuk, Tshewang R.

AU - Xiao, Wenhong

AU - Mills, L. Scott

PY - 2019/10

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N2 - Habitat loss, prey depletion, and direct poaching for the illegal wildlife trade are endangering large carnivores across the globe. Tigers (Panthera tigris) have lost 93% of their historical range and are experiencing rapid population declines. A dominant paradigm of current tiger conservation focuses on conservation of 6% of the presently occupied tiger habitat deemed to be tiger source sites. In Bhutan, little was known about tiger distribution or abundance during the time of such classification, and no part of the country was included in the so-called 6% solution. Here we evaluate whether Bhutan is a potential tiger source site by rigorously estimating tiger density and spatial distribution across the country. We used large scale remote-camera trapping across n = 1129 sites in 2014–2015 to survey all potential tiger range in Bhutan. We estimated 90 individual tigers (60 females) and a mean density of 0.23 adult tigers per 100 km2. Bhutan has significantly higher numbers of tigers than almost all identified source sites in the 6% solution. With low human density and large swaths of forest cover, the landscape of Bhutan and adjacent northeast India is a promising stronghold for tigers and should be prioritized in large-scale conservation efforts.

AB - Habitat loss, prey depletion, and direct poaching for the illegal wildlife trade are endangering large carnivores across the globe. Tigers (Panthera tigris) have lost 93% of their historical range and are experiencing rapid population declines. A dominant paradigm of current tiger conservation focuses on conservation of 6% of the presently occupied tiger habitat deemed to be tiger source sites. In Bhutan, little was known about tiger distribution or abundance during the time of such classification, and no part of the country was included in the so-called 6% solution. Here we evaluate whether Bhutan is a potential tiger source site by rigorously estimating tiger density and spatial distribution across the country. We used large scale remote-camera trapping across n = 1129 sites in 2014–2015 to survey all potential tiger range in Bhutan. We estimated 90 individual tigers (60 females) and a mean density of 0.23 adult tigers per 100 km2. Bhutan has significantly higher numbers of tigers than almost all identified source sites in the 6% solution. With low human density and large swaths of forest cover, the landscape of Bhutan and adjacent northeast India is a promising stronghold for tigers and should be prioritized in large-scale conservation efforts.

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DO - 10.1016/j.biocon.2019.07.037

M3 - Article

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SN - 0006-3207

VL - 238

JO - Biological Conservation

JF - Biological Conservation

M1 - 108192

ER -

The spatial distribution and population density of tigers in mountainous terrain of Bhutan

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