A comparison of ranger patrol survey to camera trapping for assessment of terrestrial mammal diversity in Htanmanthi Wildlife Sanctuary, Myanmar
Myo Min Latt
A B , Jonathan O. Hernandez C , Si Ho Han A D , Saw Htun E F , Hla Naing F , Kyaw Moe E F , Zarni Aung F , Aung Ye Tun F , Okka Myo F , Pyae Phyo Kyaw E F , Thura Nyein Zaw E F and Byung Bae Park A *
A
B
C
D
E
F
Abstract
Mammals are good indicators of ecosystem health and producers of ecosystem services; thus, monitoring and assessing their diversity can provide foundational knowledge for future-proof conservation and management measures in a changing environment.
First, the study aimed to assess the effectiveness of different survey methods, i.e. camera trap survey (CTS), ranger patrol survey (RPS), and CTS + RPS, in monitoring the species richness of mammal populations. The second aim was to investigate the potential factors influencing the different survey methods.
In the survey conducted from 2014 to 2019, a systematic placement of camera traps (n = 769) was employed following a mark–recapture framework for CTS, whereas a total of 212 ranger patrols, covering 13,540.74 km, were carried out to observe different detection evidences of mammals at the study site for RPS.
Both CTS and RPS can record different mammal species (n = 65), considering their trophic characters, activity patterns, body size, and behavior, although each method comes with its own pros and cons. A negative binomial generalized linear model revealed that increasing the number of camera trap locations and average camera trap nights exhibited a higher likelihood of detecting a greater diversity of mammal species (P < 0.001) by using CTS. The likelihood of observing a greater number of mammal species was found to increase with the distance of patrol (P < 0.001) and the duration of patrol (P < 0.001) for RPS.
The use of CTS + RPS survey methods can be more effective than using either CTS or RPS individually.
Our findings may help improve the long-term mammal species monitoring system by guiding the selection of appropriate survey methods for informed future research and conservation efforts in HWS.
Keywords: camera trapping, conservation, faunal diversity, mammal monitoring, management strategies, ranger patrol, species diversity, wildlife.
References
Ahumada JA, Silva CEF, Gajapersad K, Hallam C, Hurtado J, Martin E, McWilliam A, Mugerwa B, O’Brien T, Rovero F, Sheil D, Spironello WR, Winarni N, Andelman SJ (2011) Community structure and diversity of tropical forest mammals: data from a global camera trap network. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 366, 2703-2711.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Arévalo JE, Méndez Y, Roberts M, Alvarado G, Vargas S (2015) Monitoring species of mammals using track collection by rangers in the Tilarán mountain range, Costa Rica. UNED Research Journal 7(2), 249-257.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Burton AC (2012) Critical evaluation of a long-term, locally-based wildlife monitoring program in West Africa. Biodiversity and Conservation 21, 3079-3094.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Burton AC, Neilson E, Moreira D, Ladle A, Steenweg R, Fisher JT, Bayne E, Boutin S (2015) Review: Wildlife camera trapping: a review and recommendations for linking surveys to ecological processes. Journal of Applied Ecology 52, 675-685.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Ciuti S, Northrup JM, Muhly TB, Simi S, Musiani M, Pitt JA, Boyce MS (2012) Effects of humans on behaviour of wildlife exceed those of natural predators in a landscape of fear. PLoS ONE 7(11), e50611.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Cremonesi G, Bisi F, Gaffi L, Zaw T, Naing H, Moe K, Aung Z, Gagliardi A, Wauters LA, Preatoni DG, Martinoli A (2021a) Evaluation of human disturbance on the activity of medium–large mammals in Myanmar tropical forests. Forests 12(3), 290.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Cremonesi G, Bisi F, Gaffi L, Zaw T, Naing H, Moe K, Aung Z, Mazzamuto MV, Gagliardi A, Wauters LA, Preatoni DG, Martinoli A (2021b) Camera trapping to assess status and composition of mammal communities in a biodiversity hotspot in Myanmar. Animals 11(3), 880.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Critchlow R, Plumptre AJ, Alidria B, Nsubuga M, Driciru M, Rwetsiba A, Wanyama F, Beale CM (2017) Improving law-enforcement effectiveness and efficiency in protected areas using ranger-collected monitoring data. Conservation Letters 10(5), 572-580.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Deiner K, Bik HM, Mächler E, Seymour M, Lacoursière-Roussel A, Altermatt F, Creer S, Bista I, Lodge DM, de Vere N, Pfrender ME, Bernatchez L (2017) Environmental DNA metabarcoding: transforming how we survey animal and plant communities. Molecular Ecology 26(21), 5872-5895.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Delisle ZJ, Flaherty EA, Nobbe MR, Wzientek CM, Swihart RK (2021) Next-generation camera trapping: systematic review of historic trends suggests keys to expanded research applications in ecology and conservation. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 9, 617996.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Einoder LD, Southwell DM, Lahoz-Monfort JJ, Gillespie GR, Fisher A, Wintle BA (2018) Occupancy and detectability modelling of vertebrates in northern Australia using multiple sampling methods. PLoS ONE 13(9), e0203304.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Erena MG (2022) Assessment of medium and large-sized mammals and their behavioral response toward anthropogenic activities in Jorgo-Wato Protected Forest, Western Ethiopia. Ecology and Evolution 12(2), e8529.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Feng J, Sun Y, Li H, Xiao Y, Zhang D, Smith JLD, Ge J, Wang T (2021) Assessing mammal species richness and occupancy in a Northeast Asian temperate forest shared by cattle. Diversity and Distributions 27(5), 857-872.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Foster RJ, Harmsen BJ (2011) A critique of density estimation from camera-trap data. Journal of Wildlife Management 92, 224-236.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Fragoso JMMV, Levi T, Oliveira LFB, Luzar JB, Overman H, Read JM, Silvius KM (2016) Line Transect surveys underdetect terrestrial mammals: implications for the sustainability of subsistence hunting. PLoS ONE 11(4), e0152659.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
García-Rodríguez A, Albrecht J, Farwig N, Frydryszak D, Parres A, Schabo DG, Selva N (2022) Functional complementarity of seed dispersal services provided by birds and mammals in an alpine ecosystem. Journal of Ecology 110(1), 232-247.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Gilchrist G, Mallory M, Merkel F (2005) Can local ecological knowledge contribute to wildlife management? case studies of migratory birds. Ecology and Society 10(1), 26267752.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Gormley AM, Forsyth DM, Griffioen P, Lindeman M, Ramsey DSL, Scroggie MP, Woodford L (2011) Using presence-only and presence–absence data to estimate the current and potential distributions of established invasive species. Journal of Applied Ecology 48(1), 25-34.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Hedwig D, Kienast I, Bonnet M, Curran BK, Courage A, Boesch C, Kuhl HS, King T (2018) A camera trap assessment of the forest mammal community within the transitional savannah-forest mosaic of the Batéké Plateau National Park, Gabon. African Journal of Ecology 56(4), 777-790.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Henrich M, Hartig F, Dormann CF, Kühl HS, Peters W, Franke F, Peterka T, Šustr P, Heurich M (2022) Deer behavior affects density estimates with camera traps, but is outweighed by spatial variability. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 10, e881502.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Hernandez JO, Buot IE, Jr., Park BB (2022) Prioritizing choices in the conservation of flora and fauna: research trends and methodological approaches. Land 11(10), 1645.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
IUCN (2023) The IUCN red list of threatened species. Available at https://www.iucnredlist.org/ [accessed 20 January 2023]
Jordano P, Garcıa C, Godoy JA, García-Castano JL (2007) Differential contribution of frugivores to complex seed dispersal. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 104(9), 3278-3282.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Kays R, Arbogast BS, Baker-Whatton M, Beirne C, Boone HM, Bowler M, Burneo SF, Cove MV, Ding P, Espinosa S, Gonçalves ALS, Hansen CP, Jansen PA, Kolowski JM, Knowles TW, Lima MGM, Millspaugh J, McShea WJ, Pacifici K, Parsons AW, Pease BS, Rovero F, Santos F, Schuttler SG, Sheil D, Si X, Snider M, Spironello WR (2020) An empirical evaluation of camera trap study design: how many, how long and when? Methods in Ecology and Evolution 11(6), 700-713.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Kyaw PP, Macdonald DW, Penjor U, Htun S, Naing H, Burnham D, Kaszta Ż, Cushman SA (2021) Investigating carnivore guild structure: spatial and temporal relationships amongst threatened felids in Myanmar. ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information 10(12), 808.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Latt MM, Park BB (2022) Tree species composition and forest community types along environmental gradients in Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary, Myanmar: implications for action prioritization in conservation. Plants 11(16), 2180.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Lewis JS, Spaulding S, Swanson H, Keeley W, Gramza AR, VandeWoude S, Crooks KR (2021) Human activity influences wildlife populations and activity patterns: implications for spatial and temporal refuges. Ecosphere 12(5), e03487.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Lindenmayer DB, Gibbons P, Bourke M, Burgman M, Dickman CR, Ferrier S, Fitzsimons J, Freudenberger D, Garnett ST, Groves C, Hobbs RJ, Kingsford RT, Krebs C, Legge S, Lowe AJ, McLean R, Montambault J, Possingham H, Radford J, Robinson D, Smallbone L, Thomas D, Varcoe T, Vardon M, Wardle G, Woinarski J, Zerger A (2012) Improving biodiversity monitoring. Austral Ecology 37(3), 285-294.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Lwin YH, Wang L, Li G, Maung KW, Swa K, Quan R-C (2021) Diversity, distribution and conservation of large mammals in northern Myanmar. Global Ecology and Conservation 29, e01736.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Lyra-Jorge MC, Ciocheti G, Pivello VR, Meirelles ST (2008) Comparing methods for sampling large- and medium-sized mammals: camera traps and track plots. European Journal of Wildlife Research 54, 739-744.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Maxwell SL, Cazalis V, Dudley N, Hoffmann M, Rodrigues ASL, Stolton S, Visconti P, Woodley S, Kingston N, Lewis E, Maron M, Strassburg BBN, Wenger A, Jonas HD, Venter O, Watson JEM (2020) Area-based conservation in the twenty-first century. Nature 586(7828), 217-227.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Mayaux P, Mimica N, Aveling C (2016) Wildlife conservation for development. Available at https://europa.eu/capacity4dev/articles/wildlife-conservation-development [accessed 6 March 2023]
Moilanen A (2002) Implications of empirical data quality to metapopulation model parameter estimation and application. Oikos 96(3), 516-530.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Montgomery RA, Roloff GJ, Millspaugh JJ (2012) Importance of visibility when evaluating animal response to roads. Wildlife Biology 18(4), 393-405.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Moore JF, Hines JE, Mulindahabi F, Masozera MK (2019) Factors affecting species richness and distribution spatially and temporally within a protected area using multi-season occupancy models. Animal Conservation 22(5), 503-514.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Myers N, Mittermeier RA, Mittermeier CG, da Fonseca GAB, Kent J (2000) Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature 403, 853-858.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Naing H, Ross J, Burnham D, Htun S, Macdonald DW (2019) Population density estimates and conservation concern for clouded leopards Neofelis nebulosa, marbled cats Pardofelis marmorata and tigers Panthera tigris in Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary, Sagaing, Myanmar. Oryx 53(4), 654-662.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
O’Brien TG, Kinnaird MF, Wibisono HT (2003) Crouching tigers, hidden prey: Sumatran tiger and prey populations in a tropical forest landscape. Animal Conservation 6(2), 131-139.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Palmer MS, Swanson A, Kosmala M, Arnold T, Packer C (2018) Evaluating relative abundance indices for terrestrial herbivores from large-scale camera trap surveys. African Journal of Ecology 56(4), 791-803.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Pease BS, Nielsen CK, Holzmueller EJ (2016) Single-camera trap survey designs miss detections: impacts on estimates of occupancy and community metrics. PLoS ONE 11(11), e0166689.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Plumptre AJ, Fuller RA, Rwetsiba A, Wanyama F, Kujirakwinja D, Driciru M, Nangendo G, Watson JEM, Possingham HP (2014) Efficiently targeting resources to deter illegal activities in protected areas. Journal of Applied Ecology 51(3), 714-725.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Riggio J, Kija H, Masenga E, Mbwilo F, Van de Perre F, Caro T (2018) Sensitivity of Africa’s larger mammals to humans. Journal for Nature Conservation 43, 136-145.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Roberts NJ (2011) Investigation into survey techniques of large mammals: surveyor competence and camera-trapping vs. transect-sampling. Bioscience Horizons: The International Journal of Student Research 4(1), 40-49.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Silveira L, Jácomo ATA, Diniz-Filho JAF (2003) Camera trap, line transect census and track surveys: a comparative evaluation. Biological Conservation 114(3), 351-355.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Sinclair ARE (2003) The role of mammals as ecosystem landscapers. Alces 39, 161-176.
| Google Scholar |
Steinbeiser CM, Kioko J, Maresi A, Kaitilia R, Kiffner C (2019) Relative abundance and activity patterns explain method-related differences in mammalian species richness estimates. Journal of Mammalogy 100(1), 192-201.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Stem C, Margoluis R, Salafsky N, Brown M (2005) Monitoring and evaluation in conservation: a review of trends and approaches. Conservation Biology 19(2), 295-309.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Thant ZM, May R, Røskaft E (2022) Human–elephant coexistence challenges in Myanmar: an analysis of fatal elephant attacks on humans and elephant mortality. Journal for Nature Conservation 69, 126260.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Tsunamoto Y, Naoe S, Masaki T, Isagi Y (2020) Different contributions of birds and mammals to seed dispersal of a fleshy-fruited tree. Basic and Applied Ecology 43, 66-75.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Williams HF, Bartholomew DC, Amakobe B, Githiru M (2018) Environmental factors affecting the distribution of African elephants in the Kasigau wildlife corridor, SE Kenya. African Journal of Ecology 56(2), 244-253.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Zeileis A, Kleiber C, Jackman S (2008) Regression models for count data in R. Journal of Statistical Software 27(8), 1-25.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Zhang G, Zhu A-X, Huang Z-P, Xiao W (2018) A heuristic-based approach to mitigating positional errors in patrol data for species distribution modeling. Transactions in GIS 22(1), 202-216.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Zwerts JA, Stephenson PJ, Maisels F, Rowcliffe M, Astaras C, Jansen PA, van der Waarde J, Sterck LEHM, Verweij PA, Bruce T, Brittain S, van Kuijk M (2021) Methods for wildlife monitoring in tropical forests: comparing human observations, camera traps, and passive acoustic sensors. Conservation Science and Practice 3(12), e568.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
