Habitat Occupancy of the Critically Endangered Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) Under Human Disturbance in an Urban Environment: Implications for Conservation

Habitat Occupancy of the Critically Endangered Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) Under Human Disturbance in an Urban Environment: Implications for Conservation

ABSTRACT Globally, urban expansion has led to habitat fragmentation and altered resource availability, thus posing significant challenges for wildlife. The Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) is a critically endangered species experiencing population decline due to illegal trade and habitat degrad...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Asmit Subba, Ganesh Tamang, Sony Lama, Jash Hang Limbu, Nabin Basnet, Randall C. Kyes, Laxman Khanal
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-12-01
Series:Ecology and Evolution
Subjects:
anthropogenic threats
Chinese pangolin
occupancy
termite mounds
urban landscape
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70726
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:ABSTRACT Globally, urban expansion has led to habitat fragmentation and altered resource availability, thus posing significant challenges for wildlife. The Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) is a critically endangered species experiencing population decline due to illegal trade and habitat degradation. This study analyzed variables affecting habitat occupancy of Chinese pangolins using a single‐season occupancy model across 134 study grids (600 m × 600 m) in peri‐urban areas of Dharan Sub‐Metropolitan City, eastern Nepal. We identified termite mounds as a significant key factor (top model with AICwt = 1) in the detection probability of Chinese pangolin burrows (βTermite mounds = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.07 to 1.89). Additionally, the Human Disturbance Index (HDI) emerged as the key variable for habitat use occupancy (AIC = 231.96, AICwt = 0.309), indicating a significant negative impact (βHDI = −6.555, 95% CI = −11.324 to −1.7723). We observed a mean HDI of 0.475 ± 0.04 in the grids where Chinese pangolins were detected, with higher HDI values correlating with reduced Chinese pangolin occupancy. For the long‐term conservation of Chinese pangolins in urban landscapes, it is crucial to reduce anthropogenic activities and implement conservation measures to protect suitable habitats with abundant termite mounds.
ISSN:2045-7758

Similar Items