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Conserving corridors: an integrated landscape modelling approach to facilitate leopard (Panthera pardus) conservation in the Western Cape, South Africa
Thesis (MScConEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2023
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| _version_ | 1867613958344540160 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Greyling, Eugene |
| author2 | Leslie, Alison |
| author_browse | Greyling, Eugene Leslie, Alison |
| author_facet | Leslie, Alison Greyling, Eugene |
| author_sort | Greyling, Eugene |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MScConEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/129383 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:44:24.894Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publishDateRange | 2023 |
| publishDateSort | 2023 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/129383 Conserving corridors: an integrated landscape modelling approach to facilitate leopard (Panthera pardus) conservation in the Western Cape, South Africa Greyling, Eugene Leslie, Alison Williams, Kathryn Annecke, Wendy Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Conservation Ecology & Entomology. Leopard -- Conservation -- South Africa-- Western Cape Leopard -- Habitat -- South Africa -- Western Cape Corridors (Ecology) -- South Africa Wildlife conservation -- South Africa Landscape ecology UCTD Thesis (MScConEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. Greyling, E. 2023. Conserving corridors: An integrated landscape modelling approach to facilitate leopard (Panthera pardus) conservation in the Western Cape, South Africa. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/916941a0-0810-4a9e-8cd8-e516e47e30bf ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The conservation of free-roaming apex predators, as important eco- and sociological role-players, requires landscape scale conservation management strategies that are informed by both a broad-scale and focussed understanding of the focal species’ behaviour. During a time at which funding and resources within the conservation sphere are severely limited, it is also important to be able to accurately identify and ultimately prioritise localised areas, such as ecological corridors, that may require more urgent research efforts and conservation support. Leopards (Panthera pardus Linnaeus 1758) are the only remaining terrestrial apex predators in the Western Cape Province, a global biodiversity hotspot in South Africa. Here, they fulfil the role of an umbrella, flagship, and keystone species. Yet, research and applied conservation efforts for leopards of this region have historically been conducted through a piecemeal approach. Ensuring functional connectivity and safe passage between leopard sub-populations and core habitats is vital to the species' survival but is still to be fully incorporated into conservation management strategies within the Province. This thesis provides a foundation for the development of a landscape-level conservation strategy for leopards that will not only ensure the species persistence, but enable leopards to thrive, across the fragmented landscape of the Western Cape. By applying a multi-data, multi-scale approach, we sought to obtain a holistic, baseline understanding of leopard distribution and structural connectivity across the region. Province-wide questionnaires were employed to assess leopard population occurrence; a robust dataset of leopard distribution points, as refined by the occupancy analysis output, was used to accurately model habitat suitability; and the resultant map was incorporated into a predominantly impartial, less biased landscape permeability model than before. Ecological-niche factors that are likely to play an important role in accommodating leopards across different spatial scales, ranging from variables influencing occurrence of sub-populations to habitat-use by individuals, were thus identified. Eventually, the integration of three complementary ecological models, while accounting for previously unrecognised biases, delivered an adequately informed and accurate representation of the current state of leopard habitat, distribution, and potential leopard movement pathways across the Province. In summary, a novel coarse-scale occupancy model revealed that the probability of occurrence (ψ) for leopards varies between 0.11 and 1 across the study area (inclusive of a 50 km wide buffer), with a mean regional predicted value of 0.693. Within the jurisdictional boundary of the Western Cape, ~ 41% of land is most likely (i.e., ψ > 0.95) to accommodate leopards. In contrast, ~ 10% of the Province, and of the study area, reflects a ψ < 0.25 for leopards. Leopard populations were found to occur more often in regions characterised by steeper slopes (i.e., more rugged terrain). An up-to-date, informed fine-scale habitat suitability model (HSM) suggested that habitat suitability varied greatly across the greater landscape (0.000015 – 0.98; mean = 0.28). Habitat-use by leopards of the Cape is, among other variables, primarily driven by distance to protected areas; evidence for the presence of leopards was generally found in areas closer to and within these areas. Contrary to expectation, no apparent relationship between anthropogenic factors and leopard space-use was observed. Finally, the permeability model, based on the HSM, indicated a mean landscape permeability for leopards of 0.27 ± 0.15. This conclusive output (map) can be used to determine the location of valuable ecological corridors that may facilitate leopard population connectivity. In essence, it is recommended that the current project is continued to define, identify, prioritise, and investigate wildlife corridors within a socio-ecological context, and repeated going forward to allow for the early recognition of long-term trends that can inform adaptive management practices for the conservation of leopards. Ultimately, conservation is about people – the theoretical delineation of corridors is not enough; corridors are only as valuable as they are practically functional. We call for the collaborative development of a coherent, science-driven, and people-centred leopard conservation strategy for the Western Cape, and inclusion of the species within the provincial biodiversity spatial plan. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die bewaring van vrylopende top-roofdiere, as belangrike eko- en sosiologiese rolspelers, vereis landskapskaal bewaringbestuurstrategieë wat deur beide 'n breëskaalse en gefokusde begrip van die fokusspesie se gedrag ingelig word. Gedurende 'n tyd waarin befondsing en hulpbronne binne die bewaringsfeer erg beperk is, is dit ook belangrik om gelokaliseerde gebiede, soos ekologiese korridors, wat meer dringende navorsingspogings en bewaringsondersteuning mag vereis, akkuraat te identifiseer en uiteindelik te prioritiseer. Luiperds (Panthera pardus Linnaeus 1758) is die enigste oorblywende landtop-roofdiere in die Wes-Kaap Provinsie, 'n globale biodiversiteit-brandpunt in Suid-Afrika. Hier vervul hulle die rol van 'n sambreel-, vlagskip- en sluitsteenspesie. Tog is navorsing en toegepaste bewaringspogings vir luiperds van hierdie streek histories deur 'n stuksgewyse benadering uitgevoer. Die versekering van funksionele konnektiwiteit en veilige deurgang tussen luiperdsubbevolkings en kernhabitatte is noodsaaklik vir die spesie se oorlewing, maar moet nog ten volle geïnkorporeer word in bewaringsbestuurstrategieë binne die Provinsie. Hierdie tesis verskaf 'n grondslag vir die ontwikkeling van 'n landskapvlak-bewaringstrategie vir luiperds wat nie net die spesie se voortbestaan sal verseker nie, maar luiperds kan in staat stel om te floreer, oor die gefragmenteerde landskap van die Wes-Kaap. Deur 'n multi-data, multi-skaal benadering toe te pas, het ons gepoog om 'n holistiese, basislynbegrip van luiperdverspreiding en strukturele konnektiwiteit oor die streek te verkry. Provinsiewye vraelyste is gebruik om die voorkoms/besetting van luiperdbevolkings te bepaal; 'n robuuste datastel van luiperdverspreidingspunte, soos verfyn deur die bevinding van die besettingsanalise, is gebruik om habitatgeskiktheid akkuraat te modelleer; en die resulterende kaart is in 'n grootliks onpartydig en minder bevooroordeelde landskapdeurlaatbaarheidsmodel geïnkorporeer as te vore. Ekologiese nisfaktore wat waarskynlik 'n belangrike rol sal speel in die akkommodering van luiperds oor verskillende ruimtelike skale, wat wissel van veranderlikes wat die voorkoms van sub-bevolkings beïnvloed tot habitatgebruik deur individue, is dus geïdentifiseer. Uiteindelik het die integrasie van drie komplementêre ekologiese modelle, terwyl rekening gehou is met voorheen onerkende vooroordele, 'n voldoende ingeligte en akkurate voorstelling gelewer van die huidige toestand van luiperdhabitat, verspreiding en potensiële luiperdbewegingspaaie regoor die provinsie. Samevattend, het 'n nuwe growwe-skaal besettingsmodel aan die lig gebring dat die waarskynlikheid van voorkoms (ψ) vir luiperds tussen 0.11 en 1 oor die studiegebied (insluitend 'n 50 km breë buffer) wissel, met 'n gemiddelde streeks voorspelde waarde van 0.693. Binne die jurisdiksiegrens van die Wes-Kaap sal ~ 41% van grond heel waarskynlik (ψ > 0.95) luiperds akkommodeer. Daarenteen weerspieël ~ 10% van die Provinsie, en van die studiegebied, 'n ψ < 0.25 vir luiperds. Daar is gevind dat luiperdbevolkings meer dikwels voorkom in streke wat gekenmerk word deur steiler hellings (meer ruwe terrein). ’n Op datum, ingeligte fynskaalse habitatgeskiktheidsmodel (HGM) het voorgestel dat habitatgeskiktheid grootliks wissel oor die hele landskap (0.000015 – 0.98; gemiddeld = 0.28). Habitatgebruik deur luiperds van die Kaap word, onder andere veranderlikes, hoofsaaklik aangedryf deur afstand na beskermde gebiede; in die algemeen is die teenworrdigheid van luiperds gekenmerk in gebiede nader aan en binne hierdie gebiede. In teenstelling met verwagtinge, is geen oënskynlike verband tussen antropogeniese faktore en habitat waar luiperds bevind word waargeneem nie. Laastens het die deurlaatbaarheidsmodel, gebaseer op die HGM, 'n gemiddelde landskapdeurlaatbaarheid vir luiperds van 0.27 ± 0.15 aangedui. Hierdie finale produk (kaart) kan gebruik word om die ligging van waardevolle ekologiese korridors te bepaal wat luiperdbevolkingskonnektiwiteit kan akkomodeer. In wese word dit aanbeveel dat die huidige projek voortgesit word om wildkorridors binne 'n sosio-ekologiese konteks te definieer, identifiseer, prioritiseer en ondersoek, en ook vorentoe herhaal word om voorsiening te maak vir die vroeë erkenning van langtermynneigings wat aanpasbare bestuurspraktyke vir die bewaring van luiperds kan inlig. Uiteindelik gaan bewaring oor mense – die teoretiese identifiseering en afbakening van korridors is nie genoeg nie; korridors is slegs so waardevol as wat hul prakties funksioneel is. Ons doen 'n beroep op die samewerkende ontwikkeling van 'n samehangende, wetenskapgedrewe en mensgesentreerde luiperdbewaringstrategie vir die Wes-Kaap, en insluiting van die spesie in die provinsiale biodiversiteit ruimtelike plan. Masters 2023-11-29T07:55:07Z 2024-02-20T09:37:52Z 2023-11-29T07:55:07Z 2024-02-20T09:37:52Z 2023-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/129383 en_ZA Stellenbosch University xviii, 89 pages : illustrations, maps application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Leopard -- Conservation -- South Africa-- Western Cape Leopard -- Habitat -- South Africa -- Western Cape Corridors (Ecology) -- South Africa Wildlife conservation -- South Africa Landscape ecology UCTD Greyling, Eugene Conserving corridors: an integrated landscape modelling approach to facilitate leopard (Panthera pardus) conservation in the Western Cape, South Africa |
| title | Conserving corridors: an integrated landscape modelling approach to facilitate leopard (Panthera pardus) conservation in the Western Cape, South Africa |
| title_full | Conserving corridors: an integrated landscape modelling approach to facilitate leopard (Panthera pardus) conservation in the Western Cape, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Conserving corridors: an integrated landscape modelling approach to facilitate leopard (Panthera pardus) conservation in the Western Cape, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Conserving corridors: an integrated landscape modelling approach to facilitate leopard (Panthera pardus) conservation in the Western Cape, South Africa |
| title_short | Conserving corridors: an integrated landscape modelling approach to facilitate leopard (Panthera pardus) conservation in the Western Cape, South Africa |
| title_sort | conserving corridors an integrated landscape modelling approach to facilitate leopard panthera pardus conservation in the western cape south africa |
| topic | Leopard -- Conservation -- South Africa-- Western Cape Leopard -- Habitat -- South Africa -- Western Cape Corridors (Ecology) -- South Africa Wildlife conservation -- South Africa Landscape ecology UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/129383 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT greylingeugene conservingcorridorsanintegratedlandscapemodellingapproachtofacilitateleopardpantherapardusconservationinthewesterncapesouthafrica |