Study On Amur Tiger And Prey Monitoring, And Conflict Between Tiger And Human In Northeast China

A study was conducted to evaluate the accuracy and practicability of several ungulate and tiger sample survey methods, design suitable ungulate monitoring plan for nature reserves for tiger conservation, explore the relationship between amur tiger and their prey and alleviate the conflict between tiger and human in Northeat China from2002to2013by using field population sample survey techniques, multiple statistical analysis, Bootstrap resample techniques et al., The main results were revealed as followes:1) Assessment of monitoring methods for ungulate population abundance in Northeast China:The accuracy and feasibility of three methods (belt transect method, Sample Plot Method recommend by experts from America, Russia and China, FMP method.) for monitoring ungulate population abundance were assessed in the Dalongling Nature Reserve, Heilongjiang Province and Wangqing Nature Reserve, Jilin Province from2010to2011.The results showed that:(1) the ungulate density by using the traditional transect belt (the width of transect belt is100m) are0.054±0.009individuals/km2,2.81±0.72individuals/km2,0.99±0.16individuals/km2,0.26±0.06individuals/km2for red deer, roe deer, wild boar, and sika deer respectively, Using the improved transect belt method (the width of transect belt equal to daily movement length of unglate), the density of ungulate are0.0042±0.0017individuals/km2,0.32±0.07individuals/km2,0.33±0.05individuals/km2,0.0094±0.002individuals/km2for red deer, roe deer, wild boar, and sika deer respectively.(2) the ungulate density by using FMP method are0.0096±0.005individuals/km2,0.93±0.24individuals/km2,0.058±0.013individuals/km2,0.0194±0.009individuals/km2for red deer, roe deer, wild boar, and sika deer respectively.(3) the ungulate density by using Sample Plot Method recommend by experts from America, Russia and China are0.006±0.007individuals/km2,0.654±0.148individuals/km2,0.311±0.154individuals/km2,0.074±0.042individuals/km2for red deer, roe deer, wild boar, and sika deer respectively. In the Russian Far East and elsewhere in Russia, the Formozov-Malyshev-Pereleshin (FMP) formula has been used to estimate the density of large mammals. However, the FMP requires knowledge of the mean daily distances moved by individuals and the factors affecting daily travel distances are not known for ungualte species in northeastern China. The precision of the traditional Chinese belt transect method is diminished by uncertainty about the width of the strip and the accuracy of the conversion coefficient that relates the number of tracks to the number of individual ungulates. Contray to above two methods, sample Plot Method recommend by experts from America, Russia and China avoids the conversion coefficient and has more accurate estime for ungulate density.2) Study on the relationship between spoor density and true density of ungulate:The feasibility of ungulate spoor for monitoring ungulate population abundance was assessed in Eastern Wanda Mountains, Heilongjiang Province in2002. The result showed that there are significantly linear correlation between the ungulate population density and ungulate spoor density. The fomula are Y=0.6835x+0.0736(n=53, R2=0.5732) for red deer, Y=0.4847x+0.1746(n=48, R2=0.8143) for roe deer, Y=0.3802x+0.1864(n=53, R2=0.5296) for wild boar respectively.3) Ungulate population monitoring design for nature reserve:We examined the efficacy of employing a spoor-count index to monitor trends in abundance of the ungulate, the main prey of amur tiger in the Northeast China. Results of simulations examining power suggested that spoor counts could be employed as part of a system to monitor unglate abundance given the critical assumption that changes in spoor counts reflected changes in ungualte population size. The mean coefficient of variance in sample unit track rate, estimated by ten sample units for3times, was0.15(range:0.04-0.22). Monte Carlo simulation suggests a monitoring system employing24to32routes8to12km long, sampled twice each year, could provide over80%power to detect a10%annual decline and increase in rod deer tracks with a20%chance of type I errors (a=0.20); A monitoring system employing32to40routes8to12km long, sampled twice each year, could provide over80%power to detect a10%annual decline in wild boar tracks with a20%chance of type I errors (a=0.20); and16to24routes8to12km long, sampled twice each year, could provide over80%power to detect a10%annual increasing in wild boar tracks with a20%chance of type I errors (a=0.20).4) Study on accurey of transect line method based on ungulate spoor:Estimations approached the real situation with increasing sampling effort. With increasing sampling effort, the accuracy of abundance estimation followed an exponential form. Bootstrap analysis of surveyed ungulate indicated that population sizes could reasonably be established from30line transects for wild boar (sampling distance:297.47km),150line transects for red deer (sampling distance:750km) and18line transects for roe deer (sampling distance:171.71km). A power law relationship between ungualte density and the optimal sampling effort was determined.5) Population trend and recovery patterns of ungulateUsing a sign-based index of abundance, we measured4-year trends in abundance of six ungulate species in Wangqing Nature Reserve in Northeast China. Regression slopes of annual indices against time indicated that population growth rates (r) is0.107for roe deer, which is significant bigger than zero. Thus, roe deer can recover relatively rapidly from low population levels. Although population growth rates (r) of other ungulate species all are positive value, they are not significant bigger than zero. Wild pigs were already relatively abundant when monitoring started, illustrating their resilience to hunting The unexpected failure of red deer, sika deer, musk deer, goral to recover suggests that reproductive behavior may override seemingly positive interventions (i.e., stopping poaching) that reduce mortality.6) Assessment of monitoring methods for tiger population abundance in Northeast China:The accuracy and feasibility of three methods (Information collecting networks, traditional transect survey and tiger-prey biomass relationships) for monitoring Amur tiger population abundance were assessed in the eastern Wanda Mountains, Heilongjiang Province and8bordering forest area between the southern Laoye Mountains in Heilongjiang Province and the northern Dalong Mountains in Jilin province during2002-2011.The results showed that:(1) there were at least6-9wild Amur tiger in the eastern Wanda Mountains (1male,2-3adult females,2-4sub-adults and1cub), in2006by using an information network for tigers;(2) there were22-27wild tigers in the eastern Wanda Mountains in2002-2004based on the prey biomass relationship method, which obviously exaggerated the tiger population size; and (3)0tigers in8bordering forestry areas between the southern Laoye mountains in Heilongjiang Province and the northern Dalong Mountains in Jilin province, in2011by using traditional transect method, which underestimated the true tiger population size. The reasons for exaggeration of the tiger population using the biomass method could be previous losses of tigers from the area due to snares and competition with another carnivore, especially with people for ungulates. The transect method may have underestimated tiger densities in the survey areas because it was based on little prior knowledge of tiger behavior. It could only be usefully applied when tigers exist in at least moderate densities (i.e., when there is a high probability of encountering tiger tracks along a suite of routes). Although there is inherent potential error and bias, such as the unclear relationships of "expert estimates" and the true density, and between tiger track densities and actual tiger densities, same as the transect method, the monitoring of tiger populations using information networks provides a record of minimum tiger presence, and may be an appropriate approach when tiger presence is extremely rare, transitory and unstable, such as in northeast China. This approach is economically efficient and should be further improved by established a wider network across the landscape to encompass all potential tiger habitat using better trained monitoring staff.7) Population status of Amur tiger and implication for its conservation in Northeast China:From November2004to April2010, tiger information colleting system was used to monitor tigers in Eastern Wandashan Montains, Northeastern China, to quantify changes in abundance of demographic groups and to identify underlying causes. Mean abundance in Eastern Wandashan Mountains were5or6tigers, the tiger population remained relatively stable. Transients and the number of tiger offspring were generally recorded at low levels. The number of breeding animals in the study also remained stable, with about2breeding females and1breeding male, which highlight the region as a potential source pool for Amur tiger population recovery in Northeast China. We also researched population status of Amur tiger in Northeast China,2002-2007, using tiger information colleting system. The results show that:there were6isolated Amur tiger distribution regions in Northeast China. They were the Eastern Wanda Mountains, the Northern Laoye Mountains, the Southern Laoye Mountains and the Dalong Mountains, the Zhangguangcai Mountains, the Haerba Mountains tiger distribution regions respectively, among which the Zhangguangcai Mountains and the Haerba Mountains distribution regions, central Northeast China distribution areas, and Northern Laoye Mountains apparently represented regions still accessible to dispersing tigers, but were not suitable for retaining a resident population. The amur tiger was on the verge of extinction in northeast China and average less than20tigers occurred in Northeast China from year2002-2007, which was presently sustained by emigration of individuals from Russia. Only with the exception of the eastern Wandanshan Mountains, there no longer existed a resident, stable tiger population elsewhere in Northeast China, and that, no reproduction of young was occurring. The Amur tiger in Northeast China existed largely as nomadic, isolated individuals. Based on the results of our research, we suggest identify tiger ecological corridor between China and Russian, alleviate the threats hindering the fluent immigration, shift our tiger conservation strategy from nature reserve or region-focused to landscape-focused management so that entire tiger populations are treated as a single management unit, establish a management zone less strict than nature reserve in Eastern Wanda Mountain and take effective activities to increase the prey density and alleviate the human-tiger conflict.8) The relationship between tiger and their prey:does prey density limit tiger recovery in northeast China?A residual population of Amur tigers probably survives in the Eastern Wanda Mountains (EWM) in China, where the main prey species are red deer (Cervus elaphus), eastern roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa ussuricus). We used53snow sample plots each containing about29km of transects to detect ungulate presence, and determined their total density in EWM in2002to be87.9±8.9kg·km-2. We then applied these data to three published models that predict the relationship between tiger density and prey biomass density to obtain three estimates of tiger carrying capacity in EWM. Existing estimates of tiger density suggest that tigers were below carrying capacity estimates. Relationships between prey density and tiger density from15studies indicated a threshold prey biomass of195(CI,33-433)kg·km-2below which a tiger population cannot be sustained.Therefore, we concluded that the EWM population of tigers is in peril. We compared densities between the years2002and2008using comparable data and found that the EWM populations of the three ungulate prey species all experienced decreases of c.40-45%, apparently due to intense poaching. This rapid decline in prey density and pervasive threats to tigers and their prey in the EWM demands immediate and effective protection of ungulate and tiger populations from poaching if tigers are to persist and recover.9) Conflict between tiger and human (HTC) in Hunchun National Nature Reserve, Northeast China:We examined human-tiger conflict in Hunchun, Northeast China using data gathered from December2001to July2010.191cases of human-tiger conflict were documented, caused to3people injured and1people killed,16horses,188cattle,14dogs,27sheep,1pig killed and1horse,43cattle and1dog injured. Human disturbed the tiger feeding for cattle in at less100case of119total cattle killed cases (84.03%). Tigers attacked more cattle than horses per attack There were no significant difference between numbers of cattle attacked per attack than dog and between dogs and horse per attack. Tigers killed cattle and horse according to their availability. Examination of cattle kills showed that tiger killed a significantly greater proportion larger prey (e.g., bulls for cattle sex and adult for cattle classes). Overall, cattle predation was greatest in non-snowfall period which corresponded with lax livestock management. Cattle freely roam in forest and less well guarded during that time. The total of economic loss to tiger was valued at US$77035, of which the majority (88.21%, US$67950) was cattle loss. Horse and sheep loss account for8.44%and2.29%of total monetary loss respectively. Average annual livestock loss to tiger was US$9062.94. We measured the distance of drag for55times, the average of drag distance was about40.3455m (40.3455±37.46947, n=55). The mean hiding cover in killing sites (x=0.25±0.07) was lower than hiding cover in feeding sites (x=0.54±0.14),(T=0.19,p<0.05, n=25). The mean nearest distance to road was0.832056314km (0.832056314km±1.002989), and and the mean nearest distance to river was0.2633203km (0.2633203±0.24379), mean nearest distance to settlement was3.596962188km (3.596962188±2.199674308). Implications of our findings for mitigating livestock losses and for conserving large carnivores in Northeast China are discussed.