Lemur paparazzi: investigating the use of arboreal camera traps to monitor lemurs in the Kianjavato region of southeastern Madagascar
Date
2020-05-12
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Abstract
Primate species face growing risks of extinction throughout the world. In order to better protect their populations, effective monitoring techniques are needed. This thesis examines different camera trapping methodologies as well as occupancy modeling for monitoring lemur species in Madagascar. Research took place in Kianjavato, Madagascar in reforestation areas and across five forest fragments using a system of both ground and arboreal camera traps. Arboreal cameras were significantly more likely to capture a higher lemur species richness compared to ground cameras. Likewise, an increase in camera height was an important covariate for increased detection of lemur species within occupancy models. There was no significant difference between using photograph versus video mode for trapping lemurs. Only one lemur event was captured in reforestation sites during the field season, while all nine lemur species were detected in natural forest. However, there were only enough detections in natural forest for three of the species to conduct occupancy modeling: the red-fronted brown lemur (Eulemur rufifrons), Jolly’s mouse lemur (Microcebus jollyae), and the greater dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus major). The red-fronted brown lemur had an occupancy of 0.56, Jolly’s mouse lemur had an occupancy of 0.10, and the greater dwarf lemur had an occupancy of 0.33. Tree diameter (DBH) was an important covariate, with decreased DBH correlating with increased occupancy for Jolly’s mouse lemur and the greater dwarf lemur and increased DBH correlating with increased occupancy for the red-fronted brown lemur. Elevation was also an important covariate, with a decrease in elevation corresponding to an increase in occupancy for Jolly’s mouse lemur. Site was an important covariate for the greater dwarf lemur, with the largest forest fragment corresponding to higher occupancy. These findings show the effectiveness of arboreal camera trapping and its ability to be used for occupancy modeling for some lemur species. Future research should continue using arboreal camera traps but might have longer trapping periods to better study rarer lemur species. Overall, arboreal camera trapping is a useful method for monitoring lemurs and has the potential to be an effective tool to study arboreal primates across the globe.
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Keywords
lemurs, camera trapping, arboreal cameras, occupancy, detection
Citation
Chen, D. M. (2020). Lemur paparazzi: investigating the use of arboreal camera traps to monitor lemurs in the Kianjavato region of southeastern Madagascar (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.