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Study area map showing the state of Tamaulipas and San Luis Potosi; physiographic subprovinces (PSP) location and ocelot records location. Abbreviations of PSP: LCNL = Llanuras de Coahuila y Nuevo Leon; LCT = Llanura Costera Tamaulipeca; LL = Llanuras y Lomerios; GSP = Gran Sierra Plegada; SLO = Sierras y Llanuras Occidentales; CH = Carso Huasteco; SLNG = Sierras y Llanuras del Norte de Guanajuato.
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INTRODUCTION:
The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a Neotropical cat which is threatened by illegal hunt and habitat destruction in the Mexican territory. Mexican and American authorities are interested in promoting their conservation. The MaxEnt algorithm allows modeling the potential distribution of elusive species, for instance, the ocelot. This h...
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... 2005) and feasible isolation within the population. The objective of the current study was to model and identify the ocelot potential distribution in the Northeast region of Mexico, as a basis for strengthening the criteria and the establishment of priority areas and corridors necessary for its conservation. Study area. This work was carried out in the Northeast region of Mexico, considering the entire state of Tamaulipas and the central and eastern portion of San Luis Potosí, with an extension of 119,013.7 km 2 (Figure 1). The landscape was fragmented by crop fields, farmer lands, human settlements and roads. Terrain ranges from flat to rugged, meanwhile altitude ranges from 0 to 2,500 m and the annual precipitation varies from 600 to 2,500 mm (INEGI 2002a). In this region it is possible to find several physiographic subprovinces presenting great landscape variation (Cervantes-Zamora et al. 1990), each one presenting different kinds of native vegetation or land use (INEGI 2002a). The human settlements and agriculture are located mainly in intermontane valleys and other flat land areas. Land use areas that may be associated to human activities (agricultural and urban) represent 21.8 %, meanwhile the areas designated for induced vegetation represent 13.2 %, being the most abundant. Natural areas occupy 47.1 % of the study area, where the most extensive is the ...
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The margay (Leopardus wiedii, Schinz 1821) is a small Neotropical cat that is native with distribution from South America into Northeastern Mexico. This species is now threatened by illegal hunting and habitat destruction and, in Northeastern Mexico, their habitat has been fragmented and population sizes have been dramatically reduced. We use the M...
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... Records of ocelot presence and environmental variables were processed in the program Wallace 1.0.6.1 in R (Kass et al. 2018). Environmental variables were selected based on knowledge of the distribution of the ocelot in the Sierra Madre Oriental (Martínez-Calderas et al. 2015;Cacelin-Castillo et al. 2020). We used 14 climatic variables (BIO 1, BIO 2, BIO 3, BIO 4, BIO 5, BIO 6, BIO, BIO 7, BIO 8, BIO 13,BIO 14,BIO 15,BIO 16,and BIO 17), with a 1 km 2 resolution, obtained from the WorldClim version 1.4 database (Hijmans et al. 2005). ...
... Plant covers of anthropic origin, such as induced pastures, crops, and agroforestry plantations, were classified as hospitable (values of 31-60), i. e., areas where ocelots may be present or in transit but inadequate to maintain a stable population. The highest interval (60-100) indicated areas with the greatest habitat suitability, corresponding to medium evergreen forests, mountain cloud forests, and oak-pine forests (Tischendorf et al. 2003;Di Bitteti et al. 2008;Dde Oliveira et al. 2010;Rayfield et al. 2010;Martínez-Calderas et al. 2015;Cacelín-Castillo et al. 2020;Lambardi et al. 2022). ...
Ocelots are relatively tolerant to habitat modification. However, it has been observed that they may be sensitive to habitat loss and fragmentation as a result of human development. The Sierra Norte de Puebla is considered a potential habitat for ocelots and other tropical felines. However, it has suffered heavy loss and fragmentation of its natural ecosystems, which considerably affects habitat availability and quality. This study analyzed the land-use changes and habitat fragmentation in the distribution range of the ocelot in the Sierra Norte de Puebla, Mexico, from 1993 to 2020. Habitat suitability was determined using potential distribution models and vegetation and land-use maps from 1993, 2003, and 2020, obtained using supervised classification of Landsat images. The resulting maps were reclassified in terms of the habitat suitability for Leopardus pardalis according to their quality. Land-use changes and habitat loss were quantified with a transition matrix, and fragmentation was assessed using the Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis tool of the program GUIDOS. These habitat fragments were quantified using the integral index of connectivity with the CONEFOR Sensinode program. We estimated that 22.2 % of the study area has suitable conditions for ocelots. From 1993 to 2020, the area covered by natural vegetation decreased 16 % at an annual rate of-2.4 %. During this period, the mean fragment size and shape index decreased; on the other hand, the number of fragments and the Euclidean distance between fragments increased. The percentages of edge, branch, and islet vegetation dropped from 1993 to 2003 but increased in 2020. The connectivity analysis indicated that two habitat fragments showed high values of the integral index of connectivity. The increase in anthropogenic cover and the habitat loss for L. pardalis between 1993 and 2020 affected mainly vegetation fragments considered optimal for the persistence of this species. In these ecosystems, agricultural and livestock practices are expanding vigorously, increasing edge habitats and decreasing the core area of habitat fragments. The areas that recorded the presence of ocelots have optimum conditions to serve as biological corridors in the Sierra Madre Oriental, particularly in the portion of the Sierra Norte de Puebla. The fragmentation of the ocelot habitat is of particular concern and should be addressed strategically for the long-term conservation of the ocelot and regional biodiversity.
... Thus far, the goal of research in this part of the ocelot range has been on identifying new locations of ocelot populations. Some studies modeled the potential distribution of ocelots on a regional or national scale for conservation planning (Martínez-Calderas et al. 2015, Monroy-Vilchis et al. 2019. In an evaluation of potential distribution of 4 tropical felid species, including the ocelot, Monroy-Vilchis et al. (2019) identified northeastern Mexico as a region with high habitat suitability for ocelots. ...
... We use multiple methods to facilitate comparisons to other studies of ocelot abundance and density in Mexico that have used a variety of density estimation methods. Informed by previous research on tropical felids in northeastern Mexico (Caso 2013, Martínez-Calderas et al. 2015, Carvajal-Villarreal 2016, Monroy-Vilchis et al. 2019, Lombardi et al. 2022, we expected that ocelot density would be higher at the inland site, which is characterized by relatively intact habitat around the Sierra of Tamaulipas, relative to the human-induced fragmented state of the habitat along the coast. ...
Although the ocelot Leopardus pardalis is listed as endangered in the USA and Mexico, research on the characteristics of ocelot populations in northeastern Mexico has been limited. Effective conservation strategies in this binational region can benefit from additional information on the distribution and status of these populations. We estimated ocelot abundance and density using capture-recapture data from remote cameras at 2 locations in Tamaulipas: 1 inland site near the Sierra Tamaulipas and 1 coastal site along the Laguna Madre. The inland site was sampled in 2013 with 32 camera stations, and estimated densities (mean ± SE ocelots per 100 km ² ) using non-spatial and spatial modeling approaches were 17.57 ± 1.10 and 28.19 ± 6.81, respectively. The coastal site was sampled in 2017 with 16 camera stations, and estimated densities using non-spatial and spatial modeling approaches were 59.03 ± 2.32 and 43.24 ± 7.24, respectively. These are the first published ocelot densities for these locations, and these sites represent the closest known populations to those in Texas, USA. The ocelot populations surveyed appear to be robust, with estimated abundances similar to or greater than other areas surveyed within the state of Tamaulipas. Future work should monitor the long-term status and connectivity of these and other nearby populations to inform management actions to ensure their continued existence, as well as to assess whether they could serve as suitable sources for the translocation of individuals into existing populations in need of genetic rescue in Texas.
... In a similar study on the southern edge of the ocelot's range in Brazil, Araújo et al. (2021) found temperature and precipitation variables to be important in their study: mean temperature of the wettest quarter (BIO8, the third most important variable in this study), precipitation of the coldest quarter (BIO19, the least important variable in this study), and temperature annual range (BIO7, not included in this study due to correlations). In a related study in northeastern Mexico, Martínez-Calderas et al. (2015) found three climatic variables to be important in explaining ocelot distribution: precipitation during the wettest month (BIO13, the fourth most important variable in this study), precipitation during the wettest quarter (BIO16, not included in this study due to correlations), and precipitation during the coldest quarter (BIO19, the least important variable in this study). Differences between our paper and the two previous studies may have been in part due to methodological differences in how variable importance was calculated. ...
... Across their range, although ocelots occur across a wide range of climatic zones (i.e., humid tropical, subtropical humid, temperate montane, and semiarid), information on bioclimatic thresholds affecting distribution is scarce (García-R et al., 2019;Martínez-Calderas et al., 2015;Rorabaugh et al., 2020;Satter et al., 2018;Veals et al., 2022). By using occurrence data collected across the entire geographic range of the ocelot, our ensemble model likely more accurately represents the range of bioclimatic conditions in which this species can persist. ...
... By using occurrence data collected across the entire geographic range of the ocelot, our ensemble model likely more accurately represents the range of bioclimatic conditions in which this species can persist. The two earlier studies incorporating climate predictors of ocelot distribution were conducted in regional geographies, one in northeastern Mexico (Martínez-Calderas et al., 2015) and one in southern Brazil (Araújo et al., 2021), toward the geographic peripheries of the ocelot's range. By including the whole of the species' range, our study is better able to tease out the climatic associations with ocelot occurrence. ...
Climate envelope models have been used to evaluate the predicted impacts of climate change on species of concern and can be a useful planning tool in determining the long-term suitability of current habitat and potential introduction sites. However, due to model complexity, these models have generally been seen as "black boxes" when it comes to understanding why they make the predictions they do. In this study, we examined current potential ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) habitat using publicly available ocelot records and CHELSA bioclimatic variables combined in an ensemble model approach. We then predicted future potential ocelot habitat under three different emission scenarios using five climate models produced at a 30 arcsec grid cell size. To better understand what was driving model predictions, we used a variety of model interpretability approaches, including variable importance values, Shapley additive explanations, interaction detection, and a local surrogate model. These approaches revealed that ocelot potential habitat was associated with at least 233 mm of precipitation during the warmest quarter (BIO18) and at least 146 mm of precipitation during the wettest month (BIO13). Shapley additive explanations, applied to four protected areas across the species range, were valuable for understanding which climatic predictors drove predicted ocelot habitat at a local scale, with the protected areas with the highest predicted values having consistently more precipitation and higher temperatures. These tools are model agnostic and can be used to assess model predictions for biological validity and to further understand potential underlying relationships. As climate change shifts species range distributions, species distribution models and the tools to interpret them may become increasingly valuable, particularly on the leading edge of range expansion.
... As Ghoddousi et al. (2020) identified, ignoring human-wildlife conflicts when identifying corridors may result in funneling dispersing individuals into ecological traps if dispersing through human-dominated regions increases mortality. Conditions in far northeastern Mexico adjacent to Texas are believed unsuitable for ocelots (Martínez-Calderas et al. 2015, Ocañas-García et al. 2018, meaning dispersing ocelots from south Texas would have to safely travel about 300 km to join the Tamaulipas population of ocelots in northeastern Mexico. In addition to elevated risk of mortality involved by crossing numerous highways, a dispersal of this distance would be unlikely. ...
Abstract Dispersal of animals among populations helps to increase genetic variability and population viability. The endangered ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) in south Texas persists in two small populations separated by 30 km and cutoff from populations in northeastern Mexico. Despite the relatively short distance separating the two south Texas populations, movement between them has been limited, leading researchers to believe landscape connectivity is poor in the region. We developed habitat suitability maps using remote sensing and GPS‐collared ocelots and ran connectivity analyses to assess current habitat linkages, important areas for conservation, and areas where connectivity could be improved through habitat restoration. First, we developed a resource selection function using random forest models and GPS data from ten ocelots collared at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge combined with spatial layers derived from LiDAR and remotely sensed imagery. We then used these results as the basis for a cost surface layer. Using this layer, we examined habitat connectivity using least‐cost and circuit theory methods. We evaluated linkages by cost of movement, identified areas important for maintaining existing connectivity, and ranked areas where restoration would have the greatest benefit to connectivity. We found that core habitats within the two populations were relatively well connected but connectivity between the two populations was poor. By identifying areas currently important for connectivity and areas with the greatest benefit to ocelots if restored, these results will help inform land acquisition and restoration planning to improve ocelot conservation in south Texas.
... Previous studies have used habitat-suitability models to predict the distribution of small and medium Neotropical felids using climatic and topographic information as a proxy for habitat characteristics (Cuyckens, 2013;Espinosa et al., 2017;Martínez-Calderas et al., 2015, 2016. However, for studies conducted at regional or more bounded scales, where climatic variability is minimal, other factors may became more relevant for predicting and understanding current species distributions Scheldeman & van Zonneveld, 2011), especially when focusing on human-modified landscapes and species affected by human persecution like the carnivores in the Atlantic Forest . ...
Four Neotropical small and medium felids—the ocelot, jaguarundi, margay, and southern tiger cat—have overlapping geographic distributions in the endangered Atlantic Forest. Local studies show that these felids avoid areas with high human impact, but the three smaller ones use human‐modified areas more frequently than do ocelots. To understand how landscape changes affect the habitat distribution of these four felids in the Atlantic Forest of Argentina, we used maximum entropy models to analyze the effect of environmental and anthropogenic factors. We estimated niche breadth and overlap among these felids. The conversion of the native forest to land uses without trees was the most important variable that determined the habitat distribution of the four species. For all four species, the optimal habitat covered about 1/3 of the study area and corresponds mainly to the native forest areas. Nearly 50% of these areas had some level of protection. The niche width was higher for the small felids than for ocelots. Niche overlap was high for all species pairs, but higher among the small felids and lower for each of these with the ocelot. The four felids were negatively affected by native forest loss, with ocelots being more sensitive than the smaller felids. The conversion of unprotected forest areas to other types of land uses would imply a greater habitat loss for these felids. The protection of current remnants of Atlantic Forest in Argentina is important for the long‐term conservation of the four felids.
Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.
У навчальному посібнику детально розглянуто представників чоти-рьох родин хижаків, зокрема ведмедевих, псових (вовчих), котових (котя-чих) і мустелових (куницевих). Подано загальні відомості про тварин, ареа-ли їх поширення, спосіб життя, розмноження, харчування. Висвітлено про-блеми збереження і приналежність до видових категорій згідно з Червоним списком Міжнародного союзу охорони природи.
Для студентів і викладачів географічних факультетів вищих закладів освіти, майбутніх фахівців у галузі географії і природничих наук, усіх, хто цікавиться життям тварин.
Resumen:
El estado de San Luis Potosí, ubicado en la región central de México, ocupa el quinto lugar nacional en cuanto a mamíferos y el séptimo lugar en riqueza promedio por su biodiversidad en especies de todos los grupos de plantas, animales y hábitats.
Debido al amplio rango de elevación –que va desde el nivel del mar hasta gran altitud– y a condiciones climáticas, hay ecosistemas diferentes y muy diversos: bosques subtropicales, templados y mesófilo de montaña –usualmente dominado por pinos y encinos–, además de variantes de matorrales y zacatales.
Este libro sobre los mamíferos que se encuentran en San Luis Potosí incluye Información general sobre el estado, características de los mamíferos, historia de la mastozoología, métodos básicos de estudio, tipos de vegetación o hábitats que posee, así como la lista actual de las 162 especies registradas, las 46 especies en riesgo, las extintas, las fósiles y las exóticas (no nativas) introducidas, así como imágenes de cráneos, un breve análisis de la mastofauna en cada región y un glosario de los términos técnicos más frecuentes en el tema.
La información de cada especie de mamífero consta de: descripción (apariencia, tamaño, peso), distribución, hábitat, historia natural, problemática y acciones de conservación.
Esta obra es la primera acerca de este grupo de fauna silvestre en San Luis Potosí y va dirigido a todos los lectores interesados en los distintos niveles educativos.
Este capítulo es la parte sustancial del libro, se presenta la clasificación actual de la mastofauna, se describe a cada uno de los ocho Ordenes, las familias que la integran y a cada una de las especies; en base a un formato común se describen sus características propias o distintivas, historia natural y relaciones con el humano.
Un mapa de distribución actual, abundantes dibujos en blanco y negro, y fotografías a color de cada animal los muestran claramente y permiten conocerlos para distinguirlos con facilidad.
Northeastern México is one of the most diverse regions in the country with high mammal richness. This region also sits on the northern periphery of the geographic distribution of ocelots (Leopardus pardalis), which are listed as endangered in México. Ocelot ecology in northeastern México is poorly known at local and landscape levels, especially in the ecologically rich temperate sierras, a perceived stronghold for ocelots. We used an occupancy approach to estimate ocelot-habitat use in Tamaulipan thornshrub and tropical deciduous forests and a spatially explicit capture–recapture (SECR) framework to estimate density of ocelots in the northern edge of the Sierra Tamaulipas, México. From May to December 2009, we conducted two camera trap surveys (summer: 20 camera stations; fall: 58 camera stations) on Rancho Caracol and Rancho Camotal, north of the Rio Soto de La Marina. We found ocelot detections were higher in areas with increasing patch density of tropical deciduous forest and habitat use was greater in Tamaulipan thornshrub and tropical deciduous forests with lower edge densities. Ocelot densities varied by sex, with females achieving greater densities (7.88 ocelots/100 km2 [95% CI: 4.85–12.81]) than males (3.81 ocelots/100 km2 [95% CI: 1.96–7.43]). Ocelots were averse to areas with high densities of edge cover in each woody community, supporting the notion of a forest patch interior species. Despite the study occurring 11 years ago, population densities were also among the highest reported in México using spatially explicit capture–recapture methods. The high ecological integrity of the habitat within the Sierra de Tamaulipas, recent protection as a Biosphere Reserve, and remote rugged terrain suggest long-term security of the ocelot population in this region.
The ocelot is one of the six species of felids distributed in Mexico. This species is threatened with extinction and thus protected by the Mexican government. Knowledge about the environmental factors that affect its presence is a crucial step in identifying key areas and designing strategies for the conservation of this species. The aim of this study was to document the presence of the ocelot to determine its potential distribution and identify important conservation areas in the southern Sierra Madre Oriental and Sierra Negra of Puebla (as part of the northern Sierra Madre del Sur). We conducted camera-trap surveys from October 2013 through January 2014, placing 63 camera-trap stations distributed in both areas. The overall sampling effort was 2,381 trap-days. The presence of the ocelot was recorded in the Sierra del Abra-Tanchipa Biosphere Reserve, in San Luis Potosi and Sierra Negra in Puebla. An estimated 78 % of the study sites hold suitable environmental conditions for the potential presence of ocelots. The variables that jointly accounted for 65 % of the potential distribution were related to precipitation, namely precipitation of the driest trimester, of the wettest month, and of the warmest trimester. Our potential distribution models suggest the existence of priority regions for ocelot conservation. This research updates the present status of the ocelot in the Sierra Madre Oriental and Sierra Negra in Puebla, sites that have been subject to high habitat encroachment by human settlements.
