Abstract
Evaluating how intrinsic (intraspecific density), extrinsic (interspecific density and prey density) and anthropogenic (management intervention) factors affect African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) population performance is key to implementing effective conservation strategies. Lions (Panthera leo) can affect wild dog populations, and in small and highly managed protected areas, populations of wild dogs and lions often co-occur at high densities. It is unknown what mediates these co-occurring high densities and how trophic interactions facilitate the persistence of wild dogs in areas with high lion densities. In this study, we modelled how intrinsic and extrinsic factors affected population change and survival of 590 individually identifiable wild dogs in Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park (HiP), South Africa, an area with high lion density. The wild dog population in HiP grew significantly and comprised one of the highest population densities and the largest pack sizes in Africa. Pup survival rate was also the highest known in Africa, and the median individual survival was 29 months. During low lion density periods, the rate of wild dog population change increased despite low prey density, while at higher lion density, the rate of population change decreased only when prey density decreased. Survival for all age classes increased as population density increased, suggesting there is an important density-dependent effect on survival for all age classes that manifests at the population level. While increasing lion density had negative effects on adult and yearling survival, it did not affect pup survival. Our results suggest that both intrinsic and extrinsic drivers regulated the HiP wild dog population. Importantly, populations of wild dogs in small (~ 900 km2), fenced protected areas are highly adaptable and can co-exist at high levels of interspecific competition over many generations as long as there is an intact and abundant prey base.
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The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available in the figshare repository https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.14368043.v1.
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The code generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available in the figshare repository https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.14368043.v1.
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Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the provincial wildlife authority, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, for permission to conduct this research (project number E/5096/02) in their mandated protected area, for logistical support provided by the Endangered Wildlife Trust and for extensive monitoring support provided by Wildlife ACT. We also thank the Earthwatch Institute for providing funds and volunteers to conduct the biennial herbivore census. We are grateful to both handling editors and three anonymous reviewers for their valuable input on the manuscript.
Funding
The research leading to these results received funding from the National Research Foundation of South Africa Scarce Skills Development Fund (grant number SFH13072423287) and the Rufford Small Grants Foundation (grant number: 14409-1). Vehicle sponsorship and logistics costs were covered by the Endangered Wildlife Trust (South Africa), and all VHF and GPS collars were sponsored by the Wildlife ACT Fund (South Africa). EIR was supported by the Claude Leon Foundation.
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All authors contributed to the study's conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analyses were performed by DGM, DJD and MJS. The first draft of the manuscript was written by DGM, DJD and MJS, and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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This article is a contribution to the special issue on “Individual Identification and Photographic Techniques in Mammalian Ecological and Behavioural Research – Part 2: Field Studies and Applications” — Editors: Leszek Karczmarski, Stephen C.Y. Chan, Scott Y.S. Chui and Elissa Z. Cameron.
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Relationship between the annual population density (number of adults and yearlings/100 km2) and annual pack density (number of packs/100 km2) fitted with a linear regression model. Grey shaded region illustrates the 95% confidence intervals
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Marneweck, D.G., Druce, D.J., Cromsigt, J.P.G.M. et al. The relative role of intrinsic and extrinsic drivers in regulating population change and survival of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus). Mamm Biol 102, 1215–1229 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-022-00281-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-022-00281-z