Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Comments on “a framework for assessing readiness for tiger reintroductions”

  • Commentary
  • Published:
Biodiversity and Conservation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We comment on five aspects of Gray et al.’s (Biodivers Conserv, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-017-1365-1, 2017a) framework for assessing the readiness of sites for tiger reintroductions. Clarifications in numbers of tigers, available habitat and prey requirements indicate that more land and additional recovery of preferred prey species will be critical for a successful reintroduction. A focus on threat assessments and mitigations will be more important than a focus on site management tools. Local attitudes and levels of poaching require more attention than in the current assessment, as they are likely to be major obstacles to successful large carnivore reintroductions in Asia. Given the limited resources for rangewide tiger conservation, the value of such long-term initiatives must be weighed relative to the urgent need to recover and secure existing tiger populations before they also become extinct.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Chanchani P, Lamichhane BR, Malla S, Maurya K, Busta A, Warruer R, Nair S, Almedia M, Ravi R, Sharma R, Dhakal M, Yadav S, Thapa M, Jnawali SR, Pradhan NMB, Subedi N, Thapa GJ, Yadav H, Jhala YV, Qureshi Q, Vattakaven J, Borah J (2014) Tigers of the transboundary terai arc landscape: Status, distribution and movement in the Terai of India and Nepal. Tech Rep. https://doi.org/10.13140/2.1.2737.2808

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chestin IE, Yu M, Pereladova OB, Iegorova LV, Gibbs JP (2017) Tiger re-establishment potential to former Caspian tiger (Panthera tigris virgata) range in Central Asia. Biol Cons 205:42–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2016.11.014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Driscoll CA, Luo S, MacDonald D, Dinerstein E, Chestin I, Pereladova O, O’Brien SJ (2011) Restoring tigers to the Caspian region. Science 333:822–823

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duangchantrasiri S, Umponjan M, Simcharoen S, Pattanavibool A, Chaiwattana S, Maneerat S, Kumar N, Jathanna D, Srivathsa A, Karanth KU (2015) Dynamics of a low-density tiger population in Southeast Asia in the context of improved law enforcement. Conserv Biol 30:639–648

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ericsson G, Heberlein T (2003) Attitudes of hunters, locals, and the general public in Sweden now that the wolves are back. Biol Conserv 111:149–159

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gour DS, Bhagavatula J, Bhavanishankar M, Reddy PA, Gupta JA, Sarkar MS, Hussain SM, Harika S, Gulia R, Shivaji S (2013) Philopatry and dispersal patterns in tiger (Panthera tigris). PLoS ONE 8:e66956

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gray TNE, Crouthers R, Ramesh K, Vattakaven J, Borah J, Pasha MKS, Lim T, Phan C, Singh R, Long B, Chapman S, Keo O, Baltzer M (2017a) A framework for assessing readiness for tiger Panthera tigris reintroduction: a case study from eastern Cambodia. Biodivers Conserv. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-017-1365-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gray TNE, Lynam AJ, Seng T, Laurance WF, Long B, Scotson L, Ripple WJ (2017b) Wildlife-snaring crisis in Asian forests. Science 355:255–256

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hayward MW, O’Brien J, Kerley GIH (2007) Carrying capacity of large African predators: predictions and tests. Biol Cons 139:219–229

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayward MW, Jedrzejewski W, Jedrzewska B (2012) Prey preferences of the tiger Panthera tigris. J Zool 286:221–231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IUCN/SSC (2013) Guidelines for reintroductions and other conservation translocations. Version 1.0. IUCN/SSC (ed), IUCN Species Survival Commission, Gland Switzerland

  • Johnsingh AJT, Madhusudan MD (2009) Tiger reintroduction in India : conservation tool or costly dream ? In: Hayward MW, Somer MJ (eds) Reintroduction of top-order predators. Wiley-Blackwell, Hoboken, pp 143–163

    Google Scholar 

  • Karanth KU, Sunquist ME (1995) Prey selection by tiger, leopard, and dhole in tropical forests. J Anim Ecol 64:439–450

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Launay F, Cox N, Baltzer M, Tepe T, Seidensticker J, Krishnamurthy R, Gray T, Christie S, Simcharoen S, Singh R, Lumpkin S, Bruce C, Wright M (2012) Preliminary study of the feasibility of a tiger restoration programme in Cambodia’s Eastern plains: a report commissioned by world wide fund for nature

  • Miller CS, Hebblewhite M, Petrunenko YK, Seryodkin IV, Goodrich JM, Miquelle DG (2014) Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) energetic requirements: Implications for conserving wild tigers. Biol Cons 170:120–129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miquelle D, Goodrich J, Smirnov E, Stephens P, Zaumyslava O, Chapron G, Kerley LL, Murzin A, Hornocker M, Quigely H (2010) Amur tigers: a case study of living on the edge. In: Hughes J, Mercer R (eds) Biology and conservation of wild felids. The Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Oxford University, Oxford, pp 325–340

    Google Scholar 

  • Miquelle DG, Smirnov EN, Zaumyslova OY, Soutyrina SV, Johnson DH (2015) Population dynamics of Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) in Sikhote-Alin Biosphere Zapovednik: 1966–2012. Integr Zool 10:315–328

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miquelle DG, Jimeniz-Perez I, Lopez G, Onorato D, Rozhnov VV, Arenas R, Blidchenko EY, Boixader J, Criffield M, Fernández L, Garrote G, Hernandez-Blanco JA, Naidenko SV, López-Parra M, del Rey T, Ruiz G, Simon MA, Sorokin PA, García-Tardío M, Yachmennikova AA (2016) Rescue, rehabilitation, translocation, reintroduction, and capture rearing: lessons from handling the other big cats. In: McCarthy T, Mallon D (eds) Snow leopards: conservation from genes to landscapes. Academic Press, London, pp 324–338

    Google Scholar 

  • Nilsen EB, Milner-Gulland EJ, Schofield L, Mysterud A, Stenseth NC, Coulson T (2007) Wolf reintroduction to Scotland: public attitudes and consequences for red deer management. Proc Royal Soc B 274:995–1003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Kelly HJ, Evans TD, Stokes EJ, Clements TJ, Dara A, Gately M, Menghor N, Pollard EHB, Soriyun M, Walston J (2012) Identifying conservation successes, failures and future opportunities; assessing recovery potential of wild ungulates and tigers in Eastern Cambodia. PLoS ONE 7:1–10

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Kelly HJ, Rowcliffe JM, Durant SM, Milner-Gulland EJ (2018) Robust estimation of snare prevalence within a tropical forest context using N-mixture models. Biol Conserv 217:75–82

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pferrer P (1969) Considerations sur l’ecologie des forets claires du Cambodge Oriental. La Terre et la vie 1:3–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Qin Y, Nyhus PJ, Larson C, Charles JW, Muntifering J, Carroll G, Muntifering J, Dahmer TD, Jun L, Tilson RL (2015) An assessment of South China tiger reintroduction potential in Hupingshan and Houhe National Nature Reserves, China. Biol Conserv 182:72–86

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rostro-García S, Kamler JF, Ash E, Clements GR, Gibson L, Lynam AJ, McEwing R, Naing H, Paglia S (2016) Endangered leopards: range collapse of the Indochinese leopard (Panthera pardus delacouri) in Southeast Asia. Biol Conserv 201:293–300

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarkar MS, Ramesh K, Johnson JA, Sen S, Nigam P, Gupta SK, Murthy RS, Saha GK (2016a) Movement and home range characteristics of reintroduced tiger (Panthera tigris) population in Panna Tiger Reserve, central India. Eur J Wildl Res 62:537–547

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarkar MS, Ramesh K, Johnson JA, Sen S, Nigam P, Gupta SK, Murthy RS, Saha GK (2016b) Movement and home range characteristics of reintroduced tiger (Panthera tigris) population in Panna Tiger Reserve, central India. Eur J Wildl Res 62:537–547

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz MW, Martin TG (2013) Translocation of imperiled species under changing climates. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1286:15–28

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Soh YH, Roman LC, Miquelle DG, Jiang J, Yang J, Stokes EJ, Tang J, Kang A, Liu P, Rao M (2013) Spatial correlates of livestock depredation by Amur tigers in Hunchun, China: relevance of prey density and implications for protected area management. Biol Cons 169:117–127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sugimoto T, Nagata J, Aramilev VV, McCullough DR (2012) Population size estimation of Amur tigers in Russian Far East using noninvasive genetic samples. J Mamm 93:93–101

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sunquist ME, Sunquist FC (1989) Ecological constraints on predation by large felids. In: Gittleman JL (ed) Carnivore behavior, ecology and evolution. Cornell University, Ithaca, pp 283–301

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Sunquist ME, Karanth UK, Sunquist F (1999) Ecology, behaviour and resilience of the tiger and its conservation needs. In: Seidensticker J, Christie S, Jackson P (eds) Riding the tiger: tiger conservation in human-dominated landscapes. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 5–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson JG (1992) Addressing the human dimensions of wolf reintroduction: an example using estimates of livestock depredation and costs of compensation. Soc Nat Resour 12:165–179

    Google Scholar 

  • Walston J, Robinson JG, Bennett EL, Breitenmoser U, da Fonseca GAB, Goodrich JM, Gumal M, Hunter L, Johnson A, Karanth KU, Leader-Williams N, MacKinnon K, Miquelle DG, Pattanavibool A, Poole C, Rabinowitz A, Smith JLD, Stokes EJ, Stuart SN, Vongkhamheng C, Wibisono H (2010) Bringing the Tiger Back from the Brink—the six percent solution. PLoS Biol 8:e1000485. https://doi.org/10.1371%252Fjournal.pbio.1000485

  • Wharton C (1966) Man, fire, and cattle in North Cambodia. In. 5th Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Conference, pp 23–65

  • Wikramanayake E, Dinerstein E, Seidensticker J, Lumpkin S, Pandav B, Shrestha M, Mishra H, Ballou J, Johnsingh AJT, Chestin I, Sunarto S, Thinley P, Thapa K, Jiang G, Elagupillay S, Kafley H, Pradhan NMB, Jigme K, Teak S, Cutter P, Aziz MA, Than U (2010) A landscape-based conservation strategy to double the wild tiger population. Conserv Lett. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-263X.2010.00162.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dale G. Miquelle.

Additional information

Communicated by David Hawksworth.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Miquelle, D.G., Poole, C.M., Mahood, S.P. et al. Comments on “a framework for assessing readiness for tiger reintroductions”. Biodivers Conserv 27, 3287–3293 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-018-1591-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-018-1591-1

Keywords

Navigation