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Using occupancy models to investigate space partitioning between two sympatric large predators, the jaguar and puma in central Brazil

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Abstract

Coexistence of sympatric species is mediated by resource partitioning. Pumas occur sympatrically with jaguars throughout most of the jaguar’s range but few studies have investigated space partitioning between both species. Here, camera trapping and occupancy models accounting for imperfect detection were employed in a Bayesian framework to investigate space partitioning between the jaguar and puma in Emas National Park (ENP), central Brazil. Jaguars were estimated to occupy 54.1% and pumas 39.3% of the sample sites. Jaguar occupancy was negatively correlated with distance to water and positively correlated with the amount of dense habitat surrounding the camera trap. Puma occupancy only showed a weak negative correlation with distance to water and with jaguar presence. Both species were less often present at the same site than expected under independent distributions. Jaguars had a significantly higher detection probability at cameras on roads than at off-road locations. For pumas, detection was similar on and off-road. Results indicate that both differences in habitat use and active avoidance shape space partitioning between jaguars and pumas in ENP. Considering its size, the jaguar is likely the competitively dominant of the two species. Owing to its habitat preferences, suitable jaguar habitat outside the park is probably sparse. Consequently, the jaguar population is likely largely confined to the park, while the puma population is known to extend into ENP’s surroundings.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany

    Rahel Sollmann & Heribert Hofer

  2. Jaguar Conservation Fund/Instituto Onça-Pintada, Mineiros, Brazil

    Rahel Sollmann, Mariana Malzoni Furtado, Anah T. A. Jácomo, Natália Mundim Tôrres & Leandro Silveira

  3. Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Mariana Malzoni Furtado

  4. Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil

    Natália Mundim Tôrres

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  1. Rahel Sollmann
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  2. Mariana Malzoni Furtado
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  3. Heribert Hofer
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  4. Anah T. A. Jácomo
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  5. Natália Mundim Tôrres
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  6. Leandro Silveira
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Correspondence to Rahel Sollmann.

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Sollmann, R., Furtado, M.M., Hofer, H. et al. Using occupancy models to investigate space partitioning between two sympatric large predators, the jaguar and puma in central Brazil. Mamm Biol 77, 41–46 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mambio.2011.06.011

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