Accurate population estimation of Caprinae using camera traps and distance sampling.

Area of Science:

• Wildlife conservation biology
• Ecological sampling methodologies
• Mammalian population dynamics

Background:

• Most Caprinae (goat and sheep) taxa face extinction threats.
• The IUCN recommends simple, affordable sampling methods for data collection in remote areas.
• Traditional methods like aerial surveys and mark-recapture are often costly and logistically challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test a novel sampling technique combining camera traps and distance sampling.
• To validate the method's operability in challenging mountainous terrain.
• To provide credible abundance and distribution data for conservation of data-deficient species.

Main Methods:

• Integrated camera trap imagery with conventional distance sampling.
• Validated the technique within a captive population of desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis).
• Compared abundance estimates to known, yearly census data.

Main Results:

• Abundance estimates consistently fell within 90% confidence bounds of true abundance.
• Mean abundance estimates were highly accurate, averaging within 4.9 individuals of census values.
• The method proved operable and reliable in a mountainous environment.

Conclusions:

• The camera trap and distance sampling method is a viable, cost-effective alternative for population monitoring.
• This approach can generate credible data for conserving threatened Caprinae and other species in difficult terrains.
• The study provides confidence in using this straightforward technique to address conservation data gaps.