Estimating Abundance of Crop-Foraging Primates in Anthropogenic Landscapes Using Camera Traps

Area of Science:

• Wildlife ecology
• Primate population dynamics
• Conservation technology

Background:

• Human-wildlife conflict, including crop foraging by primates like baboons (Papio spp.), is increasing with growing human populations.
• Effective conservation and conflict mitigation strategies require accurate population estimates, yet few exist for chacma baboons (Papio ursinus), especially in agricultural areas.
• Conventional density estimation methods are often impractical for baboons on commercial farmland.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the potential of camera trapping methods for estimating chacma baboon densities.
• To compare the performance of distance sampling with camera traps (CTDS) and the random encounter model (REM) for monitoring baboon populations.
• To inform conservation policies and strategies for mitigating human-baboon interactions and crop losses.

Main Methods:

• Field testing of camera trapping techniques, specifically CTDS and REM, to estimate chacma baboon densities.
• Comparison of density estimates derived from the two camera trapping methods.
• Analysis of factors influencing baboon presence and distribution, such as sleeping sites, crop availability, and water sources.

Main Results:

• Chacma baboon density estimates ranged from 1-3 individuals/km², aligning with existing abundance data.
• Both CTDS and REM provided plausible density estimates, indicating their potential for monitoring baboon populations.
• Baboon distribution was primarily influenced by sleeping site availability, which, along with crop location, was linked to water availability.
• Between-camera heterogeneity in detections was identified as a significant source of imprecision for both methods.

Conclusions:

• Camera trapping, using CTDS and REM, offers a viable alternative for estimating chacma baboon densities on farmland.
• These methods can provide crucial data for managing human-baboon conflict and informing conservation efforts.
• Further refinement of camera trapping methodologies is necessary to improve accuracy and precision for long-term monitoring and detecting small population changes.