Monitoring diversity and abundance of mammals with camera-traps: a case study of Manas National Park, Assam, India

By

Bhatt, Urjit
Adhikari, B S
Lyngdoh, Salvador

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2022-10-13

Original Publication

Check list : journal of species lists and distribution

Volume

18

Series / Issue

Issue: 5

Pages

1023--1043

Subjects

Camera-trapping , Conservation , mammalia , minimum trapping effort , species composition , tropical forest

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

[São Paulo, Brazil] Luís Felipe Toledo 2005-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15560/18.5.1023

 

Abstract

Information on the status and distribution of species within a geographical area is vital for developing effective conservation plans. We conducted camera-trapping (n = 473) to determine diversity, species composition, relative abundance index, sampling effort, and conservation status of mammals in forested habitats of Manas National Park, Assam, India. Camera stations accumulated data over 11,388 trap nights over three sampling years: 2017–2019. Camera-traps recorded 34 mammalian species belonging to seven orders, 15 families, and 29 genera, with 22,738 independent records. Among them, 17 species are globally threatened or 50% of the recorded species. The species accumulation curve reached an asymptote, indicating an adequate sampling design for obtaining a robust inventory of the mammalian community. Despite a history of ethnopolitical conflict, almost all mammals expected to occur in the park were detected. Our study will enable future evaluations of the recovery process in terms of changes in mammal abundance over time.