Impact of severe climate variability on lion home range and movement patterns in the Amboseli ecosystem, Kenya

TY - JOUR

T1 - Impact of severe climate variability on lion home range and movement patterns in the Amboseli ecosystem, Kenya

AU - Tuqa, J. H.

AU - Funston, P.

AU - Musyoki, C.

AU - Ojwang, G. O.

AU - Gichuki, N. N.

AU - Bauer, H.

AU - Tamis, W.

AU - Dolrenry, S.

AU - Van't Zelfde, M.

AU - de Snoo, G. R.

AU - de Iongh, H. H.

N1 - ISI Document Delivery No.: VB6AA Times Cited: 7 Cited Reference Count: 45 Tuqa, J. H. Funston, P. Musyoki, C. Ojwang, G. O. Gichuki, N. N. Bauer, H. Tamis, W. Dolrenry, S. Van't Zelfde, M. de Snoo, G. R. de Iongh, H. H. Bauer, Hans/0000-0001-5031-5842; Jirmo, Tuqa/0000-0003-2347-5546; Ojwang, Gordon Otieno/0000-0002-2885-1654; Dolrenry, Stephanie/0000-0003-1284-8271 Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) of the Netherlands University Foundation; Leiden University; Leo foundation, The Netherlands This research was supported financially by Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) of the Netherlands University Foundation for international co-operation, Leiden University in collaboration with Leo foundation, The Netherlands. We are grateful for the support received from the staff of KWS, both at headquarters and in Amboseli. 7 1 11 Elsevier science bv Amsterdam <Go to ISI>://WOS:000416218800001

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - In this study, we were interested in understanding if droughts influence the home range of predators such as lions, and if it does, in what ways the droughts influenced lions to adjust their home range, in response to prey availability. We monitored movements of ten lions fitted with GPS-GSM collars in order to analyze their home range and movement patterns over a six year period (2007-2012). We assessed the impact of a severe drought on the lion home range and movement patterns in the Amboseli ecosystem. There was a strong positive correlation between the home range size and distance moved in 24 h before and during the drought (2007-2009), while after the drought there was a significant negative correlation. A weak positive correlation was evident between the lion home range and rainfall amounts (2010-2012). The male and female home ranges varied over the study period. The home range size and movement patterns coincided with permanent swamps and areas of high prey density inside the protected area. Over the course of the dry season and following the drought, the ranges initially shrank and then expanded in response to decreasing prey densities. The lions spent considerable time outside the park boundaries, particularly after severe the drought. We conclude that under conditions of fragmented habitats, severe climate conditions create new challenges for lion conservation due to effects on prey availability and subsequent influences on carnivore species ranging patterns. Stochastic weather patterns can force wide-ranging species beyond current reserve boundaries, into areas where there will be greater conflicts with humans. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B. V.

AB - In this study, we were interested in understanding if droughts influence the home range of predators such as lions, and if it does, in what ways the droughts influenced lions to adjust their home range, in response to prey availability. We monitored movements of ten lions fitted with GPS-GSM collars in order to analyze their home range and movement patterns over a six year period (2007-2012). We assessed the impact of a severe drought on the lion home range and movement patterns in the Amboseli ecosystem. There was a strong positive correlation between the home range size and distance moved in 24 h before and during the drought (2007-2009), while after the drought there was a significant negative correlation. A weak positive correlation was evident between the lion home range and rainfall amounts (2010-2012). The male and female home ranges varied over the study period. The home range size and movement patterns coincided with permanent swamps and areas of high prey density inside the protected area. Over the course of the dry season and following the drought, the ranges initially shrank and then expanded in response to decreasing prey densities. The lions spent considerable time outside the park boundaries, particularly after severe the drought. We conclude that under conditions of fragmented habitats, severe climate conditions create new challenges for lion conservation due to effects on prey availability and subsequent influences on carnivore species ranging patterns. Stochastic weather patterns can force wide-ranging species beyond current reserve boundaries, into areas where there will be greater conflicts with humans. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B. V.

KW - Climate change African lion Panthera leo panthera-leo size responses selection prey Biodiversity & Conservation Environmental Sciences & Ecology

U2 - 10.1016/j.gecco.2014.07.006

DO - 10.1016/j.gecco.2014.07.006

M3 - Article

SN - 2351-9894

VL - 2

SP - 1

EP - 10

JO - Global Ecology and Conservation

JF - Global Ecology and Conservation

ER -