A preliminary study on the reproductive parameters and survival situation of Panthera pardus japonensis population in central Taihang Mountains, China

ZHAO Ying; LIU Beibei; ZHEN Xin; MA Ziyu; HUANG Qiaowen; SONG Dazhao; SHEN Xiaoli; LI Sheng

doi:10.16829/j.slxb.150994

2024 , Vol. 44 >Issue 6: 738 - 748

DOI: https://doi.org/10.16829/j.slxb.150994

ORIGINAL PAPERS

A preliminary study on the reproductive parameters and survival situation of Panthera pardus japonensis population in central Taihang Mountains, China

ZHAO Ying ,
LIU Beibei ,
ZHEN Xin ,
MA Ziyu ,
HUANG Qiaowen ,
SONG Dazhao ,
SHEN Xiaoli ,
LI Sheng

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1 Chongqing Jiangbei Felid Conservation Alliance Center, Chongqing 400022, China;
2 State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China;
3 State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences & Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China

Received date: 2024-08-12

Revised date: 2024-10-29

Online published: 2024-12-02

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Abstract

Panthera pardus japonensis is the top predator in the temperate montane forest ecosystem of North China and has critical ecological functions. In this study, we conducted a systematically designed camera-trapping survey on the wild population of Panthera pardus japonensis in central Taihang Mountains from 2016 to 2023. Based on the data collected from 332 camera stations with an extensive sampling effort of 416 242 camera-days, we summarized the breeding records and examined the reproductive parameters of this leopard population. The survey covered 191 sampling grid cells (4 km×4 km each), and a total of 5 065 independent detections of Panthera pardus japonensis were recorded, of which 261 were recognized as breeding events, including 17 following events between adult male and female, 5 mating events, and 243 cub-rearing events. A total of 57 adult female leopards (the minimum number of identifiable individuals) were identified, of which 24 female leopards gave birth to 43 litters, including 19 litters that were consecutive births. A total of 79 cubs were recorded as successfully leaving the den and dwelling with their mother. Among the cubs whose gender can be clearly identified (n= 29), the female to male sex ratio was 0. 93: 1. Male-female following events mainly occurred in winter and spring, while births were distributed throughout the year without distinct seasonality. The litter size was 1. 84 ±0. 74 (n= 43), the interval between successive births was 18. 83 ±9. 18 months (n= 19), and the age of females upon the first parturition was 4. 61 ±1. 62 years (n= 3). The cubs became independent at 11. 98 ±1. 93 months (n= 26), and 32. 6% of the juveniles remained within our study area for over 1 year after their independence. The results of Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that, the average survival duration of female and male cubs was 1 648 and 1 467 days, respectively, and the survival curve of males showed a steeper downward trend. For the first time, in this study we examined the reproductive parameters of Panthera pardus japonensis population based on long-term field survey data and observatory records. Future research shall further explore the underlying mechanisms of how human and natural factors affect the leopard’s reproductive and survival, and determine the key limiting factors. The results of these studies will provide scientific support and valuable guidance for formulating effective conservation strategies for this endangered big cat.

Key words： Panthera pardus japonensis; Reproductive ecology; Reproductive parameters; Litter size; Camera-trapping; Taihang Mountains

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ZHAO Ying , LIU Beibei , ZHEN Xin , MA Ziyu , HUANG Qiaowen , SONG Dazhao , SHEN Xiaoli , LI Sheng . A preliminary study on the reproductive parameters and survival situation of Panthera pardus japonensis population in central Taihang Mountains, China[J]. ACTA THERIOLOGICA SINICA, 2024 , 44(6) : 738 -748 . DOI: 10.16829/j.slxb.150994

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