title: Ocelot Population Status in Protected Brazilian Atlantic Forest.
abstract: Forest fragmentation and habitat loss are detrimental to top carnivores, such as jaguars (Panthera onca) and pumas (Puma concolor), but effects on mesocarnivores, such as ocelots (Leopardus pardalis), are less clear. Ocelots need native forests, but also might benefit from the local extirpation of larger cats such as pumas and jaguars through mesopredator release. We used a standardized camera trap protocol to assess ocelot populations in six protected areas of the Atlantic forest in southeastern Brazil where over 80% of forest remnants are < 50 ha. We tested whether variation in ocelot abundance could be explained by reserve size, forest cover, number of free-ranging domestic dogs and presence of top predators. Ocelot abundance was positively correlated with reserve size and the presence of top predators (jaguar and pumas) and negatively correlated with the number of dogs. We also found higher detection probabilities in less forested areas as compared to larger, intact forests. We suspect that smaller home ranges and higher movement rates in smaller, more degraded areas increased detection. Our data do not support the hypothesis of mesopredator release. Rather, our findings indicate that ocelots respond negatively to habitat loss, and thrive in large protected areas inhabited by top predators.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.|Instituto SerraDiCal de Pesquisa e Conservação, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo Lima
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Massara
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.|Instituto SerraDiCal de Pesquisa e Conservação, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Maria de Oliveira
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Paschoal
authors.affiliation: Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America.
authors.forename: Paul Francis
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Doherty
authors.affiliation: Programa Institucional de Bioengenharia, Universidade Federal de São João Del Rei, Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adriano Garcia
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Chiarello
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D002415:Cats / Q000502:physiology; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods*; D004285:Dogs / Q000502:physiology; D017753:Ecosystem; D045989:Felidae / Q000502:physiology*; D065928:Forests; D005843:Geography; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D046009:Panthera / Q000502:physiology; D011156:Population Density; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D046011:Puma / Q000502:physiology