Ocelot occupancy in fragmented areas of the Brazilian Cerrado and Atlantic Forest

Abstract

Species occurrence in the landscape is influenced by habitat characteristics such as vegetation structure and resource availability. Habitat fragmentation causes a reduction or elimination of required resources, leading to the decline or disappearance of populations and species. Among carnivores, variables such as vegetation characteristics, prey availability, and human infrastructure were strongly associated with species occupancy. However, the relationship between these variables and ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) occupancy in fragmented landscapes remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of habitat characteristics, prey availability, and human infrastructure on ocelot occupancy in the protected areas of São Paulo. We sampled 55 sites using unbaited camera traps from October 2012 to August 2017 with a sampling effort of 10.175 trap-nights. We fitted models to determine how vegetation characteristics, prey availability, and human infrastructure affect ocelot occupancy. Ocelots were detected in 40% of sites, with a higher occupancy probability in sites with a greater relative abundance of prey and a farther distance from urban areas; however, there was no significant relationship with native vegetation. Thus, preservation of the ocelot requires the reduction of human impacts on these landscapes.