Leopard occupancy and habitat use in the multi-use Chitwan-Annapurna Landscape, Nepal
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Abstract
We estimated leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) occupancy in a multi-use region within Nepal’s Chitwan-Annapurna Landscape to evaluate leopard habitat use and inform conservation planning in areas where most of the species’ habitat occurs outside protected areas. In 2021, sign surveys were conducted along 1277 km of transects distributed among 145 grid cells of 7×7 km within a 7105 km² study area, where 226 leopard signs (pugmarks and scats) were documented. We used an occupancy modeling framework to evaluate the influence of environmental and anthropogenic factors on leopard habitat use. We found that leopard occupancy (ψ = 0.73 ± 0.17 CI) was strongly and positively associated with areas used by wild prey such as red muntjac (Muntiacus muntjak), rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), chital (Axis axis), and wild boars (Sus scrofa). Our results provide evidence that large carnivores like leopards can persist in human-dominated landscapes when native prey remains abundant, underscoring the need for community-based conservation that sustains both prey and predator populations beyond protected areas. By estimating leopard occupancy outside of protected areas, the research establishes a baseline for developing management strategies to ensure the continued existence of leopards in Nepal's multi-use landscapes.
Suggested Citation
Poudel, S., Twining, J.P., Gilbert, M., Stedman, R.C., and Fuller, A.K., 2026, Leopard occupancy and habitat use in the multi-use Chitwan-Annapurna Landscape, Nepal: Global Ecology and Conservation, v. 68, e04240, 13 p., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2026.e04240.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Leopard occupancy and habitat use in the multi-use Chitwan-Annapurna Landscape, Nepal |
| Series title | Global Ecology and Conservation |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.gecco.2026.e04240 |
| Volume | 68 |
| Year Published | 2026 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Elsevier |
| Contributing office(s) | Coop Res Unit Leetown |
| Description | e04240, 13 p. |
| Country | Nepal |
| Other Geospatial | Chitwan-Annapurna Landscape |