GLTCA lion and leopard scat survey SNPs

Abstract

Understanding population structure and dispersal patterns is thus imperative for carnivore conservation. We investigated both aspects in African lions (<i>Panthera leo</i>) and leopards (<i>P. pardus</i>) in the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area (GLTCA) of southern Africa, using SNP-genotyping of non-invasively collected samples. We recorded distinct population differentiation among all sites sampled except between Kruger National Park (RSA) and Limpopo National Park (Mozambique) for both species. However, closely related lion and leopard individuals are found across these parks, suggesting that dispersal is occurring within the GLTCA, but at a level insufficient to prevent population differentiation. We then investigated dispersal distances in relation to sex and region. We provide tentative evidence that dispersal distances are higher in the prey-depleted, habitat-fragmented Mozambique portion of the GLTCA relative to the prey-abundant KNP for leopards, and the inverse for lions. In contrast to leopards, geographic distances between first-degree relative female lion dyads were higher than that between first-degree relative male dyads. Additionally, we present evidence of long-distance (&gt; 120 km) dispersal in female lions. Our results hold promise in that dispersal appears to occur across the GLTCA, but this process may be enhanced with the establishment of effective dispersal corridors, prey-population rehabilitation and improved carnivore protection and tolerance by humans.