caa a22 4500 605526567 CHVBK 20210128100803.0 cr unu---uuuuu 210128e20150601xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s10531-015-0858-z doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s10531-015-0858-z To track or to call: comparing methods for estimating population abundance of African lions Panthera leo in Kafue National Park [Elektronische Daten] [Neil Midlane, M. Justin O'Riain, Guy Balme, Luke Hunter] The wide-ranging behaviour of large carnivores and low densities at which they occur make direct population surveys of these species expensive and time consuming, and consequently indirect methods are widely used. We compared the accuracy, precision and cost of two methods commonly used to survey African lions, namely call-up surveys and track-count surveys. Surveys were performed in the 11,000km2 northern sector of Zambia's Kafue National Park (Kafue), an area for which no previous empirical lion population data are available. We estimate lion abundance of 200 individuals over 1year of age in northern Kafue, at a density of 1.83 lions 100km−2. We used GPS collars and regular observations of lions to establish a reference population in an Intensive Study Site for comparison with survey results. Both survey methods produced accurate results, though precision was higher for call-up surveys, despite lower costs. Stratification of the study area did not improve the survey estimates. We recommend call-up surveys as the most appropriate method for surveying lions in Kafue and similar large protected areas, and suggest standardisation of survey equipment and protocols. Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht, 2015 Lion nationallicence Panthera leo nationallicence Density nationallicence Survey methods nationallicence Abundance nationallicence Spoor nationallicence Call-up nationallicence Midlane Neil Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, 7701, Rondebosch, South Africa aut Justin O'Riain M. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, 7701, Rondebosch, South Africa aut Balme Guy Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, 7701, Rondebosch, South Africa aut Hunter Luke Panthera, 8 West 40th St, 18th Floor, 10018, New York, NY, USA aut Biodiversity and Conservation Springer Netherlands 24/6(2015-06-01), 1311-1327 0960-3115 24:6<1311 2015 24 10531 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-015-0858-z text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-015-0858-z text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Midlane Neil Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, 7701, Rondebosch, South Africa aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Justin O'Riain M. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, 7701, Rondebosch, South Africa aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Balme Guy Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, 7701, Rondebosch, South Africa aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Hunter Luke Panthera, 8 West 40th St, 18th Floor, 10018, New York, NY, USA aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Biodiversity and Conservation Springer Netherlands 24/6(2015-06-01), 1311-1327 0960-3115 24:6<1311 2015 24 10531