Tracking Sumatran Tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae Pocock, 1929) distribution in Gunung Leuser National Park: The influence of prey presence and environmental variables on habitat selection

The Sumatran Tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae Pocock, 1929) is a critically endangered tiger subspecies facing serious challenges such as land cover change and prey population declines. This study generated a species distribution model (SDM) of Sumatran Tigers in Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP) on...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: M Hadi Saputra, Salmah Widyastuti, Wanda Kuswanda, R. Taufiq Purna Nugraha, Hendra Helmanto, Nunu Anugrah, U Mamat Rahmat, Rudianto Saragih Napitu, Andrinaldi Adnan, Iskandarrudin, Agus Purwoko, Pindi Patana
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Pensoft Publishers 2025-07-01
Series:Nature Conservation
Online Access:https://natureconservation.pensoft.net/article/144262/download/pdf/
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The Sumatran Tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae Pocock, 1929) is a critically endangered tiger subspecies facing serious challenges such as land cover change and prey population declines. This study generated a species distribution model (SDM) of Sumatran Tigers in Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP) on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, by integrating predictive prey distribution data and environmental variables. The algorithms used are maximum entropy and random forest. Modeling results showed a positive correlation between the presence of prey animals and forest cover on Sumatran Tiger habitat suitability. Climatic factors and land cover directly affected prey animal distribution, while land cover and prey animal presence affected Sumatran Tiger habitat suitability. Despite a large suitable habitat for Sumatran Tiger (80.4%), the prey distribution range in GLNP is relatively narrow (48.6%), with only 40.3% of the area showing overlap. This highlights the vulnerability of prey availability and the need to boost prey populations to ensure the long-term survival of Sumatran Tigers in GLNP.
ISSN:1314-3301