Long‐term trends in carnivore abundance using distance sampling in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

A study analyzing long-term trends in carnivore abundance in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, reveals significant declines in the densities of golden jackals, black-backed jackals, and bat-eared foxes over a span of decades. Using distance-based transect counts from 2002 to 2005 and adjusted historical data from fixed-width transects conducted in 1977 and 1986, researchers were able to detect these changes despite wide confidence intervals. The study highlights the effectiveness of distance-sampling methods for monitoring multiple carnivore species simultaneously, providing critical insights for conservation management. Notably, abrupt declines of up to 20% in frequently observed species like lions, spotted hyenas, and golden jackals can be detected through long-term monitoring, although larger declines may go unnoticed for less common species.

Durant, S. M., Craft, M. E., Hilborn, R., Bashir, S., Hando, J., & Thomas, L. (2011). Long‐term trends in carnivore abundance using distance sampling in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. Journal of Applied Ecology, 48(6), 1490–1500. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2664.2011.02042.x