DOI: 10.5061/dryad.j3tx95xm6
title: Data for: Modelling the surprising recolonisation of an understudied aquatic mammal in a highly urbanised area: Fortune favored the Smooth-coated otter in Singapore

description: Ever-growing human activities present an active and continuing threat to
 many species throughout the world. Nevertheless, concerted conservation
 efforts in some regions have balanced these threats and allowed endangered
 species to recolonise former parts of their original ranges and reverse
 their decline. This is notably the case of the smooth-coated otter
 (Lutrogale perspicillata). In 1998, individuals returned to Singapore
 after more than a 20-year absence. In 2017, 79 otters were counted
 throughout the heavily urbanized city. Despite this comeback, the future
 of the species in Singapore is unclear. By collating information on the
 species’ life history traits, we implemented a spatially explicit
 individual-based model. The model demonstrated that successful
 establishment of Singapore's population from the initial immigrants
 was highly uncertain. In 43% of cases, stochastic extinction occurred.
 From the 9% of model replicates that closely reproduced the observed
 colonisation history, projections showed that the population would reach
 close to 200 individuals in 50 years. This study successfully demonstrates
 the use of individual-based modelling to simulate the inherently
 stochastic recolonisation dynamics of an endangered species and predict
 its longer-term future. We discuss emerging issues that may arise from
 increasing negative interactions between otters and humans and the general
 challenges associated with rewilding highly urbanized environments. We
 stress the importance of long-term monitoring surveys and education
 campaigns to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts. With species and natural
 habitats increasingly threatened by our ever-growing human expansion,
 understanding the factors that allow human-dominated landscapes to be
 compatible with biodiversity is of the utmost importance.
description: The data was created through the use of an individual-based model
 named: "RangeShifter". The different data sets show the outputs
 of the model for the smooth-coated otter species in Singapore. The data
 shows the increase in population from colonization to 70 years after. Data
 sets include population growth every 10 years and also habitat patches
 occupied with number of individuals per patches. This
 data was then fed into RStudio for analyses. 
description: The data was was obtained using the program RangeShifter version
 2.0 and RStudio version 4.1 was used to open the data files and analyse
 them. 
description: # Data for: Modelling the surprising recolonisation of an understudied
 aquatic mammal in a highly urbanised area: Fortune favored the
 Smooth-coated otter in Singapore Data for manuscript List of data sets
 used for the data analysis for the manuscript: "Modelling the
 surprising recolonisation of an understudied aquatic mammal in a highly
 urbanised area: Fortune favored the Smooth-coated otter in Singapore"
 List of files and description: 1. Sim50\_Parameters This file details the
 different species and model parameters that were used as input into the
 RangeShifter software. 2. Sim50\_Occupancy This file contains a list of
 all the cells in the landscape (x and y coordinates) or of all the patches
 (PatchID). The remaining columns give the occupancy probability of the
 cell / patch at defined time steps. The occupancy probability is obtained
 by dividing the number of times (replicates) that the cell / patch has
 been occupied in a given year by the total number of replicates. 3.
 Sim50\_Occupancy\_Stats This file represents the mean ratio between
 occupied and suitable cells (Mean\_OccupSuit) and its standard error
 (Std\_error) at the set time interval. 4. Sim50\_Pop This file represents
 the population output. It is produced by checking the box Populations in
 RangeShifter. It contains statistics regarding each population present in
 the landscape at a given time interval. As for the species’ range output,
 data are collected before reproduction at each reproductive season at the
 specified yearly interval and at the end of the simulation. This output
 file contains the following information: 1\. Replicate number \(Rep\) 2\.
 Year \(Year\) 3\. Reproductive season within the year \(RepSeason\) 4\.
 Cell location \(x and y coordinates \) or patch ID \(PatchID\) 5\. Species
 number \(Species\); not yet used\, always zero 6\. Number of individuals
 in the population \(NInd\) 7\. In the case of a stage\-structured
 population\, the number of individuals in each stage \(NInd\_stageX\)\. If
 the reproduction is sexual\, these columns will be replaced by the number
 of females \(Nfemales\_stageX\) and of males \(Nmales\_stageX\) in each
 stage\. In the case of sexual model without stage structure\, two columns
 will indicate the number of females \(Nfemales\) and of males \(Nmales\)
 in the population\. 8\. In the case of a stage\-structured population\,
 the number of juveniles born \(NJuvs\)\. If the reproduction is sexual\,
 these columns will be replaced by the number of females juveniles
 \(NJuvFemales\) and males \(NJuvMales\)\. 5. Sim50\_Range This file
 represents the species "Range" output. is produced by checking
 the box Range. Data are written before reproduction at each reproductive
 season at the specified yearly interval. An extra line is written at the
 end of the simulation. The file contains the following general information
 regarding the species’ range: 1\. Replicate number \(Rep\) 2\. Year
 \(Year\) 3\. Reproductive season within the year \(RepSeason\) 4\. Total
 number of individuals \(NInds\) 5\. Total number of individuals in each
 stage \(NInd\_stageX\); these columns will be present only in case of
 stage\-structured models 6\. Total number of juveniles born \(NJuvs\);
 only in case of stage\-structured models 7\. Total number of cells
 \(NOccupCells\) or total number of patches \(NOccupPatches\) occupied by a
 population capable of breeding: for a stage\-structured population\,
 individuals of the breeding stage\(s\) must be present\, and for a sexual
 model\, both sexes must be present 8\. Ratio between occupied and suitable
 cells or patches \(OccupSuit\) 9\. Species’ range\, in term of maximum and
 minimum coordinates \(min\_X\, max\_X\, min\_Y\, max\_Y\) of cells /
 patches occupied by breeding populations \(as above\) 10\. If there are
 any variable traits\, summary trait phenotypes \(mean and standard
 deviation\) across the whole population range will also be included 6.
 Sim50\_Patches\_Individuals This file was created to collate the number of
 individuals in each patch at the end of the simulation accounting for both
 sub-adults and adults.