DOI: 10.5061/dryad.6q573n65q
title: Ecological factors at fine spatial scale associated with habitat use by tigers in western Terai Arc landscape, Nepal

description: Conservation of designated source sites is a fundamental strategy for
 global tiger recovery. Reliable estimates of tiger Panthera tigris habitat
 use within these source sites are crucial for informing effective
 management strategies. In this study, we assessed tiger habitat use within
 Bardia-Banke Complex, one of the 42 global source sites, situated in the
 western Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) of Nepal. We conducted a grid-based
 detection and non-detection camera trap survey across 719 grid cells, each
 measuring 2×2 km². To assess tiger habitat use while accounting for
 imperfect detectability, we applied a single-season occupancy model. We
 analyzed nine covariates that have potential to influence tiger habitat
 use in the Complex, including terrain, co-predators, prey, water
 availability and disturbance. We found that fine scale (2x2 km2) tiger
 habitat use in the Complex was 0.43 (SE ± 0.0085, 95% CI: 0.414 - 0.448).
 Our analysis demonstrated that tigers used habitats unevenly across the
 Bardia-Banke Complex. Our results showed that terrain ruggedness index,
 prey index, and proximity to waterholes were key determinants of tiger
 habitat use. Tiger habitat use was positively associated with prey
 abundance and negatively associated with terrain ruggedness, and distance
 to waterholes. We emphasize the importance of influencing habitat
 covariates that determine the probability of habitat use for taking
 appropriate habitat-management decisions for tiger conservation in the
 TAL. We highlight the importance of periodic assessment of tiger habitat
 use in this globally significant source site to monitor changes in spatial
 habitat use patterns, serving as a measure of the effectiveness of
 wildlife management interventions.
description: To assess fine-scale habitat associations, we used non-invasive
 camera traps to survey the entire Bardia and Banke National Park along
 with adjoining forest area following the standard tiger monitoring
 protocol from 16 December 2021 to 12 March 2022. We used grid-based
 sampling approach and divided the study area into 719 grid cells of size
 2x2 km<sup>2</sup> for systematic detection and non-detection
 camera trap survey. Cuddeback (C1), Panthera (V5 and V6) and Reconyx
 automated cameras with white flash were used to capture photos of tigers
 and other wild animals. Camera traps were mounted on standing trees or
 pegged wooden poles 45 – 60 cm above the ground, perpendicular to, and 6 m
 – 10 m apart on either side of game trails, forest roads, and riverbeds. 
 Each survey occasion consisted of a 15-16 day camera-trapping session,
 with cameras monitored twice a week in accordance with Nepal's tiger
 and prey monitoring protocol (DNPWC, 2017). Tiger detection (photographs)
 and non-detection (absence of photo captures) were systematically recorded
 and compiled for analysis.
description: # **Ecological factors at fine spatial scale associated with tiger
 occupancy in western Terai Arc landscape, Nepal**
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.6q573n65q](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.6q573n65q) ## Description of the data and file structure Data comprises information on grids, detection histories ("1"- detected or "0" -non-detected), and covariates. The first column represents the grid codes of camera stations, which included 720 unique IDs (Id_grid). Detection histories included 20 spatial replicates from R1 to R1.16. Covariates are elevation (ele) (meter), slope (degree), aspect (degree), topographic ruggedness index (tri) (dimension less), distance to buildings (dist_build) (meter), distance to river (dist_river) (meter), distance to road (dist_road) (meter), distance to artificial waterholes (dist_water) (meter), normalized difference vegetation index (ndvi) (dimension less), prey index (prey)(dimension less), and carnivore index (carnivores) (dimension less). Remotely sensed data were extracted and averaged for each grid.