Curtis Battle

Thesis title: "Sex-specific habitat models for bengal tigers (panthera tigris) in Chitwan National Park, Nepal"

Abstract

We developed sex-specific habitat models for Bengal Tigers (Panthera tigris) based on camera trap data collected within Chitwan National Park (CNP), Nepal, and its buffer zone, in order to identify differences in habitat preference between males and females. We then compared these to a sex-indiscriminate model in order to identify information that was lost when occurrence data for both sexes were included in the same model, as well as to assess the benefits of a sex specific approach to habitat modeling. Our sex-based models allowed us to produce more informative and detailed habitat suitability maps, highlighting key differences between male and female habitat preferences. In the context of global tiger conservation, such information is essential to fulfilling important conservation goals.