Dramatic population declines threaten the Endangered Indochinese tiger Panthera tigris corbetti with extinction. Thailand now plays a critical role in its conservation, as there are few known breeding populations in other range countries. Thailand's Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex is recognized as an important tiger recovery site, but it remains poorly studied. Here, we present results from the first camera-trap study focused on tigers and implemented across all protected areas in this landscape. Our goal was to assess tiger and prey populations across the five protected areas of this forest complex, reviewing discernible patterns in rates of detection. We conducted camera-trap surveys opportunistically during 2008–2017. We recorded 1,726 detections of tigers in 79,909 camera-trap nights. Among these were at least 16 adults and six cubs/juveniles from four breeding females. Detection rates of both tigers and potential prey species varied considerably between protected areas over the study period. Our findings suggest heterogeneity in tiger distribution across this relatively continuous landscape, potentially influenced by distribution of key prey species. This study indicates that the Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex is one of the few remaining breeding locations of the Indochinese tiger. Despite limitations posed by our study design, our findings have catalysed increased research and conservation interest in this globally important population at a critical time for tiger conservation in South-east Asia.

中文翻译：

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泰国被遗忘老虎的机会：用相机陷阱调查评估印度支那虎 Panthera tigris corbetti 及其猎物

人口急剧下降威胁着濒临灭绝的印度支那虎Panthera tigris corbetti随着灭绝。泰国现在在其保护方面发挥着关键作用，因为在其他分布国几乎没有已知的繁殖种群。泰国的 Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai 森林复合体被认为是重要的老虎回收地点，但对其研究仍然很少。在这里，我们展示了第一个以老虎为重点的相机陷阱研究的结果，并在该景观的所有保护区实施。我们的目标是评估这片森林综合体五个保护区的老虎和猎物种群，审查可识别的检测率模式。我们在 2008 年至 2017 年期间机会主义地进行了相机陷阱调查。我们在 79,909 个相机陷阱之夜记录了 1,726 次老虎的检测。其中至少有 16 只成年雌性和 6 只幼崽/幼崽来自四只繁殖雌性。在研究期间，保护区之间老虎和潜在猎物的检测率差异很大。我们的研究结果表明，老虎分布在这个相对连续的景观中存在异质性，可能受到主要猎物物种分布的影响。这项研究表明，Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai 森林复合体是印度支那虎为数不多的剩余繁殖地之一。尽管我们的研究设计存在局限性，但我们的研究结果在东南亚老虎保护的关键时刻促进了对这一全球重要种群的研究和保护兴趣的增加。可能受到主要猎物物种分布的影响。这项研究表明，Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai 森林复合体是印度支那虎为数不多的剩余繁殖地之一。尽管我们的研究设计存在局限性，但我们的研究结果在东南亚老虎保护的关键时刻促进了对这一全球重要种群的研究和保护兴趣的增加。可能受到主要猎物物种分布的影响。这项研究表明，Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai 森林复合体是印度支那虎为数不多的剩余繁殖地之一。尽管我们的研究设计存在局限性，但我们的研究结果在东南亚老虎保护的关键时刻促进了对这一全球重要种群的研究和保护兴趣的增加。