Widespread conversion of the biodiversity rich habitats into land for cultivation and human habitation has resulted in extensive habitat loss for wildlife including leopard. In order to prioritize investments and assess conservation intervention and effectiveness reliable estimates of population density are required. We carried out camera-trapping and line-transect surveys to estimate the predator and prey densities in moist-temperate forest of Dachigam National Park, north-western Himalaya. Density estimate for leopard (Panthera pardus) obtained from programme CAPTURE was 2.8 ± SE 1.18/100 km² and the SECR density obtained from software SPACECAP was 0.744 ± SE 0.18/100 km². Density estimate obtained using software DISTANCE for the two principal prey species was 5.11 ± 0.51/km² and 16.32 ± 1.87/km² for hangul (Cervus hanglu ssp. hanglu) and langur (Semnopithecus ajax), respectively. The leopard density estimates, which are a first record from the study area, turned out to be the lowest in the country. The low densities of prey represent an alarming status of the species as well as of forest ecosystems of the study area. Our baseline estimates for the leopard and prey species will help future research, conservation and management strategies.

中文翻译：

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印度喜马拉雅山西部温带森林中豹的密度

生物多样性丰富的生境广泛转化为耕地和人类居住的土地，导致包括豹子在内的野生动植物大量丧失生境。为了确定投资的优先次序并评估保护措施和有效性，需要可靠的人口密度估算。我们进行了相机诱捕和线断面调查，以估算喜马拉雅山西北部的达奇加姆国家公园湿润森林中的捕食者和猎物密度。从CAPTURE程序获得的豹（Panthera pardus）密度估计为2.8±SE 1.18 / 100 km ²，从SPACECAP软件获得的SECR密度为0.744±SE 0.18 / 100 km ²。使用软件DISTANCE为两个主要猎物物种获得密度估计为5.11±0.51 /千米²和16.32±1.87 /千米²为韩语（鹿hanglu SSP。hanglu）和猴（Semnopithecus AJAX分别地）。豹子密度估算值是该研究区的最低记录，这是该研究区的第一笔记录。低密度的猎物代表着研究区域的物种以及森林生态系统的惊人状况。我们对豹和猎物物种的基准估计将有助于未来的研究，保护和管理策略。