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In Pursuit of New Spaces for Threatened Mammals: Assessing Habitat Suitability for Kashmir Markhor ( Capra falconeri cashmeriensis) in the Hindukush Range

Author

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  • Romaan Hayat Khattak

    (College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China)

  • Liwei Teng

    (College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China)

  • Shakeel Ahmad

    (Carnivore Conservation Lab, Department of Zoology, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan)

  • Fathul Bari

    (Wildlife and Ecosystem Research Lab, Department of Zoology, University of Chitral, Chitral 17200, Pakistan)

  • Ejaz Ur Rehman

    (Wildlife Department Chitral Division, Chitral 17200, Pakistan)

  • Altaf Ali Shah

    (Wildlife Department Chitral Division, Chitral 17200, Pakistan)

  • Zhensheng Liu

    (College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China)

Abstract

Natural wild habitats are either destroyed or shrunk due to human interventions. Therefore, habitat evaluation is crucial for managing wildlife populations and designing robust conservation strategies. Species presence data and geographic information system (GIS) coupled with ground-breaking powerful statistical techniques have made such assessments possible. We used maximum entropy modeling (MaxEnt) to identify suitable habitats for Kashmir markhor ( Capra falconeri cashmeriensis ) in Malakand Division, Pakistan. MaxEnt was applied to 169 markhor sighting points and topographical and current bioclimatic variables. Results showed that the accuracy of the MaxEnt model was good (AUC = 0.889). Of the total area studied (8407.09 km 2 ), 22.35% (1878.75 km 2 ) was highly suitable and 32.63% (2743.53 km 2 ) was moderately suitable for markhor. Protected areas including Chitral Gol National Park (CGNP), Tooshi-Sasha Conservancy (TSC), and Gehrait-Golain Conservancy (GGC) and their buffers were included in highly suitable habitats. MaxEnt also predicted highly suitable habitats in Kumrat and Kalam valleys. We believe that moderately suitable habitats identified in Jinjeret, Ursoon, Birir valley, and Bumborait valley have the potential to host markhor populations. Based on the results obtained in the current study, we strongly recommend expanding the current protected areas (PAs) network in the study area and strengthening it by inclusive conservation management with local communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Romaan Hayat Khattak & Liwei Teng & Shakeel Ahmad & Fathul Bari & Ejaz Ur Rehman & Altaf Ali Shah & Zhensheng Liu, 2022. "In Pursuit of New Spaces for Threatened Mammals: Assessing Habitat Suitability for Kashmir Markhor ( Capra falconeri cashmeriensis) in the Hindukush Range," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-15, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:3:p:1544-:d:737176
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    1. Michela Pacifici & Wendy B. Foden & Piero Visconti & James E. M. Watson & Stuart H.M. Butchart & Kit M. Kovacs & Brett R. Scheffers & David G. Hole & Tara G. Martin & H. Resit Akçakaya & Richard T. Co, 2015. "Assessing species vulnerability to climate change," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 5(3), pages 215-224, March.
    2. Jingwei Song & Xinyuan Wang & Ying Liao & Jing Zhen & Natarajan Ishwaran & Huadong Guo & Ruixia Yang & Chuansheng Liu & Chun Chang & Xin Zong, 2014. "An Improved Neural Network for Regional Giant Panda Habitat Suitability Mapping: A Case Study in Ya’an Prefecture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(7), pages 1-18, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Shakeel Ahmad & Ejaz Ur Rehman & Hussain Ali & Nazakat Din & Jibran Haider & Jaffar Ud Din & Muhammad Ali Nawaz, 2022. "Density Pattern of Flare-Horned Markhor ( Capra falconeri ) in Northern Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-13, August.

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