Validating Aerial Photographic Mark–Recapture for Naturally Marked Feral Horses

Accurately estimating large mammal populations is a difficult challenge because species of interest often occupy vast areas and exhibit low and heterogeneous visibility. Population estimation techniques using aerial surveys and statistical design and analysis methods provide a means for meeting this...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of wildlife management 2009-11, Vol.73 (8), p.1420-1429
Main Authors: Lubow, Bruce C, Ransom, Jason I
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Advantages
Aerial locomotion
aerial photography
aerial survey
Aerial surveys
Animal populations
Animals
Census
Equus caballus
Estimate reliability
Estimates
Estimation methods
feral animals
feral horse
Field tests
Group size
Heterogeneity
Historical account
Horses
mammals
Mark release recapture
mark-recapture
Methods
Population
Population estimates
population estimation
population number
Population size
Sample size
Sampling techniques
sighting probability
Statistics
surveys
TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGY
validation
Vegetation
Vehicular flight
Visibility
Wildlife management
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Summary:Accurately estimating large mammal populations is a difficult challenge because species of interest often occupy vast areas and exhibit low and heterogeneous visibility. Population estimation techniques using aerial surveys and statistical design and analysis methods provide a means for meeting this challenge, yet they have only rarely been validated because wild populations of known size suitable for field tests are rare. Our study presents field validations of a photographic aerial mark–recapture technique that takes advantage of the recognizable natural markings on free-roaming feral horses (Equus caballus) to accurately identify individual animals and groups of animals sighted on multiple occasions. The 3 small populations of feral horses (
ISSN:0022-541X
1937-2817
DOI:10.2193/2008-538