生物多样性 ›› 2022, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (9): 22349.  DOI: 10.17520/biods.2022349

• 中国猫科动物研究与保护专题 • 上一篇    下一篇

中国云豹种群分布现状与关键栖息地信息更新

马子驭1, 何再新2, 王一晴1,*(), 宋大昭1, 夏凡1,3, 崔士明1, 苏红信4, 邓建林2, 李平4, 李晟3,*()   

  1. 1.重庆江北飞地猫盟生态科普保护中心, 重庆 400020
    2.云南西双版纳国家级自然保护区科学研究所, 云南景洪 666100
    3.北京大学生命科学学院, 北京 100871
    4.西双版纳易武州级自然保护区, 云南勐腊 666306
  • 收稿日期:2022-06-25 接受日期:2022-09-23 出版日期:2022-09-20 发布日期:2022-09-26
  • 通讯作者: 王一晴,李晟
  • 作者简介:shengli@pku.edu.cn
    * E-mail: office@felidchina.org;
    第一联系人:# 共同第一作者
  • 基金资助:
    香港海洋公园保育基金(TM01_1920);生态环境部生物多样性调查;观测与评估项目(2019HJ2096001006)

An update on the current distribution and key habitats of the clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) populations in China

Ziyu Ma1, Zaixin He2, Yiqing Wang1,*(), Dazhao Song1, Fan Xia1,3, Shiming Cui1, Hongxin Su4, Jianlin Deng2, Ping Li4, Sheng Li3,*()   

  1. 1. Chinese Felid Conservation Alliance, Chongqing 400020
    2. Scientific Research Institute of Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve, Jinghong, Yunnan 666100
    3. School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871
    4. Management Office of Yiwu Nature Reserve in Xishuangbanna Prefecture, Mengla, Yunnan 666306
  • Received:2022-06-25 Accepted:2022-09-23 Online:2022-09-20 Published:2022-09-26
  • Contact: Yiqing Wang,Sheng Li
  • About author:First author contact:# Co-first author

摘要:

云豹(Neofelis nebulosa)是中国大型猫科动物中对森林生态系统依赖性最高的物种。中国作为云豹的主要分布区, 由于长期以来缺乏深入研究和有效保护, 在盗猎、森林采伐、土地利用变化等威胁因素的共同作用下, 云豹在中国的分布范围和种群数量近数十年来均大幅缩减, 其分布现状亟需全面评估。本研究系统检索和查阅了国内1950年以来的云豹标本、野外调查记录、地方志、新闻报道等直接证据, 整理了中国各省级行政区内云豹记录存在的年代; 基于2010-2020年国内55个地区的红外相机监测数据, 结合同期研究文献中记录的中国云豹确认分布位点, 校准了已发表的云豹栖息地适合度模型, 并在此基础上叠加保护地和行政区划图层, 根据2010-2020年间森林覆盖率的减量评估云豹栖息地适合度的变化, 以识别我国的云豹关键栖息地和保护优先区。结果显示, 1950-2009年, 我国的云南、西藏、四川、陕西、甘肃、重庆、贵州、广西、广东、海南、湖北、湖南、安徽、江西、浙江、福建以及台湾共17个省级行政区有云豹分布, 但其中12个迄今已超过20年无确凿记录, 且目前仅在云南省和西藏自治区仍有云豹记录延续。当前我国大陆地区云豹潜在栖息地总面积64,093 km2, 分别位于9个连续的栖息地斑块中, 其中3个为跨境斑块。2010-2020年间, 我国境内共在5个自然保护区的10个样区记录到云豹, 全部位于西藏东南部以及云南西部和南部的2个跨境栖息地斑块(即“喜马拉雅-横断山脉西侧-若开山脉”和“无量山南麓-安南山脉”)的边缘。2010-2020年间, 这两个斑块在中国境内区域的年均森林覆盖率减量(0.84%)小于境外(1.57%)。从本研究的结果推断, 中国目前确认分布的云豹种群极有可能维持在跨境分布的生境中, 面临内部和跨境的双重挑战。相关保护地应有针对性地加强反盗猎执法, 并开展栖息地恢复工作以提升云豹栖息地质量与斑块连通性, 同时与周边分布区国家开展跨境保护合作, 为现有云豹种群的长期生存和发展提供必要基础。

关键词: 大型食肉动物, 栖息地适合度, 物种分布, 森林覆盖率, 跨境保护, 保护地

Abstract

Aims: The clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) is the most dependent species on forest ecosystems among all large felids native to China, its distribution is therefore sensitive to deforestation and its survival needs particular attention in conservation. China hosted the majority of N. nebulosa’s historical range, however with the impact of poaching, deforestation and land use change, the range and population of N. nebulosa had undergone severe contraction and decline throughout the past decades. In addition, relevant research and effective conservation actions were still lacking both in and out China. As the result of the drastic changes in recent decades, the current distribution and survival outlook of this charismatic large cat in China requires urgent and rigorous reassessment in order to raise more awareness and conservation investment to ensure the survival of this species in the future. Specifically, this study has 3 objectives: (1) to review the historical range of N. nebulosa in China since 1950; (2) to assess the current distribution of N. nebulosa in China from 2010 to 2020; (3) to identify the existing potential habitats of N. nebulosa in China and evaluate their habitat suitability in terms of area, quality, deforestation and protected area.
Methods: (1) To review the historical range of N. nebulosa in China, we searched and examined the occurrence records of N. nebulosa with solid evidence in specimen collections, peer-reviewed publications, local gazetteers and media reports since 1950, and summarized the confirmed years of attainable presence record in each provincial administrative division of China. (2) As for the current distribution of N. nebulosa from 2010 to 2020, we conducted camera-trapping surveys in 55 sites across China, and reviewed contemporary camera-trapping studies in China for confirmed captures of N. nebulosa. (3) To identify the existing potential habitats of N. nebulosa, we joined the results obtained in this study with results from previous studies to generate a presences/absence localities dataset of N. nebulosa in China, and then calibrated the habitat suitability models that was recently published with this dataset to determine the potential habitat patches within China. Lastly, potential habitat patches identified in this manner were overlaid with protection area and administrative divisions, and habitat suitability change was assessed by forest cover change in 2010‒2020.
Results: Back to the 20th century, the distribution of N. nebulosa in China spanned 17 provincial administrative divisions. However, the once widely distributed N. nebulosa can now only be confirmed to continuously occur in 10 study sites of 2 divisions: Yunnan Province and Tibetan Autonomous Region. There has been no evidence for the presence of N. nebulosa in 12 of its historically distributed divisions for more than 20 years. The species’ potentially suitable habitats in mainland China are now restricted to 9 patches with a total area of 64,093 km2, and in only 2 trans-border patches in the southwestern can we confirm the presence of the species from 2010 to 2020: the Himalaya-Western Hengduan-Arakan Mountains and South Wuliangshan-Annamite regions. Although in these 2 patches, the contiguous area abroad (428,511 km2) was much more extensive than that in China (41,373 km2), the extent of annual forest cover loss in 2010‒2020 was slighter in China (0.84%) comparing to abroad (1.57%). In addition, the percentage of protected area cover was higher in China (34.33%) than abroad (22.02%) in these 2 patches.
Conclusion: From 2010 to 2020, N. nebulosa occurrence in China was confirmed from southwest Tibet, west Yunnan, and south Yunnan, where populations were likely only sustained in transborder habitats with domestic challenges and ongoing severe threats abroad. Relevant departments should strengthen domestic anti-poaching law enforcement, restore habitat suitability and connectivity, and foster transborder collaboration among protected areas, research institutes, governmental organizations and local communities, in order to ensure the long-term survival and growth of N. nebulosa populations in such border regions. In particular, special attention and efforts should be put to Mengla County, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, where N. nebulosa still exists and 68.36% of its potential habitat is already protected.

Key words: large carnivores, habitat suitability, species distribution, forest cover, transborder conservation, protected area