© Photo :by MacKinnon
BACKGROUND
Javan leopard is categorized as Critical Endangered species on the IUCN Red List and protected by
Indonesian government regulation.
Javan leopard is only distributed in Java Island – the most densely populated island in Indonesia
More than 80% of Javan leopard habitat is production forest, so this animal will always face the impact of
exploitation activities.
High rate of deforestation in Central Java during period of 2000-2005 is 142.560 ha per year.
Javan leopard is prone to local extinction due to habitat degradation, fragmentation and habitat loss.
Present status of Javan leopard’s population and distribution is not well documented.
Habitat suitability model could provide information on the present status which enable management
authority to define the important actions.
OBJECTIVES
Develop spatial model of habitat use of Javan leopard
Develop spatial model of habitat vulnerability of Javan leopard
Develop spatial model of habitat suitability of Javan leopard
*) Part of Dissertation “Habitat and Distribution of Javan Leopard (Panthera pardus melas Cuvier, 1809) on Fragmented Landscape in Central Java” submitted to Post Graduate Program, Bogor Agriculture University.
1) Center for Conservation and Rehabilitation, Research and Development , Forestry Research and Development Agency, Ministry of Forestry. 2) Department of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecotourism, Faculty of Forestry, Bogor Agriculture University.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Research was conducted in 2008 and located in Central Java Province.
A. MATERIALS
Digital maps of climate, land cover (2006), teak and pine plantations, RBI (topography), forest area boundary and land use (forest status); and periodic wildlife inventory report.
B. METHODS
GPS mapping survey on Javan Leopard and its preys; questionnaire survey for complementing wildlife data. Weighted spatial model of habitat suitability using Arcview 3.2; Six factors were considered as determinant of
habitat suitability of Javan leopard (i.e. area, prey, vegetation, rainfall, water body (determinant of habitat use), topography, elevation and forest status (determinant of habitat vulnerability).
Weight of each variable was developed by rating method and defined through arbitrary way based on expert judgment. The linear equation of the model is :
C = 0,35(x1) + 0,25(x2) + 0,15(x3) + 0,05(x4) + 0,05(x5) + 0,06(x6) + 0,05(x7) + 0,04(x8)
Where C is habitat suitability; x1 is habitat area; x2 is prey availability; x3 is vegetation types of forest; x4 is rainfall; x5 is water availability; x5 is topography; x7 is elevation and x8 is forest status.
Factors Score Criteria
H
ab
itat
U
se
Habitat area
10 > 1000 ha 5 600 – 1000 ha 0 < 600 ha
Prey
10 6 species of main preys (primates and ungulates)
5 4 species of main preys 1 1-3 species of main prey(s)
Forest types
10 Natural forest 5 Plantation forest
Water
10 Water body in the patch 0 No water body in the patch
Rainfall types (Schmidt & Ferguson classification)
1 D or E
5 C or C and D 10 A or B
H
ab
it
at
V
ulnerabi
li
ty Forest status
10 Conservation forest and protected forest 5 Limited production forest
1 Common production forest
Topography
1 Slope < 15 % 5 Slope 15% -25 % 10 Slope > 25%
Elevation
1 < 500 m above sea level
5 500 – 1000 m above sea level 10 > 1000 m above sea level
Procedure of spatial modelling of habitat suitability of Javan leopard
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
A. HABITAT USE
GPS survey found 48 location (assumed as 48 population) of Javan leopard.
Central Java is covered by 684.911,54 ha forest vegetation (natural forest and plantation forest) 43% of forested area are highly used by Javan leopard, 50% Medium and 7% Low.
69% of population of Javan leopard are concentrated in forested are with high class of habitat use, 29%
medium and 2% low.
Model validity 97.92%
Present population of Javan leopard Extinct population
Province Boundary Habitat Use Classes
High Medium Low Ledend
HABITAT USE OF
JAVAN LEOPARD
IN CENTRAL JAVA PROVINCE
B. HABITAT VULNERABILTY
44% location of Javan leopard is distributed in habitat with high vulnerability, 35% in medium vulnerability
and 21% in low vulnerability (=secure)
67% local extinction occurred in high vulnerability habitat and 33% in medium vulnerability
Javan leopard is facing local extinction caused by habitat vulnerability (high risk to disturbance by human
activities)
HABITAT VULNERABILITY OF
JAVAN LEOPARD
IN CENTRAL JAVA PROVINCE
LEGEND
Present population of Javan leopard
Extinct population
Province boundary
Vulnerability Classes
Low
Medium
High
C. HABITAT SUTABILITY
31% of forest area in Central Java can be classified as high suitability for Javan leopard, 61% as medium
suitability and 8% as low suitability.
26 population (54%) of Javan leopard are distributed in high suitability habitat, 20 (42%) in medium suitability
habitat and 2 (4%) in low suitability habitat.
Model validity is 95,83%
HABITAT SUITABILITY OF
JAVAN LEOPARD
IN CENTRAL JAVA PROVINCE
LEGEND
Present population of Javan leopard
Extinct population
Province boundary
Habitat Suitability Classes
High
Medium
Low
CONCLUSSION
In general, forest area in Central Java is highly used by Javan leopard as its habitat.
Although 43% of forest area is highly used but only 21% of total forest area that is really secure (low
vulnerability) for Javan leopard .
Vulnerability factors are crucial to be considered in management of Javan leopard as they contribute
significantly to local extinction.
Habitat suitability model of Javan leopard is 95,83% valid. This model can be used for defining high
conservation value forest in plantation forest landscape and is beneficial for designing strategy and action plan for Javan leopard conservation.
Habitat suitability model must be applied for other carnivores. The same study should be conducted in other
landscapes.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
: We thank the Perum Perhutani I Central Java for providing data and facilities, BAPLAN for providing digital maps and The GIS Laboratory of Faculty of Forestry, Bogor Agric. Univ. for supporting spatial analyses.PATCH AREA DATA OF PREYS
FOREST COVER
WATER BODY
FOREST STATUS
MODEL OF HABITAT SUITABILITY
Class of sufficiency
patch area
Class of forest cover
Class of water availability
Class of forest status
Habitat used potential
MODEL OF HABITAT USE
RAINFALL Class of rainfall
TOPOGRAPHY topographyClass of
ELEVATION Class of
elevation
MODEL OF HABITAT VULNERABILTY
