Consideration of an accurate and simple monitoring method for the declining Japanese serow population ―Mount Asama Serow Research Group―

Abstract

To properly conserve and manage the Japanese serow population, it is necessary to establish a simple and accurate population monitoring method. Recently, a density estimation method using a camera trap has been developed, but its applicability to Japanese serows has not been tested. We compared the accuracy of density estimation, using the individual identification method, the pellet group count method, and the REM/REST model (new method), as well as the labor and initial costs for these methods, to evaluate the effectiveness. The estimated density by the pellet group count method, REM and REST was 14% or less of that by the individual identification method, which was significant by lower. There was little difference in estimation accuracy between these three methods, but since the pellet group count method required the least labor and initial costs, the pellet group count method seems to be most effective.