Priority Jaguar Conservation Units (PJCUs) identified in the Caatinga Biome.

<p>Total area, estimated population size and connectivity were used to prioritize the PJCUs.</p><p>NA = smaller estimated population is less than 1.0.</p

Marginal response curve of altitude, the variable that contributed most to the SDM of jaguar occurrence at the Caatinga biome.

<p>Marginal response curve of altitude, the variable that contributed most to the SDM of jaguar occurrence at the Caatinga biome.</p

Connectivity corridors and buffer zones for jaguar movement and dispersal among the Priority Jaguar Conservation Units (PJCUs) in the Caatinga biome.

<p>Connectivity corridors and buffer zones for jaguar movement and dispersal among the Priority Jaguar Conservation Units (PJCUs) in the Caatinga biome.</p

Environmental variables used for Species Distribution Modeling (SDM) for jaguar at Caatinga biome, Brazil.

<p>*mean of monthly (max temp - min temp).</p

Jaguar distribution model and the Priority Jaguar Conservation Units (PJCUs) with high suitability areas (equal to or higher than the median suitability value of 0.595) (in detail).

<p>Jaguar distribution model and the Priority Jaguar Conservation Units (PJCUs) with high suitability areas (equal to or higher than the median suitability value of 0.595) (in detail).</p

Classes of landscape layers and cost values for jaguar movement.

<p>Costs values ranged from 0 (no cost for jaguar movement) to 10 (high cost for jaguar movement). BA means barrier for jaguar movement.</p

Geographical databases used for connectivity modeling.

<p>Geographical databases used for connectivity modeling.</p

Identification of Priority Conservation Areas and Potential Corridors for Jaguars in the Caatinga Biome, Brazil

<div><p>The jaguar, <i>Panthera onca</i>, is a top predator with the extant population found within the Brazilian Caatinga biome now known to be on the brink of extinction. Designing new conservation units and potential corridors are therefore crucial for the long-term survival of the species within the Caatinga biome. Thus, our aims were: 1) to recognize suitable areas for jaguar occurrence, 2) to delineate areas for jaguar conservation (PJCUs), 3) to design corridors among priority areas, and 4) to prioritize PJCUs. A total of 62 points records of jaguar occurrence and 10 potential predictors were analyzed in a GIS environment. A predictive distributional map was obtained using Species Distribution Modeling (SDM) as performed by the Maximum Entropy (Maxent) algorithm. Areas equal to or higher than the median suitability value of 0.595 were selected as of high suitability for jaguar occurrence and named as Priority Jaguar Conservation Units (PJCU). Ten PJCUs with sizes varying from 23.6 km² to 4,311.0 km² were identified. Afterwards, we combined the response curve, as generated by SDM, and expert opinions to create a permeability matrix and to identify least cost corridors and buffer zones between each PJCU pair. Connectivity corridors and buffer zone for jaguar movement included an area of 8.884,26 km² and the total corridor length is about 160.94 km. Prioritizing criteria indicated the PJCU representing c.a. 68.61% of the total PJCU area (PJCU # 1) as of high priority for conservation and connectivity with others PJCUs (PJCUs # 4, 5 and 7) desirable for the long term survival of the species. In conclusion, by using the jaguar as a focal species and combining SDM and expert opinion we were able to create a valid framework for practical conservation actions at the Caatinga biome. The same approach could be used for the conservation of other carnivores.</p></div

Cost surface for jaguar movement in the Caatinga biome with the Priority Jaguar Conservation Units (PCJUs).

<p>The higher the value of the cost surface, the less permeable is the pixel for jaguar movement.</p

Study area map.

<p>Land use and pumas’ occurrence records (2001–2012) in São Paulo State, Southeast, Brazil. This figure was elaborated by the first author using software ArcGIS 10.1 and IrfanView 4.37.</p