Journey’s End: The North End of the Jaguar...
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Journey’s End: The North End of the Jaguar Corridor Client: Arizona Game and Fish Department Authors: Elliot Thompson, Christian Irian, & Marshall Cox The purpose of our study is to identify regions in western Arizona that should be protected corridors for the jaguar (Panthera onca). We are using vector data to identify habitat suitability based on food and water availability as well as proximity to humans; we are using 3D raster data from the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) to determine what jaguar terrain suitability (based on slope and aspect) and we are using euclidean spatial analysis to determine which area is most suitable based on the vicinity to the nearest Game and Fish Department Offices for emergency helicopter transport of the animals. Vector Suitability The 1,800 meter water buffer represents the lowest average daily Jaguar travel rate to ensure access. The 3,300 meter campsite and public recreation buffers represent the highest average daily jaguar travel rate in order to avoid direct human contact. Due to Jaguar’s preference for moist dense vegetation and trees, vegetation is weighted accordingly. Due to the fact that trail areas are meant to be shared by wildlife and humans, trails are buffer for an average distance of human off-trail drift. In the process of producing our maps, we originally attempted to produce a TIN model rather than a 3D raster model; this did not work, as our area was too large to construct a TIN from. Jaguars require large expanses of habitat, so we could not justify scaling down the size of our study area Results: We have determined that the Lake Havasu region is well suited for jaguars in terms of terrain, food availability, water accessibility and distance from humans; it would be worthwhile for the Arizona Game and Fish Department to allocate land as jaguar habitat or a jaguar corridor in the Havasu region . In the event of requiring emergency veterinary care, much of the region is covered via helicopter transport. Legend, arrow, scale added. Raster Mosaic with Emphasis on Parker Dam Site Euclidean Distance for each site Arizona Game and Fish Sites Located Data Collection
Transcript of Journey’s End: The North End of the Jaguar...
Journey’s End: The North End of the Jaguar CorridorClient: Arizona Game and Fish Department
Authors: Elliot Thompson, Christian Irian, & Marshall CoxThe purpose of our study is to identify regions in western Arizona that should be protected corridors for the jaguar
(Panthera onca). We are using vector data to identify habitat suitability based on food and water availability as well as proximity to humans; we are using 3D raster data from the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) to determine what jaguar terrain
suitability (based on slope and aspect) and we are using euclidean spatial analysis to determine which area is most suitable based on the vicinity to the nearest Game and Fish Department Offices for emergency helicopter transport of the
animals.Vector Suitability
The 1,800 meter water buffer represents the lowest average daily Jaguar travel rate to ensure access. The 3,300 meter campsite and public recreation buffers represent the highest average daily jaguar travel rate in order to avoid direct human contact. Due to Jaguar’s preference for moist dense vegetation and trees, vegetation is weighted accordingly. Due to the fact that trail areas are meant to be shared by wildlife and humans, trails are buffer for an average
distance of human off-trail drift.
In the process of producing our maps, we originally attempted to produce a TIN model rather than a 3D raster model; this did not work, as our area was too large to construct a TIN from. Jaguars require large expanses of habitat, so we could not justify scaling down the size of our study area
Results: We have determined that the Lake Havasu region is well suited for jaguars in terms of terrain, food availability, water accessibility and distance from humans; it would be worthwhile for the Arizona Game and Fish Department to allocate land as jaguar habitat or a jaguar corridor in the Havasu region . In the event of requiring emergency veterinary care, much of the region is covered via helicopter transport.
Legend, arrow, scale added.
Raster Mosaic with Emphasis on Parker Dam Site
Euclidean Distance for each site
Arizona Game and Fish Sites Located
Data Collection
