Assessing ecological and socio‐political factors in site selection for ocelot reintroduction in Texas

Abstract

AbstractWildlife reintroduction site selection requires the consideration of not only a species' ecology but also socio‐political factors that may impact conservation efforts. These socio‐political dimensions may be especially important for endangered carnivore reintroductions on private lands in the United States, where landowner support for the reintroduction is a necessity given landowner concerns about ecological and legal impacts of carnivore restoration. We designed an assessment to identify potential sites for reintroduction of the federally endangered ocelot (Leopardus pardalis pardalis) in Texas, a state where over 97% of lands are privately owned. We incorporated International Union for Conservation of Nature recommendations into a geospatial analysis evaluating potential reintroduction sites based on site size, ecological and life history requirements of ocelots, potential natural and anthropogenic threats, and the socio‐political context of each site. We identified the five highest‐ranking sites that had species‐specific suitable landscape structure of woody cover, fine‐scale vegetative cover, minimal natural and anthropogenic threats, and that present land ownership patterns that are logistically feasible for conservation planners to navigate. Our assessment provided information for ocelot conservation planning and established a framework for incorporating private land data into large‐scale assessments of wildlife reintroduction sites on private lands.