Assessing the Drivers of Distribution for a Cryptic Species Over a Large and Rugged Landscape: Occupancy Modeling of the Critically Endangered Northern White-Cheeked Gibbon.

ABSTRACT: Hunting and wildlife trade in Lao PDR (also known as Laos) has left species of larger wild fauna existing at low densities, almost exclusively in remote areas of rugged forest, and wary of human presence. This makes surveying of larger fauna in the country difficult as observation of individuals is remarkably rare. Due to the critical nature of faunal conservation in Lao PDR (many globally threatened species facing the immediate risk of extirpation) the difficulty of conducting faunal surveys does not supersede the need to do so. Occupancy estimation and modeling, using repeated sampling of presence/non-detection of a site, offers a potential solution to this challenge. We conducted presence/non-detection sampling of 80 sites spread across the potentially suitable habitat for the Criticall

SUBMITTER: White J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12827056 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature