Field survey data for conservation: Evaluating suitable habitat of
Chinese pangolin at the County-level in eastern China (2000-2040)
Abstract
Due to extensive poaching and habitat degradation, the Chinese pangolin
(Manis pentadactyla) population had plummeted by approximately 90%,
leading the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to
classify it as a Critically Endangered (CR) species. The scarcity of
up-to-date data on the species’ distribution and dynamics presented a
significant challenge in developing effective conservation strategies
and implementing protective measures within China. This study employed
on eleven widely used modeling techniques created within the BIOMOD2
framework to predict suitable habitats for the pangolin at the county
scale, while examining the correlation between environmental variables
and pangolin distribution. The results revealed that in Mingxi County,
situated in the eastern sector of the Wuyi Mountains, the moderately
suitable habitat spanned 260 km², accounting for 15% of the total area,
whereas the highly suitable habitat encompassed only 49 km²,
constituting 3% of the total area. Within the county-managed nature
reserve, the proportion of highly suitable habitats reached as high as
52%. However, nearly half of these areas, both moderately and highly
suitable, remained inadequately addressed and conserved. The findings
underscored the inadequacy of existing protected areas in sustaining the
current pangolin population, leading to the identification of nine
administrative villages that necessitated prioritized conservation
efforts. The study anticipated an overall expansion in suitable habitats
over the ensuing two decades, likely associated with an increase in
precipitation, with significant growth projected in the eastern regions
of Xiayang Township and Hufang Town. This research offered a clear and
applicable research paradigm for the specific administrative level at
which China operates, particularly pertinent to county-level
jurisdictions with established nature reserve. In order to more
precisely evaluate the pangolin’s situation at the county scale, the
study underscored the paramount importance of conducting field surveys,
deemed as the most urgent task at the time.