TY  - JOUR
A1  - Wilting, A.
A1  - Patel, R.
A1  - Pfestorf, Hans
A1  - Kern, C.
A1  - Sultan, K.
A1  - Ario, A.
A1  - Penaloza, F.
A1  - Kramer-Schadt, S.
A1  - Radchuk, Viktoriia
A1  - Foerster, D. W.
A1  - Fickel, Jörns
T1  - Evolutionary history and conservation significance of the Javan leopard Panthera pardus melas
JF  - Journal of zoology : proceedings of the Zoological Society of London
N2  - The leopard Panthera pardus is widely distributed across Africa and Asia; however, there is a gap in its natural distribution in Southeast Asia, where it occurs on the mainland and on Java but not on the interjacent island of Sumatra. Several scenarios have been proposed to explain this distribution gap. Here, we complemented an existing dataset of 68 leopard mtDNA sequences from Africa and Asia with mtDNA sequences (NADH5+ ctrl, 724bp) from 19 Javan leopards, and hindcasted leopard distribution to the Pleistocene to gain further insights into the evolutionary history of the Javan leopard. Our data confirmed that Javan leopards are evolutionarily distinct from other Asian leopards, and that they have been present on Java since the Middle Pleistocene. Species distribution projections suggest that Java was likely colonized via a Malaya-Java land bridge that by-passed Sumatra, as suitable conditions for leopards during Pleistocene glacial periods were restricted to northern and western Sumatra. As fossil evidence supports the presence of leopards on Sumatra at the beginning of the Late Pleistocene, our projections are consistent with a scenario involving the extinction of leopards on Sumatra as a consequence of the Toba super volcanic eruption (similar to 74kya). The impact of this eruption was minor on Java, suggesting that leopards managed to survive here. Currently, only a few hundred leopards still live in the wild and only about 50 are managed in captivity. Therefore, this unique and distinctive subspecies requires urgent, concerted conservation efforts, integrating insitu and ex situ conservation management activities in a One Plan Approach to species conservation management.
KW  - biogeography
KW  - evolutionary history
KW  - Felidae
KW  - Southeast Asia
KW  - Toba eruption
KW  - One Plan Approach
KW  - Pleistocene
KW  - Javan leopard
Y1  - 2016
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12348
SN  - 0952-8369
SN  - 1469-7998
VL  - 299
SP  - 239
EP  - 250
PB  - Wiley-Blackwell
CY  - Hoboken
ER  -