Study of Habitat Characteristic and Preference of Javan Leopard (Panthera pardus melas Cuvier, 1809) in Ujung Kulon National Park.

Abstract

Javan leopard is the only big cat in java. It’s dispertion is limited in java and kangean island. Javan leopard in ecosystem have role as a top predator that control population of it’s preys. Javan leopard condition become endangered because to many suppressed to their population and habitat not equal to it’s conservation effort. This research was conduct for 3 months from november 2008 to januari 2009 in Ujung Kulon National Park. Data that collected are habitat characteristic including structur and composition of it’s vegetation, availability of preys, water, and cover, also activity encounter of javan leopard. Data was collected using vegetation analysis method nfor vegetation and line transect method for preys inventory. Habitat of javan leopard in Ujung Kulon National Park is a lowland forest, coastal forest, and mangrove forest. Javan leopard has preference to their habitat (χ2 arithmatic = 18,42 and χ2 table = 5,991). Habitat of Javan leopard like the most is coastal forest (w= 1,64) and habitat of javan leopard unlike the most is mangroove forest (w= 0,07). Habitat characteristic of javan leopard in Ujung Kulon National Park are having structure and composition of it’s vegetation that not too close, availability in preys, water, and cover.