GIS Data

Species Ranges and Priority Areas for Conservation
As part of WCS’ strategy to save wildlife and wild lands, we employ a unique methodology to map the distribution of key species with large regional or continental-scale ranges and to identify priority areas for their conservation.  GIS data for species include current species ranges and priority conservation areas, historical ranges, and when possible, point observations.

Datasets	Summary	Downloads	Publications
American Crocodiles	The American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) ranges from southern Florida through the Caribbean islands, and from Mexico through Central America to Peru. It inhabits brackish and freshwater habitats, preferring mangrove-lined coasts.  The American crocodiles dataset documents the range and conservation priorities for the American crocodile, as identified by a team of experts in an October 2002 workshop held in Gainesville, Florida.	Data Metadata	Thorbjarnarson J. Mazzotti F., Sanderson E., Buitrago F., Lazcano M., Minkowski K., Muñiz M., Ponce P., Sigler L., Soberon R., Trelancia A.M., Velasco A. 2006.  Regional habitat conservation priorities for the American crocodile.  Biological conservation 128 (2006) 25-36
Jaguars	Jaguars (Panthera onca) once ranged throughout much of the Americas, from the southwestern United States to southern Argentina. In recent years, their range has been much reduced. A team of 35 experts convened in March 1999 to map the extent of the jaguar range and identify priorities for their conservation. The jaguar dataset represents the results of this workshop.	Data Metadata	Sanderson E.W., Redford K.H., Chetkiewicz C.B, Medellin R.A., Rabinowitz A.R., Robinson J.G., Taber A.B. 2002. Planning to save a species: The jaguar as a model. Conservation biology 16(1) 58-72.
Tigers	Wild tigers (Panthera tigris) are found in a variety of habitats across Asia from the Russian Far East to South and Southeast Asia.  This tiger priority setting exercise was done in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund and Smithsonian, supported by Save the Tiger fund, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.N. Foundation. The project relied on the participation of nearly 100 tiger experts.  We utilized automated techniques and new data layers to model tiger habitat.  The 2006 tiger dataset represents an updated version of the 1995 effort to delineate and prioritize tiger conservation units (TCUs).	Data  Metadata	Wildlife Conservation Society, World Wildlife Fund, Smithsonian Institution, Save the Tiger Fund (WCS, WWF, Smithsonian, STF).  2006.  Setting Priorities for Conservation and Recovery of Wild Tigers 2005-2010:  Parts I and II.  Funded by Save the Tiger Fund, the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, the United Nations Foundation, and the Zoological Society of London.  July 2006. Dinerstein, E., E. Wikramanayake, J. Robinson, U. Karanth, a. Rabinowitz, D. Olson, T. Mathey, P. Hedo, M. Connor, G. Hemley, and D. Bolze. 1997 A framework for identifying high priority areas and actions for the conservation of tigers in the wild. WWF, WCS, NFWS-STF
Mongolian Gazelle	Historically, Mongolian gazelle (Procapra gutturosa) occurred at low and medium elevations throughout Mongolia, with their range extending somewhat into Russia and China.  The species is now limited primarily to the eastern half of Mongolia.  This dataset was compiled by gazelle experts who attended an October 2004 priority-setting workshop in Ulan Bator.	Coming soon!	Zahler, P. et al, in prep.
Lowland Tapirs	Lowland tapirs (Tapirus terrestris) once ranged from northern South America through northern Argentina. They are now believed to be extinct in several large blocks along the edges of their historic range. Tapirs inhabit a variety of habitats including lowland and montane forests, savannas, and grasslands, where they seek fruit and browse and serve as major seed dispersers. This dataset was compiled with the help of experts who attended a  priority-setting exercise  in Santa Cruz, Bolivia in 2005.	Coming soon!	Taber, A., S. Chalukian et al. in prep
White-Lipped Peccaries	The white-lipped peccaries’ (Tayassu pecari) historic range extends from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. In Central America, their range has been reduced by over 50%, while in South America, range contraction has occurred along the edges of the historic range with habitat loss patterns resembling that of the lowland tapirs.  The priority-setting exercise for white-lipped peccaries  was held in Santa Cruz, Bolivia in 2005, concurrently with that of the lowland tapir.	Coming soon!	Taber, A., M. Altrichter et al. in prep
African Lions	African Lions (Leo Panthera) once occurred throughout most of the African continent, except for the central and coastal rain forests and the Sahara desert. Their range has collapsed towards the center of the historical range and has also become severely fragmented, due largely to pressure from habitat conversion to agriculture use. Ecological priorities for lions were outlined at two separate workshops, one for Western and Central African range countries and a second for the East and South.	Coming soon!	Hunter, L. in prep

Wild Places
The wild places datasets, including the Human Footprint, Human Influence Index, and Last of the Wild, identify the wildest places on earth, as well as those most impacted by humans.  These datasets are composed of input layers that include human population density, roads, land use, and power infrastructure.