Inferring species extinction from sighting data

McCrea, Rachel S and Cheale, Thomas and Campillo-Funollet, Eduard and Roberts, David L (2024) Inferring species extinction from sighting data. Cambridge prisms. Extinction, 2: e19. ISSN 2755-0958

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Abstract

Understanding whether a species still persists, or the timing of its extinction is challenging, however, such knowledge is fundamental for effective species management.For the vast majority of species our understanding of their existence is based solely on sighting data that can range from museum specimens and clear photographs, through vocalisations, to markings and oral accounts.Here we review the methods that have been developed to infer the extinction of species from a sighting record, providing an understanding of their assumptions and applications. We have also produced an RShiny package which can be used to implement some of the methods presented in the article.While there are a number of potential areas that could be further developed, the methods reviewed provide a useful tool for inferring species extinction.