Program SPACECAP: software for estimating animal density using spatially explicit capture-recapture models

Abstract

Summary: The advent of spatially explicit capture–recapture models is changing the way ecologists analyse capture–recapture data. However, the advantages offered by these new models are not fully exploited because they can be difficult to implement. To address this need, we developed a user-friendly software package, created within the R programming environment, called SPACECAP. This package implements Bayesian spatially explicit hierarchical models to analyse spatial capture–recapture data. Given that a large number of field biologists prefer software with graphical user interfaces for analysing their data, SPACECAP is particularly useful as a tool to increase the adoption of Bayesian spatially explicit capture–recapture methods in practice.