Wild boars have been expanding their range in the northern part of Algeria probably as a consequence of decreasing pressure since the Algerian government has banned for more than 20 years because of civil war. Wild boar is causing a lot of damages and is considered in rural areas as a permanent threat to the crops, livestock and people in recent years. Such situation is obvious in the Annaba district situated in northeastern Algeria. Population is strongly requested by farmers. However, the number of hunters has been drastically decreasing since the 1990´s. To maintain activity and increase the number of hunters, which in the end can lead to as a management tool, we must understand their dynamic by investigating their activities and attitudes. This study is the first investigation in Algeria dealing with the assessment of wild boar hunters’ activities and attitudes. Questionnaires were conducted in 2014; out of 150 licensed hunters at the local associations in Annaba, 114 were questioned and interviewed. Almost half of hunters (47.4 %) were more than 60 years old. We found that most of them (56.2 %) practice for over 30 years; was seen by 40.4 % of hunters as a traditional sport-leisure, which means that for the majority of hunters the idea of hunting to control is not considered. The major problem encountered by 36 % of hunters is the lack of munitions, followed by the difficulty of weapon purchase.
We systematically video-documented three species of Delphinidae: Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus) short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) and killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the Southern California Bight (2009-2011) to assess whether the observation aircraft (fixed-wing Partenavia) affected selected behavioral variables. Focal observations were conducted to examine potential changes in group cohesion and heading reorientation rate, to the plane circling at four altitudes; 213m, 305m, 457m, and 610m while maintaining a radial distance >500 m. Paired t-tests were used to test the null hypothesis that mean maximum cohesion and mean reorientation of groups do not vary significantly based on plane altitude. For cohesion no significant effects were found for the eight G. griseus focal sessions (p = 0.447), one D. delphis (p = 0.602) and one O. orca (p = 0.197). For reorientation no significant effects were found for the eight G. griseus focal sessions (p = 0.591) and one O. orca (p = 0.936); the sample size was too small to calculate reorientation for D. delphis. Our results suggest that our small plane circling at radial distance >500 m and altitude 213 – 610 m did not cause measurable changes in cohesion and reorientation or other observable changes for the three species. We believe this is due to the aircraft remaining >500 m radial distance from the animals and at altitudes well outside the theoretical 26-degree sound transmission cone (“Snell’s Cone”) below the aircraft for the air-through-water interface.
Biosecurity in trapping wildlife is an important consideration regarding animal and human welfare. It is also important regarding minimising the risk of cross-contamination of samples obtained from trapped wildlife, to ensure validity of epidemiological studies dependent on such samples. This paper describes practical approaches to biosecurity in trapping and sampling wildlife, and approaches to evaluating data to assess the potential impact of cross-contamination, using our study of the marsupials quenda (syn. southern brown bandicoots, Isoodon obesulus) and brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) as an example. Biosecurity considerations include management of traps, handling bags, animal handlers and sampling equipment. Various approaches to data analysis can be used to assess whether cross-contamination is likely to have substantially impacted study results.
Within the framework of urban planning and spate management, three badger setts had to be destroyed in Geneva, Switzerland. We took advantage of this situation to perform a systematic excavation of these burrows in order to study their three dimensional organisation. A surveyor’s office developed the 3D-models to help visualize these complexes. The number of entrances did not match the underground complexity of the setts, and for two of them all entrances were not linked to a unique tunnel network. The smallest sett, considering the amount of earth excavated by badgers, was about 3 decades old (5 m3 excavated, 94 m of tunnels) and the largest was about 5 decades old (13 m3 excavated, 300 m of tunnels). Several screen views are presented in the manuscript and a link is proposed to have access to the 3D-models.
The Amargosa vole, Microtus californicus scirpensis, is an endangered microtine rodent obligately found in marshes near the Amargosa River, Mojave Desert in California. Very few data to inform modeling and adaptive management. If interventions are postponed until data are available, the vole could go extinct in the interim, making a more flexible modeling approach imperative. The voles face threats from environmental and demographic stochasticity, Allee effects, inbreeding, genetic drift, intense predation, and disease. The modeling approach used here is based on diffusion methods for time series of population size constrained by a carrying capacity, focusing on environmental stochasticity and the probability that the variance in population growth could allow the population to encounter the lower “absorbing” boundary and go extinct. We parameterized the model with Amargosa vole data that stand as Bayesian “priors” for carrying capacity, until more data can be obtained and allow us to refine a more accurate estimate. There are no multiple-year time series data or data for most demographic characteristics of the Amargosa vole, forcing us to look to California vole time series as a Bayesian prior. Our analysis indicated expected 20-24 years to extinction and 4-5% probability of extinction in one year due to environmental stochasticity: the real time could even be shorter if there is significant demographic stochasticity. Implementation of management based on best available modeling will be crucial to avert this risk. This modeling approach also has merit for other species in urgent need of management even in the face of early projects lacking mature data sets.
Minimum Number Alive (MNA) is a widely used index of abundance and trappability in mark-recapture programmes. MNA is a negatively-biased abundance index, and is sensitive to capture probability and the capture session number. This suggests that MNA-trappability will be positively-biased, and that the extent of the bias will vary with true trappability and trapping regime. Inappropriate use of the index may therefore lead to over-optimistic estimates of trappability. In this note, we highlight the dangers of using MNA-trappability for wildlife practitioners. Using closed-population stochastic simulation, we verify that MNA-trappability indeed provides over-optimistic estimates, especially when true trappability is <70% and the number of trapping occasions is small (<7). Using severely-biased trappability estimates could have serious consequences for wildlife conservation, management or vaccination studies. We specifically discuss the implications of this finding in relation to control programmes of the European badger Meles meles and recommend that future studies, where possible, use multiple metrics of trappability to assess the consistency of results across estimators.
The wild cats and the livestock farmers are part of the space conflict in the rural areas in Latin America. In this sense, this conflict causes a discomfort among the livestock producers due to the loss of animals and, consequently, it also causes a negative reaction towards the wild cats leading such reaction into the elimination of the wild cats per se. Although, there have been some initiatives have tried to approach such conflict by recommending mitigation and prevention measurements to the producers, these measurements are undertaken without coordination. For this reason, the following project presents a planning tool that can ease the coordination processes undertaken for the solving of the conflict between human beings and wild cats.
Females represent a growing, but largely untapped, demographic among hunters, yet relatively little is known about female hunting recruitment and dedication. We began to address the need for research on the role of gender in hunter recruitment and dedication with a mail survey of Danish Hunters Association members (n = 701). Females were older (x = 22) than males (x = 15, SE = 2.1) when they first participated in hunting as a spectator. Females were less dedicated to hunting than males based on days spent hunting in the 2005-06 hunting season (10.4 versus 23.4) and the amount of money spent on hunting annually (6,419 versus 11,086 Danish krones). The lower dedication among female respondents may be explained in part by previous research suggesting that early engagement in hunting is a predictor of persistence as a hunter. Thus, addressing the gender gap in hunter recruitment, retention, and dedication will likely require engaging females at younger ages and through familial networks. Given the increasingly important role of women in decision making in family activities, the importance of family in maintaining hunting participation, and the huge gender bias among hunters, investing in efforts to promote female hunting participation should be central to international hunting recruitment and retention efforts.
European badgers inhabiting Western Carpathians use excavated setts (53%), caves and rock crevices (43%), and burrows under human-made constructions (4%) as permanent shelters. Excavated setts are located up to 640 m a.s.l., but shelters in caves and crevices until 1,050 m a.s.l. Badger setts are mostly located in forests on slopes with southern, eastern and western exposure. Within their territories, ranging from 3.35 to 8.45 km2 (MCP100%), badgers possess 1-12 setts. Family groups are small (mean 2.3 individuals), as is population density (2.2 ind./10 km2) and reproduction (0.57 young/year/10 km2). Hunting by humans is the most important mortality factor (0.37 ind./year/10 km2). Regardless the altitude at which their main sett is located, badgers forage mostly in foothills, as this climatic zone offers the richest food sources. Badgers eat mainly fruits (54%) and earthworms (38%), but seasonal and altitudinal differences in diet were observed.
Mediterranean native ecosystems have been disturbed by human activities for millennia and nowadays these landscapes are highly dependent of anthropic management actions which are also responsible for the maintenance of high biodiversity and conservation value. Among the activities that shaped western Mediterranean areas, in particular the “montado” landscapes, agriculture, cattle raising and game activities, have an important role. In this study we aimed to assess if cattle ranching and hunting management might influence European badgers (Meles meles) diet. Results show that badger’s diet is based on the consumption of wheat (Triticum sp.) and insects, whose availability is related with cattle and game management. While wheat is used as supplementary food for game species (e.g. wild rabbit), insects, and especially coprophogous beetles, are associated with cattle dung. This results demonstrate the uses the resources made available by the dominant human activities in the area. No seasonal variation was detected in terms of biomass ingested although the frequency of occurrence of some prey varied along the year, with a higher predation of grasshoppers the dry season, and of crickets, arthropods larvae and acorns in the wet season, a pattern probably related with prey-items availability. We also registered an unusual consumption of mushrooms, also associated with their higher abundance due to climate conditions. This study confirms the opportunistic feeding character of badgers and that in our study area cattle ranching and game activities are being influential in shaping local badger diet.
Badger (Meles meles) sett site selection was studied in non-optimal habitats of the Darwin Reserve in northwestern Russia. Peat bog areas constitute the greater part of the reserve territory. Because subterranean waters lie close to the surface, soil conditions are unfavorable for sett construction and badgers dig their burrows in old charcoal pits – ring-shaped elevated grounds, which are remains of the charcoal trade of the 19th century. From 1963 to 1998, 599 coal-bunkers were surveyed in the reserve for species using burrows (European Badger Meles meles; Red Fox Vulpes vulpes; and Raccoon Dog Nyctereutes procyonoides). Badgers used only 14% of the charcoal pits for sett construction; 38 of them were mapped in 20012006. They were divided in three groups: 1) charcoal pits with main setts, 2) charcoal pits with outliers, and 3) charcoal pits not used by badgers. For each charcoal pit, we recorded a number of variables related to food and shelter for badgers: size and height of coal pits, abundance of undergrowth on coal pits, areas of different forest types, and length of ecotones in the vicinity of coal pits. Biotope composition of charcoal pit surroundings was similar for all groups of charcoal pits. Badgers preferred mosaics of habitats, as suggested by the extent of forest-swamp borders near setts where badgers find their main food, i.e., frogs. The size and height of the charcoal pits was also important. Big charcoal pits can hold large shelters with a few tunnel systems used by animals to move among chambers and possibly escape accumulation of ectoparasites. Badgers also use large charcoal pits to overwinter.
In the tropics, bats are an essential component of many native ecosystems, through providing various ecological services including pollination and insect pest control, in addition to seed dispersal. Many Philippine bat species roost in caves and underground habitats. However, many caves are disturbed by people, to exploit resources for food, recreation, and mineral and guano extraction. The misunderstanding of the importance of bats to the ecosystem is also considered a threat to many cave roosting species. Understanding the conflicts between humans and ecosystems which provide essential services is important to maintain ecosystem service provision. A total of 100 local respondents from the village of Pisan, Kabacan North Cotabato in south central Mindanao were interviewed through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Respondents were asked about their views, levels of knowledge, use, interaction, and awareness towards both the caves and bats in their locality. Our survey found that most of the respondents are aware of the presence of bats from the caves in their locality. Unfortunately, a large proportion of the respondents noted that bats are hunted in caves for bush meat and trade, and most people perceived bats as pest to fruit crops such as durian. These factors are among the main factors of the execution of many bat colonies in caves of south central Mindanao. In general, cave bats are under appreciated species in caves. The unregulated tourism, hunting for bush meat and trade, and guano extraction are among the alarming threats occurring for both caves and bats in the locality and possibly to other localities in the country. Furthermore, the establishment of strong and effective model conservation education programs and the strengthening the participation of local government, academic, and community are essential steps to preserve the current state of cave bats in the area.
In recent decades wild boar have greatly increased in Europe due a combination of environmental and human factors. Because of a high reproduction rate, wild boar cause conflicts with human activities and in particularly agriculture. However, there are concerns also about environmental impact and in particular on ground nesting birds. Our study aim to evaluate the potential impact of wild boar on pheasants nests. Predation rates were compared between two areas with different wild boar abundance and between nests placed in fenced plots with no wild boar access (but accessible to other predators) and open plots in which the wild boar gains access. Predation rate by wild boar in the area with higher wild boar abundance was 61.5% whereas in the area with lower abundance was 16.0%. In plots with free access, wild boar predation was 34.2% whereas in exclusion plots we did not registered predation by wild boar. Moreover, wild boar resulted the main nest predator (total loss 22.8%). Our findings suggest that wild boar could have e strong impact on pheasant reproductive success.
Diet studies based exclusively on morphological analyses commonly show high percentages of unidentified items due to intense deterioration. In this study we explore the advantages and disadvantages of the application of DNA barcoding in the dietary studies of carnivores, using the Egyptian mongoose as a model species. To do so, we extracted and amplified DNA of samples from stomach contents, using the COI marker. We were able to identify six prey species that had already been mentioned in other studies, but we also identified five new species in the diet of this carnivore. Although we did not find contamination with the predator’s DNA, we reported five cases of cross-contamination among vertebrate items within the same stomach content, and 14 vertebrate tissues that were identified as arthropods and nematodes. This suggested that molecular identification of stomach contents must be carefully evaluated. Despite some problems with the DNA barcoding, this is a useful tool for determining the diet of carnivores, and thus should be considered as a complementary tool to morphological analysis.
Attacks of tigers on humans are a common feature of human-wildlife conflicts in India, and the individual identification of such animals has been an issue for management purposes. We document a case study where we established the species, sex and genetic identity of a man-eater tiger reported from Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR), India, using blood spots and other biological samples. A man-eater tiger killed 4 women within 2 months (December 2010 to January 2011) in different parts of CTR. The authorities decided to shoot the animal, and attempts were made to do so, but it escaped. After 16 days, a tiger was shot by the management, and biological samples were collected. The multi-locus genetic profile of an injured tiger based on blood from the injured tiger was compared with that from biological samples from the shot tiger. Our results indicate that the injured and shot tigers were the same individual. This study elucidates the potential of wildlife genetics in identification of tigers involved in fatal attacks and improves the wildlife management strategies employed where the greatest numbers of direct human- tiger conflicts are taking place.
Pellet count techniques are a useful tool to assess the density of many mammal species, such as European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) and Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus).Different methods have been developed, some of them accounting for the decay rate of pellets in the study area, nevertheless all of them require the estimated number of droppings produced through time by the single individual, the "defecation rate".Despite this, very few papers define such value for the two species. Daily droppings produced by five caged individuals of Eastern Cottontailwere collected from November 2013 to March 2014 and the daily number of pellets produced by four couples of caged European Brown Hare was estimated from March to October 2013.The effect of environmental temperature on the production of pellet was measured, as temperature plays a role in the defecation rate of European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus).A defecation rate of 485.9 ± 34.05 pellets per day was estimated for Eastern cottontail, whereas a value of 394.9 ± 16.94 pellets per day was estimated for European brown hare.Environmental temperature did not seem to influence the production of faecal pellets.The estimated daily production of pellets reported in this work can be used as a reference value to assess the densities of the two species through pellet count surveys.Nevertheless it must be acknowledged that seasonal variations in such parameter may arise, due to environmental and physiological factors, and further experimental studies are needed to estimate their magnitude and their effect on estimated densities.
A rapid, sensitive, accurate and precise method for the determination of lead and cadmium in tissue samples of hare by Electro-thermal Atomic Absorption Spectrometry was validated. The main parameters evaluated in the validation were: linearity, accuracy, repeatability and within-laboratory reproducibility, detection and quantification limits. The results for limit of detection and limit of quantification were 4.26 and 12.90 µg/kg for lead and for cadmium were 2.32 and 7.04 µg/kg. Method showed good linearity R2=0,997 for cadmium and R2=0,999 for lead. Accuracy was evaluated by spike recovery tests and it was performed for lead and cadmium in both, kidney and liver samples. Obtained recovery values were ranged from 81.6% to 107.0%. Overall measure uncertainties were 33% for lead and 29% for cadmium. The results make evident that the procedure can be used as a method for the determination of lead and cadmium in liver and kidney samples of brown hare.
Perinatal mortality has been reported in cattle, swine, goats, sheep and rabbits; however, there have been no documented reports on this phenomenon in agouti (Dasyprocta leporina). The agouti is a Neotropical polytocous rodent, hunted for its meat. This study reports on an incident of perinatal mortalities in a captive reared agouti from the wildlife unit of the Faculty of Food and Agriculture. The pluriparous female agouti was reared in captivity from birth and had delivered three (3) previous litters successfully. These ranged from 2-3 young, with a 100% survival rate. This case presented a difficult labor, with delivery of three (3) healthy female precocious offspring (434g, 378g and 402g), and three (3) perinatal mortalities (285g, 368g and 300g). The female agouti died during delivery and postmortem results indicated that Dystocia resulting in Secondary Uterine Inertia as the cause of death. This abnormally large litter may have been as a result of captive conditions, where an abundance of food and a lack of predators may have dulled the animal’s survival instinct. The agouti’s ability and the time taken to deliver all six (6) young may also have contributed to the animals delivery stress.
