Leading-limb laterality during locomotor initiation remains relatively unexplored in mammals with semi-arboreal locomotion. This study investigated forelimb preference during the transition from rest to locomotion in captive Chinese red pandas (Ailurus styani), a species naturally characterized by semi-arboreal locomotor adaptations. Behavioural observations of 35 individuals revealed no consistent individual level laterality after correction for multiple comparisons, and no population-level laterality was detected. A subtle negative association was found between age and Laterality Index (LL), indicating a slight trend toward increased left-limb use with maturation, while laterality strength showed no age-related change. No significant sex differences were detected in either the direction or the strength of laterality. For comparative context, reanalysis of published data from five captive giant pandas similarly revealed no significant locomotor laterality at individual or population levels. The absence of consistent laterality in both species may reflect adaptive motor strategies associated with semi-arboreal locomotion, where balanced bilateral coordination could enhance stability during movement across diverse arboreal and terrestrial substrates. This study provides the first investigation of locomotor laterality in Chinese red pandas and offers preliminary insights into how locomotor demands may influence motor organization in mammals with complex locomotor requirements.

Hydropotes inermis (Chinese water deer, 2n = 70) is a relatively primitive small Cervidae species naturally distributed along the eastern coast of China and the Korean Peninsula. High-quality genomic resources are essential for investigating its unique adaptive and biological traits. In this study, we assembled the telomere-to-telomere (T2T) gap-free genome of a female H. inermis using PacBio HiFi, Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT), and Hi-C sequencing technologies. The assemblies were 3.45 Gb with a contig N50 of 101.09 Mb in size, which were anchored on 35 chromosomes, carrying 60 telomeres and 35 centromeres. Genome annotation annotated 33.36% repetitive sequences and 24,398 protein-coding genes. Comparative analyses with genomes of closely related species confirmed high genome integrity, continuity, and accuracy, supported by a quality value (QV) of 52.56 and a BUSCO completeness of 99.40%. This study provides a valuable genetic resource for H. inermis and serves as an important reference for investigating the evolutionary history of Cervidae.

Creatures grown on the island are more susceptible to genetic vulnerabilities because of their isolated nature and often limited genetic diversity. Understanding the genetic structure of these populations is crucial for effective conservation strategies, especially for the species that are commonly found in aquaculture and may inhabit islands. Bufo gargarizans and Pelophylax nigromaculatus were distributed in the Chongming Islands of Shanghai, China. We analyzed mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b ( cytb ) and D‐loop sequences of the populations of the two species across three Chongming islands to investigate genetic diversity, phylogenetics, and infer historical demography, which indicated a lower genetic diversity in island populations compared with their mainland counterparts, reflecting a heightened vulnerability to environmental perturbations and potential extinction risks. Noticeably, a more interlaced genetic pattern was determined in P. nigromaculatus than in B. gargarizans , which was probably attributed to the differences in species' dispersal capabilities among the populations of islands and the mainland. Hence, the genetic analyses propose targeted recommendations for in situ conservation and aquaculture management.

Anthropogenic disturbances drive global biodiversity loss, necessitating continuous conservation efforts to protect threatened species through reintroductions. Post-reintroduction success depends critically on interspecific interactions between reintroduced populations and sympatric native or invasive species. We used camera-trapping data collected in the urban landscape of Shanghai to examine how native Chinese hare (Lepus sinensis) and free-ranging dogs (Canis familiaris) impacted the spatiotemporal behavior of reintroduced Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis). Results indicate that the deer exhibited an uncommon unimodal diurnal activity pattern and temporally avoided sympatric mammals. Chinese water deer tended to avoid areas frequently used by both dogs and hares. Deer adopted fine-scale spatial-temporal segregation to avoid direct encounters with pack-hunting dogs during the day, prompting deer to increase their daytime activity. Consequently, a notable decrease in dusk activity was observed, which may represent an adaptive strategy to further separate from hares temporally, ultimately facilitating coexistence between these species. Evaluating the trade-offs between spatial and temporal responses is crucial for developing management practices and ensuring the long-term sustainability of urban biodiversity.

An anti-predator strategy increases the fitness of the prey itself, in which vigilance behavior plays an important role. Numerous studies have explored the correlation between prey age and the level of vigilance towards an approaching predator. However, limited studies have delved into the development of vigilant behaviors, much less the vigilant decision-chains. Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis), an extremely timid and sensitive animal capable of independent movement at birth, exhibits changes in vigilance strategy from newborn to the end of suckling period. Through individual recognition and standardized flight initiation trial, we measured the distances between the approaching predator and the occurrence of various vigilance behaviors (stare, flight, roaring, stretching neck, vigilant stomping). Our results reveal that Chinese water deer exhibited the vigilant strategy of roaring in the early stage (<3 weeks), and stretching neck and vigilant stomping in the late stage (≥10 weeks), displaying an overall trend of increasing complexity. The vigilant decision-chains of the fawns become more diverse with age. Fawns prioritize their own intrinsic status when making flight decisions under the same threat, with age, birth weight, and pre-flight behaviors emerging as the dominant determinants. Overall, our findings indicate that suckling fawns of Chinese water deer adopt different vigilance behavioral strategies with their development and depending on their age, birth weight and pre-flight behaviors when faced with a threat.

Global framework for nature management requires identifying areas of high priority for biodiversity conservation and restoration.The unique environments of Qinghai-Xizang Plateau(QXP) provide irreplaceable habitats for biodiversity which is prominent under future climate change.Despite the recent increase in research interest on conservation priorities,there is a lack of comprehensive and targeted protection strategies for pandemic species under climate change.Here,we compiled an exhaustive dataset with the variables of extinction risk and occurrence records of ectothermic lizards to investigate the conservation priorities in the QXP.We assessed the conservation status of the QXP lizards and identified the priority protected areas within the QXP under future climate scenarios using phylogenetic generalized least squares and ensemble species distribution models.Our analyses suggested nine lizard species to be prioritized for protection,with the most critical priority species being Dopasia gracilis,D.harti,and Phrynocephalus putjatai.Moreover,the priority protected areas covered～4.7%area of the QXP,mostly in the southern QXP and southeastern Hengduan Mountains.Protecting these regions would achieve a conservation effectiveness of≥95%for species richness,phylogenetic and functionaldiversity under climate change.Our findings provide realistic guidance for improving the conservation effectiveness of specific-lizard and-regions in the QXP under climate change.Our“bottom-up”approach could help the conservation efforts of other regions and species as an alternative to“top-down”global maps.

The population of the green sea turtle(Chelonia mydas)is under decline,threatened by bycatch and illegal acquisition despite worldwide protection efforts.However,the confiscation of illegally acquired sea turtles could aid in tracking their origin and movement patterns,crucial for effective conservation strategies.Combining satellite tracking and genetic analysis offers an opportunity to investigate the relationship between the origins and migration directions of green sea turtles in the western Pacific.Here,we applied two methods to investigate the spatial ecology of 18 green turtles caught as bycatch in the South China Sea.Our results revealed the genetic origins and diverse movements of the turtles.Bayesian Mixed Stock Analysis(MSA)suggested that these turtles originated from the rookery of the Xisha Islands(49.6%),central Ryukyu(24.6%),NE Borneo(8%),and the Sulu Sea(5.2%),with other rookeries in meagre proportions(<2%each).Satellite tracking showed the ranges of their travel were smaller than the whole contributed rookery range,but diverse.The haplotype diversity of these turtles is high,and CmP19 stands out as both the most frequent and the most diverse haplotype in terms of swimming destinations.These results indicate that the South China Sea is likely an important transportation hub and mating spot for green turtles.Our findings provided evidence for the rehabilitation of these green turtles in the wild and illustrated the complexity of movement during the green turtle's life history,and the"mixed backgrounds"of the green turtles also highlight the need for joint conservation efforts of neighbouring countries in the South China Sea.

Same-sex mounts provide male juvenile golden snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) with opportunities to practice heterosexual copulatory skills and are often followed by grooming (post-mounting grooming, PMG). We hypothesized that juveniles acted as the mountee and provided mounting opportunities to receive grooming from their peer mounter. Here, we observed same-sex mounts among male juveniles (N = 5) in a captive group of R. roxellana in Shanghai Wild Animal Park, China, from November 2014 to June 2015. Among 1,044 mounts recorded, 45.40% were accompanied by PMG initiated by the mounter and only 3.74% were followed by PMG initiated by the mountee. Mountees were more likely to receive PMG when they performed a mounting solicitation than when they did not, or when they were mounted for a longer time (even if they did not solicit). Over a long timeframe (1 month), mountee’s tended to choose partners who groomed them more often than others after mounting, regardless of how long the grooming lasted. However, whether the mounter groomed the mountee did not predict the mounting direction in their subsequent mount. Our results suggest that, in the context of same-sex mounts, juveniles provide mounting opportunities to receive grooming from peers on a long-term, rather than on a short-term basis. This study provides the first evidence that juveniles’ same-sex mounting strategy may be associated with the grooming market in nonhuman primates, which necessitates further investigation with large free-ranging groups due to the limited sample size of individuals and the captive setting of the current study.

The haematological and biochemical parameters of endangered wild animals in gestation can provide the knowledge of normal physical conditions and recognition of every abnormality, then contribute to conservation and management. For better breeding management of Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis) reintroduced population, a series of haematological and biochemical parameters were tested and analyzed, viz. white blood cells (WBC), red blood cells (RBC), haemoglobin (HGB), packed-cell volume (PCV), platelet count (PLT), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean red blood cells distribution width coefficient of variation (RDW) and different hematological parameters viz. total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), globulin (GLB), albumin to globulin ratio (A/G), total bilirubin (TBIL), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), AST/ALT, creatinine, urea (BUN), uric acid, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride, creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and cortisol. The WBC value of non-pregnants was significantly higher than that of pregnants; the total cholesterol and total bilirubin concentration was significantly lower in pregnants. The hematological and serum biochemical parameters to change when the pregnant Chinese water deer pregnancy, which could be used in health monitoring and disease diagnosis of the Chinese water deer and reference for other cervids.

Same-sex mounting behavior has been documented across primate species and several biological functions, that are often difficult to differentiate, have been proposed. Postmounting affiliative behaviors (e.g., embracing and grooming) have been partly overlooked and their performance may more clearly reveal the function of same-sex mounts for different age-sex classes. Here, considering postmounting grooming behaviors (PMG), we tested the affiliation hypothesis for same-sex mounts in an all-male unit (AMU) of captive golden snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) (n = 7-8) and the needing to learn hypothesis in the juveniles of the AMU (n = 4) and the juvenile male from the neighboring one-male unit in Shanghai Wild Animal Park, China from November 2014 to June 2015. A total of 1986 same-sex mounts were recorded from the AMU individuals and the juvenile of the neighboring one-male unit. We found that neither dyadic proximity-based association nor grooming-based affiliation predicted the occurrence of mounts in the AMU, and PMG was more likely to occur in nontense than tense social contexts, providing no support for the affiliation hypothesis. Although dyadic grooming-based affiliation predicted the occurrence of PMG, it exerted no influence on the occurrence of mounts, which was necessary to support the hypothesis. However, consistent with the needing to learn hypothesis, from ages two to four, juveniles' mounting duration increased and they performed pelvic thrusting during mounting more and more often as they grew older. Reciprocated series mounts were much more common among juveniles than other mounting dyads, providing learning opportunities for both participants. The mounter was more likely to groom the mountee at the end of a mount among juveniles than other mounting dyads, suggesting that juvenile mounters may profit from mounting and groom mountees in return for providing them with opportunities to learn copulatory skills. A hypothesis that merits further investigation.

Abstract Building wildlife corridors is thought to be a useful strategy for reducing the negative effects of road construction. However, the wildlife corridors currently built are mainly set up for medium-sized or large wild mammals in the wilderness, while there are relatively few constructions for small animal corridors in urban areas. In this study, we assessed the use of two underpasses on the Beiyan Highway of Chongming Island, Shanghai. We recorded 27 species of animals in a total of 385 events, and 8 species successfully passed through the underpasses. The most frequent animal species recorded in the two corridors were weasels and white-breasted waterhens respectively, followed by both rodents. Overall, mammals and aves frequented the underpasses the most, and their time spent there matched their routines. Our study suggests that local wildlife has successfully used the two underpasses in a variety of ways, but longer-term monitoring is still required.

So far, only a handful of species have successfully passed the mirror test, showing the mirror self-recognition ability. Birds that have been claimed to show this ability are all corvids. In this study, we conducted a series of mirror-related tests, including open mirror exposure, mirror-mediated foraging task and mark test, to investigate this ability in the African grey parrot. Subjects responded to the mirror on three levels. Three subjects consistently showed social behaviours towards the mirror, two of which repeatedly hit the mirror throughout the test, indicating a complete lack of mirror perception and self-recognition. Two subjects showed social behaviours or hit the mirror almost within the first 10 min of the mirror trial, indicating they initially recognized mirror images as conspecifics but changed this misconception over time. There was only one individual, who not only never hit the mirror and exhibited social behaviours towards the mirror, but also could use the mirror to locate hidden food and mark on the body that was invisible without a mirror. However, considering the lack of contingent behaviours and spontaneous mirror-guided self-directed behaviours, it is hard to assert the African grey parrot possesses mirror self-recognition. All in all, we found our subjects responded differently towards the mirror, showing varying levels of understanding of the mirror. Our findings support the gradualist perspective on mirror self-recognition. Different mark methods are also discussed, and we suggest attaching the mark on the mandible in future parrot research.

随着人类活动空间的增大,野生动物的生存空间逐渐减小.道路建设分割了动物的栖息环境,产生了野生动物穿越引起的动物或人的安全问题,因此,在道路建设中逐步开始了野生动物通道的设置和研究.崇明生态岛的北沿公路建设中,为了保持生物多样性,帮助在该地区道路两侧生活的动物相互交流,设置和建造了2个小型野生动物通道.2020年1月～2021年12月,对该沿路区域的陆生脊椎野生动物资源调查,记录到4种两栖类、2种爬行类、47种鸟类和2种哺乳类.2021年6月,公路建成后,采用直接调查和红外触发相机,对通道被利用情况进行监测.至2021年12月,记录到有泽蛙、黄鼬、白鹭、池鹭和珠颈斑鸠等动物利用通道或通道口.与道路沿线野生动物调查结果相比,均为该区域高频出现的常见物种和优势物种,说明通道对动物具有持续被利用潜力.本研究结果将为在城市化区域内设置野生动物通道提供设计和数据支持.

Given current anthropogenic pressures and climate change, wildlife range expansion offers a second chance for species conservation. The water deer Hydropotes inermis is a native to China and the Korean peninsula, but populations in North Korea and mainland China have declined drastically in recent years. However, the range of this species appears to be rapidly expanding northward. In this study, we employed camera traps and molecular technology to assess the status, phylogeny, and genetic ancestry of the newly recorded population. Our results showed an ongoing northward expansion of water deer, reaching at least 500 km from their historical distribution limit. We provided updated information on this species’ geographical distribution in Northeast China and the Russian Far East. Based on historical survey data before the 1990s, there had previously been no record of this species in these two regions; thus, this could be a genuine range expansion rather than simply an expansion of the known range. A genetic investigation based on mitochondrial DNA indicated that the expanding population had a close phylogenetic affinity with Korean water deer. The likely migration route and causes of the species’ distribution range expansion are discussed. We recommend revising the range of water deer in the IUCN Red List to facilitate the effective conservation and management of this threatened species, especially in new locations.

Behavioural laterality was widely discovered in both vertebrates and invertebrates. However, reports of behavioural laterality in scent-marking are scarce and focused on limb preference during scent-marking. In this study, we observed another scent-marking behaviour, anogenital rubbing, which involved whole-body movement, in zoo-housed Chinese red pandas. We recorded the moving direction of the buttocks when initiating anogenital rubbing. Our results showed that three of our subjects were explicitly left-biased when initiating anogenital rubbing and the other one showed more left initiation although there was no statistical significance. Besides, the laterality was consistent across the whole observational period. This is the first report of laterality in anogenital rubbing, perhaps indicating hemispheric specialization for chemical communication in the Chinese red panda.

Antlers constitute an interesting model for basic research in regenerative biology. Despite decades of being studied, much is still unknown about the genes related to antler development. Here, we utilized both the genome and antlerogenic periosteum (AP) transcriptome data of four deer species to reveal antler-related genes through cross-species comparative analysis. The results showed that the global gene expression pattern matches the status of antler phenotypes, supporting the fact that the genes expressed in the AP may be related to antler phenotypes. The upregulated genes of the AP in three-antlered deer showed evidence of co-expression, and their protein sequences were highly conserved. These genes were growth related and likely participated in antler development. In contrast, the upregulated genes in antler-less deer (Chinese water deer) were involved mainly in organismal death and growth failure, possibly related to the loss of antlers during evolution. Overall, this study demonstrates that the co-expressed genes in antlered deer may regulate antler development.

Limb preference, associated with behavioural laterality and hemispheric lateralization, has long received high attention from both ethologists and psychologists. Chinese red pandas in Shanghai Zoo perform natural unimanual actions in two different ways during food handling, making it an appropriate subject to investigate the effect of food handling on pawedness. In this study, we estimated the direction and the strength of pawedness in spontaneous feeding behaviours in zoo-housed Chinese red pandas. All the subjects exclusively used the preferred paw when handling fruit pieces throughout the observational period, with three of them preferred the left paw while the other two the right paw. By contrast, both paws were found to be used alternately in consuming bamboo. Our results indicate that different food manipulations have effects on pawedness in the Chinese red panda where more complex handling could probably enhance its pawedness.

Sea turtles are an important umbrella species in marine ecosystems. The populations of all five species of sea turtles in China have dropped sharply due to massive illegal trade and habitat loss. The fast-growing demand for sea turtle displays from Chinese aquariums and private individuals has led to a large-scale illegal trade domestically and internationally. Captive sea turtles are also frequently kept in harsh environments with severe injuries and high mortality rates. Sea turtles have only recently been upgraded from level II to level I on the "List of Wildlife under Special State Protection'', this protection level has therefore not matched the real status of sea turtles over the past three decades. The additional collusion between the government and business corporations encourages illegal trade. We argue that the commercial use of sea turtles must be completely prohibited to guarantee their future survival in Chinese waters.

科学家通过镜子测试来研究动物的镜像自我认知,进而探索自我意识在动物中的进化.本文列举了目前为止通过了镜子测试的物种,并介绍了根据物种行为能力差异而进行的测试方法和标准的改进.

The widely held assumption that any important scientific information would be available in English underlies the underuse of non-English-language science across disciplines. However, non-English-language science is expected to bring unique and valuable scientific information, especially in disciplines where the evidence is patchy, and for emergent issues where synthesising available evidence is an urgent challenge. Yet such contribution of non-English-language science to scientific communities and the application of science is rarely quantified. Here, we show that non-English-language studies provide crucial evidence for informing global biodiversity conservation. By screening 419,679 peer-reviewed papers in 16 languages, we identified 1,234 non-English-language studies providing evidence on the effectiveness of biodiversity conservation interventions, compared to 4,412 English-language studies identified with the same criteria. Relevant non-English-language studies are being published at an increasing rate in 6 out of the 12 languages where there were a sufficient number of relevant studies. Incorporating non-English-language studies can expand the geographical coverage (i.e., the number of 2° × 2° grid cells with relevant studies) of English-language evidence by 12% to 25%, especially in biodiverse regions, and taxonomic coverage (i.e., the number of species covered by the relevant studies) by 5% to 32%, although they do tend to be based on less robust study designs. Our results show that synthesising non-English-language studies is key to overcoming the widespread lack of local, context-dependent evidence and facilitating evidence-based conservation globally. We urge wider disciplines to rigorously reassess the untapped potential of non-English-language science in informing decisions to address other global challenges. Please see the Supporting information files for Alternative Language Abstracts.