Historical collections offer a unique opportunity to reconstruct baselines of genetic diversity in taxa, particularly important for species that have been historically under-studied and now face severe conservation threats. The black-and-white snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti) is endemic to the high-altitude forests of China's Hengduan Mountains and is among the most endangered non-human primates. Yet little is known about the historical extent of its genetic variation. In this study we combined archival, cartographic and field-based investigations to georeference seven type specimens collected in the nineteenth century and housed at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France. These specimens were compared with twentieth century specimens preserved in Kunming, China, to examine temporal changes in mitochondrial and nuclear genetic diversity. Mitochondrial HVI sequencing showed novel haplotypes not found in contemporary datasets, whereas microsatellite genotyping showed a significant decline in heterozygosity over the past century. Although several factors including DNA degradation may be affecting our results, they are nevertheless consistent with a loss of genetic diversity over time, which can result from habitat fragmentation. This study highlights both the value and constraints of using historical collections to inform conservation genetics.

The red fox ( Vulpes vulpes ) is one of the most common generalist mesopredators. Its legal status is often at the centre of controversy between those who wish to protect it and those who wish to control its numbers. In France, foxes are legally hunted and can also be classified as a "species likely to cause damage" (ESOD), the latter status allowing them to be shot and trapped throughout the year. There are a number of legal reasons for this, including damage to poultry. Here, we report the results of a 3.8-year experiment comparing two areas where the fox is protected with areas where it is classified as ESOD. Fox populations were monitored for 4 years before and during the experiment and 231 henhouses were surveyed. 1105 birds were predated in 109 of the 231 henhouses, with an average permanent poultry population of 10,883. 48.3% of damage could be attributed to the category ‘fox’ or ‘likely fox’. Our results show that ESOD status, in the local context, did not lead to a significant reduction in fox numbers or differences in damage rates between areas. However, top and bottom fence protection of outdoor runs significantly reduced fox predation. Better protection for poultry should come from increased security of sheds and outdoor runs, rather than from management of the fox population. The role of dedicated multi-stakeholder working groups for such an evidence-based management at local level is also discussed.

The One Health framework endorsed by the quadripartite (World Health Organization, World Organisation for Animal Health, Food and Agriculture Organization, and United Nations Environment Program) is defined, in part, as an "integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals, and ecosystems," and it explicitly refers to the health of plants as part of the whole interrelated system to consider. Although the ultimate issue is the planet's habitability for humans, the definition introduces a shift in perspective-human health is no longer the sole priority but must be balanced and optimized alongside the health of animals, plants, and ecosystems. This raises some practical and ethical questions. Drawing on case studies and the framework of the IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) on the values of nature, this study explores the implications of a global approach to health, with the ethical and practical questions that it raises.

Le cadre One Health, approuvé conjointement par l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé, l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé animale, l’Organisation des Nations Unies pour l’alimentation et l’agriculture, et le Programme des Nations unies pour l’environnement, est défini comme une « approche intégrée et unificatrice qui vise à équilibrer et à optimiser de manière durable la santé des personnes, des animaux et des écosystèmes », et fait explicitement référence à la santé des plantes comme faisant partie intégrante du système d’interdépendances à prendre en considération. Bien que la question ultime soit celle de l’habitabilité de la planète pour les humains, cette définition introduit un changement de perspective : la santé humaine n’est plus la seule priorité, mais doit être équilibrée et optimisée conjointement à la santé des animaux, des plantes et des écosystèmes. S’appuyant sur des études de cas et sur le rapport de l’IPBES (Plateforme intergouvernementale scientifique et politique sur la biodiversité et les services écosystémiques) sur les valeurs de la nature, cet article explore les implications d’une approche globale de la santé, ainsi que les questions éthiques et pratiques qu’elle soulève.

Cet article analyse les effets inattendus de l’élimination de la rage vulpine en Europe dans une perspective « One Health » et « Nexus ». L’élimination de la rage, associée à d’autres facteurs concomitants, a entraîné un accroissement démographique des populations de renards dans les années 1980, favorisant la transmission d’autres maladies animales telles que la gale sarcoptique et la maladie de Carré et une zoonose parasitaire, l’échinococcose alvéolaire, la colonisation des villes par cette espèce, et possiblement une exposition plus grande de certaines espèces-proies à la prédation. Cette dynamique illustre les effets en cascade inattendus d’une politique sanitaire ciblée sur un seul élément d’un socio-écosystème, et montre ainsi que des décisions focalisées sur un seul aspect de la santé peuvent avoir des répercussions sur d’autres aspects du socio-écosystème. Cet article plaide ainsi pour une gouvernance intégrée, interdisciplinaire et adaptative, capable de gérer les interdépendances complexes entre la santé humaine, animale et écosystémique à différentes échelles.

Le concept-cadre « Une seule santé » (One Health) fait l’objet d’un intérêt croissant, tant des organismes internationaux des Nations Unies que des gouvernements nationaux et leurs agences régionales. Nous avons conduit des recherches multidisciplinaires sur un foyer d’échinococcose alvéolaire des comtés de Zhang et Min, en Chine, pendant plus d’un quart de siècle. En nous appuyant sur cet exemple, nous soutenons que le concept-cadre Une seule santé ne doit pas se limiter à une approche réduite qui n’en embarquerait qu’une partie (il existe d’autres termes pour, comme Une seule médecine, etc.). La multidisciplinarité qui le sous-tend n’est pas en elle-même une fin en soi, mais bien un moyen d’embrasser toutes les dimensions, humaines, animales et écologiques d’une approche systémique qu’Une seule santé implique, telles que définies par la quadripartite OMS, OMSA, FAO, PNUE.

Rodent pests pose significant impacts to agricultural systems and public health globally. Effective strategies for sustainable management while minimizing environmental impacts are crucial. To address the multifaceted nature of rodent impacts, well-coordinated initiatives are necessary to support control strategies, raise awareness among authorities, and inform the public. There is increasing global evidence of Working Groups delivering successful management of a range of natural resource management issues. We outline three case study working groups to tackle rodent pests: (1) National Mouse Group in Australia to manage mouse plague impacts, (2) Working Group Common Vole Management in Germany to manage common vole impacts, and (3) FREDON network for vole management in France. Each working group evolved independently, but all have remarkably similar structures, including monitoring, modelling/forecasting, regular stakeholder meetings (including producers, researchers, government agency staff and others), developing advice for management and identifying research priorities. The success of these working groups was related to: (1) broad stakeholder engagement (particularly farmers/producers), (2) dedicated funding to conduct direct research to inform control strategies, (3) maintained momentum through all phases of rodent population cycles, and (4) benefit for all stakeholders. As rodenticides are increasingly restricted, such working groups will become more important in the future, because stakeholder engagement is necessary to develop rodent management "toolboxes".

Key parasite transmission parameters are difficult to obtain from elusive wild animals. For Echinococcus multilocularis, the causative agent of alveolar echinococcosis (AE), the red fox is responsible for most of the environmental contamination in Europe. The identification of individual spreaders of E. multilocularis environmental contamination is crucial to improving our understanding of the ecology of parasite transmission in areas of high endemicity and optimising the effectiveness of prevention and control measures in the field. Genetic faecal sampling appears to be a feasible method to gain information about the faecal deposition of individual animals. We conducted a 4 year faecal sampling study in a village that is highly endemic for E. multilocularis, to assess the feasibility of individual identification and sexing of foxes to describe individual infection patterns. Individual fox identification from faecal samples was performed by obtaining reliable genotypes from 14 microsatellites and one sex locus, coupled with the detection of E. multilocularis DNA, first using captive foxes and then by environmental sampling. From a collection of 386 fox stools collected between 2017 and 2020, tested for the presence of E. multilocularis DNA, 180 were selected and 124 samples were successfully genotyped (68.9%). In total, 45 unique individual foxes were identified and 26 associated with at least one sample which tested positive for E. multilocularis (Em(+)). Estimation of the population size showed the fox population to be between 29 and 34 individuals for a given year and 67 individuals over 4 years. One-third of infected individuals (9/26 Em(+) foxes) deposited 2/3 of the faeces which tested positive for E. multilocularis (36/60 Em(+) stools). Genetic investigation showed a significantly higher average number of multiple stools for females than males, suggesting that the two sexes potentially defecated unequally in the studied area. Three partially overlapping clusters of fox faeces were found, with one cluster concentrating 2/3 of the total E. multilocularis-positive faeces. Based on these findings, we estimated that 12.5 million E. multilocularis eggs were produced during the study period, emphasizing the high contamination level of the environment and the risk of exposure faced by the parasite hosts.

Xishuangbanna, located in southern Yunnan, China, is a vital tropical rainforest reserve supporting rich biodiversity, including the endangered Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). Increasing human activities, such as urbanization and agricultural expansion, have degraded habitats and intensified human–elephant conflicts, adding to the challenges of conservation. This study integrates habitat quality assessment and conflict risk analysis using the InVEST model across 2128 villages, considering land use and habitat threats like cropland and roads. The model reveals significant overlap between high-conflict zones and low-quality habitats near key reserves, underscoring the need for targeted conservation strategies. We propose establishing Ecological Source Areas (ESAs) to protect high-quality habitats and Ecological Restoration Zones (ERZs) to improve ecological conditions in low-quality, high-conflict zones. ESAs are essential for providing continuous ecosystem services and ensuring ecological security, while ERZs focus resources on areas with high conflict risk that urgently need restoration. Additionally, we recommend creating ecological corridors to connect fragmented habitats, enhance connectivity, support herd interactions, and reduce conflicts by expanding elephants’ safe roaming range. This integrated framework emphasizes habitat protection, ecological restoration, and conflict mitigation while accounting for human dynamics to support sustainable conservation. Reducing overlap between human and elephant activities remains a key objective. Future research should refine these models with more detailed data and extend their application to other regions, focusing on adaptive management and monitoring to address evolving ecological and human dynamics.

Les pullulations de campagnols peuvent avoir un impact significatif sur la santé publique et les systèmes agricoles. C’est le cas notamment dans le massif du Jura où, depuis les années 1970, des « vagues voyageuses » de pics de pullulation de campagnol terrestre (Arvicola amphibius) sont observées dans les prairies d’altitude, en cycle de 5-9 ans (6 ans en moyenne). Ces pics de densité causent des pertes en fourrage, et donc économiques, importantes. Le campagnol des champs (Microtus arvalis), dans les mêmes habitats, subit des fluctuations pluriannuelles non-cycliques de forte amplitude. Confronté aux limites du contrôle des pullulations de campagnols par la seule application de produits rodenticides et à leurs effets indésirables, un collectif d’éleveurs et de chercheurs, en collaboration avec les autres parties prenantes du socio-écosystème, a mis au point une boîte à outil basée sur la lutte précoce et une approche multifactorielle adaptable par chaque exploitant. Le présent article décrit cette approche et le processus qui a conduit à la mise en place d’un tel collectif d’acteurs.

Rodent pests pose significant impacts to agricultural systems and public health globally. Effective strategies for sustainable management while minimizing environmental impacts are crucial. To address the multifaceted nature of rodent impacts, well-coordinated initiatives are necessary to support control strategies, raise awareness among authorities, and inform the public. There is increasing global evidence of Working Groups delivering successful management of a range of natural resource management issues. We outline three case study working groups to tackle rodent pests: (1) National Mouse Group in Australia to manage mouse plague impacts, (2) Working Group Common Vole Management in Germany to manage common vole impacts, and (3) FREDON network for vole management in France. Each working group evolved independently, but all have remarkably similar structures, including monitoring, modelling/forecasting, regular stakeholder meetings (including producers, researchers, government agency staff and others), developing advice for management and identifying research priorities. The success of these working groups was related to: (1) broad stakeholder engagement (particularly farmers/producers), (2) dedicated funding to conduct direct research to inform control strategies, (3) maintained momentum through all phases of rodent population cycles, and (4) benefit for all stakeholders. As rodenticides are increasingly restricted, such working groups will become more important in the future, because stakeholder engagement is necessary to develop rodent management "toolboxes".

The emergence of pandemics with dramatic consequences for human health has obscured endemic diseases that continue to pose a problem for human and animal health in several regions of the world. Among these diseases, cystic echinococcosis, a zoonotic parasitic infection caused by a group of cestodes, Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato, remains a real human and animal health problem in several regions of the world, including the Mediterranean Basin. Despite the implementation of a number of governmental control programmes using several tools (dog treatment, meat inspection, etc.), this infection is still highly prevalent in North Africa. Here we present a review of the epidemiology of cystic echinococcosis in Tunisia, an analysis of the constraints limiting the effectiveness of the control programmes implemented, and finally argue for the use of the One Health framework to improve the effectiveness of future programmes.

Le rhinopithèque de Biet (Rhinopithecus bieti) vit dans des montagnes difficilement accessibles du Yunnan et du Tibet jusqu’à 4 200 m d’altitude. Depuis sa découverte à la science par des français au 19e siècle, la biologie et l’écologie de cette espèce sont restées virtuellement inconnues pendant près de 70 ans. Endémique, elle subsiste entre le haut cours du fleuve Yangtsé et le Haut-Mékong, en 15 groupes plus ou moins isolés, mais il existe probablement encore d’autres groupes non recensés, qu’il s’agisse de reliques ou de reconquêtes. La conservation du rhinopithèque de Biet implique de faire connaître l’espèce au grand public pour assurer un intérêt à sa protection. Un certain nombre de questions se posent sur l’histoire de son isolement, la connexion entre les populations et les conséquences comportementales et sanitaires occasionnées par le nourrissage destiné à rendre son observation possible aux touristes. Nous présentons ici l’histoire et les principaux résultats des recherches conduites sur cette espèce emblématique.