Maintaining subsistence species on hunting lands is essential to the food security and cultural preservation/flourishing of Indigenous peoples that rely on traditional foods. In northern North America, moose play a central role in subsistence, cultural, and stewardship practices but are declining in many parts of their range. Moose (Alces alces) in Minnesota are a threatened population that is integral to the lifeways of the Lake Superior Chippewa. This study, led by the Grand Portage Band, examines the shifting causes of adult moose mortality between 2010 and 2022 on the Grand Portage Indian Reservation and Voyageurs National Park. These efforts, rooted in principles of Indigenous sovereignty and co-stewardship, seek to sustain this vital species on ancestral lands. We observed that the relative importance of mortality causes varied over time, with Parelaphostrongylus tenuis and other health-related factors driving mortality during the initial decline period (2010-2014), while predation became a leading cause of mortality and quadrupled in probability during the stabilization period (2015-2022). Using a Bayesian framework, we integrated multiple contributing factors to accurately estimate cause-specific mortality probabilities and survival rates. The findings underscore the necessity for adaptive management strategies that address both parasitism and predation pressures to recover moose populations to pre-decline levels. Moreover, this study exemplifies how a long-term, Indigenous-led wildlife collaring and monitoring program is critical to capturing these dynamics and supporting the Grand Portage Band's ongoing stewardship. This research advances our understanding of moose mortality in a vulnerable population and reinforces the importance of Indigenous leadership in wildlife management and scientific co-production. By integrating traditional ecological knowledge found in Tribal-governmental planning documents with contemporary science led by their Natural Resources Management department, the Grand Portage Band is ensuring that moose remain a resilient and enduring part of their cultural and subsistence practices, thus contributing to the broader framework of Indigenous co-stewardship.

Motivation: SNAPSHOT USA is an annual, multi-contributor camera trap survey of mammals across the United States. The growing SNAPSHOT USA dataset is intended for tracking the spatial and temporal responses of mammal populations to changes in land use, land cover and climate. These data will be useful for exploring the drivers of spatial and temporal changes in relative abundance and distribution, as well as the impacts of species interactions on daily activity patterns. Main Types of Variables Contained: SNAPSHOT USA 2024 contains 377,427 records of camera trap image sequence data and 3127 records of camera trap deployment metadata. Spatial Location and Grain: Data were collected across the United States of America in 49 states, 12 ecoregions and many ecosystems. Time Period and Grain: Data were collected between 1 August and 19 December in 2024. Major Taxa and Level of Measurement: The dataset includes a wide range of taxa but is primarily focused on medium to large mammals. Software Format: SNAPSHOT USA 2024 comprises two.csv files. The original data can be found within the SNAPSHOT USA 2024 project on the Wildlife Insights platform.

Noninvasive survey methods, such as camera trapping and acoustic monitoring, offer valuable tools for large-scale wildlife surveys because of their efficacy, cost efficiency, and minimal disturbance to animals. We evaluated the use of camera traps and acoustic detectors, including low-cost AudioMoth detectors, for surveying northern and southern flying squirrels Glaucomys sabrinus and G. volans, respectively, across the state of New York, USA. We manually classified acoustic data to species and used morphological data collected from camera trap images to predict species identity using a random forest classifier. We evaluated the efficacy of each technique and estimated the probability of detection using a multi-method occupancy framework and latency to detection. Both methods offered a high probability of detection and low latency to detection, but we were unable to reliably differentiate between the two species from camera traps in most cases (73% of detection events). Further, while acoustic detectors and camera traps had similar detection rates during spring, the performance of acoustics when using primarily low-cost detectors declined in summer, while camera trap performance remained stable. Integrating both methods may enhance large-scale survey efforts, providing robust data for conservation strategies. We recommend further optimization of these techniques, such as extending camera deployment durations, shortening camera trigger delays, and improving acoustic detector sensitivity to improve accuracy of species identification and overall survey effectiveness.

ABSTRACTMotivationSNAPSHOT USA is an annual, multicontributor camera trap survey of mammals across the United States. The growing SNAPSHOT USA dataset is intended for tracking the spatial and temporal responses of mammal populations to changes in land use, land cover and climate. These data will be useful for exploring the drivers of spatial and temporal changes in relative abundance and distribution, as well as the impacts of species interactions on daily activity patterns.Main Types of Variables ContainedSNAPSHOT USA 2019–2023 contains 987,979 records of camera trap image sequence data and 9694 records of camera trap deployment metadata.Spatial Location and GrainData were collected across the United States of America in all 50 states, 12 ecoregions and many ecosystems.Time Period and GrainData were collected between 1st August and 29th December each year from 2019 to 2023.Major Taxa and Level of MeasurementThe dataset includes a wide range of taxa but is primarily focused on medium to large mammals.Software FormatSNAPSHOT USA 2019–2023 comprises two .csv files. The original data can be found within the SNAPSHOT USA Initiative in the Wildlife Insights platform.

Mammalian carnivores exert direct and indirect effects on communities through top-down control and trophic ecology studies are helpful to understand the ecological processes behind these interactions. However, most diet studies reveal only local patterns. Large-scale biogeographic and anthropogenic drivers can also influence carnivore diet patterns. We investigated how latitude, altitude and human disturbance drive changes in Geoffroy’s cat ( Leopardus geoffroyi ) diets on a large geographical scale. Seventeen articles addressing the diet of Geoffroy’s cat were reviewed. We estimated the effects of drivers on three diet descriptor variables: diet composition, mean mammal-prey size and diet specialization. Our results uncover the primary use of prey around 300 g in body weight, such as Ctenomys and Cavia , through most of the geographic gradient. Only latitude and altitude caused replacement of prey species in diet composition. An increase in latitude led to higher diet specialization and larger prey selection, possibly guided by an increase in Lepus spp. consumption. Higher altitudes and an intensification of human disturbances decreased diet specialization and prey-size. Lastly, diet specialization increased with consumption of large prey. This further increases our understanding of Geoffroy’s cat broad adaptive capacity throughout South America.

Moose (Alces alces; mooz [singular], moozoog [plural] in Anishinaabemowin, Ojibwe language) are an important species to many Indigenous rights-holders and stakeholders throughout their circumpolar range. Management of moose can often lead to conflict when various perspectives of Indigenous nations are not recognized or appreciated. During the 55th North American Moose Conference and Workshop held in Grand Portage, Minnesota, USA, we held a workshop with 145 participants centered around co-stewardship of moose among various Indigenous nations, federal, state, and provincial governments, academia, and non-governmental agencies. Using a facilitator, the participants identified opportunities and challenges surrounding issues related to moose management. Participants then further identified priority improvements and action steps for co-stewardship. Six core principles of Indigenous co-stewardship were developed: 1) recognition of Indigenous Sovereignty, which specifies that co-stewardship must begin with a recognition of the sovereignty of Indigenous nations and their inherent rights to manage, conserve, and preserve natural and cultural resources within their ancestral lands; 2) shared responsibility, where co-stewardship is a shared responsibility between Indigenous nations, federal governments, and state governments; 3) cultural and ecological respect, which stipulates that co-stewardship should honor the cultural significance of moose to Indigenous nations and recognize the ecological importance of moose within the broader ecosystem; 4) inclusive decision-making, which details that co-stewardship requires inclusive and equitable decision-making processes that involve meaningful consultation and consent from Indigenous nations; 5) resource sharing and capacity building, where co-stewardship involves the sharing of resources and knowledge between Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners; and 6) adaptive management and sustainability, specifying that co-stewardship should embrace adaptive management principles, where management strategies are continuously evaluated, adjusted, and improved based on new information and changing conditions. Some of the key takeaways from the workshop included that it will be essential to integrate Indigenous ways of knowing into an equitable and inclusive management system, there are existing models of co-stewardship that can be built upon, it is critical to build trust among all key stakeholders and rights-holders, and it will be important to establish formal and informal collaborative systems among all partners to support co-stewardship at all levels. We discuss a study and synthesis on Indigenous co-stewardship of moose and offer a synopsis and recommendations to advance restoration of moose in North America.

The moose (Alces alces; mooz in Anishinaabemowin, Ojibwe language) population has recently declined in Minnesota, USA, and gray wolf (Canis lupus; ma'iingan) predation is likely a contributing factor. We analyzed diet composition of gray wolves in northeastern Minnesota during 2011-2013 to evaluate the importance of moose as prey and seasonal and regional variations in wolf diet. We identified frequency of occurrence of prey items and biomass consumed in 1,000 wolf scats collected on and adjacent to the Grand Portage Indian Reservation and Voyageurs National Park and within the 1854 Ceded Territory (greater northeastern Minnesota). White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus; waawaashkeshiwag [plural]), moose, and beaver (Castor canadensis; amikwag [plural]) composed the majority of wolf diet, with moose as the primary prey in Grand Portage (35-54% of diet by biomass across seasons) and deer the primary prey in the 1854 Ceded Territory (46-62%) and Voyageurs (63-79%). Relative importance of prey species differed by study area and season. Moose calves were an important prey item in spring in the 1854 Ceded Territory (12% of diet by biomass) but not in Grand Portage or Voyageurs. Although calves were not a majority of wolf diet by biomass, many calves were preyed upon by wolves (30% of calves born each year in Grand Portage), thus affecting recruitment in a declining moose population. Deer fawns composed 12% of wolf diet in spring and 10% in summer in Grand Portage and 19% in summer in Voyageurs. Beaver composed 16% of wolf diet by biomass in spring and 14% in summer in Grand Portage and composed 22% of wolf diet in spring and 30% in summer in Voyageurs. At most prey densities, moose were preferred and deer avoided in Grand Portage and the 1854 Ceded Territory and beaver were preferred in Voyageurs. Our results can be used in conjunction with predation and prey studies to evaluate the effect of wolves on prey populations.

The moose (Alces alces; mooz in Anishinaabemowin, Ojibwe language will follow scientific names) is a vital subsistence food source to Anishinabe people of the midwestern United States and has recently declined in Minnesota, USA, with poor calf survival as a contributing factor. Predation is the primary cause of moose calf mortality and we explored whether calf predation rates could be reduced through management of a single predator in a multi-predator system. Thus, we examined predation rates and causes of calf mortality before (2013-2015) and during (2016-2018) implementation of a spring black bear (Ursus americanus; makwa) harvest season, using baits to attract black bears, on the Grand Portage Indian Reservation, Minnesota, where black bears and gray wolves (Canis lupus; ma'iinganag) are the primary predators of moose calves. We validated our early study findings for the 5 years following the initial study with intermittent spring bear hunting seasons, from 2019-2023. The spring bear hunt was canceled because of a pandemic lockdown in 2020, resumed 2021, and was closed in 2022 and 2023. Black bear harvest prior to adding a spring bear hunting season was 0.038 bears harvested/km(2) from 2012-2015, whereas after initiating a spring hunting season (2016-2018) it was 17% higher at 0.046 bears/km(2). We observed significantly lower bear predation (by 68%) in association with spring bear management and no compensatory change in the level of wolf predation. The validation years strengthened our findings that spring bear hunting seasons reduce moose calf predation rates, with an overall 68% lower proportion of bear predation on moose calves in the years when spring bear hunts were held. Mean proportion of calf predation attributed to bears was 4.9 times higher (30% vs. 6%) in the years when a spring bear hunt was not held. Despite an increasing wolf density during the study period, we did not observe a compensatory increase in wolf predation during spring bear hunt years. The results of this work suggest that the addition of a spring bear hunt, during a time when moose calves are most vulnerable to bear predation, has the potential to increase moose calf survival even in the presence of wolves.

Pregnancy determination is necessary for sound wildlife management and understanding population dynamics. Pregnancy rates are sensitive to environmental and physiological factors and may indicate the overall trajectory of a population. Pregnancy can be assessed through direct methods (rectal palpation, sonography) or indicated using hormonal assays (serum progesterone or pregnancy-specific protein B, fecal progestogen metabolites). A commonly used threshold of 2 ng/ml of progesterone in serum has been used by moose biologists to indicate pregnancy but has not been rigorously investigated. To refine this threshold, we examined the relationship between progesterone concentrations in serum samples and pregnancy in 87 moose (Alces alces; 64 female, 23 male) captured from 2010 to 2020 in the Grand Portage Indian Reservation in northeastern Minnesota, USA. Pregnancy was confirmed via rectal palpation (n = 25), necropsy (n = 2), calf observation (n = 25) or characteristic pre-calving behavior (n = 6), with a total of 58 females determined pregnant and 6 not pregnant; 23 males were included to increase the non-pregnant sample size. Using receiver operating characteristic analysis, we identified an optimal threshold of 1.115 ng/ml with a specificity of 0.97 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.90-1.00) and a sensitivity of 0.98 (95% CI = 0.95-1.00). Progesterone concentrations were significantly higher in cases of pregnant versus non-pregnant cows, but we did not detect a difference between single and twin births. We applied our newly refined threshold to calculate annual pregnancy rates for all female moose (n = 133) captured in Grand Portage from 2010 to 2021. Mean pregnancy rate during this period was 91% and ranged annually from 69.2 to 100%. Developing a reliable method for determining pregnancy status via serum progesterone analyses will allow wildlife managers to assess pregnancy rates of moose without devoting substantial time and resources to palpation and calf monitoring.

Discrete landscape features can concentrate animals in time and space, leading to non-random interspecific encounters. These encounters have implications for predator-prey interactions, habitat selection, intraspecific competition, and transmission of parasites and other pathogens. The lifecycle of the parasitic nematode Parelaphostrongylus tenuis requires an intermediate host of a terrestrial gastropod. Natural hosts of P. tenuis are whitetailed deer, and an aberrant host of conservation concern is moose, which are susceptible to high levels of mortality as a naive host to the parasite. Intermediate hosts become infected when P. tenuis larvae are shed in deer feces, then consumed or enter the gastropod through the foot. Incidental (or perhaps intentional) ingestion of infected gastropod intermediate hosts by aberrant or dead-end hosts often results in mortality of that animal. We present photographic evidence depicting a potential mechanism for transmission from infected white-tailed deer to moose, heretofore not examined in the literature. We deployed remote cameras at mineral licks around Grand Portage Indian Reservation in northeastern Minnesota, USA. We observed white-tailed deer defecating at mineral lick sites and geophagous moose at the same sites. We hypothesize that mineral licks may act as a nidus for P. tenuis transmission between deer and moose in this system and call for further research into the potential role of mineral licks in parasite transmission.The Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa is a federally recognized Indian tribe in extreme northeastern Minnesota, USA, and proudly exercises its rights to food sovereignty through subsistence hunting and fishing. Mooz (Moose) are a primary subsistence food used by the Anishinaabeg (people) of Grand Portage Band historically and presently. Management for and research on maintaining this moose population as a vital subsistence species thus sets the context for this paper examining potential for disease transmission between whitetailed deer and moose through shared use of mineral licks.

Abstract Recolonization of predators to their former ranges is becoming increasingly prevalent. Such recolonization places predators among their prey once again; the latter having lived without predation (from such predators) for a considerable time. This renewed coexistence creates opportunities to explore predation ecology at both fundamental and applied levels. We used a paired experimental design to investigate white‐tailed deer risk allocation in the Upper and Lower Peninsulas (UP and LP) in Michigan, USA. Wolves are functionally absent in the LP, while deer in the UP coexist with a re‐established wolf population. We treated 15 sites each in UP and LP with wolf olfactory cues and observed deer vigilance, activity, and visitation rates at the interface of habitat covariates using remote cameras. Such a paired design across wolf versus no‐wolf areas allowed us to examine indirect predation effects while accounting for confounding parameters such as the presence of other predators and human activity. While wolf urine had no effect across most metrics in both UP and LP, we observed differences in deer activity in areas with versus without wolves. Sites treated with wolf urine in the UP showed a reduction in crepuscular deer activity, compared to control/novel‐scent treated sites. Furthermore, we observed a strong positive effect of vegetation cover on deer vigilance in these sites. This indicates that simulated predator cues likely affect deer vigilance more acutely in denser habitats, which presumably facilitates predation success. Such responses were however absent among deer in the LP that are presumably naïve toward wolf predation. Where human and non‐human predators hunt shared prey, such as in Michigan, predators may constrain human hunting success by increasing deer vigilance. Hunters may avoid such exploitative competition by choosing hunting/bait sites located in open areas. Our results pertaining to fundamental predation ecology have strong applied implications that can promote human–predator coexistence.

Landscape management can influence the distribution, abundance, and diversity of the terrestrial gastropods that host known parasites of managed species of ungulates. Multiple taxa of terrestrial gastropods are important intermediate hosts in the lifecycle of the parasitic nematode Parelaphostrongylus tenuis , for which white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) are definitive hosts. Moose ( Alces alces ) become infected with P. tenuis when they incidentally ingest gastropod intermediate hosts, leading to morbidity and mortality. Populations of moose in Minnesota have declined and P. tenuis infection has been identified as a leading cause of mortality. We investigated the role of forest management disturbance on the terrestrial gastropod community, and specifically known intermediate host species of P. tenuis , on the Grand Portage Indian Reservation in northeastern Minnesota, USA, where moose are an important subsistence species to the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Field crews surveyed gastropods through timed searches of soil and litter, and opportunistic collections from browse and pellets of white-tailed deer and moose. We digested all identified gastropods to determine prevalence of P. tenuis infection. We examined gastropod community responses to management and forest cover type using multivariate regressions. We additionally used regressions to examine total gastropod richness and abundance, as well as P. tenuis intermediate host responses to cover type, soil moisture class, canopy cover, treatment, and years since treatment. Digestions detected no infected gastropods from the 621 identified specimens. Gastropod community assemblages differed with recent understory treatment, but no other predictors. Total gastropod abundance, richness, and host abundance (liberal definition, including Deroceras spp.) were lower in sites treated within the last five years. For known intermediate host taxa, we observed species-specific responses to forestry treatments through time. Specifically, Deroceras spp. recolonized sites post-treatment (0–30 years), Discus cronkhitei were higher in abundance immediately following treatment, and the Succinea ovalis group, along with pooled intermediate hosts, displayed no discernable patterns. Our results underscore the complexity of P. tenuis lifecycles and transmission dynamics to moose, the importance of management disturbance and disturbance frequency in regulating gastropod populations, and the potential of forest management treatments to reduce P. tenuis infection in moose.

Rail and road infrastructure is essential for economic growth and development but can cause a gradual loss in biodiversity and degradation of ecosystem function and services. We assessed the influence of underpass dimensions, fencing, proximity to water and roads, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), presence of other species and livestock on underpass use by large and medium-sized mammals. Results revealed hyenas and leopards used the underpasses more than expected whereas giraffes and antelopes used the underpasses less than expected. Generalized linear mixed-effects models revealed that underpass height influenced use by wildlife, with several species preferring to use taller underpasses. Electric fencing increased underpass use by funneling species towards underpasses, except for elephants and black-backed jackal for which it reduced underpass passage. We also found that the use of underpasses by livestock reduced the probability of use by nearly 50% for wildlife species. Carnivore species were more likely to cross underpasses used by their prey. Buffalo, livestock, and hyenas used underpasses characterized by vegetation with higher NDVI and near water sources while baboons, dik-diks and antelope avoided underpasses with high NDVI. Our findings suggest a need for diverse and comprehensive approaches for mitigating the negative impacts of rail on African wildlife.

Given recent and abrupt declines in the abundance of moose (Alces alces) throughout parts of Minnesota and elsewhere in North America, accurately estimating statewide population trends and demographic parameters is a high priority for their continued management and conservation. Statistical population reconstruction using integrated population models provides a flexible framework for combining information from multiple studies to produce robust estimates of population abundance, recruitment, and survival. We used this framework to combine aerial survey data and survival data from telemetry studies to recreate trends and demographics of moose in northeastern Minnesota, USA, from 2005 to 2020. Statistical population reconstruction confirmed the sharp decline in abundance from an estimated 7,841 (90% CI = 6,702-8,933) in 2009 to 3,386 (90% CI = 2,681-4,243) animals in 2013, but also indicated that abundance has remained relatively stable since then, except for a slight decline to 3,163 (90% CI = 2,403-3,718) in 2020. Subsequent stochastic projection of the population from 2021 to 2030 suggests that this modest decline will continue for the next 10 years. Both annual adult survival and per-capita recruitment (number of calves that survived to 1 year per adult female alive during the previous year) decreased substantially in years 2005 and 2019, from 0.902 (SE = 0.043) to 0.689 (SE = 0.061) and from 0.386 (SE = 0.030) to 0.303 (SE = 0.051), respectively. Sensitivity analysis revealed that moose abundance was more sensitive to fluctuations in adult survival than recruitment; thus, we conclude that the steep decline in 2013 was driven primarily by decreasing adult survival. Our analysis demonstrates the potential utility of using statistical population reconstruction to monitor moose population trends and to identify population declines more quickly. Future studies should focus on providing better estimates of per-capita recruitment, using pregnancy rates and calf survival, which can then be incorporated into reconstruction models to help improve estimates of population change through time.

Age-structured population models require reliable estimates of cohort-specific survival rates, yet vital rates of younger age classes are often difficult to estimate because of the logistical challenges of monitoring young animals. As part of a study of sandhill cranes Antigone canadensis in the zone of contact between breeding distributions of the Eastern Population and Midcontinent Population in Minnesota, we monitored first summer survival of 34 sandhill cranes (hereafter colts) by using very-high-frequency and global positioning system-global system for mobile communications transmitters. We estimated daily survival probabilities from 19 to 120 d posthatch by using a generalized linear model accounting for interval censoring, resulting in an estimated period survival rate of 0.52 (90% CI, 0.36-0.71) over summer (100 d). Estimated daily probabilities of survival increased as colts became older and fledged (at 70-75 d posthatch), when they presumably became less vulnerable to predation. Causes of mortality were mostly unknown aside from one case of a collision with a vehicle. There is a scarcity of published colt survival rate estimates for sandhill cranes, and what is available varies widely by study site. Region-specific sandhill crane colt survival rate estimates can inform future management efforts and inform population dynamics research and overall natural history knowledge of sandhill cranes.

Abstract Remote camera use by hunters offers the potential to collect citizen‐derived data on multiple species using hunter surveys, but the effectiveness of this approach is untested. We examine whether observations from remote cameras that hunters use at their black bear (Ursus americanus) bait sites and reported via hunter surveys are an effective method to monitor species. We compared data collected from pseudo‐bear bait sites established for this study to hunter established bear bait site observations from the same study area. We also quantified observations reported on hunter surveys as a landscape index alternative to white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) hunter indices, gray wolf (Canis lupus) surveys, and mustelid (Mustelidae) trapper indices. We did not detect a difference in hunter‐reported camera observations versus our observations for four of the six species recorded at pseudo‐bear bait sites. Hunters were over nine times more likely to report photographing wolves and nearly one third as likely to report photographing mustelids. We observed a relationship between trapper survey‐derived mustelid indices and the camera‐derived index, but not for deer or wolves. Foremost, these results emphasize the need to further evaluate the utility of remote camera data derived from hunters. The widespread use of remote cameras by hunters, the low‐cost of hunter surveys, and the potential to collect accurate community composition and occurrence/presence indices, points to the value of adding questions to hunter surveys regarding multiple species of interest.

ABSTRACT The incorporation of quick fix pseudoranging (QFP) technology into global positioning system (GPS) collars has the potential to increase location‐fix success for terrestrial species. Units enabled with QFP obtain the data necessary to calculate an accurate GPS location‐fix during post‐processing with just a 3–5 second view of a satellite constellation. Fix‐success rate is one of the main sources of error in GPS telemetry studies, creating an inherent bias resulting in misleading data interpretations and incorrect inferences about habitat use. During winter 2017–2018, we captured 20 adult female white‐tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) and fitted them with QFP‐enabled GPS collars on 2 study areas (10/site) in northcentral and northeastern Minnesota, with an additional 40 collars (20/site) deployed during winter 2018–2019. Prior to deployment of the GPS collars on free‐ranging deer, we conducted stationary tests to evaluate location‐fix‐success and spatial accuracy of 48 (of the 60) collars distributed among 4 different vegetative cover types. We recovered 100% of the expected 3,024 location‐fixes during the stationary tests. The overall mean location error of the GPS collars was 5.7 m (±0.15 [SE], range = 0–189 m), with errors in dense conifer (10.3 ± 0.52, range = 0–189 m) being greater than in hardwood stands (6.2 ± 0.22, range = 0–91 m), browse patches (3.2 ± 0.08, range = 0–26 m), and openings (3.2 ± 0.08, range = 0–32 m). Similarly, we evaluated the performance of 30 collars deployed on free‐ranging deer. We deployed collars for a mean 79.5 days (±7.22, range = 1.8–153.8 days) with a fix‐success rate of 100% (34,758 location‐fixes); QFP accounted for 11.3% of the 34,758 location‐fixes. Our results suggest that the addition of QFP capabilities effectively increased fix‐success of GPS collars on free‐ranging deer by 11%. An increase in fix‐success rate can be of considerable value to movement, distribution, and habitat selection studies, where bias associated with missing data can create unreliable or even false inferences. © 2021 The Wildlife Society.

Roadkill is one of the highest causes of wildlife mortality and is of global conservation concern. Most roadkill studies have focused on wildlife in developed countries such as the United States of America and temperate biomes, but there are limited data for the impacts of roads on wildlife in the African tropics, where road infrastructure development is projected to grow rapidly in natural environments and conservation areas. The Tsavo Conservation Area is an important biodiversity hotspot in eastern Kenya and is bisected by a major highway and railways that connect the port of Mombasa to the interior. Along this infrastructure corridor, roadkill was recorded for 164 days over an 11-year period (2007?2018). In total, 1,436 roadkill were recorded from 13,008 km driven of a 164.42 km Nairobi-Mombasa road representing 0.11 collisions per kilometer. The majority of roadkill were small to medium sized mammals (<15kg) (53%; n = 756), whereas birds comprised 32% (n = 460), reptiles 10% (n = 143), with the remaining 5% (n = 77) being large mammals (>15kg). Of the 460 birds recorded, 264 were identifiable represented by 62 species. All large mammals comprising 10 species were identified, including the African elephant, Loxodonta africana and the endangered African wild dog, Lycaon pictus. Thirteen species of small mammal were also identified dominated by Kirk's dik-dik (Madoqua kirkii). Reptiles were represented by 11 species which were identified to the species level. Roadkill hotspots were identified using a kernel density method. The spatial distribution of roadkill was associated with adjacent shrub vegetation and proximity to permanent and seasonal rivers, and differences in seasonality and habitats were observed. Roadkill was lowest on road sections that traversed settled areas as opposed to roads adjacent to the protected areas. The results demonstrate that roadkill for two of the taxonomic groups - mammals and birds - appear high with numerous species detected in the Tsavo Conservation Area. These results can be used to focus efforts to reduce wildlife mortality by guiding future mitigation efforts.

Introduction: Doxapram administration during opioid-based immobilization of free-ranging moose could mitigate hypoventilation and subsequent hypoxemia.