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Díaz-Ruiz F, Descalzo E, Martínez-Jauregui M, Soliño M, Márquez AL, Farfán MÁ, Real R, Ferreras P, Delibes-Mateos M. Combining ranger records and biogeographical models to identify the current and potential distribution of an expanding mesocarnivore in southern Europe. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 946:174216. [PMID: 38914319 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Human-wildlife conflicts (HWC) are increasing and are potentially harmful to both people and wildlife. Understanding the current and potential distribution of wildlife species involved in HWC, such as carnivores, is essential for implementing management and conservation measures for such species. In this study, we assessed both the current distribution and potential distribution (forecast) of the Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon) in the central part of the Iberian Peninsula. We acquired data concerning mongoose occurrences through an online questionnaire sent to environmental rangers. We used the municipality level as the sampling unit because all municipalities within the study area were covered at least by one ranger. Using the information provided by rangers (i.e. occurrences in their municipalities), we constructed environmental favourability distribution models to assess current and potential mongoose distribution through current distribution models (CDM) and ecological models (EM), respectively. >300 rangers participated in the survey and mongooses were reported in a total of 181 of 921 municipalities studied. The CDM model showed a current distribution mainly concentrated on the western part of the study area, where intermediate-high favourability values predominated. The EM model revealed a wider potential distribution, including the south-east part of the study area, which was also characterised by intermediate-high favourability values. Our predictions were verified using independent data, including confirmation of mongoose reproduction by rangers, reports by other experts, and field sampling in some areas. Our innovative approach based on an online survey to rangers coupled with environmental favourability models is shown to be a useful methodology for assessing the current distribution of cryptic but expanding wildlife species, while also enabling estimations of future steps in their expansion. The approach proposed may help policy decision-makers seeking to ensure the conservation of expanding wildlife species, for example, by designing awareness campaigns in areas where the target species is expected to arrive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Díaz-Ruiz
- Conservation Biology Research Group, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Universidad de Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain; Biogeography, Diversity, and Conservation Research Team, Dept. Biología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, 29071 Málaga, Spain
| | - Esther Descalzo
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo 12, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - María Martínez-Jauregui
- Instituto de Ciencias Forestales (ICIFOR), INIA-CSIC, Ctra. de La Coruña km 7.5, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Mario Soliño
- Institute of Marine Research-CSIC, Department of Ecology and Marine Resources, C/Eduardo Cabello 6, Vigo, 36208, Pontevedra, Spain
| | - Ana Luz Márquez
- Biogeography, Diversity, and Conservation Research Team, Dept. Biología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, 29071 Málaga, Spain
| | - Miguel Ángel Farfán
- Biogeography, Diversity, and Conservation Research Team, Dept. Biología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, 29071 Málaga, Spain
| | - Raimundo Real
- Biogeography, Diversity, and Conservation Research Team, Dept. Biología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, 29071 Málaga, Spain
| | - Pablo Ferreras
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo 12, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Miguel Delibes-Mateos
- Instituto de Estudios Sociales Avanzados (IESA-CSIC), Campo Santo de los Mártires 7, 14004 Córdoba, Spain.
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Bandyopadhyay M, Biswas S, Dasgupta T, Krishnamurthy R. Patterns of coexistence between two mesocarnivores in presence of anthropogenic disturbances in Western Himalaya. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:397. [PMID: 36781547 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11003-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Species' coexistence depends on species-specific resource utilization in a given habitat. Human disturbances in this context can constrain the realized niche by altering their community dynamics. In this study, we considered Western Himalaya as a case study to test the hypothesis that human disturbances influence mesocarnivore coexistence patterns. We regarded red fox and leopard cat as the focal species and assessed the coexistence patterns in low and high human disturbance areas in three dimensions: spatial, temporal, and dietary habit. We used camera trap detections and mitochondrial DNA-based species identification of fecal samples. We used generalized linear mixed-effect modelling (GLMM), activity overlap, Levin's niche breadth, and Pianka's overlap index to capture the spatial, temporal, and dietary interactions respectively. We found that red fox and leopard cat coexisted by spatial segregation in low human disturbance area, whereas dietary segregation was the means of coexistence in high human disturbance area. We observed a broader dietary breadth for red fox and a narrower for leopard cat in high human disturbance area. The altered coexistence pattern due to differential human disturbances indicates intensive anthropogenic activities adjacent to natural forests. It can link to increased opportunities for shared spaces between mesocarnivores and humans, leading to future disease spread and conflicts. Our study contributes to scant ecological knowledge of these mesocarnivores and adds to our understanding of community dynamics in human-altered ecosystems. The study elucidates the need for long-term monitoring of wildlife inhabiting interface areas to ensure human and wildlife coexistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghna Bandyopadhyay
- Department of Landscape Level Planning and Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Suvankar Biswas
- Department of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Tryambak Dasgupta
- Department of Landscape Level Planning and Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Ramesh Krishnamurthy
- Department of Landscape Level Planning and Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India.
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Kulsum Ahmad Bhat, Bhat BA, Ganai BA, Aamir Majeed, Khurshid N, Muniza Manzoor. Food habits of the Red Fox Vulpes vulpes (Mammalia: Carnivora: Canidae) in Dachigam National Park of the Kashmir Himalaya, India. JOURNAL OF THREATENED TAXA 2023. [DOI: 10.11609/jott.7714.15.1.22364-22370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Food habits of the Red Fox Vulpes vulpes were studied in Dachigam National Park of the Kashmir Himalaya from December 2017 to November 2018 by scat analysis. A total of 246 scats were collected across seasons from different habitat types of the park. The diet of the Red Fox was characterized by a wider prey spectrum with small rodents, plants, and Himalayan Grey Langur Semnopithecus ajax as the major food items. The dietary behaviour showed slight seasonal variation with more invertebrates and plant material (fruits, berries, & grasses) during spring and summer. The food niche of the canid was wider in the warm season than in the cold season. Diet analysis revealed substantial use of anthropogenic food sources (human refuse and livestock carrion) by the Red Fox. The frequency of occurrence of human refuse and livestock carrion in the scats of the canid species varied seasonally. The results show that the Red Fox is an opportunistic feeder, and capable of adapting to a variety of dietary items.
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Descalzo E, Jiménez J, Delibes‐Mateos M, Díaz‐Ruiz F, Ferreras P. Assessment of methods for detecting an opportunistic and expanding mesocarnivore in southwestern Europe. J Zool (1987) 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- E. Descalzo
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) CSIC‐UCLM‐JCCM Ciudad Real Spain
| | - J. Jiménez
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) CSIC‐UCLM‐JCCM Ciudad Real Spain
| | | | - F. Díaz‐Ruiz
- Grupo de Biogeografía Diversidad y Conservación Departamento de Biología Animal Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de Málaga Málaga Spain
- Instituto IBYDA. Centro de Experimentación Grice‐Hutchinson Málaga Spain
| | - P. Ferreras
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) CSIC‐UCLM‐JCCM Ciudad Real Spain
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