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Restrepo-Cardona JS, Kohn S, Renjifo LM, Vásquez-Restrepo JD, Zuluaga S, Vargas FH, Narváez F, Salagaje LA, Recalde A, Gaitán-López EC, Salazar A, Hull V. Implications of human-wildlife conflict on the diet of an endangered avian top predator in the northern Andes. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13077. [PMID: 38844827 PMCID: PMC11156653 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63947-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Conflicts between rural people and the Endangered Black-and-chestnut Eagle (Spizaetus isidori) are a prominent conservation concern in the northern Andes, as at least 60 eagles were poached between 2000 and 2022 in response to poultry predation. Here, we conducted direct observations to analyze the Black-and-chestnut Eagle diet and evaluated how forest cover affects the feeding habits of the species during nestling-rearing periods in 16 nests located in different human-transformed Andean landscapes of Ecuador and Colombia. We analyzed 853 prey items (46 species) delivered to nestlings. We used Generalized Linear Models to test whether the percent forest cover calculated within varying buffer distances around each nest and linear distances from the nest to the nearest settlement and pasture areas were predictors of diet diversity and biomass contribution of prey. Forest cover was not a factor that affected the consumption of poultry; however, the eagle regularly preyed on chickens (Gallus gallus) (i.e., domestic Galliformes) which were consumed by 15 of the 16 eagle pairs, with biomass contributions (14.57% ± 10.55) representing 0.6-37% of the total prey consumed. The Black-and-chestnut Eagle is an adaptable generalist able to switch from mammalian carnivores to guans (i.e., wild Galliformes) in human-dominated landscapes, and eagles nesting in sites with low forest cover had a less diverse diet than those in areas with more intact forests. Management actions for the conservation of this avian top predator require studies on the eagle's diet in areas where human persecution is suspected or documented, but also maintaining forest cover for the wild prey of the species, development of socio-economic and psychological assessments on the drivers behind human-eagle conflicts, and the strengthening of technical capacities of rural communities, such as appropriate poultry management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Sebastián Restrepo-Cardona
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA.
- Fundación Cóndor Andino, Quito, Ecuador.
| | | | - Luis Miguel Renjifo
- Departamento de Ecología y Territorio, Facultad de Estudios Ambientales y Rurales, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Juan D Vásquez-Restrepo
- Laboratorio de Herpetología, Museo de Zoología "Alfonso L. Herrera", Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Santiago Zuluaga
- Fundación Cóndor Andino, Quito, Ecuador
- Colaboratorio de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Conservación (INCITAP-CONICET/FCEyN-UNLPam), Santa Rosa, Argentina
- Fundación Proyecto Águila Crestada-Colombia, Manizales, Colombia
| | - Félix Hernán Vargas
- Fundación Cóndor Andino, Quito, Ecuador
- The Peregrine Fund, Galápagos, Ecuador
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Vanessa Hull
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
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Garbino GST, Semedo TBF, Miranda EBP. Taphonomy of harpy eagle predation on primates and other mammals. Am J Primatol 2024; 86:e23567. [PMID: 37849067 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
The goal of this study is to provide a taphonomic analysis of bone fragments found in harpy eagle nests in the Brazilian Amazonia, utilizing the largest sample of prey remains collected to date. Harpy eagle kill samples were collected from nine nests, between June 2016 and December 2020 in Mato Grosso, Brazil. We identified the specimens, calculated the number of identified specimens (NISP) and minimum number of individuals (MNI). These metrics were used to estimate bone survivability and fragmentation. A total of 1661 specimens (NISP) were collected, representing a minimum number of 234 individuals (MNI). We identified at least nine species of primates, which represent 63.8% of the individuals in the kill sample. Harpy eagles preyed mostly on the medium-sized capuchin and bearded saki monkeys (28.2% of the MNI), and two-toed sloths (17.7% of the MNI). The large woolly monkeys also represented a significant portion of the sample (11.5% of the MNI). Three distinct patterns of bone survivability were found, one characterizing two-toed sloths, another characterizing medium-sized monkeys, and a third typical of woolly monkeys. We conclude that harpy eagle predation leaves an identifiable signature on the prey with a bone survivability pattern specific to each taxon. The intertaxon variations observed in the taphonomic signatures of harpy eagle kills should be taken into account when evaluating the potential influence of these raptors as accumulators of bone material in both paleontological and neontological assemblages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme S T Garbino
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Museu de Zoologia João Moojen, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
| | - Thiago B F Semedo
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus de Vairão, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Everton B P Miranda
- School of Life Sciences, Centre for Functional Biodiversity, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
- The Peregrine Fund, Boise, Idaho, USA
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Banhos A, Sanaiotti TM, Coser R, Gravena W, Aguiar-Silva FH, Kaizer M, Hrbek T, Farias IP. Long-term female bias in sex ratios across life stages of Harpy Eagle, a large raptor exhibiting reverse sexual size dimorphism. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:231443. [PMID: 38026037 PMCID: PMC10645098 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
The primary (PSR), secondary (SSR) and adult (ASR) sex ratios of sexually reproducing organisms influence their life histories. Species exhibiting reversed sexual size dimorphism (RSD) may imply a higher cost of female production or lower female survival, thus generating biases in PSR, SSR and/or ASR towards males. The Harpy Eagle is the world's largest eagle exhibiting RSD. This species is found in the Neotropical region and is currently threatened with extinction. We used molecular markers to determine the sex of 309 Harpy Eagles spanning different life stages-eaglets, subadults and adults-from 1904 to 2021 within the Amazon Rainforest and Atlantic Forest. Sex ratios for all life stages revealed a female-biased deviation across all periods and regions. Our results suggest that the population bias towards females is an evolutionary ecological pattern of this species, and SSR and ASR likely emerged from the PSR. This natural bias towards females may be compensated by an earlier sexual maturation age of males, implying a longer reproductive lifespan and a higher proportion of sexually active males. A better understanding of the Harpy Eagle's life history can contribute to understanding sex-role evolution and enable more appropriate conservation strategies for the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aureo Banhos
- Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Naturais e da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo - UFES, Alto Universitário, s/n°, Guararema, 29500-000 Alegre, Espírito Santo, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Biologia Animal) - PPGBAN, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo - UFES, Avenida Fernando Ferrari, 514, Prédio Barbara Weinberg, 29075-910 Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil
- Projeto Harpia (Harpy Eagle Project - Brazil), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia – INPA, Av. André Araújo, 2936, Aleixo, 69067-375 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Projeto Harpia – Mata Atlântica (Harpy Eagle Project - Atlantic Forest), Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo - UFES, Alto Universitário, Guararema, 29500-000 Alegre, Espírito Santo, Brazil
- Laboratório de Evolução e Genética Animal - LEGAL, Universidade Federal do Amazonas - UFAM, Av. General Rodrigo Octavio Jordão Ramos, 6200 - Coroado I, 69080-900 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética, Conservação e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - INPA, Av. André Araújo, 2936, Aleixo, 69067-375 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Tânia Margarete Sanaiotti
- Projeto Harpia (Harpy Eagle Project - Brazil), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia – INPA, Av. André Araújo, 2936, Aleixo, 69067-375 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Projeto Harpia – Mata Atlântica (Harpy Eagle Project - Atlantic Forest), Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo - UFES, Alto Universitário, Guararema, 29500-000 Alegre, Espírito Santo, Brazil
- Coordenaçãode Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - INPA, Av. André Araújo, 2936, Aleixo, 69067-375 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Renan Coser
- Projeto Harpia (Harpy Eagle Project - Brazil), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia – INPA, Av. André Araújo, 2936, Aleixo, 69067-375 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Projeto Harpia – Mata Atlântica (Harpy Eagle Project - Atlantic Forest), Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo - UFES, Alto Universitário, Guararema, 29500-000 Alegre, Espírito Santo, Brazil
- Laboratório de Evolução e Genética Animal - LEGAL, Universidade Federal do Amazonas - UFAM, Av. General Rodrigo Octavio Jordão Ramos, 6200 - Coroado I, 69080-900 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética, Conservação e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - INPA, Av. André Araújo, 2936, Aleixo, 69067-375 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Waleska Gravena
- Laboratório de Evolução e Genética Animal - LEGAL, Universidade Federal do Amazonas - UFAM, Av. General Rodrigo Octavio Jordão Ramos, 6200 - Coroado I, 69080-900 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética, Conservação e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - INPA, Av. André Araújo, 2936, Aleixo, 69067-375 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Instituto de Saúde e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas - UFAM, Estrada Coari Mamiá, 305, Espírito Santo, 69460-000 Coari, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Francisca Helena Aguiar-Silva
- Projeto Harpia (Harpy Eagle Project - Brazil), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia – INPA, Av. André Araújo, 2936, Aleixo, 69067-375 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Projeto Harpia – Mata Atlântica (Harpy Eagle Project - Atlantic Forest), Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo - UFES, Alto Universitário, Guararema, 29500-000 Alegre, Espírito Santo, Brazil
- Coordenaçãode Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - INPA, Av. André Araújo, 2936, Aleixo, 69067-375 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Mylena Kaizer
- Projeto Harpia (Harpy Eagle Project - Brazil), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia – INPA, Av. André Araújo, 2936, Aleixo, 69067-375 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Projeto Harpia – Mata Atlântica (Harpy Eagle Project - Atlantic Forest), Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo - UFES, Alto Universitário, Guararema, 29500-000 Alegre, Espírito Santo, Brazil
- Laboratório de Evolução e Genética Animal - LEGAL, Universidade Federal do Amazonas - UFAM, Av. General Rodrigo Octavio Jordão Ramos, 6200 - Coroado I, 69080-900 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia - PPGZOO, Universidade Federal do Amazonas - UFAM, Av. General Rodrigo Octavio Jordão Ramos, 6200, Coroado I, 69080-900 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Tomas Hrbek
- Projeto Harpia (Harpy Eagle Project - Brazil), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia – INPA, Av. André Araújo, 2936, Aleixo, 69067-375 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Laboratório de Evolução e Genética Animal - LEGAL, Universidade Federal do Amazonas - UFAM, Av. General Rodrigo Octavio Jordão Ramos, 6200 - Coroado I, 69080-900 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética, Conservação e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - INPA, Av. André Araújo, 2936, Aleixo, 69067-375 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia - PPGZOO, Universidade Federal do Amazonas - UFAM, Av. General Rodrigo Octavio Jordão Ramos, 6200, Coroado I, 69080-900 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Amazonas - UFAM, Av. General Rodrigo Octavio Jordão Ramos, 6200, Coroado I, 69080-900 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Department of Biology, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA
| | - Izeni Pires Farias
- Projeto Harpia (Harpy Eagle Project - Brazil), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia – INPA, Av. André Araújo, 2936, Aleixo, 69067-375 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Laboratório de Evolução e Genética Animal - LEGAL, Universidade Federal do Amazonas - UFAM, Av. General Rodrigo Octavio Jordão Ramos, 6200 - Coroado I, 69080-900 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética, Conservação e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - INPA, Av. André Araújo, 2936, Aleixo, 69067-375 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia - PPGZOO, Universidade Federal do Amazonas - UFAM, Av. General Rodrigo Octavio Jordão Ramos, 6200, Coroado I, 69080-900 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Amazonas - UFAM, Av. General Rodrigo Octavio Jordão Ramos, 6200, Coroado I, 69080-900 Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
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Kaizer M, Fabres B, Aguiar-Silva FH, Sanaiotti TM, Dias AR, Banhos A. The prey of the Harpy Eagle in its last reproductive refuges in the Atlantic Forest. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18308. [PMID: 37880262 PMCID: PMC10600338 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44014-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) is threatened with extinction throughout its distribution in the neotropical forests. In the Atlantic Forest, deforestation has reduced the number of suitable habitats, with only a few remnant forest fragments hosting active nests; currently, the only known nests in this region are in the Central Atlantic Forest Ecological Corridor (CAFEC), in Brazil. Little is known about Harpy Eagle diets in this region, despite this information being essential for developing effective conservation strategies. We classified the composition, frequency, richness, ecological attributes, and conservation status of the species that make up the Harpy Eagle's diet in its last refuges in the CAFEC. Between 2017 and 2021, we collected and analyzed 152 prey remains and 285 camera trap photographs from seven active nests. We identified at least 16 mammal species (96.7%), one parrot and other bird remains (3.3%). The Harpy Eagle's diet consisted mainly of medium-sized arboreal, folivorous, frugivorous, and diurnal mammals. Five prey species are currently threatened with extinction at global, six at national and seven at regional levels. The majority of the diet consists of Sapajus robustus, which is threatened, and Bradypus variegatus, which is not threatened. In addition to the effects of habitat loss and hunting, the Harpy Eagle may also suffer from the decline in the populations of their prey in the Atlantic Forest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mylena Kaizer
- Projeto Harpia - Mata Atlântica (Harpy Eagle Project - Atlantic Forest), Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo - UFES, Alto Universitário, Guararema, Alegre, Espírito Santo, 29500-000, Brazil
- Projeto Harpia (Harpy Eagle Project - Brazil), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - INPA, Av. André Araújo, 2936, Aleixo, Manaus, Amazonas, 69067-375, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia - PPGZOOL, Universidade Federal do Amazonas - UFAM, Av. General Rodrigo Otávio Jordão Ramos, 3000, Coroado, Manaus, Amazonas, 69077-000, Brazil
| | - Brener Fabres
- Projeto Harpia - Mata Atlântica (Harpy Eagle Project - Atlantic Forest), Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo - UFES, Alto Universitário, Guararema, Alegre, Espírito Santo, 29500-000, Brazil
- Projeto Harpia (Harpy Eagle Project - Brazil), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - INPA, Av. André Araújo, 2936, Aleixo, Manaus, Amazonas, 69067-375, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Biologia Animal) - PPGBAN, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo - UFES, Avenida Fernando Ferrari, 514, Prédio Barbara Weinberg, Vitória, Espírito Santo, 29075-910, Brazil
| | - Francisca Helena Aguiar-Silva
- Projeto Harpia - Mata Atlântica (Harpy Eagle Project - Atlantic Forest), Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo - UFES, Alto Universitário, Guararema, Alegre, Espírito Santo, 29500-000, Brazil
- Projeto Harpia (Harpy Eagle Project - Brazil), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - INPA, Av. André Araújo, 2936, Aleixo, Manaus, Amazonas, 69067-375, Brazil
- Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - INPA, Avenida André Araújo, 2936, Petrópolis, Manaus, Amazonas, 69067-375, Brazil
| | - Tânia Margarete Sanaiotti
- Projeto Harpia - Mata Atlântica (Harpy Eagle Project - Atlantic Forest), Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo - UFES, Alto Universitário, Guararema, Alegre, Espírito Santo, 29500-000, Brazil
- Projeto Harpia (Harpy Eagle Project - Brazil), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - INPA, Av. André Araújo, 2936, Aleixo, Manaus, Amazonas, 69067-375, Brazil
- Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - INPA, Avenida André Araújo, 2936, Petrópolis, Manaus, Amazonas, 69067-375, Brazil
| | - Alexandro Ribeiro Dias
- Projeto Harpia - Mata Atlântica (Harpy Eagle Project - Atlantic Forest), Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo - UFES, Alto Universitário, Guararema, Alegre, Espírito Santo, 29500-000, Brazil
- Reserva Particular de Patrimônio Natural Estação Veracel, Rodovia BR-367, 37, Porto Seguro, Bahia, 45810-000, Brazil
| | - Aureo Banhos
- Projeto Harpia - Mata Atlântica (Harpy Eagle Project - Atlantic Forest), Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo - UFES, Alto Universitário, Guararema, Alegre, Espírito Santo, 29500-000, Brazil.
- Projeto Harpia (Harpy Eagle Project - Brazil), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - INPA, Av. André Araújo, 2936, Aleixo, Manaus, Amazonas, 69067-375, Brazil.
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Biologia Animal) - PPGBAN, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo - UFES, Avenida Fernando Ferrari, 514, Prédio Barbara Weinberg, Vitória, Espírito Santo, 29075-910, Brazil.
- Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Naturais e da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo - UFES, Alto Universitário, Guararema, Alegre, Espírito Santo, 29500-000, Brazil.
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Impending anthropogenic threats and protected area prioritization for jaguars in the Brazilian Amazon. Commun Biol 2023; 6:132. [PMID: 36792802 PMCID: PMC9932174 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04490-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Jaguars (Panthera onca) exert critical top-down control over large vertebrates across the Neotropics. Yet, this iconic species have been declining due to multiple threats, such as habitat loss and hunting, which are rapidly increasing across the New World tropics. Based on geospatial layers, we extracted socio-environmental variables for 447 protected areas across the Brazilian Amazon to identify those that merit short-term high-priority efforts to maximize jaguar persistence. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and comparisons of measures of central tendency. Our results reveal that areas containing the largest jaguar densities and the largest estimated population sizes are precisely among those confronting most anthropogenic threats. Jaguars are threatened in the world's largest tropical forest biome by deforestation associated with anthropogenic fires, and the subsequent establishment of pastures. By contrasting the highest threats with the highest jaguar population sizes in a bivariate plot, we provide a shortlist of the top-10 protected areas that should be prioritized for immediate jaguar conservation efforts and 74 for short-term action. Many of these are located at the deforestation frontier or in important boundaries with neighboring countries (e.g., Peruvian, Colombian and Venezuelan Amazon). The predicament of a safe future for jaguars can only be ensured if protected areas persist and resist downgrading and downsizing due to both external anthropogenic threats and geopolitical pressures (e.g., infrastructure development and frail law enforcement).
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Landscape forest loss decreases bird diversity with strong negative impacts on forest species in a mountain region. Perspect Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pecon.2022.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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O’Bryan CJ, Allan JR, Suarez-Castro AF, Delsen DM, Buij R, McClure CJW, Rehbein JA, Virani MZ, McCabe JD, Tyrrell P, Negret PJ, Greig C, Brehony P, Kissling WD. Human impacts on the world’s raptors. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.624896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Raptors are emblematic of the global biodiversity crisis because one out of five species are threatened with extinction and over half have declining populations due to human threats. Yet our understanding of where these “threats” impact raptor species is limited across terrestrial Earth. This is concerning because raptors, as apex predators, are critically positioned in ecological food webs, and their declining populations can undermine important ecosystem services ranging from pest control to disease regulation. Here, we map the distribution of 15 threats within the known ranges of 172 threatened and near threatened raptor species globally as declared by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. We analyze the proportion of each raptor range that is exposed to threats, identify global hotspots of impacted raptor richness, and investigate how human impacts on raptors vary based on several intrinsic (species traits) and extrinsic factors. We find that humans are potentially negatively affecting at least one threatened raptor species across three quarters of Earth’s terrestrial area (78%; 113 million km2). Our results also show that raptors have 66% of their range potentially impacted by threats on average (range 2.7–100%). Alarmingly, critically endangered species have 90% of their range impacted by threats on average. We also highlight 57 species (33%) of particular concern that have > 90% of their ranges potentially impacted. Without immediate conservation intervention, these 57 species, including the most heavily impacted Forest Owlet (Athene blewitti), the Madagascar Serpent-eagle (Eutriorchis astur), and the Rufous Fishing-owl (Scotopelia ussheri), will likely face extinction in the near future. Global “hotspots” of impacted raptor richness are ubiquitous, with core areas of threat in parts of the Sahel and East Africa where 92% of the assessed raptors are potentially impacted per grid cell (10 species on average), and in Northern India where nearly 100% of raptors are potentially impacted per grid cell (11 species). Additionally, “coolspots” of unimpacted richness that represent refuges from threats occur in Greenland and Canada, where 98 and 58% of raptors are potentially unimpacted per grid cell, respectively (nearly one species on average), Saharan Africa, where 21% of raptors are potentially unimpacted per grid cell (one species on average), and parts of the Amazon, where 12% of raptors are potentially unimpacted per grid cell (0.6 species on average). The results provide essential information to guide conservation planning and action for the world’s imperiled raptors.
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Zuluaga S, Vargas FH, Aráoz R, Grande JM. Main aerial top predator of the Andean Montane Forest copes with fragmentation, but may be paying a high cost. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
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Miranda EBP, Peres CA, Downs CT. Landowner perceptions of livestock predation: implications for persecution of an Amazonian apex predator. Anim Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- E. B. P. Miranda
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity School of Life Sciences University of KwaZulu‐Natal Pietermaritzburg South Africa
| | - C. A. Peres
- School of Environmental Sciences University of East Anglia Norwich UK
- Instituto Juruá Manaus Brazil
| | - C. T. Downs
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity School of Life Sciences University of KwaZulu‐Natal Pietermaritzburg South Africa
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