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Broggini C, Cavallini M, Vanetti I, Abell J, Binelli G, Lombardo G. From Caves to the Savannah, the Mitogenome History of Modern Lions ( Panthera leo) and Their Ancestors. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5193. [PMID: 38791233 PMCID: PMC11121052 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105193] [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: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Lions (Panthera leo) play a crucial ecological role in shaping and maintaining fragile ecosystems within Africa. Conservation efforts should focus on genetic variability within wild populations when considering reintroduction attempts. We studied two groups of lions from two conservation sites located in Zambia and Zimbabwe to determine their genetic make-up, information that is usually unknown to the sites. In this study, we analysed 17 specimens for cytb and seven microsatellite markers to ascertain family relationships and genetic diversity previously obtained by observational studies. We then produced a standardised haplogroup phylogeny using all available entire mitogenomes, as well as calculating a revised molecular clock. The modern lion lineage diverged ~151 kya and was divided into two subspecies, both containing three distinct haplogroups. We confirm that Panthera leo persica is not a subspecies, but rather a haplogroup of the northern P.l. leo that exited Africa at least ~31 kya. The progenitor to all lions existed ~1.2 Mya, possibly in SE Africa, and later exited Africa and split into the two cave lion lineages ~175 kya. Species demography is correlated to major climactic events. We now have a detailed phylogeny of lion evolution and an idea of their conservation status given the threat of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Broggini
- Wildlife Research Unit (UIRCP-UCO), University of Cordoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain;
| | - Marta Cavallini
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences (DBSV), University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy; (M.C.); (I.V.); (G.B.)
| | - Isabella Vanetti
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences (DBSV), University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy; (M.C.); (I.V.); (G.B.)
| | - Jackie Abell
- Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience, Coventry University, Coventry CV8 3LG, UK;
| | - Giorgio Binelli
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences (DBSV), University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy; (M.C.); (I.V.); (G.B.)
| | - Gianluca Lombardo
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences (DBSV), University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy; (M.C.); (I.V.); (G.B.)
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Gašparová K, Fennessy J, Moussa Zabeirou AR, Abagana AL, Rabeil T, Brandlová K. Saving the Last West African Giraffe Population: A Review of Its Conservation Status and Management. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:702. [PMID: 38473087 DOI: 10.3390/ani14050702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The West African giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis peralta) was historically spread across much of the Sudano-Sahelian zone but is now restricted to Niger. Several factors resulted in their dramatic decline during the late 20th century. In 1996, only 49 individuals remained, concentrated in the 'Giraffe Zone'. Conservation activities implemented by the Government of Niger, supported by local communities and NGOs, facilitated their population numbers to increase. This review summarizes past and present conservation activities and evaluates their impact to advise and prioritize future conservation actions for the West African giraffe. The long-term conservation of the West African giraffe is highly dependent on the local communities who live alongside them, as well as supplementary support from local and international partners. Recent conservation initiatives range from community-based monitoring to the fitting of GPS satellite tags to better understand their habitat use, spatial movements to expansion areas, and environmental education to the establishment of the first satellite population of West African giraffe in Gadabedji Biosphere Reserve, the latter serving as a flagship for the future restoration of large mammal populations in West Africa. The integration of modern technologies and methods will hopefully provide better-quality data, improved spatial analyses, and greater understanding of giraffe ecology to inform the long-term management of West African giraffe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kateřina Gašparová
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Julian Fennessy
- Giraffe Conservation Foundation, Windhoek 10009, Namibia
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Abdoul Razack Moussa Zabeirou
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic
- Giraffe Conservation Foundation, Windhoek 10009, Namibia
| | - Ali Laouel Abagana
- Project Sustainable Management of Biodiversity, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, Niamey 920001, Niger
| | - Thomas Rabeil
- Wild Africa Conservation, Kouara Kano, BP32, Niamey 920001, Niger
| | - Karolína Brandlová
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic
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3
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Harris NC, Bhandari A, Doamba B. Ungulate co-occurrence in a landscape of antagonisms. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169552. [PMID: 38142990 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169552] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Protected areas largely now exist as coupled natural-human ecosystems where human activities are increasingly forcing wildlife to adjust behaviors. For many ungulate species that rely on protected areas for their persistence, they must balance these anthropogenic pressures amid natural regulators. Here, we investigated the pressures exerted from humans and livestock, apex predators, and within guild competitors on ungulate co-occurrence patterns in a fragile protected area complex in West Africa. Specifically, we used multi-species occupancy modeling to quantify co-occurrence among four ungulates (Tragelaphus scriptus, Redunca redunca, Kobus kob, Phacochoerus africanus) and applied structural equation models to discern the relative contributions of pressures on co-occurrence patterns. We observed a strong spatial gradient across with higher co-occurrence in the wetter western portion of our ~13,000 km2 study area. Co-occurrence patterns among ungulate dyads ranged from 0.15 to 0.49 with the smallest body sized pair showing highest levels of sympatry, warthog and reedbuck. We found that anthropogenic pressures, namely cattle had the greatest effect in reducing sympatry among wild ungulates more strongly than the presence of African lions that also exhibited negative effects. Humans, hyenas, and competitors showed positive effects on ungulate co-occurrence. In a region of the world ongoing rapid socio-ecological change with increasing threats from climate and environmental instability, protected areas in West Africa represent a major safeguard for wildlife and human livelihoods alike. Our findings highlight the need for effective interventions that focus on large carnivore conservation, habitat restoration, and containment of livestock grazing to promote the coexistence of biodiversity and socio-economic goals within the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nyeema C Harris
- Applied Wildlife Ecology (AWE) Lab, Yale School of the Environment, United States of America.
| | - Aishwarya Bhandari
- Applied Wildlife Ecology (AWE) Lab, Yale School of the Environment, United States of America
| | - Benoit Doamba
- National Office of Protected Areas (OFINAP), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
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Ndiaye YH, Ndiaye PI, Lindshield SM, Pruetz JD. Updating Chimpanzee Nesting Data at Mount Assirik (Niokolo Koba National Park, Senegal): Implications for Conservation. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:553. [PMID: 38396522 PMCID: PMC10886333 DOI: 10.3390/ani14040553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The Niokolo Koba National Park (NKNP) is the largest protected area in Senegal and lies at the northern limit of the chimpanzee's range in West Africa. Recent information on nesting behavior and factors influencing nesting behavior is available for several sites outside NKNP. However, the information available for NKNP is obsolete. Considering that the adequate management of chimpanzee populations cannot be achieved without strong scientific knowledge, it is essential to update data on chimpanzee, Pan troglodytes verus, nesting behavior in NKNP. For this reason, we surveyed their habitat in Mt. Assirik and recorded 626 chimpanzee nests. The results of the study showed that chimpanzees nest more often in closed-canopy habitats such as gallery forests. The average nest height observed in this study was 8.07 ± 0.36 m, varying between 2 and 20 m, which is well below the heights described in most sites where chimpanzees cohabit with large carnivores. Botanical surveys confirmed that chimpanzees select tree species bearing their nests. In Assirik, 12 of the 37 tree species bearing nests are the most used. The nest decay rate (or the time it takes for a nest to go from the fresh to the skeletal stage) at Assirik averaged 68.8 ± 5.8 days.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaya Hamady Ndiaye
- Département de Biologie Animale, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar 5005, Senegal;
| | - Papa Ibnou Ndiaye
- Département de Biologie Animale, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar 5005, Senegal;
- Observatoire International Homme-Milieux Téssékéré, IRL3189 “Environnement, Santé, Sociétés”, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar 5005, Senegal
| | | | - Jill Daphne Pruetz
- Department of Anthropology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA;
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Barazandeh M, Kriti D, Fickel J, Nislow C. The Addis Ababa Lions: Whole-Genome Sequencing of a Rare and Precious Population. Genome Biol Evol 2024; 16:evae021. [PMID: 38302110 PMCID: PMC10871700 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evae021] [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: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Lions are widely known as charismatic predators that once roamed across the globe, but their populations have been greatly affected by environmental factors and human activities over the last 150 yr. Of particular interest is the Addis Ababa lion population, which has been maintained in captivity at around 20 individuals for over 75 yr, while many wild African lion populations have become extinct. In order to understand the molecular features of this unique population, we conducted a whole-genome sequencing study on 15 Addis Ababa lions and detected 4.5 million distinct genomic variants compared with the reference African lion genome. Using functional annotation, we identified several genes with mutations that potentially impact various traits such as mane color, body size, reproduction, gastrointestinal functions, cardiovascular processes, and sensory perception. These findings offer valuable insights into the genetics of this threatened lion population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjan Barazandeh
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Divya Kriti
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jörns Fickel
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Research Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin, Germany
| | - Corey Nislow
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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6
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Visser F, Drouilly M, Moodley Y, Michaux JR, Somers MJ. Mismatch between conservation needs and actual representation of lions from West and Central Africa in in situ and ex situ conservation. Conserv Lett 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
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7
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Museomics Provides Insights into Conservation and Education: The Instance of an African Lion Specimen from the Museum of Zoology “Pietro Doderlein”. DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15010087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Innovative technological approaches are crucial to enhance naturalistic museum collections and develop information repositories of relevant interest to science, such as threatened animal taxa. In this context, museomics is an emerging discipline that provides a novel approach to the enhancement and exploitation of these collections. In the present study, the discovery of a neglected lion skeleton in the Museum of Zoology “Pietro Doderlein” of the University of Palermo (Italy) offered the opportunity to undertake a multidisciplinary project. The aims of the study consisted of the following: (i) adding useful information for museographic strategies, (ii) obtaining a new genetic data repository from a vulnerable species, (iii) strengthening public awareness of wildlife conservation, and (iv) sharing new learning material. The remains of the lion were examined with a preliminary osteological survey, then they were restored by means of 3D printing of missing skeletal fragments. Phylogenetic analyses based on cytochrome b sequence clearly indicate that the specimen belongs to the Central Africa mitochondrial clade. At the end of the study, the complete and restored skeleton was exhibited, along with all of the information and data available from this project. This study shows a useful approach for the restoration and enhancement of a museum specimen, with important opportunities for preserving biodiversity and driving specific conservation policies, but also for providing Life Science learning material.
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8
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Braczkowski A, Gopalaswamy AM, Fattebert J, Isoke S, Bezzina A, Maron M. Spatially explicit population estimates of African leopards and spotted hyenas in the Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area of southwestern Uganda. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00324-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Becker MS, Almeida J, Begg C, Bertola L, Breitenmoser C, Breitenmoser U, Coals P, Funston P, Gaylard A, Groom R, Henschel P, Ikanda D, Jorge A, Kruger J, Lindsey P, Maimbo H, Mandisodza-Chikerema R, Maude G, Mbizah M, Miller SM, Mudongo E, Mwape H, Mweetwa T, Naude V, Nyirenda VR, Parker A, Parker D, Reid C, Robson A, Sayer E, Selier SAJ, Sichande M, Simukonda C, Uiseb K, Williams VL, Zimba D, Hunter L. Guidelines for evaluating the conservation value of African lion (Panthera leo) translocations. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2022.963961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As the top predator in African ecosystems, lions have lost more than 90% of their historical range, and few countries possess strong evidence for stable populations. Translocations (broadly defined here as the capture and movement of lions for various management purposes) have become an increasingly popular action for this species, but the wide array of lion translocation rationales and subsequent conservation challenges stemming from poorly conceived or unsuitable translocations warrants additional standardized evaluation and guidance. At their best, translocations fill a key role in comprehensive strategies aimed at addressing the threats facing lions and fostering the recovery of wild populations in their historic range. At their worst, translocations can distract from addressing the major threats to wild populations and habitats, divert scarce funding from more valuable conservation actions, exacerbate conflict with humans in recipient sites, disrupt local lion demography, and undermine the genetic integrity of wild lion populations in both source and recipient sites. In the interest of developing best practice guidelines for deciding when and how to conduct lion translocations, we discuss factors to consider when determining whether a translocation is of conservation value, introduce a value assessment for translocations, and provide a decision matrix to assist practitioners in improving the positive and reducing the negative outcomes of lion translocation.
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10
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Bertola LD, Vermaat M, Lesilau F, Chege M, Tumenta PN, Sogbohossou EA, Schaap OD, Bauer H, Patterson BD, White PA, de Iongh HH, Laros JFJ, Vrieling K. Whole genome sequencing and the application of a SNP panel reveal primary evolutionary lineages and genomic variation in the lion (Panthera leo). BMC Genomics 2022; 23:321. [PMID: 35459090 PMCID: PMC9027350 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08510-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Previous phylogeographic studies of the lion (Panthera leo) have improved our insight into the distribution of genetic variation, as well as a revised taxonomy which now recognizes a northern (Panthera leo leo) and a southern (Panthera leo melanochaita) subspecies. However, existing whole range phylogeographic studies on lions either consist of very limited numbers of samples, or are focused on mitochondrial DNA and/or a limited set of microsatellites. The geographic extent of genetic lineages and their phylogenetic relationships remain uncertain, clouded by massive sampling gaps, sex-biased dispersal and incomplete lineage sorting. Results In this study we present results of low depth whole genome sequencing and subsequent variant calling in ten lions sampled throughout the geographic range, resulting in the discovery of >150,000 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs). Phylogenetic analyses revealed the same basal split between northern and southern populations, as well as four population clusters on a more local scale. Further, we designed a SNP panel, including 125 autosomal and 14 mitochondrial SNPs, which was tested on >200 lions from across their range. Results allow us to assign individuals to one of these four major clades (West & Central Africa, India, East Africa, or Southern Africa) and delineate these clades in more detail. Conclusions The results presented here, particularly the validated SNP panel, have important applications, not only for studying populations on a local geographic scale, but also for tracing samples of unknown origin for forensic purposes, and for guiding conservation management of ex situ populations. Thus, these genomic resources not only contribute to our understanding of the evolutionary history of the lion, but may also play a crucial role in conservation efforts aimed at protecting the species in its full diversity. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08510-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- L D Bertola
- City University of New York, City College of New York, 160 Convent Avenue, New York, NY, 10031, USA. .,Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, PO Box 9518, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands. .,Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL), Leiden University, PO Box 9505, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - M Vermaat
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden Genome Technology Center, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - F Lesilau
- Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, PO Box 9518, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Kenya Wildlife Service, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - M Chege
- Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, PO Box 9518, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Kenya Wildlife Service, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - P N Tumenta
- Centre for Environment and Developmental Studies, Cameroon (CEDC), Yaounde, Cameroon.,Regional Training Centre Specialized in Agriculture, Forest and Wood, University of Dschang, BP 138, Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - E A Sogbohossou
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Appliquée, Université d'Abomey-Calavi, 03 BP 294, Cotonou, Benin
| | - O D Schaap
- Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL), Leiden University, PO Box 9505, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - H Bauer
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Zoology, University of Oxford Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney, OX13 5QL, UK
| | - B D Patterson
- Negaunee Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL, 60605, USA
| | - P A White
- Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1496, USA
| | - H H de Iongh
- Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, PO Box 9518, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Department of Biology, Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - J F J Laros
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden Genome Technology Center, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - K Vrieling
- Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL), Leiden University, PO Box 9505, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands
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11
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Gueye M, Van Cauteren D, Mengual L, Pellaton R, Leirs H, Bertola LD, de Iongh H. Conflicts between large carnivores and local pastoralists around Niokolo Koba National Park, Senegal. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-021-01556-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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12
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Kiki MAD, Astaras C, Montgomery RA, Henschel P, Tehou A, Macdonald D, Bauer H. Cost effective assessment of human and habitat factors essential for critically endangered lions in West Africa. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Martial A. D. Kiki
- M. A. D. Kiki, Dept of Environment, Polytechnic College of the Univ. of Abomey-Calavi, Abomey-Calavi, Republic of Benin and Dept of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, School of Natural Resources and Environment, Univ. of Florida, USA
| | - Christos Astaras
- C. Astaras, Forest Research Inst., Hellenic Agricultural Organization ‘Demeter’, Vasilika, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Robert A. Montgomery
- R. A. Montgomery, Research on the Ecology of Carnivores and their Prey Laboratory, Dept of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI, USA
| | | | - Aristide Tehou
- A. Tehou, Centre National de Gestion des Réserves de Faunes, Cotonou, Benin
| | - David Macdonald
- RAM, D. Macdonald and H. Bauer ✉ , Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Dept of Zoology, Univ. of Oxford, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Tubney, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Hans Bauer
- RAM, D. Macdonald and H. Bauer ✉ , Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Dept of Zoology, Univ. of Oxford, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Tubney, Oxfordshire, UK
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13
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Gueye M, Brandlová K, Rabeil T, Diop MM, Diop B, Hejcmanová P. Spatially restricted occurrence and low abundance as key tools for conservation of critically endangered large antelope in West African savannah. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19397. [PMID: 34588514 PMCID: PMC8481223 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98649-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The effective conservation of mammals on the brink of extinction requires an integrated socio-ecological approach, yet the updated ecological knowledge of species remains fundamental. This study brings spatiotemporal behaviour, population structure, age-specific survival rates, and population size estimate of the Western Derby eland (WDE) in the Niokolo Koba National Park (NKNP), Senegal, investigated during dry seasons 2017 and 2018. WDE was strongly localised in the core area of NKNP (< 5%), active throughout the day with the highest peak in the hottest daytime, with a mean group size 7.6 ± SE 8.9. The adult sex ratio was female-biased and showed low annual adult male survival rates. The population consisted of high proportion of juveniles, whilst adults did not exceed 40%. The estimated population density was 0.138 WDE/km2 (± 0.0102) and estimated size 195 WDE in NKNP (CI95 from 54 to 708 individuals). Findings highlighted that the WDE population has potential to expand in the NKNP, due to an underutilized capacity. The age-specific vital rates indicate adult males as the most vulnerable; suggesting either an increase in the large predators' population, livestock encroachment pressure, and/or poaching. Findings imply that targeted monitoring with science-based interpretation may bring forward strong conservation solutions to the protected area management decision-makers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mallé Gueye
- Direction Des Parcs Nationaux du Sénégal, route des Pères maristes, BP 5135, Dakar Hann, Senegal.,Department of HydroSciences and Environment, University Iba Der Thiam de Thiès, Thiès, Senegal
| | - Karolína Brandlová
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague - Suchdol, 16500, Czech Republic
| | - Thomas Rabeil
- Wild Africa Conservation, 27 rue de D'Esbly, 77240, Cesson, France
| | - Maniang Mamadou Diop
- Direction Des Parcs Nationaux du Sénégal, route des Pères maristes, BP 5135, Dakar Hann, Senegal
| | - Babacar Diop
- Direction Des Parcs Nationaux du Sénégal, route des Pères maristes, BP 5135, Dakar Hann, Senegal
| | - Pavla Hejcmanová
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague - Suchdol, 16500, Czech Republic.
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14
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Dlamini N, van Zyl TL. Comparing Class-Aware and Pairwise Loss Functions for Deep Metric Learning in Wildlife Re-Identification. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21186109. [PMID: 34577319 PMCID: PMC8472616 DOI: 10.3390/s21186109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Similarity learning using deep convolutional neural networks has been applied extensively in solving computer vision problems. This attraction is supported by its success in one-shot and zero-shot classification applications. The advances in similarity learning are essential for smaller datasets or datasets in which few class labels exist per class such as wildlife re-identification. Improving the performance of similarity learning models comes with developing new sampling techniques and designing loss functions better suited to training similarity in neural networks. However, the impact of these advances is tested on larger datasets, with limited attention given to smaller imbalanced datasets such as those found in unique wildlife re-identification. To this end, we test the advances in loss functions for similarity learning on several animal re-identification tasks. We add two new public datasets, Nyala and Lions, to the challenge of animal re-identification. Our results are state of the art on all public datasets tested except Pandas. The achieved Top-1 Recall is 94.8% on the Zebra dataset, 72.3% on the Nyala dataset, 79.7% on the Chimps dataset and, on the Tiger dataset, it is 88.9%. For the Lion dataset, we set a new benchmark at 94.8%. We find that the best performing loss function across all datasets is generally the triplet loss; however, there is only a marginal improvement compared to the performance achieved by Proxy-NCA models. We demonstrate that no single neural network architecture combined with a loss function is best suited for all datasets, although VGG-11 may be the most robust first choice. Our results highlight the need for broader experimentation and exploration of loss functions and neural network architecture for the more challenging task, over classical benchmarks, of wildlife re-identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nkosikhona Dlamini
- Faculty of Science, Braamfontein Campus, School of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa
- Correspondence: (N.D.); (T.L.v.Z.)
| | - Terence L. van Zyl
- Auckland Park Campus, Institute for Intelligent Systems, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa
- Correspondence: (N.D.); (T.L.v.Z.)
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Thompson JJ, Morato RG, Niebuhr BB, Alegre VB, Oshima JEF, de Barros AE, Paviolo A, de la Torre JA, Lima F, McBride RT, Cunha de Paula R, Cullen L, Silveira L, Kantek DLZ, Ramalho EE, Maranhão L, Haberfeld M, Sana DA, Medellin RA, Carrillo E, Montalvo VH, Monroy-Vilchis O, Cruz P, Jacomo ATA, Alves GB, Cassaigne I, Thompson R, Sáenz-Bolaños C, Cruz JC, Alfaro LD, Hagnauer I, Xavier da Silva M, Vogliotti A, Moraes MFD, Miyazaki SS, Araujo GR, Cruz da Silva L, Leuzinger L, Carvalho MM, Rampim L, Sartorello L, Quigley H, Tortato FR, Hoogesteijn R, Crawshaw PG, Devlin AL, May Júnior JA, Powell GVN, Tobler MW, Carrillo-Percastegui SE, Payán E, Azevedo FCC, Concone HVB, Quiroga VA, Costa SA, Arrabal JP, Vanderhoeven E, Di Blanco YE, Lopes AMC, Ribeiro MC. Environmental and anthropogenic factors synergistically affect space use of jaguars. Curr Biol 2021; 31:3457-3466.e4. [PMID: 34237270 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.06.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Large terrestrial carnivores have undergone some of the largest population declines and range reductions of any species, which is of concern as they can have large effects on ecosystem dynamics and function.1-4 The jaguar (Panthera onca) is the apex predator throughout the majority of the Neotropics; however, its distribution has been reduced by >50% and it survives in increasingly isolated populations.5 Consequently, the range-wide management of the jaguar depends upon maintaining core populations connected through multi-national, transboundary cooperation, which requires understanding the movement ecology and space use of jaguars throughout their range.6-8 Using GPS telemetry data for 111 jaguars from 13 ecoregions within the four biomes that constitute the majority of jaguar habitat, we examined the landscape-level environmental and anthropogenic factors related to jaguar home range size and movement parameters. Home range size decreased with increasing net productivity and forest cover and increased with increasing road density. Speed decreased with increasing forest cover with no sexual differences, while males had more directional movements, but tortuosity in movements was not related to any landscape factors. We demonstrated a synergistic relationship between landscape-scale environmental and anthropogenic factors and jaguars' spatial needs, which has applications to the conservation strategy for the species throughout the Neotropics. Using large-scale collaboration, we overcame limitations from small sample sizes typical in large carnivore research to provide a mechanism to evaluate habitat quality for jaguars and an inferential modeling framework adaptable to the conservation of other large terrestrial carnivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey J Thompson
- Asociación Guyra Paraguay and CONACYT, Parque Ecológico Asunción Verde, Asunción, Paraguay; Insituto Saite, Asunción, Paraguay.
| | - Ronaldo G Morato
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Carnívoros, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Atibaia, SP 12952011, Brazil
| | - Bernardo B Niebuhr
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Carnívoros, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Atibaia, SP 12952011, Brazil; Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Departamento de Biodiversidade, Laboratório de Ecologia Espacial e Conservação LEEC, Rio Claro, SP 13506900, Brazil; Instituto Pró-Carnívoros, Atibaia, SP 12945010, Brazil; Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Vanesa Bejarano Alegre
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Departamento de Biodiversidade, Laboratório de Ecologia Espacial e Conservação LEEC, Rio Claro, SP 13506900, Brazil
| | - Júlia Emi F Oshima
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Departamento de Biodiversidade, Laboratório de Ecologia Espacial e Conservação LEEC, Rio Claro, SP 13506900, Brazil
| | - Alan E de Barros
- Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, Trav. 14, no. 321, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP 05508-090, Brazil
| | - Agustín Paviolo
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical, Universidad Nacional de Misiones and CONICET, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones 3370, Argentina; Asociación Civil Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones 3370, Argentina
| | - J Antonio de la Torre
- Programa Jaguares de la Selva Maya, Bioconciencia A.C., Ciudad de México, México; School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Fernando Lima
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Departamento de Biodiversidade, Laboratório de Ecologia Espacial e Conservação LEEC, Rio Claro, SP 13506900, Brazil; IPÊ-Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas, Nazaré Paulista, SP 12960000, Brazil
| | - Roy T McBride
- Faro Moro Eco Research, Estancia Faro Moro, Departamento de Boquerón, Paraguay
| | - Rogerio Cunha de Paula
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Carnívoros, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Atibaia, SP 12952011, Brazil
| | - Laury Cullen
- IPÊ-Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas, Nazaré Paulista, SP 12960000, Brazil
| | | | - Daniel L Z Kantek
- Estacao Ecológica Taiamã, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Cáceres, MT 78210625, Brazil
| | - Emiliano E Ramalho
- Instituto Pró-Carnívoros, Atibaia, SP 12945010, Brazil; Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Tefé, AM 69553225, Brazil
| | - Louise Maranhão
- Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Tefé, AM 69553225, Brazil
| | - Mario Haberfeld
- Associação Onçafari, Rua Ferreira de Araújo, 221, Cj.14, Sala 4, Pinheiros, São Paulo, SP 05428-000, Brazil; Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA; Instituto SOS Pantanal, R. Gutemberg, 328 Centro, Campo Grande, MS 79002-160, Brazil
| | - Denis A Sana
- Instituto Pró-Carnívoros, Atibaia, SP 12945010, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS 91501970, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo A Medellin
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and CONACyT, Ciudad Universitaria, México D.F. 04318, México
| | - Eduardo Carrillo
- Instituto Internacional en Conservación y Manejo de Vida Silvestre, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, Heredia 1350-3000, Costa Rica
| | - Victor H Montalvo
- Instituto Internacional en Conservación y Manejo de Vida Silvestre, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, Heredia 1350-3000, Costa Rica; Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Octavio Monroy-Vilchis
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Biológicas Aplicadas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Instituto Literario 100, Col. Centro C.P. 50000, Toluca, Estado de México
| | - Paula Cruz
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical, Universidad Nacional de Misiones and CONICET, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones 3370, Argentina; Asociación Civil Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones 3370, Argentina
| | | | - Giselle B Alves
- Instituto Onça Pintada, Mineiros, GO 75830000, Brazil; Instituto de Biologia, Laboratório de Ecologia de Mamíferos LEMA, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG 38408100, Brazil
| | | | - Ron Thompson
- Primero Conservation, Box 1588, Pinetop, AZ 85935, USA
| | - Carolina Sáenz-Bolaños
- Instituto Internacional en Conservación y Manejo de Vida Silvestre, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, Heredia 1350-3000, Costa Rica; Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Juan Carlos Cruz
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Namá Conservation, Heredia 40101, Costa Rica
| | - Luis D Alfaro
- Instituto Internacional en Conservación y Manejo de Vida Silvestre, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, Heredia 1350-3000, Costa Rica
| | - Isabel Hagnauer
- Rescate Animal Zooave, Fundación Restauración de la Naturaleza, Apdo 1327-4050, Alajuela, Costa Rica
| | | | - Alexandre Vogliotti
- Universidade Federal da Integração Latino-Americana, Instituto Latino-Americano de Ciências da Vida e da Natureza, Foz do Iguaçu, PR 85851970, Brazil
| | | | - Selma S Miyazaki
- Estacao Ecológica Taiamã, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Cáceres, MT 78210625, Brazil
| | - Gediendson R Araujo
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Campo Grande, MS 79070-900, Brasil; Instituto Onças do Rio Negro, Fazenda Barranco Alto, Aquidauana, MS 79208000, Brazil
| | - Leanes Cruz da Silva
- Instituto Onças do Rio Negro, Fazenda Barranco Alto, Aquidauana, MS 79208000, Brazil; Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570, Brazil
| | - Lucas Leuzinger
- Instituto Onças do Rio Negro, Fazenda Barranco Alto, Aquidauana, MS 79208000, Brazil
| | - Marina M Carvalho
- Instituto de Defesa e Preservação dos Felídeos Brasileiros, Corumbá de Goiás, GO 72960000, Brazil
| | - Lilian Rampim
- Associação Onçafari, Rua Ferreira de Araújo, 221, Cj.14, Sala 4, Pinheiros, São Paulo, SP 05428-000, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Sartorello
- Associação Onçafari, Rua Ferreira de Araújo, 221, Cj.14, Sala 4, Pinheiros, São Paulo, SP 05428-000, Brazil
| | - Howard Quigley
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA
| | | | | | - Peter G Crawshaw
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Carnívoros, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Atibaia, SP 12952011, Brazil
| | - Allison L Devlin
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA; SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA; Wildlife Biology Program, W.A. Franke College of Forestry & Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Joares A May Júnior
- Instituto Pró-Carnívoros, Atibaia, SP 12945010, Brazil; Associação Onçafari, Rua Ferreira de Araújo, 221, Cj.14, Sala 4, Pinheiros, São Paulo, SP 05428-000, Brazil; Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA; Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina, Tubarão, SC 88704-900, Brazil
| | - George V N Powell
- Wildlife Protection Solutions, 2501 Welton Street, Denver, CO 80205, USA
| | - Mathias W Tobler
- San Diego Zoo Global, Institute for Conservation Research, 15600 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA 92027, USA
| | - Samia E Carrillo-Percastegui
- San Diego Zoo Global, Institute for Conservation Research, 15600 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA 92027, USA
| | - Estebán Payán
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA
| | - Fernando C C Azevedo
- Instituto Pró-Carnívoros, Atibaia, SP 12945010, Brazil; Universidade Federal de São João del Rei, Departamento de Ciências Naturais, São João del Rei, MG 36301160, Brazil
| | - Henrique V B Concone
- Instituto Pró-Carnívoros, Atibaia, SP 12945010, Brazil; Laboratório de Ecologia, Manejo e Conservação de Fauna Silvestre, Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Ecologia Aplicada, Universidade de São Paulo ESALQ/CENA, Piracicaba, SP 13418-900, Brazil
| | - Verónica A Quiroga
- Asociación Civil Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones 3370, Argentina; Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas CONICET, Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal IDEA, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Sebastián A Costa
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical, Universidad Nacional de Misiones and CONICET, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones 3370, Argentina; Asociación Civil Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones 3370, Argentina
| | - Juan P Arrabal
- Asociación Civil Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones 3370, Argentina; Instituto Nacional de Medicina Tropical ANLIS, Ministerio de Salud de la Nación, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones 3370, Argentina
| | - Ezequiel Vanderhoeven
- Asociación Civil Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones 3370, Argentina; Instituto Nacional de Medicina Tropical ANLIS, Ministerio de Salud de la Nación, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones 3370, Argentina
| | - Yamil E Di Blanco
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical, Universidad Nacional de Misiones and CONICET, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones 3370, Argentina; Asociación Civil Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones 3370, Argentina
| | - Alexandre M C Lopes
- Instituto de Pesquisa e Conservação de Tamanduás do Brasil, Parnaíba, PI 64200025, Brazil
| | - Milton Cezar Ribeiro
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Departamento de Biodiversidade, Laboratório de Ecologia Espacial e Conservação LEEC, Rio Claro, SP 13506900, Brazil
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Sargent R, Deere NJ, McGowan PJ, Bunnefeld N, Pfeifer M. Room to roam for African lions
Panthera leo
: a review of the key drivers of lion habitat use and implications for conservation. Mamm Rev 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Sargent
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences Newcastle University Ridley Building 2 Newcastle upon TyneNE1 7RUUK
| | - Nicolas J. Deere
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) School of Anthropology and Conservation University of Kent Marlowe Building CanterburyCT2 7NRUK
| | - Philip J.K. McGowan
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences Newcastle University Ridley Building 2 Newcastle upon TyneNE1 7RUUK
| | - Nils Bunnefeld
- Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Stirling StirlingFK9 4LAUK
| | - Marion Pfeifer
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences Newcastle University Ridley Building 2 Newcastle upon TyneNE1 7RUUK
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17
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Assou D, D'Cruze N, Kirkland H, Auliya M, Macdonald DW, Segniagbeto GH. Camera trap survey of mammals in the Fazao‐Malfakassa National Park, Togo, West Africa. Afr J Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Délagnon Assou
- Laboratory of Ecology and Ecotoxicology Faculty of Sciences University of Lomé Togo
- Togolese Society for Nature Conservation (AGBO‐ZEGUE NGO) Togo
| | - Neil D'Cruze
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit Department of Zoology University of Oxford UK
| | - Hannah Kirkland
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit Department of Zoology University of Oxford UK
| | - Mark Auliya
- Zoological Research Museum Alexander KoenigHerpetology Section Bonn Germany
- Department of Conservation Biology Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH – UFZ Leipzig Germany
| | - David W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit Department of Zoology University of Oxford UK
| | - Gabriel H. Segniagbeto
- Laboratory of Ecology and Ecotoxicology Faculty of Sciences University of Lomé Togo
- Togolese Society for Nature Conservation (AGBO‐ZEGUE NGO) Togo
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18
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McLellan ML, McLellan BN, Sollmann R, Wittmer HU. Vital rates of two small populations of brown bears in Canada and range-wide relationship between population size and trend. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:3422-3434. [PMID: 33841794 PMCID: PMC8019027 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying mechanisms of population change is fundamental for conserving small and declining populations and determining effective management strategies. Few studies, however, have measured the demographic components of population change for small populations of mammals (<50 individuals). We estimated vital rates and trends in two adjacent but genetically distinct, threatened brown bear (Ursus arctos) populations in British Columbia, Canada, following the cessation of hunting. One population had approximately 45 resident bears but had some genetic and geographic connectivity to neighboring populations, while the other population had <25 individuals and was isolated. We estimated population-specific vital rates by monitoring survival and reproduction of telemetered female bears and their dependent offspring from 2005 to 2018. In the larger, connected population, independent female survival was 1.00 (95% CI: 0.96-1.00) and the survival of cubs in their first year was 0.85 (95% CI: 0.62-0.95). In the smaller, isolated population, independent female survival was 0.81 (95% CI: 0.64-0.93) and first-year cub survival was 0.33 (95% CI: 0.11-0.67). Reproductive rates did not differ between populations. The large differences in age-specific survival estimates resulted in a projected population increase in the larger population (λ = 1.09; 95% CI: 1.04-1.13) and population decrease in the smaller population (λ = 0.84; 95% CI: 0.72-0.95). Low female survival in the smaller population was the result of both continued human-caused mortality and an unusually high rate of natural mortality. Low cub survival may have been due to inbreeding and the loss of genetic diversity common in small populations, or to limited resources. In a systematic literature review, we compared our population trend estimates with those reported for other small populations (<300 individuals) of brown bears. Results suggest that once brown bear populations become small and isolated, populations rarely increase and, even with intensive management, recovery remains challenging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle L. McLellan
- School of Biological SciencesVictoria University of WellingtonWellingtonNew Zealand
| | | | - Rahel Sollmann
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation BiologyUniversity of California DavisDavisCAUSA
| | - Heiko U. Wittmer
- School of Biological SciencesVictoria University of WellingtonWellingtonNew Zealand
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19
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Bauer H, Chardonnet B, Scholte P, Kamgang SA, Tiomoko DA, Tehou AC, Sinsin B, Gebresenbet F, Asefa A, Bobo KS, Garba H, Abagana AL, Diouck D, Mohammed AA, Sillero-Zubiri C. Consider divergent regional perspectives to enhance wildlife conservation across Africa. Nat Ecol Evol 2021; 5:149-152. [PMID: 33139922 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-01343-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hans Bauer
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. .,Evolutionary Ecology Group, Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | | | - Paul Scholte
- Biodiversity Conservation, German International Cooperation (GIZ), Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | | | - Djafarou Ali Tiomoko
- Biodiversity Conservation, German International Cooperation (GIZ), Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Aristide Comlan Tehou
- Laboratory for Applied Ecology, Natural Resource Conservation, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Brice Sinsin
- Laboratory for Applied Ecology, Natural Resource Conservation, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
| | | | - Addisu Asefa
- Protected Areas Estate Project, Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority, Addis Abeba, Ethiopia
| | | | - Hamissou Garba
- Protected Areas Division, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, Niamey, Niger
| | - Ali Laouel Abagana
- Project Sustainable Management of Biodiversity, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, Niamey, Niger
| | - Djibril Diouck
- National Parks Directorate, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, Dakar, Senegal
| | | | - Claudio Sillero-Zubiri
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,The Born Free Foundation, Horsham, UK
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20
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Abstract
AbstractWe use comparable 2005 and 2018 population data to assess threats driving the decline of lion Panthera leo populations, and review information on threats structured by problem tree and root cause analysis. We define 11 threats and rank their severity and prevalence. Two threats emerged as affecting both the number of lion populations and numbers within them: livestock depredation leading to retaliatory killing of lions, and bushmeat poaching leading to prey depletion. Our data do not allow determination of whether any specific threat drives declines faster than others. Of 20 local extirpations, most were associated with armed conflicts as a driver of proximate threats. We discuss the prevalence and severity of proximate threats and their drivers, to identify priorities for more effective conservation of lions, other carnivores and their prey.
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21
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Mills KL, Harris NC. Humans disrupt access to prey for large African carnivores. eLife 2020; 9:60690. [PMID: 33206047 PMCID: PMC7673783 DOI: 10.7554/elife.60690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Wildlife respond to human presence by adjusting their temporal niche, possibly modifying encounter rates among species and trophic dynamics that structure communities. We assessed wildlife diel activity responses to human presence and consequential changes in predator-prey overlap using 11,111 detections of 3 large carnivores and 11 ungulates across 21,430 camera trap-nights in West Africa. Over two-thirds of species exhibited diel responses to mainly diurnal human presence, with ungulate nocturnal activity increasing by 7.1%. Rather than traditional pairwise predator-prey diel comparisons, we considered spatiotemporally explicit predator access to several prey resources to evaluate community-level trophic responses to human presence. Although leopard prey access was not affected by humans, lion and spotted hyena access to three prey species significantly increased when prey increased their nocturnal activity to avoid humans. Human presence considerably influenced the composition of available prey, with implications for prey selection, demonstrating how humans perturb ecological processes via behavioral modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirby L Mills
- Applied Wildlife Ecology Lab, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Nyeema C Harris
- Applied Wildlife Ecology Lab, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
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22
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Kotze R, Marshal JP, Winterbach CW, Winterbach HE, Keith M. Demographic consequences of habitat loss and crowding in large carnivores: A natural experiment. Afr J Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12786] [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)
- Robynne Kotze
- Centre for African Ecology School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg South Africa
| | - Jason P. Marshal
- Centre for African Ecology School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg South Africa
| | - Christiaan W. Winterbach
- Eugène Marais Research Chair for Wildlife Management Mammal Research Institute University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
- Tau Consultants (Pty) Ltd Maun Botswana
| | - Hanlie E.K. Winterbach
- Eugène Marais Research Chair for Wildlife Management Mammal Research Institute University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
- Tau Consultants (Pty) Ltd Maun Botswana
| | - Mark Keith
- Eugène Marais Research Chair for Wildlife Management Mammal Research Institute University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
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23
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Divergent trends of large carnivore populations within the Bénoué Complex, North Cameroon, shown by long-term fine-scale monitoring. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-020-01420-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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24
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Segniagbeto GH, Agbodji KT, Leuteritz TE, Dendi D, Fa JE, Luiselli L. Insights into the illegal ivory trade and status of elephants in Togo, West Africa. Afr J Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Hoinsoudé Segniagbeto
- Département de Zoologie et Biologie Animale Faculté des Sciences Université de Lomé Lomé Togo
- Institute for Development Ecology, Conservation and Cooperation (IDECC) Rome Italy
| | - Kossi Thomas Agbodji
- Direction des Ressources Forestières Ministère de l’Environnement et des Ressources Forestières Lomé Togo
| | - Thomas E.J. Leuteritz
- Embassy of the United States of America ‐ Lomé Lomé Togo
- Division of Scientific Authority U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Falls Church USA
| | - Daniele Dendi
- Département de Zoologie et Biologie Animale Faculté des Sciences Université de Lomé Lomé Togo
- Institute for Development Ecology, Conservation and Cooperation (IDECC) Rome Italy
- Department of Applied & Environmental Biology Rivers State University of Science & Technology Port Harcourt Nigeria
| | - John E. Fa
- Division of Biology and Conservation Ecology School of Science and the Environment Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester UK
- Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) CIFOR Headquarters Bogor Indonesia
| | - Luca Luiselli
- Département de Zoologie et Biologie Animale Faculté des Sciences Université de Lomé Lomé Togo
- Institute for Development Ecology, Conservation and Cooperation (IDECC) Rome Italy
- Department of Applied & Environmental Biology Rivers State University of Science & Technology Port Harcourt Nigeria
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25
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Mills KL, Harissou Y, Gnoumou IT, Abdel‐Nasser YI, Doamba B, Harris NC. Comparable space use by lions between hunting concessions and national parks in West Africa. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kirby L. Mills
- Applied Wildlife Ecology Lab, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI USA
- School for Environment and Sustainability University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI USA
| | - Yahou Harissou
- Parc W‐Niger Direction Générale Des Eaux et Forêts Ministère de l’Environnement de la Salubrité Urbaine et du Développement Durable Niamey Niger
| | - Isaac T. Gnoumou
- Direction de la Faune et des Ressources Cynégétiques Ministère de l’Environnement Ouagadougou Burkina Faso
| | - Yaye I. Abdel‐Nasser
- Parc W‐Niger Direction Générale Des Eaux et Forêts Ministère de l’Environnement de la Salubrité Urbaine et du Développement Durable Niamey Niger
| | - Benoit Doamba
- Direction de la Faune et des Ressources Cynégétiques Ministère de l’Environnement Ouagadougou Burkina Faso
| | - Nyeema C. Harris
- Applied Wildlife Ecology Lab, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI USA
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Harris NC, Mills KL, Harissou Y, Hema EM, Gnoumou IT, VanZoeren J, Abdel‐Nasser YI, Doamba B. First camera survey in Burkina Faso and Niger reveals human pressures on mammal communities within the largest protected area complex in West Africa. Conserv Lett 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nyeema C. Harris
- Applied Wildlife Ecology Lab, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology DepartmentUniversity of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan
| | - Kirby L. Mills
- Applied Wildlife Ecology Lab, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology DepartmentUniversity of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan
- School for Environment and SustainabilityUniversity of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan
| | - Yahou Harissou
- Parc W‐Niger, Direction Générale Des Eaux et ForêtsMinistère de l'Environnement de la Salubrité Urbaine et du Développement Durable
| | - Emmanuel M. Hema
- UFR/Sciences Appliquées et TechnologiquesUniversité de Dédougou Dédougou Burkina Faso
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Ecologie AnimalesUniversité Ouaga I Professeur Joseph Ki‐Zerbo Ouagadougou Burkina Faso
| | - Isaac T. Gnoumou
- Direction de la Faune et des Ressources CynégétiquesMinistére de l'Environnement Ouagadougou Burkina Faso
| | - Jenna VanZoeren
- Applied Wildlife Ecology Lab, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology DepartmentUniversity of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan
| | - Yayé I. Abdel‐Nasser
- Parc W‐Niger, Direction Générale Des Eaux et ForêtsMinistère de l'Environnement de la Salubrité Urbaine et du Développement Durable
| | - Benoit Doamba
- Direction de la Faune et des Ressources CynégétiquesMinistére de l'Environnement Ouagadougou Burkina Faso
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Hema EM, Dialla T, Sirima D, Ouattara Y, Tou I, Luiselli L. Preliminary data on density and habitat of carnivores in two protected areas of Burkina Faso (West Africa). MAMMALIA 2019. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2019-0026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Apparent density [determined as kilometric index of abundance (KIA), by direct sightings and by droppings along line transects] and habitat use of some species of carnivore mammals were studied in two protected areas of Burkina Faso (Comoé-Leraba and Nazinga). Despite the fact that the dataset was collected throughout several years and with a very high field effort, the amount of data collected was relatively small, and confined just to a few species. There was no effect of the year on the average KIA estimates of the carnivores at this study area, and data from direct sightings along transects estimated lower densities than those coming from droppings collected along the same transects. In terms of habitat type, shrub savannah represented the best habitat type for carnivores, despite being relatively scarcely available along the line transects when compared with woody savannah (especially for Canis adustus and Civettictis civetta).
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel M. Hema
- Université de Dédougou, UFR/Sciences Appliquées et Technologiques , Dédougou , Burkina Faso
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Ecologie Animales , Université Ouaga I Professeur Joseph KI-ZERBO , 09 B.P. 848 Ouagadougou 09 , Ouagadougou , Burkina Faso
- Institute for Development, Ecology, Conservation and Cooperation , via G. Tomasi di Lampedusa 33 , 00144 Rome , Italy
| | - Tinsgnimi Dialla
- Office National des Aires Protégées , Ouagadougou , Burkina Faso
| | - Djidama Sirima
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Ecologie Animales , Université Ouaga I Professeur Joseph KI-ZERBO , 09 B.P. 848 Ouagadougou 09 , Ouagadougou , Burkina Faso
| | - Yaya Ouattara
- Secrétariat Exécutif , AGEREF/CL, BP 223 , Banfora , Burkina Faso
| | - Ismael Tou
- Secrétariat Exécutif , AGEREF/CL, BP 223 , Banfora , Burkina Faso
| | - Luca Luiselli
- Institute for Development, Ecology, Conservation and Cooperation , via G. Tomasi di Lampedusa 33 , 00144 Rome , Italy
- Department of Applied and Environmental Biology , Rivers State University of Science and Technology , P.M.B. 5080 , Port Harcourt , Nigeria
- Département de Zoologie, Faculté des Sciences , Université de Lomé , B.P. 6057 Lomé , Togo
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28
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Identifying Shared Strategies and Solutions to the Human–Giant Tortoise Interactions in Santa Cruz, Galapagos: A Nominal Group Technique Application. SUSTAINABILITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/su11102937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Conservation conflicts in protected areas are varied and context-specific, but the resulting effects are often similar, leading to important losses for both humans and wildlife. Several methods and approaches have been used to mitigate conservation conflicts, with an increasing emphasis on understanding the human–human dimension of the conflict. In this article, we present a revision of several conservation conflict cases in the management of protected areas, transdisciplinary and participatory approaches to address conservation conflicts, and finalize by illustrating the application of the nominal group technique (NGT) with the case of the human–giant tortoise interactions in Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos. In this article, we demonstrate the use of novel and systematic participatory and deliberative methodology that is able to engage stakeholders in a constructive dialogue to jointly identify and explore options for shared strategies and solutions to conservation conflicts. The results are comparable with other conservation conflicts cases around the world and illustrate the importance of generating legitimatized information that will further help policy and decision-making actions to address conservation conflicts in the management of protected areas.
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29
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Weise FJ, Hauptmeier H, Stratford KJ, Hayward MW, Aal K, Heuer M, Tomeletso M, Wulf V, Somers MJ, Stein AB. Lions at the Gates: Trans-disciplinary Design of an Early Warning System to Improve Human-Lion Coexistence. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2018.00242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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30
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Smitz N, Jouvenet O, Ambwene Ligate F, Crosmary WG, Ikanda D, Chardonnet P, Fusari A, Meganck K, Gillet F, Melletti M, Michaux JR. A genome-wide data assessment of the African lion (Panthera leo) population genetic structure and diversity in Tanzania. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0205395. [PMID: 30403704 PMCID: PMC6221261 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The African lion (Panthera leo), listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Appendix II of CITES), is mainly impacted by indiscriminate killing and prey base depletion. Additionally, habitat loss by land degradation and conversion has led to the isolation of some subpopulations, potentially decreasing gene flow and increasing inbreeding depression risks. Genetic drift resulting from weakened connectivity between strongholds can affect the genetic health of the species. In the present study, we investigated the evolutionary history of the species at different spatiotemporal scales. Therefore, the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (N = 128), 11 microsatellites (N = 103) and 9,103 SNPs (N = 66) were investigated in the present study, including a large sampling from Tanzania, which hosts the largest lion population among all African lion range countries. Our results add support that the species is structured into two lineages at the continental scale (West-Central vs East-Southern), underlining the importance of reviewing the taxonomic status of the African lion. Moreover, SNPs led to the identification of three lion clusters in Tanzania, whose geographical distributions are in the northern, southern and western regions. Furthermore, Tanzanian lion populations were shown to display good levels of genetic diversity with limited signs of inbreeding. However, their population sizes seem to have gradually decreased in recent decades. The highlighted Tanzanian African lion population genetic differentiation appears to have resulted from the combined effects of anthropogenic pressure and environmental/climatic factors, as further discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Smitz
- Barcoding of Organisms and tissues of Policy Concern (BopCo)/Joint Experimental Molecular Unit (JEMU), Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium
- Conservation Genetics, Department of Life Sciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Olivia Jouvenet
- Conservation Genetics, Department of Life Sciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | | | | | - Dennis Ikanda
- Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, Arusha, Tanzania
| | | | - Alessandro Fusari
- Fondation Internationale pour la Gestion de la Faune (IGF), Paris, France
| | - Kenny Meganck
- Barcoding of Organisms and tissues of Policy Concern (BopCo), Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium
| | - François Gillet
- Conservation Genetics, Department of Life Sciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Mario Melletti
- African Buffalo Initiative Group (AfBIG), IUCN/SSC/ASG, Rome, Italy
| | - Johan R. Michaux
- Conservation Genetics, Department of Life Sciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), UPR AGIRS, Campus International de Baillarguet, Montpellier, France
- * E-mail:
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31
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Montgomery RA, Elliott KC, Hayward MW, Gray SM, Millspaugh JJ, Riley SJ, Kissui BM, Kramer DB, Moll RJ, Mudumba T, Tans ED, Muneza AB, Abade L, Beck JM, Hoffmann CF, Booher CR, Macdonald DW. Examining Evident Interdisciplinarity Among Prides of Lion Researchers. Front Ecol Evol 2018. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2018.00049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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32
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Bauer H, Nowell K, Sillero-Zubiri C, Macdonald DW. Lions in the modern arena of CITES. Conserv Lett 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hans Bauer
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Zoology; University of Oxford; Recanati-Kaplan Centre OX13 5QL Tubney United Kingdom
| | | | - Claudio Sillero-Zubiri
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Zoology; University of Oxford; Recanati-Kaplan Centre OX13 5QL Tubney United Kingdom
| | - David W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Zoology; University of Oxford; Recanati-Kaplan Centre OX13 5QL Tubney United Kingdom
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33
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Gippoliti S, Brito D, Cerfolli F, Franco D, Kryštufek B, Battisti C. Europe as a model for large carnivores conservation: Is the glass half empty or half full? J Nat Conserv 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2017.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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34
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Barnett R, Sinding MHS, Vieira FG, Mendoza MLZ, Bonnet M, Araldi A, Kienast I, Zambarda A, Yamaguchi N, Henschel P, Gilbert MTP. No longer locally extinct? Tracing the origins of a lion ( Panthera leo) living in Gabon. CONSERV GENET 2018; 19:611-618. [PMID: 31007636 PMCID: PMC6448349 DOI: 10.1007/s10592-017-1039-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Lions (Panthera leo) are of particular conservation concern due to evidence of recent, widespread population declines in what has hitherto been seen as a common species, robust to anthropogenic disturbance. Here we use non-invasive methods to recover complete mitochondrial genomes from single hair samples collected in the field in order to explore the identity of the Gabonese Plateaux Batéké lion. Comparison of the mitogenomes against a comprehensive dataset of African lion sequences that includes relevant geographically proximate lion populations from both contemporary and ancient sources, enabled us to identify the Plateaux Batéké lion as a close maternal relative to now extirpated populations found in Gabon and nearby Congo during the twentieth century, and to extant populations of Southern Africa. Our study demonstrates the relevance of ancient DNA methods to field conservation work, and the ability of trace field samples to provide copious genetic information about free-ranging animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross Barnett
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mikkel-Holder S. Sinding
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Blindern, P.O. Box 1172, 0318 Oslo, Norway
| | - Filipe G. Vieira
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Matthieu Bonnet
- The Aspinall Foundation, Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, Hythe, Kent CT21 4PD UK
| | - Alessandro Araldi
- The Aspinall Foundation, Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, Hythe, Kent CT21 4PD UK
| | - Ivonne Kienast
- Congo Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Alice Zambarda
- The Aspinall Foundation, Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, Hythe, Kent CT21 4PD UK
| | - Nobuyuki Yamaguchi
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Philipp Henschel
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018 USA
- Institut de Recherche en Ecologie Tropicale, CENAREST, BP 842 Libreville, Gabon
| | - M. Thomas P. Gilbert
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
- NTNU University Museum, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
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35
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Effectiveness of a LED flashlight technique in reducing livestock depredation by lions (Panthera leo) around Nairobi National Park, Kenya. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0190898. [PMID: 29385146 PMCID: PMC5791975 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0190898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The global lion (Panthera leo) population decline is partly a result of retaliatory killing in response to livestock depredation. Nairobi National Park (NNP) is a small protected area in Kenya surrounded by a human-dominated landscape. Communities around the park use flashlights to deter lions from their livestock bomas. We investigated the response by lions to the installation of a LED flashlight technique during 2007-2016.We interviewed 80 owners of livestock bomas with flashlights (n = 43) and without (n = 37) flashlights in the surroundings of NNP and verified reported attacks on bomas against predation data over10 years. The frequency of attacks on bomas equipped with flashlights was significantly lower compared to bomas without flashlights. We also found that after flashlight installation at livestock bomas, lion attacks took place further away from the park edge, towards areas where bomas without flashlights were still present. With increased numbers of flashlight installations at bomas in recent years, we further noticed a shift from nocturnal to more diurnal predation incidences. Our study shows that the LED flashlight technique is effective in reducing nocturnal livestock predation at bomas by lions. Long term studies on the effects as well as expansion of this technique into other communities around NNP are recommended.
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36
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Kirsten I, Bakker E, Lucas Trujillo L, Bour P, Nhiomog N, Bauer H, de Iongh H. Lion (Panthera leo
) and spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta
) abundance in Bouba Ndjida National Park, Cameroon, trends between 2005 and 2014. Afr J Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Paul Bour
- Foundation Leo; Wageningen The Netherlands
| | | | - Hans Bauer
- Foundation Leo; Wageningen The Netherlands
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37
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Trouwborst A, Lewis M, Burnham D, Dickman A, Hinks A, Hodgetts T, Macdonald EA, Macdonald DW. International law and lions (Panthera leo): understanding and improving the contribution of wildlife treaties to the conservation and sustainable use of an iconic carnivore. NATURE CONSERVATION 2017. [DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.21.13690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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38
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Mascia MB, Fox HE, Glew L, Ahmadia GN, Agrawal A, Barnes M, Basurto X, Craigie I, Darling E, Geldmann J, Gill D, Holst Rice S, Jensen OP, Lester SE, McConney P, Mumby PJ, Nenadovic M, Parks JE, Pomeroy RS, White AT. A novel framework for analyzing conservation impacts: evaluation, theory, and marine protected areas. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2017; 1399:93-115. [PMID: 28719737 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2016] [Revised: 04/14/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Environmental conservation initiatives, including marine protected areas (MPAs), have proliferated in recent decades. Designed to conserve marine biodiversity, many MPAs also seek to foster sustainable development. As is the case for many other environmental policies and programs, the impacts of MPAs are poorly understood. Social-ecological systems, impact evaluation, and common-pool resource governance are three complementary scientific frameworks for documenting and explaining the ecological and social impacts of conservation interventions. We review key components of these three frameworks and their implications for the study of conservation policy, program, and project outcomes. Using MPAs as an illustrative example, we then draw upon these three frameworks to describe an integrated approach for rigorous empirical documentation and causal explanation of conservation impacts. This integrated three-framework approach for impact evaluation of governance in social-ecological systems (3FIGS) accounts for alternative explanations, builds upon and advances social theory, and provides novel policy insights in ways that no single approach affords. Despite the inherent complexity of social-ecological systems and the difficulty of causal inference, the 3FIGS approach can dramatically advance our understanding of, and the evidentiary basis for, effective MPAs and other conservation initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael B Mascia
- Betty and Gordon Moore Center for Science, Conservation International, Arlington, Virginia
| | | | | | | | - Arun Agrawal
- School of Natural Resources & Environment, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Megan Barnes
- Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii.,Centre for Excellence in Environmental Decisions, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Xavier Basurto
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, North Carolina
| | - Ian Craigie
- ARC Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Emily Darling
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Marine Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York
| | - Jonas Geldmann
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; and Center for Macroecology, Evolution, and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - David Gill
- National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC), Annapolis, Maryland.,Luc Hoffmann Institute, WWF International, Gland, Switzerland
| | - Susie Holst Rice
- Coral Reef Conservation Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Olaf P Jensen
- Institute of Marine & Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Sarah E Lester
- Department of Geography, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
| | - Patrick McConney
- Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES), University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados
| | - Peter J Mumby
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mateja Nenadovic
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, North Carolina
| | | | - Robert S Pomeroy
- Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Connecticut-Avery Point, Groton, Connecticut
| | - Alan T White
- Asia-Pacific Program, The Nature Conservancy, Honolulu, Hawaii
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39
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Macdonald DW, Loveridge AJ, Dickman A, Johnson PJ, Jacobsen KS, Du Preez B. Lions, trophy hunting and beyond: knowledge gaps and why they matter. Mamm Rev 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit; Department of Zoology; The Recanati-Kaplan Centre; University of Oxford; Tubney House Tubney Oxon OX13 5QL UK
| | - Andrew J. Loveridge
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit; Department of Zoology; The Recanati-Kaplan Centre; University of Oxford; Tubney House Tubney Oxon OX13 5QL UK
| | - Amy Dickman
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit; Department of Zoology; The Recanati-Kaplan Centre; University of Oxford; Tubney House Tubney Oxon OX13 5QL UK
| | - Paul J. Johnson
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit; Department of Zoology; The Recanati-Kaplan Centre; University of Oxford; Tubney House Tubney Oxon OX13 5QL UK
| | - Kim S. Jacobsen
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit; Department of Zoology; The Recanati-Kaplan Centre; University of Oxford; Tubney House Tubney Oxon OX13 5QL UK
| | - Byron Du Preez
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit; Department of Zoology; The Recanati-Kaplan Centre; University of Oxford; Tubney House Tubney Oxon OX13 5QL UK
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40
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Biological annihilation via the ongoing sixth mass extinction signaled by vertebrate population losses and declines. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E6089-E6096. [PMID: 28696295 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1704949114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 708] [Impact Index Per Article: 101.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The population extinction pulse we describe here shows, from a quantitative viewpoint, that Earth's sixth mass extinction is more severe than perceived when looking exclusively at species extinctions. Therefore, humanity needs to address anthropogenic population extirpation and decimation immediately. That conclusion is based on analyses of the numbers and degrees of range contraction (indicative of population shrinkage and/or population extinctions according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature) using a sample of 27,600 vertebrate species, and on a more detailed analysis documenting the population extinctions between 1900 and 2015 in 177 mammal species. We find that the rate of population loss in terrestrial vertebrates is extremely high-even in "species of low concern." In our sample, comprising nearly half of known vertebrate species, 32% (8,851/27,600) are decreasing; that is, they have decreased in population size and range. In the 177 mammals for which we have detailed data, all have lost 30% or more of their geographic ranges and more than 40% of the species have experienced severe population declines (>80% range shrinkage). Our data indicate that beyond global species extinctions Earth is experiencing a huge episode of population declines and extirpations, which will have negative cascading consequences on ecosystem functioning and services vital to sustaining civilization. We describe this as a "biological annihilation" to highlight the current magnitude of Earth's ongoing sixth major extinction event.
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41
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Kühl HS, Sop T, Williamson EA, Mundry R, Brugière D, Campbell G, Cohen H, Danquah E, Ginn L, Herbinger I, Jones S, Junker J, Kormos R, Kouakou CY, N'Goran PK, Normand E, Shutt-Phillips K, Tickle A, Vendras E, Welsh A, Wessling EG, Boesch C. The Critically Endangered western chimpanzee declines by 80%. Am J Primatol 2017; 79. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2017] [Revised: 05/09/2017] [Accepted: 06/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hjalmar S. Kühl
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv); Halle-Jena-Leipzig; Leipzig Germany
| | - Tenekwetche Sop
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv); Halle-Jena-Leipzig; Leipzig Germany
| | | | - Roger Mundry
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
| | - David Brugière
- Projets Biodiversité et Ressources Naturelles BRL Ingénierie; Nimes Cedex France
| | | | - Heather Cohen
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
| | - Emmanuel Danquah
- Department of Wildlife and Range Management, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology; Kumasi Ghana
| | - Laura Ginn
- Anthropology Centre for Conservation, Environment and Development; Oxford Brookes University; Oxford UK
| | | | - Sorrel Jones
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science; The Lodge; Sandy Beds UK
- Royal Holloway University of London; Egham Hill; Egham UK
| | - Jessica Junker
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
| | - Rebecca Kormos
- Department of Integrative Biology; University of California; Berkeley California
| | - Celestin Y. Kouakou
- Wild Chimpanzee Foundation; Abidjan Côte d'Ivoire
- Université Jean Lorougnon Guédé; Daloa Côte d'Ivoire
- Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire; Abidjan Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Paul K. N'Goran
- WWF International Regional Office for Africa; Yaoundé Cameroon
| | - Emma Normand
- Wild Chimpanzee Foundation; Abidjan Côte d'Ivoire
| | | | - Alexander Tickle
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
| | - Elleni Vendras
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
- Regional Environmental Center for Eastern and Central Europe; Warsaw Poland
| | - Adam Welsh
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
| | - Erin G. Wessling
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
| | - Christophe Boesch
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
- Wild Chimpanzee Foundation; Abidjan Côte d'Ivoire
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Giordano AJ, Tumenta PN, de Iongh HH. Camera-trapping confirms unheralded disappearance of the leopard ( Panthera pardus
) from Waza National Park, Cameroon. Afr J Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Pricelia N. Tumenta
- Centre for Environment and Development Studies in Cameroon (CEDC); Department of Forestry; University of Dschang; P. O. Box 410 Maroua Cameroon
| | - Hans H. de Iongh
- Institute of Environmental Sciences; Leiden University; PO Box 9518 2300RA Leiden The Netherlands
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Ripple WJ, Abernethy K, Betts MG, Chapron G, Dirzo R, Galetti M, Levi T, Lindsey PA, Macdonald DW, Machovina B, Newsome TM, Peres CA, Wallach AD, Wolf C, Young H. Bushmeat hunting and extinction risk to the world's mammals. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2016; 3:160498. [PMID: 27853564 PMCID: PMC5098989 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 204] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Terrestrial mammals are experiencing a massive collapse in their population sizes and geographical ranges around the world, but many of the drivers, patterns and consequences of this decline remain poorly understood. Here we provide an analysis showing that bushmeat hunting for mostly food and medicinal products is driving a global crisis whereby 301 terrestrial mammal species are threatened with extinction. Nearly all of these threatened species occur in developing countries where major coexisting threats include deforestation, agricultural expansion, human encroachment and competition with livestock. The unrelenting decline of mammals suggests many vital ecological and socio-economic services that these species provide will be lost, potentially changing ecosystems irrevocably. We discuss options and current obstacles to achieving effective conservation, alongside consequences of failure to stem such anthropogenic mammalian extirpation. We propose a multi-pronged conservation strategy to help save threatened mammals from immediate extinction and avoid a collapse of food security for hundreds of millions of people.
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Affiliation(s)
- William J. Ripple
- GlobalTrophic Cascades Program, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
- Forest Biodiversity Research Network, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Katharine Abernethy
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
- Institut de Recherche en Ecologie Tropicale, CENAREST, BP 842 Libreville, Gabon
| | - Matthew G. Betts
- GlobalTrophic Cascades Program, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
- Forest Biodiversity Research Network, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Guillaume Chapron
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 73091 Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Rodolfo Dirzo
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Mauro Galetti
- Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Instituto Biociências, Departamento de Ecologia, 13506-900 Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Bioscience, Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Taal Levi
- GlobalTrophic Cascades Program, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
- Forest Biodiversity Research Network, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Peter A. Lindsey
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - David W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Tubney, Abingdon OX13 5QL, UK
| | - Brian Machovina
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Thomas M. Newsome
- GlobalTrophic Cascades Program, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Burwood campus, Geelong, Victoria 3125, Australia
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Carlos A. Peres
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Arian D. Wallach
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123 Broadway, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Christopher Wolf
- GlobalTrophic Cascades Program, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
- Forest Biodiversity Research Network, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Hillary Young
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
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44
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Macdonald DW. Animal behaviour and its role in carnivore conservation: examples of seven deadly threats. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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The Challenges and Relevance of Exploring the Genetics of North Africa's "Barbary Lion" and the Conservation of Putative Descendants in Captivity. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY 2016; 2016:6901892. [PMID: 27656310 PMCID: PMC5021484 DOI: 10.1155/2016/6901892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Revised: 06/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
The lions of North Africa were unique in ecological terms as well as from a human cultural perspective and were the definitive lions of Roman and Medieval Europe. Labelled “Barbary” lions, they were once numerous in North Africa but were exterminated by the mid-20th century. Despite subsequent degeneration of the Atlas Mountain ecosystem through human pressures, the feasibility of lion reintroduction has been debated since the 1970s. Research on the long-established captive lion collection traditionally kept by the sultans and kings of Morocco has enabled selective breeding coordinated across Moroccan and European zoos involving a significant number of animals. Molecular genetic research has recently provided insights into lion phylogeny which, despite previous suggestions that all lions share recent common ancestry, now indicates clear distinctions between lions in North, West, and Central Africa, the Middle East, and India versus those in Southern and Eastern Africa. A review of the evolutionary relevance of North African lions highlights the important challenges and opportunities in understanding relationships between Moroccan lions, extinct North African lions, and extant lion populations in India and West and Central Africa and the potential role for lions in ecosystem recovery in those regions.
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Henschel P, Petracca LS, Hunter LTB, Kiki M, Sewadé C, Tehou A, Robinson HS. Determinants of Distribution Patterns and Management Needs in a Critically Endangered Lion Panthera leo Population. Front Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2016.00110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Bertola LD, Jongbloed H, van der Gaag KJ, de Knijff P, Yamaguchi N, Hooghiemstra H, Bauer H, Henschel P, White PA, Driscoll CA, Tende T, Ottosson U, Saidu Y, Vrieling K, de Iongh HH. Phylogeographic Patterns in Africa and High Resolution Delineation of Genetic Clades in the Lion (Panthera leo). Sci Rep 2016; 6:30807. [PMID: 27488946 PMCID: PMC4973251 DOI: 10.1038/srep30807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2015] [Accepted: 07/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Comparative phylogeography of African savannah mammals shows a congruent pattern in which populations in West/Central Africa are distinct from populations in East/Southern Africa. However, for the lion, all African populations are currently classified as a single subspecies (Panthera leo leo), while the only remaining population in Asia is considered to be distinct (Panthera leo persica). This distinction is disputed both by morphological and genetic data. In this study we introduce the lion as a model for African phylogeography. Analyses of mtDNA sequences reveal six supported clades and a strongly supported ancestral dichotomy with northern populations (West Africa, Central Africa, North Africa/Asia) on one branch, and southern populations (North East Africa, East/Southern Africa and South West Africa) on the other. We review taxonomies and phylogenies of other large savannah mammals, illustrating that similar clades are found in other species. The described phylogeographic pattern is considered in relation to large scale environmental changes in Africa over the past 300,000 years, attributable to climate. Refugial areas, predicted by climate envelope models, further confirm the observed pattern. We support the revision of current lion taxonomy, as recognition of a northern and a southern subspecies is more parsimonious with the evolutionary history of the lion.
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Affiliation(s)
- L D Bertola
- Leiden University, Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), PO Box 9518, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden University, Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL), PO Box 9505, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - H Jongbloed
- Leiden University, Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), PO Box 9518, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden University, Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL), PO Box 9505, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - K J van der Gaag
- Forensic Laboratory for DNA Research, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - P de Knijff
- Forensic Laboratory for DNA Research, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - N Yamaguchi
- Qatar University, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, PO Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - H Hooghiemstra
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1018 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - H Bauer
- WildCRU, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford. Tubney House, Abingdon Road, OX13 5QL, UK
| | - P Henschel
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA
| | - P A White
- Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1496, USA
| | - C A Driscoll
- Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun 248001, Uttarakhand, India
| | - T Tende
- A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, P.O. Box 13404 Jos, Nigeria
| | - U Ottosson
- A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, P.O. Box 13404 Jos, Nigeria
| | - Y Saidu
- Nigeria National Park Service, PMB 0258 Garki-Abuja, Nigeria
| | - K Vrieling
- Leiden University, Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL), PO Box 9505, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - H H de Iongh
- Leiden University, Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), PO Box 9518, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.,University of Antwerp, Department Biology, Evolutionary Ecology Group, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
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Coad L, Leverington F, Knights K, Geldmann J, Eassom A, Kapos V, Kingston N, de Lima M, Zamora C, Cuardros I, Nolte C, Burgess ND, Hockings M. Measuring impact of protected area management interventions: current and future use of the Global Database of Protected Area Management Effectiveness. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016; 370:rstb.2014.0281. [PMID: 26460133 PMCID: PMC4614737 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2014.0281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Protected areas (PAs) are at the forefront of conservation efforts, and yet despite considerable progress towards the global target of having 17% of the world's land area within protected areas by 2020, biodiversity continues to decline. The discrepancy between increasing PA coverage and negative biodiversity trends has resulted in renewed efforts to enhance PA effectiveness. The global conservation community has conducted thousands of assessments of protected area management effectiveness (PAME), and interest in the use of these data to help measure the conservation impact of PA management interventions is high. Here, we summarize the status of PAME assessment, review the published evidence for a link between PAME assessment results and the conservation impacts of PAs, and discuss the limitations and future use of PAME data in measuring the impact of PA management interventions on conservation outcomes. We conclude that PAME data, while designed as a tool for local adaptive management, may also help to provide insights into the impact of PA management interventions from the local-to-global scale. However, the subjective and ordinal characteristics of the data present significant limitations for their application in rigorous scientific impact evaluations, a problem that should be recognized and mitigated where possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Coad
- Environmental Change Institute, Oxford University Centre for the Environment, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL, UK
| | - Fiona Leverington
- University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Queensland, Australia International Union for Conservation of Nature Global Protected Areas Programme (IUCN-WCPA), Rue Mauverney 28, 1196, Gland, Switzerland Protected Area Solutions, 38 Foothill Place, The Gap, QLD 4061, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kathryn Knights
- Protected Area Solutions, 38 Foothill Place, The Gap, QLD 4061, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jonas Geldmann
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - April Eassom
- United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL, UK
| | - Valerie Kapos
- United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL, UK
| | - Naomi Kingston
- United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL, UK
| | - Marcelo de Lima
- United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL, UK
| | - Camilo Zamora
- Protected Area Solutions, 38 Foothill Place, The Gap, QLD 4061, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ivon Cuardros
- Protected Area Solutions, 38 Foothill Place, The Gap, QLD 4061, Queensland, Australia
| | - Christoph Nolte
- International Forestry Resources and Institutions, School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, 440 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1041, USA
| | - Neil D Burgess
- United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL, UK Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Marc Hockings
- United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL, UK University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Queensland, Australia International Union for Conservation of Nature Global Protected Areas Programme (IUCN-WCPA), Rue Mauverney 28, 1196, Gland, Switzerland
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A mix of community-based conservation and protected forests is needed for the survival of the Endangered pygmy hippopotamus Choeropsis liberiensis. ORYX 2016. [DOI: 10.1017/s003060531600020x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractThe contribution of protected areas to biodiversity conservation is well attested but many taxa in many regions remain dependent on the unprotected wider landscape. To develop conservation plans for large mammals such as the Endangered pygmy hippopotamus Choeropsis liberiensis of West Africa's Upper Guinea Forests it is critical to understand the importance of unprotected land. Despite being a conservation priority, little is known about the habitat associations of this species, or its distribution across its range. Through a combination of field surveys, species distribution models and community questionnaires we investigated the use of unprotected areas by the pygmy hippopotamus in the Sierra Leone–Liberia border region. We found signs of the species in 128 of 525 1-km2 cells surveyed. Our analysis suggested that the species is reasonably widespread in this region and is associated with major rivers. It occurred close to, but rarely within, large areas of intact forest, and 80.4% of pygmy hippopotamus signs were recorded outside protected areas. The expansion of the protected area network in this area is unrealistic in Sierra Leone and to some extent in Liberia, mainly because of anthropogenic pressure and the overlap of proposed protected areas with mining and logging concessions. Thus pygmy hippopotamus conservation activities in the region need to include programmes on community lands while maintaining a robust network of protected forests. Community-based conservation of the pygmy hippopotamus may prove valuable for other threatened and endemic species that are not confined to protected areas in this region.
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50
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Amori G, Segniagbeto GH, Decher J, Assou D, Gippoliti S, Luiselli L. Non-marine mammals of Togo (West Africa): an annotated checklist. ZOOSYSTEMA 2016. [DOI: 10.5252/z2016n2a3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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