Wildlife

Context. Achieving successful conservation outcomes in habitat creation and reintroductions requires an understanding of how species use their habitat and respond to these interventions. However, few initiatives directly compare microhabitat selection between remnant and managed habitats to measure effectiveness and evaluate outcomes. Probability of detection is also rarely included in studies on microhabitat use, which may lead to erroneous conclusions if detectability varies between variables. Methods. In this study, we used the endangered green and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea) to compare differences in microhabitat-use patterns in both a remnant and a constructed habitat. A detectability study was also conducted to determine detection probabilities among microhabitats. Key results. Aquatic vegetation was used more than expected in both the remnant and constructed habitats, and rock piles were utilised less than expected in the constructed habitat, despite their recommendation...

ContextWildlife tourism has been shown to increase stress in a variety of species and can negatively affect survival, reproduction, welfare, and behaviour of individuals. In African elephants, Loxodonta africana, increased physiological stress has been linked to use of refugia, rapid movement through corridors, and heightened aggression towards humans. However, we are unaware of any studies assessing the impact of tourism pressure (tourist numbers) on physiological stress in elephants. AimsWe used faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations to investigate whether tourist numbers in Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa, were related to changes in physiological stress in elephants. MethodsWe repeatedly collected dung samples (n=43) from 13 individually identified elephants over 15 months. Using a generalised linear mixed model and a Kenward–Roger approximation, we assessed the impact of monthly tourist numbers, season, age, and sex on elephant fGCM concentrations. Key results...

Computer Vision is applied in agriculture field for food grading, disease identification of the plants and agro-farms security. Huge crop damage is caused by the wild animal attacks on the agriculture farms. Here are some traditional techniques followed by the local farmers, but which are not effective. This problem can be solved using computer vision techniques. In this paper, we proposed an algorithm to detect animals in a given image. W-CoHOG is a Histogram oriented gradients based feature vector with better accuracy. It is an extension of Co-occurrence Histograms of Oriented Gradients (CoHOG). In this paper LIBLINEAR classifier is used in order to get better accuracy for high dimensional data. The experiments were conducted on two benchmark datasets called Wild-Anim and CamaraTrap dataset. Experimental results prove that W-CoHOG performs better than existing state of the art methods

We assessed injuries to the forearms of 17 species of microchiropteran bats marked for ecological studies and banded under the auspices of the Australian Bird & Bat Banding Scheme. Serious injuries were recorded in 16 of the 17 species, but injury rates varied between species according to band type, band size and metal type. Survival estimates were calculated for three species. In Nyctophilus geoffroyi mean annual survival was significantly lower for animals marked with bat bands that caused major injuries to 7.1% of recaptured animals than that for animals marked with bird bands that produced negligible injury rates. The results of this study have led the Australian Bird & Bat Banding Scheme to adopt a precautionary principle and impose a moratorium on the banding of bats belonging to the families Vespertilionidae, Molossidae and Emballonuridae. Applications to band microchiropteran bats are now considered on a case-by-case basis. Rigorous trials on target species are required to e...

Le tecniche di cattura e contenimento della fauna selvatica hanno origini remote e
godono di un’ampia documentazione che comprende le metodiche più primitive sino alle più complesse tecnologie odierne. Queste tecniche sono da tempo oggetto di discussione e di studio, poiché oltre all’importanza della messa in sicurezza degli operatori coinvolti, è andata crescendo l’attenzione e la sensibilizzazione nei confronti della condizione e del benessere dell’animale catturato.
In questo elaborato vengono trattate le diverse metodiche di cattura dell’orso impiegate
nelle differenti aree di distribuzione di questo mammifero, fornendo una panoramica sulle
possibili tecniche utilizzabili per questo tipo di procedura e ponendo l’attenzione su quelli che possono essere gli effetti positivi e negativi derivanti dal loro utilizzo.
Dopo aver descritto la biologia dell'orso e di alcune specie nello specifico, fornendo informazioni riguardo alcune peculiarità di queste ultime, si descrivono le tecniche di cattura meccanica e farmacologica maggiormente utilizzate su questo mammifero. Inizialmente si pone l'attenzione sulle valutazioni preliminari necessarie per riuscire in una cattura sicura ed efficace, successivamente vengono descritte le tre principali tecniche di cattura meccanica: la cattura aerea, il laccio di Aldrich e la Culvert trap indicandone pregi e difetti, luoghi e specie di utilizzo ed eventuali modifiche e migliorie apportate agli strumenti nel corso del tempo. Vengono poi descritte le diverse possibilità per la cattura farmacologica sia riguardo la scelta degli strumenti e delle attrezzature impiegabili, sia in merito alle combinazioni di farmaci adottabili. Si descrivono i siti di inoculo, i diversi dardi anestetici e i vari strumenti di tiro fornendo precisazioni sulle loro caratteristiche e modalità di funzionamento. Vengono infine riportati i principali protocolli anestesiologici a disposizione per la cattura di questi animali ponendo l'attenzione sui possibili effetti negativi e positivi che possono portare, indicando alcuni dosaggi utilizzati da diversi esperti nel corso di alcuni studi e indicando le specie in cui vengono maggiormente utilizzati.
Si conclude affermando che la cattura negli orsi comporta diversi rischi all'animale e al personale coinvolto e che, dopo le opportune valutazioni, spesso é la giusta combinazione di tecniche di cattura meccanica e farmacologica a determinare il successo di una procedura sicura ed efficace.

Unit 2 introduces the importance of diversity within ecosystems in relation to species and the significance of genetic variation within a species population. The unit continues with the factors that influence the distribution of species and how colonisation of a habitat is dependent upon variation and the ability of individuals to match a habitat’s environment. The ‘health’ of an ecosystem or habitat can be determined by the number of species within it: species diversity is also covered.

For nearly two and a half decades now the Protected Area Update (PAU) has religiously presented a consolidated account of India’s wildlife and protected area (PA) network. Published six times a year, it carries in a tightly edited format, news and information of what is happening in, to and around these national parks and sanctuaries that have been at the core of India’s wildlife conservation strategy.
In the second of a series of edited books that synthesis this huge body of information on geographical lines The State of Wildlife and Protected Areas in Maharashtra - News and information from the Protected Area Update 1996–2015 presents a consolidated historical account of developments in the PA network in Maharashtra over two decades. While the primary unit still remains the individual protected area, the time line has changed from two months of one issue to 20 years that this publication covers.
In following one news item after another about any particular PA we see what happened month after month, year after year; what developments recurred at what periodicity; what were the issues that were important and what was done about them – it’s an important glimpse into the contemporary history of a place (many places) marked on the map as a protected area.
Published 2019 ISBN:9788192326931 Price Rs. 400.
Order at a 20% discount by writing to [email protected]; also on amazon at https://tinyurl.com/vz5aet3

As part of conservation efforts between 1997 and 2001, more than 25% (332 animals) of the endangered Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) population was sampled in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Serum samples were tested for antibodies to viruses, bacteria, and parasites known to cause morbidity and mortality in other marine mammal species. Antibodies were found to phocine herpesvirus-1 by using

This book presents a series of possible future scenarios in wildlife and animal tourism by combining critical thinking and imagination to stimulate reflection and ways forward. The future of wildlife tourism faces uncertainties that revolve around many factors, including climate change, mass wildlife extinction, human population growth, deforestation, sustainability and ethical assumptions. For wildlife tourism to meet these challenges, new ways of thinking are necessary. The chapters in this volume focus on future wildlife tourism development and management; the experiental value, educational components and ethical relevance of tourism-animal encounters; and the technology applied to wildlife tourism. They offer critically-imagined futures in order to encourage readers to reflect on the possibility of shaping a better future. The book will appeal to researchers, students and practitioners in wildlife tourism, environmental studies, sustainability and conservation. MORE info about the content and possibility to order here: https://www.multilingual-matters.com/page/detail/?k=9781845418168

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The books includes 13 intriguing and creative chapters that will make you reflect on important issues such as sustainability, ethics, human-animal relations, wildlife, nature, tourism, the tragedy of the commons, technology, innovation, alternative futures and dragons.

This study was undertaken to compare the population of avifauna of Jiwani Coastal Wetlands Complex and Taunsa Barrage Wetland. In one year study period the number of species recorded at Jiwani Coastal Wetland was 109, representing 16 orders and 38 families and at Taunsa Barrage was 110 which belongs to 45 families. At Taunsa Barrage Ardeidae remain dominant while syllviidae were the family which has greatest bird species found at the study site. The family Oriolade had only one bird species, while out of 110 species, 66 were resident, 8 were breeding resident, 34 were winter visitor and only 2 were summer visitor. At Jiwani Coastal Wetland out of 109 bird species, 77 species were migratory and 32 species were recorded as resident. The common species found at both the study sites were 49. The most critical threat facing the birds is the destruction and fragmentation of habitat. Fishing activities and illegal hunting by local people are also the major threats to the avifauna

We report the first record of jungle babbler Argya striata feeding on house gecko Hemidactylus sp. in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. On the morning of 09 th October 2018, a small group of jungle babblers consisting of six adults and two fledglings were observed in and around plants pots and compost bins on the roof of author's residence. A juvenile house gecko Hemidactylus sp. appeared to have incidentally flushed out of a crevice by the foraging birds. It was immediately attacked by two adults and was killed quickly by heavy pecking on gecko's body. The gecko's tail was quickly fed upon by one of the two attacking birds after tail autotomy. Once the gecko stopped moving, the two attacking birds tried consuming the gecko whole but soon dropped it as it appeared to be too big to swallow the whole body. They started pecking out small pieces from the head and stomach area. At one point, the two birds held the gecko from two places, one from the head and the other held a front limb and started to tug. Other members of the group were uninterested in the entire event and did not participate. The two attacking birds continued pecking out small pieces until they weren't hungry anymore. They left the remaining body and joined the resting members of the group.

Background and Aim: Worms from nematodes are the most numerous and the most detrimental in elephants. Most adult worms are located in the digestive tract. Nematode infection is at higher risk in young elephants, which caused several cases such as anemia, hypoalbuminemia, enteritis, and even death. This study aimed to determine the morphology and morphometry of adult nematodes on Sumatran elephants in Way Kambas National Park area. Materials and Methods: Nematode samples were obtained from Sumatran elephants' feces (Elephas maximus sumatranus) in Way Kambas National Park, Lampung Province, after being given Kalbazen® containing albendazole 1000 mg at a dose of 10 mg/kg by the veterinarian in charge of the National Park area. For the morphological and morphometric examinations, we used an Olympus BX 51 microscope equipped with Olympus DP 12 camera and were conducted at the Parasitology Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada. The scanning electron micro...

The traditional approach to education in zoo settings operated under the premise that meaningful learning and improved attitudes toward environmental education would occur by simply exposing children to wild animals. This study was a preliminary evaluation of an innovative environmental education program at a medium-sized Florida zoo. The study explored the extent to which one of the programs, the Tots program, facilitated the learning of basic environmental education and awareness among preschoolers. The goal of the Tots program is to provide interactive, handson learning opportunities for preschoolers in the zoo environment while building child-adult relationships; a mandatory feature of the Tots program is the presence and involvement of parents/guardians during all activities. Activities included circle time, crafts, time in an investigative playroom, and zoo exhibit visits. Observation of the program's activities, along with interviews of the stakeholders, revealed that the...

Environmental education is a widespread, yet relatively unexamined strategy to reduce human-wildlife conflicts.We evaluated knowledge, attitudes and behavioral intentions toward bear conservation after five years of environmental education in a Quichua community. Conflicts with livestock predation created mixed attitudes and behaviors toward bear conservation. Some program objectives were achieved, such as 88% of participants reported satisfaction with environmental knowledge gained. Behavioral intentions to decrease bear conflicts increased, and multiple regression analysis revealed
support for the projectwas associated with program participation. Focus group meetings with teachers, local policy makers and para-biologists provided a context for recommendations to improve program success and revealed new issues for better bear management.

Trophy hunting of Aders’ duiker (Cephalophus adersi) has begun in Zanzibar despite its listing as a critically endangered species and the documented decline of populations on Unguja (Zanzibar) island. This was revealed in an article in the March 2014 issue of The Hunting Report which describes Aders’ as a “rare duiker species of interest to collectors”. Hunting in three community forests in the south of Unguja is being operated by Zanzibar Wildlife Safaris, a company formed for this purpose by a Tanzanian hunting outfitter and his South African-based partner, an expert bow hunter. The Zanzibar government has evidently sanctioned this development, despite receiving funds from elsewhere for the conservation of Aders’ duiker and other species that are now being targeted by the hunters.

There is no evidence to suggest that it has undertaken the thorough investigation of the feasibility of offtake that was recommended when trophy hunting was first mooted more than a decade ago. While the popularity of the package offered by Zanzibar Wildlife Safaris is not yet clear, one well-known Canadian hunter and broadcaster has posted photos of his Aders’ duiker and other Zanzibar trophies online.

South Africa holds the largest number of the world's rhinoceros population. Over
the years this species has suffered so much at the hands of poachers. Based on statistics at
least two rhinos are lost to poaching each day. With this rate of poaching activities, Africa's
rhino could slide over the blink, into extinction. In this paper we therefore review the various
anti-poaching strategies that have been implemented over time bringing to light their
shortcomings.