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Sgroi G, D'Alessio N, Vada R, Ferroglio E, Vicente J, Veneziano V. The contribution of citizen science in the surveillance of wildlife and related arthropods. Parasitology 2023; 150:1089-1095. [PMID: 37929599 PMCID: PMC10801373 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182023001038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Environmental and anthropogenic factors may significantly affect the diffusion of wild animals, enhancing the interface of human–wildlife interactions and driving the spread of pathogens and vector-borne diseases between animals and humans. However, in the last decade, the involvement of citizens in scientific research (the so-called citizen science approach, henceforth abbreviated as CS) provided a network of large-scale and cost-effective surveillance programmes of wildlife populations and their related arthropod species. Therefore, this review aims to illustrate different methods and tools used in CS studies, by arguing the main advantages and considering the limitations of this approach. The CS approach has proven to be an effective method for establishing density and distribution of several wild animal species, in urban, peri-urban and rural environments, as well a source of information regarding vector–host associations between arthropods and wildlife. Extensive efforts are recommended to motivate citizens to be involved in scientific projects to improve both their and our knowledge of the ecology and diseases of wildlife. Following the One Health paradigm, collaborative and multidisciplinary models for the surveillance of wildlife and related arthropod species should be further developed by harnessing the potentiality of the CS approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Sgroi
- Department of Animal Health, Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Southern Italy, Portici, Italy
| | - Nicola D'Alessio
- Department of Animal Health, Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Southern Italy, Portici, Italy
- Osservatorio Faunistico Venatorio, Naples, Italy
| | - Rachele Vada
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Italy
| | - Ezio Ferroglio
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Italy
| | - Joaquin Vicente
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Vincenzo Veneziano
- Osservatorio Faunistico Venatorio, Naples, Italy
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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2
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Hyde M, Payán E, Barragan J, Stasiukynas D, Rincón S, Kendall WL, Rodríguez J, Crooks KR, Breck SW, Boron V. Tourism-supported working lands sustain a growing jaguar population in the Colombian Llanos. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10408. [PMID: 37369714 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36935-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding large carnivore demography on human-dominated lands is a priority to inform conservation strategies, yet few studies examine long-term trends. Jaguars (Panthera onca) are one such species whose population trends and survival rates remain unknown across working lands. We integrated nine years of camera trap data and tourist photos to estimate jaguar density, survival, abundance, and probability of tourist sightings on a working ranch and tourism destination in Colombia. We found that abundance increased from five individuals in 2014 to 28 in 2022, and density increased from 1.88 ± 0.87 per 100 km2 in 2014 to 3.80 ± 1.08 jaguars per 100 km2 in 2022. The probability of a tourist viewing a jaguar increased from 0% in 2014 to 40% in 2020 before the Covid-19 pandemic. Our results are the first robust estimates of jaguar survival and abundance on working lands. Our findings highlight the importance of productive lands for jaguar conservation and suggest that a tourism destination and working ranch can host an abundant population of jaguars when accompanied by conservation agreements and conflict interventions. Our analytical model that combines conventional data collection with tourist sightings can be applied to other species that are observed during tourism activities.Entender los patrones demográficos de los grandes carnívoros al interior de paisajes antrópicos es fundamental para el diseño de estrategias de conservación efectivas. En el Neotrópico, el jaguar (Panthera onca) es una de estas especies cuyas tendencias poblacionales y tasas de supervivencia en paisajes productivos son desconocidas. Para entender mejor estas dinámicas, integramos nueve años de fototrampeo junto a fotos de turistas para estimar la densidad, supervivencia, abundancia y probabilidad de avistamiento de esta especie en una finca ganadera y destino turístico en Colombia. Entre 2014 y 2022 encontramos que la abundancia incrementó de cinco a 28 individuos y la densidad de 1.88 ± 0.87 jaguares/ 100 km2 a 3.80 ± 1.08 jaguares/ 100 km2. La probabilidad de avistamiento por turistas aumentó de 0% en 2014 a 40% en 2020 antes de la pandemia del Covid-19. Nuestros resultados presentan las primeras estimaciones robustas de abundancia y supervivencia de este felino en paisajes antrópicos dónde el manejo de sistemas productivos combinados con turismo e intervenciones para la mitigación del conflicto puede albergar poblaciones abundantes de jaguares, demostrando su importancia para la conservación de esta especie. Nuestro modelo, al combinar datos convencionales con avistamientos, podría ser aplicado a otras especies observadas durante actividades turísticas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Hyde
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Center for Human-Carnivore Coexistence, Colorado State University, 112 Wagar Building, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.
| | - Esteban Payán
- Panthera, 8 W 40th St, 18th Floor, New York, NY, 10018, USA
- Wildlife Conservation Society, NY, Bronx, USA
| | - Jorge Barragan
- Reserva Natural de la Sociedad Civil Hato La Aurora, Fundación Jaguar Colombia, Hato Corozal, Casanare, Colombia
| | | | | | - William L Kendall
- U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | | | - Kevin R Crooks
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Stewart W Breck
- National Wildlife Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Wildlife Services, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Valeria Boron
- Panthera, 8 W 40th St, 18th Floor, New York, NY, 10018, USA
- World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) UK, The Living Planet Centre, Rufford House Brewery Road, Woking, GU21 4LL, Surrey, UK
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3
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Elbroch LM, Lagos N, Cárdenas J, Goic D, Moraga R, Ohrens O. Tourism and human computers offer new tools to monitor Patagonia's top carnivore. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 877:162916. [PMID: 36934918 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring wildlife populations to determine changing abundance is the basis for conservation strategies and interventions. Monitoring, however, is expensive, and we lack baseline data for countless species and landscapes around the globe. One solution is to utilize methods that leverage observations collected by everyday people. Humans are not only excellent sensors for diverse data, but possess a remarkable ability to process data and differentiate patterns with minimal training. Here, we explored the potential for people, including guides who work in tourism in southern Patagonia, to determine whether paired photographs of puma (Puma concolor puma) faces were the same individual, akin to a computer-led Siamese network analysis. Overall, participants performed well (average score of 92.2 %) and we detected no differences in local people versus those from the USA, or differences due to differential experience working with pumas. Based on these results, we built a historic capture-recapture dataset of individual pumas collected by local guides and report annual abundance for a portion of the Torres del Paine UNESCO Biosphere in southern Chile, an area lacking such data and of critical conservation for the species. Our results highlight the innate capabilities of human computers and their potential for contributing to wildlife surveys in novel ways to increase science capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Mark Elbroch
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, NY 10018, USA.
| | - Nicolás Lagos
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, NY 10018, USA
| | - Jorge Cárdenas
- Wildcat Expeditions, 1120 W. La Palma Ave, Anaheim, CA 92801, USA
| | - Dania Goic
- La Leona Amarga Expeditions, Puerto Natales, Magallenes, Chile
| | | | - Omar Ohrens
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, NY 10018, USA
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Davis RS, Gentle LK, Stone EL, Uzal A, Yarnell RW. A review of spotted hyaena population estimates highlights the need for greater utilisation of spatial capture-recapture methods. JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.25225/jvb.22017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robert S. Davis
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom; e-mail: , , ,
| | - Louise K. Gentle
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom; e-mail: , , ,
| | - Emma L. Stone
- Department of Applied Sciences, University of the West of England, UK & Conservation Research Africa, Lilongwe, Malawi; e-mail:
| | - Antonio Uzal
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom; e-mail: , , ,
| | - Richard W. Yarnell
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom; e-mail: , , ,
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5
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Pereira KS, Gibson L, Biggs D, Samarasinghe D, Braczkowski AR. Individual Identification of Large Felids in Field Studies: Common Methods, Challenges, and Implications for Conservation Science. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.866403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Large felids represent some of the most threatened large mammals on Earth, critical for both tourism economies and ecosystem function. Most populations are in a state of decline, and their monitoring and enumeration is therefore critical for conservation. This typically rests on the accurate identification of individuals within their populations. We review the most common and current survey methods used in individual identification studies of large felid ecology (body mass > 25 kg). Remote camera trap photography is the most extensively used method to identify leopards, snow leopards, jaguars, tigers, and cheetahs which feature conspicuous and easily identifiable coat patterning. Direct photographic surveys and genetic sampling are commonly used for species that do not feature easily identifiable coat patterning such as lions. We also discuss the accompanying challenges encountered in several field studies, best practices that can help increase the precision and accuracy of identification and provide generalised ratings for the common survey methods used for individual identification.
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Braga‐Pereira F, Van‐Dúnem Santos C, Alves RRN, Hunter L. Persistence of wild felids after a protracted civil war in Quiçama National Park and Quiçama Game Reserve, Angola. Afr J Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Franciany Braga‐Pereira
- Department de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Barcelona Catalunya Spain
- Department of Ecology and Systematics Universidade Federal da Paraíba João Pessoa Brazil
- Department of Biology Universidade Agostinho Neto Luanda Angola
| | | | - Rômulo Romeu Nóbrega Alves
- Department of Ecology and Systematics Universidade Federal da Paraíba João Pessoa Brazil
- Laboratory of Ethnobiology and Ethnoecology Universidade Estadual da Paraíba Campina Grande Brazil
| | - Luke Hunter
- Wildlife Conservation Society Bronx New York USA
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity School of Life Sciences University of KwaZulu‐Natal Pietermaritzburg South Africa
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7
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Curveira-Santos G, Gigliotti L, Silva AP, Sutherland C, Foord S, Santos-Reis M, Swanepoel LH. Broad aggressive interactions among African carnivores suggest intraguild killing is driven by more than competition. Ecology 2021; 103:e03600. [PMID: 34816428 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Theory on intraguild killing (IGK) is central to mammalian carnivore community ecology and top-down ecosystem regulation. Yet, the cryptic nature of IGK hinders empirical evaluations. Using a novel data source - online photographs of interspecific aggression between African carnivores - we revisited existing predictions about the extent and drivers of IGK. Compared with seminal reviews, our constructed IGK network yielded 10 more species and nearly twice as many interactions. The extent of interactions increased 37% when considering intraguild aggression (direct attack) as a precursor of killing events. We show that IGK occurs over a wider range of body-mass ratios than predicted by standing competition-based views, with highly asymmetrical interactions being pervasive. Evidence that large species, particularly hypercarnivore felids, target sympatric carnivores with a wide range of body sizes suggests that current IGK theory is incomplete, underestimating alternative competition pathways and the role of predatory and incidental killing. Our findings reinforce the potential for IGK-mediated cascades in species-rich assemblages and community-wide suppressive effects of large carnivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonçalo Curveira-Santos
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Laura Gigliotti
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA.,Department of Ecosystem Science, Policy, and Management, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - André P Silva
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Chris Sutherland
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.,Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Stefan Foord
- Department of Zoology, School of Mathematical & Natural Sciences, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa
| | - Margarida Santos-Reis
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Lourens H Swanepoel
- Department of Zoology, School of Mathematical & Natural Sciences, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa.,African Institute for Conservation Ecology, Levubu, South Africa
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8
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Insights into the status and distribution of cheetah (
Acinonyx
jubatus
) in an understudied potential stronghold in southern Tanzania. Afr J Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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9
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Bauder JM, Cervantes AM, Avrin AC, Whipple LS, Farmer MJ, Miller CA, Benson TJ, Stodola KW, Allen ML. Mismatched spatial scales can limit the utility of citizen science data for estimating wildlife‐habitat relationships. Ecol Res 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1440-1703.12173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Javan M. Bauder
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Champaign Illinois USA
| | - Alyson M. Cervantes
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences University of Illinois Urbana Illinois USA
| | - Alexandra C. Avrin
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences University of Illinois Urbana Illinois USA
| | - Laura S. Whipple
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences University of Illinois Urbana Illinois USA
| | - Morgan J. Farmer
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology University of Wisconsin Madison Wisconsin USA
| | - Craig A. Miller
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Champaign Illinois USA
| | - Thomas J. Benson
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Champaign Illinois USA
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences University of Illinois Urbana Illinois USA
| | - Kirk W. Stodola
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Champaign Illinois USA
| | - Maximilian L. Allen
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Champaign Illinois USA
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences University of Illinois Urbana Illinois USA
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Kellner KF, Hill JE, Gantchoff MG, Kramer DW, Bailey AM, Belant JL. Responses of sympatric canids to human development revealed through citizen science. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:8705-8714. [PMID: 32884652 PMCID: PMC7452815 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Measuring wildlife responses to anthropogenic activities often requires long-term, large-scale datasets that are difficult to collect. This is particularly true for rare or cryptic species, which includes many mammalian carnivores. Citizen science, in which members of the public participate in scientific work, can facilitate collection of large datasets while increasing public awareness of wildlife research and conservation. Hunters provide unique benefits for citizen science given their knowledge and interest in outdoor activities. We examined how anthropogenic changes to land cover impacted relative abundance of two sympatric canids, coyote (Canis latrans), and red fox (Vulpes vulpes) at a large spatial scale. In order to assess how land cover affected canids at this scale, we used citizen science data from bow hunter sighting logs collected throughout New York State, USA, during 2004-2017. We found that the two species had contrasting responses to development, with red foxes positively correlated and coyotes negatively correlated with the percentage of low-density development. Red foxes also responded positively to agriculture, but less so when agricultural habitat was fragmented. Agriculture provides food and denning resources for red foxes, whereas coyotes may select forested areas for denning. Though coyotes and red foxes compete in areas of sympatry, we did not find a relationship between species abundance, likely a consequence of the coarse spatial resolution used. Red foxes may be able to coexist with coyotes by altering their diets and habitat use, or by maintaining territories in small areas between coyote territories. Our study shows the value of citizen science, and particularly hunters, in collection of long-term data across large areas (i.e., the entire state of New York) that otherwise would unlikely be obtained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth F. Kellner
- Camp Fire Program in Wildlife ConservationState University of New York College of Environmental Science and ForestrySyracuseNew YorkUSA
| | - Jacob E. Hill
- Camp Fire Program in Wildlife ConservationState University of New York College of Environmental Science and ForestrySyracuseNew YorkUSA
| | - Mariela G. Gantchoff
- Camp Fire Program in Wildlife ConservationState University of New York College of Environmental Science and ForestrySyracuseNew YorkUSA
| | - David W. Kramer
- New York State Department of Environmental ConservationAlbanyNew YorkUSA
| | - Amanda M. Bailey
- New York State Department of Environmental ConservationAlbanyNew YorkUSA
| | - Jerrold L. Belant
- Camp Fire Program in Wildlife ConservationState University of New York College of Environmental Science and ForestrySyracuseNew YorkUSA
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11
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Braczkowski A, Gopalaswamy AM, Elliot NB, Possingham HP, Bezzina A, Maron M, Biggs D, Allan JR. Restoring Africa's Lions: Start With Good Counts. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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12
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Elliot NB, Bett A, Chege M, Sankan K, Souza N, Kariuki L, Broekhuis F, Omondi P, Ngene S, Gopalaswamy AM. The importance of reliable monitoring methods for the management of small, isolated populations. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas B. Elliot
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of ZoologyUniversity of Oxford, Recanati‐Kaplan Centre Tubney House, Abingdon Road Tubney Oxfordshire OX13 5QL UK
- Kenya Wildlife Trust P.O. Box 86‐00502 Karen Nairobi Kenya
| | - Alice Bett
- Kenya Wildlife Service Box 40241‐0100 Nairobi Kenya
| | - Monica Chege
- Kenya Wildlife Service Box 40241‐0100 Nairobi Kenya
| | - Kasaine Sankan
- Kenya Wildlife Trust P.O. Box 86‐00502 Karen Nairobi Kenya
| | - Nadia Souza
- Lion Guardians P.O. Box 15550‐00509, Langata Nairobi Kenya
| | | | - Femke Broekhuis
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of ZoologyUniversity of Oxford, Recanati‐Kaplan Centre Tubney House, Abingdon Road Tubney Oxfordshire OX13 5QL UK
| | | | | | - Arjun M. Gopalaswamy
- Statistics and Mathematics UnitIndian Statistical Institute—Bangalore Centre Bengaluru 560059 India
- Wildlife Conservation SocietyGlobal Conservation Programs 2300, Southern Boulevard Bronx New York 10460 USA
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