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Carpio AJ, Laguna E, Pascual-Rico R, Martínez-Jauregui M, Guerrero-Casado J, Vicente J, Soriguer RC, Acevedo P. The prohibition of recreational hunting of wild ungulates in Spanish National Parks: Challenges and opportunities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 926:171363. [PMID: 38432372 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171363] [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: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
A new regulation has led to the prohibition of recreational hunting on estates located within Spanish National Parks (NPs). Before the ban, eleven NPs in Spain had already reported negative ecological consequences associated with high densities of wild ungulates. The new situation that has occurred after the ban signifies that policies with which to control populations of wild ungulates in NPs, most of which do not have a sufficient natural capacity to regulate populations, depend exclusively on the parks' authorities. The banning of recreational hunting implies a series of social, ecological, economic and logistic challenges. The control of wild ungulate populations in NPs requires: i) the legal basis for culling; ii) social acceptance as regards removing animals and the extractive procedures employed in NPs; iii) the long-term monitoring of wild ungulates and the damages that they cause, and iv) sufficient financial and human resources. A more integrated management and policy plan is, therefore, required, which should be supported by two pillars: i) the sustainability of natural resources and the conservation of functional environments, and ii) providing society with explanations regarding the need to manage wild ungulates. In order to bridge the potential gap between these key pillars, it is important to involve stakeholders in the decision-making processes concerning wild ungulate management. The forthcoming changes in Spanish NPs provide a promising opportunity to make a substantial improvement to wild ungulate management in these protected areas. This management approach could, moreover, serve as an example and be transferred to other protected spaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio J Carpio
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (UCLM-CSIC-JCCM), Ronda Toledo 12, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Eduardo Laguna
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (UCLM-CSIC-JCCM), Ronda Toledo 12, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Roberto Pascual-Rico
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (UCLM-CSIC-JCCM), Ronda Toledo 12, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - María Martínez-Jauregui
- National Institute for Agriculture and Food Research and Technology (INIA), Forest Research Centre (CIFOR), Ctra. de La Coruña km. 7.5, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - José Guerrero-Casado
- Departamento de Zoología, Universidad de Córdoba, Edificio Charles Darwin, Campus de Rabanales, 14071, Spain.
| | - Joaquín Vicente
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (UCLM-CSIC-JCCM), Ronda Toledo 12, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Ramón C Soriguer
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Av. Américo Vespucio, s.n, E-41092 Sevilla,Spain.
| | - Pelayo Acevedo
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (UCLM-CSIC-JCCM), Ronda Toledo 12, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain.
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Habitat Selection by Brown Bears with Varying Levels of Predation Rates on Ungulate Neonates. DIVERSITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/d13120678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In northern Eurasia, large carnivores overlap with semi-domestic reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) and moose (Alces alces). In Scandinavia, previous studies have quantified brown bear (Ursus arctos) spring predation on neonates of reindeer (mostly in May) and moose (mostly in June). We explored if habitat selection by brown bears changed following resource pulses and whether these changes are more pronounced on those individuals characterised by higher predatory behaviour. Fifteen brown bears in northern Sweden (2010–2012) were fitted with GPS proximity collars, and 2585 female reindeers were collared with UHF transmitters. Clusters of bear positions were visited to investigate moose and reindeer predation. Bear kill rates and home ranges were calculated to examine bear movements and predatory behaviour. Bear habitat selection was modelled using resource selection functions over four periods (pre-calving, reindeer calving, moose calving, and post-calving). Coefficients of selection for areas closer to different land cover classes across periods were compared, examining the interactions between different degrees of predatory behaviour (i.e., high and low). Bear habitat selection differed throughout the periods and between low and high predatory bears. Differences among individuals’ predatory behaviour are reflected in the selection of habitat types, providing empirical evidence that different levels of specialization in foraging behaviour helps to explain individual variation in bear habitat selection.
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Andrén H, Aronsson M, López‐Bao JV, Samelius G, Chapron G, Rauset GR, Hemmingmoore H, Persson J. Season rather than habitat affects lynx survival and risk of mortality in the human‐dominated landscape of southern Sweden. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/wlb3.01008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Andrén
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Dept of Ecology, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences Riddarhyttan Sweden
| | - Malin Aronsson
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Dept of Ecology, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences Riddarhyttan Sweden
| | - José V. López‐Bao
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Dept of Ecology, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences Riddarhyttan Sweden
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO/CSIC/PA), Oviedo Univ. Mieres Spain
| | - Gustaf Samelius
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Dept of Ecology, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences Riddarhyttan Sweden
- Snow Leopard Trust Seattle WA USA
| | - Guillaume Chapron
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Dept of Ecology, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences Riddarhyttan Sweden
| | - Geir Rune Rauset
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Dept of Ecology, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences Riddarhyttan Sweden
- Norwegian Inst. for Nature Research (NINA) Torgarden Trondheim Norway
| | - Heather Hemmingmoore
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Dept of Ecology, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences Riddarhyttan Sweden
| | - Jens Persson
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Dept of Ecology, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences Riddarhyttan Sweden
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Milleret C, Bischof R, Dupont P, Brøseth H, Odden J, Mattisson J. GPS collars have an apparent positive effect on the survival of a large carnivore. Biol Lett 2021; 17:20210128. [PMID: 34186003 PMCID: PMC8241484 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Are instrumented animals representative of the population, given the potential bias caused by selective sampling and the influence of capture, handling and wearing bio-loggers? The answer is elusive owing to the challenges of obtaining comparable data from individuals with and without bio-loggers. Using non-invasive genetic data of a large carnivore, the wolverine (Gulo gulo) in Scandinavia, and an open-population spatial capture-recapture model, we found a 16 (credible interval: 4-30) percentage points lower mortality probability for GPS-collared individuals compared with individuals without GPS collars. While the risk of dying from legal culling was comparable for collared and non-collared wolverines, the former experienced lower probability of mortality due to causes other than legal culling. The aforementioned effect was pronounced despite a potentially lower age-and therefore likely higher natural mortality-of collared individuals. Reports of positive effects of bio-loggers on the survival of individuals are uncommon and we argue that GPS collars could shield animals from poaching. Our results highlight the challenges of drawing population-level inferences for populations subjected to poaching when using data from instrumented individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril Milleret
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Richard Bischof
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Pierre Dupont
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Henrik Brøseth
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), 7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - John Odden
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), 0855 Oslo, Norway
| | - Jenny Mattisson
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), 7485 Trondheim, Norway
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5
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Abstract
The effects of human disturbance spread over virtually all ecosystems and ecological communities on Earth. In this review, we focus on the effects of human disturbance on terrestrial apex predators. We summarize their ecological role in nature and how they respond to different sources of human disturbance. Apex predators control their prey and smaller predators numerically and via behavioral changes to avoid predation risk, which in turn can affect lower trophic levels. Crucially, reducing population numbers and triggering behavioral responses are also the effects that human disturbance causes to apex predators, which may in turn influence their ecological role. Some populations continue to be at the brink of extinction, but others are partially recovering former ranges, via natural recolonization and through reintroductions. Carnivore recovery is both good news for conservation and a challenge for management, particularly when recovery occurs in human-dominated landscapes. Therefore, we conclude by discussing several management considerations that, adapted to local contexts, may favor the recovery of apex predator populations and their ecological functions in nature.
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Ford AT, Ali AH, Colla SR, Cooke SJ, Lamb CT, Pittman J, Shiffman DS, Singh NJ. Understanding and avoiding misplaced efforts in conservation. Facets (Ott) 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/facets-2020-0058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Conservation relies on cooperation among different interest groups and appropriate use of evidence to make decisions that benefit people and biodiversity. However, misplaced conservation occurs when cooperation and evidence are impeded by polarization and misinformation. This impedance influences actions that directly harm biodiversity, alienate partners and disrupt partnerships, waste resources, misinform the public, and (or) delegitimize evidence. As a result of these actions, misplaced conservation outcomes emerge, making it more difficult to have positive outcomes for biodiversity. Here we describe cases where a failed appreciation for cooperation, evidence, or both have eroded efforts to conserve biodiversity. Generally, these case studies illustrate that averting misplaced conservation requires greater adherence to processes that elevate the role of evidence in decision-making and that place collective, long-term benefits for biodiversity over the short-term gains of individuals or groups. Efforts to integrate human dimensions, cooperation, and evidence into conservation will increase the efficacy and success of efforts to conserve global biodiversity while benefiting humanity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam T. Ford
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Abdullahi H. Ali
- Hirola Conservation Programme, PO Box 1774, Garissa 70100, Kenya
| | - Sheila R. Colla
- Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Steven J. Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Clayton T. Lamb
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Jeremy Pittman
- School of Planning, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - David S. Shiffman
- New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, Arizona State University, Glendale, AZ 85051, USA
| | - Navinder J. Singh
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden
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7
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Ranger survey reveals conservation issues across Protected and outside Protected Areas in southern India. Glob Ecol Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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Van de Walle J, Zedrosser A, Swenson JE, Pelletier F. Disentangling direct and indirect determinants of the duration of maternal care in brown bears: Environmental context matters. J Anim Ecol 2020; 90:376-386. [PMID: 33064848 PMCID: PMC7894530 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The duration of maternal care, an important life‐history trait affecting population dynamics, varies greatly within species. Yet, our understanding of its predictors is limited, mostly correlative and subject to misinterpretations, due to difficulties to disentangle the role of maternal‐ and offspring‐related characteristics. We conducted path analysis on a dataset including 217 brown bear litters captured over a 29‐year period in two populations in Sweden (‘North’ and ‘South’) facing contrasting environmental conditions to identify and quantify the causes of variation in the duration of maternal care (1.5 or 2.5 years). We showed that the causal determinants of the duration of maternal care were context‐dependent. Contrary to their expected central role in the determination of the duration of maternal care, yearling mass and its direct determinants (i.e. litter size and maternal mass) were only important in the North population, where environmental conditions are harsher and the cost of extended maternal care presumably higher. In the South, the duration of maternal care was not caused by yearling mass nor any maternal or litter characteristics. Extension of maternal care may thus result from factors independent from maternal and offspring condition in the South, such as an artificial hunting‐induced selection for longer maternal care through the legal protection of family groups. Our results provide an important contribution to our very limited knowledge of the direct and indirect determinants of the duration of maternal care and highlight the importance of accounting for the environmental context when assessing maternal reproductive tactics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanie Van de Walle
- Département de biologie & Centre for Northern Studies, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Andreas Zedrosser
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway.,Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jon E Swenson
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Fanie Pelletier
- Département de biologie & Centre for Northern Studies, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
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Terraube J, Van Doninck J, Helle P, Cabeza M. Assessing the effectiveness of a national protected area network for carnivore conservation. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2957. [PMID: 32528022 PMCID: PMC7289803 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16792-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Protected areas (PAs) are essential to prevent further biodiversity loss yet their effectiveness varies largely with governance and external threats. Although methodological advances have permitted assessments of PA effectiveness in mitigating deforestation, we still lack similar studies for the impact of PAs on wildlife populations. Here we use an innovative combination of matching methods and hurdle-mixed models with a large-scale and long-term dataset for Finland’s large carnivore species. We show that the national PA network does not support higher densities than non-protected habitat for 3 of the 4 species investigated. For some species, PA effects interact with region or time, i.e., wolverine densities decreased inside PAs over the study period and lynx densities increased inside eastern PAs. We support the application of matching methods in combination of additional analytical frameworks for deeper understanding of conservation impacts on wildlife populations. These methodological advances are crucial for preparing ambitious PA targets post-2020. Assessing the effectiveness of protected areas for wildlife conservation is challenging. Here, Terraube et al. combine statistical matching and hurdle mixed-effects models to show that PAs have limited impact on population densities of large carnivores across Finland.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Terraube
- Global Change and Conservation Lab, Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Program. Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, PO Box 65 (Viikinkaari 1), FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - J Van Doninck
- Amazon Research Team, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20500, Turku, Finland
| | - P Helle
- Natural Resources Research Institute, Paavo Havaksen tie 3, FI-90570, Oulu, Finland
| | - M Cabeza
- Global Change and Conservation Lab, Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Program. Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, PO Box 65 (Viikinkaari 1), FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
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10
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van Beeck Calkoen STS, Mühlbauer L, Andrén H, Apollonio M, Balčiauskas L, Belotti E, Carranza J, Cottam J, Filli F, Gatiso TT, Hetherington D, Karamanlidis AA, Krofel M, Kuehl HS, Linnell JDC, Müller J, Ozolins J, Premier J, Ranc N, Schmidt K, Zlatanova D, Bachmann M, Fonseca C, Lonescu O, Nyman M, Šprem N, Sunde P, Tannik M, Heurich M. Ungulate management in European national parks: Why a more integrated European policy is needed. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 260:110068. [PMID: 32090812 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 11/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
1. Primary objectives of national parks usually include both, the protection of natural processes and species conservation. When these objectives conflict, as occurs because of the cascading effects of large mammals (i.e., ungulates and large carnivores) on lower trophic levels, park managers have to decide upon the appropriate management while considering various local circumstances. 2. To analyse if ungulate management strategies are in accordance with the objectives defined for protected areas, we assessed the current status of ungulate management across European national parks using the naturalness concept and identified the variables that influence the management. 3. We collected data on ungulate management from 209 European national parks in 29 countries by means of a large-scale questionnaire survey. Ungulate management in the parks was compared by creating two naturalness scores. The first score reflects ungulate and large carnivore species compositions, and the second evaluates human intervention on ungulate populations. We then tested whether the two naturalness score categories are influenced by the management objectives, park size, years since establishment, percentage of government-owned land, and human impact on the environment (human influence index) using two generalized additive mixed models. 4. In 67.9% of the national parks, wildlife is regulated by culling (40.2%) or hunting (10.5%) or both (17.2%). Artificial feeding occurred in 81.3% of the national parks and only 28.5% of the national parks had a non-intervention zone covering at least 75% of the area. Furthermore, ungulate management differed greatly among the different countries, likely because of differences in hunting traditions and cultural and political backgrounds. Ungulate management was also influenced by park size, human impact on the landscape, and national park objectives, but after removing these variables from the full model the reduced models only showed a small change in the deviance explained. In areas with higher anthropogenic pressure, wildlife diversity tended to be lower and a higher number of domesticated species tended to be present. Human intervention (culling and artificial feeding) was lower in smaller national parks and when park objectives followed those set by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). 5. Our study shows that many European national parks do not fulfil the aims of protected area management as set by IUCN guidelines. In contrast to the USA and Canada, Europe currently has no common ungulate management policy within national parks. This lack of a common policy together with differences in species composition, hunting traditions, and cultural or political context has led to differences in ungulate management among European countries. To fulfil the aims and objectives of national parks and to develop ungulate management strategies further, we highlight the importance of creating a more integrated European ungulate management policy to meet the aims of national parks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne T S van Beeck Calkoen
- Department of Visitor Management and National Park Monitoring, Bavarian Forest National Park, Freyunger Straβe 2, 94481, Grafenau, Germany; Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Tennenbacher Straβe 4, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Lisa Mühlbauer
- Department of Forestry, Hochschule Weihenstephan-Triesdorf, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 3, 85354, Freising, Germany
| | - Henrik Andrén
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 73091, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Marco Apollonio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100, Sassari, Italy
| | | | - Elisa Belotti
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 1176, 16521, Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Research and Nature Protection, Šumava National Park and PLA Administration, Sušická 399, 34192, Kašperské Hory, Czech Republic
| | - Juan Carranza
- Ungulate Research Unit, Cátedra de Recursos Cinegéticos y Piscícolas (CRCP), Universidad de Córdoba, 14071, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Jamie Cottam
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Flurin Filli
- Swiss National Park, Chastè Planta-Wildenberg, 7530, Zernez, Switzerland
| | - Tsegaye T Gatiso
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - David Hetherington
- Cairngorms National Park Authority, 14 The Square, Grantown on Spey, PH26 3HG, UK
| | - Alexandros A Karamanlidis
- ARCTUROS, Civil Society for the Protection and Management of Wildlife and the Natural Environment, Aetos, 53075, Florina, Greece; Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Universiteitstunet 3, 1433, Ås, Norway
| | - Miha Krofel
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Hjalmar S Kuehl
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - John D C Linnell
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, PO Box 5685 Torgard, 7485, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jörg Müller
- Department of Conservation and Research, Bavarian Forest National Park, Freyunger Straβe 2, 94481, Grafenau, Germany; Chair of Zoology III, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Janis Ozolins
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute SILAVA, Rīgas iela 111, 2169, Salaspils, Latvia
| | - Joseph Premier
- Department of Visitor Management and National Park Monitoring, Bavarian Forest National Park, Freyunger Straβe 2, 94481, Grafenau, Germany; Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Tennenbacher Straβe 4, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Nathan Ranc
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA; Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Via Edmund Mach 1, 38010, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Krzysztof Schmidt
- Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences, Stoczek 1, 17-230, Białowieża, Poland
| | - Diana Zlatanova
- Department of Zoology and Anthropology, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 15, 1164, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Mona Bachmann
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany; Department of Geography, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Humboldt University, Unter den Linden 6, 10099, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carlos Fonseca
- Department of Biology & CESAM, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Ovidiu Lonescu
- Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering, Transilvania University, 1 Beethoven Lane, 500123, Brașov, Romania; Forest Research Institute (ICAS), Bulevardul Eroilor Number 128, Voluntari, Ilfov, 077190, Romania
| | - Madeleine Nyman
- Metsähallitus, Parks and Wildlife Finland, Lars Sonckin kaari 14, 02600, Espoo, Finland
| | - Nikica Šprem
- Department of Fisheries, Beekeeping, Game Management and Special Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska cesta 25, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Peter Sunde
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Kalø, Grenåvej 14, 8410, Rønde, Denmark
| | - Margo Tannik
- The Environmental Board, Narva maantee 7a, 15172, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Marco Heurich
- Department of Visitor Management and National Park Monitoring, Bavarian Forest National Park, Freyunger Straβe 2, 94481, Grafenau, Germany; Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Tennenbacher Straβe 4, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
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11
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Nunny L. Animal Welfare in Predator Control: Lessons from Land and Sea. How the Management of Terrestrial and Marine Mammals Impacts Wild Animal Welfare in Human-Wildlife Conflict Scenarios in Europe. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:E218. [PMID: 32013173 PMCID: PMC7070940 DOI: 10.3390/ani10020218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The control of predators, on land and in the sea, is a complex topic. Both marine and terrestrial mammal predators come into conflict with humans in Europe in many ways and yet their situations are rarely compared. Areas of conflict include the predation of livestock and farmed fish, and the perceived competition for wild prey (for example wolves competing with hunters for deer and seals competing with fishermen for salmon). A lethal method (shooting) and non-lethal methods of conflict reduction (including enclosures, guarding, and aversion) used for terrestrial large carnivores (e.g., bear, wolf, wolverine, lynx) and marine mammals (seals) are discussed. Control measures tend to be species- and habitat-specific, although shooting is a widely used method. Potential impacts on predator welfare are described and welfare assessments which have been developed for other wildlife control scenarios, e.g., control of introduced species, are considered for their potential use in assessing predator control. Such assessments should be applied before control methods are chosen so that decisions prioritizing animal welfare can be made. Further work needs to be carried out to achieve appropriate and widely-accepted animal welfare assessment approaches and these should be included in predator management planning. Future research should include further sharing of approaches and information between terrestrial and marine specialists to help ensure that animal welfare is prioritized.
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12
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Eurasian lynx fitness shows little variation across Scandinavian human-dominated landscapes. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8903. [PMID: 31222101 PMCID: PMC6586631 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45569-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite extensive research on the ecology and behavioural adaptations of large carnivores in human-dominated landscapes, information about the fitness consequences of sharing landscapes is still limited. We assessed the variation in three consecutive components of female fitness: the probability of reproduction, litter size and juvenile survival in relation to environmental and human factors in a solitary carnivore, the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), occurring in human-dominated landscapes in Scandinavia. We used demographic data from 57 radio-collared adult females between 1995-2011 (126 radio-years). Overall, the yearly probability of female reproduction was 0.80, mean litter size was 2.34 (range 1-4) and the probability to find a female that reproduced in the spring being accompanied by at least one offspring during the subsequent winter was 0.70. We did not find evidence that food availability was a key factor influencing female fitness. Female lynx may adapt to food availability when establishing their home ranges by adopting an obstinate strategy, ensuring a minimum amount of prey necessary for survival and reproduction even during periods of prey scarcity. In human-dominated landscapes, where sufficient prey are available for lynx, mortality risk may have a larger influence on lynx population dynamics compared to food availability. Our results suggest that lynx population dynamics in human-dominated landscapes may be mainly driven by human impacts on survival.
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Thiel A, Evans AL, Fuchs B, Arnemo JM, Aronsson M, Persson J. Effects of reproduction and environmental factors on body temperature and activity patterns of wolverines. Front Zool 2019; 16:21. [PMID: 31236127 PMCID: PMC6580505 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-019-0319-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mammals in the far north are exposed to extreme seasonal changes in environmental conditions, such as temperature and photoperiod, which have notable effects on animal physiology and behaviour. The wolverine (Gulo gulo) is a carnivore with a circumpolar distribution and well-adapted to extreme environmental conditions. Still, ecophysiological studies on free-ranging wolverines are lacking. In this study, we used abdominally implanted body temperature loggers in combination with GPS collars with acceleration sensors on 14 free-ranging wolverines in northern Sweden to study daily and seasonal variation in body temperature and activity patterns. We used generalized additive mixed modelling to investigate body temperature patterns over time and Lomb-Scargle periodogram analysis to analyse circadian rhythms. RESULTS We found that wolverines have an average core body temperature of 38.5 ± 0.2 °C with a daily variation of up to 6 °C. Body temperature patterns varied between reproductive states. Pregnant females showed a distinct decrease in body temperature during gestation. Wolverines were active both in day and night, but displayed distinct activity peaks during crepuscular hours. However, body temperature and activity patterns changed seasonally, with a gradual change from a unimodal pattern in winter with concentrated activity during the short period of day light to a bimodal pattern in autumn with activity peaks around dusk and dawn. Wolverines were less likely to display 24-h rhythms in winter, when hours of day light are limited. CONCLUSIONS The combination of different biologging techniques gave novel insight into the ecophysiology, activity patterns and reproductive biology of free-ranging wolverines, adding important knowledge to our understanding of animals adapted to cold environments at northern latitudes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Thiel
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Evenstad, NO - 2480 Koppang, Norway
| | - Alina L. Evans
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Evenstad, NO - 2480 Koppang, Norway
| | - Boris Fuchs
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Evenstad, NO - 2480 Koppang, Norway
| | - Jon M. Arnemo
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Evenstad, NO - 2480 Koppang, Norway
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Malin Aronsson
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Jens Persson
- Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
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Terraube J. Can Protected Areas Mitigate Lyme Disease Risk in Fennoscandia? ECOHEALTH 2019; 16:184-190. [PMID: 30963329 PMCID: PMC6682849 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-019-01408-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
This Forum article synthesizes the current evidence on the links between predator-prey interactions, protected areas and spatial variations in Lyme disease risk in Fennoscandia. I suggest key research directions to better understand the role of protected areas in promoting the persistence of diverse predator guilds. Conserving predators could help reducing host populations and Lyme disease risk in northern Europe. There is an urgent need to find possible win-win solutions for biodiversity conservation and human health in ecosystems facing rapid global environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Terraube
- Global Change and Conservation Lab, Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Program, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, PO Box 65, Viikinkaari 1, 00014, Helsinki, Finland.
- HELSUS, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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15
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Bragagnolo C, Correia R, Malhado AC, de Marins M, Ladle RJ. Understanding non-compliance: Local people’s perceptions of natural resource exploitation inside two national parks in northeast Brazil. J Nat Conserv 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2017.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Schregel J, Kopatz A, Eiken HG, Swenson JE, Hagen SB. Sex-specific genetic analysis indicates low correlation between demographic and genetic connectivity in the Scandinavian brown bear (Ursus arctos). PLoS One 2017; 12:e0180701. [PMID: 28672045 PMCID: PMC5495496 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The degree of gene flow within and among populations, i.e. genetic population connectivity, may closely track demographic population connectivity. Alternatively, the rate of gene flow may change relative to the rate of dispersal. In this study, we explored the relationship between genetic and demographic population connectivity using the Scandinavian brown bear as model species, due to its pronounced male dispersal and female philopatry. Thus, we expected that females would shape genetic structure locally, whereas males would act as genetic mediators among regions. To test this, we used eight validated microsatellite markers on 1531 individuals sampled noninvasively during country-wide genetic population monitoring in Sweden and Norway from 2006 to 2013. First, we determined sex-specific genetic structure and substructure across the study area. Second, we compared genetic differentiation, migration/gene flow patterns, and spatial autocorrelation results between the sexes both within and among genetic clusters and geographic regions. Our results indicated that demographic connectivity was not a reliable indicator of genetic connectivity. Among regions, we found no consistent difference in long-term gene flow and estimated current migration rates between males and females. Within regions/genetic clusters, only females consistently displayed significant positive spatial autocorrelation, indicating male-biased small-scale dispersal. In one cluster, however, males showed a dispersal pattern similar to females. The Scandinavian brown bear population has experienced substantial recovery over the last decades; however, our results did not show any changes in its large-scale population structure compared to previous studies, suggesting that an increase in population size and dispersal of individuals does not necessary lead to increased genetic connectivity. Thus, we conclude that both genetic and demographic connectivity should be estimated, so as not to make false assumptions about the reality of wildlife populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Schregel
- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, NIBIO - Svanhovd, Svanvik, Norway
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Ǻs, Norway
- * E-mail: (JS); (SBH)
| | - Alexander Kopatz
- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, NIBIO - Svanhovd, Svanvik, Norway
| | - Hans Geir Eiken
- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, NIBIO - Svanhovd, Svanvik, Norway
| | - Jon E. Swenson
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Ǻs, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Snorre B. Hagen
- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, NIBIO - Svanhovd, Svanvik, Norway
- * E-mail: (JS); (SBH)
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Redpath SM, Linnell JDC, Festa-Bianchet M, Boitani L, Bunnefeld N, Dickman A, Gutiérrez RJ, Irvine RJ, Johansson M, Majić A, McMahon BJ, Pooley S, Sandström C, Sjölander-Lindqvist A, Skogen K, Swenson JE, Trouwborst A, Young J, Milner-Gulland EJ. Don't forget to look down - collaborative approaches to predator conservation. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2017; 92:2157-2163. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2016] [Revised: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Steve M. Redpath
- Institute of Biological & Environmental Science; University of Aberdeen; Zoology Building, Tillydrone Avenue Aberdeen AB24 2TZ UK
- Department of Ecology; Swedish University of Agricultural Science, Grimso Wildlife Research Station; SE-730 91 Riddarhyttan Sweden
| | - John D. C. Linnell
- Norwegian institute for nature research; P.O. Box 5685 Sluppen NO-7485 Trondheim Norway
| | - Marco Festa-Bianchet
- Département de biologie; Faculté des Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke; 2500, boulevard de l'Université Sherbrooke J1K 2R1 Canada
| | - Luigi Boitani
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies; University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’; Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5 00185 Roma Italy
| | - Nils Bunnefeld
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences; University of Stirling; Stirling FK9 4LA U.K
| | - Amy Dickman
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Zoology Department; University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre; Abingdon OX13 5QL U.K
| | - R. J. Gutiérrez
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife; University of Minnesota; St. Paul MN 87102 U.S.A
| | - R. J. Irvine
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler; Aberdeen AB15 8QH UK
| | - Maria Johansson
- Environmental Psychology, Department of Architecture and Built Environment; Lund University; PO Box 118 221 Lund Sweden
| | - Aleksandra Majić
- Biotechnical Faculty, Biology Department; SI-1000 Ljubljana Slovenia
| | - Barry J. McMahon
- UCD School of Agriculture & Food Science; University College Dublin Belfield; Dublin 4 Ireland
| | - Simon Pooley
- Department of Geography, Environment and Development Studies; Birkbeck, University of London; London WC1H 9EZ U.K
| | - Camilla Sandström
- Department of Political Science; Umeå University; SE-901 87 Umeå Sweden
| | | | - Ketil Skogen
- Norwegian institute for nature research; Gaustadalléen 21 NO-0349 Oslo Norway
| | - Jon E. Swenson
- Norwegian institute for nature research; P.O. Box 5685 Sluppen NO-7485 Trondheim Norway
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management; Norwegian University of Life Sciences; PO Box 5003 NO - 1432 Ås Norway
| | - Arie Trouwborst
- Department of European and International Public Law; Tilburg University; PO Box 90153 5000 LE Tilburg The Netherlands
| | - Juliette Young
- NERFC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate; Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0QB UK
| | - E. J. Milner-Gulland
- Department of Zoology and Merton College, Tasso Leventis Professor of Biodiversity; University of Oxford; Oxford OX1 3PS U.K
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Parchizadeh J. Spatiotemporal distribution of large- and medium-sized mammals and humans in the Lar Protected Area, Iran. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2017. [DOI: 10.1071/wr16199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Context
One-fifth of mammal species are at risk of extinction in the wild due to overhunting, habitat loss and habitat fragmentation. Protected areas are considered an effective method for conserving biological diversity, and can help prevent declines and extinctions of species. Thus, evaluating the effectiveness of protected areas in achieving conservation objectives is vital for successful conservation and management.
Aims
The aim of this study was to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of large- and medium-sized mammals and humans as an aid to evaluate the effectiveness of the Lar Protected Area in northern Iran. This area is expected to be a year-round habitat for seven large- and medium-sized mammal species: (1) brown bear (Ursus arctos); (2) golden jackal (Canis aureus); (3) Persian leopard (Panthera pardus); (4) Eurasian red fox (Vulpes vulpes); (5) wild goat (Capra aegagrus); (6) Alborz red sheep (Ovis orientalis); and (7) wild boar (Sus scrofa).
Methods
A camera-trap survey (2780 camera-trap days) was conducted in the Lar Protected Area, which included mountains, canyons and plains, from June 2013 to August 2014. The spatial and temporal distribution of four categories of humans in the study area was documented: wardens, poachers, tribal people and tourists.
Key results
All aforementioned mammals were photographed in the study area. The Lar Protected Area was a seasonally important habitat for the majority of these species, especially from October to December, whereas the presence of tribal people, tourists and wardens was greatest in summer. Poachers were most common in autumn, when wardens and other humans were less common. Poachers preferentially used an area containing canyons, as did wild goats, bears, leopards, foxes and jackals.
Conclusions
The seasonality of the distribution of the seven species, which were most common in autumn, suggests that mammals were avoiding humans in summer. An average of 7.6 photographs of poachers for every photograph of a warden was obtained; this implies a potential threat to the conservation of mammals.
Implications
These results suggest that the Lar Protected Area functions as a seasonal habitat for many species of mammals, thus highlighting the importance of adjacent protected areas. Temporal separation of wardens from poachers indicates that reallocation of wardens could reduce poaching.
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