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Pop MI, Dyck MA, Chiriac S, Lajos B, Szabó S, Iojă CI, Popescu VD. Predictors of brown bear predation events on livestock in the Romanian Carpathians. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mihai I. Pop
- Centre for Environmental Research (CCMESI) University of Bucharest Bucharest Romania
- Association for the Conservation of Biological Diversity (ACDB) Focșani Romania
| | - Marissa A. Dyck
- Department of Biological Sciences Ohio University Athens Ohio USA
| | | | - Berde Lajos
- Covasna Environmental Protection Agency Sf. Gheorghe Romania
| | - Szilárd Szabó
- Harghita Environmental Protection Agency Miercurea Ciuc Romania
| | - Cristian I. Iojă
- Centre for Environmental Research (CCMESI) University of Bucharest Bucharest Romania
| | - Viorel D. Popescu
- Centre for Environmental Research (CCMESI) University of Bucharest Bucharest Romania
- Department of Biological Sciences Ohio University Athens Ohio USA
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Characteristics of natural and anthropogenic mortality of an endangered brown bear population. J Nat Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2022.126288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Pérez-Girón JC, Díaz-Varela ER, Álvarez-Álvarez P, Hernández Palacios O, Ballesteros F, López-Bao JV. Linking landscape structure and vegetation productivity with nut consumption by the Cantabrian brown bear during hyperphagia. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 813:152610. [PMID: 34963596 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152610] [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: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In bears, reproduction is dependent on the body reserves accumulated during hyperphagia. The Cantabrian brown bear mainly feeds on nuts during the hyperphagia period. Understanding how landscape heterogeneity and vegetation productivity in human-dominated landscapes influence the feeding habits of bears may therefore be important for disentangling species-habitat relationships of conservation interest. We determined the spatial patterns of nut consumption by brown bears during the hyperphagia period in relation to landscape structure, characteristics of fruit-producing patches and vegetation productivity. For this purpose, we constructed foraging models based on nut consumption data (obtained by scat analysis), by combining vegetation productivity data, topographical variables and landscape metrics to identify nut foraging patterns during this critical period for bears. The average wooded area of patches where scats were collected and where the nuts that the bears had consumed were produced was larger than that of the corresponding patches where nuts were not produced. For scats collected outside of nut-producing patches, the distance between the scats and the patches was greatest for chestnut-producing patches. Elevation, Gross Primary Production (GPP) and the Aggregation Index (AI) were good predictors of acorn consumption in the models. Good model fits were not obtained for data on chestnut consumption in bears. The findings confirm that brown bears feeding on nuts show a preference for relatively large, highly aggregated patches with a high degree of diversity in the landscape pattern, which may help the bears to remain undetected. The nut prediction model highlights areas of particular importance for brown bears during hyperphagia. The human presence associated with sweet chestnut forest stands or orchards may make bears feel more vulnerable when feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Carlos Pérez-Girón
- Department of Organisms and Systems Biology, Polytechnic School of Mieres, University of Oviedo, E-33600, Mieres, Asturias, Spain.
| | - Emilio Rafael Díaz-Varela
- Research Group on Planning and Management in Complex Adaptive Socio-Ecological Systems (COMPASSES), School of Engineering, University of Santiago de Compostela, E-27002 Lugo, Spain
| | - Pedro Álvarez-Álvarez
- Department of Organisms and Systems Biology, Polytechnic School of Mieres, University of Oviedo, E-33600, Mieres, Asturias, Spain
| | - Orencio Hernández Palacios
- Dirección General del Medio Natural y Planificación Rural, Gobierno del Principado de Asturias, E-33005 Oviedo, Spain
| | | | - José Vicente López-Bao
- Biodiversity Research Institute (CSIC - Oviedo University - Principality of Asturias), University of Oviedo, E-33600 Mieres, Spain
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Costa H, Hartasánchez R, Santos AR, Camarão A, Cruz L, Nascimento M, Gomes L, Madeira de Carvalho LM. Preliminary findings on the gastrointestinal parasites of the brown bear (Ursus arctos) in the Cantabrian mountains, Spain. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2022; 28:100681. [PMID: 35115125 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2021.100681] [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: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
No study is currently available on the parasitofauna of the population of brown bears (Ursus arctos) inhabiting the Cantabrian Mountains in Spain. The aim of the present study was to obtain novel information on diversity and prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in these individuals. During August 2016 and from May to July 2017, 14 fecal samples were collected from the western Cantabrian bear subpopulation, in the Somiedo Natural Park, in the Spanish province of Asturias. The prevalence of parasites detected was 71% and two genera were identified: Dicrocoelium sp. and Trichuris sp. Since the impact that pathogens such as endoparasites can have on the health of bears, together with other stressors, is still poorly understood, research efforts that include disease surveillance are critical to the successful protection of this emblematic species. Our preliminary findings require further investigations, with a wider sampling effort, and bring awareness for the need of carrying further studies on this area as a part of a proactive species management plan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Costa
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal (CIISA), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Roberto Hartasánchez
- Fondo para la Protección de los Animales Salvajes, Tuñón, Santo Adriano, Asturias, Spain
| | - Ana Rita Santos
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal (CIISA), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - António Camarão
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal (CIISA), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Lígia Cruz
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal (CIISA), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mariana Nascimento
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal (CIISA), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Lídia Gomes
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal (CIISA), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Luís M Madeira de Carvalho
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal (CIISA), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
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Herrero J, García-Serrano A, Reiné R, Ferrer V, Azón R, López-Bao JV, Palomero G. Challenges for recovery of large carnivores in humanized countries: attitudes and knowledge of sheep farmers towards brown bear in Western Pyrenees, Spain. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-021-01545-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
AbstractDuring 2017, we studied knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes towards brown bears by extensive mountain sheep farmers in the Western Pyrenees, using a structured questionnaire, specifically, whether the scarce bear presence, or the administrative region, was influential. Livestock raising practices are mainly family properties and have suffered a strong decline in the last decades. Despite its low abundance (only 2 bear individuals during the study period in the area), there was a generalized negative attitude towards the presence of bears. Farmers considered bear presence as incompatible with sheep mountain herding. One third of them have experienced bear damages, although this was not the main difficulty for the viability of farming practices. They were able to change husbandry practices after wildlife and dog’s damages, increasing vigilance, hiring shepherds, and using livestock guarding dogs, whose work is perceived as satisfactory. Farmers considered that information available about bear and compensation systems for damages was insufficient, and should be improved.
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Bautista C, Revilla E, Berezowska-Cnota T, Fernández N, Naves J, Selva N. Spatial ecology of conflicts: unravelling patterns of wildlife damage at multiple scales. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211394. [PMID: 34465240 PMCID: PMC8437235 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Human encroachment into natural habitats is typically followed by conflicts derived from wildlife damage to agriculture and livestock. Spatial risk modelling is a useful tool to gain the understanding of wildlife damage and mitigate conflicts. Although resource selection is a hierarchical process operating at multiple scales, risk models usually fail to address more than one scale, which can result in the misidentification of the underlying processes. Here, we addressed the multi-scale nature of wildlife damage occurrence by considering ecological and management correlates interacting from household to landscape scales. We studied brown bear (Ursus arctos) damage to apiaries in the North-eastern Carpathians as our model system. Using generalized additive models, we found that brown bear tendency to avoid humans and the habitat preferences of bears and beekeepers determine the risk of bear damage at multiple scales. Damage risk at fine scales increased when the broad landscape context also favoured damage. Furthermore, integrated-scale risk maps resulted in more accurate predictions than single-scale models. Our results suggest that principles of resource selection by animals can be used to understand the occurrence of damage and help mitigate conflicts in a proactive and preventive manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Bautista
- Institute of Nature Conservation of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IOP PAN), Adama Mickiewicza 33, 31-120 Kraków, Poland
| | - Eloy Revilla
- Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC (EBD-CSIC), Americo Vespucio 26, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Teresa Berezowska-Cnota
- Institute of Nature Conservation of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IOP PAN), Adama Mickiewicza 33, 31-120 Kraków, Poland
| | - Néstor Fernández
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Am Kirchtor 1, 06108 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Javier Naves
- Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC (EBD-CSIC), Americo Vespucio 26, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Nuria Selva
- Institute of Nature Conservation of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IOP PAN), Adama Mickiewicza 33, 31-120 Kraków, Poland
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Cost of Coexisting with a Relict Large Carnivore Population: Impact of Apennine Brown Bears, 2005-2015. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11051453. [PMID: 34069365 PMCID: PMC8158715 DOI: 10.3390/ani11051453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-carnivore conflicts are a major conservation issue. As bears are expanding their range in Europe's human-modified landscapes, it is increasingly important to understand, prevent, and address human-bear conflicts and evaluate mitigation strategies in areas of historical coexistence. Based on verified claims, we assessed costs, patterns, and drivers of bear damages in the relict Apennine brown bear population in the Abruzzo Lazio and Molise National Park (PNALM), central Italy. During 2005-2015, 203 ± 71 (SD) damage events were verified annually, equivalent to 75,987 ± 30,038 €/year paid for compensation. Most damages occurred in summer and fall, with livestock depredation, especially sheep and cattle calves, prevailing over other types of damages, with apiaries ranking second in costs of compensation. Transhumant livestock owners were less impacted than residential ones, and farms that adopted prevention measures loaned from the PNALM were less susceptible to bear damages. Livestock farms chronically damaged by bears represented 8 ± 3% of those annually impacted, corresponding to 24 ± 6% of compensation costs. Further improvements in the conflict mitigation policy adopted by the PNALM include integrated prevention, conditional compensation, and participatory processes. We discuss the implications of our study for Human-bear coexistence in broader contexts.
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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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Zarzo‐Arias A, Delgado MM, Palazón S, Afonso Jordana I, Bombieri G, González‐Bernardo E, Ordiz A, Bettega C, García‐González R, Penteriani V. Seasonality, local resources and environmental factors influence patterns of brown bear damages: implications for management. J Zool (1987) 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- A. Zarzo‐Arias
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB CSIC‐UO‐PA) Mieres Spain
| | - M. M. Delgado
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB CSIC‐UO‐PA) Mieres Spain
| | - S. Palazón
- Fauna and Flora Service, Territory and Sustainability Department Generalitat de Catalunya Barcelona Spain
| | | | - G. Bombieri
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB CSIC‐UO‐PA) Mieres Spain
- Sezione Zoologia dei Vertebrati Museo delle Scienze Trento Italy
| | | | - A. Ordiz
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management Norwegian University of Life Sciences Ås Norway
| | - C. Bettega
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB CSIC‐UO‐PA) Mieres Spain
| | | | - V. Penteriani
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB CSIC‐UO‐PA) Mieres Spain
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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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