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Wild Animals (wild + animals)
Selected AbstractsInternational Studbooks for Rare Species of Wild Animals in CaptivityINTERNATIONAL ZOO YEARBOOK, Issue 1 2009Article first published online: 30 JAN 200 First page of article [source] Taught by animals: how understanding diet selection leads to better zoo dietsINTERNATIONAL ZOO YEARBOOK, Issue 1 2005B. D. Moore Wild animals invariably obtain their nutrient requirements, regulate their ingestion of toxins and even self-medicate. This review suggests that, while size and morphology dictate gross diet, the ability to select a diet is learnt. Animals learn to distinguish nutritious foods from less beneficial or toxic items through the positive and negative consequences of ingestion. In this process, early life experiences appear to be critically important. Zoo animals can rarely be provided with their wild diets and caretakers substitute nutrients from other sources. Thus, a suitable range of ingredients should be provided to give the animals a stimulating and nutritious diet that ensures excellent health. [source] Interpreting temporal variation in omnivore foraging ecology via stable isotope modellingFUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2009Carolyn M. Kurle Summary 1The use of stable carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) isotopes (,15N and ,13C, respectively) to delineate trophic patterns in wild animals is common in ecology. Their utility as a tool for interpreting temporal change in diet due to seasonality, migration, climate change or species invasion depends upon an understanding of the rates at which stable isotopes incorporate from diet into animal tissues. To best determine the foraging habits of invasive rats on island ecosystems and to illuminate the interpretation of wild omnivore diets in general, I investigated isotope incorporation rates of C and N in fur, liver, kidney, muscle, serum and red blood cells (RBC) from captive rats raised on a diet with low ,15N and ,13C values and switched to a diet with higher ,15N and ,13C values. 2I used the reaction progress variable method (RPVM), a linear fitting procedure, to estimate whether a single or multiple compartment model best described isotope turnover in each tissue. Small sample Akaike Information criterion (AICc) model comparison analysis indicated that 1 compartment nonlinear models best described isotope incorporation rates for liver, RBC, muscle, and fur, whereas 2 compartment nonlinear models were best for serum and kidney. 3I compared isotope incorporation rates using the RPVM versus nonlinear models. There were no differences in estimated isotope retention times between the model types for serum and kidney (except for N turnover in kidney from females). Isotope incorporation took longer when estimated using the nonlinear models for RBC, muscle, and fur, but was shorter for liver tissue. 4There were no statistical differences between sexes in the isotope incorporation rates. I also found that N and C isotope incorporation rates were decoupled for liver, with C incorporating into liver tissue faster than N. 5The data demonstrate the utility of analysing isotope ratios of multiple tissues from a single animal when estimating temporal variation in mammalian foraging ecology. [source] LIVESTOCK VERSUS "WILD BEASTS": CONTRADICTIONS IN THE NATURAL PATRIMONIALIZATION OF THE PYRENEESGEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW, Issue 4 2009ISMAEL VACCARO ABSTRACT. The Pyrenees are becoming an environmental reservoir. The acute human depopulation experienced during the twentieth century and the progressive appropriation of large parts of the mountainous territory by the state in order to implement conservation policies have resulted in the return, via reintroduction or natural regeneration, of bears, wolves, beavers, river otters, marmots, mouflon, feral goats, and deer, among other species. This development, however, has not occurred without social and scientific controversy and leads to questions about territorialization and governmentality. Herders perceive wild animals as unregulated public property subsidized by the work of the local populace. Agriculturalists see their fields trespassed on a daily basis by animals they cannot kill because of their protected status. Ranchers, under extremely strict sanitation regulations, see their animals coming into contact with these unchecked wild populations. The work and living space of the mountain communities has fallen under the jurisdiction of external institutions and constituencies that value conservation and ecotourism above local subsistence. [source] Environmental risk assessment of human pharmaceuticals in the European Union: A case study with the ,-blocker atenololINTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT, Issue S1 2010Anette Küster Abstract ,-Adrenergic receptor blockers (,-blockers) are applied to treat high blood pressure, ischemic heart disease, and heart rhythm disturbances. Due to their widespread use and limited human metabolism, ,-blockers are widely detected in sewage effluents and surface waters. ,-Adrenergic receptors have been characterized in fish and other aquatic animals, so it can be expected that physiological processes regulated by these receptors in wild animals may be affected by the presence of ,-blockers. Because ecotoxicological data on ,-blockers are scarce, it was decided to choose the ,-blocker atenolol as a case study pharmaceutical within the project ERAPharm. A starting point for the assessment of potential environmental risks was the European guideline on the environmental risk assessment of medicinal products for human use. In Phase I of the risk assessment, the initial predicted environmental concentration (PEC) of atenolol in surface water (500,ng L,1) exceeded the action limit of 10,ng L,1. Thus, a Phase II risk assessment was conducted showing acceptable risks for surface water, for groundwater, and for aquatic microorganisms. Furthermore, atenolol showed a low potential for bioaccumulation as indicated by its low lipophilicity (log KOW,=,0.16), a low potential for exposure of the terrestrial compartment via sludge (log KOC,=,2.17), and a low affinity for sorption to the sediment. Thus, the risk assessment according to Phase II-Tier A did not reveal any unacceptable risk for atenolol. Beyond the requirements of the guideline, additional data on effects and fate were generated within ERAPharm. A 2-generation reproduction test with the waterflea Daphnia magna resulted in the most sensitive no-observed-effect concentration (NOEC) of 1.8,mg L,1. However, even with this NOEC, a risk quotient of 0.003 was calculated, which is still well below the risk threshold limit of 1. Additional studies confirm the outcome of the environmental risk assessment according to EMEA/CHMP (2006). However, atenolol should not be considered as representative for other ,-blockers, such as metoprolol, oxprenolol, and propranolol, some of which show significantly different physicochemical characteristics and varying toxicological profiles in mammalian studies. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2010;6:514,523. © 2009 SETAC [source] The role of zoos in biosurveillanceINTERNATIONAL ZOO YEARBOOK, Issue 1 2007T. McNAMARA Zoos are ideally placed to act as epidemiological monitoring stations because for decades, many have been building up detailed collections of serum banks, tissue banks and medical record-keeping systems that could be mined for information that would be beneficial to public health. For example, in 1999 wild Crows Corvus brachyrhynchos in the United States of America started to die of unknown causes but it was not until some died in the grounds of a zoological institution that West Nile virus, which is a threat to both human and animal health, was identified. There is a serious disparity in the type and amount of biosurveillance provided for humans, agricultural livestock and wildlife agencies, often driven by economic factors. There is an argument for public-health entities to contribute funds to the cost of managing serum-banks and testing stations within zoos to enhance biosurveillance in urban settings, in a cost-effective and mutually beneficial manner. The key to sustainable and integrated biosurveillance lies in public-health professionals working with zoo professionals, who care for wild animals on a day-to-day basis, to create electronic surveillance networks. This could be of utmost benefit to everyone. [source] Advancing zoo animal nutrition through global synergyINTERNATIONAL ZOO YEARBOOK, Issue 1 2005E. S. Dierenfeld Global communication and dissemination of information are two fundamental factors that are necessary to advance zoo animal nutrition. To achieve global synergy for nutrition, regional needs must be identified, modified for zoo application and linked through the proper Internet portals so that the information is readily available to the international zoo community. For all groups of animals, the continued development of food composition databases, updated as and when more information becomes available, is an important part of this desired synergy. If balanced nutrition for wild animals in captivity at a global level is to be achieved, then a heightened recognition of the value of implementing science-based nutrition into animal-management programmes and enhanced levels of electronic communication are essential. [source] The complexity of formulating diets for zoo animals: a matrixINTERNATIONAL ZOO YEARBOOK, Issue 1 2005S. Crissey The nutrition matrix presented here identifies a variety of factors that need to be considered when formulating diets for wild animals in captivity. The matrix is designed to be adapted so that it can be customized as required. Food consumption, nutritional requirements, health status and management constraints and opportunities are the four main categories to focus on when developing diets. Each of these categories may, in turn, be affected by other factors. (1) Food consumption is affected by the diet offered, client (zoo animal manager, keeper or veterinarian) wishes and animal preferences. (2) Nutritional requirements are defined by known species requirements and National Research Council recommendations, morphology and feeding ecology. Nutritional requirements may also be influenced by season, life-stage, activity, health status, stress and body temperature. (3) Health status can be affected by nutritional deficiencies or toxicities in the diet offered. Certain health conditions may require specific dietary input. (4) Animal-management protocols, such as housing, breeding opportunities and environment, are affected by other animals, food storage and preparation capacity, and feeding regime, which, in turn, can be affected by training, exercise and enrichment. [source] Welfare, husbandry and veterinary care of wild animals in captivity: changes in attitudes, progress in knowledge and techniquesINTERNATIONAL ZOO YEARBOOK, Issue 1 2003J. K. KIRKWOOD Since the first zoos were founded, attitudes to keeping wild animals in captivity have changed considerably. A much firmer conviction that animals have the capacity for consciousness and thus suffering, has been one factor in the growth in concern for welfare in recent decades. The pursuit of conservation goals and higher welfare standards has driven remarkable advances in the husbandry, veterinary science and care of wild animals. [source] Standardizing captive-management manuals: guidelines for terrestrial vertebratesINTERNATIONAL ZOO YEARBOOK, Issue 1 2003S. M. JACKSON Captive-management or husbandry manuals for wild animals maintained in captivity are invaluable resources for those working in zoos and aquariums. The more detailed the manuals the more useful they are. These documents should report every known aspect of the focal species and highlight gaps in knowledge. This ensures that successful studies are not repeated and pointers are given towards new research that could be developed to find out more about the species. This article sets out a possible standard for those compiling captive-management manuals for terrestrial vertebrates in an attempt to ensure that nothing is missed out. [source] Taurine concentrations in animal feed ingredients; cooking influences taurine contentJOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRITION, Issue 7-8 2003A. R. Spitze Summary The aim of this study was to determine the taurine content in a variety of animal feeds. There is very little information on the taurine content of ingredients used in home-prepared diets for dogs and cats, and foods fed to wild animals in captivity. This study reports the taurine content of both common and alternative feed ingredients, and compares taurine loss as a result of different methods of food preparation. Foods were selected based on their use in commercial and home-prepared diets. Animal muscle tissue, particularly marine, contained high taurine concentrations. Plant products contained either low or undetectable amounts of taurine. The amount of taurine that remained in a feed ingredient after cooking depended upon the method of food preparation. When an ingredient was constantly surrounded by water during the cooking process, such as in boiling or basting, more taurine was lost. Food preparation methods that minimized water loss, such as baking or frying, had higher rates of taurine retention. [source] A model of human hunting impacts in multi-prey communitiesJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2003J. Marcus Rowcliffe Summary 1The hunting of wild animals for consumption by people currently threatens many species with extinction. In the tropics, where the threat is most acute, hunting frequently targets many prey species simultaneously, yet our understanding of the dynamics of hunting in such multi-prey systems is limited. This study addressed this issue by modelling the effects of human hunters on prey population dynamics in a multi-species prey community. Both pursuit hunting (in which offtake depends partly on hunters' prey preferences) and trap hunting (in which the offtake is determined solely by random processes) were considered as submodels. 2The pursuit hunting submodel was validated against studies of subsistence hunting in tropical forests, while the trap hunting submodel was validated against data from five studies of offtake rates by snare hunters in subSaharan Africa. In all cases, observed prey removal rates were predicted well by the model. 3Simulations demonstrated the emergence of distinctive prey profiles at different intensities of hunting, related to sequences of overexploitation dependent on species' vulnerabilities to exploitation. 4Synthesis and applications. A model is developed to explore the impacts of harvesting on multi-species prey communities. Model predictions can be used to aid the interpretation of incomplete monitoring data, such as snapshots of the species taken by hunters. This will improve our ability to assess the sustainability of multi-species hunting systems using the limited information typically available in these cases. [source] Participatory land-use planning and conservation in northern Tanzania rangelandsAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 2009Abiud L. Kaswamila Abstract In developing countries, participatory land-use planning is seen as a panacea to mitigate land-use conflicts and enhance land productivity. This assumption has not been thoroughly tested in wildlife corridors. Three villages were selected for this study. Several methods were used to provide indication of the performance of the plans against their stated objectives of mitigating conflicts and conserving wildlife corridors. Three hundred and fifty-eight households and eight park and extension workers were interviewed. In addition, focus group discussion with the nomadic Barabeig, field assessment and review of land-use plan/general management plan reports were carried out. Results reveal that land-use plans failed to achieve their set objectives. For example, 75% of the households held this view. Major causes of failure were insufficient participation by stakeholders in the planning process, lack of robust, transparent and accountable implementation strategies, inadequacy of qualified staff and lack of ,holistic approach' to the planning process. Taking these findings into account, an improved buffer zone land-use planning framework is suggested. For the framework to enhance both conservation and development and to enable policies and legislation, equitable benefit sharing and conservation education, initiation of compensation schemes for depredation caused by wild animals and intensification of patrols are required. [source] Myiasis as a risk factor for prion diseases in humansJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 9 2006O Lupi Abstract Prion diseases are transmissible spongiform encephalopathies of humans and animals. The oral route is clearly associated with some prion diseases, according to the dissemination of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) in cattle and kuru in humans. However, other prion diseases such as scrapie (in sheep) and chronic wasting disease (CWD) (in cervids) cannot be explained in this way and are probably more associated with a pattern of horizontal transmission in both domestic and wild animals. The skin and mucous membranes are a potential target for prion infections because keratinocytes and lymphocytes are susceptible to the abnormal infective isoform of the prion protein. Iatrogenic transmission of Creutzfeldt,Jakob disease (CJD) was also recognized after corneal transplants in humans and scrapie was successfully transmitted to mice after ocular instillation of infected brain tissue, confirming that these new routes could also be important in prion infections. Some ectoparasites have been proven to harbour prion rods in laboratory experiments. Prion rods were identified in both fly larvae and pupae; adult flies are also able to express prion proteins. The most common causes of myiasis in cattle and sheep, closely related animals with previous prion infections, are Hypoderma bovis and Oestrus ovis, respectively. Both species of flies present a life cycle very different from human myiasis, as they have a long contact with neurological structures, such as spinal canal and epidural fat, which are potentially rich in prion rods. Ophthalmomyiases in humans is commonly caused by both species of fly larvae worldwide, providing almost direct contact with the central nervous system (CNS). The high expression of the prion protein on the skin and mucosa and the severity of the inflammatory response to the larvae could readily increase the efficiency of transmission of prions in both animals and humans. [source] Pesticides and the intoxication of wild animalsJOURNAL OF VETERINARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 2 2007P. BERNY Pesticides are widely used to control agricultural pests. Unfortunately, because of their biological activity, they may have detrimental effects on nontarget species. Acute toxicity, resulting in death, is reported worldwide. Although chronic and indirect effects may be even more hazardous for animal populations on a long-term basis, they are usually evaluated as parts of research programs. The purpose of this paper was to review the wildlife-poisoning surveillance systems and their results regarding the circumstances of exposure of wild animals, the pesticides involved and the species exposed. Most data are retrieved from the British and French pesticide poisoning surveillance systems in wildlife, with some data from other European structures. [source] Land-use and cover changes (1988,2002) around budongo forest reserve, NW Uganda: implications for forest and woodland sustainabilityLAND DEGRADATION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 6 2008E. N. Mwavu Abstract Land-use and cover changes around Budongo Forest Reserve (BFR) were analysed from multi-temporal LandSat images (1988 and 2002) and associated field-based studies in 2003,2004. Three major land-use and cover classes: forest/woodland, sugarcane plantations and grassland/shifting-cultivation/settlements were clearly discriminated. The area under sugarcane cultivation increased over 17-fold, from 690,ha in 1988 to 12729,ha in 2002, with a concomitant loss of about 4680,ha (8·2 per cent) of forest/woodland, mainly on the southern boundary of BFR. Land-use and cover changes were a result of (a) agricultural expansion, (b) increasing human population, exacerbated by large influxes of refugees, (c) conflicts of interest and political interference in the management of BFR and (d) unclear land tenure. Agriculture is the main land-use practice and source of income to local people, with commercial sugarcane and tobacco as the primary cash crops. Individual smallholder sugarcane plantations covered distances ranging from 30 to 1440,m along the BFR edge, with no buffer zone, resulting in direct conflicts between farmers and forest wild animals. There is an ever-increasing need for more land for agricultural expansion, resulting in continued loss of forest/woodland on private/communal lands and encroachment into BFR. This unsustainable agricultural expansion and the local people's perception of BFR as an obstacle to agriculture, threatens the conservation of its threatened wild plants (e.g. Raphia farinifera) and the endangered chimpanzees. Therefore, their sustainable management for both development and conservation will require strong and incorruptible institutions that will seek a balance between resource exploitation and conservation. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Pierson v. Post: A Great Debate, James Kent, and the Project of Building a Learned Law for New York StateLAW & SOCIAL INQUIRY, Issue 2 2009Angela Fernandez Pierson v. Post (1805) has long puzzled legal teachers and scholars. This article argues that the appellate report was the product of the intellectual interests (and schooling) of the lawyers and judges involved in the case. They converted a minor dispute about a fox into a major argument in order to argue from Roman and other civil law sources on how to establish possession in wild animals, effectively crafting an opportunity to create new law for New York State. This article explores the possibility that the mastermind behind this case was the chief justice of the court at the time, James Kent. The question of Kent's involvement in 1805 remains elusive. However, the article uses annotations he made on his copy of the case and discussion of Pierson v. Post in his famous Commentaries to demonstrate the nature of his later interest and to explore the project of building a learned law for New York State. [source] REACTIONS OF CAPTIVE HARBOR PORPOISES (PHOCOENA PHOCOENA) TO PINGER-LIKE SOUNDSMARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2006Jonas Teilmann Abstract Pingers on gill nets can reduce bycatch of harbor porpoises. If harbor porpoises habituate to pingers, the effect may be reduced or lost. Two captive harbor porpoises were exposed to three sound types. All sounds were in the frequency band from 100 kHz to 140 kHz, 200 ms long, and presented once per 4 s. The source level was 153 dB re 1 ,Pa RMS at 1 m. Each session consisted of a 10-min presound, a 5-min sound, and a 10-min postsound period. Behavior was recorded on video and on dataloggers placed on the dorsal fin of one animal. The loggers recorded heart rate, swimming speed, dive duration, and depth. The animals responded most strongly to the initial presentations of a sound. Surface time decreased, the heart rate dropped below the normal bradycardia, and echolocation activity decreased. The reactions of both animals diminished rapidly in the following sessions. Should the waning of responsiveness apply to wild animals, porpoises may adapt to the sounds but still avoid nets, or the bycatch may increase after some time. The success of long-term use of pingers may then depend on the variety of sounds and rates of exposure. [source] The Bushmeat Trade: Increased Opportunities for Transmission of Zoonotic DiseaseMOUNT SINAI JOURNAL OF MEDICINE: A JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED AND TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE, Issue 5 2009William B. Karesh DVM Abstract Bushmeat is a term that refers to the use of wild animals, ranging from cane rats to gorillas, for food. The term typically refers to the practice in forests of Africa. The bushmeat trade is an example of an anthropogenic factor that provides opportunities for the transmission of diseases from wildlife to humans. The expansion of the bushmeat trade over the past 2 decades has provided a venue for the emergence of zoonotic diseases by providing an increased opportunity for the transmission of organisms known to cause disease and organisms with an unknown impact on humans. Because the bushmeat trade is embedded in a complex cultural, political, and economic context, efforts to prevent the emergence of zoonoses require a multidisciplinary approach. Mt Sinai J Med 76:429,434, 2009. © 2009 Mount Sinai School of Medicine [source] Isolation of Exophiala dermatitidis from endotracheal aspirate of a cancer patientMYCOSES, Issue 6 2006S. J. Taj-Aldeen Summary Exophiala (Wangiella) dermatitidis is a melanised (darkly pigmented) yeast-like organism that has been reported from the environment and wild animals. The organism is a frequent coloniser of lungs of patients with cystic fibrosis and causes occasional disseminated phaeohyphomycosis and fungaemia. Exophiala dermatitidis is distributed worldwide, but cerebral cases are restricted to East Asia. We report a case of 54-year-old Qatari female patient with a known history of cancer, suffering from pulmonary disorder. Culture of endotracheal aspirate revealed the growth of E. dermatitidis concomitant with Candida krusei. The final diagnosis of E. dermatitidis and attribution to genotype B was achieved by sequencing the rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. The present case concerns a pulmonary colonisation by E. dermatitidis, similar to that commonly seen in cystic fibrosis patients. For the detection of E. dermatitidis in clinical specimens culturing techniques are required. The patient finally expired with persistent cancer and C. krusei fungaemia. Review of literature and listing of E. dermatitidis cases published after 1992 show a sharp increase in clinical cases during the 1990s. [source] Toward an improved legislative framework for China's land degradation controlNATURAL RESOURCES FORUM, Issue 1 2008Zhou Ke Abstract The Chinese government has recently been attaching increasing importance to the application of effective legal tools to tackle land degradation (LD) issues. Based on the concept of sustainable development, China began developing and reaping the benefits of environmental and natural resources legislation including LD control regulations in the 1990s. In the past three years, some central-western provinces in China have been implementing a "People's Republic of China/Global Environment Facility (PRC/GEF) Partnership on LD Control of Dryland Ecosystems", which is based on an integrated ecosystem management (IEM) approach. IEM is designed to achieve a balanced, scientific and participatory approach to natural resources management, which creates the potential to improve the quality of Chinese environmental law and policy procedures. The paper studies the existing Chinese national laws and regulations pertinent to LD control within 9 areas covering land, desertification, soil erosion, grassland, forest, water, agriculture, wild animals and plants, and environment protection in detail, against IEM principles and basic legal elements. The main objective is to identify problems and provide feasible solutions and recommendations for the improvement of the existing laws and regulations. The authors conclude that the development of an improved national legislative framework is essential if LD control is to be successfully achieved. The paper is partly based on Component 1 , Improving Policies, Laws and Regulations for Land Degradation Control under PRC/GEF Partnership on Land Degradation in Dryland Ecosystems (TA 4357). [source] Ecology of the gastrointestinal parasites of Colobus vellerosus at Boabeng-Fiema, Ghana: Possible anthropozoonotic transmissionAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 3 2009Julie A. Teichroeb Abstract Parasite richness and prevalence in wild animals can be used as indicators of population and ecosystem health. In this study, the gastrointestinal parasites of ursine colobus monkeys (Colobus vellerosus) at the Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary (BFMS), Ghana, were investigated. BFMS is a sacred grove where monkeys and humans have long lived in relatively peaceful proximity. Fecal samples (n = 109) were collected opportunistically from >27 adult and subadult males in six bisexual groups and one all-male band from July 2004 to August 2005. Using fecal floatation, we detected three protozoans (two Entamoeba sp., Isospora sp.), five nematodes (Ascaris sp., Enterobius sp., Trichuris sp., two strongyle sp.), and one digenean trematode. Using fluorescein labeled antibodies, we detected an additional protozoan (Giardia sp.), and with PCR techniques, we characterized this as G. duodenalis Assemblage B and also identified a protistan (Blastocystis sp., subtype 2). The most prevalent parasite species were G. duodenalis and Trichuris sp. Parasites were more prevalent in the long wet season than the long dry. Parasite prevalence did not vary by age, and average parasite richness did not differ by rank for males whose status remained unchanged. However, males that changed rank tended to show higher average parasite richness when they were lower ranked. Individuals that spent more time near human settlements had a higher prevalence of Isospora sp. that morphologically resembled the human species I. belli. The presence of this parasite and G. duodenalis Assemblage B indicates possible anthropozoonotic and/or zoonotic transmission between humans and colobus monkeys at this site. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Estimating chimpanzee population size with nest counts: validating methods in Taï National ParkAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 6 2009Célestin Yao Kouakou Abstract Successful conservation and management of wild animals require reliable estimates of their population size. Ape surveys almost always rely on counts of sleeping nests, as the animals occur at low densities and visibility is low in tropical forests. The reliability of standing-crop nest counts and marked-nest counts, the most widely used methods, has not been tested on populations of known size. Therefore, the answer to the question of which method is more appropriate for surveying chimpanzee population remains problematic and comparisons among sites are difficult. This study aimed to test the validity of these two methods by comparing their estimates to the known population size of three habituated chimpanzee communities in Taï National Park [Boesch et al., Am J Phys Anthropol 130:103,115, 2006; Boesch et al., Am J Primatol 70:519,532, 2008]. In addition to transect surveys, we made observations on nest production rate and nest lifetime. Taï chimpanzees built 1.143 nests per day. The mean nest lifetime of 141 fresh nests was 91.22 days. Estimate precision for the two methods did not differ considerably (difference of coefficient of variation <5%). The estimate of mean nest decay time was more precise (CV=6.46%) when we used covariates (tree species, rainfall, nest height and age) to model nest decay rate, than when we took a simple mean of nest decay times (CV=9.17%). The two survey methods produced point estimates of chimpanzee abundance that were similar and reliable: i.e. for both methods the true chimpanzee abundance was included within the 95% estimate confidence interval. We recommend further research on covariate modeling of nest decay times as one way to improve the precision and to reduce the costs of conducting nest surveys. Am. J. Primatol. 71:447,457, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] UTILITARIANISM, CONTRACTUALISM AND DEMANDINGNESSTHE PHILOSOPHICAL QUARTERLY, Issue 239 2010Alison Hills One familiar criticism of utilitarianism is that it is too demanding. It requires us to promote the happiness of others, even at the expense of our own projects, our integrity, or the welfare of our friends and family. Recently Ashford has defended utilitarianism, arguing that it provides compelling reasons for demanding duties to help the needy, and that other moral theories, notably contractualism, are committed to comparably stringent duties. In response, I argue that utilitarianism is even more demanding than is commonly realized: both act- and rule-utilitarianism are committed to extremely stringent duties to wild animals. In this regard, utilitarianism is more demanding (and more counter-intuitive) than contractualism. [source] Patterns of bushmeat hunting and perceptions of disease risk among central African communitiesANIMAL CONSERVATION, Issue 4 2006M. LeBreton Abstract There is a great need to determine the factors that influence the hunting, butchering and eating of bushmeat to better manage the important social, public health and conservation consequences of these activities. In particular, the hunting and butchering of wild animals can lead to the transmission of diseases that have potentially serious consequences for exposed people and their communities. Comprehension of these risks may lead to decreased levels of these activities. To investigate these issues, 3971 questionnaires were completed to examine the determinants of the hunting, butchering and eating of wild animals and perceptions of disease risk in 17 rural central African villages. A high proportion of individuals reported perceiving a risk of disease infection with bushmeat contact. Individuals who perceived risk were significantly less likely to butcher wild animals than those who perceived no risk. However, perception of risk was not associated with hunting and eating bushmeat (activities that, compared with butchering, involve less contact with raw blood and body fluids). This suggests that some individuals may act on perceived risk to avoid higher risk activity. These findings reinforce the notion that conservation programs in rural villages in central Africa should include health-risk education. This has the potential to reduce the levels of use of wild animals, particularly of certain endangered species (e.g. many non-human primates) that pose a particular risk to human health. However, as the use of wild game is likely to continue, people should be encouraged to undertake hunting and butchering more safely for their own and their community's health. [source] Brain size of the lion (Panthera leo) and the tiger (P. tigris): implications for intrageneric phylogeny, intraspecific differences and the effects of captivityBIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, Issue 1 2009NOBUYUKI YAMAGUCHI Intraspecific encephalization of the lion and the tiger is investigated for the first time using a very large sample. Using cranial volume as a measure of brain size, the tiger has a larger brain relative to greatest length of skull than the lion, the leopard and the jaguar. The Asian lion has a relatively much smaller brain compared with those of sub-Saharan lions, between which there are few differences. The Balinese and Javan tigers had relatively larger brains compared with those of Malayan and Sumatran tigers, even although these four putative subspecies occupy adjacent ranges in south-eastern Asia. Differences in brain size do not appear to correlate with any known differences in behaviour and ecology and, therefore, may reflect only chance differences in intrageneric and intraspecific phylogeny. However, captive-bred big cats generally have a reduced brain size compared with that of wild animals, so that an animal's life history and living conditions may affect brain size and, hence, functional or environmental explanations should be considered when linking brain size differences to intraspecific phylogenies. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 98, 85,93. [source] A simple method for measuring colour in wild animals: validation and use on chest patch colour in geladas (Theropithecus gelada)BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, Issue 2 2008THORE J. BERGMAN Adaptive hypotheses about colour variation are widespread in behavioural ecology, and several methods of objective colour assessment have been proposed and validated for use in a wide variety of taxa. However, to date, the most objective and reliable methods of assessing colour are not readily applied to wild animals. In the present study, we present a simple method for assessing colour in unrestrained, wild subjects using digital photography. The method we describe uses a digital camera, a colour standard, and colour analysis software, and can be used to measure any part of the visible colour spectrum. We demonstrate that the method: (1) is accurate and precise across different light conditions; (2) satisfies previous criteria regarding linearity and red, green, and blue equality; and (3) can be independently validated visually. In contrast with previous digital methods, this method can be used under natural light conditions and can be readily applied to subjects in their natural habitat. To illustrate this, we use the method to measure chest colour in wild geladas (Theropithecus gelada). Unique among primates, geladas have a red patch of skin on their chest and neck, which, for males, is thought to be a sexually selected signal. Offering some support to this hypothesis, we found differences in chest ,redness' for males across different age groups, with males in their reproductive prime exhibiting the reddest chests. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 94, 231,240. [source] The Impact of Hunting on the Mammalian Fauna of Tropical Asian ForestsBIOTROPICA, Issue 3 2007Richard T. Corlett ABSTRACT People have hunted mammals in tropical Asian forests for at least 40,000 yr. This period has seen one confirmed global extinction (the giant pangolin, Manis palaeojavanica) and range restrictions for several large mammals, but there is no strong evidence for unsustainable hunting pressure until the last 2000,3000 yr, when elephants, rhinoceroses, and several other species were progressively eliminated from the large parts of their ranges. Regional declines in most species have occurred largely within the last 50 yr. Recent subsistence hunting has typically focused on pigs and deer (hunted with dogs and spears or with snares), monkeys and other arboreal mammals (often caught with blowpipes), and porcupines and other rodents (smoked or dug out of burrows). Over the last 50 yr, the importance of hunting for subsistence has been increasingly outweighed by hunting for the market. The hunted biomass is dominated by the same species as before, sold mostly for local consumption, but numerous additional species are targeted for the colossal regional trade in wild animals and their parts for food, medicines, raw materials, and pets. Many populations of mammalian dispersers of large seeds and understory browsers have been depleted or eliminated, while seed predators have had a more variable fate. Most of this hunting is now illegal, but the law enforcement is generally weak. However, examples of successful enforcement show that hunting impacts can be greatly reduced where there is sufficient political will. Ending the trade in wild animals and their parts should have the highest regional conservation priority. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||