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Fins from highly mobile shark species entering large shark fin trade hubs can originate from various geographical locations and stocks. Tracing fins from internationally regulated species to their starting point in the supply chain can have important implications for the monitoring and enforcement of international laws intended to protect threatened shark species. Here we use pelagic thresher shark Alopias pelagicus fin samples (N = 86) collected during a 4‐year period (2014–2017), and phylogenetic analyses, using the cytochrome oxidase I (COI), to determine the relative contribution of this species to the two largest shark fin trade hubs in the world, Hong Kong and Guangzhou, mainland China. Our results suggest that the Eastern Pacific is a major starting point of the international supply chain of pelagic thresher shark fins, contributing 84.9% of the analyzed market‐derived fin samples. We suggest that capacity building investments are needed in Eastern Pacific countries to increase the efficiency of border control inspections and improve the enforcement of international trade regulations for this threatened shark species. Our study highlights the utility of combining population genetics data and large‐scale market surveys to trace wildlife products back to the starting point in the supply chain and support the assessment of emerging management and conservation measures for exploited sharks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demographic reasons of local population extinctions are rarely known which hampers learning for preventing extinction of other populations. Here we study the demography of a population of the endangered woodchat shrike Lanius senator at the edge of its distribution range from 1966 to 1992. We recorded the number of breeding pairs and collected reproduction and capture‐recapture data which were analysed with an integrated population model. Population size and most demographic rates fluctuated, but did not show long‐term trends. The most important demographic driver for the variation in the annual population growth rate was immigration. Despite its dependence on immigration, the local population was not necessarily a sink but may have been part of a balanced dispersal system. A population viability analysis showed that the risk was zero for the population to go extinct due to stochastic events during the 10 years after 1992. Yet, the population went extinct 6 years after the end of the study. The only demographic mechanism that can explain the fast extinction is a stop of immigration. The population was always dependent on immigration due to the strong dispersal of the shrikes and became more isolated due to the overall decline of the species. Our results suggest that the reservoir of potential immigrants may have become insufficient to maintain the local population and highlights that local populations can go extinct without the need of local changes in demography. Successful conservation of bird populations with similar demography as woodchat shrikes need to focus on spatial scales that extend significantly beyond the local one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the need and difficulty of evaluating management strategies that improve species persistence in the face of climate change. The authors highlight the importance of adaptation interventions to protect biodiversity and the role of protected areas in facilitating species distribution changes and persistence. However, they note that there is limited evidence on the causal effects of management actions on species responses to climate warming. The study focuses on ducks and their contribution to waterbird community adjustment to climate warming, suggesting that hunting-oriented management may reduce their distribution change. The authors call for further experimental testing and research on adaptation interventions and their potential side effects on other organisms and ecosystem functions. [Extracted from the article]

Conservation planning for rare and threatened species is often made more difficult by a lack of research and monitoring data. In such cases, managers may rely on qualitative assessments of species risk that lack explicit acknowledgement of uncertainty. Snakes are a group of conservation concern that are also notoriously difficult to monitor. Here, we demonstrate a quantitative population projection for a data‐deficient species, the Puerto Rican boa (Chilabothrus inornatus) using expert knowledge and published information about species life history and threats to persistence. Using this model, we simulated population dynamics over 30 years under four scenarios of future urbanization and found that there was an increased probability of population decline as urbanization rates increased. We conduct a sensitivity analysis to evaluate the sensitivity of outcomes to model inputs, a practice that may also be useful in recovery planning. The sensitivity analyses also provide insight into how the future trajectories would change if the elicited demographic rates are incorrect. Even when data are sparse, quantitative methods can often be used to produce rigorous and reproducible estimates of future status with quantifiable uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the efficacy of conservation translocations, survival of released individuals is typically compared to that of control groups. Such comparisons assume that treatment groups consist of otherwise equivalent individuals. When that assumption is unmet, incorporating physiological parameters may improve assessment of translocation programs. During 2012–2014, 19 weaned female Hawaiian monk seal pups were translocated to sites where survival prospects were expected to be more favorable than at their natal locations. We compared survival from weaning to age two years of translocated pups to two control groups; pups remaining at source sites and pups native to destination sites. To account for the known relationship between weaning girth and survival, we generated probability distributions of the number of survivors at source and destination sites given the weaning girths of translocated seals. Data were available to calculate girth‐adjusted survival probabilities for 13 of the translocated pups. Of these, we estimated that only one pup would have been expected to have survived had the translocated pups remained at their natal site. Seven of the 13 translocated seals survived, a value just below the median (eight) expected to have survived at the destination site. Thus, translocation substantially improved survival. Had we not accounted for weaning girth effects on survival, we would have erroneously concluded that the translocation program had yielded no survival benefit. Identifying and integrating correlates of survival into quantitative analyses associated with conservation translocations can reduce bias and lead to greater success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land‐cover and land‐use change are major drivers of global biodiversity loss. Savannas are experiencing shrub encroachment and land‐use changes that affect animal communities, yet how the effects of shrub encroachment vary with land use remains unclear. We also need to determine which species traits explain the effects of shrub encroachment and land‐use changes to identify potential drivers of community change and predict species' responses to conservation efforts. We sampled birds across gradients of shrub encroachment and land use (protected savanna, pastures, homestead lands, and sugarcane) in the lowveld savanna of Eswatini to: (1) test for the effects of shrub encroachment, land‐use change, and their potential synergies on the occurrence of 48 species of birds; and (2) determine which species traits (those associated with nesting, foraging, or vulnerability to predation) explained species' associations with shrub encroachment and land‐use change. We used Bayesian multispecies occupancy models to account for imperfect detection, interpret species responses, and understand the effects of species traits. We found evidence for community‐wide synergies between shrub encroachment and land‐use effects on birds that varied with species' diets. Agricultural intensification had negative effects on the occurrence of most species examined, while shrub cover typically had positive effects which were stronger in pastures and homestead lands than in protected areas. The negative effects of land‐use change were greatest for insectivores and cavity nesters, whereas insectivore occurrence increased with shrub cover, collectively indicating that nesting and foraging traits best explained species responses to land‐use and land‐cover change in the region. Our results suggest that shrub cover management for bird conservation should vary with land use: shrubs could be thinned in protected areas without reducing bird occupancy but shrubs in homesteads should be retained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retaliatory killing, motivated by depredation of domestic animals by large carnivores, has had a significant impact on wild predators' populations. In Brazil, pumas and jaguars are the most persecuted species, so it is important to analyse the spatial patterns of depredation risk of livestock. We aimed to identify the hotspots of depredation risk by these two felids in Brazil, as well as the most important variables that determine the risk at the biome scale. We generated spatial models of livestock depredation using a database of depredation records, anthropogenic, topographic and vegetation variables, and ecological niche models. We used six algorithms to generate spatial risk models of depredation and selected those with the best performance, for inclusion in a consensus model, for each biome. Finally, we overlapped the areas of high depredation risk by both felids, so that areas considered as hotspots are those in which there is a high risk that livestock will be preyed by pumas or jaguars. Approximately 17% of the area of the biomes analysed for puma had high depredation risk, and 18% in the case of jaguar. The hotspots encompassed 6.5% of the included biomes' area. The variables associated with the high depredation risk were different between species and biomes. Depredation risk by pumas was primarily associated with anthropogenic variables, whereas a combination of anthropogenic variables and vegetation types increased depredation risk by jaguar. Biome‐scale analysis, coupled with the availability of reliable data and the implementation of statistically robust methods, provides information specifically on the areas of highest risk and the conditions that contribute to it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the conducted studies aimed at arresting the decline of amphibian population around the world. It claims that the most common threat to the amphibians is disease, particularly chytridiomycosis, which is caused by the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). It cites the symposium that was conducted to fight the decline in amphibian population by the global scientific community. Among the countries that attended the symposium include Denmark, Australia and Kenya.

The authors comment on a paper on wildlife picture index by T. G. O'Brien and colleagues published in the August 2010 issue of the "Animal Conservation" periodical and several studies on the use of remote cameras as major tools for monitoring diversity. They assert that the article shows that camera traps may provide a powerful tool for monitoring biological diversity. They also mention the prevalent use of heat-activated camera traps to make an inventory of the occurrence and conservation status of elusive and threatened mammals.

The author comments on a paper about a biodiversity indicator called wildlife picture index (WPI) by T. G. O'Brien et al. published in the August 2010 issue of the periodical "Animal Conservation." He asserts that O'Brein et al. have presented WPI as a reasonable approach for monitoring medium and big-sized birds and mammals in various habitats, with special attention on tropical areas. He also discusses several topics that may be worthy of additional consideration when implementing the said biodiversity indicator.

The author reflects on the need for optimal conservation strategies in addressing the global biodiversity crisis. He mentions that since conservation biology is a crisis discipline by definition and is characterized by subjectivity, quantitative techniques have been developed to allow objective prioritization of conservation strategies for systematic techniques. However, he points out that less exploration has been done in optimization methods for conservation strategies, aside from site selection.

The authors comments on a review of their study which estimated seabird bycatch by fisheries and its impact in seabird populations in the Benguella system off South Africa and South America. They emphasize the significance of the video footage in their study to confirm that birds dragged under did not surface. They believe that the best solution for the trawl fishery is to have a dedicated observer backed up by a video record.

The author comments on the paper "An Evaluation of Camera Traps for Inventorying Large and Medium Sized Terrestrial Rainforest Mammals." A standard survey design appropriate for estimating jaguar and ocelot abundance has been used by the researchers to obtain records of occurrence for all species during two surveys. The author agrees with the researchers that camera traps are a powerful new tool in the quest for better methods to monitor components of biodiversity.

The author comments on the paper "An Evaluation of Camera Traps for Inventorying Large and Medium Sized Terrestrial Rainforest Mammals." The issues surrounding trapping effort, camera spacing and animal size for inventory studies only of large- to medium-sized mammals have been addressed by the researchers of the study. The author points out that the rise of the machines has opened up new avenues for the research of elusive species, but there are still substantial methodological issues to explore.

Maintenance of genetic diversity within species is a key objective of biodiversity conservation, and small, isolated populations are particularly vulnerable to genetic erosion. Conservation management actions such as predator removal, captive breeding and reintroduction can facilitate numerical recovery of a population, but species often remain at risk from depleted genetic diversity and inbreeding. We investigated dispersal, genetic bottlenecks and genetic population structuring in the island‐dwelling Lord Howe woodhen, a species that came perilously close to extinction in the 1970s. Analyses of mark‐resighting records and variable genetic markers (single‐nucleotide polymorphisms) collected from the contemporary population and 100‐year‐old museum specimens found strong evidence of restricted dispersal at fine spatial scales, with both the contemporary and historic populations exhibiting strong population structuring between mountain and lowland/slopes sites. Additionally, genetic comparison of the contemporary population and historic specimens demonstrated a decline in genetic diversity over the past century. Specifically for the Lord Howe woodhen, we recommend ongoing genetic monitoring and translocations to increase genetic diversity within the re‐established lowland subpopulation. More generally, our results demonstrate how pronounced genetic erosion can arise in species subject to human persecution and predation by introduced predators, and how genetic fragmentation of natural populations can be present at fine geographical scales (less than hundreds of metres). Moreover, without prior information about genetic structure and subsequent genetic monitoring, conservation management can have unexpected negative consequences for the genetic health of populations. Therefore, genetic monitoring and management early in the recovery of populations is desirable to maximize their adaptive potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pampa biome within Brazil is one of South America's most endangered biomes, due to conversion to croplands and use for cattle farming, with very limited coverage by protected areas. We investigated the impacts of (i) human population density, (ii) grassland and (iii) forest cover, (iv) protected areas and (v) mean size of farms on the occurrence patterns of 18 medium‐sized mammal species. We gathered information on the occurrence of these species between 2001 and 2010 from the literature and using unpublished field data from local experts. We obtained 1066 records, varying between 13 and 101 per species. Grassland cover had consistently positive effects on species richness (considering the 18 analyzed species), endangered species (considering 10 species that are endangered or data deficient) and occurrence of five individual species (considering each species separately). Human population density, forest cover and mean size of farms had diverse effects on individual species; however, both forest cover and human population density had positive effects on species richness and endangered species occurrence. For human population density this may result from areas suitable for people being similar to those suitable for many native species. The protected area network of the Pampa biome appeared ineffective at protecting the focal species, with predominantly negative effects on mammal occurrence. This inefficiency is probably related to its minor coverage; only 2.9% of the biome area is under any level of protection and only 0.4% under strict protection. To guarantee the conservation of mammal species in this threatened biome, it is important to protect the last remnants of native vegetation, mainly grasslands, avoiding their conversion into croplands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The successful recovery of imperiled species is dependent on knowledge of how demographic drivers mediate population growth and expansion. One of the largest species restoration projects has been the reintroduction of swift foxes Vulpes velox to southern Canada, where 947 foxes were released between 1983 and 1997. Swift foxes have since increased and expanded their range into northern Montana (USA), but have experienced a population decline and stall in recolonization over the past 10 years. The objective of this study was to estimate the survival and reproductive rates of swift foxes in northern Montana, which constitutes the southern edge of this population. In addition, we evaluated support for two different hypotheses of how environmental factors and several demographic factors influence survival. Although our length of monitoring was relatively short, we found that adult and juvenile annual survival rates were 54% and 74%, respectively, and fecundity was 0.85. We found the most support for the hypothesis that the percentage of native grassland at the 1‐km scale influenced survival and found that survival increased, on average, 2.1% for every 5% increase in grassland. Compared to previous estimates of swift fox population growth immediately following the release, our data suggest the population is currently stable. The long‐term successful recolonization and connectivity of swift fox populations in this region will likely be dependent on maintaining large tracts of contiguous grassland. Comparing the estimates of demographic rates among different points in space and time should help managers better understand the population dynamics and inform restoration strategies for recovering populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European farmland birds show massive large‐scale population declines due to agricultural intensification. Long‐distance migrants are particularly affected as their populations appear to undergo larger declines than those of residents and short‐distance migrants, raising the question about the impact of non‐breeding environmental conditions and their potential impact on annual survival. The whinchat Saxicola rubetra, an Afro‐Palaearctic migrant inhabiting open habitats, has strongly declined over the last decades. Most of the conservation effort for this species has focused on improving the breeding success in Europe, but it remains unclear whether habitat changes in non‐breeding areas may also have contributed to the population declines through a decrease in adult survival. We studied survival of whinchats from eight breeding populations across Europe by analysing capture–recapture data. We found that apparent survival was consistently higher in males than in females and higher in successful than in failed breeders independently of the sex. True adult survival may, however, hardly differ between sexes being about 0.5 and 0.6 and a simple population model suggests true juvenile survival to be between 0.2 and 0.35. Adult survival was unrelated to population trends suggesting that the main demographic problem of the whinchats is likely insufficient reproduction, a feature that is shared with other declining grassland specialists. Finally, in line with results on other migratory farmland species, our study suggests that conservation activities for whinchats should in first place focus on Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat fragmentation changes landscape patterns and can disrupt many important ecological processes. Movement allows individuals to find resource patches to maintain their fitness and habitat fragmentation can disrupt this process. We explored the ecological impact of habitat fragmentation on movement and space use of a specialist folivore, the koala Phascolarctos cinereus. We GPS tracked koala movements within a fragmented agricultural landscape. We calculated the total distance moved across four months and the number of core patches by each koala. We used four metrics (proximity, functional connectivity, clumpiness, perimeter‐to‐area fractal dimension) to quantify landscape fragmentation within koala home ranges and determine its effects on movement and space use. Functional connectivity had the greatest effect on individual movement and space use. Decreasing connectivity led to longer and more direct movements by koalas and more core patches within an individual home range. Our study provides insight into the effects of habitat fragmentation on animal movement and space use, which can be used by wildlife managers to plan and manage landscapes more effectively. We conclude that restoring or protecting resource patches to promote greater functional connectivity will reduce the costs associated with the isolation of resource patches for species occupying fragmented landscapes. By providing a quantitative relationship between habitat connectivity and movement and space use costs, our results enable managers to set restoration targets, by identifying the most effective way to provide the functional connectivity minimizing the negative impact on focal species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring of forest biodiversity and habitats is an important part of forest conservation, but due to the impossible task of monitoring all species, indicator species are frequently used. However, reliance on an incorrect indicator of valuable habitat can reduce the efficiency of conservation efforts. Birds are often used as indicators as they are charismatic, relatively easy to survey, and because we often have knowledge of their habitat and resource requirements. In the Swedish government's environmental quality goals, there are a number of bird species identified as being associated with 'older' and 'high natural value' forests. Here we evaluate the occurrence of four of these indicator species using data from 91 production forest stands and 10 forest reserves in southern Sweden. The bird species assessed are willow tit Poecile montanus, coal tit Periparus ater, European crested tit Lophophanes cristatus and Eurasian treecreeper Certhia familiaris. For the production stands assessed, these indicator species exhibited no significant preferences regarding forest composition and structure, indicating a wider range of habitat associations than expected. These species frequently showed territorial behavior in forest stands <60 and even 40 years of age; much younger than the 120‐year threshold for 'older forest' as defined by governmental environmental goals. As almost 80% of the production stands ≥10 years old included at least one of the four indicator species, this raises questions regarding the suitability of these species as indictors of forests of high conservational value in southern Sweden. Notably, besides the four species assessed here, none of the additional indicator taxa identified by the government, were recorded in the 10 reserves. This outcome may reflect the difficulties involved in finding bird indicator species indicative of high natural values in this region. Our results highlight the importance of coupling bird surveys with quantified assessments of proximate vegetation cover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Projection models are frequently used to identify and evaluate management actions to control or eradicate non‐native species. Integral projection models (IPMs) are an appealing option for many taxa because IPMs can model vital rates as a function of continuous variables, like size, without discretizing into a few classes. Despite their strengths, IPMs have yet to see widespread use in invasive species management. Here, we used an IPM to evaluate management actions for an introduced population of common watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon) recently established in California, USA, where they pose a threat to many highly imperiled native fauna. We developed the IPM using data on the survival, growth and fecundity of native and non‐native populations of N. sipedon to identify management targets that would facilitate its eradication. Population growth of N. sipedon was most sensitive to the growth and survival of snakes during their first year, when they grow from approximately 180 mm snout–vent length (SVL) to 350 mm, providing a clear target for eradication efforts. The IPM also provided finer resolution life‐history information for targeting eradication than a simple size class‐based matrix model. Simulated eradication effort showed funnel trapping, which targets all but the smallest and largest snakes, was more effective at decreasing population growth than hand capture focused on snakes >400 mm SVL. Our study highlights the value of IPMs for targeting eradication of introduced or invasive species, and we argue for wider adoption of these models for evaluating management actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an urgent need for population‐specific trade information for overexploited sharks, as international trade regulations are becoming an important tool for their conservation [i.e., listings on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)]. We tested a genetic stock identification (GSI) workflow to quantify the relative contributions of different source populations of the CITES‐listed scalloped hammerhead shark Sphyrna lewini to international trade hubs for products such as dried fins. We grouped published mitochondrial control region sequences from wild‐captured sharks sampled in 15 locations into 9 differentiated populations that provide broad coverage of the species global distribution. GSI simulations established that these populations are highly identifiable and we trialed this approach to assess the provenance of processed fin trimmings collected randomly from the retail market of Hong Kong, one of the world's largest shark fin trade hubs in 2014–2015 (N = 72). In this pilot survey, we found over 75% of scalloped hammerhead fin trimmings came from two Pacific Ocean populations, but mostly from the Eastern Pacific (61.4%, of all trimmings; se 7.1%) where this species is listed as 'Endangered' under the United States Endangered Species Act. Six of the nine populations were found in this sample of the market, indicating near global sourcing of scalloped hammerhead fins in Hong Kong. We suggest technical and sampling considerations for employing GSI at fin trade hubs in the future to investigate regional sourcing of scalloped hammerheads and other coastal sharks in international trade. Random GSI in trade hubs could revolutionize our understanding of global shark trade dynamics and provide critical information required to effectively implement shark fisheries management and trade restrictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secondary forests dominate some human‐modified tropical biomes, and this is expected to increase via both abandonment of marginal agricultural land as well as forest and landscape restoration programmes. A key question is whether promoting the recovery and protection of secondary tropical forests will return invertebrate functional diversity and associated functional traits. Dung beetles are ideal for assessing functional diversity as they play vital roles in several ecosystem functions, including seed dispersal, nutrient cycling and bioturbation. We examined how taxonomic and functional diversity, and the functional trait composition of native dung beetle species recovers in naturally regenerating secondary forests in comparison to both cattle pastures and primary forest in the Colombian Choco‐Andes, a global hotspot of threatened biodiversity. Using a space‐for‐time approach, we found that taxonomic and functional diversity recovered to levels comparable to primary forest within approximately 30 years of secondary forest regrowth. Functional richness and FD, measures of the diversity of traits present in a community, were similar in secondary and primary forest, but significantly lower in pasture. Rolling dung beetle species were positively associated with forest habitats, particularly primary, while dwelling species were more common in pasture. Thus, the functional trait composition of secondary forests was more similar to primary forest than to pasture. The ability of secondary forests to rapidly accumulate primary‐forest dung beetle functional diversity, and a representative suite of functional traits, provides an opportunity to protect biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, especially in regions where marginal agricultural land allows cost‐effective conservation actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing loss and fragmentation of habitats driving the emerging global extinction crisis, paired with limited resources for conservation, there is an immense need to identify and prioritize the most important areas for conservation actions. The goal of this study was to measure, map and rank core areas and corridors for mainland clouded leopard (a forest indicator species) across its entire range in Southeast Asia. We used an empirically based landscape resistance model developed from range‐wide camera survey data, cumulative resistant kernel analysis to define core areas and least‐cost network analysis to identify corridors for long‐distance dispersal. We then ranked core areas based on their strength and size, and corridors based on their strength and the strength of core areas they connect. We found that the most important core areas and corridors are concentrated in Southeast Asia, largely in Myanmar, Laos and Malaysia. Myanmar contains nearly the entirety of the first and third highest ranked core areas, as well as the most important network of corridors in SE Asia. Almost the entire territory of Laos constitutes one large potential core area, ranked as the second most important across the clouded leopard's range. A large number (22) of very small (<8000 km2) and fairly isolated core areas are in China. Only 24% of clouded leopard core areas and 17% of corridors are protected. This is the first example of using empirical models to prioritize conservation actions across the full range of a large carnivore. Our analysis identifies the location, size and connectivity of the most important remaining habitats of the clouded leopard across its range, which could provide quantitative guidance in the efforts to maximize the efficacy of regional conservation initiatives to conserve this species and the ecosystems it inhabits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The disturbance, damage and destruction of roosts are key drivers of bat population declines worldwide. In countries where bats are protected by law, bat roost surveys are often required to inform ecological impact assessments. Yet, evidence‐based information on survey methodology to detect bat roosts is crucially lacking, and failing to detect a roost can lead to serious errors during decision‐making processes. Here, we assess the efficacy of bat roost surveys in buildings as implemented in the UK. These consist of a daytime inspection of buildings, followed by a series of acoustic surveys at dusk/dawn if during the daytime inspection evidence of bats is found, or if the absence of bats cannot be verified. We reviewed 155 ecological consultants' reports to (1) compare survey outcome between daytime inspection and acoustic surveys and (2) determine the minimum sampling effort required during acoustic surveys to be confident that no bats are roosting within a building. We focused on two genera of bats most frequently found in buildings in Europe – Pipistrellus (crevice roosting species with high‐intensity echolocation calls that can be easily detected by ultrasound detectors) and Plecotus (species that roost in open spaces and which emit faint echolocation calls that are difficult to detect). Daytime inspections were efficient in detecting open‐roosting species such as Plecotus species but were likely to miss the presence of crevice‐dwelling ones (here Pipistrellus species) which may lead to erroneous conclusions if no acoustic surveys are subsequently prescribed to confirm their absence. A minimum of three and four acoustic surveys are required to be 95% confident that a building does not host a roost of Pipistrellus species and Plecotus species, respectively, thus exceeding current recommendations. Overall, we demonstrated that reports submitted as part of an ecological impact assessment provide suitable data to test and improve survey methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote oceanic islands harbour unique biodiversity, especially of species that rely on the marine trophic resources around their breeding islands. Identifying marine areas used by such species is essential to manage and limit processes that threaten these species. The Tristan da Cunha territory in the South Atlantic Ocean hosts several endemic and globally threatened seabirds, and pinnipeds; how they use the waters surrounding the islands must be considered when planning commercial activities. To inform marine management in the Tristan da Cunha Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), we identified statistically significant areas of concentrated activity by collating animal tracking data from nine seabirds and one marine mammal. We first calculated the time that breeding adults of the tracked species spent in 10 × 10 km cells within the EEZ, for each of four seasons to account for temporal variability in space use. By applying a spatial aggregation statistic over these grids for each season, we detected areas that are used more than expected by chance. Most of the activity hotspots were either within 100 km of breeding colonies or were associated with seamounts, being spatially constant across several seasons. Our simple and effective approach highlights important areas for pelagic biodiversity that will benefit conservation planning and marine management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring trends in the occurrence of species over time is important for informing conservation plans and concurrent management actions. Understanding the effectiveness of field methodologies for collecting accurate and precise data is crucial for optimizing allocation of sampling effort and resources. In this study, we compared mammalian species richness and detection probabilities between three field methodologies: line transects, ground camera traps and arboreal camera traps in Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda. Arboreal camera traps may be suitable for monitoring mammal communities with arboreal species, but their relative effectiveness compared to the more common field methods, line transects and ground camera traps, is relatively unknown. Using single‐season occupancy models with multi‐species data and single‐species multi‐method occupancy models, we estimated mammalian species richness and detection probability for each method and combination of methods. In addition, we estimated single‐species occupancy and detection probability by method for six diurnal primate species. And, we tested for the effect of height on a tree on estimated occupancy probability and detection probability for arboreal camera traps. Overall, for all species the combination of ground and arboreal cameras was the most effective methodology in terms of highest estimates of occupancy and detection coupled with highest precision. However, for the six primate species the most effective method differed between species. The height of the arboreal camera trap in the tree did not significantly affect estimates of occupancy or detection. We suggest using all three field methods concurrently to maximize detection of all species; however, if only two methods can be deployed combining arboreal and ground cameras provided the highest and most precise estimates of occupancy and detection. The addition of arboreal camera traps could improve detection of species and improve future species monitoring programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological theory and recent empirical studies show that the persistence of spatially structured populations – those composed of spatially separated local populations connected by dispersal – may require the maintenance of pools of floaters (nonbreeding but sexually mature individuals) that rescue small local populations from extinction by replacing the lost breeders. Regardless of the rescue of local breeding populations, the persistence of spatially structured populations may also depend on sufficient numbers of colonizations that counteract local extinctions. Given their intrinsic potential mobility, floaters have been proposed to promote the persistence of spatially structured populations by enhancing the (re)colonization of empty habitat patches in fragmented habitats. However, robust empirical assessments of this hypothesis are lacking. Using a long‐term woodpecker study in fragmented habitats as a model framework, we addressed the largely neglected hypothesis that floaters enhance the colonization of local patches and, consequently, facilitate the persistence of spatially structured populations. The size of the entire spatially structured system (number of local populations) increased across years due to a slightly higher number of colonizations than extinctions, suggesting that an increase in colonization may enhance the long‐term persistence of this spatially structured population. After controlling for the number of patches occupied in previous years, the number of colonizations was positively related to the number of patches with floaters in previous seasons. Moreover, after controlling for potential confounding factors, patches with floaters were considerably more likely to be colonized in subsequent seasons than patches without floaters (0.079 vs. 0.008). Colonizations were often conducted through inter‐patch dispersal by floaters that established their territory in empty patches after a variable wandering period, which frequently led to delayed breeding beyond the age of sexual maturity. Altogether, these results provide empirical support for the hypothesis of an enhanced colonization mediated by floaters as a buffer mechanism for the long‐term persistence of spatially structured populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emerging fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) is a major threat to amphibian species worldwide with potential to infect many species if it invades salamander biodiversity hotspots in the Americas. Bsal can cause the disease chytridiomycosis, and it is important to assess the risk of Bsal‐induced chytridiomycosis to species in North America. We evaluated the susceptibility to Bsal of the common and widespread spotted salamander, Ambystoma maculatum, across life‐history stages and monitored the effect of Bsal exposure on growth rate and response of the stress hormone, corticosterone. We conclude that spotted salamanders appear resistant to Bsal because they showed no indication of disease or infection, and experienced minor effects on growth upon exposure. While we focused on a single population for this study, results were consistent across conditions of exposure including high or repeated doses of Bsal, life‐stage at exposure, environmental conditions including two temperatures and two substrates, and promoting pathogen infectivity by conditioning Bsal cultures with thyroid hormone. Exposure to high levels of Bsal elicited an acute but not chronic increase in corticosterone in spotted salamanders, and reduced growth. We hypothesize that the early acute increase in corticosterone facilitated mounting an immune response to the pathogen, perhaps through immunoredistribution to the skin, but further study is needed to determine immune responses to Bsal. These results will contribute to development of appropriate Bsal management plans to conserve species at risk of emerging disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Road networks are increasing globally, and as such incur increased pressure on wildlife communities. Large‐scale road expansion and infrastructure development occurring throughout Asia (i.e. Belt and Road Initiative) will affect hundreds of threatened species, leading to an increase in wildlife‐vehicle collisions. However, only a limited number of studies have quantified road mortality within this threatened landscape. To rectify this, we monitored the spatial‐temporal patterns of vertebrate roadkill in the Dong Phayayen‐Khao Yai forest complex, an UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Thailand, considered a refuge for many globally threatened species. We ran 100 standardized road surveys between 2015 and 2017, on a 47.8‐km highway transect currently being expanded, and recorded a total of 1395 casualties from 124 species. After correcting for removal time and detection probability, we estimated an average of 9688 vertebrate mortalities per year. We observed a mortality peak during the dry season for almost all taxonomic groups, due to a combination of high bird and bat mortality events. All taxa showed significant spatial clustering, highlighting high‐risk road sections. We modelled the road and landscape features most likely to lead to higher mortality rates, disentangling small‐scale (250–500 m from road) from large‐scale effects (1000–2500 m). We recorded lower mortality rates and species diversity near forest sites in protected areas, representing either lower crossing events due to habitat quality or an already depleted environment. Spatial analyses provided information on hotspots and landscape factors, which can be used to inform future mitigations at multiple scales throughout the Southeast Asia region. Our study provides a baseline of the direct road impacts on vertebrate species in a tropical biodiversity hotspot, and we suggest that more studies be conducted to fully assess the direct road effects on the many threatened species in this landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human disturbance can have a profound effect on the occurrence and distribution of wildlife. Such disturbance often extends into protected areas (PAs), particularly in countries that have undergone civil strife and lack the institutional capacity to effectively mitigate anthropogenic threats. We demonstrate the first application of a multi‐species hierarchical occupancy model to spatially correlated detections from vehicle‐based spoor transects, estimating species richness and species‐specific drivers of occurrence of a large mammal community comprising five large carnivores [cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), leopard (Panthera pardus), lion (Panthera leo), spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), and wild dog (Lycaon pictus)] and six large herbivores [buffalo (Syncerus caffer), eland (Taurotragus oryx), elephant (Loxodonta africana), giraffe (Giraffa giraffa), roan (Hippotragus equinus), and sable (Hippotragus niger)] in Luengue‐Luiana and Mavinga National Parks, Angola. This area is the largest contiguous national park complex within a single African country and part of the largest transfrontier conservation area in the world, and is still recovering from the effects of civil war. In this post‐war landscape, the most substantive drivers of community‐level occupancy were anthropogenic, with occupancy associated with lower frequency of human sign, proximity to adjacent national park, and distance away from human settlement. In contrast, ecological variables (precipitation, vegetation cover, seasonal water availability) had less explanatory value. Our results highlight the deleterious effects of human incursion into PAs on the richness and distribution of large mammal species, underscoring the need for intensive mitigation of anthropogenic threats (e.g. poaching, bushmeat hunting) to maintain species of high conservation value in areas impacted by war. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the protective measures that have been implemented to increase the productivity of meadow birds, populations are still declining in most breeding and wintering areas. We therefore still do not know how large the protective efforts need to be to curb the decline of the meadow bird populations. By taking advantage of monitoring data from the populations of lapwings in the Netherlands (NL) and one region in Germany [Schleswig‐Holstein (SH)], we investigated the demographic drivers responsible for the decline of the populations and evaluated the impact of protective measures. In these populations, some nests are marked with sticks such that they are not destroyed by farming activity. We analyzed the data with integrated population models and show that average demographic rates were similar in the two populations. Retrospective analyses demonstrated that variation in productivity most strongly impacted population dynamics and that its variation was influenced by the local environments. Our results confirmed that low productivity (0.55 and 0.46 fledglings per pairs in SH and NL, respectively) was the main reason for the decline of the lapwing populations. Productivity of 0.76 (SH) and 0.91 (NL) fledglings per pairs would be required to stabilize the populations. The implemented nest protection had a positive effect on nest success, but did not improve chick survival, and consequently the effect on population growth rates remained insufficient. The population growth rate in NL would increase by only 2% if all nests were protected. Our results suggest that protective measures should prioritize the reduction in predation and the improvement of chick habitat by promoting heterogeneous swards combining tall vegetation for hiding and short and open vegetation for foraging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop effective conservation and management actions, it is important to examine anthropogenic disturbance patterns and their impact on wildlife. We examined variation in the behavioral and physiological stress response of the Critically Endangered Mexican mantled howler monkeys Alouatta palliata mexicana in relation to two types of anthropogenic disturbance, habitat spatial patterns and presence of humans or their livestock (noise and presence nearby primates). We studied four groups (42 individuals) in two forest fragments at the Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve for a total of 1100 observation hours, during which we recorded the howler monkeys' vocalizations, locomotion and vigilance. We additionally collected fecal samples to determine the concentrations of glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCM). Howler monkeys vocalized less and moved more when in more spatially disturbed locations and when exposed more time to nearby noise but spent less time in locomotion when humans were present. fGCM were only related to human presence, suggesting that habitat spatial patterns are less of a challenge than human presence. This may be related to the generally unpredictable nature of the latter. Although our study does not allow determining whether the behavioral and physiological responses of howler monkeys to disturbance are costly, from a conservation standpoint it may be more prudent to assume that they are and design strategies to mitigate them. In this sense, actions aimed at reducing anthropogenic noise could benefit the conservation of Mexican mantled howler monkeys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large‐scale climatic processes such as the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) can have severe effects on the survival of seabirds in their breeding regions. However, there is a fundamental lack of understanding about how environmental factors are related to the mortality of these organisms in non‐breeding areas of the tropics. We investigate here the direct and indirect effects of ENSO and oceanographic variables on the mortality of three migratory seabird species targeted by conservation programmes focused on human impacts: the Atlantic yellow‐nosed albatross Thalassarche chlororhynchos, the Magellanic penguin Spheniscus magellanicus and the Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus in a non‐breeding area in Brazil, tropical Atlantic. We find that the intensification of ENSO increases the mortality of Manx shearwaters by enhancing the local storm activity. The mortality of Atlantic yellow‐nosed albatrosses and Magellanic penguins is also related to a local increase in storm activity but regardless of the ENSO signature. Increased mortality of Magellanic penguins is observed when biological productivity falls below the annual average (1.7 mg m−3). Adverse climatic conditions are highly deleterious for migratory seabirds and single storm episodes can cause massive deaths, thus exacerbating population declines. We argue that conservation and management strategies for migratory seabirds studied here should not only focus on direct human impacts but should also consider mitigating the effects of climate variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), responsible for numerous amphibian declines and extinctions, was previously thought to originate from the African continent. This was based on infected museum specimens from early 20th century South Africa, Cameroon and Uganda. Further research on archived specimens from other continents eventually revealed early 20th century records also in Brazil and Japan. Recent robust analysis of genomic diversity and phylogeny of Bd has shown origin from Asia to be more plausible. This raises the issue that the threat of Bd for African amphibians as a novel pathogen has been underestimated. There are now cases where dramatic amphibian declines in disparate mountains on the continent could be attributed to Bd, and this necessitates an urgent realigning of hypotheses and the research agenda for amphibian conservation on the continent. Notably, hotspots of amphibian host naivety include West Africa where this pathogen has so far not been detected. We discuss research gaps that amphibian conservationists might focus on, notably more genomic sequencing of the BdCAPE (the less virulent) lineage to determine its date of emergence, and assessing the susceptibility of different amphibian species to infection, disease and decline to better prioritize conservation actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildlife repatriation is an important tool to decrease extinction risk for imperiled species, but successful repatriations require significant time, resources and planning. Because repatriations can be long and expensive processes, clear release strategies and monitoring programs are essential to efficiently use resources and evaluate success. However, monitoring can be challenging and surrounded by significant uncertainty, particularly for secretive species with extremely low detection probability. Here, we simulated how alternative repatriation strategies influence repatriation success for the eastern indigo snake Drymarchon couperi, a federally‐Threatened species that is currently being repatriated in Alabama and Florida. Critically, we demonstrate how observed population growth can differ from true population growth when detection probabilities are low and mark‐recapture analyses are not an option. Specifically, we built a stochastic stage‐based population model to predict population growth and extinction risk under different release strategies and use information from ongoing repatriations to predict success and guide future releases. Because D. couperi is difficult to monitor, we modeled how detection probability influenced perceptions of abundance and population growth by monitoring programs. Simulated repatriation strategies releasing older, head‐started snakes in greater abundance and frequency created wild populations with decreased extinction risk relative to scenarios releasing fewer and younger snakes less frequently. Ongoing repatriations currently have a 0.23 (Alabama) and 0.61 (Florida) probability of quasi‐extinction, but extinction risk decreased to 0.07 and 0.10 at sites upon achieving the targeted number of releases. Abundances observed under realistic detection thresholds for D. couperi did not always predict true population growth; specifically, we demonstrate that monitoring programs during repatriations of secretive species may indicate that efforts have been unsuccessful when populations are actually growing. Overall, our modeling framework informs release strategies to maximize repatriation success while demonstrating the need to consider how detection processes influence assessment of success during conservation interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal movement can be significantly altered in human‐dominated landscapes such as urban and peri‐urban areas, where habitat is often fragmented and/or linear. Knowledge regarding how wildlife respond to anthropogenic change is vital for informing conservation efforts in such landscapes, including the design of nature reserves and wildlife corridors. To better understand how threatened species persist and behave within human‐dominated landscapes, we examined the home range and space use of the nationally endangered southern brown bandicoot Isoodon obesulus obesulus in peri‐urban Melbourne, Australia's second‐largest city. Specifically, we examined whether: (1) bandicoots were confined to linear strips of remnant vegetation or also made use of the broader highly modified landscape matrix; (2) the configuration of the linear vegetated strips affected home range shape; and (3) home range area differed between bandicoots living in linear strips and those in larger remnant habitat patches. We found that: (1) 71% of adult males and 33% of adult females used the matrix, but non‐dispersing juveniles were entirely confined to the linear strips; males also travelled greater distances into the matrix (away from the vegetated strips) than females; (2) bandicoots had longer home ranges in narrower strips and males had longer home ranges than females; and (3) home range area for both sexes was smaller in linear strips than has been recorded in other studies in larger remnant habitats. Our study highlights the importance of retaining narrow, fragmented and modified vegetation to accommodate threatened biodiversity within human‐dominated landscapes, but suggests the surrounding matrix may also offer important resources for adaptable species, such as bandicoots. Supporting off‐reserve conservation of biodiversity in novel ecosystems is increasingly pertinent in our rapidly urbanizing world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Translocations are a common conservation and management strategy, but despite their popularity, translocations are a high‐cost endeavor with a history of failures. It is therefore imperative to maximize their success by learning from our collective experience. The Global Re‐introduction Perspectives Series is a collection of conservation translocation case studies, generated by the IUCN's Conservation Translocation Specialist Group, and presented in a structured format with an emphasis on practical information. All 293 animal translocation case studies to date include a section in which the authors list the difficulties they have faced during the translocation project, with over 1200 difficulties described so far. We reviewed all difficulties reported in the series to get insights into the common perceived difficulties faced by wildlife managers during animal translocations. The most reported‐upon problems had to do with animal behavior, followed by monitoring difficulties, lack of funding, quality of release habitat, lack of baseline knowledge and lack of public support. We scrutinized each of these difficulties to highlight future research directions that are most likely to improve translocation success, and put a special emphasis on difficulties stemming from animal behavior, and on solutions that may alleviate these problems and improve conservation translocation success world‐wide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The international fin trade is a major source of mortality for many threatened shark species but most of what it is known about this trade comes from assessments of large fins commanding high prices in trade hubs. There is growing international trade in 'small, low‐value' fins in Southeast Asia, which are used for inexpensive shark fin soup products. These fins could be derived from small species, juveniles of large species, or a combination of both. Resolving the species identification of these small fins has important conservation implications, because large sharks tend to be more vulnerable (VU) to overexploitation than small ones. Here we describe the first species‐specific assessment of the small, low‐value fins in the shark fin retail markets of Hong Kong. A total of 475 randomly collected samples were genetically identified using a portion of the cytochrome oxidase I, revealing at least 29 species. Around a third (34.5%) of the species found are in threatened International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List categories, and 21.2% of the samples were from four species listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The size of the analyzed fins and the species composition found suggests that small fins come from a combination of small (62.9 %) and large (37.1%) species, with the majority of small fins coming from suspected juveniles of large species. We suggest the sources of most of these fins are likely to be multi‐species fisheries in shallow, coastal habitats used by large species and also occupied by small species. Our results represent the first step to better understand the trade in small shark fins on a species‐specific basis and highlight the need for market surveys and increased inspection of this fin category at border control check points for CITES‐listed species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conflicts with humans are one of the main causes of the decline in populations of large carnivores, making it a crucial conservation issue worldwide. In Mexico, jaguar Panthera onca, puma Puma concolor and American black bear Ursus americanus are involved in livestock predation and are persecuted in retaliation. The sites where predation occurs are distributed throughout the country and differ not only in environmental characteristics, but also in social, economic and livestock management practices. However, due to the general focus of the studies carried out so far, the proposed mitigation measures are also general. It is necessary to consider conditions that encourage predation in the design of strategies to be more effective. In this study, environmental, anthropic and livestock management characteristics of livestock predation by large carnivores were analyzed for conflict regionalization. The variables most related to predation sites were identified, with a high percentage of them being livestock management practices. Based on these variables, we formed clusters of similar sites and analyzed their spatial distribution, which presented grouping patterns in the cases of predation by puma and black bear, in contrast to the jaguar clusters, which presented a dispersed distribution. Considering the characteristics of the clusters, we propose as mitigation measures the confinement of livestock, construction or improvement of corrals and improvement of management practices. The anthropic component and livestock management practices are closely related to the predation events and, therefore, their inclusion in the conservation programs of carnivores in Mexico is fundamental. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous protected areas (PAs) have been created worldwide to safeguard wildlife and other natural resources from anthropogenic threats such as habitat destruction and bushmeat hunting. However, conservation efforts in many tropical PAs are still inadequate, revealing deficiencies in management effectiveness. It is therefore important to quantify how different protection regimes impact wildlife within PAs. We investigated the differences between forest mammal communities in two ecologically comparable PAs in the Udzungwa Mountains (Tanzania) with contrasting management regimes. One is a well‐protected national park with efficient law enforcement; the other has suffered decades of inadequate protection, mainly resulting in high levels of illegal hunting. Using camera‐trapping data, we assessed the target communities in terms of species richness, functional composition (i.e. proportions of trophic guilds) and species‐specific occurrences, all while accounting for imperfect detection. We found striking differences between the two mammal communities: lower species richness, alteration in the trophic structure and reduced occurrence probabilities for most species in the forest with high disturbance. The difference in occurrence probability between the two PAs tended to be highest for larger‐bodied species. Our results show that strictly enforced legal protection is required to maintain diverse mammal communities in tropical forests under ever‐increasing anthropogenic threats. While PAs are the cornerstone of efforts to conserve tropical biodiversity, the future of biodiversity within them is closely tied to the effectiveness of enforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proportion of the Earth's surface that experiences a naturally dark environment at night is rapidly declining with the introduction of artificial light. Biological impacts of this change have been documented from genes to ecosystems, and for a wide diversity of environments and organisms. The likely severity of these impacts depends heavily on the relationship between the distribution of artificial night‐time lighting and biodiversity. Here, we carry out a global assessment of the overlap between areas of conservation priority and the most recent atlas of artificial skyglow. We show that of the world's Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs), less than a third have completely pristine night‐time skies, about a half lie entirely under artificially bright skies and only about a fifth contain no area in which night‐time skies are not polluted to the zenith. The extent of light pollution of KBAs varies by region, affecting the greatest proportion of KBAs in Europe and the Middle East. Statistical modelling revealed associations between light pollution within KBAs and associated levels of both gross domestic product and human population density. This suggests that these patterns will worsen with continued economic development and growth in the human population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Read the Feature Paper: Significant reductions in mortality of threatened seabirds in a South African trawl fishery and the Commentaries on this Feature Paper: Minimizing seabird by‐catch in industrial fisheries; Challenges in seabird by‐catch mitigation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article "Is the Historical War Against Wildlife Over in Southern Europe" by A. Martinez Abrain, J. Crespo and J. Jiménez is presented.

As the human footprint expands in rapidly developing tropical Asia, frontier landscapes are converted into agriculture and settlements, escalating human-wildlife conflicts. Since most of the global Asian elephant population occupies human-dominated landscapes (e.g. Fernando I et al i . 2021), it seems fair to argue that people's willingness to coexist with elephants (i.e. I tolerance i ) is the most influential factor for Asian elephant survival in the 21st century. Asian elephants will only survive where people tolerate them Fernando & Pastorini (2021) make a fundamentally important point when they say that Asian elephants' survival in human-dominated landscapes is mostly determined by people's actions, not habitat characteristics, which we completely agree with. [Extracted from the article]

The article offers the author's insights on the study regarding the eradication of mammalian predators that were introduced to seabirds on islands. Topics mentioned include the demonstration on the effectiveness of the eradication, the consider on the ethical and acceptable killing of animals for other animals to live, and the address on animal distress that are experienced by target species.