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The sole home for the iconic Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris), the Sundarbans mangrove forest, is now confronting multi-layered threats. This paper aims to analyse the existing integration approaches to conserve the invaluable wild species of the Sundarbans mangrove forest and critically evaluate the pragmatism and challenges of the integration approaches, such as in-situ and ex-situ methods, and the role of development partners, which include non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other actors. This study finds that tree cover substantially increased by only 4% in the Sundarbans mangrove forest, whereas various forms of mangrove forest degradation are prevalent. The vulnerability of the wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, captive breeding centres, Ecologically Critical Areas (ECAs), eco-parks, and wildlife and game reserves also raises questions regarding the preservation of wild species. Yet, many local and foreign-run NGOs are launching numerous projects to conserve the Sundarbans mangrove forest and improve the livelihood of coastal forest-reliant communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empty but suitable habitat exists for many of the world's terrestrial large carnivores, yet reintroductions are often considered difficult. In the Russian Far East, orphaned Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) cubs were brought into captivity but prepared for re‐release into the wild. We addressed 2 questions after reintroduction: 1) were individuals raised in captivity capable of killing prey at a rate sufficient to survive, and 2) did individuals avoid use of domestic animals as a primary source of food? We collected data on hunting behavior of 6 orphaned tigers re‐released into their indigenous range, and compared kill composition, kill rate, and consumption rate to individuals studied within the existing range (Sikhote‐Alin) of Amur tigers. Prey composition of rehabilitated tigers varied from that of the Sikhote‐Alin tigers, but composition of major food groups was nearly identical. Kill rate of rehabilitated tigers was higher and prey size was smaller than that of Sikhote‐Alin tigers, but consumption rates were nearly identical. One young male tiger depredated domestic animals, but other individuals only rarely preyed on dogs or cattle they encountered in forests. We documented high survival, reproduction, and recruitment of re‐released individuals. These results indicate that tigers held in captivity during the majority of their early lives can survive in the wild, so long as exposure to humans is kept to a minimum and individuals learn to hunt wild prey before release. Results provide a potential framework for reintroductions of tigers and other large felids across the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus♀ × Epinephelus lanceolatus ♂) are an essential species in marine aquaculture. However, they are susceptible to high temperatures, which can reduce disease resistance, slow growth rates, and decrease production efficiency, resulting in significant economic losses. This study aims to investigate the differences in heat tolerance between hybrid grouper and their parental species, tiger grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus) and giant grouper (E. lanceolatus), and to identify heat stress-related signaling pathways and key genes. Through controlled temperature experiments, we measured the physiological and biochemical parameters of serum (ACP, AKP, TG, COR) and liver (HSP70, HSP90, SOD, CAT) in pearl gentian grouper and their parents, followed by liver transcriptome analysis of the three grouper species. The results showed that the lethal temperature of tiger grouper is 41°C, and the lethal temperature of hybrid tiger grouper and saddle grouper is 40°C. Significant changes in antioxidant and heat stress-related indicators were observed in the early stages of stress. Comparative analysis of DEGs related to heat tolerance between pearl gentian grouper and their parents revealed common DEGs including the hsp family, danaj family, slc family, pnpla2 , magot , actalb , and prodh. Among these, the gene expression trends in hybrids were similar to those of their maternal parent and varied between the same or opposite trends compared to those of their paternal parent. These findings suggest that the hybrids inherit heat regulation genes from both parents, with a higher proportion from the maternal parent, which likely explains their intermediate heat tolerance. This research provides insights into the potential relationship between heat tolerance in pearl gentian grouper and their parents and identifies key genetic information affecting heat tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protected areas and biological corridors play a crucial role in conserving biodiversity and promoting connectivity between habitat patches. Bhutan, known as a stronghold for tigers (Panthera tigris), has dedicated a significant portion of its land to a network of protected areas and biological corridors. However, these areas face risks from illegal activities, posing challenges for their management. To address this, the Department of Forests & Park Services in Bhutan deployed an adaptive management framework, informed by the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool in 2016 in the Divisional Forest Office, Sarpang, an important corridor area outside of official protected area boundaries. This study analyses 5 years of data (2017–2021) recorded through a monitoring tool to assess changes in ranger activities and on‐ground observations. The results show improved data availability, increased patrol effort, enhanced monitoring of wildlife, and a reduction in threat detection over time. Furthermore, camera trap surveys targeting tigers reveal a potential increase in the number of individual tigers utilizing the corridor since the adoption of the tool and other management actions. These findings highlight the effectiveness of these efforts in a critical wildlife corridor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the species of shark responsible for a bite on humans is both complex and important for understanding and managing the shark risk. Depending on the species, tiny teeth may or may not be present in the symphyseal space at the junction of the upper and lower half‐jaws. In the case of bites, these tiny teeth (if present) often leave specific marks that may enable species to be quickly and reliably distinguished. We first present the anatomo‐morphological characteristics of the jaws of the three most traumatogenic species for humans which are the white, tiger, and bull sharks. The white shark has no symphyseal teeth, while the tiger and bull sharks do. On the basis of three confirmed real case studies involving those species, we then show that for the white shark, the wide symphyseal space between the first two teeth of each jaw usually leads to wounds including the presence of (quite) large flesh flaps, without any tooth imprint. Conversely, wounds following bites made by the tiger and bull sharks will generally leave characteristic small imprints of symphyseal teeth, especially in the case of incomplete or superficial bites. Although not systematic, this diagnostic approach provides fast, reliable, and clean results. The discrimination between two species with symphyseal teeth can then be made on the basis of complementary anatomic information such as jaw curvature and details linked to the anatomy of the teeth themselves, as well as the ecological context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Thailand, tigers are more numerous in captivity than they are in the wild, with 51 facilities housing approximately 1962 tigers. As charismatic fauna, tigers are popular with tourists, and the majority of facilities offer a variety of entertainment activities with controversial reports towards the animals' welfare. The aim of this research was to investigate tiger welfare in Thai zoos to identify specific welfare issues. We assessed 34 tourism facilities holding tigers in Thailand in 2019 using a 25‐point welfare assessment that utilizes the Five Domain model (incorporating all five domains: nutrition, physical environment, health, behavioural interactions and mental state). The mental domain score was derived from the scores of the other four domains. Additional data were collected from each facility, including the number of tigers, any colour variants, types of human interaction and admission cost. Welfare scores for each domain were calculated by totalling the scores per domain and dividing by the number of points allocated to that domain. A multiple regression was used to identify any significant predictors of mental domain score. The results revealed that the provision of a suitable physical environment scored the lowest, while nutrition scored the highest though this was still a low score overall. The multiple regression showed that 45.4% of the variance for the mental domain score was significantly affected by the number of colour variants housed and the types of human interaction available with facilities, with more of both these factors contributing to a more negative score. Our results demonstrate the need for urgent, comprehensive infrastructural, species‐appropriate environment and design and animal management improvements to increase animal welfare. Informed institutional change toward the breeding and use of tigers for public interactions is also required. This is the first assessment completed of captive tiger welfare of tiger facilities in Thailand and shows that the welfare concerns encountered are within a high proportion (67%) of Thailand's facilities. This supports the need for the creation and enforcement of effective and clear captive wildlife operational standards to provide a sustained solution for captive tiger welfare and can provide a considered approach to ex‐situ tiger management that, in conjunction with in‐situ efforts, can improve much needed conservation efforts of this species. Summary: Physical environment impacted welfare scores the most.Increased numbers of colour variants and entertainment level decreases mental state score.Priority to improve species‐appropriate environment and design for captive tigers in Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park (NCTLNP) is a critical habitat for the endangered Amur tiger and Amur leopard, making it a global biodiversity hotspot. This study explores how changes in landscape patterns have influenced habitat quality in the park, aiming to develop strategies for enhancing biodiversity conservation and ensuring the park's long-term sustainability. From 2012 to 2017, habitat quality in the NCTLNP experienced a significant decline; however, the launch of the national park pilot program in 2017 resulted in improvements, particularly in core protected areas, where habitat quality increased and landscape fragmentation decreased. These findings indicate that the national park initiative reduced the degradation of habitat quality. Key landscape metrics, especially the Shannon Diversity Index (SHDI), were found to significantly affect habitat quality. Additionally, the interaction between SHDI and landscape contagion (CONTAG) played a pivotal role in shaping habitat quality over time. Areas with high SHDI and low CONTAG showed declines in habitat quality, pointing to the need for focused conservation efforts. This study offers valuable insights for policymakers seeking to improve habitat quality through targeted landscape management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large carnivores play a crucial role in trophic cascades, affecting the population dynamics of both co‐predators and prey within an ecosystem. Understanding the significance of these carnivores in trophic interactions is essential for developing effective conservation and management strategies. We examined the effects of occupancy dynamics and patterns of species interactions and coexistence within the carnivore guild in the Panna Tiger Reserve in India. We collected camera trap data (two seasons, 2019) in a presence–absence framework and applied multispecies occupancy models to assess the occupancy, co‐occurrence, and interactions among species. We also examined activity overlap to understand the temporal segregation in the carnivore guild. The mean marginal occupancy was highest for leopards in winter (Ψwinter 0.92 ± 0.02, Ψsummer 0.63 ± 0.05) and hyenas in summer (Ψsummer 0.93 ± 0.03, Ψwinter 0.78 ± 0.03) and was lowest for tigers in both seasons (Ψwinter 0.62 ± 0.05, Ψsummer 0.15 ± 0.05). Co‐occurrence probability among carnivores was higher in winter than in summer, and conditional occupancy was consistently higher when other species were present. Different environmental factors influenced marginal occupancy and co‐occurrence patterns across seasons. Strong temporal overlaps were recorded between tiger–leopard (0.87–0.91) and tiger–hyena (0.78–0.79). We detected a significant spatial segregation between tigers and leopards, as they prefer different habitat types in different seasons, along with high temporal overlap. Resource availability strongly governs the association of carnivores with their habitat selection. Hyenas demonstrated higher dependency on tigers than on leopards for resources. These findings indicate that coexistence with apex‐predator species is feasible through strategic adaptation to fulfill resource requisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The editorial in Frontiers in Immunology explores the role of toll-like receptors (TLRs) in viral infection and inflammation, focusing on their impact on the immune response against viral pathogens. It also discusses TLR signaling pathways, macrophage tolerance, lectins as TLR agonists, and sex-specific immune responses in acute inflammatory diseases. The document also provides a detailed analysis of genetic markers and chromosomal structures in various species within the Felidae, Canidae, and Mustelidae families, along with information on accelerated calciprotein crystallization time and impaired lung diffusion capacity in systemic sclerosis patients. Additionally, it lists various species of animals and the number of individuals observed in each species. [Extracted from the article]

Conservation of threatened species is dependent on consistent population monitoring. We present the first status assessment of critically endangered Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae) and their prey in the Ulu Masen Ecosystem, Aceh, Indonesia. Our estimates of tiger habitat use are the first reported for a Sumatran ecosystem unprotected at the national level. During 6,732 trap nights accumulated over 23 months of camera-trap monitoring in 2020 and 2022, tigers were detected 39 times at 16 of the 52 stations. We identified 11 individual tigers but sex ratios were highly skewed: 8 males, 1 female, and 2 individuals of unknown sex. Cubs were not photographed either year and we did not observe evidence of tiger reproduction. Tiger habitat use (Ѱ = 0.52, SE = 0.15) was negatively influenced by human disturbance and positively influenced by elevation but those associations were not significant. Our study documents a widespread prey base but uncovers demographic characteristics of tigers indicative of heavy poaching pressures. We conclude that tiger-targeted protection is urgently needed to ensure the species' persistence in Ulu Masen which, together with the adjacent Leuser Ecosystem, represents the largest contiguous tiger conservation landscape remaining in Sumatra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large carnivores play a crucial role in the ecosystem, though their conservation needs a landscape-level approach due to their wide range of habitats and dispersal events. The study of tigers in a human-dominated landscape matrix and their adaptation and adjustment of movement behaviours during the dispersal phase is essential for long-term conservation planning and management policy. We studied the dispersal event of five VHF/GPS collared individuals during 2009–2020. We investigated movement parameters (step length), and the effects of anthropogenic pressures (distance from village), distance from water and vegetation cover, on behavioural phase under a Hidden Markov Model framework. We also tested the effects of distance from village, vegetation cover, and habitat types on animal movement using an integrated Step Selection Function framework. The mean step length (405.44±10.63 m/hr) varied widely by different time of day. Displacement was high during the night (665.28±21.36 m/hr) compared to day (434.16±17.37 m/hr). Tigers moved fast (872.7m; 95% CI 839.1–906.3m) with longer step length and a directional turning angle in non-forested areas (i.e. the human-dominated landscape), likely to avoid conflict with humans. Individuals distinctly exhibited two behavioural states: encamping (~32% of the time) and travelling (~68% of the time). Further, they avoided the human-dominated landscape and mostly remained in and forested areas, especially during nighttime. Our study is the first attempt to understand behavioural transition of dispersal tigers and their habitat selection. Lesser anthropogenic disturbance and high vegetation cover positively influenced the tiger dispersal, while water availability did not affect their state transitional probability. Additionally, dispersers showed high affinity towards forested land during nighttime for travelling.The findings of this study show the importance of functional corridors and stepping stones (mostly encamping areas), and also provide baseline knowledge for integrated landscape management planning and policymaking for the long-term survival of tigers in metapopulation framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conserving mammal community stability in forest ecosystems is an urgent challenge in the face of global biodiversity threats and complex trophic interaction. However, understanding of the stability of mammal communities and targeted functional groups is still limited, hindering adaptive strategy development. We collected 210 120 camera trap photos across 5897 km2 within the Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) range in China's natural forests. We decomposed stability into compensatory effects, statistical-averaging effects and population stability. Using structural equation modelling, we explored the impact of external factors, species diversity and vertical effects on the stability of the community and of four functional groups. As external factors, primary productivity increased the stability of top predators, while precipitation had inconsistent effects. Horizontal diversity (richness and evenness) positively impacted community stability. However, the vertical structure of the community, including trophic-level richness and functional groups' compensatory dynamics, were the largest drivers for maintaining community stability. Horizontal diversity within functional groups and the diversity or biomass of their food resources/consumers both influenced the stability of functional groups. Our results recognize the importance of conserving and even re-establishing vertical trophic structures in forest communities. Acknowledging multiple levels of stability, from functional groups to communities, is an indispensable step for effective conservation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the use of tiger imagery in literature during the late sixteenth century, focusing on the "Tale of Hemetes the Heremyte." The author argues that the transformation of a woman into a tiger in this text represents female agency and autonomy, challenging traditional associations. The tiger is seen as a symbol of power and awe, and its use in literature, including Shakespeare's plays, explores gender roles and expectations. The author suggests that studying these empowered tiger figures could provide insight into the relationship between femininity, animality, and the uncanny in early modern literature. [Extracted from the article]

The history of Panthera throughout Asia is dependent on a very scant fossil record. Dominating Asia in the Holocene, Pleistocene Panthera fossils have often been attributed to Panthera tigris. However, newer finds suggest that there was more than just P. tigris in Pleistocene Asia. Rather, species previously thought to be only from western Eurasia have been uncovered in South and East Asia, including Panthera spelaea and Panthera gombaszogensis. Therefore, re-evaluation of the fossil Panthera from Pleistocene Sunda is indicated. A partial mandible from Kedung Brubus (MIS 20–15) shows characteristics distinct from both contemporary Pleistocene P. tigris and Holocene Sunda populations. Rather, this specimen shows strong affinities with the Eurasian P. gombaszogensis. The Kedung Brubus mandible therefore provides the first evidence for the presence of P. gombaszogensis in Middle Pleistocene Sunda, becoming extinct some time after the arrival of P. tigris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The individual identification of Amur tiger（Panthera tigris altaica)，as the world’s largest Felidae animal and an endangered species, is a key step in answering many major questions in evolutionary biology. Although traditional methods such as iris and DNA analysis have been proposed for individual identification of the Amur tiger, these methods face challenges in remote acquisition and sample collection, and heavily rely on manual identification. With the development of computer vision technology, deep learning has become a powerful tool for animal individual recognition. In this study, a deep learning based approach was used for individual identification of the Amur tiger. We collected surveillance video images of 20 individual Amur tigers in the Heilongjiang Siberian Tiger Park and used the Mask R-CNN algorithm to automatically detect and segment the feature proposals in each image to construct the Amur tiger stripe dataset (ATSD). On the basis of this dataset, multiple classification networks based on CNN and Transformer were applied independently to identify individuals of Amur tigers. The results showed that the Transformer based classification network had a better performance on identification of Amur tiger stripes, with an accurate rate of 91. 49%. This method has good applicability to complex environments under reduced shooting conditions, and has the potential to expand ecological investigation and non-invasive sampling design, providing technical support for wildlife protection and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amur tiger（Panthera tigris altaica）is the flagship species for global biodiversity conservation. The tiger is susceptible to the viruses that can infect domestic cats, but the epidemiological data on the virus diseases of Amur tiger are exceedingly limited. Infection with Feline coronavirus (FCoV) usually causes general diarrhea in Felidae animals, while severe cases can present as highly pathogenic and lethal Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). The nested PCR method was used to detect FCoV in six whole blood samples of Amur tiger from Siberian Tiger Park in Heilongjiang Province. The results showed that two samples were positive（H-11-1241, H-11-1310), and the positive rate was 33. 3%. The homology be⁃ tween the obtained PCR fragments and other reference strains was 99. 3% - 100. 0%. The results enrich the epidemiological data of FCoV in captive Amur tigers, provided reference for FCoV monitoring of other captive felines, and have great significance to the protection and breeding of wild felines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human fatalities and injury from wildlife attacks often result in a negative attitude toward conservation. This research was undertaken to investigate the patterns and conflict‐causing factors of human killing and injury by large mammals, especially by Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), common leopard (Panthera pardus), and Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) in the Bardia—Banke Complex of western Nepal. We collected human death and injury records caused by wildlife in the Bardia—Banke Complex between 2019 and 2023, based on relief applications submitted by the victim's family. Additionally, camera trap monitoring was conducted following incidents of human–tiger and human–leopard conflicts. A total of 76 incidents involving human casualties and injuries were considered for analysis. Incidents of livestock depredation, crop raiding, and property damage were excluded from the analysis. Most of the attacks on humans were caused by tigers (75%), followed by elephants (16%) and leopards (9%). Almost all incidents occurred in daytime (97%). The highest number of conflicts were recorded in 2021, with 20 incidents. Most of the cases (84%) occurred within 1 km of forest edge. Khata corridor and the western side of the Bardia National Park, i.e., Karnali River corridor, were identified as high‐conflict areas. The primary causes of the conflict manifested in cattle grazing (28%), grass cutting (28%), firewood collection (11%), fishing (8%), vegetable collection (5%), sand collection (4%), during rescuing friends (3%), grazing captive elephants (3%), highway rides (3%), sleeping in Chaupadi Goth (3%), walking nearby forest areas (3%), playing nearby forest areas (1%), while feeding pig (1%), and working in agricultural lands (1%). To promote human–wildlife coexistence, community‐based patrols (33%), habitat restoration (26%), electric fencing (26%), and insurance (7%) were identified as the preferred strategies. Therefore, we recommend that stakeholders and concerned bodies increase awareness among local community about the use of forest resources, wildlife behavior, and human–wildlife conflict mitigation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing habitat connectivity is a key strategy for conserving endangered species in anthropogenic landscapes. However, connectivity planning often overlooks the crucial energetic costs to animals of traversing complex terrains. We applied a novel approach for estimating energy costs of movement for tigers – a globally endangered species. We used those estimates to calculate landscape connectivity for these animals across the extreme altitudinal gradient of Nepal, where recent sightings of tigers at higher elevations (~3200 m) suggest an upward range expansion from the tiger‐rich lowlands. To evaluate our estimates, we simulated tiger routes to higher‐elevation locations and compared modeled energy costs of those ascents to those derived from a previous model calibrated with data from GPS‐collared tigers in Russia. In areas below 3200 m, we found about 7.5 times greater land areas with high connectivity outside protected areas (~51 000 km2) than inside (~6800 km2). However, most of the highly connected areas below 3200 m consist of croplands (56%). Importantly, community‐managed forests, which spanned the altitudinal gradient, tended to include areas with moderate levels of connectivity. Our estimates of energy costs and those from Russia showed a strong consensus (ρ = 0.70, P < 0.05), with ours better capturing the higher energy costs of traversing mountains and of very large total ascents. Our results show that while barriers to tiger movement across Nepal are ubiquitous, other effective area‐based conservation measures (OECMs), like community‐managed forests, can play prominent roles in promoting tiger habitat connectivity while minimizing human–tiger conflict across anthropogenic landscapes. Our results also underscore the utility of integrating first principles of energy efficiency into connectivity analyses and planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boesenbergia kalakadensis (Zingiberaceae), a new species from Kalakad‐Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR), Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu, India is described and illustrated. Boesenbergia kalakadensis is closely allied to B. rotunda Mansf., and B. tiliifolia (Baker) Kuntze, but differs from them in its rhizome, leaves, inflorescence, length of flowers, glabrous nature of bract and bracteoles, length of calyx and corolla tube, size and shape of the corolla lobes, size, colour and margins of lateral staminodes, broader, orbicular, flat labellum, sessile, glandular hairy, crested anther, and length of style. A key to species of Boesenbergia in Peninsular India is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the first record of mutual allogrooming in free-ranging wild northern red muntjac (Muntiacus vaginalis) from dense tropical forests of Similipal Tiger Reserve, Odisha, India. This observation is similar to reciprocal allogrooming behaviour between social partners, reported only in Impala (Aepyceros melampus) in free-ranging conditions. We video-recorded cooperative allogrooming between two female (one adult and another juvenile) northern red muntjacs. Behavioural quantification suggests that although both individuals exchanged equal numbers of grooming bouts, the adult female received a greater share of grooming time and episodes, respectively. The time spent on grooming as well as the number of tongue strokes delivered were found to be negatively correlated between the two individuals. The grooming pattern could possibly be attributed to kin selection and detailed work is required to understand this behaviour in this poorly-studied primitive deer. Our record indicates the possible existence of cooperative allogrooming in other ungulates of the Order Artiodactyla. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kampar Peninsula, spanning approximately 735,091 hectares, is critical for its carbon reserves and biodiversity, including the endangered Sumatran tiger. However, nearly half of the 4 million hectares of peat swamp in the region is deforested, drained, decomposing, or burning, largely due to settlements and development projects. This research employs a mixed-method approach, using quantitative spatial analysis of Landsat imagery from 1990 to 2020 based on the Spectral Mixture Analysis (SMA) model to detect forest disturbances and classify land cover changes, utilizing the Normalized Difference Fraction Index (NDFI). Ground truthing validates the image interpretation with field conditions. Additionally, qualitative analysis through interviews and regulatory review examines spatial change trends, context, and driving factors. The result showed, over 30 years, that natural forest in the Kampar Peninsula decreased significantly from 723,895.30 hectares in 1990 to 433,395.20 hectares in 2020. The primary factors driving land use changes include the construction of access roads by oil companies in 1975, leading to extensive deforestation, and government policies during the New Order period that issued forest exploitation concessions and promoted transmigration programs, resulting in widespread establishment of oil palm and acacia plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genomic studies of endangered species have primarily focused on describing diversity patterns and resolving phylogenetic relationships, with the overarching goal of informing conservation efforts. However, few studies have investigated genomic diversity housed in captive populations. For tigers (Panthera tigris), captive individuals vastly outnumber those in the wild, but their diversity remains largely unexplored. Privately owned captive tiger populations have remained an enigma in the conservation community, with some believing that these individuals are severely inbred, while others believe they may be a source of now-extinct diversity. Here, we present a large-scale genetic study of the private (non-zoo) captive tiger population in the United States, also known as "Generic" tigers. We find that the Generic tiger population has an admixture fingerprint comprising all six extant wild tiger subspecies. Of the 138 Generic individuals sequenced for the purpose of this study, no individual had ancestry from only one subspecies. We show that the Generic tiger population has a comparable amount of genetic diversity relative to most wild subspecies, few private variants, and fewer deleterious mutations. We observe inbreeding coefficients similar to wild populations, although there are some individuals within both the Generic and wild populations that are substantially inbred. Additionally, we develop a reference panel for tigers that can be used with imputation to accurately distinguish individuals and assign ancestry with ultralow coverage (0.25×) data. By providing a cost-effective alternative to whole-genome sequencing (WGS), the reference panel provides a resource to assist in tiger conservation efforts for both ex-and in situ populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tiger sharks are apex predators with a circumglobal tropical and warm-temperate distribution, with a general lack of population data for the central Indian Ocean. In Fuvahmulah, Maldives, tiger sharks display frequent use of the harbour area, attracted by discarded fish waste. Here, we document the population structure, residency, and reproductive characteristics of the world's largest known tiger shark aggregation in a geographically-restricted area. Using non-invasive methods, photo identification and laser photogrammetry, we identified 239 individual tiger sharks over a 7-year study period. The aggregation was female-dominated (84.5%), with both large juveniles and adults present. Adult females were resighted over the entire study period displaying strong inter- and intra-annual site fidelity. Modelled residency using maximum likelihood methods suggests they spent 60.7 ± S.E. 7.5 days in Fuvahmulah, with a larger aggregation size, shorter residence periods and longer absence periods compared to juvenile females. Prolonged abdominal distensions of adult females indicate they likely stay near Fuvahmulah during gestation and reproduce biennially. Fuvahmulah seems to provide suitable conditions for gestation given the year-round provision of food and warm waters, exhibited by strong site fidelity and temporal residency. Our results show indications of a thriving population within the confines of protected waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first photographic evidence of a leucistic Sloth Bear from Panna Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, was obtained during a camera trapping survey conducted during 2019-2021. Despite the wide distribution of Sloth Bears in the Indian sub-continent, leucism is extremely rare to find. This record evokes the need for scientific reporting of such encounters and further research on the causal factors of leucism with respect to the species' ecological and conservation implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important challenge for large carnivore conservation is negative human-wildlife interaction. Livestock depredation by carnivores is one important aspect of this negative interaction. Hence, it is critical to understand the extent of livestock depredation by large carnivores through their diet profiles and feeding habits for managing and strategizing conservation measures. We investigated the food habits and dietary patterns of two large sympatric carnivores, the Tiger Panthera tigris and the Leopard Panthera pardus based on scat samples collected in wildlife corridors outside protected areas (PAs) in the Indo-Nepal transboundary and Corbett landscape in Uttarakhand, India. The frequency of occurrence of prey items in the scat samples was used to estimate the relative prey biomass and number of preys consumed by the Tigers and Leopards using a generalised biomass model. Scat analysis revealed the presence of mainly wild prey species, encompassing 12 species in tiger scat and 14 species in Leopard scat. The results show that Tigers and Leopards primarily depend on medium-sized prey, with relative prey biomass consumption of 53% and 60%, respectively. Tigers preyed most frequently on Wild Boar Sus scrofa, followed by Spotted Deer Axis axis, and Leopards preyed mostly on Spotted Deer, followed by Wild Boar. The relative biomass of livestock species in Tiger and Leopard diets is 14.2% and 15.7%, respectively. Dietary overlap between Tiger and Leopard was high, with the Leopard exhibiting a broader dietary niche breadth than the Tiger. Augmenting wild prey population through habitat improvement and protection outside PAs can significantly limit human-large carnivore conflict by decreasing livestock contribution in their diet. Studies on dietary habits need to expand to wildlife corridors and outside PAs in human-dominated landscapes to understand the ecological dynamics of human-wildlife negative interaction for future conservation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The establishment of fibroblast lines enables several applications from the formation of biobanks for the conservation of biodiversity to the use of these cells in physiological and toxicological assays. Considered a species vulnerable to extinction, the characterization of fibroblastic lines of northern tiger cat would contribute to its conservation. Therefore, we established and characterized fibroblasts derived from northern tiger cat during extended passage (third, seventh, and eleventh passages) and cryopreservation with regard to the morphology, viability, apoptotic classification, metabolism, proliferative activity, and oxidative stress by reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm). Initially, we identified four dermal fibroblast lines by morphology, immunophenotyping, and karyotyping assays. In vitro culture after the third, seventh, and eleventh passages did not affect the viability, apoptotic classification, and ROS levels. Nevertheless, cells at seventh and eleventh passages featured a reduction in metabolism and an alteration in ΔΨm when compared to third passage cells. Additionally, cells at eleventh passage showed changes in the proliferative activity and morphology when compared to other passages. Regarding cryopreservation, no effect was observed on cryopreserved cells for morphology, viability, apoptotic classification, metabolism, and proliferative activity. Nevertheless, cryopreserved cells had alteration for ROS levels and ΔΨm. In summary, fibroblasts from northern tiger cat were affected by extended passage (seventh and eleventh passages) and cryopreservation. Adjustments to the in vitro culture and cryopreservation are necessary to reduce cellular oxidative stress caused by in vitro conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modern zoo relies on the persistence of genetically and physiologically healthy populations of endangered species, which is enabled through breeding programmes globally and regionally. Many species commonly held in zoos are poorly studied in the wild, leading to a lack of in-depth knowledge surrounding breeding behaviours and subsequent parental behaviours and early life development of young. Knowledge of this information is critical to make informed management decisions which promote successful rearing of young in zoos. While the critically endangered Sumatran tiger is popular in zoos, rates of cub survival in the first 5 months are lower than 50%, highlighting the need for scientific evidence driving management decisions. This study monitors nursing and cub grooming behaviours in a first-time mother Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) and her cubs throughout four stages of cub development. The social proximity of cubs and dam were recorded to describe social interactions within the group throughout cub aging. A series of Friedman tests and post-hoc tests found significant decreases in both cub grooming (c2 (3, N = 96) = 14.20, p < 0.01) and nursing (c2 (3, N = 96) = 25.77, p < 0.001) behaviours between the birth and weaning of the cubs, as well as within different phases of cub development between those times. Cub-to-cub proximity was maintained from birth to weaning, with cubs spending significant amounts of time in close proximity (within one adult body length) of each other (c2 (3, N = 96) = 15.231, p = 0.001) throughout the study. The dam was found to spend significantly less time with the cubs as they reached weaning age (c2 (3, N = 96) = 27.88, p < 0.001). These results are thought to be the first of their kind to detail timings of cub development and early life socialisation, providing evidence for timing of first food provision to young and promote the provision of space for the dam to spend time away from the cubs, while allowing the cubs to become confident, mobile, and independent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lévy based Phrynosoma douglassii inspired optimization (LPD) algorithm, Alashan wapiti optimization (AWO) algorithm, Forest Pony Optimization (FPO) algorithm and Panthera Tigris corbetti optimization (PTC) algorithm are applied to solve the true power loss reduction problem. Camouflage, colour changing, blood spouting and squirt out protection methods of Phrynosoma douglassii are scientifically formulated in the LPD algorithm. Due to Camouflage action, Phrynosoma douglassii alter its body colorant by flattering luminous to evade exposure to the predators. AWO algorithm is formulated based on the natural breeding procedure of Alashan wapiti. There are dual key breeding periods for Alashan wapiti. In the rutting season Alashan wapiti herd alienated into dissimilar folks of numerous proportions. FP algorithm replicates the foraging area nearby Forest Pony with coefficient and scientific execution of foraging. Forest Ponies from upper layer of the organized matrix are designated as Alpha cluster of Forest Ponies. In PTC, during initial period, the location of population associates is rationalized grounded on picking and bout on the prey. This period sources abrupt and widespread vicissitudes in the location of population associates, and as a consequence, it upsurges the aptitude of the global examination and exploration of the procedure in precise glance over of the examination region. Lévy based Phrynosoma douglassii inspired optimization (LPD) algorithm, Alashan wapiti optimization (AWO) algorithm, Forest Pony Optimization (FPO) algorithm and Panthera Tigris corbetti optimization (PTC) algorithm are validated in IEEE 118, 300, 354 systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper approaches globalization through the lens of folk lore, myth, and John Law's hopeful monsters, focusing on Hannah Twynnoy, a woman allegedly killed by a tiger in Malmesbury (England) in 1703. Hannah's death was taken up three hundred years later as a metaphor for globalization when local factory jobs were relocated to a 'tiger economy' (Malaysia). Taken to manifest Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury's 'state of nature', Hannah's story also illustrates the reverse. Globalization can fragment and deregulate, but globalization assembles and regulates to. Hannah's gravestone and burial records blend real and virtual, local, and global; the genealogy of 'tigers' challenges Michel Foucault; and questions regarding blame echo across centuries, in ongoing conflict over agency and causation (as per Edmund Evans). Is globalisation a 'jungle out there'? No. Local factory jobs did go. Nevertheless, sustaining global intellectual property regulation means the company employs more people in Malmesbury today than before manufacturing relocated. After it was announced that local jobs would be 'eaten up' by a 'tiger economy', a spate of alien big cat (ABC) sightings near Malmesbury did express what Susan Lepselter calls the inchoate injuries of class and power. Indeed, experiencing such fabulous things did resonate with something real. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elaeocarpus venustus is a steno‐endemic and Critically Endangered tree species of the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve, southern Western Ghats, India. Due to its restricted distribution and specific habitat, a detailed field survey of existing populations was carried out. In order to clarify the taxonomic circumscription of this species in view of earlier literature, a revised taxonomic description is presented—together with details of the populations and ecology of this little‐known species and photographic documentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tigers, as iconic apex predators and symbols of biodiversity conservation, face numerous threats to their existence. Effective tracking and monitoring are essential for understanding and preserving these majestic creatures and their habitats. The convergence of machine learning and drone technology has emerged as transformative tools in the field of tiger tracking. Drones, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), have rapidly become invaluable assets in wildlife conservation. Machine learning algorithms, with their capacity to analyze complex datasets, make predictions and automate decision-making processes, offer a novel approach to processing the massive amounts of data generated by drones, including images, sounds and sensor readings. Methods: This paper explores the historical significance of tiger tracking, the pivotal role of drones in conservation and the transformative capabilities of machine learning in wildlife monitoring. In this work, an accurate framework for tiger detection based on YOLOv8 is utilized. Result: By examining the interplay between machine learning, drone technology and tiger conservation, this paper highlights the potential for innovation and the challenges that lie ahead, promising a brighter future for these iconic creatures and their ecosystems. The fine-tuned YOLOv8 model demonstrates exceptional object detection performance, boasting a mAP50 of 0.9820 and a mAP50-95 of 0.6856, coupled with precise classification (precision 0.9646) and robust instance capture (recall 0.9580). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free ranging-dogs are being recognized as a potential threat for native wildlife around the globe. They interact with native wildlife at multiple levels, ranging from predation, competition, acting as a reservoir for diseases and hybridization with the native carnivores. We have recorded cases that focus on interactions of dogs with wildlife in and around Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve (RTR). Between 2017–2020, we collected data on free-ranging dogs interacting with native wildlife of RTR. We classified the interactions into two categories: resource acquisition and predation. Based on our results we propose that dogs in rural settings around wildlife reserves can cause more resource competition for the existing carnivore scavenging guild resulting in reduced biomass consumption for the native scavengers. When present in large numbers, they can have a negative interaction with native wildlife through predation and harassment. To understand how dogs can pose threats to the native wildlife, there is a need for an extensive study on the ecology of dogs around wildlife reserves, pertaining to their feeding ecology and their raging behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The South China tiger is a unique subspecies of tiger endemic to China and has become extinct in the wild. However, it is currently unclear whether there are still ideal habitats suitable for the survival of the South China tiger population in China at present and in the future. Our goal is to assess which areas will become the most suitable for the reintroduction of the South China tiger to China under the impact of climate change, and to estimate the number of tigers these areas can support. This study selects eight key prey species of the South China tiger, and predicts the potential suitable habitats for each prey under current and future climates. The study reveals that the core candidate sites for the reintroduction of the South China tiger cover a total area of 83,415 km2, with the largest core candidate site area totaling 10,000 km2, located in Tibet, which can ideally support the survival of 89 South China tigers in the wild. This study provides a research basis and strategy for the recovery of wild South China tiger populations. The South China tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis) is a tiger subspecies unique to China and one of the top ten endangered species in the world. It used to play an important role in the overall function of the ecosystem. This study rationally screened out key prey species of the South China tiger—the Chinese serow, Chinese goral, tufted deer, water deer, Chinese muntjac, red muntjac, sambar deer, and wild boar. Candidate sites for the rewilding and reintroduction of the South China tiger were derived by exploring changes in suitable habitats for the prey using the MaxEnt model. The results show that: (1) by 2070, except for the high-suitability areas of water deer and Chinese muntjac, the areas of suitable habitats for the other six prey species would all have decreased significantly; (2) the location of the high-suitability area of the South China tiger obtained by superimposing the suitable areas of the eight prey species would be almost stable in 2050 and 2070, but the habitat index of some high- and medium-suitability areas would decrease and turn into low-suitability areas; (3) the core candidate sites were 83,415 km2 in total, of which 25,630 km2 overlapped with existing protected areas, accounting for 30.7% of the core candidate sites, and the remaining 69.3% of the core candidate sites were mostly distributed around the protected areas; (4) the maximum core candidate site area was projected to be 10,000 km2 by 2070, which could support a small population of 23 male tigers and 66 female tigers to survive and reproduce in the wild. This study revealed the core candidate sites for the rewilding of South China tigers and estimated the number of tigers that could be reintroduced to these areas, providing a preliminary research basis for promoting the rewilding of South China tigers in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatozoonosis has been reported in many species around the world. Few incidences have been reported in various species of wild felids. Tigers are endangered large cats and are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 under Schedule I. The study was carried out to estimate the positivity rate of hepatozoonosis in tigers of the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, India. Methods: Blood (n = 21) or tissue samples (n = 5) were collected from 26 wild captured / zoo-born or dead tigers during the quarantine period/post-mortem examination. Blood smear examination along with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) studies were conducted for the detection of hepatozoonosis. All the amplicons from the positive samples were purified and sequenced, and the sequences were subjected to nBLAST analysis to detect the species of Hepatozoon. The sequences were deposited into public domain database of National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and accession numbers were allotted. A phylogenetic study was undertaken to understand the evolutionary lineage of the pathogen. Tissue distribution studies were carried out on tissue samples received during post mortem. A clinical case in a tiger cub was managed and sub-clinical cases were monitored for relapse. Age-wise, sex-wise, region-wise and captive time-wise positivity rate was estimated. The data was analyzed using statistical tools. Results: A total of 12 tigers were found positive for H. felis during the screening. A clinical case was diagnosed and successfully treated. The age group of 0–3 years reported a positivity rate of 66.66%, and all the cases found positive were reported between the age group of 0–7 years. Males reported a positivity rate of 58.33 per cent, while females reported 35.71%. Taboba and Andhari Tiger Reserve of the state had a positivity rate of 52.94 per cent. However, the statistical analysis for blood parameters and positivity rate by 't' test and Chi-squared test were found to be non-significant. Conclusions: An overall positivity rate of 46.15% indicates the wide distribution of hepatozoonosis among wild tigers of the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, India, which is strategically important considering the gene flow and migration of tigers. Hepatozoonosis can progress to clinical outcomes in young animals and require veterinary intervention. Molecular tools and phylogenetic studies can supplement important data on circulating species of Hepatozoon in the field. Further studies on the clinical management and epidemiology of the infection in wild felids will comprehend the cause of wildlife conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 14-year-old male intact Malayan tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni) was presented for a routine annual wellness exam and comprehensive oral health assessment and treatment, during which an odontogenic cyst was incidentally diagnosed from radiographs. Prior to a second immobilization for computed tomography (CT) and surgical removal of the cyst, the tiger developed anorexia, lethargy, and reluctance to train, which were clinical signs suspected to be reflective of pain secondary to the odontogenic cyst. A CT scan of the skull revealed 2 odontogenic cyst lesions associated with teeth 204-207 and 208-209, and associated tooth root resorption, focal lysis of the maxilla, communication with the left nasal passage, thinning of the ventral margin of the left orbit and maxillary foramen, and left mandibular lymphadenopathy. Complete enucleation of each cyst wall and surgical extraction of associated teeth were performed. Histopathologic findings were consistent with an odontogenic cyst containing keratinized stratified squamous epithelium, keratin debris within the cyst lumen, and a lymphoplasmacytic inflammatory infiltrate. Postoperatively, the tiger recovered uneventfully, clinical signs resolved within 2 weeks and have not recurred at the time of publication of this article. Similar keratinized odontogenic cysts are described in dogs, and there is only one other case report in a felid. This is the first known report of an odontogenic cyst in a tiger and of a keratinized odontogenic cyst in a nondomestic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is limited published data regarding cardiovascular disease in nondomestic felid populations. To address this knowledge gap, necropsy cases of tigers and lions with representative myocardial samples submitted to a diagnostic laboratory were histologically assessed with hematoxylin and eosin and Sirius red stains. A total of 32 submissions (15 tigers, 17 lions) were identified in a 4-year period. All tigers and lions had some degree of coronary artery lesions in the left ventricle and/or interventricular septum. Major findings included moderate to marked arteriosclerosis in 8 tigers (53%) and 4 lions (24%) and moderate to marked perivascular fibrosis in 10 tigers (67%) and 9 lions (53%). Moreover, 10 tigers (67%) and 8 lions (47%) had coronary artery lesions with variable degrees of perivascular cardiomyocyte degeneration and/or loss. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing coronary artery pathology in captive tigers and lions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey of Lepidoptera was conducted in habitats including forest trails, nullah, forest gap, and small water bodies, in and around the Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve (USTR) and agroforest habitats at Nagri block in Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh State between January 2020 and August 2022. The study recorded 95 species belonging to 69 genera. Erionota torus and Rathinda amor although common in the Indian mainland, were not documented by previous researchers. This indicates the necessity for a more thorough survey of Lepidoptera in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Humans and other mammals have different blood group systems. In domestic cats, the ABC blood group system is the most important and has been studied a lot, from the physical traits to the genetic level. For wild cats (non-domestic felids), tests have been conducted to identify blood types using different methods, but the genetic markers used in domestic cats could not identify blood types B and C (AB) in wild cats. In this study, the CMAH gene of 138 blood samples from 15 wild cat species was sequenced to see if certain genetic variants matched with the ABC blood types. A total of 58 different genetic variants were found, including 15 causing changes in the protein sequence. One variant (c.635G>C) was linked with blood type B (and C) in cheetahs and blood type B in cougars. Since cheetahs and cougars are part of the same genera puma, it is unclear whether this variant is a marker for type B (or C) specifically or is just common in pumas. Different blood group systems have been characterized in people and other mammals. In domestic cats, the ABC blood group system plays the most important clinical role and has been investigated extensively—from the phenotype to the molecular genetics. In non-domestic felids, phenotypic ABC blood typing has been performed by different methods to detect the antigens, but the four informative CMAH markers in domestic cats were not able to identify types B and C (AB) in non-domestic cats. In this study, 138 blood samples from 15 non-domestic (wild) felid species were investigated by CMAH exonic sequencing and genotyping for putative variants causing type B or C (AB) and correlation to the respective ABC blood phenotype. A total of 58 CMAH variants were found, including 15 missense and 43 synonymous CMAH variants. One variant (c.635G>C) was concordant with blood type B (and C) in cheetahs and type B in cougars, compared to blood type A in all other felid species (lion, tiger, Canada lynx, snow leopard, clouded leopard, serval, jaguar, fishing cat, Pallas cat, bobcat, black footed cat, leopard, and sand cat). Since cheetahs and cougars belong to the genera puma, it could not be determined if the common CMAH variant is either a marker for type B (or C) or is just common in pumas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In this study, semen collection techniques, in particular, Urethral Catheterization after Pharmacological Induction (Ur.Ca.P.I.) and electroejaculation, have been applied in two tigers and two leopards. Information about sperm collection in tigers and leopards has been reported, describing the authors' experience and presenting new data about a topic difficult to study due to the animal species involved. In particular, collection was possible in both species thanks to the use of electroejaculation. Ur.Ca.P.I. gave positive results in leopards, while in tigers, this technique did not allow satisfactory results. Assisted reproduction techniques play a significant role in veterinary medicine, and although they are widely used in domestic animals, they are also becoming increasingly relevant in clinical practice for wild felids, especially in the conservation efforts for endangered species. In this study, the result of two semen collection techniques, urethral catheterization after pharmacological induction (Ur.Ca.P.I.) and electroejaculation, are described, aiming to provide new practical information about sperm collection using the Ur.Ca.P.I. technique and electroejaculation in tigers and leopards, describing the authors' experience and presenting new data and observations. The following descriptive study included two subjects of Panthera tigris species and two of Panthera pardus. These subjects, after general anesthesia, underwent sperm collection initially with Ur.Ca.P.I. and, subsequently, with electroejaculation. Sampling was made possible in both species thanks to the use of electroejaculation. Sperm volumes in leopards ranged from 0.3 to 0.5 mL and in tigers from 0.5 to 2.177 mL. Sperm concentration in leopards ranged from 136 × 106 to 280 × 106 sperm/mL, and in tigers, from 21.5 × 106 to 354 × 106 sperm/mL. Urethral catheterization gave positive results in leopards, with sperm volumes ranging from 25 up to 150 µL and a concentration ranging from 110 × 106 up to 1082 × 106 sperm/mL. In tigers, unlike in leopards, the use of the Ur.Ca.P.I. technique encountered difficulties that did not allow satisfactory results to be obtained. Therefore, it would be useful to test the feasibility of urethral catheterization on a larger group of individuals in order to have more meaningful feedback. Finally, because electroejaculation always allowed semen collection in tigers, with a higher sperm quality than samples collected by Ur.Ca.P.I., we currently consider it the technique of choice for the collection of semen material in this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Accurate identification of individual Amur tigers is vital for their conservation, as it helps us understand their population and distribution. Existing identification methods often fall short in accuracy, and our study focuses on creating a more accurate method for identifying individual Amur tigers using advanced deep learning techniques. We improved an existing neural network model called InceptionResNetV2 by adding features like dropout layers and dual-attention mechanisms to better capture the unique stripe patterns of each tiger and reduce errors during training. We tested our model on a large dataset of tiger images and found it to be highly effective, achieving an average recognition accuracy of over 95% for different body parts, with left stripes reaching the highest 99.37%. This method significantly outperforms previous models and provides a reliable tool for wildlife researchers and conservationists to monitor and protect Amur tigers. By improving the ability to track individual tigers, our research offers practical benefits for preserving this endangered species and enhancing wildlife management practices globally. Accurate and intelligent identification of rare and endangered individuals of flagship wildlife species, such as Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica), is crucial for understanding population structure and distribution, thereby facilitating targeted conservation measures. However, many mathematical modeling methods, including deep learning models, often yield unsatisfactory results. This paper proposes an individual recognition method for Amur tigers based on an improved InceptionResNetV2 model. Initially, the YOLOv5 model is employed to automatically detect and segment facial, left stripe, and right stripe areas from images of 107 individual Amur tigers, achieving a high average classification accuracy of 97.3%. By introducing a dropout layer and a dual-attention mechanism, we enhance the InceptionResNetV2 model to better capture the stripe features of individual tigers at various granularities and reduce overfitting during training. Experimental results demonstrate that our model outperforms other classic models, offering optimal recognition accuracy and ideal loss changes. The average recognition accuracy for different body part features is 95.36%, with left stripes achieving a peak accuracy of 99.37%. These results highlight the model's excellent recognition capabilities. Our research provides a valuable and practical approach to the individual identification of rare and endangered animals, offering significant potential for improving conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the impact of topography on understory biomass, this study employed a nested design and conducted surveys in the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park, involving a total of 138 plots within closed forests, comprising 1 685 plant quadrats. The analysis of topographical effect on understory biomass was carried out using nested analysis of variance and an ordinal logistic regression model. The results were as follows: (1) Among different slope positions, the understory biomass in valleys was higher than on upper slopes, and the footslopes where the understory biomass was the lowest (P<0.01). The understory biomass on shady slopes was lower than on sunny slopes and flats (P<0.01), with no significant difference between the latter two. In terms of different slopes, the understory biomass on steep slopes was higher than on flats, and flats had higher biomass than gentle slopes (P<0.01). (2) There was a significant interaction between slope position and slope aspect. The understory biomass was the highest on flats at the footslopes, flats on upper slopes, upper slopes and sunny slopes, and in valleys among all slope positions. There was no significant difference in understory biomass among shady slopes at the footslopes, sunny slopes at the footslopes, and shady slopes on upper slopes. (3) Ordinal logistic regression analysis of the current state of the study area showed that the probability of high or low understory biomass varied across different combinations of altitude, slope position, and slope aspect. Slope position, slope aspect, and slope had significant effects on the understory biomass. Among the three slope positions, the understory biomass was the highest in valleys and the lowest on footslopes. Among the three slopes, steep slopes had the highest understory biomass, while gentle slopes had the lowest. Shady slopes had the lowest understory biomass compared to other slope aspects. (4) Considering the realistic situation of human disturbance and forest grazing, steep slope areas in valleys had the highest probability of high understory biomass. This study can provide important references for accurately estimating the carrying capacity of understory for preys populations of tiger and leopard in Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park, thereby offering a scientific basis for the conservation and management of endangered tigers and leopards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tigers are protected under schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The current report highlights the detection of Hepatoozoon felis in a tiger cub. The infection is transmitted by ingestion of infected tick, infected prey and carrion. It is subclinical in adults; however, the cubs and immunocompromised adults may show clinical symptoms. Concurrent infection with bacterial or viral infections may be fatal to the infected animal. Methods: Hepatozoonosis was detected by blood smear examination using Giemsa staining. A PCR targeting the 18S ribosomal RNA was used to confirm the infection. The amplicon was purified and sequenced using a sanger sequencer. The 18S ribosomal RNA fragment sequence was compared to the available sequences in NCBI database using the nucleotide BLAST Tool. Neighbour joining phylogenetic trees using the bootstrap method were constructed using MEGA X software. Result: The presence of an intermediate gamont stage in neutrophils was seen under high resolution. The 660 bp amplicon was purified, sequenced and analysed for identity using the nucleotide BLAST tool of NCBI. The sequence was found to be 99.32%, similar to Hepatozoon felis. The phylogenetic analysis by neighbour joining phylogenetic tree using the bootstrap method indicated similarity with other reported sequences of H. felis isolated from Asian Lions. The sequence, however, was very dissimilar to the previously reported H. felis isolated from Royal Bengal Tiger. Considering the potential threat Hepatozoonosis can have in the wild, the prevalence must be estimated in prey base, sympatric cat species and arthropod vectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay combines visual studies, history, literature, and theory to traverse the nature of colonial, postcolonial and decolonizing thought through the eyes of a tiger. In what ways and through what images, the author asks, was tiger hunting central to the maintenance of colonial authority? What does a postcolonial tiger look like? Now, in light of new work in the field of postcolonial environmentalism, what does it mean to decolonize the tiger? The essay is written with a lightness of touch, but the author defends the necessity of laughter, subversion, and irony in our efforts to undo the enduring structures of colonial thought and myth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role that visual discriminative ability plays among giant pandas in social communication and individual discrimination has received less attention than olfactory and auditory modalities. Here, we used an eye-tracker technology to investigate pupil fixation patterns for 8 captive male giant pandas Ailuropoda melanoleuca. We paired images (N =  26) of conspecifics against: 1) sympatric predators (gray wolves and tigers), and non-threatening sympatric species (golden pheasant, golden snub-nosed monkey, takin, and red panda), 2) conspecifics with atypical fur coloration (albino and brown), and 3) zookeepers/non-zookeepers wearing either work uniform or plain clothing. For each session, we tracked the panda's pupil movements and measured pupil first fixation point (FFP), fixation latency, total fixation count (TFC), and duration (TFD) of attention to each image. Overall, pandas exhibited similar attention (FFPs and TFCs) to images of predators and non-threatening sympatric species. Images of golden pheasant, snub-nosed monkey, and tiger received less attention (TFD) than images of conspecifics, whereas images of takin and red panda received more attention, suggesting a greater alertness to habitat or food competitors than to potential predators. Pandas' TFCs were greater for images of black-white conspecifics than for albino or brown phenotypes, implying that familiar color elicited more interest. Pandas reacted differently to images of men versus women. For images of women only, pandas gave more attention (TFC) to familiar combinations (uniformed zookeepers and plain-clothed non-zookeepers), consistent with the familiarity hypothesis. That pandas can use visual perception to discriminate intra-specifically and inter-specifically, including details of human appearance, has applications for panda conservation and captive husbandry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 'landscape of fear' concept offers valuable insights into wildlife behaviour, yet its practical integration into habitat management for conservation remains underexplored. In this study, conducted in the subtropical monsoon grasslands of Bardia National Park, Nepal, we aimed to bridge this gap through a multi‐year, landscape‐scale experimental investigation in Bardia National Park, Nepal. The park has the highest density of tigers (with an estimated density of ~7 individuals per 100 km2) in Nepal, allowing us to understand the effect of habitat management on predation risk and resource availability especially for three cervid species: chital (Axis axis), swamp deer (Rucervus duvaucelii) and hog deer (Axis porcinus). We used plots with varying mowing frequency (0–4 times per year), size (ranging from small: 49 m2 to large: 3600 m2) and artificial fertilisation type (none, phosphorus, nitrogen) to assess the trade‐offs between probable predation risk and resources for these cervid species, which constitute primary prey for tigers in Nepal. Our results showed distinct responses of these deer to perceived predation risk within grassland habitats. Notably, these deer exhibited heightened use of larger plots, indicative of a perceived sense of safety, as evidenced by the higher occurrence of pellet groups in the larger plots (mean = 0.1 pellet groups m−2 in 3600 m2 plots vs. 0.07 in 400 m2 and 0.05 in 49 m2 plots). Furthermore, the level of use by the deer was significantly higher in larger plots that received mowing and fertilisation treatments compared to smaller plots subjected to similar treatments. Of particular interest is the observation that chital and swamp deer exhibited greater utilisation of the centre (core) areas within the larger plots (mean = 0.21 pellet groups m−2 at the centre vs. 0.13 at the edge) despite the edge (periphery) also provided attractive resources to these deer. In contrast, hog deer did not display any discernible reaction to the experimental treatments, suggesting potential species‐specific variations in response to perceived predation risk arising from management interventions. Our findings emphasise the importance of a sense of security as a primary determinant of habitat selection for medium‐sized deer within managed grassland environments. These insights carry practical implications for park managers, providing a nuanced understanding of integrating the 'landscape of fear' into habitat management strategies. This study emphasises that the 'landscape of fear' concept can and should be integrated into habitat management to maintain delicate predator–prey dynamics within ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the entanglement of biodiversity conservation, human–animal interactions, zootherapy, and local beliefs among Sumatran Healers and their local community by completing an ethnography of 43 Indigenous Healers across 8 tribes in Bengkulu Province, Sumatra, Indonesia. Data collection tools were interviews, observations, videos, photographs, and a researcher journal. Of the 43 Healers, 30 used animals and mentioned 62 species. Of the animals identified, the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List lists 34% (n = 21) as endangered, decreasing, or vulnerable, including Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae), Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus), and Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis). Of the 30 Healers using animals, 50% (n = 15) practiced healing with at least one endangered, decreasing, or vulnerable animal. We defined 3 personas: Healer self‐persona, Healer‐imposed persona, and community‐imposed persona. A persona represented a group's opinions and sentiments related to Healers killing animals for medicinal purposes. Using an iterative data analysis process, we grouped the data across the 3 personas into 5 themes: ease of killing and preparing animals, emotions related to killing animals, animal value, relationship to religion, and Healers are tricksters. The complexity of merging the identities of Healers and the community within an actor‐network embodies the relationality of actions, interactions, and feelings among Healers, between Healers and animals, and between Healers and the community. Conservationists should be cognizant of Healers' medicinal use of animals, views of human–animal interactions, and zootherapy from all social and emotional perspectives. The data led to defining Indigenous Healer ecological knowledge components of zootherapy, human–animal interactions, and biodiversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]