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Large carnivores such as the lion are declining across Africa, in part because their large herbivore prey is declining. There is consensus that increased protection from prey depletion will be necessary to reverse the decline of lion populations, but few studies have tested whether increased protection is sufficient to reverse the decline, particularly in the large, open ecosystems where most lions remain. Here, we used an integrated population model to test whether lion demography and population dynamics were measurably improved by increased protection. We used data from monitoring of 358 individuals from 2013 to 2021 in the Greater Kafue Ecosystem, where prior research showed that lions were strongly limited by prey depletion, but protection increased in several well‐defined areas beginning in 2018. In some other areas, protection decreased. In areas with high protection, lion fecundity was 29% higher, and mean annual apparent survival (φ) was 8.3% higher (with a minimum difference of 6.0% for prime‐aged adult females and a maximum difference of 11.9% for sub‐adult males). These demographic benefits combined to produce likely population growth in areas with high protection (λ̂$$ \hat{\lambda} $$ = 1.085, 90% CI = 0.97, 1.21), despite likely population decline in areas with low protection (λ̂$$ \hat{\lambda} $$ = 0.970, 90% CI = 0.88, 1.07). For the ecosystem as a whole, population size remained relatively constant at a moderate density of 3.74 (±0.49 SD) to 4.13 (±0.52 SD) lions/100 km2. With the growth observed in areas with high protection, the expected doubling time was 10 years. Despite this, recovery at the scale of the entire ecosystem is likely to be slow without increased protection; the current growth rate would require 50 years to double. Our results demonstrate that increased protection is likely to improve the reproduction and population growth rate of lions at a large scale within an unfenced ecosystem that has been greatly affected by poaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The left and right lungs extend from the second rib to the 13th, while only a small portion is present cranial to the 4th rib. The basal border of the left lung extends horizontally from the second costochondral junction (CCJ) to just ventral to the seventh CCJ, and then dorso‐caudally to the angle of the 13th rib. The right lung has a similar configuration except for the basal border, which is located above the fifth to the sixth CCJ. The cardiac incisure is more prominent in the right lung and is formed by the notched space between the ventral margins of the cranial and middle lobes. The lungs are well‐lobated, with complete fissures laterally but none medially. The trachea and primary bronchi are large and have a wide, thin membranous part. The muscular front limbs could limit cranial thoracic expansion, with the result that the bulk of the functional lung capacity is present caudal to the tricipital line. Recommended sites for intracardiac injections are on either side of the fifth CCJ, and for thoracocentesis, just dorsal to the seventh or eighth CCJ. Care is needed while intubating a lion's trachea because of the delicate membranous part. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among factors that threaten wild populations of African megafauna, wildlife trade has gained prominence as a global policy issue, with concerted international campaigns aiming to influence the trade of species such as elephants, rhinos and lions. Trade policy is strongly contested, confounding attempts to develop coherent approaches across jurisdictions and through international mechanisms such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This undermines conservation efforts. Understanding the drivers of such conflict may help to address this problem.Scholars of political science increasingly recognise the power of ideas as drivers within policy processes. Guided by this literature, we developed an analytical framework and conducted a thematic analysis to examine the ideas driving wildlife trade policy conflict. Our nested case study approach examined debates over trade policy toward African elephants, rhinos and lions at two levels: the international policy arena of CITES and within a single country, South Africa. Informed by earlier literature, we tracked the evolution of international trade policy debates over a 4‐year period (2016–2019) and analysed submissions to a national policy review process in South Africa that took place during 2020.During the study period, state and non‐state actors contributed to vigorous trade policy debates within seven key thematic issues across the case study species. Arguments were driven by both cognitive ideas, which specify cause‐and‐effect relationships, and normative ideas, which are values‐based and especially salient elements of anti‐trade stances.Fusing these cognitive and normative ideational elements, we identified three distinct overarching narratives relating to wildlife trade policy. These three narratives align with broader environmental policy and political narratives and elucidate inherent tensions within the CITES arena. They also reveal differing ethical interpretations and perceptions of risk and precaution.Policy implications. Wildlife trade policy conflict is driven at least in part by competing ideological visions, which may be entrenched by the CITES Appendix listing system. The structural role of CITES in perpetuating this polarisation—and the consequences thereof—warrants further research. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current theory predicts that plains zebra (Equus quagga) populations should be resource‐limited. Long‐term, detailed work in the Hwange ecosystem (Zimbabwe) on zebras and all their major predators provides empirical data to test this on a population that has been at a low density for at least 2 decades and is largely naturally regulated. Information on body condition is used as an indicator of resource use, and offtakes by the three major predators are estimated from a synthesis of data on densities and diets. This information leads to rejection of the expectations for resource limitation. Zebras provide a significant part of the diets of all the main predators and are important (11%) for the most abundant of these, spotted hyaenas (Crocuta crocuta). Using conservative values, we calculate that the three main predators, hyaenas, lions (Panthera leo), and leopards (Panthera pardus), kill some 17.5% of the zebra population. Given that this estimated offtake is of the same order of magnitude as maximum population growth (22.3% per year), we conclude that this population is likely to be limited by predation. Further work is needed to better understand the mechanisms by which the greater susceptibility of juveniles to predation in ungulates contributes to population limitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lions and their prey are threatened across most of their range and especially in West and Central Africa. Prey availability influences carnivore densities, social structure, prey preference and home ranges, and changes in prey are important for carnivore management. Scarcity of large prey in many West and Central African ecosystems has been described as leading to a preference for hunting smaller prey in smaller groups. Here we investigated the changes in prey selection of lions in Zakouma National Park (Chad), a protected area in Central Africa that showed significant recovery in wildlife numbers, by collecting feeding data through observations of lions on kills during monitoring drives and GPS cluster points of lion collars. Compared to similar data collected prior to this significant recovery, lions preferred larger prey and fed in larger groups. Our results show that diet shifts due to prey losses can be reversed with restoration of prey populations thanks to improved management, and we speculate that this may be true across large carnivores and across regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Illegal trade in big cat (Panthera spp.) body parts is a prominent topic in scientific and public discourses concerning wildlife conservation. While illegal trade is generally acknowledged as a threat to big cat species, we suggest that two enabling factors have, to date, been under‐considered. To that end, we discuss the roles of human‐felid conflict, and "local" use in illegal trade in big cat body parts. Drawing examples from across species and regions, we look at generalities, contextual subtleties, ambiguities, and definitional complexities. We caution against underestimating the extent of "local" use of big cats and highlight the potential of conflict killings to supply body parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large carnivore distribution in Ethiopia is not well documented; we did 108 interviews and 12 focus group discussions in six districts of the Somali Region to gather basic information. The Region is not listed as resident range for big cats, but our results indicate widespread presence of cheetah, and possible remnants of lion and leopard occurrence. Spotted and striped hyaena, plus many smaller species, are frequently encountered. In contrast to positive attitudes towards wild grazers, all carnivores are persecuted in response to frequent conflict leading to injuries and deaths among people and livestock. Lion and cheetah cubs were regularly captured and trafficked, and this may have contributed to lion declines especially. Cheetah cubs are still regularly caught and we mapped how they are smuggled to Somalia/Somaliland from where they enter the pet trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African wild dogs utilise a den for ~10–12 weeks after birthing, during which home ranges are contracted and usually in areas away from roads and water sources, with low prey and predator abundances, high terrain ruggedness and vegetation cover. Our study in Savé Valley Conservancy (SVC) investigated which ecological and environmental factors determine the selection of denning areas and behaviours. Camera trap data collected from four den grids and three random den grids were analysed using binomial generalised linear and occupancy models. Denning wild dogs preferred areas with higher kudu and impala presence and areas closer to roads and water sources. Wild dogs may den in areas we perceive as riskier in an attempt to reduce energy expenditure when hunting. The detection of wild dogs strongly decreased with higher lion presence, while increasing with steeper slopes, higher vegetation cover and leopard presence. Given lion habitat preferences, SVC wild dogs could be using areas which reduce their exposure to lions, while solitary leopards do not necessarily pose a risk to wild dog packs. Our study highlights that the denning behaviours of wild dogs may be inconsistent both within and among populations, and that comprehensive research approaches be taken to understand their denning behaviours, assisting the development of appropriate management/conservation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild lions, especially the males, spend much of their time performing various territorial advertising behaviors, the most obvious of which are loud vocalizations that can be heard several kilometers away. This study investigated whether a captive pride of three Asiatic lions at Fota Wildlife Park in Ireland exhibited typical patterns of territorial vocalizations and associated behaviors. A total of 705 bouts of territorial vocalization were noted over 1 month of near‐continuous audio recording in the middle of winter in 2020. Also, complementary visual observations were performed during regular daytime visits to collect audio data and maintain recording equipment. These captive lions exhibited generally similar territorial urine spraying, scent rubbing and vocalization behaviors to their wild counterparts but differed in that they primarily vocalized during daylight hours, including afternoons and late mornings. While most roaring occurred during the day there was also a brief peak just before dawn, between 07:00 and 08:00, and another after dusk, between 17:00 and 18:00. Vocalization activity tailed off after 22:00 and became infrequent over the remaining hours of darkness. Although this contrasts starkly with the predominantly nocturnal activity patterns of wild lions, it is consistent with some reports from some other captive settings. Although the underlying reasons for this habit of roaring throughout the day remain unclear, it is fortuitous because the spectacular territorial vocalizations of these captive lions enrich visitor experiences and may hopefully stimulate interest in travel to the low and middle‐income countries where tourist income is essential to sustain the conservation areas they and many other species depend on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"You believe animals to be wholly deprived of passions" asks the narrator of Balzac's 1836 story, "A Passion in the Desert," and he adds, "you should know that we can give them all the vices driven by our state of civilization." It is in the context of Balzac's questioning of animal passion that I would like to consider the striking and passionate expressions shared among the lion, dromedary and human figures in Jules Verreaux' "Lion Attacking a Dromedary." The denial of animal passion can be understood as a Cartesian legacy that influenced both taxidermy and the illustrations of early natural histories, but would eventually be questioned during the 18th and 19th centuries. Thus, Buffon accepted that an animal might be excited or moved by passions, but also wrote that any depiction of that agitation could only distort the representation of a species' essence. During the 19th century, by contrast, both scientific and artistic representations of animals show an increasing interest in animal emotions, even as these would underscore a greater affinity between human and non‐human animals, as evidenced by Darwin's 1872 publication of The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. Balzac's story and Verreaux's taxidermy question to what extent passions humanize animals or bestialize humans, a question with potential relevance, I will argue, for understanding how the vices of civilization might relate to the figure of the human Courier in the exchange of passions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our surveys indicate that Ruaha-Rungwa is home to important populations of lion, leopard, spotted hyaena, and African wild dog. African wild dog, cheetah, density, leopard, lion, spoor, spotted hyaena, Tanzania Keywords: African wild dog; cheetah; density; leopard; lion; spoor; spotted hyaena; Tanzania EN African wild dog cheetah density leopard lion spoor spotted hyaena Tanzania 221 225 5 02/21/23 20230301 NES 230301 INTRODUCTION The Ruaha-Rungwa conservation landscape is a ~45,000 km SP 2 sp Protected Area (PA) complex in south-central Tanzania. [Extracted from the article]

Mismatches between conservation action and conservation needs have been highlighted for diverse species. Lion (Panthera leo) conservation is no exception, raising the question of whether current conservation strategies are always adequate to ensure the long‐term persistence of threatened taxa. To investigate the representation of different lion Evolutionary Significant Units in field research, captive populations, funding allocation, and education, we carried out a literature review and sent an online questionnaire to zoos worldwide. Over 75% of the publications focused on southern and eastern African populations. Uplisting the West African lion to Critically Endangered did not change this result. We received 88 responses from zoos, which reported 346 lions in 83 zoos. Only 14 individuals have West and Central African origins. Over 70% of the respondents reported that they do not include any information on the conservation status or taxonomy of lions from West and Central Africa in their education programs. The minority of zoos funding in situ lion projects did so in Eastern and Southern Africa. We provide recommendations to encourage role‐players involved in lion and other threatened species conservation to address this mismatch by shifting some of their attention and funding to West and Central Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competitively dominant carnivore species can limit the population sizes and alter the behavior of inferior competitors. Established mechanisms that enable carnivore coexistence include spatial and temporal avoidance of dominant predator species by subordinates, and dietary niche separation. However, spatial heterogeneity across landscapes could provide inferior competitors with refuges in the form of areas with lower competitor density and/or locations that provide concealment from competitors. Here, we combine temporally overlapping telemetry data from dominant lions (Panthera leo) and subordinate African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) with high‐resolution remote sensing in an integrated step selection analysis to investigate how fine‐scaled landscape heterogeneity might facilitate carnivore coexistence in South Africa's Hluhluwe‐iMfolozi Park, where both predators occur at exceptionally high densities. We ask whether the primary lion‐avoidance strategy of wild dogs is spatial avoidance of lions or areas frequented by lions, or if wild dogs selectively use landscape features to avoid detection by lions. Within this framework, we also test whether wild dogs rely on proactive or reactive responses to lion risk. In contrast to previous studies finding strong spatial avoidance of lions by wild dogs, we found that the primary wild dog lion‐avoidance strategy was to select landscape features that aid in avoidance of lion detection. This habitat selection was routinely used by wild dogs, and especially when in areas and during times of high lion‐encounter risk, suggesting a proactive response to lion risk. Our findings suggest that spatial landscape heterogeneity could represent an alternative mechanism for carnivore coexistence, especially as ever‐shrinking carnivore ranges force inferior competitors into increased contact with dominant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human‐wildlife conflict represents a substantial threat to rural livelihoods and species persistence. Directed harassment (i.e., hazing) is one method for mitigating conflict, though gauging its effectiveness is often complicated by a lack of replication, controls, or effective contrasts. Herein we assessed whether African lions (Panthera leo) shifted their space use in response to a hazing program intended to deter lions from community lands adjacent to Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. Using GPS‐collared lions (n = 16) from unique prides, we investigated the degree to which individuals exhibited (a) a large‐scale response by shifting their home ranges away from community lands, or (b) a fine‐scale response by increasingly avoiding areas near households post‐program initiation. Responses between "at‐risk" (those exposed to the program; n = 5) and "protected" (n = 11) lions varied, with at‐risk males shifting their home ranges to include 12.08% more national park and 9.04% less community lands post‐program (median), a shift not replicated by at‐risk females nor protected lions. However, the majority of at‐risk lions demonstrated increased attraction to households post‐program. We demonstrated that while aversive stimulus approaches may alter large‐scale space use by individual lions, constraints imposed by social structure and available habitat alternatives will affect the level of effort required to achieve program success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fear of predators fundamentally shapes the ecology of prey species and drives both inter‐ and intra‐specific interactions. Extensive research has examined the consequences of predation risk from large carnivores on the behavior of wild ungulate prey species. However, many large carnivores not only hunt wild prey but also depredate domestic livestock, especially in pastoralist systems where livestock share land and resources with large carnivores. Northern Tanzania is a hotspot for human–carnivore conflict driven by livestock depredation and interactions are particularly severe between African lions Panthera leo and pastoralist cattle Bos taurus. In this ecosystem, we explored the degree to which pastoralist cattle exhibited anti‐predator behaviors during their daily grazing routines. Using focal animal sampling, we compared two typical anti‐predator behaviors, vigilance and grouping, among cattle in village rangelands with high and low background depredation rates. We found that cattle in high risk village rangelands formed 21.2% larger groups than cattle in low risk village rangelands. Interestingly, cattle in low risk village rangelands spent 68.4% more time vigilant than cattle in high risk village rangelands. These patterns were influenced significantly by the time of day: as sunset approached, cattle in low risk village rangelands spent more time vigilant and cattle in high risk village rangelands formed larger groups. These results suggest that pastoralist cattle exhibit anti‐predator strategies that vary both spatially and temporally, and that such strategies might help livestock optimally tradeoff the costs and benefits of anti‐predator behavior across timescales (i.e. the risk allocation hypothesis). We discuss the implications of our results for husbandry techniques that might reduce behavioral costs associated with cattle anti‐predator behaviors and help increase tolerance for lions and other large carnivores. These improvements are critical to human–carnivore coexistence given the prevalence of pastoralism globally and the rising potential for conflict with large carnivores such as lions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat loss is one of largest threats to the persistence of large carnivore populations. However, because most large carnivores are long‐lived, cryptic and wide‐ranging, few studies examine the demographic consequences of habitat loss, and the resultant crowding that ensues, on these species. We used long‐term data to examine the demographic responses of an African lion (Panthera leo) population to flooding‐induced habitat loss in a seasonal wetland, the Okavango Delta, during a transition from low to high annual flooding patterns. We found that intraspecific competition reduced cub survival and that this effect was exacerbated by habitat loss and consequent crowding. The proportion of cubs recorded in the population also declined as crowding increased, and both the survival of cubs and proportion of cubs recorded declined as prey abundance decreased. Apparent sub‐adult survival declined with increasing pride size, but this likely reflects emigration rather than mortality. Adult survival remained relatively constant throughout the study period, a population response which is important in buffering populations against short‐term fluctuations in ecological conditions. As many large carnivore populations face future habitat loss, it is important that we understand the demographic consequences of habitat loss in order to better mitigate its effects in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African lions (Panthera leo) can influence the location, distribution and behaviour of smaller carnivores such as cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus). In fenced protected areas, where space is limited, the effects of the apex predator can be exaggerated to the point of localized extinction of the subordinate. Here, we directly compare the prey selection of cheetahs before and after the re‐introduction of lions to the Mountain Zebra National Park, South Africa. The lion re‐introduction did not significantly influence the diet of the cheetahs. Greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) and springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) comprised >75% of cheetah diet both before and after the lion re‐introduction with no noticeable changes in the size ranges of prey selected. In addition, there was no significant dietary overlap (O < 0.45) with the lions. Our study supports recent findings that cheetahs, as subordinate predators, can coexist with larger, more aggressive carnivores within an enclosed environment without compromising access to resources. However, our work represents a temporal snapshot into lion and cheetah foraging behaviour in an enclosed system and we recommend further research across multiple sites and predator densities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial organization of a population can influence the spread of information, behaviour and pathogens. Group territory size and territory overlap and components of spatial organization, provide key information as these metrics may be indicators of habitat quality, resource dispersion, contact rates and environmental risk (e.g. indirectly transmitted pathogens). Furthermore, sociality and behaviour can also shape space use, and subsequently, how space use and habitat quality together impact demography.Our study aims to identify factors shaping the spatial organization of wildlife populations and assess the impact of epizootics on space use. We further aim to explore the mechanisms by which disease perturbations could cause changes in spatial organization.Here we assessed the seasonal spatial organization of Serengeti lions and Yellowstone wolves at the group level. We use network analysis to describe spatial organization and connectivity of social groups. We then examine the factors predicting mean territory size and mean territory overlap for each population using generalized additive models.We demonstrate that lions and wolves were similar in that group‐level factors, such as number of groups and shaped spatial organization more than population‐level factors, such as population density. Factors shaping territory size were slightly different than factors shaping territory overlap; for example, wolf pack size was an important predictor of territory overlap, but not territory size. Lion spatial networks were more highly connected, while wolf spatial networks varied seasonally. We found that resource dispersion may be more important for driving territory size and overlap for wolves than for lions. Additionally, canine distemper epizootics may have altered lion spatial organization, highlighting the importance of including infectious disease epizootics in studies of behavioural and movement ecology.We provide insight about when we might expect to observe the impacts of resource dispersion, disease perturbations, and other ecological factors on spatial organization. Our work highlights the importance of monitoring and managing social carnivore populations at the group level. Future research should elucidate the complex relationships between demographics, social and spatial structure, abiotic and biotic conditions and pathogen infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental variations can influence the extent to which individuals interact with other individuals by changing the value of grouping. It is well known that many species can form and disband groups, often in response to the distribution and abundance of resources.While previous studies showed that resources influence the broad‐scale structure of animal groups, knowledge gaps remain on whether they affect fine‐scale patterns of association among individuals within groups.We quantify association patterns in African lions while simultaneously monitoring the abundance and distribution of prey. We test how social and ecological factors, including individual trait (age, sex, reproductive state) similarity and prey availability (prey abundance, dispersion, herd size and body size) affect within‐pride social structure in African lions.We found that individual decisions about associates depended on resource availability with individuals associating equally across all members of the pride when prey herds were scarce, aggregated or large bodied, and associating more exclusively (in subgroups of preferred associates) when prey herds were abundant, dispersed or small bodied. Individuals within lion prides seemed to be buffering against changes in prey availability by modulating their strength and density of connections with conspecifics when prides split into subgroups. The strength and density of connections among individuals within subgroups was greater when prey herds were large and lower when prey herds were dispersed or are large bodied.Our findings suggest that individual lions are making social decisions at both the subgroup level and the pride level, with decisions representing putatively fitness‐enhancing strategies. Individuals were typically shifting between having few strong connections and having many weaker connections depending on prevailing ecological conditions, with prey abundance, dispersion and body size having the greatest impact on decisions about splitting into subgroups. The maintenance of connections within prides and subgroups in the face of ecological change suggests that the fission–fusion nature of lion prides might be essential for the long‐term maintenance of social connections even when short‐term conditions do not allow them. More broadly, our study reveals how fission–fusion dynamics and ecological factors can simultaneously have an effect on animals across multiple levels of sociality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kenya's Tsavo National Parks are a critical conservation area and the only wilderness corridor through densely populated human‐dominated landscapes stretching from the East African coast to Lake Victoria, separating extensive undeveloped grasslands south of the equator from the undeveloped semiarid bushlands to the north. At nearly 21,000 km2, Tsavo is one of four lion strongholds in East Africa and part of Africa's most important populations of all other large African carnivores. To provide baseline data on the status of large carnivores, a track survey was undertaken in 2013. Lions and both hyaena species were widely distributed across both parks, while cheetahs and wild dogs were more patchily distributed. Spotted hyaenas were the most abundant, with an estimated population of 3,903 ± 514 (95% CI), followed by lion (706 ± 201), striped hyaena (679 ± 144), leopard (452 ± 98), cheetah (154 ± 74) and wild dog (111 ± 92). Tsavo's carnivores suffer from bushmeat poaching, illegal grazing and retaliatory killing, and increasing human numbers on its periphery. Given Tsavo's importance as a stronghold for lions and an ecological corridor, increased investment in effective protection is strongly recommended. Evaluating trends will require complementary techniques in light of intensive monitoring requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of social cues in the reproduction of social mammals, particularly carnivores, has been thoroughly studied and documented in literature. However, environmental cues such as resources of water, food, and shelter have been identified to a lesser extent. Pregnant lions (Panthera leo) are notoriously secretive during the final stages of pregnancy and postpartum. Behavioral indicators depicted by movement patterns obtained by remote detection of collared female lions in the Kruger National Park were necessary for the monitoring of birth timing. Over the study period, eight plus a potential three parturition incidences of collared females were recorded. Of the variables measured (step length, range size, duration, prey biomass, and rainfall), range size during the month of parturition was the most indicative movement pattern of a successful birth. By backdating the potential birth month of the litters, date of conception was calculated and our results revealed a correlation between the birthing peaks of preferred prey during the month of conception. Birth timing in conjunction with remote sensing and ecological factors were thus identified behaviors associated with denning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Swabbing scat has proved to be an effective noninvasive method to collect DNA from mammals in the field. Previously, this method has relied on preservative liquids or freezing to preserve the DNA collected on swabs. In this study, we determine the effectiveness of using silica to simply dry the swab in field as an alternative way to prevent DNA degredation. Four species were included in the study; reticulated giraffe, impala, fringe‐eared oryx, and lion. Swabs were taken at multiple time points for giraffe and impala scat samples, with the lion and oryx sampled opportunistically. Mitochondrial DNA was successfully amplified and sequenced from scat swabs from all species; however, effectiveness varied between species, with 81.8% amplification success rate from swabs taken from impala scat compared to 25% amplification success rate in giraffe. This variation in success rate was overcome by taking multiple swabs, thus increasing the probability of a successful amplification. The true merit of this method is in its simplicity and cheapness; no preservative liquids were required to be brought into the field, at no stage in the 2 weeks of field sampling were samples frozen, and no commercial kits were used for DNA extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apex carnivores are wide‐ranging, low‐density, hard to detect, and declining throughout most of their range, making population monitoring both critical and challenging. Rapid and inexpensive index calibration survey (ICS) methods have been developed to monitor large African carnivores. ICS methods assume constant detection probability and a predictable relationship between the index and the actual population of interest. The precision and utility of the resulting estimates from ICS methods have been questioned. We assessed the performance of one ICS method for large carnivores—track counts—with data from two long‐term studies of African lion populations. We conducted Monte Carlo simulation of intersections between transects (road segments) and lion movement paths (from GPS collar data) at varying survey intensities. Then, using the track count method we estimated population size and its confidence limits. We found that estimates either overstate precision or are too imprecise to be meaningful. Overstated precision stemmed from discarding the variance from population estimates when developing the method and from treating the conversion from tracks counts to population density as a back‐transformation, rather than applying the equation for the variance of a linear function. To effectively assess the status of species, the IUCN has set guidelines, and these should be integrated in survey designs. We propose reporting the half relative confidence interval width (HRCIW) as an easily calculable and interpretable measure of precision. We show that track counts do not adhere to IUCN criteria, and we argue that ICS methods for wide‐ranging low‐density species are unlikely to meet those criteria. Established, intensive methods lead to precise estimates, but some new approaches, like short, intensive, (spatial) capture–mark–recapture (CMR/SECR) studies, aided by camera trapping and/or genetic identification of individuals, hold promise. A handbook of best practices in monitoring populations of apex carnivores is strongly recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adoption of unrelated young can have detrimental consequences to the caregivers' fitness in the form of costs emanating from maladaptive altruism. Owing to such costs, complete adoptions and allo-nursing are relatively rare in the animal world, more so between species that compete with one another. Lions and leopards compete through both exploitative and interference mechanisms, resulting in profound aggression and suppression at mutual encounters. Through intensive monitoring, we provide a detailed and prolonged account of a complete adoption of a leopard cub by a free-ranging Asiatic lioness. We briefly review existing literature on foster care in the animal world and suggest that maternal instincts and inexperience, coupled with behavioral and physical resemblance between lion and leopard cubs, could have acted as proximate cues in initiating such an unprecedented association. Furthermore, the unique sociobiology of Asiatic lions wherein the sexes live separately in small groups likely favored the duration of this interaction (~45 d).We also discuss and speculate about broader perspectives of offspring recognition in the animal world and ask whether the study of such important yet rare associations has implications for our understanding of parental care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly mobile creatures with remarkable exploratory behaviour, the modern tiger Panthera tigris and the modern Asiatic lion Panthera leo persica colonised Eurasia during the Late Pleistocene (from 126000 ± 5000 to 11700 years before present, BP) and the Holocene (from 11700 BP to the present day). Their respective ranges have overlapped several times but we tend to ignore the extent to which they have really coexisted because this situation has not occurred in recent times.We provide a state‐of‐the‐art review of all the data covering their chronological distribution, in order to evaluate the extent to which they have coexisted. We include new data from petroglyph analysis in Central Asia.The data set covers two major biogeographical regions: the Palearctic Biogeographic Realm (western Asia and Central Asia) and the Indo‐Malaysian Biogeographic Realm in Monsoon Asia.Lions and tigers shared space with a large variety of medium‐sized carnivores. We can hypothesise that, due to the plentiful prey and the diversity in habitats within their common range, they lived in sympatry there during the Holocene (although in local allopatry), as long as human interference was low.The Indo‐Malaysian Biogeographic Realm offered the best habitats for coexistence due to the tropical climate, the variety of habitats, and the great diversity in prey. In temperate Asia, the carrying capacity was naturally lower due to cold winters and dry summers, except along the coasts. Suitable habitats were limited, in Central Asia, to the tugais of the alluvial valleys and the adjacent steppes. In this region, lions were particularly sensitive to stresses, due to their low adaptability to harsh winters, the long distance to their main population sources, and the likelihood that they were pushed into the steppes by tigers, where they were killed by humans, for symbolic or pragmatic reasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between the spatiotemporal distribution of resources and patterns of sociality is widely discussed. While the resource dispersion hypothesis (RDH) was formulated to explain why animals sometimes live in groups from which they derive no obvious benefits, it has also been successfully applied to species that benefit from group living. Some empirical tests have supported the RDH, but others have not, so conclusions remain equivocal and further research is required to determine the extent to which RDH predictions hold in natural systems. Here, we test four predictions of the RDH in an African lion population in the context of their fission–fusion society. We analyzed data on group composition of GPS‐collared lions and patterns of prey availability. Our results supported the first and second predictions of the RDH: Home range size (a) was independent of group size and (b) increased with distance between encounters with prey herds. Nonetheless, the third and fourth RDH predictions were not supported: (c) The measure of resource heterogeneity and (d) resource patch richness measured through prey herd size and body size had no significant effect on lion group size. However, regarding the fourth prediction, we added an adaptation to account for dynamics of fission–fusion society and found that the frequency of pride fission increased as group size increased. Our data set restricted us from going on to explore the effect of fission–fusion dynamics on the relationship between group size and patch richness. However, this should be investigated in future studies as including fission–fusion dynamics provides a more nuanced, realistic appreciation of lion society. Our study emphasizes the importance of understanding the complexity of a species' behavioral ecology within the framework of resource dispersion. Whatever larger theoretical framework may emerge to explain lion society, incorporating fission–fusion dynamics should allow the RDH to be refined and improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring populations in areas of ecological transition is crucial to understanding species distributions, but also a critical conservation tool. We used camera trapping to investigate the forest mammal community in the Batéké Plateau National Park (BPNP) in Gabon, a transitional landscape that experiences severe poaching. We compiled a species inventory, investigated group sizes and activity patterns of observed species, and conducted an initial test to evaluate whether ecological gradients within this landscape influence species occurrence. Based on 6612 images and videos recorded at 40 locations during 5,902 camera days, we identified 31 mammal species, including eight classified as threatened according to the IUCN. We detected lion (Panthera leo, Linnaeus), which was thought to be extinct in Gabon, and mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx, Linnaeus), for which BPNP was thought to be outside of their natural range. Our findings suggest that BPNP supports a low species richness compared to more forested protected areas. We found no changes in species composition of the forest mammal community with increasing distance from the continuous Gabonese rainforest, but a potential decrease in abundance for some species. Continued survey efforts need to be combined with detailed ecological data collection and effective law enforcement in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lion (Panthera leo) is an iconic resident of zoos and wild animal parks throughout the world. Regular assessment of the morbidity of captive lions is necessary to address wellness concerns and improve the healthcare and management of this vulnerable species. In an effort to understand disease morbidity broadly and guide future inquiries into captive lion health, we distributed a questionnaire that emphasized diseases of organ systems rather than individual diagnoses. We sent the questionnaire to 108 American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) institutions housing lions between 2001 and 2016. Fifty‐six facilities responded of which 32 responses had usable data for 111 lions. Responses were compiled and analyzed with respect to age, class, and sex. Neoplasia, renal disease, and dental disease were the most common causes of morbidity in these captive lions. Older animals generally experienced a higher prevalence of multiple types of disease. Three cases of hypertrophic cardiomyopathies (HCM) were reported in nearly 40% (3/8) of cardiovascular diseases and 3% (3/111) of disease cases overall, which is the first report of HCM in lions, to the authors’ knowledge. There is a relative paucity of literature on lion and large felid cardiovascular conditions, which suggests that this may be an understudied area of lion health. This broad assessment of morbidities present in captive lion populations aimed to identify key areas for further research and screenings. Management priorities of captive lions should include prevention strategies for dental disease and trauma, frequent screening for renal disease and neoplasia, and further research into cardiovascular health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Recruitment is a critical parameter governing population dynamics and influences population persistence. Understanding the drivers of recruitment is therefore important for conservation, especially for long‐lived mammals such as large carnivores, which have low reproductive rates, rendering them prone to extinction. Using cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) as a model species, I investigated the variation in cub recruitment in relation to habitat and the abundance of tourists and predators. Per litter, female cheetahs on average raised 1.71 ± 1.35 cubs to independence, but this varied depending on the presence of open habitat and the abundance of tourists, both of which had a negative effect on cub recruitment. More specifically, female cheetahs that were mostly found in open habitats on average raised 1.69 ± 0.14 cubs per litter to independence compared to 3.04 ± 0.26 cubs in denser habitat. Similarly, female cheetahs that were exposed to high tourist abundance on average raised 0.21 ± 0.72 cubs to independence compared to 2.32 ± 0.11 cubs in low tourism areas. Neither lion nor spotted hyaena abundance had an impact on the number of cubs that were recruited. Based on these findings, I recommend that the importance of a heterogeneous environment should be taken into consideration in habitat management, restoration efforts, and reintroduction programs. In addition, tourist quotas should be put in place in high visitation areas and strict wildlife viewing guidelines, such as number of vehicles, tourist behavior, time spent, and distance to a sighting, should be enforced. Cub recruitment is an important component of species persistence and incorporating these findings could aid conservation efforts for species that are increasingly under threat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competition is an important ecological factor influencing the population dynamics of carnivores especially as shifts in prey selection could have negative consequences for other members of the carnivore guild. It is therefore important to determine a species' resource requirements to help understand the potential degree and consequences of competition. Cheetahs Acinonyx jubatus compete over resources with larger carnivores, such as lions Panthera leo. While cheetahs generally favour smaller prey than lions, male cheetahs frequently occur in coalitions and are larger than solitary females. This could result in male cheetahs killing larger prey and potentially competing more directly with lions than female cheetahs. To determine the potential for both intra- and interspecific competition, we analysed data on 194 cheetah and 214 lion kills, and compared the feeding ecology of four cheetah social groups: single females, females with cubs, single males and male coalitions to that of lions in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. The results show that the greatest potential for interspecific competition is between male cheetahs, especially those in coalitions, and lions. Intraspecific competition is most likely to occur between singleton females and females with cubs. Understanding these ecological relationships is key, especially when prey become scarce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ambiguous empirical support for 'landscapes of fear' in natural systems may stem from failure to consider dynamic temporal changes in predation risk. The lunar cycle dramatically alters night-time visibility, with low luminosity increasing hunting success of African lions. We used camera-trap data from Serengeti National Park to examine nocturnal anti-predator behaviours of four herbivore species. Interactions between predictable fluctuations in night-time luminosity and the underlying risk-resource landscape shaped herbivore distribution, herding propensity and the incidence of 'relaxed' behaviours. Buffalo responded least to temporal risk cues and minimised risk primarily through spatial redistribution. Gazelle and zebra made decisions based on current light levels and lunar phase, and wildebeest responded to lunar phase alone. These three species avoided areas where likelihood of encountering lions was high and changed their behaviours in risky areas to minimise predation threat. These patterns support the hypothesis that fear landscapes vary heterogeneously in both space and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on large carnivore diet composition is important when conservationists seek to address stressors such as habitat encroachment, bush meat trade and retribution killing on the persistence of populations. Detailed diet sampling approaches can contribute to effective conservation management. We compare different approaches including GPS cluster analysis, scat analysis and opportunistic observations and describe lion diet profiles in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park ( KTP). We determined that a sample size of between 65-69 lion feeding events out of 278 found by GPS cluster analysis and 55-59 lion scats out of 189 samples can provide a representative description of lion diet in the KTP. Our opportunistic observations ( n = 52) were found to be too few for robust deductions. Scat analysis yielded the highest prey diversity ( n = 11) and best representation of prey <50 kg, but required 160 scats at ~ 263 km driven per scat collected. GPS cluster analysis provided good information for large prey, but underrepresented prey <50 kg. Kill remains were found at only 37% of the investigated GPS cluster points ( n = 823). Even so, GPS cluster analysis yielded diet descriptions quicker than scat analyses. The use of GPS cluster and scat analysis in tandem is recommended for the estimation of lion diet in this arid environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An animal's diet is an important attribute of its niche, and affects the role that it plays in the ecosystem. Comparing the diets of sympatric species reveals the level of dietary niche overlap between them, which can be used to gauge the potential for competition, as well as each species' vulnerability to competitive exclusion. Because of a morphology adapted to predation, sympatric carnivores can have particularly aggressive and dangerous competitive interactions; the intensity of which may be directly related to the amount of overlap in prey species consumed. Using predator scat analysis and prey survey techniques, we analyze and compare the underlying mechanisms of prey selection - prey body size and group size - between sympatric populations of leopard Panthera pardus and lion Panthera leo, to test for possible means of competitive avoidance between them. Because leopard and lion differ in both size and social structure, we controlled for the differing prey handling ability of each species, and found that there was still a significant difference in mean prey body size preference between the two carnivores ( P = 0.050), despite a relatively high level of dietary niche overlap (0.717). Both species avoid prey in larger groups, but the tendency is more pronounced for leopards. Where intraguild competitors overlap spatiotemporally, dietary niche segregation such as this may be a mechanism through which competition is avoided and, in the case of carnivores, could reduce the frequency of potentially costly interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Was the 1993/1994 fatal canine distemper virus ( CDV) epidemic in lions and spotted hyaenas in the Serengeti ecosystem caused by the recent spillover of a virulent domestic dog strain or one well adapted to these noncanids? We examine this question using sequence data from 13 'Serengeti' strains including five complete genomes obtained between 1993 and 2011. Phylogenetic and haplotype network analyses reveal that strains from noncanids during the epidemic were more closely related to each other than to those from domestic or wild canids. All noncanid 'Serengeti' strains during the epidemic encoded: (1) one novel substitution G134S in the CDV-V protein; and (2) the rare amino acid combination 519I/549H at two sites under positive selection in the region of the CDV-H protein that binds to SLAM ( CD 150) host cell receptors. Worldwide, only a few noncanid strains in the America II lineage encode CDV-H 519I/549H. All canid 'Serengeti' strains during the epidemic coded CDV-V 134G, and CDV-H 519R/549Y, or 519R/549H. A functional assay of cell entry revealed the highest performance by CDV-H proteins encoding 519I/549H in cells expressing lion SLAM receptors, and the highest performance by proteins encoding 519R/549Y, typical of dog strains worldwide, in cells expressing dog SLAM receptors. Our findings are consistent with an epidemic in lions and hyaenas caused by CDV variants better adapted to noncanids than canids, but not with the recent spillover of a dog strain. Our study reveals a greater complexity of CDV molecular epidemiology in multihost environments than previously thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fundamental problem in conserving large carnivores is habitat destruction, which results in patchy, isolated protected areas. In addition, human-wildlife conflict along reserve borders negatively affects carnivore populations throughout protected reserves. We present pride composition of nine lion prides and lion mortalities on bordering farmland over a 17-year study in Etosha National Park, Namibia. Although Etosha National Park is fully fenced, lions can - due to poor maintenance of the fence - move freely onto bordering farmland. Conflict with humans caused 48% of mortalities among subadult and adult lions. Most animals killed by humans consisted of subadult males and adult females: 59% of subadult males and 27% of adult females were shot or poisoned along the border of Etosha National Park. The disproportional high killing of subadult males on farmland affected the tenure periods of resident male coalitions. Probably due to a lack of competition from maturing subadult males, adult males held tenure over prides for nearly 7 years, about three times longer compared to other ecosystems, which increases the risk of inbreeding in this population. Such unregulated and unplanned selective mortality may be more widespread, and managers should monitor for negative effects, especially in socially complex species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predators affect ecosystems not only through direct mortality of prey, but also through risk effects on prey behavior, which can exert strong influences on ecosystem function and prey fitness. However, how functionally different prey species respond to predation risk and how prey strategies vary across ecosystems and in response to predator reintroduction are poorly understood. We investigated the spatial distributions of six African herbivores varying in foraging strategy and body size in response to environmental factors and direct predation risk by recently reintroduced lions in the thicket biome of the Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa, using camera trap surveys, GPS telemetry, kill site locations and Light Detection and Ranging. Spatial distributions of all species, apart from buffalo, were driven primarily by environmental factors, with limited responses to direct predation risk. Responses to predation risk were instead indirect, with species distributions driven by environmental factors, and diel patterns being particularly pronounced. Grazers were more responsive to the measured variables than browsers, with more observations in open areas. Terrain ruggedness was a stronger predictor of browser distributions than was vegetation density. Buffalo was the only species to respond to predator encounter risk, avoiding areas with higher lion utilization. Buffalo therefore behaved in similar ways to when lions were absent from the study area. Our results suggest that direct predation risk effects are relatively weak when predator densities are low and the time since reintroduction is short and emphasize the need for robust, long-term monitoring of predator reintroductions to place such events in the broader context of predation risk effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging infectious diseases of wildlife are of increasing concern to managers and conservation policy makers, but are often difficult to study and predict due to the complexity of host-disease systems and a paucity of empirical data. We demonstrate the use of an Approximate Bayesian Computation statistical framework to reconstruct the disease dynamics of bovine tuberculosis in Kruger National Park's lion population, despite limited empirical data on the disease's effects in lions. The modeling results suggest that, while a large proportion of the lion population will become infected with bovine tuberculosis, lions are a spillover host and long disease latency is common. In the absence of future aggravating factors, bovine tuberculosis is projected to cause a lion population decline of ~3% over the next 50 years, with the population stabilizing at this new equilibrium. The Approximate Bayesian Computation framework is a new tool for wildlife managers. It allows emerging infectious diseases to be modeled in complex systems by incorporating disparate knowledge about host demographics, behavior, and heterogeneous disease transmission, while allowing inference of unknown system parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The random encounter model (REM) is a novel method for estimating animal density from camera trap data without the need for individual recognition. It has never been used to estimate the density of large carnivore species, despite these being the focus of most camera trap studies worldwide. In this context, we applied the REM to estimate the density of female lions ( Panthera leo) from camera traps implemented in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, comparing estimates to reference values derived from pride census data. More specifically, we attempted to account for bias resulting from non-random camera placement at lion resting sites under isolated trees by comparing estimates derived from night versus day photographs, between dry and wet seasons, and between habitats that differ in their amount of tree cover. Overall, we recorded 169 and 163 independent photographic events of female lions from 7,608 and 12,137 camera trap days carried out in the dry season of 2010 and the wet season of 2011, respectively. Although all REM models considered over-estimated female lion density, models that considered only night-time events resulted in estimates that were much less biased relative to those based on all photographic events. We conclude that restricting REM estimation to periods and habitats in which animal movement is more likely to be random with respect to cameras can help reduce bias in estimates of density for female Serengeti lions. We highlight that accurate REM estimates will nonetheless be dependent on reliable measures of average speed of animal movement and camera detection zone dimensions. © 2015 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Top predators can dramatically suppress populations of smaller predators, with cascading effects throughout communities, and this pressure is often unquestioningly accepted as a constraint on mesopredator populations., In this study, we reassess whether African lions suppress populations of cheetahs and African wild dogs and examine possible mechanisms for coexistence between these species., Using long-term records from Serengeti National Park, we tested 30 years of population data for evidence of mesopredator suppression, and we examined six years of concurrent radio-telemetry data for evidence of large-scale spatial displacement., The Serengeti lion population nearly tripled between 1966 and 1998; during this time, wild dogs declined but cheetah numbers remained largely unchanged. Prior to their local extinction, wild dogs primarily occupied low lion density areas and apparently abandoned the long-term study area as the lion population 'saturated' the region. In contrast, cheetahs mostly utilized areas of high lion density, and the stability of the cheetah population indicates that neither high levels of lion-inflicted mortality nor behavioural avoidance inflict sufficient demographic consequences to translate into population-level effects., Population data from fenced reserves in southern Africa revealed a similar contrast between wild dogs and cheetahs in their ability to coexist with lions., These findings demonstrate differential responses of subordinate species within the same guild and challenge a widespread perception that lions undermine cheetah conservation efforts. Paired with several recent studies that document fine-scale lion-avoidance by cheetahs, this study further highlights fine-scale spatial avoidance as a possible mechanism for mitigating mesopredator suppression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cheetah cub survival on the Serengeti Plains (SP) was found to be exceptionally low, because of high predation rates, thought to be especially by lions. These results have contributed to the perception that cheetah cubs are particularly vulnerable to predation, and that areas with large carnivores may not be suitable for cheetah conservation. Here we show that survival of cheetah cubs in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park was seven times higher than on the SP and, although predation was the most common form of mortality, lions were not found to be involved. Moreover, we suggest that scrutiny of the Serengeti data does not unequivocally prove the dominance of lions as predators of cheetah cubs there. We discuss these findings in the context of cheetah conservation, suggesting that further research on coexistence between cheetahs and other carnivores should receive attention and that the high mortality rates of cubs found on the SP may not be as widespread as is commonly believed. Furthermore, we recommend that maintaining the link between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning should receive more attention in carnivore conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large carnivores are a critical component of Africa's biodiversity, and their conservation requires a clear understanding of interactions between large carnivores and people., By reviewing existing literature, we identify 14 key factors that influence large African carnivore conservation, including ecological (biodiversity conservation, interspecific competition, ranging behaviour, ecological resilience, prey availability, livestock predation, disease and population viability), socio-economic (people's attitudes and behaviours and human costs and benefits of coexistence with large carnivores) and political (conservation policy development and implementation, conservation strategies and land use zoning) factors., We present these key factors in a model illustrating the levels of impact on large African carnivore conservation., We identify the key principle that underpins each factor and its implications for both large carnivore conservation and human-carnivore conflict., We provide a synthesis of the key factors and related principles in large African carnivore conservation and highlight the importance of the site-specific and species-specific context in conservation policy and implementation, formulated through an interdisciplinary and adaptive approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although lions Panthera leo are the main predators of the giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis, interactions between these species are rarely observed directly. As a consequence, little is known about the effects of lions on giraffe mortality and behavior. We test patterns of lion predation on Masai giraffes Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi using a new methodology: lion claw marks observable on the skin of live giraffes. We studied 702 individually known giraffes in 3 non-neighboring areas of Serengeti National Park, Tanzania between August 2008 and November 2010. Lion claw marks were observed on 13% of giraffes older than 1 year. Claw marks were most frequently detected on giraffe hindquarters and flanks, revealing that non-lethal lion attacks occur most often from the rear. No claw marks were observed on calves (0-1 year), suggesting that calves rarely survive lion attacks. In the adult age class (>5 years), claw-mark prevalence was significantly higher among females than males. We observed substantial variation in claw-mark prevalence across study areas, indicating that lion predation risk may be heterogeneous within Serengeti. We find that claw marks are an important source of data on interactions between lions and giraffes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feral goats ( Capra hircus) are estimated to cause >AUD$25 million of losses to pastoralism per year. Feral goats contribute to soil erosion, shrub defoliation, pasture degradation, and compete with stock for browse. Feral goats also impact threatened plants such as curly barked wattle ( Acacia curranii), and land degradation by goats is considered a Key Threatening Process under the Australian Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. However, many pastoralists supplement their incomes by harvesting feral goats for their meat, fiber, skins, and for live export; this is an industry worth >AUD$73 million/year. In consideration of the commercial industry associated with feral goats, we evaluated a non-lethal form of management using predator odors at The University of Queensland's Darbalara Research Farm (Australia) in 2008. We evaluated fecal samples from lion ( Panthera leo), tiger ( P. tigris), and dingo ( Canis lupus dingo) as area deterrents. Dingo fecal odor was not an effective deterrent for goats. Tiger fecal odor affected goat movement patterns, which resulted in a shift away from the test area ( P = 0.01). The use of both lion and tiger fecal odors resulted in test animals moving their resting sites away from the test areas (lion, P = 0.03; tiger, P = 0.03). These results show that both lion and tiger fecal odors can be used to manipulate resource use by goats by affecting grazing patterns and shifting goat resting sites. © 2012 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reintroduction of large predators provides a framework to investigate responses by prey species to predators. Considerable research has been directed at the impact that reintroduced wolves (Canis lupus) have on cervids, and to a lesser degree, bovids, in northern temperate regions. Generally, these impacts alter feeding, activity, and ranging behavior, or combinations of these. However, there are few studies on the response of African bovids to reintroduced predators, and thus, there is limited data to compare responses by tropical and temperate ungulates to predator reintroductions. Using the reintroduction of lion {Panthera leo) into the Addo Elephant National Park (AENP) Main Camp Section, South Africa, we show that Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) responses differ from northern temperate ungulates. Following lion reintroduction, buffalo herds amalgamated into larger, more defendable units; this corresponded with an increase in the survival of juvenile buffalo. Current habitat preference of buffalo breeding herds is for open habitats, especially during the night and morning, when lion are active. The increase in group size and habitat preference countered initial high levels of prédation on juvenile buffalo, resulting in a return in the proportion of juveniles in breeding herds to pre-lion levels. Our results show that buffalo responses to reintroduced large predators in southern Africa differ to those of northern temperate bovids or cervids in the face of wolf prédation. We predict that the nature of the prey response to predator reintroduction is likely to reflect the trade-off between the predator selection and hunting strategy of predators against the life history and foraging strategies of each prey species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livestock populations in protected areas are viewed negatively because of their interaction with native ungulates through direct competition for food resources. However, livestock and native prey can also interact indirectly through their shared predator. Indirect interactions between two prey species occur when one prey modifies either the functional or numerical responses of a shared predator. This interaction is often manifested as negative effects (apparent competition) on one or both prey species through increased predation risk. But indirect interactions can also yield positive effects on a focal prey if the shared predator modifies its functional response toward increased consumption of an abundant and higher-quality alternative prey. Such a phenomenon between two prey species is underappreciated and overlooked in nature. Positive indirect effects can be expected to occur in livestock-dominated wildlife reserves containing large carnivores. We searched for such positive effects in Acacia-Zizhypus forests of India's Gir sanctuary where livestock (Bubalus bubalis and Bos indicus) and a coexisting native prey (chital deer, Axis axis) are consumed by Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica). Chital vigilance was higher in. areas with low livestock density than in areas with high livestock density. This positive indirect effect occurred because lion predation rates onlivestock were twice as great where livestock were abundant than where livestock density was low. Positive indirect interactions mediated, by shared predators may be more common than generally thought with rather major consequences for ecological understanding and conservation. We encourage further studies to understand outcomes of indirect interactions on long-term predator-prey dynamics in livestock-dominated protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades there has been a marked decline in the numbers of African lions ( Panthera leo), especially in West Africa where the species is regionally endangered. Based on the climatological history of western Africa, we hypothesize that West and Central African lions have a unique evolutionary history, which is reflected by their genetic makeup. Sub-Saharan Africa and India, with special focus on West and Central Africa. In this study 126 samples, throughout the lion's complete geographic range, were subjected to phylogenetic analyses. DNA sequences of a mitochondrial region, containing cytochrome b, tRNAPro, tRNAThr and the left part of the control region, were analysed. Bayesian, maximum likelihood and maximum parsimony analyses consistently showed a distinction between lions from West and Central Africa and lions from southern and East Africa. West and Central African lions are more closely related to Asiatic lions than to the southern and East African lions. This can be explained by a Pleistocene extinction and subsequent recolonization of West Africa from refugia in the Middle East. This is further supported by the fact that the West and Central African clade shows relatively little genetic diversity and is therefore thought to be an evolutionarily young clade. The taxonomic division between an African and an Asian subspecies does not fully reflect the overall genetic diversity within lions. In order to conserve genetic diversity within the species, genetically distinct lineages should be prioritized. Understanding the geographic pattern of genetic diversity is key to developing conservation strategies, both for in situ management and for breeding of captive stocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In South Africa, more than 30 small, enclosed game reserves have reintroduced lions over the last two decades, which now house more than 500 individuals. There is a high risk of inbreeding in these fragmented, fenced and isolated populations, which may be compounded by a lack of management guidelines. A population of 11 founder lions Panthera leo was reintroduced to Madikwe Game Reserve in 1995, and this population has in turn become a source for reestablishing other populations. Only four lineages were reintroduced, founder males were related to founder females, and since 1997, only one male lineage maintained tenure for >9 years, resulting in breeding with direct relatives. Interventionist management to limit lion population growth and inbreeding in Madikwe has taken the form of translocating, trophy hunting and culling of mainly sub adult lions. Despite this management, inbreeding started 5 years after reintroduction. Reproductive performance and thus population growth in Madikwe were dependent on the overall lion population density. When lion density was low, females first gave birth at a significantly younger age and produced larger litters, resulting in a high population growth rate, which decreased significantly when lion density in the park reached carrying capacity, that is, 61 lions. This might have profound consequences for future reestablishment of lion populations when restocking new reserves: our study illustrates the need for founder populations of reintroduced endangered predator species to be as large and genetically diverse as possible, and thereafter new genetic material should be supplemented. The development of such management guidelines is becoming very important as large predator populations become increasingly fragmented and managed as metapopulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-resolution animal location data are increasingly available, requiring analytical approaches and statistical tools that can accommodate the temporal structure and transient dynamics (non-stationarity) inherent in natural systems. Traditional analyses often assume uncorrelated or weakly correlated temporal structure in the velocity (net displacement) time series constructed using sequential location data. We propose that frequency and time-frequency domain methods, embodied by Fourier and wavelet transforms, can serve as useful probes in early investigations of animal movement data, stimulating new ecological insight and questions. We introduce a novel movement model with time-varying parameters to study these methods in an animal movement context. Simulation studies show that the spectral signature given by these methods provides a useful approach for statistically detecting and characterizing temporal dependency in animal movement data. In addition, our simulations provide a connection between the spectral signatures observed in empirical data with null hypotheses about expected animal activity. Our analyses also show that there is not a specific one-to-one relationship between the spectral signatures and behavior type and that departures from the anticipated signatures are also informative. Box plots of net displacement arranged by time of day and conditioned on common spectral properties can help interpret the spectral signatures of empirical data. The first case study is based on the movement trajectory of a lion (Panthera leo) that shows several characteristic daily activity sequences, including an active-rest cycle that is correlated with moonlight brightness. A second example based on six pairs of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) illustrates the use of wavelet coherency to show that their movements synchronize when they are within ∼1 km of each other, even when individual movement was best described as an uncorrelated random walk, providing an important spatial baseline of movement synchrony and suggesting that local behavioral cues play a strong role in driving movement patterns. We conclude with a discussion about the role these methods may have in guiding appropriately flexible probabilistic models connecting movement with biotic and abiotic covariates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predators may influence their prey populations not only through direct lethal effects, but also through redirect behavioral changes. Here, we combined spatiotemporal fine-scale data from GPS radio collars on lions with habitat use information on 11 African herbivores in Hwange National Park (Zimbabwe) to test whether the risk of predation by lions influenced the distribution of herbivores in the landscape. Effects of long-term risk of predation (likelihood of lion presence calculated over four months) and short-term risk of predation (actual presence of lions in the vicinity in the preceding 24 hours) were contrasted. The long-term risk of predation by lions appeared to influence the distributions of all browsers across the landscape, but not of grazers. This result strongly suggests that browsers and grazers, which face different ecological constraints, are influenced at different spatial and temporal scales in the variation of the risk of predation by lions. The results also show that all herbivores tend to use more open habitats preferentially when lions are in their vicinity, probably an effective anti-predator behavior against such an ambush predator. Behaviorally induced effects of lions may therefore contribute significantly to structuring African herbivore communities, and hence possibly their effects on savanna ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interspecific competition among carnivores is an important determinant of predator population dynamics, and it may also affect lower trophic levels. Whereas considerable research has focused on effects of interspecific competition on threatened carnivore populations, here we examine the effects of interspecific competition on the most abundant large carnivore in Africa, the spotted hyena Crocuta crocuta. Specifically, we compared two populations of spotted hyenas to examine the sources of variation in fitness, including effects of competition with lions Panthera leo. Hyenas living in Amboseli National Park and the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, were monitored from 2003 to 2005 and 1988 to 1992, respectively. Females reproduced at significantly higher rates in Amboseli, due to shorter lactation periods, though neither juvenile survival nor litter size differed between populations. Differences in reproduction were estimated to result in 24% greater lifetime reproductive success among Amboseli than among Mara females. We then tested alternative ecological hypotheses to explain these differences in fitness measures between populations. We found little support for hypotheses suggesting that population differences were due to variation in prey availability or dispersion, or to intraspecific competition either within or between hyena groups. Our results were most consistent with the hypothesis that population differences were due to variation in interspecific competition with lions. Hyenas in Amboseli lived at lower lion density, enjoyed higher rates of food intake despite less abundant prey, and scavenged more food from lions than did Mara hyenas. Our results indicate that competition with lions operated primarily via food competition, rather than direct killing, to generate the fitness differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]