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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]

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]

Objective: To describe a case of congenital glaucoma in atiger (Panthera tigris). Animal Studied: An 8‐month‐old intact female tiger wasreferred for suspected glaucoma of the right eye. The right eye was buphthalmicwith moderate episcleral injection, circumferential superficial cornealneovascularization, moderate corneal edema, and a fixed dilated pupil. Tapetalreflection was absent due to a mature cataract. Rebound tonometry under generalanesthesia revealed 70 mmHg and 21 mmHg in the right and left eye, respectively. Procedure: A trans‐conjunctival enucleation was performedand the globe was submitted for histopathology. Results: Histopathology revealed a thin sclera, amorphousmaterial contouring an imperforate and hypoplastic iridocorneal angle, ahypoplastic lens with severe anterior‐posterior compression, subcapsularepithelial hyperplasia, and Morganian globules, and segmental moderate retinalatrophy. Periodic acid‐Schiff stain highlighted segmental dilations of theDescemet's membrane. Masson trichrome stain highlighted a pre‐irido collagenmembrane. Conclusion: The tiger's age and histopathologic findingsare consistent with congenital goniodysgenesis. This is the first known reportof congenital glaucoma in a tiger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During excavations of the settlement‐site Ilgynly‐Depe in Southeastern Turkmenistan, for the first time, since investigations began in 1986, the remains of tiger were found. Two bones of this large predator were found in layers dated to the beginning of the third millennium BC. Among the bones that were found are the proximal part of the third hind metapodium and the second hind phalanx, possibly from the third digit of the hind leg. Characteristic cuts from skinning of an animal are on the second phalanx. This is the first evidence of hunting of large felid predators in the Chalcolithic time in South Turkmenistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic land‐use change continues to be predicated as a major driver of terrestrial biodiversity loss for the rest of this century. It has been determined that the effect of climate change on wildlife population will accelerate the rate and process of decline of global vertebrate populations. We investigated wildlife composition, occupancy, and activity pattern along the larger climate resilient forests that serve as microrefugia for a wide range of species under the escalating climate change. We used camera trap survey covering 250 km2 of climate microrefugia in Dadeldhura hills in far western region of Nepal. We used 62 trapping locations accumulating 1800 trap nights taking 98,916 photographs in 62 days‐survey period during the summer season of 2020. We photographed 23 mammalian species with estimated species richness of 30 species (95% CI: 25–34) based on multi‐species occupancy model. We estimated overall species occupancy ψ(SE(ψ)) to be 0.87 (0.09) in climatic microrefugia. While human activity predominated throughout the day, the majority of animals was found to exhibit nocturnal temporal patterns. Tiger and hyaena, two of the top predators, were newly discovered in the western Himalayan range of Nepal, with their discovery at the 34 highest elevations of 2511 meters and 2000m, respectively. In Nepal, high‐altitude tiger range is characterized by tiger distribution above a 2000 m cutoff representing habitats in the physiographic zone of high mountains and above. Our findings establish a baseline and show that the climatic microrefugia that have been identified have high levels of species richness and occupancy, which characterize the Dadeldhura hill forest ranges as biologically varied and ecologically significant habitat. These areas identified as climatic microrefugia habitats should be the focus of conservation efforts, particularly efforts to reduce human disturbance and adapt to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildlife conservation in human‐dominated landscapes faces increased challenges due to rising conflicts between humans and wildlife. We investigated the human and wildlife loss rates due to human–wildlife conflict between 2000 and 2020 in Nepal. We concentrated on Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), greater one‐horned rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis), tiger (Panthera tigirs), and leopard (Panthera pardus) mortality, as well as human mortality caused by these species. Over the 21‐year period, we recorded 1139 cases of wildlife mortality and 887 cases of human mortality. Leopard mortality was the highest, followed by that of greater one‐horned rhinos, tigers, and Asian elephants. Overall, the rate of wildlife mortality has been increasing over the years. Asian elephants were found to be more responsible for crop damage than greater one‐horned rhinos, while leopards were found to be more responsible for livestock depredation than tigers. The generalized linear model indicated that the mortality of wildlife in the districts is best predicted by the additive effect of human mortality, the proportion of agricultural land, and the literacy rate of the districts. Retaliatory wildlife mortality was the most challenging issue for wildlife conservation, especially for the large mammals. Findings from this study are important for mitigation of human–wildlife conflicts, controlling retaliatory killing, and conserving these threatened large mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissection reports of large cats (family Felidae) have been published since the late 19th century. These reports generally describe the findings in words, show drawings of the dissection, and usually include some masses of muscles, but often neglect to provide muscle maps showing the precise location of bony origins and insertions. Although these early reports can be highly useful, the absence of visual depictions of muscle attachment sites makes it difficult to compare muscle origins and insertions in living taxa and especially to reconstruct muscle attachments in fossil taxa. Recently, more muscle maps have been published in the primary literature, but those for large cats are still limited. Here, we describe the muscular anatomy of the forelimb of the tiger (Panthera tigris), and compare muscle origins, insertions, and relative muscle masses to other felids to identify differences that may reflect functional adaptations. Our results reiterate the conservative nature of felid anatomy across body sizes and behavioral categories. We find that pantherines have relatively smaller shoulder muscle masses, and relatively larger muscles of the caudal brachium, pronators, and supinators than felines. The muscular anatomy of the tiger shows several modifications that may reflect an adaptation to terrestrial locomotion and a preference for large prey. These include in general a relatively large m. supraspinatus (shoulder flexion), an expanded origin for m. triceps brachii caput longum, and relatively large m. triceps brachii caput laterale (elbow extension), as well as relatively large mm. brachioradialis, abductor digiti I longus, and abductor digiti V. Muscle groups that are well developed in scansorial taxa are not well developed in the tiger, including muscles of the cranial compartment of the brachium and antebrachium, and m. anconeus. Overall, the musculature of the tiger strongly resembles that of the lion (Panthera leo), another large‐bodied terrestrial large‐prey specialist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 15‐year‐old spayed female Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica) was presented with a short history of haematuria and dysuria, non‐responsive to antibiotics, and a gradual decline to inappetence over a period of 2–3 months. Ultrasound examination showed a thickened urinary bladder wall and the renal pelvis of right kidney was dilated and cystic. A presumptive diagnosis of renal failure was made, and the tigress was euthanised due to deteriorating quality of life and pronounced weight loss. Histopathology revealed extensive erosion of the urinary bladder wall and marked congestion of the submucosal vasculature, a potential cause of the haematuria observed clinically. Numerous foci of neoplastic cells were also observed throughout the lung parenchyma as well as within lymphatic vessels of the lung, the liver and the kidney. A diagnosis of a metastatic non‐papillary high‐grade urothelial carcinoma (UC) of the urinary bladder was made. Consistent with this diagnosis, immunohistochemistry revealed the neoplastic cells were negative for uroplakin III, as has been reported for a subset of high‐grade, infiltrative urinary bladder UCs of canines and humans. This is the first report of a primary tumour of the urinary bladder in a tiger and the first report of UC in a tiger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Golden cats have been appreciated since the beginning of the cat fancy. Golden is a modification of the tabby coat. In the Siberian breed, a specific golden phenotype, named sunshine, has been described. Sunshine tabby cats exhibit a warm tone of tabby, a pink nose lacking the black lining and a large light cream area around the nose. Pedigree analyses revealed an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. A single candidate region was identified by genome‐wide association study (GWAS) and homozygosity mapping. Within that region, we identified CORIN (Corin, serine peptidase) as a strong candidate gene, since CORIN variants have been identified in mice and tigers with a golden phenotype and CORIN has been described as a modifier of the ASIP (Agouti Signaling Protein) pathway. A homozygous CORIN:c.2383C>T missense variant was identified in sunshine tabby cats. Segregation of the variant was consistent with recessive inheritance. The variant was also found in three Kurilian bobtail cats and in two ToyBob cats from the 99 Lives dataset but genotyping of 106 cats from 13 breeds failed to identify carriers in cats from other breeds. The CORIN:c.2383C>T variant was predicted to change an arginine to a cysteine at position 795 in the protein: CORIN:p.(Arg795Cys). Finally, hair observation in Siberian cats was consistent with elongated ASIP signaling as golden hair showed a large yellow band instead of the short subapical one usually observed in agouti hair. These results support an association of the Siberian sunshine modification with the CORIN:c.2383C>T variant. The Siberian cat has helped us to decipher one of the golden phenotypes observed in cats and we propose that the CORIN:c.2383C>T variant represents the wbSIB (Siberian recessive wideband) allele in the domestic cat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thailand is one of the last strongholds for tigers Panthera tigris in mainland Southeast Asia. Evidence suggests heterogeneity in tiger presence in a globally important landscape in Eastern Thailand is potentially influenced by a complex interaction of prey, human presence and environmental conditions. Understanding these dynamics is of considerable importance for the conservation of tigers both in this landscape and elsewhere in their range. In this study, we examine which factors, among prey, human presence and environmental characteristics, best explain tiger presence in the Dong Phayayen–Khao Yai Forest Complex (DPKY). We collated survey data from 56,214 camera trap nights and evaluated the relationship between tiger presence and a suite of five prey, 11 human presence and eight environmental variables. We then used variance partitioning to discern the degree of variance in tiger presence explained by these factors. We documented strong, positive associations with wild boar Sus scrofa presence and prey richness, and strong, negative associations with human settlement density, public roads and presence of poachers. Environmental characteristics explained a greater relative proportion of variance (19.6%) in tiger presence than prey covariates alone (3.1%), particularly confounded with human presence (31.1%). This suggests that environmental variables, especially when accompanied by anthropogenic factors, could be used to model potential tiger occurrence where other data may be lacking. Our approach may be helpful in providing guidance for prioritizing habitat, evaluating the effect of human presence and identifying key prey to provide a foundation for tiger protection and recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protected area networks (PAN) are essential for conserving wide‐ranging apex predators but their adequacy in species protection has rarely been assessed. Here, we assess the adequacy of Bhutan's PAN in conserving and providing connectivity to the endangered tiger (Panthera tigris). We determine the current extent of tiger habitat, predict new suitable habitat, identify potential corridors, and empirically estimate the range of tiger numbers that Bhutan can spatially support. We use two spatial models with different approaches to ascertain current tiger distribution and predict new suitable tiger areas: (a) an expert model based on tiger ecology and (b) an observation model from observed tiger distribution. The expert model identified more suitable tiger areas (32,887 km2) over the observation model (29,962 km2), with the PAN encompassing 46% and 45% of predicted suitable areas, respectively. Vast suitable tiger habitat remains unprotected. Based on our estimates of total suitable habitats, Bhutan can spatially support 138–151 tigers compared to the current estimate of 103, thereby precluding a doubling in tiger numbers. To ensure adequate protection of tigers in Bhutan, we recommend readjusting and/or expanding existing PAN boundaries, including the designation of new corridors, protecting habitats, and conserving prey populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary prey of tigers across much of South‐East Asia has been depleted, reducing the ability of already limited habitat to support tigers. To better understand the extent to which two of the largest prey species, gaur (Bos gaurus) and banteng (Bos javanicus), contribute to the tiger's diet, we estimated the average size of these species killed by tigers. This information is needed to more accurately calculate biomass of these species in the tiger's diet and to devise strategies to increase tiger carrying capacity where habitat is fragmented and limited in west‐central Thailand. We used temporally clumped locations of 24 satellite radio‐collared tigers to identify their kill sites and obtained mandibles from 82 gaur and 79 banteng. Kills were aged by teeth eruption sequence, sectioning the M1 molar and counting cementum annuli. Of all gaur killed, 45.2% were adults; of all banteng killed, 55.7% were adults. The average weight of banteng killed was 423.9 kg, which was similar to the 397.9 kg average weight for gaur. The mean weight of both prey species is 3.5–4.5 times greater than the predicted 1:1 preferred prey to predator ratio. In the absence of medium‐sized prey, killing these larger animals may be especially critical for female tigers provisioning nearly independent young when male offspring are already larger than the mother. This is the first study to present data on the average weights of gaur and banteng killed in South‐East Asia, and these results suggest that these are key prey species to target in tiger prey recovery efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the 'space race' between co‐occurring species is crucial to understand the effects of interspecific interactions on the extinction risk of species threatened by poachers and predators. Dynamic two‐species occupancy models provide a flexible framework to decompose complex species interaction patterns, while accounting for imperfect detection. These models can describe poachers–wildlife interactions, as they allow estimating occupancy, extinction and colonisation probabilities of wildlife conditional on the occurrence of poachers and vice versa. We applied our model to a case study on wildlife poaching in the eastern plains of Cambodia. We used co‐occurrence data extracted from the database of the SMART partnership to study the distribution dynamics between poachers and six ungulate species pooled together into the tiger prey guild. We used four years of survey data reporting the locations of snares and of presence signs of the ungulates recorded by rangers during their monthly multi‐patrolling sessions. Our results showed that a substantial proportion of the sites occupied by ungulate species went extinct over the years of the study while the proportion of sites colonised by poachers increased. We also showed, for the first time, that spatio‐temporal heterogeneity in the patrolling effort explains a great deal of the variation in the detection of poachers and ungulates. Our approach provides practitioners with a flexible and robust tool to assess conservation status of species and extinction risk of wildlife populations. It can assist managers in better evaluating, learning and adapting the patrolling strategies of rangers. [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]

Integrated landscape management of key population areas along with the corridors linking them is important for tiger conservation in the Indian subcontinent. Relationships between gene flow and landscape patterns, however, cannot be generalized given that different limiting factors influence movement in different spatial contexts. Here, we study the landscape features affecting tiger gene flow in the Western Ghats, and examine how and why limiting landscape features differ between Central India and the Western Ghats. We also assess whether these landscape features have been altered by land use changes in the last five decades. Our study area covers 30 000 km2 from Bhadra Tiger Reserve to the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in India. We used genetic data of 115 tigers and landscape resistance model optimization to create a resistance surface to gene flow in the Western Ghats. Tiger gene flow, both in Central India and the Western Ghats, is primarily related to topographic roughness and secondarily to diffuse disturbance, however these relations are inverted in the two landscapes ‐ in Central India, gene flow correlates with rough terrain, whereas in the Western Ghats, it correlates with smooth, forested terrain with minimal human disturbance. Topographic complexity is an important factor affecting tiger dispersal, but tiger's response to topography seems to be dependent upon interactions with human‐related disturbance. Tigers in Central India favor rough terrain for dispersal primarily because it is the only part of the landscape without heavy human footprint and the last refuge for natural vegetation, whereas in the Western Ghats, forest cover is more extensive in flatter terrain and human footprint is generally lower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite conservation efforts, large mammals such as tigers (Panthera tigris) and their main prey, gaur (Bos gaurus), banteng (Bos javanicus), and sambar (Rusa unicolor), are highly threatened and declining across their entire range. The only large viable source population of tigers in mainland Southeast Asia occurs in Thailand's Western Forest Complex (WEFCOM), an approximately 19,000 km2 landscape of 17 contiguous protected areas.We used an occupancy modeling framework, which accounts for imperfect detection, to identify the factors that affect tiger distribution at the approximate scale of a female tiger's home range, 64 km2, and site use at a scale of 1‐km2. At the larger scale, we estimated the proportion of sites at WEFCOM that were occupied by tigers; at the finer scale, we identified the key variables that influence site‐use and developed a predictive distribution map. At both scales, we examined key anthropogenic and ecological factors that help explain tiger distribution and habitat use, including probabilities of gaur, banteng, and sambar occurrence from a companion study.Occupancy estimated at the 64‐km2 scale was primarily influenced by the combined presence of all three large prey species, and 37% or 5,858 km2 of the landscape was predicted to be occupied by tigers. In contrast, site use estimated at the scale of 1 km2 was most strongly influenced by the presence of sambar.By modeling occupancy while accounting for imperfect probability of detection, we established reliable benchmark data on the distribution of tigers in WEFCOM. This study also identified factors that limit tiger distributions; which managers can then target to expand tiger distribution and guide recovery elsewhere in Southeast Asia. This research presents the results of a multiple scale occupancy analysis of one of the largest tiger landscapes, the 19,000 km2 Western Forest Complex in Thailand. Despite its population is the best in Thailand and the large area that it occupies, tigers are estimated to occupy < half of this landscape. Our analysis demonstrates that the presence of the combination of all large mammals is the primary predictor on tiger occupancy at the approximate scale of a female tiger's home range (64 km2), but at a finer grain of site use (1 km2), sambar is primary predictor of habitat use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large carnivore populations are globally threatened by human impacts. Better protection could benefit carnivores, co‐occurring species, and the ecosystems they inhabit. The relationship between carnivores and humans, however, is not always consistent in areas of high human activities and is often mediated through the effects of humans on their ungulate prey. To test assumptions regarding how prey abundance and humans affect carnivore occurrence, density, and daily activity patterns, we assessed tiger–prey–human spatiotemporal patterns based on camera‐trapping data in Hunchun Nature Reserve, a promising core area for tiger restoration in China. Our study area contained seasonally varying levels of human disturbance in summer and winter. We used N‐mixture models to predict the relative abundance of ungulate prey considering human and environmental covariates. We estimated tiger spatial distribution using occupancy models and models of prey relative abundance from N‐mixture models. Finally, we estimated temporal activity patterns of tigers and prey using kernel density estimates to test for temporal avoidance between tigers, prey, and humans. Our results show that human‐related activities depressed the relative abundance of prey at different scales and in different ways, but across species, the relative abundance of prey directly increased tiger occupancy. Tiger occupancy was strongly positively associated with the relative abundance of sika deer in summer and winter. The crepuscular and nocturnal tigers also apparently synchronized their activity with that of wild boar and roe deer. However, tigers temporally avoided human activity without direct spatial avoidance. Our study supports the effects of humans on tigers through human impacts on prey populations. Conservation efforts may not only target human disturbance on predators, but also on prey to alleviate human–carnivore conflict. We use data from the recovering Amur tiger population in China from an extensive remote camera‐trapping study to understand the effects of humans on tigers and their prey in both space and time. Our study showed human affected tigers both by direct temporal avoidance and indirectly via the negative influence of humans on the relative abundance of the primary wild prey of tigers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study that assesses the validity of purported increases in the population of wild-tiger Panthera tigris in Nepal and India as of 2016. Topics include a comparison of survey effort, in terms of number of trap-locations and trap-nights, minimum population sizes, and sampling duration to assess population estimates; methodologies used for country-wide estimate including use of spatial capture–recapture model in Nepal; and need for annual or biennial site-level estimates.

Aim Effective conservation of the endangered tiger depends upon reliable knowledge of factors driving genetic differentiation and population connectivity. Connectivity models frequently use resistance surfaces not optimized with actual movement or genetic data which limits reliability. Our aim is to use empirical data on genetic diversity of tiger populations to optimize landscape resistance to gene flow and identify factors that predict local population abundance across Central India. Location The study area covers 697,000 km2 across Madhya Pradesh and parts of Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Maharashtra. Methods We used genetic data of 309 tigers and restricted multivariate optimization of correlation between landscape variables and genetic distance in a reciprocal causal modelling framework to parameterize a resistance surface for gene flow. We further evaluated the association between effective population size and landscape connectivity using all-subsets logistic regression with model averaging based on AICc. Results Gene flow is primarily related to topographic roughness and slope position and secondarily to human footprint and land cover. It is much higher in areas of rough topography and ridge tops and is facilitated by forest cover in areas with low human footprint. In contrast, effective population size in protected areas is primarily driven by extent of protected areas and surrounding forest cover, and is not significantly related to resistant kernel connectivity value. Main Conclusions This is the first study to use a rigorous multivariate optimization approach to identify factors which limit gene flow of tigers. Tiger movement is highly affected by landscape features, and dispersing tigers move through rough terrain along forested ridges, avoiding non-forest areas with high human footprint, while local tiger population density is driven primarily by the extent of protected forested habitat. These results have important implications for tiger conservation and can be used to develop empirically supported prioritization of core areas and corridors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Translocations of large carnivores like tiger to restore extirpated populations are increasingly becoming important conservation tools in the face of persistent anthropogenic pressures and relentless habitat loss. Reintroduction success in Panna Tiger Reserve, India was variously attributed to high genetic diversity, less anthropogenic disturbance and stress, efficient execution and technological integrations. Here, we establish parentage relationships and explore the potential of mate choice and appropriate adult sex ratio to explain the successful reintroduction in Panna. We used a combination of radio-telemetry and genetic analyses to understand mating interactions of translocated tigers and their outcomes. Surprisingly, relatedness and parentage analyses of nine cubs born in 2010-2012 suggested that five cubs (55.5%) were not sired by the single translocated male tiger, emphasizing the difficulty of assessing the persistence of tiger presence over a large geographic area. Genotype data of tigers originally from Panna prior to the present reintroduced population revealed that four cubs were sired by an original Panna tiger which possibly ranged transiently within the released tigers' home ranges. Presence of additional male for mate choice can be a strong factor for successful reintroduction of tigers in Panna. Although number of females released is a good indicator of reintroduction success, the number of males released is also a very important factor for success. We hypothesize that while tigers live in female-dominated population structure within male territories, mate selection strategies operate strongly between sexes. Translocation programs should therefore deliberate on this aspect of mate selection and accordingly consider founder compositions to achieve desirable results. This also reinforces the need for post-release monitoring and thorough investigations into intraspecific interactions and behavior which will facilitate proper management and revival of tiger populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the use of real-time anti-poaching tags for preventing species extinctions. Topics discussed include implanting electronic devices Biologgers among wild animals that can detect a poaching event, targeted monitoring of money-laundering activities, and difference between proposed technology and standard satellite tracking.

Many interventions to stem wildlife poaching have overlooked insights into human behaviour offered by the social sciences. South-East Asia suffers the world's highest rate of wildlife declines, due mainly to poaching, yet there is little scientific attention on behaviour change, and few evaluations of the effectiveness of different approaches for stemming poaching., We used social-psychology principles to design a community outreach programme aimed at reducing poaching in a reserve in Thailand, and we monitored biological and social outcomes over 4-6 years. Outreach aimed to build trust, raise awareness, motivate, offer opportunities for action, increase perceived behavioural control of villagers and generate social pressure against poaching. Behaviour change is promoted when these conditions converge., We conducted 116 outreach events, focusing on adult farmers, children and local leaders. We assessed poaching trends using encounter rates with poaching signs and questionnaires. We monitored population status of six hunted mammal species (five ungulates and one rodent) using sign-based occupancy surveys and camera trapping., Poaching pressure dropped by a factor of four across the park, with multiple short-term declines (usually to zero) immediately following outreach in seven of nine patrol zones. Park patrol effort was uncorrelated with poaching trends, contrary to expectations. Questionnaire responses ( n = 311) corresponded to empirical observations: 88% stated that poaching declined over previous years; the top reason given for this decline was park outreach., In response to safer conditions, occupancy and abundance of five of the six focal species increased significantly or was stable in all three monitoring sites. Patrol effort was statistically unrelated to wildlife trends., Synthesis and applications. The weight of evidence in our study points to outreach as the main driver of a biologically significant decline in poaching that initiated the recovery of hunted species within the national park. This experiment provides one of the first demonstrations that scientifically designed and proactive park outreach activities might suppress poaching and initiate wildlife recovery in South-East Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sulfide chimney ore sampled from the flank of the active Tiger vent area in the Yonaguni Knoll IV hydrothermal field, south Okinawa trough, consists of anhydrite, pyrite, sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite and bismuthinite. Electron microprobe analysis indicates that the chalcopyrite contains up to 2.4 wt% Sn, whereas bismuthinite contains up to 1.7 wt% Pt, 0.8 wt% Cu and 0.5 wt% Fe. The Sn-rich chalcopyrite and Pt- Cu- Fe-bearing bismuthinite are the first reported occurrence of such minerals in an active submarine hydrothermal system. The results confirm that Sn enters the chalcopyrite as a solid solution towards stannite by the coupled substitution of Sn4+ Fe2+ for Fe3+ Fe3+, whereas Pt, Cu and Fe enter the bismuthinite structure as a solid solution during rapid nucleation. The fluid inclusions homogenization temperatures in anhydrite (220-310°C) and measured end-member temperature of the vent fluids on-site (325°C) indicate that Sn-bearing chalcopyrite and Pt- Cu- Fe-bearing bismuthinite express the original composition of the minerals that precipitated as metastable phases at a temperature above 300°C. The result observed in this study implies that sulfides in ancient volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits have similar trace element distribution during nucleation but it is remobilised during diagenesis, metamorphism or supergene enrichment processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India, a mega-diverse country in terms of both biodiversity and people, is battling environmental problems on many fronts: chronic dependence on natural resources, dwindling ecosystem services, declining environmental quality, effects of climate change and a biodiversity crisis., We review the current focal areas and infrastructure for ecological research and education in India, along with the surrounding legal and policy aspects of related socio-economic issues., Currently, ecological and applied research is predominantly focused on charismatic species within protected areas. This scope could be broadened beyond organismal biology towards functional landscapes and ecosystems; the education system also needs to promote ecology as a career choice for scientists. Expectedly, many environmental challenges are generic in nature, occur in other regions of the world, are primarily biophysical in origin but extend into human dimensions; some challenges are socio-political and have implications for biodiversity conservation., Synthesis and applications. India's environmental concerns include, but are not restricted to, the biodiversity crisis. The biodiversity crisis, in turn, includes, but is not restricted to, the most charismatic species. Greater integration and alignment among the mandates of government agencies, scientists, policymakers and educators are needed to meet contemporary environmental issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tigers are globally endangered and continue to decline due to poaching, prey depletion and habitat loss. In Nepal, tiger populations are fragmented and found mainly in four protected areas ( PAs). To establish the use of standard methods, to assess the importance of prey availability and human disturbance on tiger presence and to assess tiger occupancy both inside and outside PAs, we conducted a tiger occupancy survey throughout the Terai Arc Landscape of Nepal. Our model-average estimate of the probability of tiger site occupancy was 0.366 [standard error ( se) = 0.02, a 7% increase from the naive estimate] and the probability of detection estimate was 0.65 ( se = 0.08) per 1 km searched. Modeled tiger site occupancy ranged from 0.04 ( se = 0.05) in areas with a relatively lower prey base and higher human disturbance to 1 ( se = 0 and 0.14) in areas with a higher prey base and lower human disturbance. We estimated tigers occupied just 5049 ( se = 3) km2 (36%) of 13 915 km2 potential tiger habitat (forests and grasslands), and we detected sign in four of five key corridors linking PAs across Nepal and India, respectively indicating significant unoccupied areas likely suitable for tigers and substantial potential for tiger dispersal. To increase tiger populations and to promote long-term persistence in Nepal, otherwise suitable areas should be managed to increase prey and minimize human disturbance especially in critical corridors linking core tiger populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on land management and protected area management effectiveness in the tiger range. Wild tigers Panthera tigris are found in 13 countries, with habitat that is also important for ecosystem services, biodiversity and a number of other threatened species. Timber production, mineral mining, oil and gas concessions and protected areas are common land-use designations in tiger habitat. Twenty-one per cent of the current tiger range is under some form of protection, while 9% is designated as 'strictly protected,' in IUCN categories I or II. Fifteen per cent of the tiger range is under oil and gas concession. These concessions also overlap 152 protected areas, 55 of which are categorized as strictly protected. Management effectiveness tracking tool responses suggest that the majority of protected areas in the tiger range are inadequately managed to meet their objectives, and the most commonly reported management challenges are minimal enforcement and budgets. We observe that even strictly protected areas are subject to a variety of pressures, particularly resource extraction. Results imply that the establishment and enforcement of effective protected areas in each tiger landscape, sufficient to protect and grow breeding tiger populations, could help change current trends. These areas should be free from incompatible land uses, and should be adequately resourced to meet management, enforcement and monitoring challenges. Weaknesses in protected area management identified here have implications for species and ecosystem services that share the same geography as tigers. In addition, results suggest that similar issues may exist for threatened species and protected areas in other geographies as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past half century, wildlife research has relied on technological advances to gain additional insight into the secretive lives of animals. This revolution started in the 1960s with the development of radio telemetry and continues today with the use of Global Positioning System (GPS)-based research techniques. In the present paper we review the history of radio telemetry from its origins with grizzly bears in Yellowstone to its early applications in tiger research and conservation in Asia. We address the different types of data that are available using radio telemetry as opposed to using other research techniques, such as behavioral observations, camera trapping, DNA analysis and scat analysis. In the late 1990s, the rapid development of GPS collar technology revolutionized wildlife research. This new technology has enabled researchers to dramatically improve their ability to gather data on animal movements and ecology. Despite the ecological and conservation benefits of radio telemetry, there have been few telemetry studies of tigers in the wild, and most have been on the Bengal or Amur subspecies. We close with an assessment of the current tiger conservation efforts using GPS technology and discuss how this new information can help to preserve tigers for future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utility of molecular genetic approaches in conservation of endangered taxa is now commonly recognized. Over the past decade, conservation genetic analyses based on mitochondrial DNA sequencing and microsatellite genotyping have provided powerful tools to resolve taxonomy uncertainty of tiger subspecies, to define conservation units, to reconstruct phylogeography and demographic history, to examine the genetic ancestry of extinct subspecies, to assess population genetic status non-invasively, and to verify genetic background of captive tigers worldwide. The genetic status of tiger subspecies and populations and implications for developing strategies for the survival of this charismatic species both in situ and ex situ are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historical records can provide important evidence of changes in distributions of wildlife species. Here we discuss the distribution of the tiger ( Panthera tigris Linnaeus, 1758) over the past 2000 years in China based on 2635 historical records. We also compare tiger distributions outlined in these records with ecosystem type maps. Throughout this time period, tigers maintained a broad distribution across 7 biomes (from forests to deserts). However, in recent decades the range has been significantly condensed. Today, only 2 populations remain, neither of which is independently viable. Tigers have completely disappeared from the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests of central China, a region that was traditionally their most important biome in China. The continued presence of wild tigers in China is highly dependent on significant conservation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-tiger ( Panthera tigris Linnaeus, 1758) conflicts (HTC), manifested primarily as attacks on people and domestic animals, exacerbate at least 2 major threats to tigers: (i) conflicts often result in mortality or removal of tigers from the wild; and (ii) they result in negative attitudes towards tigers by local people, thereby reducing support for tiger conservation. Although HTC has decreased over the past century, it will likely increase if current and proposed conservation initiatives to double tiger populations are successful. Increased HTC could undermine successful conservation initiatives if proactive steps are not taken to reduce HTC. The present paper provides a review of the impacts of HTC and the measures taken to reduce it in ways that reduce negative impacts on both humans and tigers, and stresses the need for development and implementation of comprehensive plans to reduce HTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To be successful, conservation practitioners and resource managers must fully integrate the effects of climate change into all planning projects. Some conservation practitioners are beginning to develop, test, and implement new approaches that are designed to deal with climate change. We devised four basic tenets that are essential in climate-change adaptation for conservation: protect adequate and appropriate space, reduce nonclimate stresses, use adaptive management to implement and test climate-change adaptation strategies, and work to reduce the rate and extent of climate change to reduce overall risk. To illustrate how this approach applies in the real world, we explored case studies of coral reefs in the Florida Keys; mangrove forests in Fiji, Tanzania, and Cameroon; sea-level rise and sea turtles in the Caribbean; tigers in the Sundarbans of India; and national planning in Madagascar. Through implementation of these tenets conservation efforts in each of these regions can be made more robust in the face of climate change. Although these approaches require reconsidering some traditional approaches to conservation, this new paradigm is technologically, economically, and intellectually feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. There exists a continuing dilemma in prioritizing conservation actions for large carnivores. Habitat loss, poaching, and prey depletion have often been cited as the three primary threats, but there is debate over the relative importance of each. 2. We assess the relative importance of poaching and prey depletion rates, and use existing information in the literature and multi-type branching process and deterministic felid population models to address four lines of evidence used to infer that tiger populations are inherently resilient to high mortality rates. 3. Our results suggest that tigers, more so than leopards or cougars, require large populations to persist, are quite susceptible to modest increases in mortality, and less likely to recover quickly after population declines. Demographic responses that would ensure population persistence with mortality rates that are sustainable for cougars or leopards are biologically unrealistic for tigers. 4. We propose alternative interpretations of evidence used to suggest that tigers are inherently resilient to high mortality rates. In contrast to other solitary felids, tigers breed later and their inter-birth interval is larger, making them less resilient to poaching. A model used to support the contention that prey depletion has greater impact on population persistence than poaching appears to be based on false premises. Camera-trapping data that suggest positive population growth despite low survival rate cannot differentiate mortality from emigration, and does not differentiate the impact of varying survival rate on different sex-age classes; for example, low survival rate of dispersers is tolerable if survival rate of adult breeding females is high. 5. Synthesis and applications. While high prey numbers are essential to sustain tiger populations, our results suggest prey recovery efforts will not be sufficient if mortality rates reach 15%. Extrapolating demographic responses from other, even closely related species to develop conservation strategies can be misleading. Reduction of human-caused mortality, especially of resident breeding females, appears to be the most essential short-term conservation effort that must be made. Since mortality rates are usually unknown and generally stochastic in nature, any management policy that might reduce survival rates should be firmly avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a field study of diets of three sympatric large carnivores, the tiger Panthera tigris, the leopard Panthera pardus and the dhole Cuon alpinus in Bandipur Tiger Reserve, India, based on analyses of 381, 111 and 181 scats, respectively. The frequency of occurrence of prey items in scats was converted to relative biomass and number of prey consumed using regression equations based on earlier feeding trials. The results showed that although these predators kill ∼11–15 species of vertebrate prey, relatively abundant ungulate species provide 88–97% of biomass consumed by them. Although the dietary niche overlap among the three species was high (Pianka's index of 0.75–0.93), some specialized predation was observed. The largest ungulates, gaur Bos gaurus and sambar Cervus unicolor, provided 73% of biomass consumed by tigers, whereas medium-sized chital Axis axis and wild pig Sus scrofa formed 65 and 83% of the biomass intake of leopards and dholes, respectively. In terms of the relative numbers of prey animals killed by the three predators, chital, which is the most abundant prey species, dominated their diets (tiger=33%, leopard=39% and dhole=73%). The results of the study, in conjunction with earlier work, support the prediction that abundance of ungulate prey species, as well as their availability in different size classes, are both critical factors that facilitate sympatry among the three predators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To model differential extinction rates for island populations of tigers Panthera tigris and leopards P. pardus. Indonesia. We built VORTEX population models of tiger and leopard populations on an island the size of Bali (3632 km2), using data from the literature. The tiger populations were less extinction prone than the leopard populations. This was unexpected as tigers had the smaller population sizes and, as such, might be assumed to be more extinction prone. We identified several aspects of tiger breeding biology that explain the result. Sea level reconstructions suggest that both tiger and leopard would have been present in Java, Sumatra and Bali at the end of the last glacial. Our model provides a plausible mechanism based on population ecology to explain why these leopard populations were more extinction prone than the tiger populations. In addition it illustrates the potential utility of population ecology models in understanding historical patterns in biogeography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Scientific writing depends on citing accurate sources. There can be real-world consequences for failing to do so. As an example, several authors have stated that tiletamine-zolazepam (Telazol®) is contraindicated for tiger (Panthera tigris) immobilization. This admonition has virtually evolved into dogma in the field of wildlife chemical immobilization and was recently used to challenge field research. However, a literature review revealed that no author cited the primary reference that raised concern about the use of Telazol in tigers. We conducted an internet-based inquiry of zoo veterinarians combined with personal communications and other field reports to gather data on the use of Telazol in tigers. These data indicated that the mortality rate (1.3%) of tigers given Telazol was similar to other immobilization regimens in other species, which suggested that, although adverse reactions may still occur, tiletamine-zolazepam should not be contraindicated in tigers. This investigation emphasized the need to conduct thorough literature reviews before making unsubstantiated claims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eighteen polymorphic microsatellite loci from the highly endangered Sumatran tiger ( Panthera tigris sumatrae) were isolated and characterized. Upon polymerase chain reaction amplification, 16 of these markers produced a single, sharp band in all three tiger and 10 non-tiger felid species examined. Of the two remaining loci, 6HDZ057 and 6HDZ635 failed to amplify genomic DNA from puma ( Felis concolor) and cheetah ( Acinonyx jubatus), respectively. The amplification of these markers across four genera is an indication of their usefulness for population genetics studies and conservation work in a wide range of felid species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bacterial microbiota in the gut varies among species, as well as with habitat, diet, age, and other factors. Intestinal microbiota homeostasis allows a host to adjust metabolic and immune performances in response to environmental changes. Therefore, potential implications of the gut microbiota in sustaining the health of the host have gained increasing attention in the field of endangered animal conservation. However, the effect of host intraspecies genetic variation on the gut microbiota is unknown. Moreover, little is known about the complexity of the gut mycobiota. Tigers are listed as endangered species, raising worldwide concern. Potential influences of subspecies, diet, and age on the gut microbiota in tigers were investigated in this study to provide a better understanding of the response of the tiger gut microbiota to external changes. The results revealed that the impacts of the factors listed above on gut bacterial and fungal communities are versatile. Host intraspecies genetic variation significantly impacted only fungal alpha diversity of the gut microbiota. Differences in diet, on the other hand, had a significant impact on alpha diversity of the gut microbiota, but exerted different effects on beta diversity of gut bacterial and fungal communities. Host age had no significant impact on the diversity of the gut fungal communities, but significantly impacted beta diversity of gut bacterial communities. This comprehensive study of tiger gut microbiota is an essential reference for tiger conservation when considering feeding and management strategies, and will contribute to a better understanding of the mycobiota in wildlife., (© 2020 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)