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Traditional transect survey methods for forest antelopes often underestimate density for common species and do not provide sufficient data for rarer species. The use of camera trapping as a survey tool for medium and large terrestrial mammals has become increasingly common, especially in forest habitats. Here, we applied the distance sampling method to images generated from camera-trap surveys in Dja Faunal Reserve, Cameroon, and used an estimate of the proportion of time animals are active to correct for negative bias in the density estimates from the 24-hour camera-trap survey datasets. We also used multiple covariate distance sampling with body weight as a covariate to estimate detection probabilities and densities of rarer species. These methods provide an effective tool for monitoring the status of individual species or a community of forest antelope species, information urgently needed for conservation planning and action.

The sand cat is one of the world’s least studied small cats. Our camera-trap survey, one of the largest undertaken in a desert system, generated over 1500 images of the species across 100 camera-traps distributed systematically over the 2400 km2 core area of the Uruq Bani Ma’arid Protected Area of the Empty Quarter, Saudi Arabia. The study revealed a much more significant and widespread sand cat population in the ecosystem than previously understood. Sand cats were detected across one-third of the core area in all major habitats, comprising escarpment plateau, sand dunes and interdunal gravel valleys. The species showed a marginal preference for the interior parallel dune system with interspersed gravel valleys where they also preferred sand dunes over the gravel valley in the hot season. There was no evidence of strong spatial interactions with other predators. The ecosystem’s larger predators (Arabian red fox and honey badger, and all records of wild and feral cats) were primarily associated with the escarpment plateau. The smaller Rueppell’s fox was the only other carnivore more consistently present in the main dune system. Sand cats were strictly nocturnal and 14% more active in the hot season than the cool season.

The endangered golden‐rumped sengi are found only in Arabuko‐Sokoke Forest with 395.4 km² of forest habitat, and perhaps in a few isolated forest and thicket fragments of total area less than 30 km² all within central coastal Kenya. Understanding its habitat use is an important requirement to develop better conservation measures for the species and its remaining forest habitat. A more reliable method for monitoring its status is also needed. We used the Bayesian occupancy modelling with camera trap data and habitat mapping to characterise the species habitat use in the Arabuko‐Sokoke Forest. The species uses 328 km² (95% CI: 289–364 km²) of Arabuko‐Sokoke Forest habitat, and its site use increases with distance from forest edge, with the highest site use in the Cynometra thicket (0.93; 95% CI: 0.82–1). Its use of the mixed forest habitat has been significantly reduced following years of logging of Afzelia quanzensis. We recommend the use of modelled occupancy, interpreted as the proportion of area used by the species, to monitor the species status. Occupancy models account for detection probability, and heterogeneity in site use and detection can be incorporated. Estimated territory sizes can be combined to obtain abundance estimates.

Aim To assess the distribution and occurrence of addax (Addax nasomaculatus), the most critically endangered ungulate species globally, and dorcas gazelle (Gazelle dorcas), for which the ecology in the southern Sahara is virtually unknown. Location Tin Toumma desert, Niger Methods Integrating field surveys, collected over a 7-year period (2008–2014), with remote sensing-derived measures of vegetation productivity (NDVI) and surface roughness, we fit models in a generalized linear regression framework to predict and evaluate the occurrence of addax and dorcas gazelle. Results Addax declined significantly over the course of the study, strongly affecting the outcomes of our regression models. Other factors, namely surface roughness and the occurrence of the perennial grass Stipagrostis acutiflora, were important in predicting addax occurrence. Dorcas gazelle, inhabiting areas further to the south of our study area, were more positively associated with increases in vegetation productivity than addax. Both species were observed to have a strong negative response to human disturbance. Predictive models, relying only on remotely sensed derived variables, provided insight into areas of habitat suitability and highlighted niche partitioning across the Sahelo-Saharan biome. Main conclusions Our results provide improved insight into the factors contributing to the occurrence of this critically endangered (addax) and vulnerable (dorcas gazelle) species and may help guide future field surveys across the region to locate small and geographically isolated populations. Developing statistically based ecological habitat models provide a first-step towards improved management and policy development for the long-term conservation of these species and complement field surveys conducted across the region to monitor species that are increasingly being pushed to extinction.

The biodiversity of northern coastal Kenya, east of the Tana River, is poorlyunderstood because security problems and poor infrastructure have discouraged accessto the area. However, the wooded areas in the region have great potential forharbouring endemic and rare species, including sengis or elephant-shrews (orderMacroscelidea), especially giant sengis in the genus Rhynchocyon. Based on extensivecamera-trap surveys of the Boni-Dodori forest, east of the Tana River near theSomalia border, and the Arabuko-Sokoke forest west of the Tana River, the goldenrumpedsengi Rhynchocyon chrysopygus appears to be limited to the Arabuko-Sokokearea, while the giant sengi in the Boni-Dodori forest is different. The Boni-Dodoriforest, the largest Kenyan coastal forest, with a potential forest and thicket area of atleast 3000 km2 is likely to hold a significant number of Rhynchocyon, making it veryimportant to sengi conservation. The study generated over 2700 images of giant sengiand 32 000 camera-trap images of soft-furred sengi in a total surveyed area ofapproximately 300 km2 providing the first detailed 24-hour behaviour data for thespecies. The circadian patterns have confirmed R. chrysopygus and Boni Rhynchocyonto be strictly diurnal while the soft-furred sengi were mostly nocturnal. Occupancy forRhynchocyon was over 80 percent for both the Boni forest thicket and Arabuko-Sokoke Cynometra forest thicket. Occupancy and trapping rates for the soft-furred sengi were significantly higher for the Arabuko-Sokoke forest than the Boni-Dodori forest. It was not possible in the camera trap images to reliably differentiate between the two soft-furred sengi species, four-toed sengi Petrodromus tetradactylus and rufous sengi Elephantulus rufescens, known to occur in the area.Keywords: Macroscelidea, elephant-shrew, Rhynchocyon, abundance, distribution,activity pattern

There are two PFS for this article, one is the original article and the other is an Erratum specifying the errors in the original article. In comparison to other ecosystems in east Africa, the biodiversity of the coastal forests of Kenya’s northern coastline is poorly documented, even in the case of large terrestrial mammals. In response to this, we undertook a systematic survey of the Boni-Dodori forests using four camera trap grids with camera spacing of 2 km covering 300 km 2 over 7020 camera trap days. We recorded 37 mammal species and derived camera trap rates and estimated occupancy for 31 medium-to-large terrestrial species, some of which represent range extensions. Remarkably, the critically endangered Aders’ duiker was the most frequently recorded species. A distinctive form of giant sengi and the vulnerable Sokoke bushy-tailed mongoose were also widely distributed and relatively abundant. Other significant records of threatened species included African wild dog, African lion and Pousargues’s monkey. Species richness and relative abundance of all species were higher than that recorded for Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, Kenya’s only other large coastal forest, using the same camera trap survey protocol. Keywords : Boni-Dodori forest, coastal forest, camera trapping, mammals, species richness, trap rates, occupancy

Three species of suids occur on the broad coastal plain of Kenya east and north of the Tana River; desert warthog Phacochoerus aethiopicus, common warthog Phacochoerus africanus, and bushpig Potamochoerus larvatus. Systematic cameratrap surveys, comprising 9229 camera-trap days on grids at six study sites, were used to determine the distribution and relative abundance of these three suids in the Boni- Dodori Forest Complex (ca. 4000 km²) and in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve (416 km²) on Kenya’s north and central coasts, respectively. In the Boni-Dodori Forest Complex, desert warthog was captured at one camera site, common warthog at four camera sites, and bushpig at 33 camera sites. In Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve, only bushpig was captured (seven camera sites). Sympatry of desert warthog and common warthog seems limited in the Boni-Dodori Forest Complex. Here, desert warthog appears to be narrowly sympatric with bushpig whereas common warthog is broadly sympatric with bushpig. Sympatry of the three suids in this region was not previously reported. This sympatry is absent in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve.Keywords: desert warthog, common warthog, bushpig, Phacochoerus aethiopicus, Phacochoerus africanus, Potamochoerus larvatus

Aders’ duiker Cephalophus adersi is a critically endangered small antelope endemic to the coastal forests of east Africa. Threatened by habitat loss and hunting, the species was until recently known to persist only on Zanzibar, Tanzania, and in the Arabuko-Sokoke National Reserve, Kenya. However, more recent observations, have confirmed the occurrence of Aders’ duiker in Kenyan coastal forests north of the Tana River. This paper reports systematic camera trapping results for three sites in the Boni–Dodori coastal forest system north of the Tana and the only other known mainland site for Aders’ duiker, the Arabuko-Sokoke forest. From a total survey effort of 5,723 camera trap days, we demonstrated that the known area of occurrence for Aders’ duiker has more than doubled with occupancy values at or close to 100 % for all three northern sites. An index of relative abundance for Aders’ duiker was also one to two orders of magnitude greater at these sites compared to Arabuko-Sokoke. Application of a replicate count N-mixture model to camera trap data from Boni National Reserve resulted in an estimate of 7.3 Aders’ duikers/km2 (95 % CI 4.5–10.1/km2). The results also indicate higher densities of suni Nesotragus moschatus and Harvey’s duiker Cephalophus harveyi in the northern forests relative to Arabuko-Sokoke. Blue duiker Philantomba monticola was recorded at low density in Arabuko-Sokoke forest but not detected at the northern sites. These findings significantly improve the conservation prospects for Aders’ duiker and highlight the global importance of the northern coastal forests of Kenya.

The Sokoke dog or bushy-tailed mongoose Bdeogale omnivora is poorly known and considered to be endemic to the East African coastal forests. Systematic camera trap surveys, comprising 9229 camera trap days on grids at six study sites, were used to determine the distribution and relative abundance of the Sokoke bushy-tailed mongoose in the two largest Kenyan coastal forests: Boni-Dodori Forest Complex (ca. 4000 km²); and Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve (416 km²). This species was captured in all surveyed forests with significantly more detections in Brachystegia woodland habitat ( ca . 71 km 2 ) of Arabuko-Sokoke and the Boni forest sectors (ca. 2000 km 2 ) of the Boni-Dodori Forest Complex. Boni-Dodori Forest Complex, with an estimated occupancy of over 60% for this species, holds a significant population. The study generated over 1000 images of the Sokoke bushy-tailed mongoose in a total surveyed area of approximately 500 km 2 providing the first 24-hour activity data for the species. The circadian patterns confirm this species to be strictly nocturnal. This study strongly recommends that its Red List status remains ‘Vulnerable’. The few remaining coastal forests continue to face human pressure. Recent proposals to find and extract hydrocarbons from under the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, and the planned major development close to Boni-Dodori Forest Complex, raise serious conservation concerns for this exceptionally biodiverse ecosystem. Keywords: Arabuko-Sokoke forest, Boni forest, Dodori forest, camera trap, status, Bdeogale omnivora

Habitat evaluation is considered an essential step for assessing the potential for an area to support a viable reintroduced population. Remote sensing techniques can support such investigations, by greatly enhancing the temporal and spatial coverage of habitat assessments. This study makes use of freely available earth observation data to evaluate the suitability of the Ouadi Rime–Ouadi Achim Game Reserve in central Chad for the reintroduction of the Scimitar-horned Oryx. The reserve was the last stronghold of the species within its historical range, prior to extinction in the wild in the 1980s, providing a basis for reintroduction. Results show that since the 1980s, there has been a steady increase in average annual precipitation and satellite-derived estimates of primary production. The spatial downscaling of the average trend in primary production showed that the north of the protected area exhibited a drying trend over the period 1982–2008, while the south was associated with intense greening. As a result, the subdesert transition zone preferred by oryx is currently narrowing. If this is correct, this implies a potential reduction of favourable habitat for the oryx, which could have detrimental effects on the success of establishing a self-sustaining reintroduced population. Resume On estime qu'une evaluation de l'habitat est une etape essentielle pour estimer quel potentiel a une region de supporter une population reintroduite viable. Les techniques de detection a distance peuvent aider lors de ces investigations en augmentant fortement la couverture temporelle et spatiale de l'evaluation d'habitats. Cette etude utilise des donnees d'observations terrestres librement accessibles pour evaluer si la Reserve de Faune d'Ouadi Rime-Ouadi Achim, au centre du Tchad, est propice a la reintroduction de l'oryx algazelle. La reserve etait le dernier bastion de l'espece dans son aire de repartition historique avant son extinction a l'etat sauvage dans les annees 1980, ce qui donne un fondement a cette reintroduction. Les resultats montrent que, depuis les annees 1980, il y a eu une forte augmentation des precipitations annuelles moyennes et des estimations de production primaire derivees des donnees satellites. La reduction spatiale de la tendance moyenne de la production primaire montre que le nord de l'aire protegee presentait une tendance a l'aridification entre 1982 et 2008 alors que le sud etait plutot associe a un reverdissement intense. Par consequent, la zone de transition subdesertique preferee des oryx est actuellement en voie de reduction. Si ceci est exact, cela signifie une possible reduction de l'habitat favorable aux oryx, ce qui pourrait avoir un effet negatif sur la reussite de l'etablissement d'une population reintroduite autosuffisante.

Observations de vautours dans la zone sahelienne au Tchad et au Niger. Nous presentons un resume de l’ensemble des observations de vautours obtenues lors d’inventaires sur la faune sauvage effectues entre 2010 et debut 2013 au Niger oriental et au centre du Tchad. Ces inventaires n’etaient pas restreints aux routes, ni destines en premier lieu au suivi des rapaces, ce qui signifie que la comparaison avec des estimations precedentes est limitee. Toutefois, la totalite des frequences d’observations de vautours (oiseaux / 100 km) est tout a fait similaire a celles citees pour le Sahel occidental en 2004. Le Vautour de Ruppell Gyps rueppelli est l’espece la plus souvent observee ; des exemples de nidification arboricole de cette espece et du Vautour oricou Torgos tracheliotos dans de nombreux endroits du Sahel sont donnes. L’importance des aires protegees saheliennes pour les populations reproductrices de ces deux especes est documentee et la forte exposition des vautours a la pression anthropique et leur contribution au niveau des services ecosystemiques sont evoquees. Par ailleurs, des informations essentielles sont fournies sur les frequences d’observations actuelles de vautours, qui sont en principe reproductibles a l’avenir. Summary. We present a summary of all vulture encounters during a series of wildlife surveys conducted in eastern Niger and central Chad, between 2010 and early 2013. These surveys were not restricted to roads and not designed primarily for raptor surveys, so comparaison with earlier estimates is limited, but overall vulture encounter rates (birds / 100 km) were broadly similar to those reported in the western Sahel in 2004. Ruppell’s Vulture Gyps rueppelli was the most frequently observed species and examples of treenesting by this species and Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotos in widely separated parts of the Sahel are summarised. The importance of Sahelian protected areas for breeding populations of these two species is documented, the strong exposure of vultures to human influence and their contribution to ecosystem services are discussed, while baseline information on current vulture observation rates, in principle repeatable in the future, is provided.

Conservation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is relatively young, yet have made considerable gains in conservation through strategic proclamation and reintroductions. Changes in land use, illegal hunting and competition with domestic stock has decimated the native ungulates, meaning that the survival of the native ungulate species is now completely dependent on protected area network. The challenge is to sustain this network to make meaningful conservation impact into the future. We review the status of ungulate conservation in Saudi Arabia and highlight that the conservation strategy is well developed. The major challenge faced in conservation in Saudi Arabia now is to implement what has been sanctioned.

Aders’ duiker Cephalophus adersi is a small antelope endemic to the coastal forests of east Africa. Threatened by habitat loss and hunting, the species is categorized as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Until recently Aders’ duiker was known to persist only on Zanzibar, Tanzania, and in the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest National Reserve, Kenya. However, in 2004 a sighting of a single individual was reported from the Dodori forest in northern coastal Kenya, raising the possibility that the species survives elsewhere. Subsequently, an opportunistic camera-trap survey was conducted in September and October 2008 to establish the occurrence of Aders’ duiker in Kenyan coastal forests north of the Tana River. One hundred and fifty six images of Aders’ duikers were obtained from 12 of 28 camera-trap sites (46 of 358 camera-trap days), confirming the existence of a population of Aders’ duiker in the Boni–Dodori forest both inside and outside the National Reserves. In addition, we sighted individuals of the species on three occasions. The relatively high encounter rates per unit effort compared to similar data from Arabuko-Sokoke forest suggest the Boni–Dodori population is significant. Initial surveys of the local Awer community revealed that Aders’ duiker is well known by the name guno. These findings significantly improve the conservation prospects for Aders’ duiker and highlight the need for greater research and management efforts in the poorly known Boni–Dodori forest.

The Barbary sheep or aoudad Ammotragus lervia is widely distributed in the mountains of the Sahara and North Africa. The 2000 IUCN Red List assessment of the Egyptian subspecies A. l. ornata categorized this taxon as Extinct in the Wild. We present new evidence, collected during 1997–2000, that this subspecies is extant in both the extreme south-east and south-west of Egypt, and reassess the status of captive aoudad in Egypt. We recommend that the category of A. l. ornata on the IUCN Red List be changed to Critically Endangered, that conservation of wild aoudad in Egypt be prioritized, and that the subspecific status of both the wild and captive stocks in Egypt be reassessed.

Managers of threatened species often face the dilemma of whether to keep populations separate to conserve local adaptations and minimize the risk of outbreeding, or whether to manage populations jointly to reduce loss of genetic diversity and minimise inbreeding. In this study we examine genetic relatedness and diversity in three of the five last remaining wild populations of dama gazelle and a number of captive populations, using mtDNA control region and cytochrome b data. Despite the sampled populations belonging to the three putative subspecies, which are delineated according to phenotypes and geographical location, we find limited evidence for phylogeographical structure within the data and no genetic support for the putative subspecies. In the light of these data we discuss the relevance of inbreeding depression, outbreeding depression, adaptive variation, genetic drift, and phenotypic variation to the conservation of the dama gazelle and make some recommendations for its future conservation management. The genetic data suggest that the best conservation approach is to view the dama gazelle as a single species without subspecific divisions.

Since WWII motorised hunting and motorised water and artificial fodder supply for domestic stock have increased the range and numbers of domestic stock and consequently the competition for food with gazelle. Although reem were once widespread and even abundant throughout Saudi Arabia their future was already debated by Wilfred Thesiger during his epic trek through the Empty Quarter in Saudi Arabia in 1947-48. A dramatic decrease during the 1970’s and 1980’s was noted in the wild with the most recent total population estimated to be fewer than 10 000 individuals and estimates for Saudi Arabia ranging between 2650 and 3050 animals in four populations (Al-Khunfah, Harrat al-Harrah, Mahazat as-Sayd and Uruq Bani Ma’arid (IUCN 2008). Materials and methods

Deserts are particularly vulnerable to human impacts and have already suffered a substantial loss of biodiversity. In harsh and variable desert environments, large herbivores typically occur at low densities, and their large carnivore predators occur at even lower densities. The continued survival of large carnivores is key to healthy functioning desert ecosystems, and the ability to gather reliable information on these rare low density species, including presence, abundance and density, is critical to their monitoring and management. Here we test camera trap methodologies as a monitoring tool for an extremely rare wide-ranging large felid, the critically endangered Saharan cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus hecki). Two camera trapping surveys were carried out over 2-3 months across a 2,551 km2 grid in the Ti-n-hağğen region in the Ahaggar Cultural Park, south central Algeria. A total of 32 records of Saharan cheetah were obtained. We show the behaviour and ecology of the Saharan cheetah is severely constrained by the harsh desert environment, leading them to be more nocturnal, be more wide-ranging, and occur at lower densities relative to cheetah in savannah environments. Density estimates ranged from 0.21-0.55/1,000 km2, some of the lowest large carnivore densities ever recorded in Africa, and average home range size over 2-3 months was estimated at 1,583 km2. We use our results to predict that, in order to detect presence of cheetah with p>0.95 a survey effort of at least 1,000 camera trap days is required. Our study identifies the Ahaggar Cultural Park as a key area for the conservation of the Saharan cheetah. The Saharan cheetah meets the requirements for a charismatic flagship species that can be used to "market" the Saharan landscape at a sufficiently large scale to help reverse the historical neglect of threatened Saharan ecosystems.