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Domestic cats Felis catus have a complex and contentious history. They fill multiple societal roles (e.g. as pest controllers and companion animals), which has led to a variety of animal welfare, conservation, and human health concerns. Popular press articles play an important role in how people learn about key issues surrounding cats, but they may present some issues more frequently than other issues. We conducted a global media content analysis of 796 articles in the English‐language media from 1990 to 2018 on issues related to free‐roaming cats, such as their environmental impacts, the threats and welfare issues cats face, and how they are managed. We aimed to determine whether non‐experts learning about the issues around free‐roaming cats exclusively from the popular press would be exposed to multiple stakeholder views or opinions. Over 95% of articles analysed were from North America. Most of the people interviewed in the popular press were from non‐governmental organizations, mainly from cat welfare or cat rights groups (which are often focused on only one side of the issue). Researchers, shelter organizations, veterinarians, and groups that have different opinions than cat rights or welfare organizations on how to resolve issues surrounding free‐roaming cats were rarely interviewed by the popular press. Most articles focused on cat welfare issues and the management strategies of euthanasia or trap–neuter–release (TNR), whereas less than one‐third of the articles acknowledged that cats have any impact on wildlife or the broader environment. We found that the popular press often presented an oversimplified picture of issues related to free‐roaming cats and provided unbalanced coverage. We also show evidence of framing by the popular press, including mainly presenting the viewpoints and perspectives from animal welfare and rights groups, focusing on TNR or euthanasia as the only viable cat management strategies when many alternatives exist and often have greater support from experts, and discussing the impacts of cats on birds and small mammals but not reptiles or amphibians. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

Objectives Since 2012, outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) in domestic pigs have increased outside of South Africa’s ASF control zone. This study describes the epidemiological investigation and findings of an ASF outbreak in a small-scale pig unit in Gauteng Province and makes recommendations to prevent future outbreaks. Methods PCR testing and molecular analysis were performed on pig tissue samples. Veterinary services conducted epidemiological investigations, forward and backward tracing, and surveillance. Farm management and biosecurity practices were assessed. Quarantine, culling, carcass disposal, and disinfection were implemented. Results ASF virus genotype I was detected. A concurrent ASF outbreak in neighbouring Mpumalanga Province was identified as a possible source. Inadequate biosecurity measures probably facilitated viral transmission. Potential mechanisms for the introduction of the ASF virus include swill feeding practices, free roaming of pigs, scavenging, illegal slaughter, and trade of pig products within the community. Conclusions Molecular typing of the ASF virus linked the outbreak to an ongoing ASF outbreak in Mpumalanga Province. Pig enterprises with poor biosecurity practices may face greater risk of ASF introduction. Small-scale pig keepers should be targeted for ASF awareness and education campaigns. Innovative and cost-effective biosecurity solutions are needed in this resource-poor setting.

Most studies examining sleep in mammals are done under controlled conditions in laboratory/zoological facilities with few studies being conducted in their natural environment. It is not always possible to record sleep polysomnographically (PSG) from animals in their natural environments, as PSG is invasive, requiring the surgical implantation of electrodes on the surface of the brain. In contrast, actigraphy (ACT) has been shown to be a minimally-invasive method to objectively measure overall sleep times in some mammals, although not revealing specific sleep states. The aim of this study is two-fold, first, to measure sleep polysomnographically in free-roaming blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) under the most natural conditions possible, and second, to establish the degree of concordance between ACT and PSG recordings undertaken simultaneously in the same individuals. Here we examined sleep in the blue wildebeest, in a naturalistic setting, using both polysomnography (PSG) and actigraphy (ACT). PSG showed that total sleep time (TST) in the blue wildebeest for a 24-h period was 4.53 h (±0.12 h), 4.26 h (±0.11 h) spent in slow wave (non-REM) sleep and 0.28 h (±0.01 h) spent in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, with 19.47 h (±0.12 h) spent in Wake. ACT showed that the blue wildebeest spent 19.23 h (±0.18 h) Active and 4.77 h (±0.18 h) Inactive. For both animals studied, a fair agreement between the two techniques for sleep scoring was observed, with approximately 45% of corresponding epochs analyzed being scored as both sleep (using PSG) and inactive (using ACT)., Graphical Abstract Flow diagram illustrating the occurrence of state transitions (represented as a percentage) between Wake, non-REM sleep and REM sleep states with the pooled data from both blue wildebeest studied over a 72 h recording period.ga1, Highlights • We recorded sleep in two free-roaming adult blue wildebeest using two techniques. • On average these wildebeest spend around 4.5 h sleeping each day. • This sleep is comprised of both non-REM (4.2 h) and REM (0.28 h). • Actigraphy recordings show fair agreement with polysomnography. • This data contributes towards our understanding of sleep evolution.

Socio-cultural settings and lifestyles of communities in Taenia solium taeniosis/cysticercosis (TSTC) in endemic areas influence significantly the epidemiology of the disease. This study investigated the community perceptions and practices influencing the occurrence and endemicity of TSTC. A cross-sectional survey focusing on pig-keeping households was carried out in three wards of Iringa District Council as a representative of other TSTC endemic areas. Questionnaire and observation checklists were employed for data collection. Eighty-seven (99%) of the 88 surveyed households had pit latrines, and 84(95%) of the households were found using their latrines. These latrines varied from good to a very good quality according to subjective qualitative scores. About 294 (85%) pigs were enclosed and 52(15%) were free roaming. The results indicated poor adherence to routine pig inspection at sales (50% inspection) and less pork inspection at slaughter (50% uninspected). Furthermore, there were no authorized centres for slaughter and sales. Health Officers and farmers were comfortable with the boiling form and home prepared pork (>90%). Health Officers perceived deep-frying and roasting of pork as inappropriate preparation methods. Generally, the social cultural practices and life style in the study area promoted the endemicity of Taenia solium life cycle. A strategy for surveillance on socio-cultural practices in the community is important during planning for TSTC control. This community needs sustainable health education on TSTC diseases control

The spatial ecology of free‐roaming dogs determines their role in the transmission of zoonoses. This study describes the geographic range of and identifies sites frequently visited by free‐roaming domestic dogs in western Kenya. Eight sites in Busia county, western Kenya, were selected. At each site, ten dog‐keeping households were recruited, a questionnaire was administered, and a GPS logger was fixed around the neck of one dog in each household. Loggers were programmed to capture the dog's position every minute, for five consecutive days. Individual summaries of GPS recordings were produced, and the daily distance traveled was calculated. 50% and 95% utilization distribution isopleths were produced, and the area within these isopleths was extracted to estimate the size of the core and extended Home Ranges (HRs), respectively. Linear regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with the movement parameters. The centroid points of the 10, 50, and 90% isopleths were reproduced, and the corresponding sites identified on the ground. Seventy‐three dogs were included in the final analyses. The median daily distance traveled was 13.5km, while the median core and extended HRs were 0.4 and 9.3 ha, respectively. Older dogs had a larger extended HR and traveled more daily, while the effect of sex on dog movement depended on their neutering status. Dogs spent most of their time at their household; other frequently visited sites included other household compounds, fields, and rubbish dumps. One of the centroids corresponded to a field located across the international Kenya–Uganda border, emphasizing the fluidity across the border in this ecosystem. Multiple dogs visited the same location, highlighting the heterogeneous contact networks between dogs, and between dogs and people. The field data presented are of value both in understanding domestic dog ecology and resource utilization, and in contextualizing infectious and parasitic disease transmission models., In this study, we explored the spatial ecology of free‐roaming domestic dogs in western Kenya. High individual heterogenity occurred in dog movement patterns, and sex and neutering interplayed to shape dog movement patterns.

Background and Aim: Several free-roaming dogs can be easily found in the public areas of Bali. They go out in search of foods and friends and defecate everywhere. In general, these groups of dogs do not receive good healthcare from their owners and are generally threatened by some disease-causing organisms, especially helminths. This study was conducted to identify and measure the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) that cause infection in free-roaming dogs in Bali Province, Indonesia. Materials and Methods: A total of 1611 fresh dog fecal samples were collected from all areas of Bali Province and subjected to qualitative fecal examination using flotation techniques to obtain STH eggs. Results: The incidence of STHs in free-roaming dogs was 38.36%. However, three types of STHs were identified, including Ancylostoma spp., Ascaris spp., and Trichuris spp. Ancylostoma spp. had the highest prevalence of 37.8%, followed by Ascaris spp. and Trichuris spp. at 6.02% and 0.87%, respectively. Multiple infections of these worms were also recorded. The polyparasitism prevalence of Ancylostoma spp. and Ascaris spp. was 3.85%, followed by that of Ancylostoma spp. and Trichuris spp. at 0.5% and that of Ascaris spp. and Trichuris spp. at 0.06%. There were no altitude-wise differences in the prevalence of STH infection. Conclusion: The prevalence of STHs was high in free-roaming dogs. This finding necessitates more serious attention as it affects both animal and public health.

Hookworms infection remains as an important parasitic infections affecting animal and human health worldwide. However, information on the prevalence and the risk factors of hookworm infection on dogs in Indonesia is very limited. A cross sectional study to estimate the prevalence and to identify risk factors of hookworms infection on dogs was conducted in rural area with different topography, Sukabumi Regency, Indonesia. A Total of 204 dog stool specimens were examined for hookworm eggs using simple flotation methods. The data of related risk factors namely type of topography area (high and low land), purpose of having dog, dog demography, dog reared management and deworming were collected through dog owners interview’s with completed a questionnaire. Those data were analyzed using the chi-square test (χ2) and logistic regression. The prevalence of hookworm on dogs in Sukabumi was 24.5 % (95% Confidence Interval [CI]=19.1-30.8). This prevalence was associated with topography of the area, the age of dog, and type of dog keeping methods. The prevalence of hookworms was higher in the high land area than low land area (OR=5.935, 95% CI=2.764-12.744 ). Logistic regression identified pupies as a high risk group to hookworms infection (OR= 2.041, 95%CI=1.035-4.055). The dog which kept in the cage/tied had higher risk than free roaming dog (OR=3.66, 95%CI=1.479-9.091).Key words: Dog, hookworms, prevalence, risk factors, Sukabumi.

Humans and elephants have historically shared the forested mountain ranges of Zomia, a geography defined by the regular movement of people and an ecology shaped by the movement of its elephant population. This article will examine how free-roaming elephant pathways facilitated human mobility in the highlands defining the Indo-Myanmar border. It will analyze the more-than-human agency that emerges when following elephant trails and the varying role this forest infrastructure might have played in the social and political history of the region. The article will explore two historical examples. First, the migration of a Lisu community in Upper Myanmar who utilized elephant paths to navigate their passage. Second, how the British Empire exploited a network of elephant-human tracks to subjugate the peoples living in Mizoram, northeast India. In these regions the patterns of migration, history of colonization, and identities and practices of communities must be understood in relation to wild elephants.

Feline morbillivirus infections have gained increased attention due to repeated reports of their association with urinary tract disease in cats. In the present study, 112 serum samples from free-roaming domestic cats in Chile were tested for antibodies against feline morbillivirus genotypes 1 and 2 (FeMV-1 and FeMV-2) using an indirect immunofluorescence assay. In total, 63% of the animals showed antibodies against one or both FeMV genotypes. Antibodies directed exclusively against FeMV-2 were significantly more prevalent in male cats. The correlation of sex and FeMV-2 infection might give insight into potential routes of transmission. We provide, for the first time, serological data on FeMV in Chile. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00705-020-04882-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Oral rabies vaccination (ORV) can increase rabies vaccination coverage among dogs that are inaccessible to parenteral vaccination (i.e., inaccessible dogs). Because bait uptake can differ according to the bait attractant used and dog characteristics, we evaluated proportion of bait uptake and time to bait uptake using three bait formulations. We looked for associations between bait uptake and dog characteristics (temperament, age, and body condition) and assessed the efficiency of using these bait formulations, as measured by number of dogs vaccinated per hour. A total of 356 baits were offered to free roaming dogs in urban and peri-urban districts of Bangladesh. Fish baits were ignored by 86% (n = 122; 95% CI: 79–91%) of dogs, whereas 60% (n = 45; 95% CI: 49–70%) consumed egg baits and 89% (n = 124; 95% CI: 83–93%) consumed intestine baits. Among the consumed baits, dogs fully consumed 56% (n = 10; 95% CI: 34–75%) of fish baits, 84% (n = 38; 95% CI: 71–92%) of egg baits, and 98% (n = 122; 95% CI: 94–100%) of intestine baits. Among inaccessible dogs, no associations were found between bait uptake and dog characteristics in either bivariate or multivariate analyses. Bait consumption averaged 2 dogs per hour for fish baits, 10 dogs per hour for egg baits, and 18 dogs per hour for intestine baits. The absence of association between bait type preference and individual dog characteristics simplifies the process of choosing attractants for oral rabies vaccines. While intestine attractants achieved highest uptake, egg baits may prove a suitable compromise when considering biological and operational constraints. The efficiency of ORV was demonstrated when compared to parenteral vaccination of free-roaming dogs previously described.

Providing more space per animal, soft bedding, and free roaming in animal housing systems is widely presumed to be beneficial for the welfare of the animals. This observational study aimed to investigate the basis of this assumption in free-walk housing systems (FWS) for dairy cows in Europe. The dairy cattle Welfare Quality assessment protocol was adapted for application to FWS, and the focus was on animal-based measures, from individual cow scoring to comfort around resting. The study was conducted on 41 farms [21 FWS and 20 cubicle housing (CH)] from 6 European countries (Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Austria, Slovenia, and Sweden) displaying a variety of management systems. A total of 4,036 animals were scored. We found differences in animal welfare under different management conditions. The hindquarters and lower hind legs of cows from FWS were dirtier than those of cows in CH, but we found no difference in the dirtiness of udders or teats. Cows from FWS showed fewer hairless patches in all body areas except the neck; fewer lesions in the lower hind legs and hindquarters; and less swelling in the lower hind legs, flanks, and carpus than cows from CH. The prevalence of sound cows appeared to be higher in FWS, and moderate lameness prevalence was lower compared with CH. We found no difference in the prevalence of severe lameness between systems. We conducted a total of 684 observation sessions of comfort around resting, consisting of 830 lying down and 849 rising up movements. Cows in FWS took less time to lie down, had less difficulty rising up, and had fewer collisions with the environment during both behaviors than cows in CH. Cows lay partly or completely outside the supposed lying area less frequently in FWS than in CH. Cows in FWS adopted comfortable lying positions more often compared with CH, showing a higher occurrence of long and wide positions than cows in CH. Short positions were more common in FWS, and narrow positions were slightly more common in CH. We found large variations in animal-based measures between study herds and within housing systems. However, the observed patterns associated with each system demonstrated differences in cow scoring and comfort around resting. This study shows that a wide range of good and bad management practices exist in FWS, especially related to cow hygiene.

Free‐roaming cats (FRCs) form nondomiciliary population groups that might lead to adverse environmental effects, as well as to welfare impairment of the cats themselves. Though criticized by ecologists, for the last two decades, the trap–neuter–return (TNR) programs were often employed aiming to manage these populations. At present, no accepted and accessible monitoring scheme exists to determine the effectiveness of those programs. In the current study, we present the reliability and validity of an applicable monitoring scheme, as an adjunct tool for a TNR program of FRC in an urban environment. The monitoring scheme is based on cat observation counts along randomly chosen transects. Fifty‐four transects were repeatedly walked for three years, between 2012‐2014, in 27 neighborhoods within an urban area of 19.3 Km2. Cat numbers counted in the 2014 observations were significantly higher than cat numbers found in the 2012 observations (prevalence ratio = 1.258, CI95%= 1.198–1.322, p, The presentation of the reliability and validity of an applicable monitoring scheme of free‐roaming cats in an urban environment.

espanolLos caballos salvajes de Galicia representan un elemento central de los paisajes abiertos de las sierras gallegas, donde se relacionan con la conservacion de diferentes habitats como las turberas y los brezales humedos atlanticos. En el marco del proyecto LIFE “Life in Common Land” (LIFE16 NAT/ES/000707), cuyo objetivo es la conservacion de los habitats prioritarios del espacio Red Natura “Serra do Xistral”, realizamos entrevistas semiestructuradas a las personas que realizan el aprovechamiento de los caballos salvajes para conocer su dimension social, forma de manejo, amenazas a su continuidad, y su potencial para el mantenimiento de los habitats. Los resultados indican una progresiva reduccion de la poblacion de caballos en las ultimas decadas, y del numero de personas que los aprovechan. Como principales servicios ecosistemicos se identifica su accion modelizadora de la vegetacion y la disminucion de los danos del lobo al ganado vacuno. Las amenazas principales percibidas por los propietarios son los danos por ataque de lobo y la aplicacion lesiva de las ayudas de la Politica Agraria Comunitaria (PAC). En el manejo tradicional los animales estan libres en el monte permanentemente, pero se observa una tendencia hacia otras formas de manejo. Los resultados muestran la potencialidad de estos animales como herramienta de gestion para la conservacion, la accion facilitadora de la explotacion de vacuno, y el fuerte arraigo cultural de esta actividad en la poblacion local. EnglishGalician wild ponies represent a key element in the open landscapes of the Galician mountain ranges. Among other effects, they aid in the maintenance and preservation of different habitats such as bogs and wet heaths. As part of the LIFE project “Life in Common Land” (LIFE16 NAT/ES/000707), aimed at the conservation of priority habitats in Natura 2000 Site “Serra do Xistral”, we performed semi-structured interviews to ponies’ managers and owners to improve our knowledge of the social dimension, management practices, main threats and their potentiality as a tool for habitat conservation. Results show a decline in the number of ponies and pony owners during the last decades. The ponies’ capacity to shape the vegetation structure, and their effect to reduce wolf attacks to cattle were identified as the main ecosystem services. The main threats perceived by owners are the high frequencies of wolf attacks and a detrimental application of CAP subsidies. Ponies are free roaming all-year round in the traditional system, but new management forms are arising. Our results show their potential as a tool for conservation, their positive effect on pastures for cattle grazing, and the strong cultural engagement of the local community with their ponies.

Objectives This study used computer simulation modeling to estimate and compare costs of different free-roaming cat (FRC) management options (lethal and non-lethal removal, trap–neuter–return, combinations of these options and no action) and their ability to reduce FRC population abundance in open demographic settings. The findings provide a resource for selecting management approaches that are well matched for specific communities, goals and timelines, and they represent use of best available science to address FRC issues. Methods Multiple FRC management approaches were simulated at varying intensities using a stochastic individual-based model in the software package Vortex. Itemized costs were obtained from published literature and expert feedback. Metrics generated to evaluate and compare management scenarios included final population size, total cost and a cost efficiency index, which was the ratio between total cost and population size reduction. Results Simulations suggested that cost-effective reduction of FRC numbers required sufficient management intensity, regardless of management approach, and greatly improved when cat abandonment was minimized. Removal yielded the fastest initial reduction in cat abundance, but trap–neuter–return was a viable and potentially more cost-effective approach if performed at higher intensities over a sufficient duration. Of five management scenarios that reduced the final population size by approximately 45%, the three scenarios that relied exclusively on removal were considerably more expensive than the two scenarios that relied exclusively or primarily on sterilization. Conclusions and relevance FRCs present a challenge in many municipalities, and stakeholders representing different perspectives may promote varying and sometimes incompatible population management policies and strategies. Although scientific research is often used to identify FRC impacts, its use to identify viable, cost-effective management solutions has been inadequate. The data provided by simulating different interventions, combined with community-specific goals, priorities and ethics, provide a framework for better-informed FRC policy and management outcomes.

Understanding the structure of dog population and the evaluation of the accessibility of dogs to vaccination is essential to succeed in the fight against dog rabies and to adapt the strategy of its control. We studied the characteristics of the unowned and owned dogs using the beck method during a rabies vaccination campaign in randomly selected sectors (urban and rural sites) in the North West of Tunisia. During a door-to-door investigation of households, data on owned dogs were collected to describe the owned population dog. A photographic-recapture method was used to characterize and estimate the size of the unowned dogs. A total of 1432 households accounting for 5403 inhabitants were interviewed during the survey (1298 (90.6%) in the urban site and 134 (9.3%) in the rural site). The dog-owning households were significantly higher in the rural site (76.1% (102/134)) compared to the urban site (17.8% (231/1298)) (P < 0.000000). Of the 17.8% dog-owning households in urban site, 58.4% owned one dog and 9% between 4 and 8 dogs. While, of the 76.1% dog-owning households in rural site, 24.5% owned one dog and 32.3% owned between 4 and 10 dogs. The dog: human ratio was 1:11 in the urban site and 1:1.6 in the rural site. The dog population density was estimated at 16 dogs/km2 and 4 dogs/km2 in the urban and rural sites, respectively. The confinement practices varied significantly among the urban and rural sites (P < 0.000000). The percentage of free-roaming owned dogs was 51.1% in the rural site and 31.4% in the urban site. More than 60.0% of the owned dogs in the urban site were confined. The majority of dogs in the rural site were born in the house, although, a high percentage (56.7%) of owned dogs in the urban site was adopted from neighbours, others sectors, or countries. The vaccination coverage findings indicated that 77.8% and 84.2% of the owned dog were vaccinated in the urban and rural sites, respectively. The estimated size of the free-roaming dogs was 72 dogs in the urban site (Kalaat Senan) and 16 dogs in the rural site (Sod el Khir)., Dog population; Owned dogs; Free-roaming dogs; Household; Vaccination coverage; Demographic characteristics; Tunisia.

Survival, egg production and egg viability of fleas allowed to feed on eight flea-allergic and six flea-naive cats were compared. Fifty fleas, in feeding cages or free roaming, were allowed to feed on the cats. Flea-allergic cats removed significantly more free-roaming fleas than did flea-naive cats. Female fleas produced fewer eggs on flea-allergic cats than on flea-naive cats regardless of feeding method. There was no significant difference in egg viability between the two groups. The data suggest that flea-allergic cats efficiently removed fleas by grooming and that they also produce unknown factor(s) that affect the fecundity of fleas.

Introduction: The horse (Equus caballus) is an adaptable large herbivore distributed in a wide range of terrestrial biomes that negatively affects ecosystems around the world. Most research on horse–ecosystems interactions have been focused on plants and soils, whereas horse effects on vertebrate species are poorly understanded. Objective: We aimed to synthesize, at a global scale, the effects of free-roaming horses on wild mammals. Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review that included these words; "feral horses + competition ", "feral horses + interactions", "feral horses + impacts", "feral horses + effects", based on the “Web of Science” internet search engine. Results: We located 366 articles in our search, but only 14 peer-reviewed documents described the effects of horses on local wild mammals. Most studies were published in the last decade (64%), and were located in United States (64%). Additional information showed most studies used correlational approaches while experimental approaches were used less. The effect of horses on mammal taxonomic groups varied significantly, suggesting changes on habitat structure mostly affects vertebrate species such as small rodents. Nevertheless, large ungulates exhibited interference competition derived from presence of free-roaming horses. Conclusion: This review identified patterns and gaps in our current knowledge about the effect of horse presence on wild mammals, and can help to readdress further research. Therefore, we recommend careful monitoring of horses and their potential effects on wildlife by using species proxies such as ungulates and rodents to determine if the presence of horses in protected areas affects conservation objectives Introducción: El caballo (Equus caballus) es una especie adaptable ampliamente distribuida, afectando negativamente ecosistemas de todo el mundo. La mayoría de las investigaciones sobre interacciones caballos–ecosistemas se han centrado en plantas y suelos, mientras que los efectos sobre especies de vertebrados son poco conocidos. Objetivo: Sintetizar a escala global los efectos de los caballos de libre pastoreo en los mamíferos silvestres. Métodos: Realizamos una revisión sistemática de la literatura que incluía las palabras en inglés; "feral horses + competition", "Feral horses + interactions", "feral horses + impacts", "feral horses + effects", basados en el motor de búsqueda “Web of Science”. Resultados: Encontramos 366 artículos, de los cuales solo 14 describieron algún efecto de los caballos en los mamíferos. La mayoría de los estudios se publicaron en la última década (64%) y se ubicaron en Estados Unidos (64%). Información adicional mostró que la mayoría de los estudios usaban enfoques correlacionales, mientras que los enfoques experimentales fueron menos usados. El efecto de los caballos varió significativamente entre grupos taxonómicos, sugiriendo que los cambios en la estructura del hábitat afectan principalmente a los pequeños mamíferos como los roedores. Sin embargo, los grandes ungulados mostraron competencia de interferencia derivada de la presencia de caballos. Conclusión: Esta síntesis identificó patrones y vacío de información sobre el efecto de la presencia de caballos en los mamíferos silvestres y puede ayudar a orientar futuras investigaciones. Recomendamos un monitoreo cuidadoso de los caballos y sus posibles efectos en la vida silvestre mediante el uso de especies como ungulados y roedores para determinar si la presencia de caballos en áreas protegidas afecta los objetivos de conservación.

Background Canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs) are a significant health problem among dogs globally. The veterinary records show that the military working dogs of Sri Lanka die early at an average age of six years and CVBDs have been listed as one of the speculated causes. This study examined CVBDs in the working dogs of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) together with free-roaming and privately-owned dogs living close to the SLAF establishments and country-wide. Methods Blood samples were collected from the cephalic vein for a three year period, from July 2016 to July 2019. Giemsa stained thin blood smears were observed under light microscopy. Results A total of 668 dogs were sampled, of which 169 were infected (25.3%) with hemoparasites. The prevalence of infections among the SLAF working dogs (22.5%), free-roaming (26.3%), or privately-owned (26.2%) dogs did not differ significantly (Chi-square test, p > 0.05). A large number of infected dogs were asymptomatic (57.4%), which was significantly higher in free-roaming dogs (96.3%) compared to the SLAF (41.1%) and privately-owned dogs (38.2%; p 2 = 0.005, p > 0.938). Seven hemoparasites were identified: Babesia gibsoni, B. canis, Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys, Leishmania sp., Hepatozoon canis, and microfilariae. The most common infection was B. gibsoni (13.8%) followed by E. canis (9.9%) and A. platys (4.3%). There was no difference in the prevalence of B. gibsoni in the three categories of dogs (χ2 = 2.61, p = 0.10). Leishmania and H. canis were always presented as single infections, while microfilaria as mixed infections. Conclusions Even though the SLAF dogs are thoroughly quarantined before introducing them to the military units, the infection prevalence was similar compared to other dog categories. They have likely acquired the infections through ticks and other arthropod vectors. This is the first comprehensive and comparative island-wide study of dog CVBDs of Sri Lanka, especially the military dogs at the SLAF. It highlights that most infected dogs, especially the free-roaming ones, did not show clinical signs. Although it is speculated that they may act as reservoirs of infection, asymptomatic dogs' ability to spread these CVBDS should be investigated.

Feral dogs are well-organized hunters of ungulates in many parts of the world, causing great damage to wildlife populations and ultimately to the ecosystem. In Pakistan, the impacts of feral dogs on the wildlife have not been documented yet. In a period of fifteen years (2006-2020), feral dogs have killed hundreds of threatened markhor in Chitral gol national park (CGNP), Pakistan. Despite direct predation other impacts including disturbance and competition with other natural predators, could compromise conservation and management efforts. The population of feral dogs seems to have been increased with the increase of dumping sites by communities. Our findings suggest that there are pressing needs of controlling the feral dogs population and eradicating them from the core zone of CGNP and surrounding buffer communities. Conventional culling of dogs should be coupled with modern techniques like castration and sterilization. Communities should be educated regarding the clean environment, proper disposal of home wastes and, biodiversity conservation. Resumo Os cães ferozes são caçadores bem organizados de ungulados em muitas partes do mundo, causando grandes danos à população de animais selvagens e, em última instância, ao ecossistema. No Paquistão, os impactos dos cães selvagens na vida selvagem ainda não foram documentados. Em um período de 15 anos (2006-2020), cães selvagens mataram centenas de markhor ameaçados no parque nacional Chitral gol (CGNP), Paquistão. Apesar da predação direta, outros impactos, incluindo distúrbios e competições com outros predadores naturais podem comprometer os esforços de conservação e manejo. A população de cães selvagens parece ter aumentado com o aumento dos locais de despejo pelas comunidades. Nossas descobertas sugerem que há necessidades urgentes para controlar a população de cães selvagens e erradicá-los da zona central do CGNP e das comunidades-tampão vizinhas. O abate convencional de cães deve ser combinado com técnicas modernas como castração e esterilização. As comunidades devem ser educadas sobre o meio ambiente limpo, o descarte adequado de resíduos domésticos e a conservação da biodiversidade.

The aim of the present study is to investigate themes related to visitors’ perceptions of captive wildlife in particular, attitudes towards non-human primates (henceforth, primates). This research took place in free-roaming, multi-species primate sanctuary, Monkeyland (South Africa), where 400 visitors were interviewed using an anonymous survey both before and after attending a guided tour. The answers were divided into different categories, in order to standardize the motivations behind tourists’ choices. The results of the survey demonstrated that most visitors agree that a primate would not be a good companion animal. Visitors’ desire to touch primates was found to be positively correlated with desire for companion primates and inversely associated with visitor age. In response to: “would you like to touch a monkey?”, the majority of tourists who expressed this desire seemed aware that such interactions are not appropriate, with concern for animal welfare and human health. Of the various primate species present in the sanctuary, visitors preferred the ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) and, generally speaking, expressed appreciation for primates’ “cuteness”. Our results indicate a general awareness by the visitors on the importance of animal welfare in the human interactions with captive wildlife, in agreement with the “hands-off” policy of Monkeyland primate sanctuary. We discuss the findings from a general to zooanthropological point of view, proposing some reflections on the attitudes of visitors toward non-human primates.

We previously developed a Ten-Stage Protocol for scientifically assessing the welfare of individual free-roaming wild animals using the Five Domains Model. The protocol includes developing methods for measuring or observing welfare indices. In this study, we assessed the use of remote camera traps to evaluate an extensive range of welfare indicators in individual free-roaming wild horses. Still images and videos were collected and analysed to assess whether horses could be detected and identified individually, which welfare indicators could be reliably evaluated, and whether behaviour could be quantitatively assessed. Remote camera trapping was successful in detecting and identifying horses (75% on still images and 72% on video observation events), across a range of habitats including woodlands where horses could not be directly observed. Twelve indicators of welfare across the Five Domains were assessed with equal frequency on both still images and video, with those most frequently assessable being body condition score (73% and 79% of observation events, respectively), body posture (76% for both), coat condition (42% and 52%, respectively), and whether or not the horse was sweating excessively (42% and 45%, respectively). An additional five indicators could only be assessed on video, those most frequently observable being presence or absence of weakness (66%), qualitative behavioural assessment (60%), presence or absence of shivering (51%), and gait at walk (50%). Specific behaviours were identified in 93% of still images and 84% of video events, and proportions of time different behaviours were captured could be calculated. Most social behaviours were rarely observed, but close spatial proximity to other horses, as an indicator of social bonds, was recorded in 36% of still images, and 29% of video observation events. This is the first study that describes detailed methodology for these purposes. The results of this study can also form the basis of application to other species, which could contribute significantly to advancing the field of wild animal welfare.

In South America there are more dogs per person than in developed countries. Many owners allow their dogs to roam freely in public areas, which favours the spread of zoonotic diseases. The objective of this work is to describe, through bibliographic analysis, the occurrence, prevalence, species richness, and distribution of intestinal helminth parasites found in dog faeces from urban and rural areas of southern South America (Argentina-Chile-Uruguay). Using three databases, we performed a systematic review of articles published between 2000 and 2020 in indexed journals. A total of 219 articles was evaluated for eligibility, and of these 67 were included in the final analysis; 48 correspond to Argentina, 17 to Chile, and 2 to Uruguay. The total number of parasite taxa recorded was 22, the most frequently occurring species being Toxocara canis, Ancylostoma sp., Trichuris vulpis and Echinococcus sp. Species richness was correlated with sample size and varied between 1 and 10 species. In addition, disease risk is not homogeneously distributed. Due to the high infection levels in dogs, urban and rural dwellers are at risk of infection with zoonotic diseases transmitted by these animals, therefore a One Health approach to public health would be advisable.

The management of free-roaming dog populations is an important matter both for the local administrations that have to manage this problem and for the defenders of the animals’ rights. This review’s first objective is to analyse the legal status of the free-roaming dogs in some European countries. A second purpose of this work is to ask questions and to consider the ethical aspects of the already-existing strategies to control free-roaming dog populations. Italian Law no. 281, which was enacted in 1991, was intended to solve the problem of free-roaming dogs in Italy; at the same time, apparently in contradiction with this objective, the law called for a no-kill policy to be enforced throughout the whole national territory. Thus, for a dog that has no chances of adoption, the ethical debate has moved to the question of whether a “life imprisonment” is better than the “capital punishment”. In terms of ethical aspects of control strategies of free-roaming dog populations, we believe that the Italian national law, and its regional applications, are more functional than the other laws of Westernized countries, with the appropriate measures suggested and with a more accurate control on their application.

Free roaming domestic animals can have a profound effect on wildlife. To better understand and mitigate any impact, it is important to understand the behaviour patterns of the domestic animals, and how other variables might influence their behaviour. Direct observation is not always feasible and bears the potential risk of observer effects. The use of animal-borne small video-cameras provides the opportunity to study behaviour from the animal’s point of view. While video-tracking has been used previously to study specific aspects of the behaviour of a species, it has not been used so far to determine detailed time-budgets. The aim of this study was to provide and validate an ethogram based on cat-camera footage collected from 16 cats (Felis catus). The methodology was validated comparing films recorded simultaneously, from both collar-mounted video recorders and hand-held video recorders. Additionally, the inter-observer reliability of scorers was measured. Continuous and instantaneous recording regimes were compared, and behavioural accumulation curves were evaluated to provide further technique recommendations for video-tracking cats. Video-tracking allows scoring of behaviour as reliably as direct observation (linear mixed effects model: t

Free-roaming horses are a widespread conservation challenge. Horse use (grazing and related impacts) is largely unmanaged, leading to concerns about its impact on native plant communities and ecosystem function. We synthesized the literature to determine the ecological effects of free-roaming horses in North American rangelands. Largely unmanaged horse use can alter plant community composition, diversity, and structure and can increase bare ground and erosion potential. Free-roaming-horse use has also been linked to negative impacts on native fauna. Horses have repeatedly been shown to limit and even exclude native wildlife's use of water sources. These effects would likely be greatly reduced if the horse populations were better managed, but sociopolitical factors often preclude improved management. Using rigorous ecological research to educate politicians and the general public may facilitate the development of science-based management of free-roaming horses; however, ecological effects may have to become more severe before such changes can be realized.

This work proposes to use the photographic capture-recapture technique associated with the GPS positioning (Global Positioning System) to estimate the population and to evaluate the movement of free-roaming dogs in public spaces. An observer on a motorcycle traveled all the streets of Jardim Ipanema and part of Dona Amelia neighborhoods in Aracatuba, SP, totaling a ​​1.3 Km2 area covered on two days, with a one-week interval between them. The free-roaming dogs were photographed and their geographical locations were determined using GPS, and this geographic record was then used to estimate the spatial and temporal distribution of free-roaming dogs in the neighborhood. A total of 77 dogs were found on the streets, 21 of which were photographed more than once (photo-recaptured). The number of free-roaming dogs was estimated from the capture rate using a linear regression model, revealing a population of 76 animals, corresponding to 7.5% of the canine population living in the neighborhood. The results indicated a higher concentration of free-roaming dogs in a certain neighborhood region that has unpaved streets and most houses had no walls. Furthermore, the highest number of dogs was observed early in the day (between 7 and 9 a.m.) and that, among the dogs observed moving through the neighborhood streets, the longest distance traveled was 520m. It is concluded that the proposed methodology is an efficient tool and can be used when planning public health activities.

Besides the population of pet cats, another feline population that has regular and frequent relationships with the human population, is represented by unowned, free-roaming domestic cats. It is incontestable that part of human beings is responsible for the growing number of unwanted cats. The problems raised by the existence of free-roaming cat population range from acoustic and hygienic nuisance (because of loud vocalizations during the breeding season and bad smell due to sprayed urine from tomcats) to public health threat (because of the potential spread of zoonotic diseases and of diseases to pet cats and other species), to predation of wildlife (it can cause disruption of ecosystems). Undoubtedly, unowned free-roaming cat population has to be managed but, in the third millennium, human control strategies have to have an ethical dimension. In this paper, we propose an analysis of the National Laws in France, Spain, UK, Austria, Portugal and Italy. Based on the knowledge of domestic cat behavior, we suggest that when the TNR strategy for controlling domestic cat populations is applied by law in the mentioned countries, the basic needs and welfare of the species are respected.

As agressões provocadas por animais domésticos, em especial por cães e gatos, constituem-se em um problema sério de saúde pública no Brasil. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar as características das agressões ocorridas em municípios com mais de 20 mil habitantes na Região Noroeste do Estado de São Paulo. Realizou-se um levantamento em arquivos de dados oficiais da Secretaria de Saúde do Estado de São Paulo, tendo como base os anos de 2008 a 2013. Ocorreram 9.411 casos de agressões por animais domésticos predominantemente na área urbana dos municípios. As agressões por cães foram as mais notificadas (83,3%), seguidas por gatos (12,7%) e outros animais (4%), em sua maioria domiciliados. Registrou-se aumento dos casos de agressões durante o período de estudo, mantendo-se constante a relação entre agressões por cães domiciliados e não domiciliados. Houve uma distribuição uniforme entre o gênero dos agredidos sendo masculino (50,13%) e feminino (49,87), com uma maior frequência na faixa etária entre 0 - 14 (30,06%), em todos os municípios analisados. Em crianças e adolescentes abaixo de 14 anos houve predominância de ferimentos em membros inferiores, cabeça e pescoço, enquanto que em maiores de 14 anos, a maior ocorrência foi em mãos/pés e membros inferiores. As mordeduras corresponderam a 85,39% dos casos notificados e as arranhaduras 11,37%. Foram observadas diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre os municípios da região estudada em relação à incidência das agressões e à sua distribuição entre os gêneros.

In this study, we utilized a catch-vaccinate-release approach for dogs in a canine rabies vaccination program in Kotagiri municipality, India. Following vaccination, surveys on dog population and their vaccination status was undertaken. A bespoke smartphone ‘Mission Rabies’ application was developed to facilitate data entry and team management. This global positioning system (GPS) enabled application captured the location of all vaccinated dogs and dogs sighted on post-vaccination surveys. In areas where coverage was below 70%, catching teams were re-deployed to vaccinate additional dogs followed by repeat survey. Out of 248 dogs captured, only 210 dogs were vaccinated because of the previous vaccination history within a year, and refusal of owner due to their misconceptions. In survey, 147 dogs were sighted of which 77 were seen marked with paints indicating a vaccination coverage of 52.4%. The total estimated dog population was found to be 475. Our study demonstrated that mobile technology enabled efficient team management and real-time data entry and analysis. The vaccination approach outlined in this study can serve as a guideline for rapid vaccination of large numbers of dogs with a high coverage rate in free roaming dog populations in India in the future.

Simple Summary Change in an animal’s behavior due to anthropogenic influences is often expressed in a change in movement patterns and increased vigilance and can result in the secretion of stress-related hormones. However, animals can get habituated to human presence after repeated stimulation. We aimed to obtain a first insight into the effect of human observers on the behavior and stress-related hormone concentrations of free-roaming giraffes as well as their habituation process. Giraffes walked further distances and had elevated fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentration (stress hormone) in the presence of humans, but anthropogenic influences on their distance walked and fGCM concentration decreased with the increase of habituation. The giraffes were vigilant towards human observers; however, the percentage of time spent on observing a human observer did not decrease with the increase of habituation. Abstract Giraffes are an important tourist attraction, and human presence to wildlife is increasing. This has an impact on an animal’s behavior and its endocrine correlates. Studies on other species show alterations in movement patterns, vigilance, and stress-related hormone levels in the presence of humans. Limited information is available on how anthropogenic activities alter giraffe’s behavior, social structure, and related endocrine parameters. The purpose of this study was to obtain insight into anthropogenic influences on giraffe’s behavior and adrenal activity. We used GPS devices mounted onto giraffes to compare the distance walked in the presence or absence of human observers. We also conducted behavioral observations to assess their vigilance and collected fecal samples to analyze their fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations. Giraffes walked significantly further distances in the presence of humans, but the cumulative time that observers were present decreased the hourly distance walked with an observer present, suggesting that the giraffes were becoming habituated. The number of observers present significantly increased the percentage of time spent on observing an observer as well as the number of unhabituated individuals present in the herd. The percentage of time spent observing a human observer did not decrease with the increase of habituation. Last, fGCM concentrations increased with human presence but decreased when individuals became habituated to human presence. More research is needed to understand the effect of anthropogenic influences in different scenarios (e.g., tourism, vehicles, hunting, etc.).

Cattle in high-elevation rangelands experience cold and hot extremes. Given the increase in black hided cattle globally, thermoregulation options on rangelands, and hide color function affecting mammal thermal ecology, this study quantified winter albedo, external cattle temperatures (Tempcow), and differences (ΔT) between Tempcow and ambient air temperature (Tempamb), for different color cattle along a thermal gradient (≈−33 °C to +33 °C). From 2016 to 2018, I measured 638 individual Tempcow × Tempamb combinations for white (n = 183), red (n = 158), and black (n = 297) Bos taurus female cattle free roaming extensive Wyoming, USA rangelands. Pixel brightness of cow images relative to snow indicated mean (±standard error) albedo for white, red, and black cows (n = 3 of each) was 0.69 (±0.15), 0.16 (±0.04), and 0.04 (±0.01), respectively (p = 0.0027). Tempcow was explained by Tempamb (+), clear sky insolation index (+), and cow albedo (−). However, ΔT was explained by Tempamb (−), long-wave radiation (infrared, RadLW (−)), Tempcow (+), and cow albedo (+). Tempamb relative to ΔT was correlated for all hide colors (all p-values &lt, 0.0001, all r2 values &gt, 0.7)), yet slopes (m) were ~2× greater for red and black cows than white cows.

Annual peaks in reproductive activity have been identified in multiple domestic dog populations. However, there is little evidence to describe how these peaks may be associated with environmental factors such as daylength, which plays a well-established role in breeding patterns of seasonally-reproductive species. Data were collected 2016-2020 during 7,743 and 4,681 neuter surgeries on adult female unowned free-roaming dogs in veterinary clinics in Goa and Tamil Nadu respectively. Temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, and daylength data were gathered for time periods preceding the neuter surgery that may have influenced the likelihood of pregnancy (potential influence periods). A multivariable generalised additive model was used to assess the relationship between these factors and pregnancy. The prevalence of pregnancy varied by month in both locations indicating seasonality of reproduction in these groups. The annual pattern was more distinct in Goa with a peak in pregnancies between September and December. In Goa, decreasing daylength was associated with a higher probability of pregnancy (p = 0.040). Decreasing temperature was associated with decreasing probability of pregnancy in the Nilgiris (p = 0.034). Bitches had a median of 6 foetuses, with no evidence of seasonal variation. Environmental factors were associated with patterns of pregnancy in free-roaming dogs, however statistically-significant factors varied by geographical location. Establishing local seasonal patterns of breeding in free-roaming dogs and assessing their relationship with environmental influences is recommended to facilitate effective and efficient population management strategies, which aim to reduce conflict between human and free-roaming dog populations.