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AimSquamate fitness is affected by body temperature, which in turn is influenced by environmental temperatures and, in many species, by exposure to solar radiation. The biophysical drivers of body temperature have been widely studied, but we lack an integrative synthesis of actual body temperatures experienced in the field, and their relationships to environmental temperatures, across phylogeny, behaviour and climate.LocationGlobal (25 countries on six continents).TaxaSquamates (210 species, representing 25 families).MethodsWe measured the body temperatures of 20,231 individuals of squamates in the field while they were active. We examined how body temperatures vary with substrate and air temperatures across taxa, climates and behaviours (basking and diel activity).ResultsHeliothermic lizards had the highest body temperatures. Their body temperatures were the most weakly correlated with substrate and air temperatures. Body temperatures of non-heliothermic diurnal lizards were similar to heliotherms in relation to air temperature, but similar to nocturnal species in relation to substrate temperatures. The correlation of body temperature with air and substrate temperatures was stronger in diurnal snakes and non-heliothermic lizards than in heliotherms. Body-substrate and body-air temperature correlations varied with mean annual temperatures in all diurnal squamates, especially in heliotherms. Thermal relations vary with behaviour (heliothermy, nocturnality) in cold climates but converge towards the same relation in warm climates. Non-heliotherms and nocturnal species body temperatures are better explained by substrate temperature than by air temperature. Body temperature distributions become left-skewed in warmer-bodied species, especially in colder climates.Main conclusionsSquamate body temperatures, their frequency distributions and their relation to environmental temperature, are globally influenced by behavioural and climatic factors. For all temperatures and clim

AimSquamate fitness is affected by body temperature, which in turn is influenced by environmental temperatures and, in many species, by exposure to solar radiation. The biophysical drivers of body temperature have been widely studied, but we lack an integrative synthesis of actual body temperatures experienced in the field, and their relationships to environmental temperatures, across phylogeny, behaviour and climate.LocationGlobal (25 countries on six continents).TaxaSquamates (210 species, representing 25 families).MethodsWe measured the body temperatures of 20,231 individuals of squamates in the field while they were active. We examined how body temperatures vary with substrate and air temperatures across taxa, climates and behaviours (basking and diel activity).ResultsHeliothermic lizards had the highest body temperatures. Their body temperatures were the most weakly correlated with substrate and air temperatures. Body temperatures of non-heliothermic diurnal lizards were similar to heliotherms in relation to air temperature, but similar to nocturnal species in relation to substrate temperatures. The correlation of body temperature with air and substrate temperatures was stronger in diurnal snakes and non-heliothermic lizards than in heliotherms. Body-substrate and body-air temperature correlations varied with mean annual temperatures in all diurnal squamates, especially in heliotherms. Thermal relations vary with behaviour (heliothermy, nocturnality) in cold climates but converge towards the same relation in warm climates. Non-heliotherms and nocturnal species body temperatures are better explained by substrate temperature than by air temperature. Body temperature distributions become left-skewed in warmer-bodied species, especially in colder climates.Main conclusionsSquamate body temperatures, their frequency distributions and their relation to environmental temperature, are globally influenced by behavioural and climatic factors. For all temperatures and clim

The dry savannahs of the Sahelian vegetation zone house a remarkable community of large mammals that have been less studied than their counterparts in the eastern Africa. Here we examine some aspects of the ecology of a community of twenty different large mammal species in a savannah of Burkina Faso, for a relatively long-term period (seven years). We observed remarkable interannual differences in terms of (i) number of contacts and (ii) their groups size (range of groups). Nonetheless, the calculated Kilometric Index of Abundance, with all species pooled, showed a relatively stable value of 0.88–1 individual per Km, apart in 2012 when it decreased to 0.7. GLM models on the observed number of contacts and group sizes revealed that there were significant effects of the species, but neither of the year nor of the season. Remarkable species-specific density fluctuations throughout time were observed when applying the DISTANCE methodology to the dataset. The sex ratio showed great fluctuations between the years and by species, even if there was a general predominance of females.

We assessed numbers and biomass of species hunted and sold for wild meat in 12 park-adjacent settlements in the Fazao Malfakassa National Park (FMNP), Togo. From hunter interviews and market carcass counts we show that 33 species, 28 from hunter interviews and 26 from market surveys were taken respectively. A total of 2,605 animals were recorded in the entire study, 18 species during the wet season (740 animals) and 26 species in the dry season (1,865 animals). In markets, 754 carcasses of 19 species were traded during the wet season, and 1,896 carcasses of 24 species in the dry season. Most species were relatively small-bodied mammals (62% of total numbers of animals reported), the rest large ungulates. Species were generally of minor conservation concern (LC or NT) with only three EN and NE. From the gathered field data, we estimated that an average of 9,095 ± 5,613 animals per study village were hunted per year, amounting to a biomass of 198,334 ± 191,930 kg. Despite efforts to protect the wildlife within the FMNP, reported level of hunting, particularly of large ungulates within the park, the reported level of hunting is likely to have severe consequences on the long-term viability of this important protected area.

The composition and structure of antelope assemblages were analyzed by using data from wild meat markets in three distinct study stations in the southern Niger Delta, Nigeria. The relative abundance of the different species coming into the markets was analyzed, and various diversity metrics were used to describe the different antelope communities. Sex ratios of these populations as well as the effect of season on the abundance of the various species in the markets were examined. It was observed that a single recently described species (Philantomba walteri) was the dominant species in the three localities, contributing about 70% of all the antelope individuals. The relatively low number of antelope carcasses observed in this study (less than the number of carcasses of small carnivores in the same sites) suggests that the ungulate fauna is already very depleted in the eastern Niger Delta region, with these mammals being hunted more intensely in the wet season.

© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd In Togo, the illegal trade of African elephant (Loxodonta africana) ivory is widespread despite efforts made by the government to curtail these activities. By using data gathered from CITES institutions and natural resource management authorities in the country, we investigated the extent of ivory trafficking in Togo. We also conducted surveys in villages around protected areas, which still contain elephant populations to assess the species’ current status in the country. Our surveys indirectly corroborated that there are probably no more than 150 elephants collectively within the country's protected areas, most of them in the Fazao-Malfakassa National Park. We also estimated that a minimum of 41.65 tons of ivory (elephant tusks and carved objects) was intercepted in Togo between 2008 and 2018. Despite the fact that presently illegal elephant hunting is unlikely in Togo, we show that this country is the entry point for ivory from Central Africa (Cameroon and Gabon). We maintain that Togo's position as an intermediary country in the illegal ivory trade is a tangible threat to elephants throughout their range countries and is also likely to affect the dwindling population of these animals in the country if adequate enforcement is not implemented.

The Sudd in South Sudan, formed by the White Nile’s Baḥr al-Jabal section, is one of the largest and most important wetlands in the world. Communities in the region almost exclusively depend on fisheries for food and livelihoods. Although threatened by over-exploitation and habitat changes, fish populations are also affected by climate change. Using semi-structured questionnaires, we assessed fisherfolk’s opinions of how recent variation in climate affected their livelihoods and the environment. Fisherfolk perceived that climate had changed in the past decade and were negatively impacted by this. Interviewees reported average higher temperatures, a greater frequency of floods and droughts, unpredictable timing of seasons, and erratic rainfall. Destruction of fishing villages/camps, loss and damage of fishing equipment, shifts in the fishing calendar, reduction of fish trade, and fish catch declines as well as psycho-social problems were given as the major consequences of climate change. Causes of climate change and variability were perceived to be linked to uncontrolled harvest of forest resources, anger of God and ancestors, and natural variability in climate. Most respondents expressed a desire to adopt more responsible behavior such as planting trees and establishing community nurseries, being educated on climate change risks, and sustainable fisheries management. Our results show that fisherfolk in the Sudd are troubled by climate change impacts on their livelihoods and on fish populations. In South Sudan, climate change has been reported from hydroclimatological data but concrete impacts on people remain largely unknown and of little concern because of recent wars and the poor economy. Our study provides an example of how fisherfolks’ local ecological knowledge (LEK) can be used as an early warning system of the negative impacts on livelihoods and fish populations and support adaptation to the changing climate.

Comparative studies of mortality in the wild are necessary to understand the evolution of aging; yet, ectothermic tetrapods are underrepresented in this comparative landscape, despite their suitability for testing evolutionary hypotheses. We present a study of aging rates and longevity across wild tetrapod ectotherms, using data from 107 populations (77 species) of nonavian reptiles and amphibians. We test hypotheses of how thermoregulatory mode, environmental temperature, protective phenotypes, and pace of life history contribute to demographic aging. Controlling for phylogeny and body size, ectotherms display a higher diversity of aging rates compared with endotherms and include phylogenetically widespread evidence of negligible aging. Protective phenotypes and life-history strategies further explain macroevolutionary patterns of aging. Analyzing ectothermic tetrapods in a comparative context enhances our understanding of the evolution of aging.

The sexually dimorphic dynastine centaurus beetle, genus Augosoma (Coleoptera: Scarabeidae), is endemic to tropical Africa where two species are found (A. centaurus and A. hippocrates). These beetles are consumed by rural populations, cause damage in plantations and are targets of insect collectors and traders. We present information on size differences and analyzed intersexual niche divergence and seasonality of A. centaurus in seven study sites in three West African countries (Ivory Coast, Togo and Nigeria). We recorded 711 light-attracted and/or opportunistically encountered individuals, as well as another 97 beetles in standardized transect surveys. In the latter, we found the adult sex ratio was equal, but was significantly skewed towards females in light-attracted and/or opportunistically encountered individuals. In a sample of 298 adult beetles, males were significantly larger than females, with almost no size overlap between sexes. Beetle activity was highly seasonal with most animals observed in November, active from 19:00 h to 24:00 h. Differences in habitat use were not significant between sexes, with most individuals observed in secondary forest. Males were found higher on vegetation than females and beetles of both sexes were found on Pandanus and raffia palms. Beetles were larger in sites with more vegetation cover, and there was a significant effect of tree species on body size of both sexes. Study area or country had no effect on any of the studied parameters. Our study confirms that transect surveys without light trapping can be an effective tool for understanding large-sized tropical beetles of similar ecological characteristics.

Despite increasing pressures on freshwater resources worldwide, and the threatened status of most freshwater turtles, there is still limited knowledge of habitat use and niche partitioning in Afrotropical freshwater turtle communities. In this study, we describe habitat associations, community diversity, and temporal patterns of occurrence of freshwater turtle species in the Dahomey Gap ecoregion of Ghana (West Africa). We gathered data from 13 sites in central Ghana and along the Sene Arm of Lake Volta in the Digya National Park (Bono East Region). We employed opportunistic short-term surveys (at seven sites) together with longer-term (six-months duration) standardized evaluations of turtle presence and numbers in different habitats (at six sites). Overall, a total of 210 turtle individuals of four species (Trionyx triunguis, Cyclanorbis senegalensis, Pelomedusa sp. and Pelusios castaneus) were recorded; precise capture sites and habitat type were recorded for 139 individuals, but the 71 individuals observed in marketplaces were not considered in our analyses. At a local scale, we observed three sympatric species in various study sites. In each of these sites, the dominant species was either C. senegalensis or Pelomedusa sp., with the latter species being more abundant in temporary waterbodies and C. senegalensis more numerous in permanent ones. A Multiple Correspondence Analysis suggested that, in permanent waterbodies all species were associated with similar physical habitat variables. In a Canonical Correspondence Analysis, we showed that the density of herbaceous emergent vegetation was more important for P. castaneus than for C. senegalensis. Comparisons of diversity metrics between our study sites and previous studies revealed that turtle community composition was similar across savannah sites.

Resource partitioning, the division of limited resources by species to help avoid competi-tion, has been observed in freshwater turtle assemblages in several natural systems but has rarely been studied in tropical African ecosystems. Here, we investigate habitat preferences of two conge-neric species in the family Pelomedusidae, Pelusios castaneus and P. cupulatta, in riverine/wetland habitats in the southern Ivory Coast (West Africa). Pelusios castaneus is a widespread species across West-central African savannahs and open forests, whereas P. cupulatta is endemic to the Upper Guinean forest region in West Africa. The two species have a similar diet composition (mainly car-nivorous) but diverge considerably in body size, P. cupulatta being much larger. We use hand-fish-ing-nets and fishing funnel traps to record turtles in 18 distinct sites and analyze habitat preferences by species at two spatial scales. At a macro-habitat scale, P. castaneus is captured mainly in marsh-lands, whereas P. cupulatta is found in both rivers and wetlands. The two species differ significantly in their use of: (i) banks (P. castaneus being found primarily in spots with grassy banks, whereas P. cupulatta is found in spots with forested banks), and (ii) aquatic vegetation (P. cupulatta prefers spots with more abundant aquatic vegetation than P. castaneus), but both species select sites with no or moderate current. Additionally, in sites where P. cupulatta is not found, P. castaneus expands its spatial niche at multiple habitat scales, notably invading waterbodies with forested banks. Our results suggest that these two Pelomedusid turtle species potentially compete in the freshwater habitats in the southern Ivory Coast.

A body plan (bauplan) is a suite of morphological characters shared by phylogenetically related animals at some point during their development. Despite its value, the bauplan concept is still rarely employed to characterize functional groups in community ecology. Here, we examine habitat use and spatio-temporal activity correlates of an entire sevenspecies community of lizards with different bauplans. The study was carried out in three locations in central Italy, encompassing a complex landscape with a patchy mosaic of a wide variety of habitats and microclimates. We tested four hypotheses regarding niche breadth, habitat use, and activity patterns. The first hypothesis, niche complementarity, in which species with similar body shapes should non-randomly partition available habitats, was not supported. By contrast, the hypotheses that larger bodied species should have a wider niche breadth, that slower species should inhabit habitat types of higher cover, and species inhabiting open sunny habitats should exhibit more seasonally variable activity patterns, were all supported by the data. Sympatric lizard communities in our study area were clearly organized by autecological constraints and eco-physiological attributes.

The snake communities in Asian tropical forests are relatively unknown, with most studies focusing on species lists. We investigated species composition, relative abundance, and community ecology of snakes in a mature secondary hilly forest area in the Quan Son District, northern Vietnam. To our knowledge, it is one of the few field investigations focused on snake community structure to have been undertaken within the Indo-Burma Hotspot, which is one of the most biologically important regions on the planet. We surveyed snakes along random transects in forests during two time periods (10–12 d), between 500 and 1,350 m elevation. In 361.8 h of surveys, we encountered 19 species, with a clear altitudinal separation in snake assemblages and numbers. Encounter frequencies dropped with elevation but had a peak at the intermediate elevation of 600–699 m. We therefore observed a Mid Domain Effect in our snake community in terms of both species richness and number of individuals observed. Of the 19 recorded species (including one Pythonidae, 11 Colubridae, two Elapidae, one Pseudaspididae, three Viperidae, and one Xenodermidae), 78.9% were exclusively or primarily terrestrial, 42.1% were semiarboreal, and 21% were semiaquatic (with some species belonging to two guild categories). We also present new natural history observations of snakes in the region. We discuss the importance of our findings relative to other similar studies conducted in South America and Africa, in addition to those in Vietnam and South-East Asia.

Pangolins are considered among the most threatened mammal species, both globally and also in Africa. However almost nothing is known on their status and distribution across wide areas of their range, including Togo (West Africa). We assessed the status and distribution of pangolin species in Togo. Fieldwork was undertaken in five localities around the Fazao Malfakassa National Park, five sites around Togodo Protected Areas Complex (Togodo North and Togodo South National Parks), “Les Deux Béna” and Missahohe Forest Reserves, Yikpa-Dzigbe, Evou and Afagnan Community Forests. In all of these protected areas and forest islands, only one pangolin species was recorded: the white-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis), with no records of the giant ground pangolin (Smutsia gigantea), a species that now appears unlikely for Togo. Due to the pangolin’s nocturnal behavior spotlighting was carried out as an index of relative abundance and calculated as the Kilometric Index of Abundance (KIA). Our results indicate that P. tricuspis is relatively abundant in suitable habitats in Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, in Togodo North National Park and in the Assoukoko Forest Reserve. These habitats mainly reflect dense remnant forest patches where numerous termite mounds and ant nests occur. The present study provides significant scientific information on the status of pangolins in Togo that can help inform the development of a conservation programme for this species in Togo.

Suitable habitats for anurans can be found in the ever-growing tropical urban environments but anurans' adaptations to urban conditions, including their trophic ecology remain largely unknown. We studied the food habits of two generalist, widespread West African Sclerophrys adult toads: African common (Sclerophrys regularis) and Hallowell's toad (Sclerophrys maculata). The first was studied in Lomé (Togo), Cotonou (Benin) and Ikeja (Nigeria), and the second in Port Harcourt and Ikeja (both Nigeria); the latter city represents the only studied sympatric occurrence. Mean dietary overlap between population pairs was relatively high, and diet composition of the two species when sympatric did not differ significantly. Food niche width was significantly positively correlated with local rainfall in both species, and diet composition changed significantly between the dry and wet seasons. Diversity metrics revealed that females had a more diversified diet, with higher evenness and lower dominance index values than males. The diet of both species was not correlated to prey type availability, in both the wet and dry season. Both toad species targeted specific food items rather than opportunistically consume prey as observed in most anurans which may be a response to high anuran diversity typically found in the tropics or an adjustment to urban habitats.

Ebola virus disease, EVD, has been linked with wild meat. In Nigeria, strict restrictions on wild meat sales were applied after the first case in July 2014. We quantified wild meat trade in nine markets in southern Nigeria, during Oct. 2010 – Dec. 2019, and undertook consumer interviews during 2018–2019. Wild meat sales fell to low levels between during EVD (Jul. - Oct. 2014), after which Nigeria was declared Ebola-free. Prior to EVD (2012–2014), reptile carcass numbers declined markedly, collapsed during EVD, but rebounded immediately post-EVD until 2017 to values exceeding pre-EVD (especially true for turtles and tortoises). Reptile consumption increased as mammal numbers declined. After 2017, reptile numbers fell and remained low until the end of the study, indicating population collapses and depletion. Fruit bats and primates did not recover after EVD, but ungulates, rodents and carnivores increased significantly after EVD though never reached pre-EVD levels. Interviews revealed strong rural versus urban and age-specific differences regarding wild meat consumption and attitudes. Most people worried about Ebola and more than half of interviewees agreed that wild meat poses a transmission risk. Except urban males, over-60-year olds were least informed about the Ebola risk of wild meat, indicating that any future behavioural change campaign should focus on the younger age classes. Unlike other studies, our research clearly shows that changes in purchasing behaviour of consumers and education campaigns were effective in reducing the trade of bats and primates, animal groups likely to be implicated in the transmission of Ebola.

The status of most vertebrates in the African Sahel is not well known. Among these, the African spurred tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata), a charismatic but also one of most threatened vertebrates in the Sahel, is still poorly studied. We investigated the status of this species, its potential distribution, habitat selection (at multiple spatial scales) and activity patterns in Mali and Burkina Faso, two countries within the tortoise’ known range. We employed field surveys and villager interviews in 23 sites to determine the presence of the species. In these surveys and interviews, we also included the Western hinge-back tortoise (Kinixys nogueyi), a sympatric chelonian also suspected of being in decline. Age-stratified interviews revealed that C. sulcata is widespread in Mali, but since there was a statistically higher frequency of older respondents that remembered C. sulcata present around their village, compared to younger respondents, it is likely that the species has been declining throughout the study area. We encountered a total 77 C. sulcata and 20 K. nogueyi individuals during our field surveys. Most C. sulcata were found along areas of intermittent streams and stabilised dunes, known locally as koris. Centrochelys sulcata individuals were more likely to occur in sandy dry savannah areas that were further away from human settlements, and which contained inland waters or were closer to these. Kinixys nogueyi exhibited instead an allopatric distribution, with no ascertained sympatry with C. sulcata at the microhabitat scale. Cattle incidence was negatively correlated with the presence by C. sulcata. Our results also indicate that aboveground activity of C. sulcata is limited to the wet season and has a clearly bimodal diel activity cycle, with most sightings in the early morning hours. We provide suggestions on how best to survey this species in the wild while advancing new information on its distribution and biology. These data are invaluable to assess the stat

Understanding large- and small-scale patterns as well as the determinants of species richness is central for the study of evolutionary mechanisms. The extent to which species richness in local communities is related to larger scale processes is a pre-eminent topic in ecological and evolutionary research. To investigate how local and regional species richness are related, we sampled freshwater turtle assemblages in seven localities to represent the variation in ecological conditions along a 90km South-North megatransect in Benin, West Africa. In each locality, all turtles captured were identified and measured, and microhabitat classified in which individual turtles were observed. Based on these data we used community diversity metrics to compare turtle assemblages. Spatial autocorrelation did not affect our data. For all localities pooled, only two species (Pelusios castaneus and Pelomedusa olivacea) were the most common, and one species (Trionyx triunguis) the rarest. Analyses of the commonest and more numerous species showed that the abundance of P. castaneus declined with an increase in latitude and longitude, but the opposite was true for P. olivacea. We showed that various microhabitat characteristics were significantly correlated with the abundance of the two common species. We found significant but variable South-North gradients in microhabitat use for different turtle species. Our results highlight the importance of studying interactions between local environments, the ecological requirements of each species, and their synecological relationships.

The waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus), though widespread throughout Africa, is suspected to be declining overall. Data on population numbers and structure are lacking for many parts of its range, especially in West Africa, where the subspecies defassa is found. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the abundance, distribution and attributes of waterbuck populations in the Nazinga Forest Reserve, southern Burkina Faso. We investigated waterbuck population trends in the park using transect data collected in 1985-2019. For the more detailed analyses of population structure and distribution of the animals we used census data gathered during 2019. Most animals were adults (46.6%), and the sex ratio was heavily skewed towards females (5:1). Most animals were concentrated along the larger rivers. There was no influence of poacher activity on waterbuck distribution. In the long term (1985-2019), the population dynamics of waterbuck can be roughly divided into two main periods: a phase of population increase from 1985 to 2005, and one of ongoing population collapse from 2007-2019 Although the declining population trend was obvious, coefficients of determination were low indicating that the years explained poorly the number of individuals and the number of sightings obtained. Waterbuck numbers in the Nazinga Forest Reserve are declining, but we found no single reason to explain this trend. It is likely that a combination of factors, including global warming (increased aridity) and illegal activities such as poaching, are responsible. Because there are probably multiple reasons for the observed waterbuck population decline in our study area, we suggest that a multifaceted approach should be adopted in order to enhance the conservation status of the local waterbuck populations.

Face-to-face interviews with local populations are often used to determine the distribution and population trends of elusive threatened species. Although interviewee responses may suffer from some bias, historical trends in the status of a species can be investigated from age-structured questionnaires. In this paper, we tested this idea by analysing separately answers given by older (> 60 years age) and younger respondents (25-44 years old) on the status of the African spurred tortoise, (Centrochelys sulcata), a charismatic large reptile listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List. We interviewed 619 persons (hunters/farmers/cattle farmers) of different ages in three of the species’ habitat countries (Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria). Interviewees were asked whether in their experience the tortoise was common, rare or absent. By using Generalized Linear Models we showed that the probability to answer “common” increased with age in Nigeria and Burkina Faso, whereas the probability of responding “absent” declined with age in Nigeria and Niger. There were no significant effects of age for the answer 'rare' in any country and no differences were found between villages in any of the studied countries. From our data we conclude that spurred tortoises have been extirpated in 16.7% of study sites. We argue that if statistical differences emerge between answers given by respondents of various age classes on the population status of a target species, it is possible to conclude that the species’ situation may have significantly changed during the last 30-40 years.

© 2020 Elsevier Masson SAS We analysed the population characteristics of African spurred tortoises (Centrochelys sulcata) kept in captivity in cities in Burkina Faso (West Africa), a country where the species occurs naturally. We focused on two cities - Ouagadougou, the capital and the largest city in the country and Fada N'Gourma in the East of the country. We identified 50 households in Ouagadougou and 14 in Fada that kept spurred tortoises in captivity. We recorded a total of 310 tortoises from which we took morphometric data of 281 individuals. Another 63 spurred tortoises were reported in other locations in Ouagadougou, but no access was allowed by the owners. Most tortoises in Ouagadougou were young, and had an equal sex ratio. In Fada, the majority of tortoises were adults and there was a practically even sex ratio. Population structure of the captive tortoises differed between cities, and about 30% of the Fada individuals were captured from the wild in the surroundings of the town. Body size of spurred tortoises in both cities differed between sexes: males were significantly heavier and had longer carapace and plastron than females. Body condition status was similar in Ouagadougou and Fada, with large adults being underweight compared to their optimal. The distribution of tortoise numbers according to city sector in both cities was clumped. Tortoise owners varied in their socioeconomic background. Most tortoises are fed an omnivorous diet, but some were given a strictly herbivorous regime. Our results suggest that there is a significant potential to engage tortoise owners to use their animals in a collaborative captive breeding programme to produce hatchlings for reintroduction.

© 2020 Elsevier Ltd Tortoise ecology is poorly studied in East Africa. Here, using two terrestrial Testudinidae (Stigmochelys pardalis and Kinixys belliana) as study models, we (i) present basic demographic characteristics (sex-ratio, and density), (ii) describe correlates of their presence at two spatial scales (micro-habitat and macro-habitat), (iii) evaluate the effects of rainfall on their seasonal activity patterns, and (iv) analyze abundance patterns in relation to macro- and micro-habitat characteristics. We also describe an experiment, using tortoise shells, that can allow to control, and eventually correct, the reliability of observed data by taking into account the detectability of the study species in the wild. On the basis of a suite of statistical analysis and GIS-based elaborations, we confirmed, and further uncovered, the remarkable ecological differences existing between S. pardalis and K. belliana. The habitat use was different interspecifically, with K. belliana being much more linked to dense vegetation spots, often nearby waterbodies, whereas S. pardalis being an habitat generalist, at both micro- and macrohabitat scale. Nonetheless, juveniles of both species were observed in areas with significantly higher % soil covered by vegetation taller than 200 cm than adults of both sexes. This different habitat selection is hypothesized to be due to antipredatory reasons. Overall, our data suggests that interspecific competition should be minimal between these species.

Throughout Africa, feelings towards crocodiles vary according to the danger or fear experienced by communities living alongside them. Crocodile conservation programs must therefore be based on reliable assessments of cultural attitudes towards these reptiles. In this study, we interviewed a random sample of 300 persons in six states in southern Nigeria to determine their perception of crocodiles. Our results revealed that most respondents were very familiar with crocodiles, animals being regularly sighted but only in small numbers. Most interviewees were aware of just two crocodile types, consistently describing the dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis) and the West African Nile crocodile (Crocodylus [niloticus] suchus); only a minority of respondents reporting they were aware of the West African slender-snouted crocodile (Mecistops cataphractus).

In sub-Saharan Africa, the management of buffer zones around protected areas does not often take into serious account the needs of resource exploitation by the local populations or the conservation needs of these areas. We described the ecological characteristics and management issues affecting the buffer zone around the Fazao-Malfakassa National Park; a 192,000-ha protected area in central-western Togo of utmost conservation importance within the Dahomey Gap region. Within the buffer zone (10 km radius, 334,800 ha), we focussed on four high conservation value areas totalling 65,594 ha (20% of the total buffer zone area). Using 2015 sentinel-2 images we analyzed land cover patterns and described existing ecological zones. We complemented these with field surveys and interviews with 300 people living in 22 villages within the buffer zone to describe the conditions affecting the resident human population. Although over 60% of the total buffer zone area is degraded, we identified four areas of high conservation value (total area = 65,594 ha). Interviewees recognized that slash-and-burn was the most common form of land use, followed by agroforestry practices. Agriculture, charcoal, and firewood production were the main drivers affecting habitats, and land conflicts were recurrent due to the rise in human population. The decline in agriculture, reported by interviewees in some sectors, was attributable to ravages of crops by elephants. Three independent diversity indices showed that, in preserved zones, a greater diversity of animals (with similar utilization frequencies) were hunted than in degraded sites (where grasscutters were the dominant hunted species). There were also significant differences between degraded and preserved zones in terms of plants used for charcoal production and for non-timber forest products. We advocate the development of community-controlled hunting areas to enhance the conservation value of the four well-preserved zones. Instead, promoting su