Current status, distribution, and conservation of brown bear (Ursidae) andwild canids (gray wolf, golden jackal, and red fox; Canidae) in Turkey

Ambarli, Huseyin/0000-0003-4336-9417 WOS: 000393615100013 Turkey has viable populations of many carnivore species of the Western Palearctic. Among those, ursids and canids are represented by brown bear (Ursus arctos) and 3 canid species, gray wolf (Canis lupus), golden jackal (Canis aureus), and red fox (Vulpes vulpes), respectively. Those species occur in major ecosystems of Turkey and experience a wide range of threats, and they are at the center of human-wildlife conflicts. However, due to a limited number of studies about their ecology and taxonomy, their current distributions, population sizes, and statuses are vague. In this study, we document the 4 species' known data in terms of distribution range, population biology, phylogeography, threats and conflicts with people, and National Red List status in Turkey by reviewing the recent literature and national news about carnivores, data collection in field surveys, and interviews with local people, personnel of the Ministry of Forestry, and hunters in more than 50 provinces. Additionally, we also provide information about rabies cases in consideration with carnivore conservation. We finally recommend further studies to fill information gaps for wildlife conservation and management based on scientific evidence. TUBITAKTurkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [2219] This study was supported by TUBITAK 2219 postdoctoral fellowship. We would like to thank the Nature Conservation Center (DKM) for support in the field studies, and the provincial and district directors of the Department of Wildlife, Department of Forestry, and hunting associations in the Black Sea, Eastern, Aegean, and Inner Anatolia regions. We would also like to thank Bruce McLellan for his help in determining the brown bear's IUCN status in Turkey.