Insights into Population Status and Habitat Patches of Conservation Concern for the Endangered Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) in Nowshera District, Northwestern Pakistan.

The Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) stands out among the four surviving species of Asian pangolins, being the sole species present in Pakistan and listed as endangered owing to trafficking and illicit commerce. In the present study, we explored the population status of the Indian pangolin and the existing suitable habitats in Nowshera district, Pakistan. We employed the line transect method to confirm the species presence and subsequent population estimation. In a survey effort of 156 km2, a total of 56 signs of Indian pangolin were recorded within the research area. Amongst the 56 signs, 46 were burrows (living burrows (53.57%) and feeding burrows (28.57%)). Digging was observed nine (16.07%) times, along with one direct sighting (1.7%). Our results revealed a population estimate of only 29 pangolins in the Nowshera district, with a population density of 0.013 individuals/km2. Later, MaxEnt was applied to the species' presence points, along with climatic and topographical variables. The MaxEnt model accuracy was good (AUC = 0.811). Of the total area studied, 210 km2 (12.01%) were highly suitable and 238 km2 (13.61%) were moderately suitable habitat for the Indian pangolin. To safeguard the fragile population and habitat of the Indian pangolin, we highly suggest strengthening watch and ward and law enforcement in the study area. By adopting a comprehensive approach that addresses both the direct threats to Indian pangolins and the underlying factors driving their decline, we can effectively protect this endangered species and ensure the preservation of its essential habitats for robust conservation.

The Effect of Sexes and Seasons on the Morphological Structures of the Ruminant Digestive System of Blue Sheep (Pseudois nayaur).

Constant adaptation to environmental changes is required by ruminants to allow them to adapt to different ecological niches and feeding habits. In addition, the morphology and function of ruminant digestive systems reveal some adaptive evolutionary characteristics. Blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) display a variety of morpho-physiological adaptations that are typical of grazers. In this study, we collected 64 adult blue sheep samples (whole animal carcasses) from the Helan Mountains, China, during different seasons. The external morphological parameters, digestive system morphological indexes, and rumen surface enlargement factors were determined. Our results reveal that the rumen and reticulum weights were positively correlated with the body weight (p = 0.004), while the food channel aperture, intestinal length, and weight of the blue sheep digestive tract presented no significant differences between different seasons (p > 0.05) and sexes (p > 0.05). There were significant differences (p < 0.001) in the density, length, and width of mastoids, and the rumen surface enlargement factor was 2.85 ± 1.37, which is typical of roughage feeders. The nutritional and ecological characteristics of blue sheep represent obvious morphological and physiological adaptations to an herbivorous diet. Adopting a quick foraging strategy allows blue sheep to rapidly consume and excrete large amounts of feed, thus obtaining the required energy for their activities and facilitating better adaption to environmental changes.

Distribution update of water deer (Hydropotes inermis) and prediction of their potential distribution in Northeast China.

Human interventions have a great potential of spatially cornering and limiting species, therefore investigating the species distribution is one of the most crucial issues for managing wildlife populations and suggesting robust conservation strategies. Water deer (Hydropotes inermis) are widespread in China throughout history and are endemic to East Asia. However, they disappeared from Northeast China for years. We rediscovered the water deer in a previous study in Jilin Province, China. Then, we conducted further research in Northeast China to determine their distribution status, supplying fundamental data for the recovery and expansion of their population. An interview survey, line transect survey and infrared camera monitoring were carried out in some counties/cities in Northeast China from June to December 2021. The results showed that the water deer were distributed in Wuchang city of Heilongjiang Province, Changbai Korean Autonomous County, Baishan Municipal District, Ji'an city, Hunchun city, Huadian city, Antu County and Helong County of Jilin Province, Benxi Manchu Autonomous County, Huanren Manchu Autonomous County, Kuandian Manchu Autonomous County, Fengcheng city and Donggang city of Liaoning Province. The ensemble species distribution model constructed by sdm within the TSS of various models that were set as weight revealed that the potential distribution area of the water deer in the study area was 8764.66 km2 (28.77% of the study area). Combining recent studies concerning the distribution of water deer and the current study, we updated the distribution of wild water deer in Northeast China, which is vital for their conservation worldwide.

Impacts of the Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) on the Livelihood of Rural Communities in Pakistan and Understanding Public Attitudes towards Wild Boars.

Conservation goals can only be best achieved when there is firm support and cooperation from locals, especially in emerging economies where poor communities often bear most of the cost of human-wildlife conflicts (HWCs). In this study, we explored the economic losses caused by wild boars in two districts, i.e., the Peshawar district and the Nowshera district, in north-western Pakistan. Between May and June 2022, 589 respondents from 53 villages were interviewed. The results revealed that the wild boar was chiefly involved in crop raiding, causing an annual economic loss of USD 12,030 (USD 20.42/household). The highly raided crops included maize (40.24%), followed by wheat (24.95%), vegetables (22.65%), and sugarcane (6.29%). Wild boars were also held accountable for orchard damages. Most people consider the wild boar a common species in the area and want it completely eliminated. We believe that the increasing wild boar population is alarming and should be noticed. The government should collaborate with the local communities to use innovative methods to deter wild boars. Compensation schemes for crop damages should be launched. Moreover, the regular investigation of the wild boar population size and their carrying capacities should be enlisted as integral parts of wildlife management in the area.

Different living environments drive deterministic microbial community assemblages in the gut of Alpine musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster).

Substantial variation in the environment directly causes remodeling of the colonized gut microbiota, controlling community diversity, and functions in the host to tune-up their adaptive states. However, the mechanisms of microbial community assembly in response to environmental changes remain unclear, especially in endangered ruminants. In this study, we analyzed the microbial communities of 37 fecal samples collected from captive and wild Alpine musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster) to characterize the complexity and assembly processes using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We found significantly different diversities and compositions of gut microbiota among both groups associated with different living environments. Heterogeneous selection was the predominant factor regulating the gut microbiota community under similar climatic conditions, indicating that microbial community assembly was largely driven by deterministic mechanisms. The species co-occurrence network showed complex and tight connections with a higher positive correlation in the wild environment. Moreover, the captive group exhibited significant differences in chemoheterotrophy and fermentation compared with the wild group, but the opposite was observed in animal parasites or symbionts, which might be closely related to diet, energy supply, and healthcare of animals. This study provides a framework basis and new insights into understanding gut microbiota in different environments.

Roosting-site Selection by Overwintering Black-necked Cranes in the Caohai Wetland, Guizhou Province, China: Implications for Conservation Management.

Stable and high-quality roosting-sites are crucial for the survival of migratory wading birds in winter. The black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis) is the only crane species that lives on the Tibetan plateau for its entire life. Every year, black-necked cranes routinely migrate to the wetlands on the southern lower plateau and roost at wetland sites. Currently, many roosting-sites are under threat from wetland degradation resulting from human disturbance, and changes in water depths and the landscape environment. To understand how the black-necked crane selects roosting-sites given these influencing factors, we conducted a study in the Caohai wetland in China by comparing and modeling the selection of roosting habitat. The vegetation factors mainly included the vegetation height of the swamp patch where the roosting-site was located (VHP) and the vegetation height in the roosting-site (VHR), and the geographic factors mainly included the height of the nearest hill (HNH) and the visible range (VR). These four factors were first considered by the black-necked cranes when choosing roosting-sites on the lakeshore. The roosting-site selection model of black-necked cranes was fitted as (P = e Logit(p) /(1 + e Logit(p)) Logit(p) = 1.243 + 8.397(VHP) -7.999(VHR) -4.105(HNH) + 1.584(VR)). In the Caohai wetland, black-necked cranes preferred roosting-sites away from human disturbances, such as villages/settlements and roads, and where the distance to main roads was > 1,300 m, the distance to villages/residential areas was > 650 m, the distance to rural/service roads was > 500 m, the relatively open area with surrounding hills had a relative height < 15 m, the visible range area was > 550,000 m2, and the shallow swamp area had a water depth of < 5 cm with a vegetation height of < 15 cm. Outside the area of the roosting-site, the surrounding vegetation height was 35 cm-60 cm. We believe that human disturbance, not energy savings or heat loss, was the main factor influencing crane roost site selection. We first gathered data about black-necked crane selection of roosting-sites in a highly complex wetland system. Based on our findings, we strongly recommend appropriately managing the habitat patches in the Caohai wetland, which will have implications for the conservation management of overwintering black-necked cranes in wetlands.

Hostile Interactions of Punjab Urial (Ovis vignei punjabiensis) towards Indian Gazelle (Gazella bennettii) during Feeding Sessions in Captive Breeding Settings.

Natural wildlife habitats are regularly subjected to anthropogenic pressures for different purposes, which are heading the biodiversity towards drastic decline. Several endangered wild species are raised in captivity with the aim of re-introduction. In some instances, mixed herds' rearing approach in captivity is adopted for providing social enrichment to captive stocks; however, the impacts of species on each other are least documented. We tested our prediction that keeping mixed herds of captive wild sheep and antelopes provides adequate social enrichment to the captive stocks: if interspecific interactions are balanced. In the current study, we studied the interspecific competition between mixed herds of captive Punjab urial (Ovis vignei punjabiensis) and Indian gazelle (Gazella bennettii) at Manglot Wildlife Park, Nowshera District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. We documented the negative effects of behavioural interference by Punjab urial on the feeding behaviour of Indian gazelle. The outcome of the current study revealed that Punjab urial are highly intolerant towards Indian gazelle, with high interference during feeding. Out of the total aggressive events, 77% (N = 1259) of events ended up with win/loss, in which Punjab urial dominated the Indian gazelle 3.5 times. Moreover, lopsided dominance by Punjab urial resulted in increased intraspecific competition among Indian gazelle (p < 0.001). Current study divulged Indian gazelle to be the subordinate species, with less intake of food. Instead of providing social enrichment by heterospecifics, the Punjab urial is negatively affecting the Indian gazelle, therefore, the results of our study discourage the practice of admix captive breeding for wild sheep and antelopes.

Investigation on Parasites and Some Causes of Mortality in Captive Punjab urial (Ovis vignei punjabiensis), Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: The present study was conducted in Jul 2019 and Jan 2020 in two wildlife parks of the Nowshera district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, where the endangered Punjab urial (Ovis vignei punjabiensis) is successfully bred in captivity. We determined diversity of internal and external parasites that take advantage of the situation of congestion, resulting in massive mortalities of wild animals in captivity. METHODS: Internal parasites of living urial were determined by direct wet smear and flotation methods, while dead urial was necropsied for any pertaining observation. RESULTS: All examined fecal samples were found infected with gastrointestinal parasites, which had significant difference in the total abundance in winter and summer. S. papillosus and H.contortus, and a single protozoan, Eimeria spp. were the dominant parasites in fecal samples. Ticks collected from urial enclosures and dead animals were of single species H. anatolicum. Theileria spp. was observed in blood, while hydatid cysts were found in lungs and liver of necropsied urial. CONCLUSION: The study indicates that internal parasites such as Haemonchus contortus and Strongyloides papillosus, while external parasites as Hyalomma anatolicum ticks played major role in the population decline. Strict veterinary control of infectious diseases, provision of hygienic and supplementary diet, and proper maintenance of urial population are necessary measures for the control of mortalities.

Development and Implementation of Baseline Welfare Assessment Protocol for Captive Breeding of Wild Ungulate-Punjab Urial (Ovis vignei punjabiensis, Lydekker 1913).

To ensure that captive breeding and other associated programs are more robust and sustainable, it is of utmost importance to ensure optimum welfare. Although it is well known that standard welfare is crucial for successful captive breeding, there is still a lack of welfare assessment protocols for wild species. The current study aimed to develop a leading baseline welfare assessment protocol for assessing welfare in captive Punjab urial. This protocol is based on the welfare protocol for domestic sheep from the Welfare Quality® project, coupled with all the information obtained from the published literature on the species' biology and ecology. This protocol consists of 4 principles, 12 criteria, and 31 animal- and resource-based indicators. The protocol was tested and applied to three different herds of Punjab urial at two different facilities. Initial results showed that some areas need to be improved for better captive breeding and management.