Genome-wide SNP assessment of contemporary European red deer genetic structure highlights the distinction of peripheral populations and the main admixture zones in Europe.

Genome-wide technologies open up new possibilities to clarify questions on genetic structure and phylogeographic history of taxa previously studied with microsatellite loci and mitochondrial sequences. Here, we used 736 individual red deer (Cervus elaphus) samples genotyped at 35,701 single nucleotide polymorphism loci (SNPs) to assess the population structure of the species throughout Europe. The results identified 28 populations, with higher degrees of genetic distinction in peripheral compared to mainland populations. Iberian red deer show high genetic differentiation, with lineages in Western and Central Iberia maintaining their distinctiveness, which supports separate refugial ranges within Iberia along with little recent connection between Iberian and the remaining Western European populations. The Norwegian population exhibited the lowest variability and the largest allele frequency differences from mainland European populations, compatible with a history of bottlenecks and drift during post-glacial colonization from southern refugia. Scottish populations showed high genetic distance from the mainland but high levels of diversity. Hybrid zones were found between Eastern and Western European lineages in Central Europe as well as in the Pyrenees, where red deer from France are in close contact with Iberian red deer. Anthropogenic restocking has promoted the Pyrenean contact zone, admixture events in populations on the Isle of Rum and in the Netherlands, and at least partly the admixture of the two main lineages in central-eastern Europe. Our analysis enabled detailed resolution of population structure of a large mammal widely distributed throughout Europe and contributes to resolving the evolutionary history, which can also inform conservation and management policies.

The influence of gene flow on population viability in an isolated urban caracal population.

Wildlife populations are becoming increasingly fragmented by anthropogenic development. Small and isolated populations often face an elevated risk of extinction, in part due to inbreeding depression. Here, we examine the genomic consequences of urbanization in a caracal (Caracal caracal) population that has become isolated in the Cape Peninsula region of the City of Cape Town, South Africa, and is thought to number ~50 individuals. We document low levels of migration into the population over the past ~75 years, with an estimated rate of 1.3 effective migrants per generation. As a consequence of this isolation and small population size, levels of inbreeding are elevated in the contemporary Cape Peninsula population (mean FROH = 0.20). Inbreeding primarily manifests as long runs of homozygosity >10 Mb, consistent with the effects of isolation due to the rapid recent growth of Cape Town. To explore how reduced migration and elevated inbreeding may impact future population dynamics, we parameterized an eco-evolutionary simulation model. We find that if migration rates do not change in the future, the population is expected to decline, though with a low projected risk of extinction. However, if migration rates decline or anthropogenic mortality rates increase, the potential risk of extinction is greatly elevated. To avert a population decline, we suggest that translocating migrants into the Cape Peninsula to initiate a genetic rescue may be warranted in the near future. Our analysis highlights the utility of genomic datasets coupled with computational simulation models for investigating the influence of gene flow on population viability.

Scale-dependent population drivers inform avian management in a declining saline lake ecosystem.

Shrinking saline lakes provide irreplaceable habitat for waterbird species globally. Disentangling the effects of wetland habitat loss from other drivers of waterbird population dynamics is critical for protecting these species in the face of unprecedented changes to saline lake ecosystems, ideally through decision-making frameworks that identify effective management options and their potential outcomes. Here, we develop a framework to assess the effects of hypothesized population drivers and identify potential future outcomes of plausible management scenarios on a saline lake-reliant waterbird species. We use 36 years of monitoring data to quantify the effects of environmental conditions on the population size of a regionally important breeding colony of American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) at Great Salt Lake, Utah, US, then forecast colony abundance under various management scenarios. We found that low lake levels, which allow terrestrial predators access to the colony, are probable drivers of recent colony declines. Without local management efforts, we predicted colony abundance could likely decline approximately 37.3% by 2040, although recent colony observations suggest population declines may be more extreme than predicted. Results from our population projection scenarios suggested that proactive approaches to preventing predator colony access and reversing saline lake declines are crucial for the persistence of the Great Salt Lake pelican colony. Increasing wetland habitat and preventing predator access to the colony together provided the most effective protection, increasing abundance 145.4% above projections where no management actions are taken, according to our population projection scenarios. Given the importance of water levels to the persistence of island-nesting colonial species, proactive approaches to reversing saline lake declines could likely benefit pelicans as well as other avian species reliant on these unique ecosystems.

A genome assembly of the American black bear, Ursus americanus, from California.

The American black bear, Ursus americanus, is a widespread and ecologically important species in North America. In California, the black bear plays an important role in a variety of ecosystems and serves as an important species for recreational hunting. While research suggests that the populations in California are currently healthy, continued monitoring is critical, with genomic analyses providing an important surveillance tool. Here we report a high-quality, near chromosome-level genome assembly from a U. americanus sample from California. The primary assembly has a total length of 2.5 Gb contained in 316 scaffolds, a contig N50 of 58.9 Mb, a scaffold N50 of 67.6 Mb, and a BUSCO completeness score of 96%. This U. americanus genome assembly will provide an important resource for the targeted management of black bear populations in California, with the goal of achieving an appropriate balance between the recreational value of black bears and the maintenance of viable populations. The high quality of this genome assembly will also make it a valuable resource for comparative genomic analyses among black bear populations and among bear species.

Genetic Re-assessment of Population Subdivision in Yellowstone National Park Bison.

Yellowstone National Park is home to the only plains bison population that has continually existed as wildlife, on the same landscape, through the population bottleneck of the late 19th century. Nevertheless, by the early 1900s, only 23 wild bison were known to have survived poaching. Salvation efforts included the addition of 18 females from Montana and 3 bulls from Texas to augment this population. A century later, nuclear microsatellite-based population level assessment revealed two genetically distinct bison sub-populations. However, in 2016 an analysis of mitochondrial haplotypes showed the two founding lineages were distributed throughout the park. This study is designed to delineate any current sub-structure in the Yellowstone bison population by strategically sampling the two major summer breeding herds and the two major winter ranges. Population level metrics were derived using the same microsatellite loci as the original study along with a newly developed set of highly informative bison specific Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs). Our analyses reveal that the modern bison in Yellowstone National Park currently consist of one interbreeding population, comprised of two subunits.

Genomic diversity and signals of selection processes in wild and farm-reared red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa).

The genetic dynamics of wild populations with releases of farm-reared reinforcements are very complex. These releases can endanger wild populations through genetic swamping or by displacing them. We assessed the genomic differences between wild and farm-reared red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) and described differential selection signals between both populations. We sequenced the whole genome of 30 wild and 30 farm-reared partridges. Both partridges had similar nucleotide diversity (π). Farm-reared partridges had a more negative Tajima's D and more and longer regions of extended haplotype homozygosity than wild partridges. We observed higher inbreeding coefficients (FIS and FROH) in wild partridges. Selective sweeps (Rsb) were enriched with genes that contribute to the reproductive, skin and feather colouring, and behavioural differences between wild and farm-reared partridges. The analysis of genomic diversity should inform future decisions for the preservation of wild populations.

An insight into vitamin E and lipid nutrition of the plains-wanderer Pedionomus torquatus.

Vitamin E, as α-tocopherol, is an essential antioxidant protecting the body from free radicals. The vitamin E requirement of managed wildlife species is known to be greater than their wild counterparts, predominantly due to higher dietary lipid content and potentially stressful environments. The plains-wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus, Family Pedionomidae [monotypical]) is a critically endangered, superficially quail-like bird that is the focus of an ongoing captive breeding programme in Australia. It is estimated that plains-wanderers have a high vitamin E requirement (compared with domestic poultry species) to offset a high lipid diet and their naturally flighty temperament. This study therefore aims to gain a greater understanding of the nutritional status and vitamin E requirements of plains-wanderers in managed environments. Total lipid and α-tocopherol intake were quantified for 26 zoo-managed plains-wanderers over a series of diet intake trials in addition to measurement of plasma α-tocopherol and cholesterol concentrations. Plains-wanderers that consumed higher portions of dietary fat had significantly lower circulating α-tocopherol concentrations than birds that consumed lower total dietary fat (p < .001). Additionally, plasma cholesterol concentrations of managed plains-wanderers were found to be significantly greater than all other bird species reviewed, irrespective of Family or feeding type. We also present the first published data quantifying the nutritional makeup of stomach contents of a wild plains-wanderer for use as a potential guide for diet formulation. This study forms a vital foundational insight into the nutritional management of plains-wanderers, but further research is required to understand their dietary habits and cholesterol metabolism.

Whole genome assessment of a declining game bird reveals cryptic genetic structure and insights for population management.

Population genomics applied to game species conservation can help delineate management units, ensure appropriate harvest levels and identify populations needing genetic rescue to safeguard their adaptive potential. The ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) is rapidly declining in much of the eastern USA due to a combination of forest maturation and habitat fragmentation. More recently, mortality from West Nile Virus may have affected connectivity of local populations; however, genetic approaches have never explicitly investigated this issue. In this study, we sequenced 54 individual low-coverage (~5X) grouse genomes to characterize population structure, assess migration rates across the landscape to detect potential barriers to gene flow and identify genomic regions with high differentiation. We identified two genomic clusters with no clear geographic correlation, with large blocks of genomic differentiation associated with chromosomes 4 and 20, likely due to chromosomal inversions. After excluding these putative inversions from the data set, we found weak but nonsignificant signals of population subdivision. Estimated gene flow revealed reduced rates of migration in areas with extensive habitat fragmentation and increased genetic connectivity in areas with less habitat fragmentation. Our findings provide a benchmark for wildlife managers to compare and scale the genetic diversity and structure of ruffed grouse populations in Pennsylvania and across the eastern USA, and we also reveal structural variation in the grouse genome that requires further study to understand its possible effects on individual fitness and population distribution.

A systematic review of animal personality in conservation science.

Although animal personality research may have applied uses, this suggestion has yet to be evaluated by assessing empirical studies examining animal personality and conservation. To address this knowledge gap, we performed a systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature relating to conservation science and animal personality. Criteria for inclusion in our review included access to full text, primary research articles, and relevant animal conservation or personality focus (i.e., not human personality studies). Ninety-two articles met these criteria. We summarized the conservation contexts, testing procedures (including species and sample size), analytical approach, claimed personality traits (activity, aggression, boldness, exploration, and sociability), and each report's key findings and conservation-focused suggestions. Although providing evidence for repeatability in behavior is crucial for personality studies, repeatability quantification was implemented in only half of the reports. Nonetheless, each of the 5 personality traits were investigated to some extent in a range of conservations contexts. The most robust studies in the field showed variance in how personality relates to other ecologically important variables across species and contexts. Moreover, many studies were first attempts at using personality for conservation purposes in a given study system. Overall, it appears personality is not yet a fully realized tool for conservation. To apply personality research to conservation problems, we suggest researchers think about where individual differences in behavior may affect conservation outcomes in their system, assess where there are opportunities for repeated measures, and follow the most current methodological guides on quantifying personality.

Aunque la investigación sobre la personalidad animal puede tener usos aplicados, esta propuesta aún no ha sido evaluada mediante el análisis de estudios empíricos que examinan la personalidad animal y la conservación. Realizamos una revisión sistemática de la literatura revisada por pares relacionada con las ciencias de la conservación y la personalidad animal para abordar este vacío en el conocimiento. Los criterios para la inclusión dentro de nuestra revisión incluyen el acceso al texto completo, artículos de investigación primaria y un enfoque relevante en la conservación animal o en la personalidad (es decir, no estudios sobre la personalidad humana). Noventa y dos artículos cumplieron con estos criterios y de ellos resumimos los contextos de conservación, procedimientos de análisis (incluyendo el tamaño de la muestra y de la especie), estrategia analítica, características declaradas de la personalidad (actividad, agresión, audacia, exploración y sociabilidad) y los hallazgos más importantes de cada reporte y sus sugerencias enfocadas en la conservación. Aunque proporcionar evidencias para la repetitividad en el comportamiento es crucial para los estudios de personalidad, la cuantificación de la repetitividad sólo se implementó en la mitad de los reportes. Sin embargo, cada una de las cinco características de la personalidad se investigaron hasta cierto punto dentro de una gama de contextos de la conservación. Los estudios más sólidos en el campo mostraron varianza en cómo la personalidad se relaciona con otras variables de importancia ecológica a través de las especies y los contextos. Además, muchos estudios fueron los primeros intentos del uso de la personalidad con propósitos de conservación en un sistema dado de estudios. En general, parece que la personalidad todavía no es una herramienta completamente realizada para la conservación. Para poder aplicar la investigación sobre la personalidad a los problemas de conservación, sugerimos que los investigadores piensen en dónde pueden afectar las diferencias individuales en el comportamiento a los resultados de la conservación dentro de su sistema, evalúen en dónde hay oportunidades para repetir medidas y sigan las guías metodológicas más actuales sobre la cuantificación de la personalidad.

Modeling mammal response to fire based on species' traits.

Fire has shaped ecological communities worldwide for millennia, but impacts of fire on individual species are often poorly understood. We performed a meta-analysis to predict which traits, habitat, or study variables and fire characteristics affect how mammal species respond to fire. We modeled effect sizes of measures of population abundance or occupancy as a function of various combinations of these traits and variables with phylogenetic least squares regression. Nine of 115 modeled species (7.83%) returned statistically significant effect sizes, suggesting most mammals are resilient to fire. The top-ranked model predicted a negative impact of fire on species with lower reproductive rates, regardless of fire type (estimate = -0.68), a positive impact of burrowing in prescribed fires (estimate = 1.46) but not wildfires, and a positive impact of average fire return interval for wildfires (estimate = 0.93) but not prescribed fires. If a species' International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List assessment includes fire as a known or possible threat, the species was predicted to respond negatively to wildfire relative to prescribed fire (estimate = -2.84). These findings provide evidence of experts' abilities to predict whether fire is a threat to a mammal species and the ability of managers to meet the needs of fire-threatened species through prescribed fire. Where empirical data are lacking, our methods provide a basis for predicting mammal responses to fire and thus can guide conservation actions or interventions in species or communities.

Modelos de las respuestas de los mamíferos a los incendios basados en las características de la especie Resumen Durante milenios, los incendios han moldeado a las comunidades ecológicas en todo el mundo y aun así conocemos muy poco sobre el impacto que tienen sobre cada especie. Realizamos un metaanálisis para predecir cuáles características, hábitat o variable de estudio en conjunto con las características del incendio afectan la respuesta de los mamíferos ante este fenómeno. Usamos para modelar los tamaños del efecto de las medidas de la abundancia poblacional o la ocupación como función de varias combinaciones de estas características y variables mediante una regresión filogenética por mínimos cuadrados. Nueve de las 115 especies modeladas (7.83%) devolvieron tamaños del efecto con importancia estadística, lo que sugiere que la mayoría de los mamíferos son resilientes a los incendios. El modelo mejor clasificado pronosticó un impacto negativo de los incendios sobre las especies con tasas reproductivas más bajas, sin importar el tipo de incendio (estimado = -0.68); un impacto positivo de las madrigueras durante las quemas prescritas (estimado = 1.46) pero no durante los incendios forestales; y un impacto positivo del intervalo promedio de rendimiento del incendio para los incendios forestales (estimado = 0.93) pero no para las quemas prescritas. Si la valoración de una especie en la Lista Roja de la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza incluye a los incendios como una amenaza conocida o posible, pronosticamos que la especie respondería negativamente a los incendios forestales con relación a la quema prescrita (estimado = -2.84). Estos hallazgos proporcionan evidencia de la habilidad que tienen los expertos para predecir si los incendios son una amenaza para los mamíferos y la habilidad de los gestores para cumplir con las necesidades de las especies amenazadas por incendios por medio de las quemas prescritas. En caso de que falte información empírica, nuestros métodos proporcionan una base para predecir las respuestas de los mamíferos a los incendios y así orientar a las acciones o intervenciones de conservación para una especie o comunidad.

Public tolerance of lethal wildlife management in Japan: A best-worst scaling questionnaire analysis.

Human-wildlife conflict is a major problem for sustainable development worldwide. Lethal management options play an essential role in wildlife management. However, assessing public tolerance of lethal options is crucial. While this has been studied for specific targets, variations in public tolerance by wildlife characteristics such as biological class and nativeness remain unexplored. Accordingly, we administered a questionnaire survey (n = 1000) using best-worst scaling to reveal the comparative tolerance of lethal wildlife management for 10 wildlife species (including mammals, birds, fish, and plants) in Japan. We found that public tolerance of lethal wildlife management differed by species rather than biological class and nativeness. We then used cluster analysis to group respondents with similar lethal wildlife management tolerances and found commonalities based on age, sex, and beliefs. This study offers theoretical insights for understanding public tolerance of lethal wildlife management as well as practical recommendations for wildlife managers.

Natural and anthropogenic landscape factors shape functional connectivity of an ecological specialist in urban Southern California.

Identifying how natural (i.e., unaltered by human activity) and anthropogenic landscape variables influence contemporary functional connectivity in terrestrial organisms can elucidate the genetic consequences of environmental change. We examine population genetic structure and functional connectivity among populations of a declining species, the Blainville's horned lizard (Phrynosoma blainvillii), in the urbanized landscape of the Greater Los Angeles Area in Southern California, USA. Using single nucleotide polymorphism data, we assessed genetic structure among populations occurring at the interface of two abutting evolutionary lineages, and at a fine scale among habitat fragments within the heavily urbanized area. Based on the ecology of P. blainvillii, we predicted which environmental variables influence population structure and gene flow and used gravity models to distinguish among hypotheses to best explain population connectivity. Our results show evidence of admixture between two evolutionary lineages and strong population genetic structure across small habitat fragments. We also show that topography, microclimate, and soil and vegetation types are important predictors of functional connectivity, and that anthropogenic disturbance, including recent fire history and urban development, are key factors impacting contemporary population dynamics. Examining how natural and anthropogenic sources of landscape variation affect contemporary population genetics is critical to understanding how to best manage sensitive species in a rapidly changing landscape.

Niche partitioning in a guild of invasive mammalian predators.

Predators compete aggressively for resources, establishing trophic hierarchies that influence ecosystem structure. Competitive interactions are particularly important in invaded ecosystems where introduced predators can suppress native prey species. We investigated whether niche partitioning exists within a guild of invasive mammalian predators and determined the consequences for native species. Over 4405 camera-trap days, we assessed interactions among three invasive predators: two apex predators (feral cats Felis catus and ferrets Mustela furo) and a mesopredator (stoats Mustela erminea), in relation to their primary prey (lagomorphs, rodents and birds) and habitat use. Further, we tested for mesopredator release by selectively removing cats and ferrets in a pulse perturbation experiment. We found compelling evidence of niche partitioning; spatiotemporal activity of apex predators maximized access to abundant invasive prey, with ferrets targeting lagomorphs and cats targeting rodents. Mesopredators adjusted their behavior to reduce the risk of interference competition, thereby restricting access to abundant prey but increasing predation pressure on diurnal native birds. Stoats were only recorded at the treatment site after both larger predators were removed, becoming the most frequently detected predator at 6 months post-perturbation. We suggest there is spatial and resource partitioning within the invasive predator guild, but that this is incomplete, and avoidance is achieved by temporal partitioning within overlapping areas. Niche partitioning among invasive predators facilitates coexistence, but simultaneously intensifies predation pressure on vulnerable native species.

The virtue of compassion in compassionate conservation.

The role of ethics is becoming an increasingly important feature of biodiversity conservation dialogue and practice. Compassionate conservationists argue for a prohibition of, or at least a strong presumption against, the adoption of conservation policies that intentionally harm animals. They assert that to be compassionate is to care about animals and that it is antithetical to caring for animals to intentionally harm them. Compassionate conservationists thus criticize many existing conservation practices and policies. Two things together challenge the philosophical foundation of compassionate conservation. First, compassionate conservationists ground their theory in virtue ethics, yet virtue ethics permits exceptions to moral rules, so there cannot be an in-principle prohibition on adopting intentional harm-inducing policies and practices. But not all compassionate conservationists advocate for a prohibition on intentionally harming animals, only a strong presumption against it. This leads to the second point: compassion can motivate a person to adopt a harm-inducing conservation policy or practice when doing so is the best available option in a situation in which animals will be harmed no matter what policy or practice is adopted. Combining these insights with the empirical observation that conservationists regularly find themselves in tragic situations, we arrive at the conclusion that conservationists may regularly advocate for harm-inducing policies and practices from a position of compassion. Article Impact Statement: Compassionate conservationists should accept that the virtuously compassionate person may adopt harm-causing conservation policies.

La Virtud de la Compasión en la Conservación Compasiva Resumen El papel de la ética es una función cada vez más importante para el diálogo y la práctica de la conservación. Los conservacionistas compasivos alegan a favor de la prohibición, o al menos una presunción legal robusta en contra, de la adopción de políticas de conservación que dañan intencionalmente a los animales. Los conservacionistas compasivos afirman que ser compasivo es cuidar a los animales y que es contrario a esto el querer dañarlos intencionalmente. Por lo tanto, estos conservacionistas critican muchas prácticas y políticas de conservación existentes. Hay dos cosas que en conjunto cuestionan el fundamento filosófico de la conservación compasiva. La primera es que los conservacionistas compasivos basan su teoría en la ética de las virtudes, pero esta ética permite excepciones a las reglas morales, por lo que no puede haber una prohibición en principio de la adopción de políticas y prácticas que dañan intencionalmente a los animales. Pero no todos los conservacionistas compasivos abogan por la prohibición del daño intencional a los animales, sino que abogan sólo por una presunción legal robusta en su contra. Esto nos lleva al segundo punto: la compasión puede motivar a una persona a adoptar políticas o prácticas de conservación que causen daño intencional cuando esto es la mejor opción disponible en una situación en la que los animales serán dañados sin importar cuál práctica o política se adopte. Con la combinación de estas percepciones y la observación empírica de que los conservacionistas regularmente se encuentran a sí mismos en situaciones trágicas, llegamos a la conclusión de que los conservacionistas pueden abogar con frecuencia por políticas y prácticas que inducen daños desde una posición compasiva.

Acute-phase protein concentrations in serum of clinically healthy and diseased European bison (Bison bonasus) - preliminary study.

BACKGROUND: This is the first report describing levels of APPs in European bison. Serum concentration of acute phase proteins (APPs) may be helpful to assess general health status in wildlife and potentially useful in selecting animals for elimination. Since there is a lack of literature data regarding concentration of APPs in European bisons, establishment of the reference values is also needed. METHODS: A total of 87 European bison from Polish populations were divided into two groups: (1) healthy: immobilized for transportation, placing a telemetry collar and routine diagnostic purposes; and (2) selectively culled due to the poor health condition. The serum concentration of haptoglobin, serum amyloid A and α1-acid-glycoprotein were determined using commercial quantitative ELISA assays. Since none of the variables met the normality assumptions, non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test was used for all comparisons. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Statistical analyses were performed using Statistica 13.3 (Tibco, USA). RESULTS: The concentration of haptoglobin and serum amyloid A was significantly higher in animals culled (euthanised) due to the poor condition in respect to the clinically healthy European bison. The levels of α1-acid-glycoprotein did not show statistical difference between healthy and sick animals. CONCLUSIONS: Correlation between APPs concertation and health status was proven, therefore the determination of selected APPs may be considered in future as auxiliary predictive tool in assessing European bison health condition.

Seminal characterization of white-lipped peccary (Tayassu peccary).

White-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) is a neotropical mammal that plays a fundamental role in maintaining the integrity of tropical forest systems. However, due to hunting and deforestation the species is currently classified as vulnerable. As there are reports of difficulties in captive reproduction, it was proposed to use assisted reproduction techniques for later reintroduction into their natural habitat. Therefore, the objective was to describe the physical, chemical, morphological and functional characteristics of its semen. Sixteen adult male, white-lipped peccary, aged between three and seven years old, distributed in three groups, were used in this study. After physical and chemical retainment, semen was collected by electroejaculation from 16 individuals. It was evaluated by computer analysis (CASA). The mean values recorded were as follows: volume 0.5 ± 0.6 ml, pH 7.2 ± 0.3, sperm concentration 967.2 ± 947.3 × 106 spermatozoon/ml and total motility of 75.4 ± 16.2. The average sperm reactive to the hypo-osmotic test was 85.3% ± 21.0%, and 62.4% ± 43.9% of the cells presented intact membranes in the structural integrity test. Additionally, the semen showed milky consistency (80%), yellowish colour (40%) and sui generis odour (100%). The sperm parameters of the white-lipped peccary are within the desirable standards, allowing them to be considered as potentially fertile for the development of assisted reproduction techniques that may contribute to the conservation of the species.

Assessing the Impact of Wildlife on Vegetation Cover Change, Northeast Namibia, Based on MODIS Satellite Imagery (2002-2021).

Human-wildlife conflict in the Zambezi region of northeast Namibia is well documented, but the impact of wildlife (e.g., elephants) on vegetation cover change has not been adequately addressed. Here, we assessed human-wildlife interaction and impact on vegetation cover change. We analyzed the 250 m MODIS and ERA5 0.25° × 0.25° drone and GPS-collar datasets. We used Time Series Segmented Residual Trends (TSS-RESTREND), Mann-Kendall Test Statistics, Sen's Slope, ensemble, Kernel Density Estimation (KDE), and Pearson correlation methods. Our results revealed (i) widespread vegetation browning along elephant migration routes and within National Parks, (ii) Pearson correlation (p-value = 5.5 × 10-8) showed that vegetation browning areas do not sustain high population densities of elephants. Currently, the Zambezi has about 12,008 elephants while these numbers were 1468, 7950, and 5242 in 1989, 1994, and 2005, respectively, (iii) settlements and artificial barriers have a negative impact on wildlife movement, driving vegetation browning, and (iv) vegetation greening was found mostly within communal areas where intensive farming and cattle grazing is a common practice. The findings of this study will serve as a reference for policy and decision makers. Future studies should consider integrating higher resolution multi-platform datasets for detailed micro analysis and mapping of vegetation cover change.

Semi-automated detection of ungulates using UAV imagery and reflective spectrometry.

In the field of species conservation, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) is increasing in popularity as wildlife observation and monitoring tools. With large datasets created by UAV-based species surveying, the need arose to automate the detection process of the species. Although the use of computer learning algorithms for wildlife detection from UAV-derived imagery is an increasing trend, it depends on a large amount of imagery of the species to train the object detector effectively. However, there are alternatives like object-based image analysis (OBIA) software available if a large amount of imagery of the species is not available to develop a computer-learned object detector. The study tested the semi-automated detection of reintroduced Arabian Oryx (O. leucoryx), using the specie's coat sRGB-colour profiles as input for OBIA to identify adult O. leucoryx, applied to UAV acquired imagery. Our method uses lab-measured spectral reflection of hair sample values, collected from captive O. leucoryx as an input for OBIA ruleset to identify adult O. leucoryx from UAV survey imagery using semi-automated supervised classification. The converted mean CIE Lab reflective spectrometry colour values of n = 50 hair samples of adult O. leucoryx to 8-bit sRGB-colour profiles of the species resulted in the red-band value of 157.450, the green-band value of 151.390 and blue-band value of 140.832. The sRGB values and a minimum size permitter were added as the input of the OBIA ruleset identified adult O. leucoryx with a high degree of efficiency when applied to three UAV census datasets. Using species sRGB-colour profiles to identify re-introduced O. leucoryx and extract location data using a non-invasive UAV-based tool is a novel method with enormous application possibilities. Coat refection sRGB-colour profiles can be developed for a range of species and customised to autodetect and classify the species from remote sensing data.

Mind the gap: Comparing expert and public opinions on managing overabundant koalas.

Management decisions that do not adequately align with the values and opinions of the public-at-large can lead to controversy and conflict. In conservation and natural resource management, knowledge of the public's values and opinions are often assumed or based on the personal perceptions of experts, rather than on empirical evidence. Mismatches can occur, and in Australia, an ongoing debate about how to best manage overabundant koalas has divided experts and members of the public for decades. On several occasions, experts have recommended culling of overabundant koalas, and yet culls are rarely conducted by managers. Anecdotally this is due to perceived public opposition to the culling of koalas, but there is little empirical evidence to evaluate this assessment. Using a nationwide survey, we investigated the social acceptability of different options for koala management in a population of experts and the general public, and how underlying environmental values and basic beliefs about human-wildlife relationships can explain differences of opinion. We found significant differences in the acceptability of management options between experts and the general public, although the polarity of acceptability was mostly the same. However, the lethal management options of culling and indigenous hunting elicited opposing opinions. Consistent with previous research, beliefs about human-wildlife relationships and belief profiles were found to be useful in explaining differences in acceptability of lethal control among the public, but not among experts. Biospheric values and increased experience and knowledge could play a greater role in the formation of experts' acceptability judgements. Due consideration of evidence-based knowledge of people's opinions can avoid reactive decision-making based on the opinions of a vocal minority. Where differences of opinion exist between experts and the general public, reconciling these divergent views should lead to better conservation outcomes with reduced conflict over potentially controversial management actions.

Expanding and Evaluating Public Satisfaction with Wildlife Governance: Insights from Deer Management in Indiana, USA.

Wildlife agencies in North America desire to incorporate broader public interests into decision-making so they can realize the principle of governing wildlife in the public trust. Public satisfaction is a key component of good governance but evaluating satisfaction with wildlife management focuses on traditional user experiences rather than perceptions of agency performance. We draw from political science, business, and conservation social science to develop a multidimensional concept of satisfaction with wildlife management that includes agency performance, service quality, trust in the managing agency, and informational trust. We use data collected from a 2021 survey of Indiana residents to analyze the social and cognitive determinants of satisfaction with white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) management. Quantile regression models revealed that respondents' acceptability of management methods and deer-related concerns most strongly affected performance and quality components, whereas respondent characteristics mostly affected trust components of the index. Future research should associate satisfaction with key variables we did not fully capture including perceived control, psychological distance, and norms of interaction between wildlife agencies and the public. Expanding agency conceptions of public satisfaction represents a critical step toward public trust thinking and the practice of good wildlife governance in North America.