Showing papers in "Oryx in 2004"

The use of camera traps for estimating jaguar Panthera onca abundance and density using capture/recapture analysis

Abstract: Across their range jaguars Panthera onca are important conservation icons for several reasons: their important role in ecosystems as top carnivores, their cultural and economic value, and their potential conflicts with livestock. However, jaguars have historically been difficult to monitor. This paper outlines the first applica- tion of a systematic camera trapping methodology for abundance estimation of jaguars. The methodology was initially developed to estimate tiger abundance in India. We used a grid of camera traps deployed for 2 months, identified individual animals from their pelage patterns, and estimated population abundance using capture-recapture statistical models. We applied this methodology in a total of five study sites in the Mayan

Inventory of free-ranging lions Panthera leo in Africa

Abstract: The number of free ranging African lions Panthera leo has never been comprehensively assessed. We present an inventory of available information, covering most protected areas and ranging in quality from educated guesses to individually known populations. This gives a conservative estimate of 16,500–30,000 free ranging lions in Africa. The inventory shows that populations are small and fragmented in West and Central Africa, whereas the species still occurs widely in East and Southern Africa. The results concur with the current IUCN Red List categorization of the lion as Vulnerable.

Forest edge in the Brazilian Atlantic forest: drastic changes in tree species assemblages

Abstract: In this study we surveyed all trees ≥10 cm diameter at breast height within 20 0.1 ha plots in a 3,500 ha forest fragment, surrounded by sugar cane fields, of the Brazilian Atlantic forest to compare tree species assemblages at the forest edge (0–100 m into forest) vs forest interior (>200 m). Plots were perpendicular to the margin. The mean number of tree species was significantly higher in the forest interior (35.4 ± SD 7.1 vs 18.4 ± SD 4.4). In addition, forest edge differed from interior in the proportion of shade-tolerant, emergent, large/very large-fruited species, and large-seeded tree species. Among the 134 tree species recorded, 24% were exclusive to the forest edge and 57% to the forest interior. Our results suggest that both the current system of protected areas and archipelagos of small fragments (1) tend to retain only a subset of the original flora, (2) will converge in terms of floristic and ecological composition (biotic simplification and homogenization), and (3) will lose rare and threatened tree species.

Characterizing human-tiger conflict in Sumatra, Indonesia: implications for conservation

Abstract: Human-tiger conflict occurs in Indonesia but there is little recent information about the scope of the problem, and adequate policies are not in place to address the conflict. Published and unpublished reports of conflict between Sumatran tigers Panthera tigris sumatrae, people and their livestock were collected and analysed to characterize the extent, distribution and impact of human-tiger conflict on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. Reportedly, between 1978 and 1997, tigers killed 146 people and injured 30, and killed at least 870 livestock. Conflict was less common in protected areas and more common in intermediate disturbance areas such as multiple-use forests where tigers and people coexist. In Indonesia there is a need to develop a definition of problem tigers, a database to track conflicts, and a process to respond immediately to conflicts when they occur. Without a better understanding of human-tiger conflict and a concerted effort to proactively address the problem, future landscape-level tiger conservation and management efforts may be jeopardized.

The social and environmental impacts of wilderness and development

Abstract: Sanderson & Redford's (2003) correct insistence that poverty alleviation programmes ought more actively to include conservation would be well matched by an awareness of the impacts of some conservation policies, particularly the establishment of strictly protected areas, on local livelihoods. Lands protected as wilderness require the removal or exclusion of people and are locally costly. Wilderness protection requires, we argue, far more awareness of the nature and extent of these costs wherever conservation interests have to be served by people's absence.

Poverty reduction and biodiversity conservation: rebuilding the bridges

Abstract: 137 Has biodiversity ‘all but disappeared from the global dialogue on sustainable development’ as Sanderson & Redford (2003) fear? Here we explore the poverty reduction imperative that dominates the current agendas of most international development agencies, question the absence of biodiversity conservation from this agenda, and debate the role of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals in building bridges between the two. Sanderson & Redford are not wholly correct in lamenting the loss of biodiversity from the sustainable development agenda. Indeed, biodiversity was one of five priority issues singled out for attention at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development. What has happened, however, is that the pace of the sustainable development dialogue has not been fast enough for developing country governments and for international development agencies, and a parallel agenda has emerged in recent years to address an internationally recognized imperative of poverty reduction. This is articulated internationally in the set of eight United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and nationally in the World Bank-driven process to develop national poverty reduction strategies in low income countries. There are many limitations associated with current poverty reduction efforts, as Sanderson & Redford high

Possible decline in leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea nesting along the coast of Caribbean Central America

Abstract: Leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea nesting has declined on Pacific beaches and as a result the species is considered Critically Endangered. Atlantic populations are, however, also important for the species' survival and therefore we undertook a study to quantify the size and nesting trend of the Caribbean Costa Rica and Panama leatherback turtle rookery. Tag returns show that post-nesting females from the rookery dis- perse throughout the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and North Atlantic. Aerial and track survey results were used to estimate 5,759-12,893 nests per year between San Juan river and Chiriqui beach, making this the fourth largest rookery worldwide. Monitoring results from three beaches (Tortuguero, Pacuare and Gandoca) were used to examine any temporal trend in nesting using nonpara- metric regression. Nesting appeared to decline slightly from 1995 to 2003 but the trend could be an artefact of interannual variation in nest numbers. Explanations for

Range fragmentation in the spectacled bear Tremarctos ornatus in the northern Andes

Abstract: This paper addresses the conservation status of the spectacled bear Tremarctos ornatus in the northern Andes (Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador) by analysing the degree of range fragmentation and estimating habitat availability. From satellite images we constructed maps of remnant habitat blocks, consisting of Andean forest and paramo (high elevation shrublands and grassland) ecosystems. This information was overlain with a road map to determine potential isolation of populations, and a human accessibility model was used to estimate the core area of each block. This analysis revealed that the species' range is fragmented by landscape transforma- tion and roads into 113 blocks >100 km 2 , representing 42% of the original extent of the bear's distribution. Forty percent of the blocks are 5,000 km 2 . However, taking into account only core area, 56% of the blocks are 5,000 km 2 . In addition, many blocks have internal patches of colonization, further reducing habitat quality. This effect is more severe in smaller fragments, where internal disturbances constitute a high proportion of the block area. We used a high population density estimate of 0.25, a medium density of 0.11 and a low density of 0.04 bears per km 2 to estimate population sizes. Twenty- nine populations are likely to have >500 individuals with the high estimate, but only nine with the medium and one with the low estimate (largest estimated popula- tion was 9,048 bears). These estimates are much lower if only the core area of blocks is used. Hunting has been identified as a major threat for many bear populations. Our analyses indicate that a regional conservation strategy for spectacled bear should focus on maintaining or increasing habitat availability in larger blocks, and reducing human-induced mortality across the region.

High chimpanzee and gorilla densities in a non-protected area on the northern periphery of the Dja Faunal Reserve, Cameroon

Abstract: Information on the densities of threatened species in non-protected areas is crucial for assessing the degree of isolation of adjacent protected areas and consequently their potential for preserving species from extinction. Relatively few studies, however, provide such information. We present the results of a survey of the densities of two great ape species, the gorilla Gorilla gorilla gorilla and chimpanzee Pan troglodytes troglodytes, in a non-protected area on the northern periphery of Dja Faunal Reserve, Cameroon. Densities of chimpanzees and gorillas were estimated to be 1.1 and 3.8 weaned individuals per km2, respectively. The results confirm that gorillas prefer building nests in vegetation types with limited visibility, and that within preferred vegetation types for nesting, gorillas select patches that are the most difficult to penetrate, resulting in less conspicuous nests. Although the opposite tendencies were exhibited by chimpanzees, no firm conclusions could be drawn from our data. Despite its non-protected status and past and ongoing logging activities in the area, the densities of gorillas and chimpanzees on the northern periphery of Dja Faunal Reserve are comparable to those found within the reserve itself, indicating the need for developing alternative conservation action to protect these important populations. The creation of a Communal Wildlife Zone in this area is legislatively possible, and could be an effective conservation tool because it has to originate from the local people.

Low mammal and hornbill abundance in the forests of Barito Ulu, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

Abstract: Faunal surveys in Kalimantan have been biased towards primates in protected forests close to the coast. Relatively little has been documented on other animal species, particularly in the vast interior forests. The results of a 1996–97 census of nine large mammal and eight hornbill species in tropical lowland forest in Barito Ulu, Central Kalimantan are reported here. Pigs Sus barbatus had the highest biomass, but this was due to large numbers migrating through the study area over 4 months and the resident population is probably low. Langurs Presbytis rubicunda and hybrid gibbons Hylobates mulleri × agilis had the highest biomass of all resident species. Orang-utans Pongo pygmaeus were absent from the area during the study period and pig-tailed macaques Macaca nemestrina were rarely seen. The resident hornbill species (Anthracoceros malayanus, Anorrhinus galeritus, Buceros vigil and B. rhinoceros) had high densities compared to that reported from lowland areas, but overall hornbill density was low due to the absence of the nomadic Aceros corrugatus and A. undulatus, except during peak fruit abundance. Sun bears Helarctos malayanus, long-tailed macaques M. fascicularis, muntjacs Muntiacus spp. and mouse deer Tragulus spp. were at low densities. Density of two large squirrel species, Ratufa affinis and Sundasciurus hippiurus, was lower than has been reported in Sarawak, but the density of Prevost's squirrel Callosciurus prevostii was higher. We discuss hunting pressure, isolation, low abundance of large fruit trees, poor soils, and specific habitat preferences as possible explanations for the low mammal and hornbill density at Barito Ulu.

Dramatic decline of wild South China tigers Panthera tigris amoyensis: field survey of priority tiger reserves

Abstract: This paper describes results of a Sino-American field survey seeking evidence of South China tigers Panthera tigris amoyensis in the wild. In 2001 and 2002 field surveys were conducted in eight reserves in five provinces identified by government authorities as habitat most likely to contain tigers. The surveys evaluated and documented evidence for the presence of tigers, tiger prey and habitat disturbance. Approximately 290 km of mountain trails were evaluated. Infrared remote cameras set up in two reserves captured 400 trap days of data. Thirty formal and numerous informal interviews were conducted with villagers to document wildlife knowledge, livestock management practices, and local land and resource use. We found no evidence of wild South China tigers, few prey species, and no livestock depredation by tigers reported in the last 10 years. Forest areas designated as tiger reserves, averaging about 100 km2 in size, are too small to support even a few tigers because commercial tree farms and other habitat conversion is common, and people and their livestock dominate these fragments. While our survey may not have been exhaustive, and there may be a single tiger or a few isolated tigers still remaining at sites we missed, our results strongly indicate that no remaining viable populations of South China tigers occur within its historical range. We conclude that continued field efforts are needed to ascertain whether any wild tigers may yet persist, concurrent with the need to consider options for the eventual recovery and restoration of wild tiger populations from existing captive populations.

Linking communities with conservation in developing countries: buffer zone management initiatives in Nepal

Abstract: Sustained and effective biodiversity conservation in a developing country such as Nepal is faced with the increasing pressure that the growing population exerts on the country's natural resources. Nepal has adopted a community-based approach to conservation management, including sharing of revenues from protected areas with local people living in the buffer zones around protected areas. The aim is to mitigate conflicts. This paper discusses the evolution of conservation policy for buffer zones in Nepal. The strengths and weaknesses of buffer zone policy are analysed, and the efforts to put policy into practice are examined and discussed. The analysis of buffer zone initiatives reveals that there are inconsistencies between the vision of the programme and its policies and practices. For better integration of conservation and development objectives, empowerment and equity in benefit sharing and gender issues need to be adequately incorporated in buffer zone policy and programme implementation.

What type of amphibian tunnel could reduce road kills

Abstract: Increased traffic volumes worldwide are contributing to amphibian declines, and measures to reduce the occurrence of road kills are needed. One possible measure is the construction of underpasses through which animals can pass under roads, but little is known about whether amphibians will choose tunnels if given a choice or about their preferences for different tunnel types. We tested the preferences of three anuran species for two kinds of concrete amphibian tunnels currently used in France. One was a tunnel lined with soil, the other a bare concrete pipe. The animals could use the tunnels or bypass them over a grassy area. Water frogs Rana esculenta and common toads Bufo bufo showed a preference for the tunnels, whereas agile frogs Rana dalmatina avoided them. Among the individuals that chose either of the tunnels, all species showed a significant preference for the tunnel lined with soil. These results indicate that species differ in their preferences and in their likelihood of using underpasses when given a choice. This highlights the fact that there is no unique solution to the problem, and underpasses are only one of the possible mitigation measures that need to be assessed.

The use of degraded and shade cocoa forests by Endangered golden-headed lion tamarins Leontopithecus chrysomelas

Abstract: Determining habitat requirements for threat- ened primates is critical to implementing conservation strategies, and plans incorporating metapopulation str- ucture require understanding the potential of available habitats to serve as corridors. We examined how three groups of golden-headed lion tamarins Leontopithecus chrysomelas in Southern Bahia, Brazil, used mature, swamp, secondary and shade cocoa (cabruca) forests. Unlike callitrichids that show affinities for degraded forest, Leontopithecus species are presumed to depend on primary or mature forests for sleeping sites in tree holes and epiphytic bromeliads for animal prey. In this study we quantified resource availability within each habitat, compared the proportion of time spent in each habitat to that based on availability, investigated preferences for sleeping site selection, and determined how golden- headed lion tamarins allocated time to foraging behavi- our in different habitats. Each group preferred to range in certain habitats during the day, yet patterns were not consistent across groups. In contrast, all groups preferred to sleep in mature or cabruca forest. Golden-headed lion tamarins spent a greater proportion of time foraging and eating fruits, flowers and nectar in cabruca than in mature or secondary forests. Although the extent to which secondary and cabruca forests can completely sustain breeding groups is unresolved, we conclude that both habitats would make suitable corridors for the movement of tamarins between forest fragments, and that the large trees remaining in cabruca are important sources of food and sleeping sites. We suggest that management plans for golden-headed lion tamarins should focus on protecting areas that include access to tall forest, either as mature or cabruca, for the long-term conservation of the species.

Eradication of feral goats Capra hircus from Pinta Island, Galápagos, Ecuador

Abstract: Introduced mammals are a major driver of extinction and ecosystem change, particularly on islands. Feral goats Capra hircus have been introduced to numer- ous islands worldwide and have had wholesale impacts on ecosystems. Techniques are now available, however, to eradicate goat populations from islands, providing a powerful conservation tool. Goats were removed from Pinta Island, Galapagos, Ecuador after a 30-year eradi- cation campaign, the largest removal of an insular goat population using ground-based methods. Over 41,000 goats were removed during the initial hunting effort (1971-82). In the following decade the island was twice wrongly declared free of goats. During this period, the island was visited irregularly but no monitoring programme was implemented. A revised campaign over 1999-2003, which included improved hunting tech- niques and monitoring, removed the final goats from the island. The use of Judas goats was critical in locating the remaining goats and as a tool to confirm eradication. A systematic monitoring programme is critical for confirm- ing eradication and preventing future reintroductions. An earlier monitoring programme would probably have resulted in earlier eradication and significant financial savings. Given limited resources, island conser- vation programmes elsewhere should strive to increase eradication efficiency and learn from past campaigns.

Avian responses to fragmentation of the Maulino Forest in central Chile

Abstract: Depending on the mosaic of habitats that is created, forest fragmentation can reduce the abundance and diversity of forest birds. Temperate deciduous forests in South America are rapidly being replaced by pine plantations, causing changes in habitats for both breeding and migrant birds. We examined differences in avian species richness and abundance in three areas: a reserve with continuous tracts of native forest, forest fragments and pine plantations. Four species were negatively affected by fragmentation, with their abundance declining from continuous forest to pine plantations. Fourteen species were not affected by fragmentation and eight had significantly increased abundance in pine plantations compared to continuous forest. Overall abundance in pooled and ground/understorey birds was higher in forest fragments and pine plantations compared to continuous forest. The abundance of granivorous species was higher in the pine plantations than in the forest reserve, but the abundance of insectivorous species was higher in the forest reserve and in forest fragments than in pine plantations. Thus, forest fragmentation affects birds differentially according to their feeding ecology.

The decline of the Chinese giant salamander Andrias davidianus and implications for its conservation

Abstract: The Chinese giant salamander Andrias davidianus is the largest living amphibian. Most wild populations are threatened and some are already extinct. The Chinese government has declared the species a Class II Protected Species, and it is listed as Critically Endangered in the Chinese Red Book of Amphibians and Reptiles and as Data Deficient on the IUCN Red List. Populations of the species have declined sharply in both range and number since the 1950s because of habitat loss and fragmentation, and hunting for the commercial luxury food trade. Remaining populations appear to be distributed in 12 areas across 17 provinces in the mountainous areas of the middle Yangtze, Yellow and Pearl Rivers. Since the 1980s, 14 nature reserves, with a total area of more than 355,000 ha, have been established for the conservation of the Chinese giant salamander. We carried out habitat and questionnaire surveys for the species in 13 locations, and based on the results and on the little amount of published information, most of it in Chinese, we assess the current status of the species and make recommendations for its conservation management. Conservation of the Chinese giant salamander should be given a high priority and considered an important part of wetland management.

Where are the major gaps in the reserve network for Africa's mammals?

Abstract: The establishment of protected areas for wildlife conservation in Africa was motivated by a number of different reasons (including hunting, recreation and wildlife conservation). The current reserve network provides good coverage of the distributions of the 194 species of larger mammals (> 3 kg) and 51 species of threatened larger mammals. However, it is less effective in covering the distribution of all 197 of Africa's threatened mammal species, which includes >140 smaller bodied species ( <3 kg) often restricted to habitat patches. A fully comprehensive network of areas for the conservation of African mammals, especially those facing extinction, is not yet in place, and further reserves may be needed in the Horn of Africa (Somalia in particular), the Cameroon Highlands, parts of the eastern African coastal forests and Eastern Arc Mountains, and parts of the Albertine Rift Mountains. More and larger reserve areas are also required to adequately cover all the species of South Africa. Parts of these gaps are already covered by government forest reserves, and the importance of this reserve category for the conservation of African mammals, especially threatened species, needs to be better recognized. As many of the gaps in reserve coverage are in areas of high human population and good agricultural potential, conservation goals may be difficult to achieve unless we supplement traditional reserves with novel approaches to maintain natural habitats and wildlife outside reserves.

Poverty alleviation and biodiversity conservation: a South African perspective

Abstract: The relationship between poverty alleviation and biodiversity conservation has been the subject of intense debate amongst academics and development practitioners for several decades, yet consensus on how to reconcile these two disparate goals is far from being reached. The debate is often characterized by polemics between different camps, particularly on which strategy works best. Without trivializing the quality of scholarship within this debate, we argue that it is delineated by two major factors. Firstly, residents of rich countries and residents of poor countries are often assumed to be in opposition on this matter. On the one hand, some analysts tend to blame the loss of biodiversity on alleged excessive use of natural resources by residents of poor countries, while on the other hand there are those who blame residents of rich countries for alleged unsustainable livelihood strategies. Secondly, the debate on the contested relationship between biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation is often characterized by a tussle between proponents of biodiversity conservation and human rights/anti-poverty activists.

The influence of differing hunting practices on the relative abundance of mammals in two rainforest areas of the Western Ghats, India

Abstract: We assessed the distribution and relative abundance of mammals in two rainforest areas, Brahmagiri-Makut and Sirsi-Honnavara, of the Western Ghats, southern India, from November 2001 to April 2002. Both direct (daytime and night-time wildlife sightings through ‘recky’ walks) and indirect (wildlife signs and local information) methods were employed. A total of 34–35 species, of which we recorded 31–32, are known from the two areas; 14 are in one of the IUCN Red List threatened categories and six are endemic to India. Ecological factors account for the distribution and relative abundance of only three species (Nilgiri langur Semnopithecus johnii, lion-tailed macaque Macaca silenus and Asiatic elephant Elephas maximus). Ten other large species of mammals were more common in Sirsi-Honnavara than in Brahmagiri-Makut, whereas most of nine smaller species were generally more common in Brahmagiri-Makut. These differences can be attributed to different hunting practices rather than to ecological or biogeographical factors. In Brahmagiri-Makut the mainly daytime hunting using guns has the greatest impact on large diurnal mammals, whereas in Sirsi-Honnavara the mostly night-time hunting with traps, and avoidance of primates, has a greater effect on small nocturnal mammals. Brahmagiri-Makut is one of the few areas in the Western Ghats where all of the primate species of southern India can still be found, but the area does not receive any official protection. In Sirsi-Honnavara encroachment of agriculture is a regular practice, and the remaining forests exist only as a network of narrow strips

The defence of conservation is not an attack on the poor

Abstract: The relationship between poverty alleviation and biodiversity conservation continues to vex conservationists and social analysts alike. The three responses to our earlier Guest Editorial (Sanderson & Redford, 2003) help refine the arguments and shape the angles from which to approach the debate, but neither the editorial nor the responses satisfy entirely. What missing pieces must be found and fitted to the puzzle?

Extirpation of an insular subspecies by a single introduced cat: the case of the endemic deer mouse Peromyscus guardia on Estanque Island, Mexico

Abstract: The Angel de la Guarda deer mouse Peromyscus guardia on Estanque Island, in the Angel de la Guarda archipelago of the Gulf of California, was probably driven to extinction by a single introduced domestic cat. P. guardia was trapped on the island in October 1995, at which time the species was still relatively abundant. In 1998 a domestic cat was spotted on the island; no deer mice were found at that time nor during subsequent field work in 1999 and 2001. In 1998, c . 100 cat scats were collected, 2% of which contained P. guardia bone remains and 90% P. guardia hair. The cat, which was eradicated in 1999, was the only introduced predator on the island. Our results confirm the extreme vulnerability of island rodent populations to the introduction of alien mammalian predators. To our knowledge, apart from the extermination of Stephens Island wren Xenicus lyalli in New Zealand in 1894 by the lighthouse keeper's cat, this is the first report of the destruction of the total population of an insular species by a single cat. With two of the three subspecies of P. guardia now extinct the only potentially extant population is on the larger Angel de la Guarda Island, where the species was last seen in 1991. A comprehensive survey of the island is required, with subsequent action for the species recovery and conservation if it is found to be extant.

An assessment of changes in the montane forests of Taraba State, Nigeria, over the past 30 years

Abstract: During October–December 2002 a team from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation and the Nigerian National Parks visited the montane forests of Taraba State, eastern Nigeria. Their aim was to identify changes in the forests that had occurred since they were last described in detail during the 1970s. Then the forests were rich in Afromontane endemics, were home to at least 24 threatened plant species, and harboured abundant wildlife. In 2002 all but one of the forest fragments visited were intact, although some of the smaller fragments had further reduced in size. The most obvious differences between 2002 and the 1970s were the dramatic reduction in wildlife, and the depletion of montane grassland and associated species. For these forests and their associated fauna to survive, more local, national and global support is urgently required for management to prevent species loss.

On the verge of extinction: a survey of the mangrove finch Cactospiza heliobates and its habitat on the Galápagos Islands

Abstract: The Critically Endangered mangrove finch Cactospiza (=Camarhynchus) heliobates is now confined to Isabela Island in the Galapagos Islands and is exclu- sively found in mangrove forests. Formerly it occurred also on neighbouring Fernandina Island, but is appar- ently extinct there. The population size and ecology of the species was relatively unknown until 1994. We con- ducted surveys, habitat assessments and behavioural observations of the species between 1996 and 2000. Although Isabela Island has approximately 760 ha of mangrove forests, breeding was confirmed at only two sites, comprising 32 ha in total, on the north-western coast. Our estimate of the population in these two areas is 100 individuals. Additionally, 3-5 territories (which probably contained breeding individuals) were

Protecting mammal diversity: opportunities and constraints for pragmatic conservation management in Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam.

Abstract: A case study is given of a conservation management planning exercise underway in Cat Tien National Park and its surrounding areas in southern Vietnam. The importance of reliable information in this process is demonstrated using the Park's mammalian diversity. Opportunities and constraints to engage the local communities in conservation management planning and implementation are reviewed. The spatial element in protected area management planning is stressed; in some areas strict preservation management regimes are needed to conserve critical biodiversity values while in other areas conservation benefits could be gained from engaging local communities in resource management. Pragmatic conservation management planning decisions address identified threats, to be resolved by re-demarcation of boundaries, resettlement of people, and community-based conservation initiatives. These should result in a more viable Park as well as provide more secure livelihood conditions for the people elsewhere. This case study is put in the context of the wider conservation management debate.

Setting priorities for the conservation of Venezuela's threatened birds

Abstract: We develop and apply a four-dimensional priority-setting process for the conservation of threatened birds in Venezuela. The axes that we consider are extinction risk, degree of endemicity, taxonomic uniqueness and public appeal. Alhough the first three are relatively objective measures of biological attributes, the last one is a subjective judgement of the likelihood that conservation actions in favour of a species may succeed. By grouping higher priority species according to their geographical distribution within Venezuela, we generate a list of the top priorities to save the country's threatened birds, both species- and bioregion-based. The highest priority species are northern-helmeted curassow Pauxi pauxi, Andean condor Vultur gryphus, red siskin Carduelis cucullata and plain-flanked rail Rallus wetmorei, followed by eight high priority birds, wattled guan Aburria aburri, yellow-shouldered parrot Amazona barbadensis, scissor-tailed hummingbird Hylonympha macrocerca, rusty-faced parrot Hapalopsittaca amazonina, northern screamer Chauna chavaria, torrent duck Merganetta armata, rusty-flanked crake Laterallus levraudi, and military macaw Ara militaris. Northern Venezuela stands out as a significantly higher conservation priority than the south. The Andean Cordillera, Central Coastal Cordillera, Paria Peninsula-Turimiquire Massif Complex, and Sierra de Perija are the highest priority bioregions, followed by Lara-Falcon Arid Lands and Maracaibo Lake Basin. A final set of combined priorities was determined by integrating all top ranking species and bioregions. Our approach is relatively simple and readily applicable to other taxa and regions.

Does selective wood exploitation affect amphibian diversity? The case of An'Ala, a tropical rainforest in eastern Madagascar

Abstract: The diversity of amphibians before and after low-level forest exploitation in An'Ala forest in central-eastern Madagascar was compared over the course of 4 years. Neither abundance nor diversity of amphibians generally were significantly affected by low-level selective logging, although the abundance of individual species differed. Mantelline anurans were the most sensitive, in contrast to the tree frogs of the subfamily Boophinae (Mantellidae) and Cophylinae (Microhylidae). The abundance of Mantellinae anurans decreased by 15.8% after logging, whereas Boophinae and Microhylidae anurans increased by 12.1% and 3.7%, respectively. In general, species strongly tied to rainforest habitat showed a non-significant 10.1% decrease in abundance after logging. It appears therefore that amphibians are relatively resilient to a low-level of forest exploitation and their diversity is apparently not affected, at least in the short-term. This and other studies have, however, shown that logging commonly results in a shift in species composition, with species typical of pristine rainforests being replaced by species adapted to secondary habitats.

War and wildlife: a post-conflict assessment of Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor

Abstract: Prior to the last two decades of conflict, Afghanistan?s Wakhan Corridor was considered an important area for conservation of the wildlife of high altitudes. We conducted an assessment of the status of large mammals in Wakhan after 22 years of conflict, and also made a preliminary assessment of wildlife trade in the markets of Kabul, Faizabad and Ishkashem. The survey confirmed the continued occurrence of at least eight species of large mammals in Wakhan, of which the snow leopard Uncia uncia and Marco Polo sheep Ovis ammon are globally threatened. We found evidence of human-wildlife conflict in Wakhan due to livestock depredation by snow leopard and wolf Canis lupus. Large mammals are hunted for meat, sport, fur, and in retaliation against livestock depredation. The fur trade in Kabul is a threat to the snow leopard, wolf, lynx Lynx lynx and common leopard Panthera pardus.

Hunting of large mammals and pheasants in the Indian western Himalaya

Abstract: We conducted a survey in the western Himalaya of India to assess animal extraction patterns. Data on animal species and their extraction patterns, their importance to the respondents, and reasons and methods of hunting were collected using structured questionnaires. Twenty-three species of large mammals and Galliformes were present in the area, 18 of which were hunted around at least one village. Of special concern were several threatened species that were hunted around most villages were they occurred, although the impact of removal on wild populations is not clear. The main reason for hunting was to supplement animal protein, although some animals were also killed for sale of meat and their parts. The establishment of community-managed forests has not had an impact on extraction rates. Assessment of the impact of hunting on the threatened species in particular is urgently required.

Discovery of a relict breeding colony of northern bald ibis Geronticus eremita in Syria

Abstract: The eastern population of the northern bald ibis Geronticus eremita had been presumed extinct following the loss of the colony in Birecik, Turkey, in 1989. However, occasional sightings of birds in Yemen, Eritrea, Saudi Arabia and Israel during the 1980s and 1990s suggested that there was still a colony somewhere in the Middle East. Intensive field surveys in spring 2002, based on the knowledge of Bedouin nomads and local hunters, revealed that the species has never become completely extinct on the Syrian desertic steppe. Following systematic searches 15 old nesting sites were found, one of them still hosting an active breeding colony of seven individuals. The species appears to have been relatively common in the area until 20 years ago, when a combination of overexploitation of rangelands and increasing hunting pressure initiated a dramatic decline.