Large Carnivores

This chapter is about wildlife fencing in six villages along the Slovenian side of the Slovenian-Hungarian border. Here, local farmers feel that their livelihoods and traditional way of life are under pressure from local hunting grounds and encroaching wildlife from across the border. The chapter explores the historical processes of border management and the wider politics in the area which have led to this situation. Farmers claim that while wildlife feeding on their crops is a threat to their economy, the encroachment on their fields has benefited the hunting economy, which is in the interest of elites. In this particular context, fencing becomes something more than a biosecurity measure, namely a social praxis with insurgent political connotations. Fences represent farmers'

ContextBehavioral adjustments by large carnivores can be a key factor facilitating their coexistence with people in shared landscapes. Landscape composition might be a key factor determining how large carnivores can adapt to occurring alongside humans, yet broad-scale analyses investigating adjustments of habitat use across large gradients of human pressure and landscape composition are lacking.ObjectivesHere, we investigate adjustments in habitat use by Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in response to varying availability of refuge habitats (i.e., forests and rugged terrain) and human landscape modification.MethodsWe used a large tracking dataset including 434 individuals from seven populations to analyze variation in lynx’ use of refuge habitats and landscape modification at a continental scale.ResultsWe found that lynx use refuge habitats more intensively with increasing landscape modification, selecting forests most strongly in otherwise open landscapes and rugged terrain in mountainous...

This study was partially supported by the Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación from the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (project CGL2017-83045-R AEI/FEDER UE, co-financed with FEDER). Thanks to those managers from the Spanish regional administrations that answered our information requests. Fernando Jubete, Rubén Portas and Juan Ángel de la Torre helped us compiling and interpreting lethal management data.

The crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous, Linnaeus, 1766) is a canid that lives in pairs or small groups and is widely distributed in the neotropical region, even withstanding fragmentation and human presence. We present the first record of the gray fox, C. thous, preying on individuals of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758), cultivated in a rural area of the municipality of Santa Rosa de Cabal, Colombia. We conducted photo-trapping sampling at the Fish Farming Station of the campus of the Corporación Universitaria Santa Rosa de Cabal (UNISARC). Two camera traps were active 24 hours a day from February 23 to March 1, 2024, accumulating 14 traps-night. There were 19 records of observation of two individuals of C. thous around one of the ponds, and 10 evident fishing events were specifically recorded. The crab-eating fox are considered opportunistic, easily learning behaviors in order to make a benefit, and they adopt different methods to obtain their prey. It is possible that the fishing method was previously learned and reinforced by the high availability of resources in the area where it was documented.

Un reciente estudio ha puesto de manifiesto que los ganaderos que habitan en zonas donde el lobo no ha dejado de estar presente y ponen en práctica métodos tradicionales para proteger a sus rebaños, muestran un mayor grado de aceptación de la especie. En otras dos regiones, donde el lobo se ha instalado recientemente o está en proceso de colonización, la realidad es muy diferente.

Abstract—There is evidence that Wilderness reduces costs for livestock depredations caused by the endangered and threatened gray wolf (Canis lupus) in the northern Rockies and upper Midwest, USA From 1995 to 2004, direct costs for compensation in the northern ...

The brown bear (herein, bear) Ursus arctos has been exhibiting an increasing population trend in Slovakia. This rise in population has led to human–bear conflicts (HBCs), mainly in the form of livestock predation and agricultural damage. In this study, we provide one of the first assessments of public attitudes toward the presence of bears in Slovakia to suggest management and conservation strategies. From January to March 2022, we randomly distributed 1,000 anonymous electronic questionnaires among people living in areas with either bear presence or absence within Slovakia. Data were subsequently analyzed using Cumulative Link Models. Women, despite showing greater fear of bears than men, were more sensitive to the need for mitigating HBCs. Older and less–educated respondents predominantly exhibited a negative attitude toward the presence of bears compared to younger and more–educated individuals. Respondents living in areas with bear occurrence exhibited lower trust in organizations responsible for bear management, demonstrated more negative attitudes toward bear presence, and were more in favor of lethal control or translocation of problematic individuals. Educational activities that explain the important role carnivores play in maintaining ecosystem functionality, as well as their economic benefits through tourism, should be emphasized to enhance bear acceptance, particularly among individuals residing in areas with permanent bear populations. Furthermore, the engagement of scientists on social media is crucial to prevent negative portrayals of bears, which could influence human attitudes toward their presence. Conservation campaigns should provide guidance on recommended human behaviors (e.g., proper waste disposal) to minimize the attraction of bears to urban areas and strategies for reducing the risk of human–bear encounters in natural settings.

Institute of Applied Ecology (Rome, Italy). Report to DG Environment, European Commission, Bruxelles. Contract no. 07.0307/2013/654446/SER/B3 This document has been prepared for the European Commission, however it reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

The conservation of large carnivores is a formidable challenge for biodiversity conservation. Using a data set on the past and current status of brown bears (Ursus arctos), Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), gray wolves (Canis lupus), and wolverines (Gulo gulo) in European countries, we show that roughly one-third of mainland Europe hosts at least one large carnivore species, with stable or increasing abundance in most cases in 21st-century records. The reasons for this overall conservation success include protective legislation, supportive public opinion, and a variety of practices making coexistence between large carnivores and people possible. The European situation reveals that large carnivores and people can share the same landscape.

A comprehensive approach to determine the natural groundwater recharge in the Blagoevgrad valley Neogene sediments is presented. It involves the application of various methods such as the balance method, hydrodynamic modeling in GIS, the FeFlow numerical model, the Döll et al. empirical method. The obtained results show good similarity between different methods, including the long-term groundwater recharge for the study area calculated by rainfall infiltration. Therefore, the complex approach used gives an accurate estimate of the groundwater recharge in the Blagoevgrad valley associated with Neogene sediments. It can be successfully applied to determine the natural groundwater resources for other similar groundwater bodies. In this way, the groundwater resource assessments, management and conservation in Bulgaria can be significantly improved.

This paper presents a case study from the 1980's excavations of the 'Uvda Valley, with a specific focus on the faunal and mollusc remains recovered from nine different sites and ritual localities. Although some contexts span longer periods of time, most of the analysed assemblages are attributed to the Early Bronze Age I-III (EBI-III ~3700-2500 BCE) and Early Bronze Age IV (EBIV ~2500-2000 BCE). The results of the material analyses demonstrate that, irrespective of period, the local animal economy was based on the herding of domestic caprines (primarily goats), with almost no evidence in the faunal record for hunting or trapping of wild fauna. The molluscs identified in the assessed sites almost exclusively originate from the Red Sea, which is located ~40 km to the south. Additionally, the paper discusses the ecological uniqueness of the 'Uvda Valley, and the environmental traits that facilitated Bronze Age settlement (based on agriculture and local grazing within this constrained area), even in the absence of permanent water sources.

Dette er en elektronisk serie fra 2005 som erstatter de tidligere seriene NINA Fagrapport, NINA Oppdragsmelding og NINA Project Report. Normalt er dette NINAs rapportering til oppdragsgiver etter gjennomført forsknings-, overvåkings-eller utredningsarbeid. I tillegg vil serien favne mye av instituttets øvrige rapportering, for eksempel fra seminarer og konferanser, resultater av eget forsknings-og utredningsarbeid og litteraturstudier. NINA Rapport kan også utgis på annet språk når det er hensiktsmessig. Som navnet angir behandler temaheftene spesielle emner. Heftene utarbeides etter behov og serien favner svaert vidt; fra systematiske bestemmelsesnøkler til informasjon om viktige problemstillinger i samfunnet. NINA Temahefte gis vanligvis en populaervitenskapelig form med mer vekt på illustrasjoner enn NINA Rapport. Faktaarkene har som mål å gjøre NINAs forskningsresultater raskt og enkelt tilgjengelig for et større publikum. De sendes til presse, ideelle organisasjoner, naturforvaltningen på ulike nivå, politikere og andre spesielt interesserte. Faktaarkene gir en kort framstilling av noen av våre viktigste forskningstema.

Employing livestock to manipulate vegetation is as old as grazing itself. Promoting grazing to manage vegeta-tion as a paid service – typically called prescribed or targeted grazing – is a more recent phenomenon. As target-ed grazing has gained a foothold in the land management arena, both research and experience have evolved to provide land managers and grazing service providers with more definitive tools for managing vegetation. This handbook represents a compilation of the latest research on harnessing livestock to graze targeted vegetation in ways that improve the function and appearance of a wide variety of landscapes. The handbook is organized both as an introduction to targeted grazing for the novice and as a useful reference for those already familiar with the topic. The chapters can be studied collectively or individually, depending on a reader’s needs, and they’re written toward an audience that includes livestock producers, land managers, landown-ers, grazing enthusiasts,...

AimUnderstanding how habitat loss and overhunting impact large carnivores is important for broad‐scale conservation planning. We aimed to assess how these threats interacted to affect jaguar habitat (Panthera onca) between 1985–2013 in the Gran Chaco, a deforestation hotspot.LocationGran Chaco ecoregion in Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia.MethodsWe modelled jaguar habitat change from 1985–2013 using a time‐calibrated species distribution model that uses all occurrence data available for that period. We modelled habitat as a function of resource availability and hunting threats, which allowed us to separate core (high resource availability and low hunting threat), refuge (low resources but safe), attractive sink (high resources but risky) and sink (low resources and risky) habitat for 1985, 2000 and 2013.ResultsJaguar core areas contracted by 33% (82,400 km2) from 1985–2013, mainly due to an expansion of hunting threats. Sink and attractive sink habitat covered 58% of the jaguar range...

Most global bear populations are declining. Building public support for bear conservation, however, and overcoming community intolerance of humanbear conflict, often requires continuous and adaptive efforts. Whenever possible, such efforts could also innovatively address local needs. Here, we attempted to first identify those factors most influencing the attitudes of communities toward the sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) around Dampa Tiger Reserve (DTR) (Mizoram, India). We then sought to understand if our outreach about sun bear ecology, methods for mitigating conflict, and improved livelihood options, had any long-term impact on community perceptions, local behavior, and livelihood practices. We interviewed a total of 950 locals over 5 years at three different intervals relating to our conservation programming: before activities, immediately upon concluding activities, and several years later. Overall, we found a slight increase in community support for sun bear conservation efforts between our initial (77.05%) and final interviews (82.2%). However, we observed a significantly greater increase in support among younger (<40 years) respondents exposed to our outreach activities (from 72% to 88.5%) between our first and final interviews (χ 2 = 0.31, df = 2, p < .050). We also saw a >20% increase in support for sun bear and general conservation action among respondents lacking a formal education (R 2 = 0.71, p < .05). Finally, we found that 56.58% of total respondents had ultimately adopted alternative livelihood options that we promoted, discussed, or shared with them during our outreach programs. Furthermore, these changes were concomitant with a measurable decrease in unsustainable agricultural practices,

The African large predator guild is one of the last intact large predator guilds globally, and interactions between its members influence ecosystem functioning. We conducted camera-trapping in the Maasai Mara Ecosystem (MME) to estimate leopard (Panthera pardus) population density and investigate whether lion (Panthera leo) and hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) impact leopard presence, while accounting for potential prey presence and habitat. In 2019, we deployed cameras at 34 stations in the Mara Triangle within the MME for 63 nights. We estimated leopard density using a closed population spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) framework and examined potential predictors of leopard presence using generalised linear mixed modelling. We recorded 725 leopard images and estimated population density at 1.90 ± 0.56 individuals 100 km2 -1 , relatively low compared to other areas and only slightly higher than previous MME estimates of cheetah, an ecologically subordinate competitor. The best model predicting leopard presence contained hyaena occurrence and showed a positive association, indicating 'co-occurrence'. Hyaenas commonly kleptoparasitise leopard kills in MME; that is hyaenas may follow leopards for this reason. Although our preliminary results indicate that hyaena populations may limit leopard populations in the MME, further work is required to explicitly test hypotheses relating to hyaena-leopard interactions.

Understanding the population dynamics at the human-livestock-wildlife interface is key to managing zoonotic and cross-species diseases as well as maintaining ecosystem biodiversity at this interface. This necessitates elucidation of the effects of within and between species interactions and human activities such as farming and animal harvesting among others.

Holistic Management (HM) is a decision-making framework based on triple bottom line thinking and a proactive approach to managing complexity. Primarily associated with an approach to managing livestock, it has spurred long running and still unresolved debates in rangeland ecology and management. Less studied are the social, cultural, and psychological aspects of HM, which may hold the key to successful ecological outcomes. In this article, we describe the main tenets of HM as conceived by wildlife biologist Allan Savory and address the longstanding and unresolved controversy over its legitimacy. We then provide a meta-analysis that not only provides an up-to-date review of the multidisciplinary evidence and ongoing arguments about HM, but also provides a novel explanation for the controversy-that it is grounded in epistemic differences between disciplines associated with agricultural science that rule out any chance of resolution. We conclude that the way to resolve the controversy over HM is to research, in partnership with ranchers, rangeland social-ecological systems in more holistic, integrated ways. This can account for the full range of human experience, co-produce new knowledge, and contribute to social-ecological transformation.

Large carnivores play an important role as indicators of the state of the natural ecosystems. The analysis of the number and distribution of large carnivores (brown bear-Ursos arctos, Eurasian lynx-Lynx lynx and grey wolf-Canis lupus) was established in the Ukrainian Carpathians and Ukrainian Polissya. Annual data on the number of large carnivores on the territories of hunting units and nature conservation areas from 2009 to 2019 was summarized. To analyze the number and distribution of large carnivores in the Ukrainian Carpathians, data from 4 regions were taken into account, namely Lviv, Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi regions. To analyze the number and distribution of large carnivores in Ukrainian Polissya, data from 6 regions were taken into account-Volyn, Rivne, Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Chernihiv and Sumy regions. According to official data obtained from hunting units and nature conservation areas in 2019, there were 375 bears, 435 lynxes and 563 wolves in the Ukrainian Carpathians; and 4 bears, 128 lynxes and 609 wolves in Ukrainian Polissya. Based on the collected data, the maps of the distribution of large carnivores in the Ukrainian Carpathians and Ukrainian Polissya were created in the format of a grid of squares of 10 by 10 km (cell size 100 km²), namely-density maps of populations of large carnivores, as well as maps of forest habitats of large carnivores. The obtained results provided a better understanding of the dynamics of large carnivores over the last decade in terms of regions, as well as the density of populations of large carnivores in certain areas and their distribution areas in the Ukrainian Carpathians and Ukrainian Polissya. However, the summary results of the number of individuals obtained based on official reports of hunting units and nature conservation areas are overestimated due to the problem of "double" accounting of animals by users of adjacent lands (hunting units, nature conservation areas). Therefore, it is important to establish synchronization of accounting between users of adjacent lands (nature protection areas, forestries, etc.), to use unified research methods, and to exchange monitoring data and information between institutions of different state subordination. Such scientifically based data are the basis for the development and implementation of measures for the conservation and management of large carnivore populations at the regional, national and international levels.

Large carnivores play an important role as indicators of the state of the natural ecosystems. The analysis of the number and distribution of large carnivores (brown bear-Ursos arctos, Eurasian lynx-Lynx lynx and grey wolf-Canis lupus) was established in the Ukrainian Carpathians and Ukrainian Polissya. Annual data on the number of large carnivores on the territories of hunting units and nature conservation areas from 2009 to 2019 was summarized. To analyze the number and distribution of large carnivores in the Ukrainian Carpathians, data from 4 regions were taken into account, namely Lviv, Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi regions. To analyze the number and distribution of large carnivores in Ukrainian Polissya, data from 6 regions were taken into account-Volyn, Rivne, Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Chernihiv and Sumy regions. According to official data obtained from hunting units and nature conservation areas in 2019, there were 375 bears, 435 lynxes and 563 wolves in the Ukrainian Carpathians; and 4 bears, 128 lynxes and 609 wolves in Ukrainian Polissya. Based on the collected data, the maps of the distribution of large carnivores in the Ukrainian Carpathians and Ukrainian Polissya were created in the format of a grid of squares of 10 by 10 km (cell size 100 km²), namely-density maps of populations of large carnivores, as well as maps of forest habitats of large carnivores. The obtained results provided a better understanding of the dynamics of large carnivores over the last decade in terms of regions, as well as the density of populations of large carnivores in certain areas and their distribution areas in the Ukrainian Carpathians and Ukrainian Polissya. However, the summary results of the number of individuals obtained based on official reports of hunting units and nature conservation areas are overestimated due to the problem of "double" accounting of animals by users of adjacent lands (hunting units, nature conservation areas). Therefore, it is important to establish synchronization of accounting between users of adjacent lands (nature protection areas, forestries, etc.), to use unified research methods, and to exchange monitoring data and information between institutions of different state subordination. Such scientifically based data are the basis for the development and implementation of measures for the conservation and management of large carnivore populations at the regional, national and international levels.

Conflicts between large сarnivores and humans have been common in mountainous regions, with the Carpathians being particularly affected. Recently, interest among researchers and wildlife managers in studying and managing these conflicts has grown significantly. Unfortunately, the coexistence between humans and wildlife and its implications for nature and society have been largely overlooked in Ukraine. This study analyzed conflicts between large carnivores (Canis lupus, Ursus arctos and Lynx lynx) and farmers/beekeepers within designated model territories in the Ukrainian Carpathians, focusing on the effectiveness of conflict prevention strategies implemented between 2018 and 2023. Among the stakeholders analyzed, 79.0% were farmers (livestock owners) and 21.0% were beekeepers. It was observed that 73.0% of farms and apiaries experienced conflicts with large carnivores during the study period; incidents included 64.8% with wolf attacks, 31.3% with bear attacks, and 24.2% with lynx attacks. Notably, conflicts involving livestock owners and large carnivores decreased nearly fivefold, from 54.9% in 2018 to 11.0% in 2023. Similarly, bear-related conflicts among beekeepers nearly halved, from 29.2% to 16.8%. The adoption of electric fences significantly increased among farms and apiaries from none to 33.9%, and the proportion of farmers using dogs for livestock protection without experiencing large carnivore conflicts rose from 3.3% to 20.9%. These pilot findings highlight the effectiveness of such measures in reducing conflicts and improving coexistence quality. The results provide valuable insights into the structure, dynamics, and spatial distribution of conflicts in the Ukrainian Carpathians, underscoring their importance for the conservation of rare species and the implementation of effective management strategies for wild animal populations, sustainable farming, and habitat conservation in regions inhabited by large carnivores. An integrated approach that considers the needs of both human communities and wildlife, involving collaboration among scientific bodies, public organizations, and government entities at various levels, is crucial for devising and executing effective conflict management strategies in diverse landscapes.

Conflicts between large сarnivores and humans have been common in mountainous regions, with the Carpathians being particularly affected. Recently, interest among researchers and wildlife managers in studying and managing these conflicts has grown significantly. Unfortunately, the coexistence between humans and wildlife and its implications for nature and society have been largely overlooked in Ukraine. This study analyzed conflicts between large carnivores (Canis lupus, Ursus arctos and Lynx lynx) and farmers/beekeepers within designated model territories in the Ukrainian Carpathians, focusing on the effectiveness of conflict prevention strategies implemented between 2018 and 2023. Among the stakeholders analyzed, 79.0% were farmers (livestock owners) and 21.0% were beekeepers. It was observed that 73.0% of farms and apiaries experienced conflicts with large carnivores during the study period; incidents included 64.8% with wolf attacks, 31.3% with bear attacks, and 24.2% with lynx attacks. Notably, conflicts involving livestock owners and large carnivores decreased nearly fivefold, from 54.9% in 2018 to 11.0% in 2023. Similarly, bear-related conflicts among beekeepers nearly halved, from 29.2% to 16.8%. The adoption of electric fences significantly increased among farms and apiaries from none to 33.9%, and the proportion of farmers using dogs for livestock protection without experiencing large carnivore conflicts rose from 3.3% to 20.9%. These pilot findings highlight the effectiveness of such measures in reducing conflicts and improving coexistence quality. The results provide valuable insights into the structure, dynamics, and spatial distribution of conflicts in the Ukrainian Carpathians, underscoring their importance for the conservation of rare species and the implementation of effective management strategies for wild animal populations, sustainable farming, and habitat conservation in regions inhabited by large carnivores. An integrated approach that considers the needs of both human communities and wildlife, involving collaboration among scientific bodies, public organizations, and government entities at various levels, is crucial for devising and executing effective conflict management strategies in diverse landscapes.

En aquest trebalI es presenta un cas d'hiperodoncia en la serie incisiva d'una mandíbula de M. balearious. Es discuteix l'origen possible d'aquesta dent supernumeraria i es pensa que es tracta d'un cas d'atavisme, ja que és una pe~a molt semblant a l'h de M. batei. En tenir en compte aquesta pe9a, es pot homologar la segona incisiva deIs M. balearicus joves a n 3 de M. batei i així mateix es pot establir que n 1 de M. balearicus té el seu origen en la des aparició de l'I2 de M. batei, i de cap manera en la seva fusió amb la primera incisiva.

Para la Dra. Mercy Ramírez por aceptar realizar esta tesis bajo su supervisión. Su apoyo y confianza en mi trabajo y su capacidad para guiar mis ideas ha sido un aporte invaluable, no solamente en el desarrollo de esta tesis, sino también en mi formación académica y las facilidades que siempre me brindo para culminar con éxito esta tesis. Al Dr. Alfonso Zuñiga y la Dra. Paloma Alcázar por brindarme el apoyo y facilitarnos los sueros y de esta manera conocer más de esta especies de felinos. Para Denis, Ana y Vicente que estuvieron apoyándome en el laboratorio en la realización de este trabajo, hasta lograr culminarlo con éxito. Para Micaela De la Puente, por sus consejos y orientación de este trabajo. Un agradecimiento especial y sincero para Ruthy, gracias a su apoyo y palabras de aliento a no rendirme y darme siempre fuerzas para continuar a pesar de todas las desavenencias que encontramos en el camino, y así lograr culminar con éxito esta meta, y de la misma manera a sus padres Nelson y Elva por el apoyo brindado en este tiempo, muchas gracias. Y, por supuesto, el agradecimiento más profundo y sentido va para mi familia; sin su apoyo, colaboración e inspiración habría sido imposible llevar a cabo esta tesis. A mis padres, Felicita y Rodolfo, por su ejemplo de lucha y perseverancia; a mis hermanas y a José por ser un ejemplo de capacidad y superación.

The jaguar (Panthera onca) tourism (JT) has expanded across Latin America, but its impacts on sustainability dimensions remain unclear. This systematic review analyzed 88 studies on JT impacts published between 1989 and 2022. Database searches yielded 3,401 initial studies, refined to 88 relevant documents meeting review criteria. Results were compiled into impact tables categorizing 98 specific positive and negative environmental, economic, and sociocultural JT impacts. Key findings demonstrate that, while JT can bring conservation benefits, economic growth, and cultural appreciation of jaguars, negative impacts like habituation, culture commodification, and limited economic reach also occur. Environmental impacts accounted for 41.8% of documented effects, economic impacts 23.5%, and sociocultural impacts 34.7%. Half were positive and half negative. The review reveals the complex trade-offs involved in JT. A comprehensive sustainability approach is needed that minimizes harms and maximizes benefits across all dimensions. This requires policies and regulations to promote responsible practices, ongoing impact monitoring and research, and active local community participation. Our findings provide key insights to inform jaguar conservation and tourism management strategies in Latin America.

Chitwan National Park is a testament to Nepal's commitment to biodiversity conservation. Its rich wildlife, vibrant landscapes, and cultural significance make it a must-visit destination for nature lovers and adventurers alike. A trip to Chitwan is not just an opportunity to experience the wild but also to witness the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature.

The distribution of mammals is determined by a suite of endogenous and exogenous factors. In territorial, polygynous species, like tigers (Panthera tigris), males endeavour to center their space-use around female territories, repelling competitors from these areas. Competition among males for females leads to increased mortality of both sexes and infanticide of unrelated cubs, which can lead to population declines. We hypothesized that increased territorial overlap among adult male tigers and elevated levels of inter and intra-sex competition would be manifest in populations with male-biased adult sex ratios (ASR). We also assessed whether inter-sex variation in adult survival or degree of habitat connectivity resulted in skewed ASR. We evaluated these hypotheses using camera trap data from three tiger populations occupying habitat patches with varying levels of connectivity and ASRs. Data were analyzed using multi-state occupancy models, where states were defined as habitat use by one or more male tigers, in sites with and without female use. As predicted, in populations with male-biased or even ASR, we found evidence for increased spatial overlap between male tigers, particularly around female territories. Given parity in adult survival, habitat fragmentation likely caused male-biased ASR. Our results suggest that the persistence of small tiger populations in habitat patches with malebiased ASR may be especially influenced by behaviour-mediated endogenous demographic processes that are often overlooked by managers. In habitat fragments with severely skewed ASR, population recovery of territorial carnivores may require timely supplementation of individuals to compensate for population losses from intra-specific competition.

The order Carnivora (Mammalia) in Peru: State of Knowledge and research priorities for its conservation La alta diversidad de especies de carnívoros del Perú puede generar problemas al momento de decidir los taxa y temas sobre los que deben dirigirse los esfuerzos de investigación. En este trabajo se evalúa el esfuerzo de investigación en base al número de publicaciones realizadas para cada familia y especie de carnívoro en el Perú. Asimismo, se señalan los vacíos de información relevantes para la conservación de cada especie y se presenta la primera evaluación de las prioridades de investigación sobre este grupo animal en el Perú. Se registró 145 publicaciones sobre carnívoros peruanos realizadas desde el año 1943. El número de publicaciones presentó grandes diferencias entre taxa, entre temas estudiados y entre las ecorregiones en las que se realizaron las investigaciones. Según la escala de prioridades propuesta, la especie que debe ser estudiada con mayor prioridad es el coatí andino Nasua olivacea y la de menor prioridad es el ocelote Leopardus pardalis. Los resultados de nuestro trabajo resaltan la urgencia de realizar investigaciones sobre ciertas especies de carnívoros de las que existen pocos datos publicados, tanto a nivel local como global, y que se distribuyen en pocas ecorregiones del Perú. Tanto la escala de prioridades de investigación como la lista de vacíos de información serán de utilidad para guiar esfuerzos logísticos y financieros de investigadores particulares, instituciones privadas y gubernamentales.

Across Europe, wolves are recolonizing former habitats, but frictions between wolves and people remain a challenge. Better understanding of attitudes towards existing management practices is essential to devise wolf management that better considers societal aspects. In this study, we focus on a case study in the Italian Alps, where we conducted a quantitative survey to investigate attitudes towards wolf management. We used multiple regression analysis to determine which factors such as emotions and knowledge or belonging to a particular stakeholder group explained variations in attitudes towards wolf management. We found that almost half of our respondents felt scared about the presence of wolves, and that people who had less factually correct knowledge about wolves were more afraid than people who had better factual knowledge. Farmers reported significantly higher ratings of anger, fear, and frustration than the general population. We found that anger and fascination were significant predictors for attitudes towards management, but that fear, factual knowledge, education level and connectedness to nature were not. Our findings support further stakeholder engagement to take seriously and address the range of emotions of stakeholders that impact public support for wolf management and co-existence in the cultural landscapes of the Italian Alps.

As an important factor in the return of the wolves across the continent, the legal protection of wolves in Europe has often been heralded as a success. The reappearance of wolves in landscapes from which they have been extinct for a long time has however resulted in new challenges for this legal protection. As the populations have increased, so have the conflicts with, as well as between, humans. By picturing the legal protection of wolves as co-produced by wolves, humans, laws, and other bodies in the landscape, this article shows how aversions towards wolves merge with larger political discourses that creep up on the wolves in the laws as well as in the forests. As discussed in this article, it is not always certain that stricter laws lead to stronger protection of the wolves. Having situated the laws within the landscapes where they are supposed to function, the paper concludes by discussing some challenges this poses for animal law and visions of a post-anthropocentric legal system in general. The article focuses specifically on the wolf conflicts in Sweden and its neighboring countries. The analysis of these local conflicts might serve as an example of the complexities inherent in these kinds of conflicts concerning large carnivores in general.

Toutes les citations suivantes renverront à cette édition. 2 Parenté entérinée par un autre passage du récit : « Crétacé. Haute-diaclase. Concrétions. Calcaire coniacien… Les préhistoriens parlent devant nous comme des médecins, persuadés que nous ne comprenons pas leur langue. » (p. 45) 3 Publié dans Feu de feuilles, Pygmalion/Gérard Watelet, 2000. 4 Ibid., p. 61. C'est moi qui souligne. 12 Il y a un rapport évident sinon volontaire entre ce loup qui se sacrifie pour sauver sa louve et ses deux louveteaux et celui de Vigny pareillement stoïque, pareillement chargé de famille.

Visual attractiveness and rarity often results in large carnivores being adopted as flagship species for stimulating conservation awareness. Their hunting behaviour and prey selection can affect the population dynamics of their prey, which in turn affects the population dynamics of these large carnivores. Therefore, our understanding of their trophic ecology and foraging strategies is important for predicting their population dynamics and consequently for developing effective conservation programs. Here we concentrate on an endangered species of carnivores, the snow leopard, in the Himalayas. Most previous studies on snow leopard diet lack information on prey availability and/or did not genetically check, whether the identification of snow leopard scats is correct, as their scats are similar to those of other carnivores. We studied the prey of snow leopard in three Himalayan regions in Nepal (Sagarmatha National Park (SNP), Lower Mustang (LM) and Upper Manang (UM) in the Annapurna Conservation Area, during winter and summer in 2014-2016. We collected 268 scats along 139.3 km linear transects, of which 122 were genetically confirmed to belong to snow leopard. Their diet was identified by comparing hairs in scats with our reference collection of the hairs of potential prey. We determined prey availability using 32-48 camera-traps and 4,567 trap nights. In the SNP, the most frequent prey in snow leopard faeces was the Himalayan tahr in both winter and summer. In LM and UM, its main prey was blue sheep in winter, but yak and goat in summer. In terms of relative biomass consumed, yak was the main prey everywhere in both seasons. Snow leopard preferred large prey and avoided small prey in summer but not in winter, with regional differences. It preferred domestic to wild prey only in winter, and in SNP. Unlike most other studies carried out in the same area, our study uses genetic methods for identifying the source of the scat. Studies solely based on visual identification of samples may be strongly biased. Diet studies based on frequency of occurrence of prey tend to overestimate the importance of small prey, which may be consumed more often, but contribute less energy than large prey. However, even assessments based on prey biomass are unlikely to be accurate as we do not know whether the actual size of the prey consumed corresponds to the average size used to calculate the biomass eaten. For example, large adults may be too difficult to catch and therefore mostly young