Twenty years conservation and monitoring of re-introduced mountain gazelle in the Ibex Reserve, Saudi Arabia

Historically, the mountain gazelle (Gazella gazella) occurred across most of the Arabian Peninsula into northern Syria and Turkey. Early explorers and scientists reported that the mountain gazelle is closely associated with Acacia spp. trees. The current range includes southern Turkey, Jordan, Israel, Iran (Farur Island), Oman, United Arab Emirates, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. The IUCN Red List currently ranks this species as ‘Vulnerable’ (A2ad). Mountain gazelle numbers have decreased dramatically throughout their range, particularly in Saudi Arabia. The only protected areas in Saudi Arabia with natural populations of mountain gazelle are Al Khunfah, Harrat al Harrah, and Farasan Islands. A few scattered populations occur outside of protected areas in the western Asir Mountains, Hejaz Mountains, and possibly on the Tihama coastal plain. There are only two reports of mountain gazelle occurring historically in the central mountains of Saudi Arabia. Both reports are for mountain gazelle in the Jebel Tuwaiq, which is where the Ibex Reserve is situated. In an effort to re-establish the locally extinct population in the Tuwaiq Mountains (Ibex Reserve), the Saudi Wildlife Authority (SWA) initiated a mountain gazelle re-introduction program in 1990 (Dunham et al., 1993). The released gazelles came from the King Khalid Wildlife Research Centre (KKWRC), Saudi Arabia

Can morphotaxa be assessed with photographs? Estimating the accuracy of two-dimensional cranial geometric morphometrics for the study of threatened populations of African monkeys

The classification of most mammalian orders and families is under debate and the number of species is likely greater than currently recognized. Improving taxonomic knowledge is crucial, as biodiversity is in rapid decline. Morphology is a source of taxonomic knowledge, and geometric morphometrics applied to two dimensional (2D) photographs of anatomical structures is commonly employed for quantifying differences within and among lineages. Photographs are informative, easy to obtain, and low cost. 2D analyses, however, introduce a large source of measurement error when applied to crania and other highly three dimensional (3D) structures. To explore the potential of 2D analyses for assessing taxonomic diversity, we use patas monkeys (Erythrocebus), a genus of large, semi-terrestrial, African guenons, as a case study. By applying a range of tests to compare ventral views of adult crania measured both in 2D and 3D, we show that, despite inaccuracies accounting for up to one-fourth of individual shape differences, results in 2D almost perfectly mirror those in 3D. This apparent paradox might be explained by the small strength of covariation in the component of shape variance related to measurement error. A rigorous standardization of photographic settings and the choice of almost coplanar landmarks are likely to further improve the correspondence of 2D to 3D shapes. 2D geometric morphometrics is, thus, appropriate for taxonomic comparisons of patas ventral crania. Although it is too early to generalize, our results corroborate similar findings from previous research in mammals, and suggest that 2D shape analyses are an effective heuristic tool for morphological investigation of small differences

Neumann’s enigmatic gazelle (Gazella erlangeri) Threatened taxon or domesticated gazelle?

One of the most challenging questions in regard to Arabian gazelles is the status of G. erlangeri Neumann, 1906 (Fig. 1). Gazelles currently kept in captivity at King Khalid Wildlife Research Centre in Saudi Arabia and Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation in Qatar (Fig. 2) show the described combination of diagnostic features, and thus, were considered to represent G. erlangeri, even though the exact provenance of these gazelles remains obscure. However, captive ‘G. erlangeri’ may have also originated from eastern Oman and could be therefore assigned to G. muscatensis (Fig. 3). Both taxa are considered ‘extinct in the wild’ by the IUCN Red List. Past conservation efforts have been plagued by confusion about the phylogenetic relationship among various—phenotypically discernable—populations (e.g., G. erlangeri, G. muscatensis), and even the question of species boundaries was far from being certain. This lack of knowledge had a direct impact on conservation measures, especially ex situ breeding programmes, hampering the assignment of captive stocks to potential conservation units

Dark grey gazelles Gazella (Cetartiodactyla: Bovidae) in Arabia: Threatened species or domestic pet?

True gazelles (genus Gazella) are a prime example of a mammalian group with considerable taxonomic confusion. This includes the descriptions of several dark grey taxa of questionable validity. Here, we examined captive dark grey putative Neumann’s gazelle Gazella erlangeri. Our concerted efforts to retrieve mitochondrial sequence information from old museum specimens of two dark grey gazelles, putative G. erlangeri and putative Muscat gazelle G. muscatensis, were unsuccessful. We did, however, find the mtDNA haplotypes of extant putative G. erlangeri to be nested within the haplotype variation of the Arabian gazelle G. arabica. The observed population genetic divergence between G. arabica and putative G. erlangeri (based on 11 nuclear microsatellites) was driven by genetic impoverishment of putative G. erlangeri. These results, along with morphological signatures of domestication (e.g., reduced brain case size), suggest genetic bottle necks and domestication effects as a consequence of prolonged captive breeding. Three hypotheses are discussed: (a) G. erlangeri and/or G. muscatensis are valid species but are now extinct; (b) one or both taxa represent phenotypic variation within G. arabica and, therefore, are synonyms of G. arabica; and (c) captive stocks, exhibiting the effects of domestication and inbreeding, are the sources for the descriptions of G. erlangeri and G. muscatensis. As concerns the conservation of gazelles, based on current knowledge, we strongly advise against using putative G. erlangeri for any introduction initiative but recommend the continued captive management of putative G. erlangeri

Observation of an adult female oribi with leucistic pelage in Lobo, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

The oribi (Bovidae: Antilopinae: Ourebiini: Ourebia ourebi [Zimmermann, 1783 ]) is a small antelope distributed widely across open woody grasslands of sub‐Saharan Africa (Goldspink, Holland, Sweet, & Stewart, 2002 ), especially in hilly open‐broadleaf savanna and primarily feeds on herbaceous vegetation (Monfort & Monfort, 1974 ). The species lives singly or in small groups with multiple males, yet long‐term pairing is frequently low (Adamczak & Dunbar, 2008 ; Arcese, 1994 ; Arcese, Jongejan, & Sinclair, 1995 ; Jongejan, Arcese, & Sinclair, 1991 ). Oribi are readily identifiable with a tan coat and whitish underbelly, large ears, a conspicuous black‐coloured preorbital glandular spot below the ear, long neck and long legs (Foley et al., 2014 ; Kingdon et al., 2013 ). Up to 13 subspecies have been described with one subspecies found in Serengeti National Park: O. ourebi cottoni

Observation of an adult female oribi with leucistic pelage in Lobo, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

This research article published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 201

Drivers of habitat availability for terrestrial mammals: Unravelling the role of livestock, land conversion and intrinsic traits in the past 50 years

The global decline of terrestrial species is largely due to the degradation, loss and fragmentation of their habitats. The conversion of natural ecosystems for cropland, rangeland, forest products and human infrastructure are the primary causes of habitat deterioration. Due to the paucity of data on the past distribution of species and the scarcity of fine-scale habitat conversion maps, however, accurate assessment of the recent effects of habitat degradation, loss and fragmentation on the range of mammals has been near impossible. We aim to assess the proportions of available habitat within the lost and retained parts of mammals' distribution ranges, and to identify the drivers of habitat availability. We produced distribution maps for 475 terrestrial mammals for the range they occupied 50 years ago and compared them to current range maps. We then calculated the differences in the percentage of 'area of habitat' (habitat available to a species within its range) between the lost and retained range areas. Finally, we ran generalized linear mixed models to identify which variables were more influential in determining habitat availability in the lost and retained parts of the distribution ranges. We found that 59% of species had a lower proportion of available habitat in the lost range compared to the retained range, thus hypothesizing that habitat loss could have contributed to range declines. The most important factors negatively affecting habitat availability were the conversion of land to rangeland and high density of livestock. Significant intrinsic traits were those related to reproductive timing and output, habitat breadth and medium body size. Our findings emphasize the importance of implementing conservation strategies to mitigate the impacts caused by human activities on the habitats of mammals, and offer evidence indicating which species have the potential to reoccupy portions of their former range if other threats cease to occur.This study investigates the impact of habitat degradation on terrestrial mammal species. By comparing historic and current distribution maps for 475 species, we found that 59% of them have less available habitat in their lost ranges, suggesting habitat loss contributed to range declines. Factors like land conversion to rangeland and high livestock density negatively affected habitat availability. Intrinsic traits such as reproductive timing, habitat breadth and medium body size also played a role. The study underscores the need for conservation efforts to mitigate human-induced habitat threats and identifies species that could potentially reclaim lost range if threats are addressed.imag

Next-generation museomics disentangles one of the largest primate radiations

Guenons (tribe Cercopithecini) are one of the most diverse groups of primates. They occupy all of sub-Saharan Africa and show great variation in ecology, behavior, and morphology. This variation led to the description of over 60 species and subspecies. Here, using next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS) in combination with targeted DNA capture, we sequenced 92 mitochondrial genomes from museum-preserved specimens as old as 117 years. We infer evolutionary relationships and estimate divergence times of almost all guenon taxa based on mitochondrial genome sequences. Using this phylogenetic framework, we infer divergence dates and reconstruct ancestral geographic ranges.We conclude that the extraordinary radiation of guenons has been a complex process driven by, among other factors, localized fluctuations of African forest cover. We find incongruences between phylogenetic trees reconstructed from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences, which can be explained by either incomplete lineage sorting or hybridization. Furthermore, having produced the largest mitochondrial DNA data set from museum specimens, we document how NGS technologies can "unlock" museum collections, thereby helping to unravel the tree-of-life. [Museum collection; next-generation DNA sequencing; primate radiation; speciation; target capture.] © The Author(s) 2013.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Extreme Conservation Leads to Recovery of the Virunga Mountain Gorillas

As wildlife populations are declining, conservationists are under increasing pressure to measure the effectiveness of different management strategies. Conventional conservation measures such as law enforcement and community development projects are typically designed to minimize negative human influences upon a species and its ecosystem. In contrast, we define “extreme” conservation as efforts targeted to deliberately increase positive human influences, including veterinary care and close monitoring of individual animals. Here we compare the impact of both conservation approaches upon the population growth rate of the critically endangered Virunga mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), which increased by 50% since their nadir in 1981, from approximately 250 to nearly 400 gorillas. Using demographic data from 1967–2008, we show an annual decline of 0.7%±0.059% for unhabituated gorillas that received intensive levels of conventional conservation approaches, versus an increase 4.1%±0.088% for habituated gorillas that also received extreme conservation measures. Each group of habituated gorillas is now continuously guarded by a separate team of field staff during daylight hours and receives veterinary treatment for snares, respiratory disease, and other life-threatening conditions. These results suggest that conventional conservation efforts prevented a severe decline of the overall population, but additional extreme measures were needed to achieve positive growth. Demographic stochasticity and socioecological factors had minimal impact on variability in the growth rates. Veterinary interventions could account for up to 40% of the difference in growth rates between habituated versus unhabituated gorillas, with the remaining difference likely arising from greater protection against poachers. Thus, by increasing protection and facilitating veterinary treatment, the daily monitoring of each habituated group contributed to most of the difference in growth rates. Our results argue for wider consideration of extreme measures and offer a startling view of the enormous resources that may be needed to conserve some endangered species

Rates of predation on mammals by gombe chimpanzees, 1972–1975

Rates of chimpanzee predation on mammals are calculated using data on 75 kills recorded during focal observation in Gombe National Park, Tanzania, from January 1972 to April 1975. The chimpanzees were members of two study communities (Kanyawara, or Northern, and Kahama, or Southern, community), and were observed as focal individuals for 14,583 hr by more than 30 researchers and field assistants working in pairs. The rate of predation by females was too low to allow reasonable estimates. For males, the mean rate of killing during the study period was 0.31 kills per male per 100 hr ( N =17 males), or 4.65 kills per 100 hr in the two communities. In contrast to results from Mahale Mountains, there was no difference in predation rate between wet and dry seasons. However, predation rates varied over time, increasing by four times between the first three and last four seasons of the sample period. In an average year the 15 adult and subadult male chimpanzees are calculated to have killed 204 prey per year in an area of 16 km 2 , varying between 99 and 420 prey per year in periods of low and high predation rate. Red colobus were the most frequent prey, followed by bushpig and bushbuck. Predation rates varied greatly on different prey species, and were not related to either the proportion of time spent within 200 m of male chimpanzees, or to their population densities. In relation to encounter rates and population density, baboons, blue monkeys, and redtail monkeys were killed at a fraction of the rate of red colobus monkeys, which suffered severe mortality from chimpanzee predation. Predation on bushpig and bushbuck also appears to have been high in relation to population density. The amount of food provided by predation is estimated to have averaged 600 kg per year for chimpanzees in the two communities (totalling 14–17 adult or subadult males, 18–20 adult of subadult females, and about 19 infants or juveniles). This suggests that adult males consumed around 25 kg of meat per year, although any average figure undoubtedly masks considerable individual variation. Present data suggest that chimpanzees in Gombe and Tai National Park, Ivory Coast, prey on mammals at rates higher than other populations.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41607/1/10329_2006_Article_BF02380938.pd