Wildlife hunting in complex human-environmental systems: How understanding natural resource use and human welfare can improve conservation in the Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar

Conservation officials work to manage complex and interacting human-environmental systems, where balancing needs between the two systems can become a source of tension. This study presents information on the use of natural resources by, and the health and welfare of, rural  communities within and near Ankarafantsika National Park (ANP) in northwestern Madagascar. We focus on behaviors that are difficult for natural resource managers to measure themselves, including the hunting of threatened and protected wildlife and on sensitive information about humanwealth, health, and food security. We surveyed 41 9 households and measured the health of 1 860 individuals in 1 8 communities adjacent to or within the boundaries of ANP. We found a very high prevalence of child malnutrition, illness, and food insecurity and a heavy reliance on natural products to meet subsistence needs. More than 90% of the population reported that they hunted wildlife and harvested wild vegetables at least one day during the prior week as a direct means to cope with their food insecurity. Further, we found a high reliance on the forest for both healthcare and the building of adequate shelter. Efforts to improve overall food security would likely improve both human welfare and the long-term conservation of the threatened wildlife and habitat of Ankarafantsika. These data can help both conservation and community livelihood programs to find integrated solutions to the shared challenges of improving the well-being of human populations and the protection of Madagascar’s unique, endemic, and highly threatened biodiversity.   Les gestionnaires oeuvrant pour la protection de la nature sont généralement confrontés à des systèmes socio-écologiques complexes et interactifs dans lesquels la recherche de l’équilibre entre les besoins de ces deux systèmes peut s’avérer être une source de tension. Cette étude présente des informations sur l'utilisation des ressources naturelles par les communautés rurales riveraines du parc national d'Ankarafantsika (PNA) dans le nord-ouest de Madagascar, ainsi que sur la santé et le bien-être de ces communautés. L’étude s’est en particulier orientée sur les comportementsdifficiles à mesurer pour les gestionnaires de ressources naturelles, à savoir la chasse d'animaux sauvages menacés et protégés et les informations portant sur l’opulence, la santé et la sécurité alimentaire des gens. Une enquête a été réalisée auprès de 41 9 ménages et l’état de santé de 1 860 personnes a été mesuré dans 1 8 communautés vivant à la périphérie ou à l’intérieur des limites du PNA. Une très forte prévalence de la  malnutrition infantile a été observée ainsi que diverses pathologies, une insécurité alimentaire et une dépendance importante à l'égard des produits naturels pour répondre aux besoins de subsistance. Plus de 90% de la population a déclaré qu'elle avait chassé des animaux et récolté des plantes sauvages au moins un jour au cours de la semaine précédente, à titre de moyen direct pour faire face à l' insécurité alimentaire. Une forte dépendance à l'égard des forêts a également été notée pour les produits destinés à la santé et la construction de maisons. Les efforts visant à améliorer la sécurité alimentaire dans son ensemble pourraient vraisemblablement améliorer le bien-être humain aussi bien que la conservationà long terme de la faune et des habitats menacés de l'Ankarafantsika. Ces données peuvent aider les programmes de conservation et de subsistance de la communauté à trouver des solutions intégrées aux problèmes communs de l’amélioration du bien-être des populations humaines et de la protection de la biodiversité unique, endémique et hautement menacée de Madagascar

Retaliatory killing and human perceptions of Madagascar's largest carnivore and livestock predator, the fosa (Cryptoprocta ferox).

Fosas (Cryptoprocta ferox) are Madagascar's largest carnivores, occupying much of the island's forested landscape. This study provides the first evaluation of fosas' conflict with humans, a problem for many small and medium sized carnivores worldwide. We examined fosas' predation of poultry, and the subsequent retaliatory killing. Over 1750 households were interviewed across four regions, encompassing Madagascar's major forest types (deciduous/rainforest) and protected area classifications (national park, reserve and unprotected forest). Predation by fosa was the third highest reported cause (15%) of poultry mortality, with little evidence that coops were effective in reducing predation. Predation of poultry was more prevalent in deciduous forests, and most common during the evenings of the dry season. Over half of all interviewees said they disliked fosas, with loss of poultry the most commonly stated reason. Respondents' that had suffered poultry depredation and those with lower educational attainment were more likely to dislike fosas. Interviewees that disliked fosas and those that were wealthier were most likely to report having killed a fosa. A minimum of thirty fosas was killed in retaliation by our respondents during the year before the interviews. Given that the fosa population is in decline, and most of Madagascar's forests are likely to be too small to support sustainable populations, these killings may be detrimental to vulnerable sub-populations. These results shed insight into the cultural perceptions and predation patterns of a medium sized carnivore, with relevance to worldwide human-wildlife conflict of often overlooked smaller carnivores. We suggest that educational programs, guard dogs, poultry disease vaccinations and robust coop construction may be effective for improving attitudes and reducing retaliatory killing

Spatial Dynamics and Activity Patterns of the Fosa Cryptoprocta Ferox in Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar: Carnivores Navigating a Human-Influenced Landscape

© 2020 Fauna & Flora International. The Vulnerable fosa Cryptoprocta ferox is the largest native carnivore in Madagascar, fulfilling a unique ecological niche in the island\u27s remaining forests. Negative interactions with humans threaten the long-term viability of most remaining fosa populations across Madagascar. Threats to the fosa include habitat loss and persecution by humans resulting from perceived predation on domestic animals. We used GPS collars to record space use and activity patterns of five fosas in Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar, during the dry seasons of 2016 and 2017. The results, with up to 2,110 recorded locations per individual, indicated fosas\u27 home ranges and movements were not limited to the forest, and all collared individuals used networks of habitat patches and corridors to navigate deforested areas. The fosas studied in Ankarafantsika National Park had significantly larger home ranges than those reported in previous studies in other protected areas. They were rarely found within village boundaries and appeared to avoid areas of human habitation, suggesting that during the study period livestock was not a significant component of the fosas\u27 diet in this Park. Our results suggest that fosas have some flexibility that enables them to adapt to living near deforested and human-dominated areas by altering their space-use patterns, but they are compensating by increasing their home range size

Leopard (Panthera pardus) status, distribution, and the research efforts across its range

The leopard’s (Panthera pardus) broad geographic range, remarkable adaptability, and secretive nature have contributed to a misconception that this species might not be severely threatened across its range. We find that not only are several subspecies and regional populations critically endangered but also the overall range loss is greater than the average for terrestrial large carnivores. To assess the leopard’s status, we compile 6,000 records at 2,500 locations from over 1,300 sources on its historic (post 1750) and current distribution. We map the species across Africa and Asia, delineating areas where the species is confirmed present, is possibly present, is possibly extinct or is almost certainly extinct. The leopard now occupies 25–37% of its historic range, but this obscures important differences between subspecies. Of the nine recognized subspecies, three (P. p. pardus, fusca, and saxicolor) account for 97% of the leopard’s extant range while another three (P. p. orientalis, nimr, and japonensis) have each lost as much as 98% of their historic range. Isolation, small patch sizes, and few remaining patches further threaten the six subspecies that each have less than 100,000 km2 of extant range. Approximately 17% of extant leopard range is protected, although some endangered subspecies have far less. We found that while leopard research was increasing, research effort was primarily on the subspecies with the most remaining range whereas subspecies that are most in need of urgent attention were neglected

Pathbreakers? Women's Electoral Success and Future Political Participation

We investigate whether the event of women being competitively elected as state legislators encourages subsequent political participation among women. Using a regression discontinuity design on Indian constituency level data, we find that female incumbents are more likely than male incumbents to re-contest and that there is a decline in the entry of new women candidates. This decline is most pronounced in states with entrenched gender bias and in male-headed parties, suggesting an intensification of barriers against women in these areas. Similar results for (mostly male) Muslim candidates indicate the presence of institutionalised demand-side barriers rather than gender-specific preferences and constraints

Theoretische und experimentelle Untersuchungen zur Herstellung von stabfoermigen offenen und geschlossenenen Profilen aus Bandstahl durch partielle Warm -und Kaltumformung Abschlussbericht

With 79 figs. 7 tabs.SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: FR 4622+a / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman