The conservation status of West African vultures: an updated review and a strategy for conservation

The vulture populations in West Africa are undergoing dramatic decline over the last 30 years. Their particular ecology and sociality makes them vulnerable to various risks, including environmental changes, poisoning and bioaccumulation of toxic substances from agricultural products, pesticides, and veterinary drugs used in cattle livestock. In addition, these birds are subject to direct persecution for the trade of products used in traditional medicine. This manuscript analyzes the conservation status of eight vulture species in West Africa and the threats affecting their survival. In order to assess the conservation status of vultures in West Africa, this paper analyzes all the available literature that has been published in scientific peerreviewed journals, including also technical reports and unpublished reports related to the whole West African region. Overall, and despite the high risk of extinction facing several vulture species all throughout the world, our literature surveys revealed that the scientific papers on the conservation of West African vultures are relatively few. Therefore, due to limited available literature, the main causes of vulture declines in West Africa remain relatively unclear. Apparently, all African vultures suffer from similar threats, especially poisoning, habitat alteration and conversion to agro-pastoral systems, loss of wild ungulates leading to a reduced availability of carrion, hunting for trade, for use in traditional medicine and bushmeat, persecution and human disturbance. Our review also addresses future steps that are needed for reversing the negative population trend of their free-ranging populations, including some specific conservation measures that are proposed to mitigate their decline

Population size and breeding performance of the Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus in Sicily: conservation implications

Capsule: We report a significant reduction in population size and breeding success for the Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus in Sicily, its biggest stronghold in Europe, since the latest coordinated survey. Aims: To provide updated information on current population size of Lanner Falcon in Sicily and to compare breeding parameters with those obtained in previous studies. Methods: We performed an intensive coordinated field survey and literature review of breeding success parameters across the species range. Results: Overall, we monitored 126 territories throughout Sicily where the species had been reported in the last 15 years. Lanner Falcons were present only in 60 of them. Mean nest productivity (\ub1 standard deviation) was 1.09 \ub1 1.18 fledged young/checked pairs, flight rate was 2.22 \ub1 0.52 fledged young/successful pairs and breeding success was 49.0%. Conclusions: Indirect measures aimed at preventing abandonment of occupied territories should be applied, for instance by developing a network of priority areas and slowing down degradation of the pseudo-steppe habitats by agri-environmental schemes. Additionally, direct measures aimed at preventing nest robbery, including the organization of nest guarding activities, and reduction of anthropogenic disturbance and illegal shooting, must be encouraged in order to avoid territory abandonment

Long-term changes in the breeding period diet of Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata) in Sicily, Italy

Context: Dietary analyses are essential to achieve a better understanding of animal ecology. In the case of endangered species, assessing dietary requirements is crucial to improve their management and conservation. The Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata) has experienced a severe decline throughout its breeding range in Europe and, in Italy, fewer than 50 pairs remain, and only in Sicily. This species is subject to major threats, including changes in landscape composition and, consequently, prey availability, which is further aggravated by the occurrence of viral diseases in the case of rabbits. Aims: To provide current data on the diet of the Bonelli's eagle in Sicily during the breeding period and to examine dietary shifts with regard to previous studies conducted in the same study area. To discuss possible implications for conservation of the Italian population of this endangered species. Methods: We used a combination of three methods, including pellet analysis, collection of prey remains, and imagery from camera-traps installed at nests, to examine the diet of 12 breeding pairs of Bonelli's eagle from 2011 to 2017. We compared this information with data collected between 1993 and 1998 in the same study area. Key results: In number, birds were the most frequently predated items (61.6%), followed by mammals (36.88%) and reptiles (1.52%). However, in terms of biomass, mammals were the main prey (65.71%), followed by birds (34.12%) and reptiles (0.17%). There was a decrease over the course of the current decade in the consumption of European wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), which was compensated for with an increase in both dietary diversity and breadth in bird consumption, a trend not observed in the earlier study in the same region. Conclusions: Here, we provide an updated assessment of diet composition of Bonelli's eagle during the breeding period. Interestingly, we found significant differences within the study period (2011-2017) in terms of frequency of occurrence, percentage of biomass, dietary diversity and dietary breadth in a species at risk. Furthermore, we found significant differences between the two study periods in both frequency and percentage of biomass, with significant changes in the consumption of lagomorphs and birds. Implications: Our results indicated that shifts in the diet are linked to changes in prey abundance, which may be contributing to population declines in the Bonelli's eagle population in Sicily. Overall, measures aimed at increasing main dietary prey should be promoted to favour occupation of new territories and enhance vital demographic parameters (i.e. breeding success and survival rate) of Bonelli's eagle across the species range. This would be particularly important for small isolated populations such as the Sicilian one

Mitochondrial defect in Warsaw syndrome cells genomic integrity and mitochondrial metabolism defects in Warsaw syndrome cells: A comparison with Fanconi anemia

Warsaw breakage syndrome (WABS), is caused by biallelic mutations of DDX11, a gene coding a DNA helicase. We have recently reported two affected sisters, compound heterozygous for a missense (p.Leu836Pro) and a frameshift (p.Lys303Glufs*22) variant. By investigating the pathogenic mechanism, we demonstrate the inability of the DDX11 p.Leu836Pro mutant to unwind forked DNA substrates, while retaining DNA binding activity. We observed the accumulation of patient-derived cells at the G2/M phase and increased chromosomal fragmentation after mitomycin C treatment. The phenotype partially overlaps with features of the Fanconi anemia cells, which shows not only genomic instability but also defective mitochondria. This prompted us to examine mitochondrial functionality in WABS cells and revealed an altered aerobic metabolism. This opens the door to the further elucidation of the molecular and cellular basis of an impaired mitochondrial phenotype and sheds light on this fundamental process in cell physiology and the pathogenesis of these diseases

Genomic integrity and mitochondrial metabolism defects in Warsaw syndrome cells: a comparison with Fanconi anemia

none19Warsaw breakage syndrome (WABS), is caused by biallelic mutations of DDX11, a gene coding a DNA helicase. We have recently reported two affected sisters, compound heterozygous for a missense (p.Leu836Pro) and a frameshift (p.Lys303Glufs*22) variant. By investigating the pathogenic mechanism, we demonstrate the inability of the DDX11 p.Leu836Pro mutant to unwind forked DNA substrates, while retaining DNA binding activity. We observed the accumulation of patient-derived cells at the G2/M phase and increased chromosomal fragmentation after mitomycin C treatment. The phenotype partially overlaps with features of the Fanconi anemia cells, which shows not only genomic instability but also defective mitochondria. This prompted us to examine mitochondrial functionality in WABS cells and revealed an altered aerobic metabolism. This opens the door to the further elucidation of the molecular and cellular basis of an impaired mitochondrial phenotype and sheds light on this fundamental process in cell physiology and the pathogenesis of these diseases.noneBottega R.; Ravera S.; Napolitano L.M.R.; Chiappetta V.; Zini N.; Crescenzi B.; Arniani S.; Faleschini M.; Cortone G.; Faletra F.; Medagli B.; Sirchia F.; Moretti M.; de Lange J.; Cappelli E.; Mecucci C.; Onesti S.; Pisani F.M.; Savoia A.Bottega, R.; Ravera, S.; Napolitano, L. M. R.; Chiappetta, V.; Zini, N.; Crescenzi, B.; Arniani, S.; Faleschini, M.; Cortone, G.; Faletra, F.; Medagli, B.; Sirchia, F.; Moretti, M.; de Lange, J.; Cappelli, E.; Mecucci, C.; Onesti, S.; Pisani, F. M.; Savoia, A