Are we sinking African cheetahs in India?

SIGNIFICANCE : The current initiative to export African cheetahs to India has a limited scientific basis, placing the Asian subspecies and the translocated animals at risk. There is no evidence that this will benefit African cheetah conservation. We call for a globally coordinated approach to cheetah conservation, based on sound science.http://www.sajs.co.zahj2023Mammal Research InstituteZoology and Entomolog

Suspected lead poisoning in two captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus) in South Africa, in 2008 and 2013

CITATION: North, M. A. et al. 2015. Suspected lead poisoning in two captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus) in South Africa, in 2008 and 2013. Journal of the South African Veterinary Association, 86(1), Art. #1286, doi:10.4102/jsava.v86i1.1286.The original publication is available at http://www.jsava.co.zaWhilst lead poisoning in raptors, scavenging birds and waterfowl is well studied and common knowledge, there is surprisingly little literature detailing the risk to mammalian scavengers and captive carnivores fed hunted meat. This case report describes the death of two captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus) following acute onset of nervous symptoms. Clinical signs included hyper-excitability, seizures, arched back, tail held abnormally high and hyper-salivation. Necropsy findings included bullets or a bullet in their stomachs. Kidney and liver lead levels from one cheetah (15.6 ppm and 17 ppm respectively) were consistent with a diagnosis of lead poisoning; liver from the second cheetah was not available for testing. Both animals were routinely fed hunted antelope or game birds. This is the first report of oral lead poisoning in captive large carnivores, although these are unlikely to be the first cases. Without awareness of the risks of feeding hunted game, lead exposure will continue to be an underdiagnosed reality in the rehabilitation of endangered carnivores.http://www.jsava.co.za/index.php/jsava/article/view/1286Publisher's versio

Suspected lead poisoning in two captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus) in South Africa, in 2008 and 2013

CITATION: North, M. A. et al. 2015. Suspected lead poisoning in two captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus) in South Africa, in 2008 and 2013. Journal of the South African Veterinary Association, 86(1), Art. #1286, doi:10.4102/jsava.v86i1.1286.The original publication is available at http://www.jsava.co.zaWhilst lead poisoning in raptors, scavenging birds and waterfowl is well studied and common knowledge, there is surprisingly little literature detailing the risk to mammalian scavengers and captive carnivores fed hunted meat. This case report describes the death of two captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus) following acute onset of nervous symptoms. Clinical signs included hyper-excitability, seizures, arched back, tail held abnormally high and hyper-salivation. Necropsy findings included bullets or a bullet in their stomachs. Kidney and liver lead levels from one cheetah (15.6 ppm and 17 ppm respectively) were consistent with a diagnosis of lead poisoning; liver from the second cheetah was not available for testing. Both animals were routinely fed hunted antelope or game birds. This is the first report of oral lead poisoning in captive large carnivores, although these are unlikely to be the first cases. Without awareness of the risks of feeding hunted game, lead exposure will continue to be an underdiagnosed reality in the rehabilitation of endangered carnivores.http://www.jsava.co.za/index.php/jsava/article/view/1286Publisher's versio

Socio-economic factors influencing attitudes of landowners towards free-roaming cheetahs

The largest area of the South African cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) distribution occurs outside formally protected areas, making cheetahs vulnerable to conflict-related killings. This conflict is assumed to be related to negative attitudes of landowners towards predators. Our study assessed the socio-economic factors influencing landowner attitudes towards cheetahs on private properties adjacent to the Kruger National Park (Kruger), South Africa. We used structured questionnaires to interview 199 landowners. Attitudes of landowners towards cheetahs were generally positive; 58% of landowners had attitude index scores between eight and 11. However, 11% had fairly negative or low scores (scores between –2 and 4). First language, land use and respondent knowledge of cheetahs were key drivers of attitude. English speaking landowners (49.8%) were more likely to display positive attitudes towards cheetahs than Afrikaans first-language speakers (46.8%). In addition, the likelihood of having a more positive attitude increased significantly as respondent knowledge of cheetahs increased. Attitudes were also influenced by land use, with wildlife ranchers or ecotourism ventures having a significantly higher probability of having more positive attitudes than livestock farmers. With the Kruger being a stronghold for cheetah conservation in Africa, and large carnivores being vulnerable to edge effects in protected areas, it is important to understand the factors driving conflict so that mitigation efforts can be targeted for maximum impact.http://www.sawma.co.zaam2018Centre for Wildlife Managemen

The combination of red palm oil and rooibos show anti-inflammatory effects in rats

CITATION: Katengua-Thamahane, E. et al. 2014. The combination of red palm oil and rooibos show anti-inflammatory effects in rats. Journal of Inflammation, 11(1):41, doi:10.1186/s12950-014-0041-4.The original publication is available at http://www.journal-inflammation.com/content/11/1/41Background Red palm oil (RPO) and rooibos have been shown to exhibit cardioprotective properties. RPO is rich in essential fatty acids and fat soluble antioxidants while rooibos contains polyphenolic compounds with a unique composition of flavonoids. They exert their biological effects in different cellular compartments. Therefore the combination of these two natural food compounds has the potential to enhance the spectrum of available dietary antioxidants in different cellular compartments, which could result in an enhanced protection against certain pathological conditions such as inflammation. Methods Male Wistar rats weighing 150-200 g were supplemented with RPO, rooibos or their combination for 28 days. The Langendorff system and the lipoposaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory model were used to establish if RPO and rooibos, when supplemented alone or in combination, will reverse the negative effects of LPS on cardiac function at baseline. The effect of dietary intervention was also investigated on modulation of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in plasma and myocardial tissue. Results and discussion The LPS resulted in induction of systemic inflammation as evidenced by increased levels of IL-1β in plasma of LPS-treated rats compared to their non-treated control counterparts. Dietary supplementation and LPS treatment did not have an effect on baseline cardiac functional parameters. However, the elevation of IL-1β levels in plasma of LPS-induced rats consuming either RPO or rooibos alone were paralleled with increased levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10. The combination of rooibos and RPO was associated with enhanced endogenous production of myocardial IL-10 in LPS-induced rats. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that RPO and rooibos when supplemented individually showed anti-inflammatory effect at systemic level while their combination exhibited an enhanced anti-inflammatory effect in the myocardial tissue. Therefore, the findings in the current study argue that the combination of these two natural food substances could be beneficial in clinically relevant conditions where inflammation plays a role.Publishers’ versio

Reintroducing rewilding to restoration – a search for novelty

Rewilding is emerging as a major issue in conservation. However, there are currently a dozen definitions of rewilding that include Pleistocene rewilding, island rewilding, trophic rewilding, functional rewilding and passive rewilding, and these remain fuzzy, lack clarity and, hence, hinder scientific discourse. Based on current definitions, it is unclear how the interventions described under the rewilding umbrella differ from those framed within the long-standing term 'restoration'. Even projects held up as iconic rewilding endeavours invariably began as restoration projects (e.g., Oostvaaderplassen; Pleistocene Park; the return of wolves to Yellowstone, etc.). Similarly, rewilding organisations (e.g., Rewilding Europe) typically began with a restoration focus. Scientific discourse requires precise language. The fuzziness of existing definitions of rewilding and lack of distinction from restoration practices means that scientific messages cannot be transferred accurately to a policy or practice framework. We suggest that the utility of 'rewilding' as a term is obsolete, and hence recommend scientists and practitioners use 'restoration' instead233255259MWH and MJS are funded by the Australia-Africa Universities Network - Partnership Research & Development Fund 201

The global decline of cheetah Acinonyx jubatus and what it means for conservation

Establishing and maintaining protected areas (PAs) are key tools for biodiversity conservation. However, this approach is insufficient for many species, particularly those that are wide-ranging and sparse. The cheetah Acinonyx jubatus exemplifies such a species and faces extreme challenges to its survival. Here, we show that the global population is estimated at ~7,100 individuals and confined to 9% of its historical distributional range. However, the majority of current range (77%) occurs outside of PAs, where the species faces multiple threats. Scenariomodeling shows that,where growth rates are suppressed outside PAs, extinction rates increase rapidly as the proportion of population protected declines. Sensitivity analysis shows that growth rates within PAs have to be high if they are to compensate for declines outside. Susceptibility of cheetah to rapid decline is evidenced by recent rapid contraction in range, supporting an uplisting of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List threat assessment to endangered. Our results are applicable to other protection-reliant species, which may be subject to systematic underestimation of threat when there is insufficient information outside PAs. Ultimately, conserving many of these species necessitates a paradigm shift in conservation toward a holistic approach that incentivizes protection and promotes sustainable human-wildlife coexistence across large multiple-use landscapes