Which species of small mammals tolerate highly urbanized areas – the study in Warsaw agglomeration and surroundings

The degree of penetration of urban habitats by small terrestrial mammals was studied in Warsaw agglomeration and in adjacent areas up to 50 km from the city centre. Study material consisted of pellets of the tawny owl Strix aluco collected in 85 sites, which contained 15,152 remains of individuals of small mammals. The species that penetrated city agglomeration most intensively were: Apodemus agrarius, Mus musculus, Talpa europaea, Rattus norvegicus and Microtus subterraneus. Most central sites of these species were situated 1.3–2.3 km from the city centre. Microtus agrestis, Mustela nivalis, Arvicola amphibius, Neomys fodiens, Muscardinus avellanarius and Sicista betulina showed the lowest degree of penetration of an urban agglomeration (sites closest to the city centre: 8.2, 8.6, 8.6, 11.2, 17.8 and 20.2 km, respectively). Species, whose share among the owls’ prey decreased most with the distance from the city centre, were: A. agrarius and T. europaea. The reverse pattern was found for M. agrestis and M. avellanarius. Small terrestrial mammals are sensitive to the proceeding urbanization and the central part of Warsaw agglomeration is penetrated by only 1/3 of species of the local fauna

TNR and conservation on a university campus: a political ecological perspective

How to manage the impact of free-ranging cats on native wildlife is a polarizing issue. Conservation biologists largely support domestic cat euthanasia to mitigate impacts of free-ranging cat predation on small animal populations. Above all else, animal welfare activists support the humane treatment of free-ranging cats, objecting to euthanasia. Clearly, this issue of how to control free-ranging cat predation on small animals is value laden, and both positions must be considered and comprehended to promote effective conservation. Here, two gaps in the free-ranging cat—small-animal conservation literature are addressed. First, the importance of understanding the processes of domestication and evolution and how each relates to felid behavioral ecology is discussed. The leading hypothesis to explain domestication of wildcats (Felis silvestris) relates to their behavioral ecology as a solitary predator, which made them suited for pest control in early agricultural villages of the Old World. The relationship humans once had with cats, however, has changed because today domesticated cats are usually household pets. As a result, concerns of conservation biologists may relate to cats as predators, but cat welfare proponents come from the position of assuming responsibility for free-ranging household pets (and their feral offspring). Thus, the perceptions of pet owners and other members of the general public provide an important context that frames the relationship between free-ranging cats and small animal conservation. The second part of this paper assesses the effects of an information-based conservation approach on shifting student’s perception of a local Trap–Neuter–Return (TNR) program in introductory core science classes at the University of North Texas (UNT). UNT students are (knowingly or unknowingly) regularly in close proximity to a TNR program on campus that supports cat houses and feeding stations. A survey design implementing a tailored-information approach was used to communicate what TNR programs are, their goals, and the “conservationist” view of TNR programs. We gauged favorability of student responses to the goals of TNR programs prior to and after exposure to tailored information on conservation concerns related to free-ranging cats. Although these results are from a preliminary study, we suggest that an information-based approach may only be marginally effective at shifting perceptions about the conservation implications of free-ranging cats. Our position is that small animal conservation in Western societies occurs in the context of pet ownership, thus broader approaches that promote ecological understanding via environmental education are more likely to be successful than information-based approaches

Density dynamics, diet composition and productivity of sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus L. population in central Poland

Long-term monitoring of raptor populations can serve as a proxy for the evaluation of whole ecosystem health. The aim of the study was to compare the current abundance of the sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus L. with data from past decades. Additionally, we examined the diet of this species in the breeding season and recorded the number of fledglings

Den-Dwelling Carnivores in Central Poland: Long-Term Trends in Abundance and Productivity

The monitoring of medium-sized carnivores is essential because of their role in disease transmission and as predators. We focused on red foxes, badgers, raccoon dogs, and domestic dogs, and considered 9441 ha of field–forest mosaic in Central Poland. We compared current (2011–2018) abundance (i.e., number of natal dens recorded annually) and breeding parameters (assessed with the aid of camera traps) with published past data (1980s–1990s). The red fox population increased after rabies vaccinations were introduced and has increased further in the last few years. The population is now stable, which suggests that other factors, possibly mange, limit the population instead. Contrary to historical data, one-fourth of red fox females now breed outside of forests areas, indicating the high plasticity of the species. The number of natal dens of badgers and recruitment rates have also increased. The mean litter sizes of these two species are positively affected by small rodent availability. The raccoon dog, which is an alien and invasive species, used to be recorded sporadically but now breeds regularly (1.8 breeding cases yearly). Nowadays, free-ranging/feral domestic dogs are not controlled by culling, so they have started to breed in the wild (1.6 cases per year), which is a new occurrence

A new record of the nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus in Warsaw

On June 16, 2016, a nightjar was recorded in the south-eastern part of Warsaw. One individual called spontaneously in compartment 4 of the Sobieski Forest,. This was a dune supporting pine forest Pinus sylvestris, with an admixture of silver birch Betula verrucosa and common juniper Juniperus communis. Based on the time and place of the observation, one can assume that this was a breeding species in the area. The species was not recorded in the area of Warsaw, in its nesting habitat, for the last 30 years