First assessment of habitat suitability and connectivity for the golden jackal in north-eastern Italy

AbstractCompared with the rapid expansion across Europe, the golden jackal colonization of Italy is still limited and slow. No study focused on the habitat selection or landscape connectivity for this species was performed in Italy; thus, the potential distribution and dispersal patterns in the country remain unknown. Our objectives were to evaluate the suitability of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region (north-eastern Italy) for the golden jackal, as well as to identify the ecological corridors connecting the areas currently occupied by the species. Corridors modelling allowed us both to hypothesize the dispersal dynamics occurring in the study region and to identify possible obstacles to future range expansion. We surveyed golden jackal presence in two study areas, covering an area of 500 km2, from March 2017 to February 2018. Using collected data, we modelled the species home-range scale habitat suitability based on an ensemble modelling approach. Subsequently, a habitat suitability prediction at a finer scale was used to estimate landscape resistance, starting from which, we modelled dispersal corridors among areas currently occupied by the species using a factorial least cost path and a cumulative resistant kernel approach. Our results indicated a moderate potential for large parts of the study region to support the occurrence of golden jackal family groups, whose presence seems to be mainly driven by the presence of wide areas covered by broadleaved forests and shrublands and by the absence of wide intensive agricultural areas. The predicted connectivity networks showed that three main permeable corridors are likely to connect golden jackal occurrence areas within the study region, while all the other corridors are characterized by a very low path density. Both the habitat selection and connectivity analyses showed a strong negative impact of the intensive cultivated plain on species stable presence and movement providing critical information for the conservation of the golden jackal in Italy

Mitochondrial ghost lineages blur phylogeography and taxonomy of Natrix helvetica and N. natrix in Italy and Corsica

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REPRODUCTION OF THE GOLDEN JACKAL (CANIS AUREUS MOREOTICUS I. GEOFFROY SAINT HILAIRE, 1835) IN JULIAN PRE-ALPS, WITH NEW DATA ON ITS RANGE-EXPANSION IN THE HIGH-ADRIATIC HINTERLAND (MAMMALIA, CARNIVORA, CANIDAE)

Data on the recent expansion of the golden jackal Canis aureus moreoticus I. Geoffroy Saint Hilaire, 1835, in the Italian-Slovenian Pre-Alps are presented, updating the knowledge on the distribution of this species in the High Adriatic hinterland. In this area, the species has recently increased its presence, with evidence of the range-stabilization of local family-groups both in Italy and in Slovenia. Since 2003 this canid has established some traditional howling spots in various zones of the Julian Pre-Alps, reproducing with certainty at least in 2007. This picture seems to be congruent with a new bland trend of range expansion of the species that seems to encompass the whole Italian-Slovenian Karst and the adjacent Italian-Slovenian Julian Pre-Alps. The conservation of this trans-national fragile population of golden jackals seems to be entirely dependent to public awareness campaigns directed to the hunters, both in Italy and in Slovenia

Thanatological and necropsy findings in suspected poisoning of golden jackals (Canis aureus moreoticus) in North Eastern Italy.

Introduction In the last decade golden jackal (Canis aureus moreoticus) distribution indicates an ongoing expansion in Europe. The species can live under a wide variety of natural conditions and this ecological plasticity allows it to settle large geographic range. Increased presence is recorded in the European area northwards and westwards, including Italy. Italy provides an important habitat for wildlife. Anthropogenic activities threaten many species, as accidental or deliberate poisoning, documented over many years in European countries. Methods During the spring of 2018 two golden jackals were found dead in Gorizia province in Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) region (north-eastern Italy). Different reproductive packs of golden jackal inhabit this area and the neighbouring north-west Slovenia, where sheep farms are quite widespread. Two carcasses were found at a distance of about 150 meters from each other within 5 days. In that area, during the week before the findings, the temperature range was 8-29\ub0C with sunny weather. The dead animals, a male and a female both of about one year old, were located in area partially shaded and externally infested by different necrophagous Diptera and Coleoptera species. The insects on carcasses were in different development stages and they were dead or showed nervous symptoms. The animals were submitted to the laboratory for gross pathological analysis; brain, lungs, stomach content, liver, spleen and kidney were sampled for Canine Distemper Virus, Rabies Virus and toxicological investigations; lungs and gastrointestinal tract were collected for parasitological analysis. Provisional results The collected carcasses were moderately decomposed at the moment of the necropsy and their body condition score was good. Moderate haemorrhagic effusion in the thoracic cavity and lung parenchyma congestion were predominant pathological features; no lesions were observed in visceral organs but diffuse liver necrosis. The gastric content in one carcass was represented by only five partially digested birds with legs tied by wires (identified as Coturnix sp.), while in the other there were some bird portions (the same bird species), broken bones and hair of a scavenged mammal, at present still under study. Body condition score, post mortem findings, entomological features and gastric content aroused the suspect of poisoning. While toxicological analysis is in progress (not yet available for this abstract), preliminary microbiological and parasitological results would support the hypothesis. Furthermore, thanatological and necroscopic findings allowed the recruitment of an anti-poison dog team which found baits consisting in quails hanging on shrubs, at 20-150 meters from the carcasses respectively. Provisional conclusions This occurrence is the first description of poisoning as potential mortality cause in Italian golden jackal. The adequate evaluation of the suspected crime scene and the necropsy procedures adopted have been essential for the present hypothesis suggestion. Moreover, the data collected will be very useful for the correct management of this spreading carnivore in Italy and Western Europe