Landscape requirements of a primate population in a human-dominated environment

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>As urban and rural land development become widespread features of the global landscape so an understanding of the landscape requirements of displaced and isolated wildlife species becomes increasingly important for conservation planning. In the Cape Peninsula, South Africa, rapid human population growth, and the associated urban and rural land transformation, threatens the sustainability of the local chacma baboon population. Here we analyse spatial data collected from nine of the 12 extant troops to determine their population-level landscape requirements. We use hurdle models to ascertain the key landscape features influencing baboon occurrence and abundance patterns on two hierarchical spatial scales.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Both spatial scales produced similar results that were ecologically reliable and interpretable. The models indicated that baboons were more likely to occur, and be more abundant, at low altitudes, on steep slopes and in human-modified habitats. The combination of these landscape variables provides baboons with access to the best quality natural and anthropogenic food sources in close proximity to one another and suitable sleeping sites. Surface water did not emerge as an influential landscape feature presumably as the area is not water stressed.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The model results indicate that land development in the Cape Peninsula has pushed baboons into increasingly marginal natural habitat while simultaneously providing them with predictable and easily accessible food sources in human-modified habitats. The resultant spatial competition between humans and baboons explains the high levels of human-baboon conflict and further erosion of the remaining land fragments is predicted to exacerbate competition. This study demonstrates how the quantification of animal landscape requirements can provide a mechanism for identifying priority conservation areas at the human-wildlife interface.</p

Understanding the black-backed jackal

This paper reviews what we know about black-backed jackal ecology, drawing implications for managing human-wildlife conflict with this species. We review the research literature on the black-backed jackals in the context of other African jackal species and with regard to its diet (part 1), its breeding, territoriality and sociality (part 2), and its role as a ‘problem animal’ for small stock farmers (part 3). We argue that both the historical record (see also Nattrass et al., 2017) and the scientific research points to the need to understand the black-backed jackal as a very adaptable animal whose diet, breeding strategies and social arrangements are context-dependent. We draw implications for the management of black-backed jackal predation (part 4) and need for further research, especially on farmlands and landscapes undergoing a transformation in land use. The paper is part of an inter-disciplinary project about sheep farming and predators in the Karoo

Flexible group cohesion and coordination, but robust leader–follower roles, in a wild social primate using urban space

Collective behaviour has a critical influence on group social structure and organization, individual fitness and social evolution, but we know little about whether and how it changes in anthropogenic environments. Here, we show multiple and varying effects of urban space-use upon group-level processes in a primate generalist—the chacma baboon (Papio ursinus)—within a managed wild population living at the urban edge in the City of Cape Town, South Africa. In natural space, we observe baboon-typical patterns of collective behaviour. By contrast, in urban space (where there are increased risks, but increased potential for high-quality food rewards), baboons show extreme flexibility in collective behaviour, with changes in spatial cohesion and association networks, travel speeds and group coordination. However, leader–follower roles remain robust across natural and urban space, with adult males having a disproportionate influence on the movement of group members. Their important role in the group's collective behaviour complements existing research and supports the management tactic employed by field rangers of curbing the movements of adult males, which indirectly deters the majority of the group from urban space. Our findings highlight both flexibility and robustness in collective behaviour when groups are presented with novel resources and heightened risks

Sperm structure and motility in the eusocial naked mole-rat, Heterocephalus glaber: a case of degenerative orthogenesis in the absence of sperm competition?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We have studied sperm structure and motility in a eusocial rodent where reproduction is typically restricted to a single male and behaviourally dominant queen. Males rarely compete for access to the queen during her estrus cycle, suggesting little or no role for sperm competition.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our results revealed an atypical mammalian sperm structure with spermatozoa from breeding, subordinate and disperser males being degenerate and almost completely lacking a "mammalian phylogenetic stamp". Sperm structure is characterized by extreme polymorphism with most spermatozoa classified as abnormal. Sperm head shapes include round, oval, elongated, lobed, asymmetrical and amorphous. At the ultrastructural level, the sperm head contains condensed to granular chromatin with large open spaces between the chromatin. Nuclear chromatin seems disorganized since chromatin condensation is irregular and extremely inconsistent. The acrosome forms a cap (ca 35%) over the anterior part of the head. A well defined nuclear fossa and neck with five minor sets of banded protein structures are present. The midpiece is poorly organized and contains only 5 to 7 round to oval mitochondria. The flagellar pattern is 9+9+2. A distinct degenerative feature of the tail principal piece is the absence of the fibrous sheath. Only 7% motile spermatozoa were observed which had exceptionally slow swimming speeds.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In this species, sperm form has simplified and degenerated in many aspects and represents a specialised form of degenerative orthogenesis at the cellular level.</p

Postpartum cessation of urban space use by a female baboon living at the edge of the City of Cape Town

Species with slow life history strategies that invest in few offspring with extended parental care need to adapt their behavior to cope with anthropogenic changes that occur within their lifetime. Here we show that a female chacma baboon (Papio ursinus) that commonly ranges within urban space in the City of Cape Town, South Africa, stops using urban space after giving birth. This change of space use occurs without any significant change in daily distance traveled or social interactions that would be expected with general risk-sensitive behavior after birth. Instead, we suggest this change occurs because of the specific and greater risks the baboons experience within the urban space compared to natural space, and because leaving the troop (to enter urban space) may increase infanticide risk. This case study can inform methods used to manage the baboons' urban space use in Cape Town and provides insight into how life history events alter individuals' use of anthropogenic environments

On the fence : the impact of education on support for electric fencing to prevent conflict between humans and baboons in Kommetjie, South Africa

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : Data requests can be directed to the corresponding author.SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS : VIDEO S1. An educational video on the welfare, conservation, and lifestyle benefits of a baboon-proof electric fence that formed part of the Kommetjie residents survey.Few studies test whether education can help increase support for wildlife management interventions. This mixed methods study sought to test the importance of educating a community on the use of a baboon-proof electric fence to mitigate negative interactions between humans and Chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) in a residential suburb of the City of Cape Town, South Africa. An educational video on the welfare, conservation and lifestyle benefits of a baboon-proof electric fence was included in a short online survey. The positioning of the video within the survey was randomised either to fall before or after questions probing the level of support for an electric fence. The results showed that watching the video before most survey questions increased the average marginal probability of supporting an electric fence by 15 percentage points. The study also explored whether the educational video could change people’s minds. Those who saw the video towards the end of the survey were questioned again about the electric fence. Many changed their minds after watching the video, with support for the fence increasing from 36% to 50%. Of these respondents, the results show that being female raised the average marginal probability of someone changing their mind in favour of supporting the fence by 19%. Qualitative analysis revealed that support for or against the fence was multi-layered and that costs and concern for baboons were not the only relevant factors influencing people’s choices. Conservation often needs to change people’s behaviours. We need to know what interventions are effective. We show in the real world that an educational video can be effective and can moderately change people’s opinions and that women are more likely to change their position in light of the facts than men. This study contributes to the emerging literature on the importance of education in managing conservation conflicts and the need for evidence-based interventions.The University of Cape Town.https://www.mdpi.com/journal/animalsMammal Research Institut

A brief history of predators, sheep farmers and government in the Western Cape, South Africa

This paper provides a brief history of the conflict between South African sheep farmers and predators (and we touch also on the debate between diverse stakeholders over how best to respond to that conflict). We focus in particular on black-backed jackals and commercial sheep farmers in the Western Cape Karoo, drawing on historical sources, colonial records, early ecological thinking and observations by farmers to paint a picture of this dynamic conflict. The paper forms part of an inter-disciplinary project about sheep farming and predators in the Karo

Using behavioral studies to adapt management decisions and reduce negative interactions between humans and baboons in Cape Town, South Africa

Understanding the behavioral ecology of wildlife that experiences negative interactions with humans and the outcome of any wildlife management intervention is essential. In the Cape Peninsula, South Africa, chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) search for anthropogenic food sources in both urban and agricultural areas. In response, the city of Cape Town and private farmers employ “rangers” to keep baboons within the Table Mountain National Park. In this study, we investigated the success of rangers' intervention in keeping baboons in their natural habitat. Based on our findings in year one, we recommended adjustments to the rangers' management strategy in year two. We recommended improved consensus of actions toward baboons (that is, when/where to herd them), and the construction of a baboon-proof fence around one of the farms that provided a corridor to urban areas. During the 2 months following recommendations, these interventions combined resulted in a significant reduction in the time baboons spent in both urban and agricultural land. Our case study illustrates the importance of integrating research findings into ongoing management actions to improve both human livelihoods and baboon conservation through an adaptive management framework. We expect similar approaches to be beneficial in a wide range of species and contexts

How attractive is the girl next door? An assessment of spatial mate acquisition and paternity in the solitary Cape Dune mole-rat, Bathyergus suillus

Behavioural observations of reproduction and mate choice in wild fossorial rodents are extremely limited and consequently indirect methods are typically used to infer mating strategies. We use a combination of morphological, reproductive, spatial, and genetic data to investigate the reproductive strategy of a solitary endemic species, the Cape dune mole-rat Bathyergus suillus. These data provide the first account on the population dynamics of this species. Marked sexual dimorphism was apparent with males being both significantly larger and heavier than females. Of all females sampled 36% had previously reproduced and 12% were pregnant at the time of capture. Post-partum sex ratio was found to be significantly skewed in favour of females. The paternity of fifteen litters (n = 37) was calculated, with sires assigned to progeny using both categorical and full probability methods, and including a distance function. The maximum distance between progeny and a putative sire was determined as 2149 m with males moving between sub-populations. We suggest that above-ground movement should not be ignored in the consideration of mate acquisition behaviour of subterranean mammals. Estimated levels of multiple paternity were shown to be potentially as high as 26%, as determined using sibship and sire assignment methods. Such high levels of multiple paternity have not been found in other solitary mole-rat species. The data therefore suggest polyandry with no evidence as yet for polygyny.The Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation for funding from the South African Research Chairs Initiative Chair for Mammal Behavioural Ecology and Physiology awarded to NB. Funding was also provided by the University of Pretoria in provision of TB’s postdoctoral fellowship.http://www.plosone.orgab201

Book Reviews

Book Review 1Book Title: Mammoths, Mastodonts &amp; Elephants; Biology, Behaviour, and the Fossil RecordBook Author: Gary HaynesCambridge University Press 1991. 413 pp.Book Review 2Book Title: A Fieldguide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar (Second Edition)Book Authors: Frank Glaw &amp; Miguel VeneesM, Venees &amp; F. Glaw Verlags GbR,  Köln, December 1994. 48O pagesBook Review 3Book Title: The Physiology of Reproduction; Second edition 1993Book Authors: Editors in Chief: E, Knobil &amp; J.D. Neill Associate Editors: G.S. Greenwald, C.L. Markert &amp; D.W. PfaffA two volume set, 3302 pages. Raven Press, New YorkBook Review 4Book Title: The Economics of Non-Human SocietiesBook Author: Gordon TullockPallas Press, March 1994 Tuscon, Arizona. 87 pages.Book Review 5Book Title: Bird Atlas of BotswanaBook Author: Huw PenryUniversity of Natal Press, Pietermaritzburg. 319 pages.Book Review 6Book Title: Colobine Monkeys: their Ecology, Behaviour and EvolutionBook Authors: A. Glyn Davies &amp; John F. OatesCambridge University Press, Cambridge UK (1994). Pages xiii + 415.Book Review 7Book Title: Water Relations of Terrestrial ArthropodsBook Author: N.F. HadleyAcademic Press. 1994. 356 page