Hide-and-seek in a highly human-dominated landscape: insights into movement patterns and selection of resting sites of rehabilitated wolves (Canis lupus) in Northern Italy

Assessing the behavioural responses of floating wolves to human presence is crucial for investigating the chance of wolf populations expanding into urbanised landscapes. We studied the movement ecology of three rehabilitated wolves in a highly human-dominated landscape (Po Plain, Italy) to explore wolf’s plasticity amid widespread human pressure. To reach this aim, we estimated individual 95% utilisation distributions (UD) after the release and inspected both 95% UDs and net squared displacements to identify individual movement patterns; tested for differences in movement patterns during day and night; and analysed the selection of resting sites during dispersal movement in a highly human-altered environment. Both the 95% UDs and step lengths were smaller for wolves settling in suitable areas than for those settling in more urbanised areas. All wolves exhibited strong temporal segregation with humans during all movement phases, particularly while dispersing across highly urbanised areas. Main roads and proximity to built-up areas were shown to limit wolves’ dispersal, whereas small-wooded patches that provide shelter during rest facilitated long-distance movements. This study provides important insights into wolf movement and settling in urban and peri-urban areas, providing critical knowledge to promote human–carnivore coexistenc

Wolf predation on livestock in an area of northern Italy and rediction of damage risk

Mortality due to illegal killing is still today one of the main threats to wolf conservation, and an effective management of the conflict between wolf presence and husbandry is a key element for species conservation. The research was aimed at identifying the farm characteristics and the environmental factors that influence predation, and at formulating predictive models of predation risk. We collected and analysed the data on official predation events that occurred during the period 2005–2012 in an area of the northern Apennines, and on the characteristics of livestock farms recorded at the veterinary services. Furthermore, we mapped the grazing areas used by livestock farms and measured 23 variables of the pastures. Our results showed that the majority of predation events were upon cattle, and that grazing management significantly influences the number of predation events. In particular, the pastures that suffered predation were those in which births occur directly on the pasture, those that had at least one period of free grazing during the year, and cattle farms that were lacking in any preventive methods. The number of killed animals per event was higher for sheep than for cattle and goats and increased progressively during the study period. Predation risk increases if the farms practice free grazing at least for a period during the year, if they are not protected by any preventive method and if the degree of surveillance is regular or constant. The risk of predation also increases with the increasing complexity of pasture shape, the decrease in the percentage of coniferous forest and if the pasture is exposed to the north. The model of predation risk showed that 56.6% of the pastures in the study area are potentially exposed to wolf predation, and it allowed us to identify the grazing areas where it is worthwhile intervening with preventive methods

Wolf predation on livestock in an area of northern Italy and prediction of damage risk

Mortality due to illegal killing is still today one of the main threats to wolf conservation, and an effective management of the conflict between wolf presence and husbandry is a key element for species conservation. The research was aimed at identifying the farm characteristics and the environmental factors that influence predation, and at formulating predictive models of predation risk. We collected and analysed the data on official predation events that occurred during the period 2005-2012 in an area of the northern Apennines, and on the characteristics of livestock farms recorded at the veterinary services. Furthermore, we mapped the grazing areas used by livestock farms and measured 23 variables of the pastures. Our results showed that the majority of predation events were upon cattle, and that grazing management significantly influences the number of predation events. In particular, the pastures that suffered predation were those in which births occur directly on the pasture, those that had at least one period of free grazing during the year, and cattle farms that were lacking in any preventive methods. The number of killed animals per event was higher for sheep than for cattle and goats and increased progressively during the study period. Predation risk increases if the farms practice free grazing at least for a period during the year, if they are not protected by any preventive method and if the degree of surveillance is regular or constant. The risk of predation also increases with the increasing complexity of pasture shape, the decrease in the percentage of coniferous forest and if the pasture is exposed to the north. The model of predation risk showed that 56.6% of the pastures in the study area are potentially exposed to wolf predation, and it allowed us to identify the grazing areas where it is worthwhile intervening with preventive methods

Combining ensemble models and connectivity analyses to predict wolf expected dispersal routes through a lowland corridor

The Italian wolf (Canis lupus italicus) population has remained isolated South of the Alps for the last few thousand years. After a strong decline, the species has recolonized the Apennines and the Western Alps, while it is currently struggling to colonize the Eastern Alps. Recently, the species was detected in a lowland park connecting the Northern Apennines to the Central Alps. If the park was able to sustain a net wolf dispersal flow, this could significantly boost the connection with the Eastern Alps and the Dinaric-Balkan population. We investigated the suitability of the park as a functional ecological corridor for the wolf through the unhospitable lowland of Northern Italy. We collected wolf occurrence data in two study areas. We modeled species distribution running a separate ensemble model for each study area and then merging the output of the models to obtain an integrated suitability map. We used this map to identify corridors for the wolf adopting a factorial least-cost path and a cumulative resistant kernel approach. The connectivity models showed that only two corridors exist in the lowland areas between the Northern Apennines and the Central Alps. The Western corridor is a blind route, while the eastern corridor passes through the park and has a continuous course. However, the models also revealed a scarce resilience of corridor connectivity in the passageways between the park and the Apennines and the Prealps, which suggests that urgent management actions are necessary to ensure the future functionality of this important corridor

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

Compared 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

Short-term responses of wolf feeding habits to changes of wild and domestic ungulate abundance in Northern Italy

Long-term changes of wolf feeding habits have been recorded in several parts of its European range and were related to the increase of wild ungulate populations. An increased use of wild prey often is linked to a decrease of predation on livestock, and consequently it can reduce wolf–human conflict and make for easier predator con- servation. We analysed wolf diet from scats collected from 2007 to 2012 in a 927.3-km2 area of the Northern Apennines (Northern Italy) to compare the present diet to that recorded in the late 1980s when the area was colonised by wolves, and to examine short-term changes of wolf feeding habits together with annual and seasonal variations of wild and domestic ungulate selection, possibly related to the increase of wild ungulate abundance. We calculated the availability proportions of wild ungulate species from the presence signs recorded on itineraries and those of livestock species from the data on farms of veterinary services. We identified 17 kinds of prey, pooled into six categories, of which wild ungulates (70%) and livestock (20%) were the most important. During the study period, we observed a reduction in the diet breadth of wolves, to a greater use of wild ungulates, depending on the increase in the availability of wild prey species. Significant seasonal variations were observed in the trophic habits of the wolf, but generally there was a wide use of wild ungulates, especially wild boars. Livestock was mainly used in summer, which corresponds to the period of greatest presence of domestic ungulates on the pastures. Considering the study period, a fast response of wolf feeding habits to the increase of wild ungulate species resulted, together with changes in selection patterns. The change in diet towards a greater use of wild ungulates is an important step in the recovery and conservation of the wolf

Landscape determinants of genetic differentiation, inbreeding and genetic drift in the hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius)

The dispersal process is crucial in determining the fate of populations over time, but habitat fragmentation limits or prevents it. Landscape genetic is an effective tool to assess the degree to which dispersal still occurs in fragmented landscapes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the landscape determinants of genetic differentiation in the hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius), a forest-dependent species of conservation concern. By comparing subpopulations in a continuous (SLR) and a fragmented (VTH) population, we (i) searched for the presence of Isolation-by-Resistance (IBR); (ii) estimated migration rates; (iii) evaluated the degree of inbreeding and genetic drift, and searched for their landscape determinants. We found an IBR effect in VTH, which heavily hindered the dispersal process. The overall number of migrants among VTH subpopulations was very low (1 per generation, compared to 15 in SLR), although a between-patch displacement of about 4 km along a well-structured hedgerow probably occurred. The inbreeding (F > 0.2 in most subpopulations) and the genetic drift (four out five subpopulations showed private alleles on several loci, with relatively high frequencies) are of particular concern in VTH. However, they were found to be limited in large patches or in patches connected by hedgerows with a high number of neighbouring patches. As a conservation strategy in the VTH landscape, characterized by small patches, we suggest that the dispersal process among subpopulations is enhanced to sustain a functional metapopulation. For this purpose, an effective ecological network should be created by enhancing the continuity and the internal features of hedgerows