A Steppe Towards a Secure Future

Applied Biodiversity Science Progra

Increasing risks for emerging infectious diseases within a rapidly changing High Asia

The cold and arid mountains and plateaus of High Asia, inhabited by a relatively sparse human population, a high density of livestock, and wildlife such as the iconic snow leopard Panthera uncia, are usually considered low risk for disease outbreaks. However, based on current knowledge about drivers of disease emergence, we show that High Asia is rapidly developing conditions that favor increased emergence of infectious diseases and zoonoses. This is because of the existing prevalence of potentially serious pathogens in the system; intensifying environmental degradation; rapid changes in local ecological, socio-ecological, and socio-economic factors; and global risk intensifiers such as climate change and globalization. To better understand and manage the risks posed by diseases to humans, livestock, and wildlife, there is an urgent need for establishing a disease surveillance system and improving human and animal health care. Public health must be integrated with conservation programs, more ecologically sustainable development efforts and long-term disease surveillance

Recent studies on Indian primates show declining population trends, even in protected areas

Population size and geographical range are the key quantitative criteria used by the IUCN to assess the conservation status of a species. However, such information is often incomplete and inconsistent, even for seemingly abundant species. To assess the population and conservation status of Indian primates, we conducted a systematic review of recent research using the searching, appraisal, synthesis and analysis (SALSA) approach. We reviewed a total of 41 studies on Indian primates conducted during the last 2 decades (2000–2021) for information on various parameters that influence their conservation. We found that 20 out of a total of 26 primate species were evaluated for their population status, and the majority of these studies (71%) showed an overall declining population trend. Remarkably, all but one of the studies conducted exclusively within protected areas revealed declining population trends, whereas trends were more variable for primate populations in non-protected areas. Our data indicate that only 27% (n = 7) of Indian primate species have been surveyed or re-surveyed to assess their population status within the last 5 years. Although threats vary in time and space from species to species, 78% of the studies recorded natural system modifications including habitat loss and fragmentation among the main threats to the survival of Indian primates. Most studies on the population status of Indian primates have either been spatially limited or used outdated methods. We recommend that future studies adopt robust techniques to estimate populations and work across larger geographical scales to develop effective management strategies for the conservation of primates in India

Balancing making a difference with making a living in the conservation sector

Goals play important roles in people's lives by focusing attention, mobilizing effort, and sustaining motivation. Understanding conservationists’ satisfaction with goal progress may provide insights into real-world environmental trends and flag risks to their well-being and motivation. We asked 2694 conservationists working globally how satisfied they were with progress towards goals important to them. We then explored how this satisfaction varied between groups. Finally, we looked at respondents' experiences associated with goal progress satisfaction. Many (94.0%) said “making a meaningful contribution to conservation” was an important goal for them, with over half being satisfied or very satisfied in this area (52.5%). However, respondents were generally dissatisfied with progress to collective conservation goals, such as stopping species loss, echoing formal assessments. Some groups were more likely to report dissatisfaction than others. For instance, those in conservation for longer tended to be less satisfied with collective goal progress (log-odds -0.21, 95% credibility interval (CI) -0.32 to -0.10), but practitioners reported greater satisfaction (log-odds 0.38, 95% CI 0.15-0.60). Likewise, those who are more optimistic in life (log-odds 0.24, 95% CI 0.17-0.32), male (log-odds 0.25, 95% CI 0.10-0.41), and working in conservation practice (log-odds 0.25, 95% CI 0.08-0.43) reported greater satisfaction with individual goal progress. Free-text responses suggested widespread dissatisfaction around livelihood goals, particularly related to job security and adequate compensation. While contributing to conservation appeared to be a source of satisfaction, slow goal progress in other areas – particularly around making a living – looked to be a source of distress and demotivation. Employers, funders, professional societies, and others should consider ways to help those in the sector make a difference whilst making a living, including by prioritizing conservationists' well-being when allocating funding. This support could include avoiding exploitative practices, fostering supportive work environments, and celebrating positive outcomes

Personal traits predict conservationists’ optimism about outcomes for nature

In the face of unprecedented biodiversity loss, the belief that conservation goals can be met could play an important role in ensuring they are fulfilled. We asked conservationists how optimistic they felt about key biodiversity outcomes over the next 10 years; 2341 people familiar with conservation in 144 countries responded. Respondents expressed optimism that enabling conditions for conservation would improve but felt pressures would continue, and the state of biodiversity was unlikely to get better. Respondents with greater general optimism about life, at early-career stages, and working in practice and policy (compared to academia) reported higher conservation optimism. But most of our biodiversity and conservation status indicators were not associated with conservation optimism. Unbounded optimism without appropriate action would be misguided in the face of growing threats to biodiversity. However, supporting those struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel could help sustain efforts to overcome these threats

Identifying relationships between multi-scale social–ecological factors to explore ungulate health in a Western Kazakhstan rangeland

1. Rangelands are multi-use landscapes which are socially and ecologically important in different ways. Among other interactions, shared use of rangelands by wildlife and livestock can lead to disease transmission. Understanding wildlife and livestock health and managing disease transmission in rangelands requires an integration of social and ecological knowledge. 2. Using the example of Western Kazakhstan, home to two types of ungulate hosts, the critically-endangered saiga antelopes, Saiga tatarica, and livestock, we conducted a cross-scale analysis of social-economic, ecological and climatic factors that contribute to transmission of diseases. We focused on Gastro-intestinal Nematodes (GINs) because they are transmitted between hosts that share pasture and they affect ungulate fitness. We used an interdisciplinary social-ecological methods approach which included conducting fecal egg counts of GINs in saigas and livestock, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with livestock owners and herders in the region, and triangulation of information through secondary sources. 3. Livestock rearing was done in two ways a) village-based livestock and b) outlying farms. The latter overlapped more with saigas. Village-based livestock had significantly higher worm burdens than those on outlying farms, which had comparable burdens to saigas. Various factors exacerbate GIN prevalence and transmission: Veterinary services are minimal; both saiga and livestock numbers are increasing; and changing climate is increasing farmers' dependence on shared pastures for hay production. It will be crucial for saiga conservationists to engage in multi-pronged conservation interventions, which are evaluated and adapted through the lens of rural livelihoods and the livestock health on which they depend. 4. Synthesis and Application: Our work provides researchers and practitioners with an avenue to better understand complex inter-relationships and plan interventions within rangelands, while viewing host health from an interdisciplinary perspective - ultimately working towards wildlife conservation whilst safeguarding livelihoods across the world's rangelands

A review of the ecological and socioeconomic characteristics of trophy hunting across Asia

The continuing debates about trophy hunting should be underpinned by an understanding of at least the basic characteristics of the practice (e.g. species, quotas, areas, prices). Whilst many countries in Asia have established trophy hunting programmes of considerable importance to conservation and local livelihoods, there remains some ambiguity over the extent of trophy hunting in Asia as its basic characteristics in each country have not been compiled. In this study, we compile information on various ecological and socioeconomic characteristics of trophy hunting of mammals for countries across Asia by reviewing published and unpublished literature, analysing trade data, and obtaining contributions from in-country contacts. Across Asia, established trophy hunting programmes exist in at least 11 countries and target at least 30 species and one hybrid (incl., five Vulnerable and one Endangered species). Trophy hunting in these countries varies markedly in areas (e.g. >1 million km2 in Kazakhstan, 37% of country, vs. 1325 km2 in Nepal, <1% of country) and annual offtakes (e.g. Kazakhstan: 4500 individuals from 4 of 5 trophy species; Pakistan: 229 from 4 of 7; Mongolia: 155 from 6 of 9; Tajikistan: 126 from 3 of 6; Nepal: 22 from 3 of the 4 that are trophy hunted in practice). Permit prices also vary across species and countries, with domestic and international hunters sometimes charged different rates. Hunters from the USA appear overwhelmingly prominent among international clients. National legislations typically mandate a proportion of trophy hunting revenue to accrue locally (range: 40–100%). We provide five key recommendations for research to inform trophy hunting policy in Asia: (1) Ecological impact assessments; (2) Socioeconomic impact assessments; (3) Evaluations of the contributions of trophy hunting to conservation spending; (4) Evaluations of the contributions of trophy hunting to the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework; (5) Further examinations of perceptions of trophy hunting

Gut microbiota of the critically endangered Saiga antelope across two wild populations in a year without mass mortality

The Saiga are migratory antelopes inhabiting the grasslands of Eurasia. Over the last century, Saiga have been pushed to the brink of extinction by mass mortality events and intense poaching. Yet, despite the high profile of the Saiga as an animal of conservation concern, little is known of its biology. In particular, the gut microbiota of Saiga has not been studied, despite its potential importance in health. Here, we characterise the gut microbiota of Saiga from two geographically distinct populations in Kazakhstan and compare it with that of other antelope species. We identified a consistent gut microbial diversity and composition among individuals and across two Saiga populations during a year without die-offs, with over 85% of bacterial genera being common to both populations despite vast geographic separation. We further show that the Saiga gut microbiota resembled that of five other antelopes. The putative causative agent of Saiga mass die-offs, Pasteurella multocida, was not detected in the Saiga microbiota. Our findings provide the first description of the Saiga gut microbiota, generating a baseline for future work investigating the microbiota's role in health and mass die-offs, and supporting the conservation of this critically endangered species.Peer reviewe