scholarly journals The Critically Endangered Myanmar snub-nosed monkey Rhinopithecus strykeri found in the Salween River Basin, China

Oryx ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 134-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yin Yang ◽  
Ying-Ping Tian ◽  
Chen-Xiang He ◽  
Zhipang Huang ◽  
Shao-Hua Dong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
Infrared Camera ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Transect Sampling ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Disturbed Forest ◽  
Endangered Status ◽  
Salween River

AbstractThe Myanmar snub-nosed monkey Rhinopithecus strykeri was discovered in 2010 on the western slopes of the Gaoligong Mountains in the Irrawaddy River basin in Myanmar and subsequently in the same river basin in China, in 2011. Based on 2 years of surveying the remote and little disturbed forest of the Gaoligong Mountains National Nature Reserve in China, with outline transect sampling and infrared camera monitoring, a breeding group comprising > 70 individuals was found on the eastern slopes of the Gaoligong Mountains in the Salween River Basin. Given the Critically Endangered status of this primate (a total of < 950 individuals are estimated to remain in the wild), efforts to protect the relatively undisturbed habitat of this newly discovered population and to prevent hunting are essential for the long-term survival of this species.

scholarly journals Microsatellite analysis reveals low genetic diversity in managed populations of the critically endangered gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) in India

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Surya Prasad Sharma ◽  
Mirza Ghazanfarullah Ghazi ◽  
Suyash Katdare ◽  
Niladri Dasgupta ◽  
Samrat Mondol ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Indian Subcontinent ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Mitochondrial Control Region ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Genetic Status ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Gavialis Gangeticus

AbstractThe gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is a critically endangered crocodylian, endemic to the Indian subcontinent. The species has experienced severe population decline during the twentieth century owing to habitat loss, poaching, and mortalities in passive fishing. Its extant populations have largely recovered through translocation programmes initiated in 1975. Understanding the genetic status of these populations is crucial for evaluating the effectiveness of the ongoing conservation efforts. This study assessed the genetic diversity, population structure, and evidence of genetic bottlenecks of the two managed populations inhabiting the Chambal and Girwa Rivers, which hold nearly 80% of the global gharial populations. We used seven polymorphic nuclear microsatellite loci and a 520 bp partial fragment of the mitochondrial control region (CR). The overall mean allelic richness (Ar) was 2.80 ± 0.40, and the observed (Ho) and expected (He) heterozygosities were 0.40 ± 0.05 and 0.39 ± 0.05, respectively. We observed low levels of genetic differentiation between populations (FST = 0.039, P < 0.05; G’ST = 0.058, P < 0.05 Jost’s D = 0.016, P < 0.05). The bottleneck analysis using the M ratio (Chambal = 0.31 ± 0.06; Girwa = 0.41 ± 0.12) suggested the presence of a genetic bottleneck in both populations. The mitochondrial CR also showed a low level of variation, with two haplotypes observed in the Girwa population. This study highlights the low level of genetic diversity in the two largest managed gharial populations in the wild. Hence, it is recommended to assess the genetic status of extant wild and captive gharial populations for planning future translocation programmes to ensure long-term survival in the wild.

scholarly journals Community-based study to demonstrate the presence and local perspectives of the Critically Endangered Chinese Pangolin Manis pentadactyla in Zhejiang Wuyanling, China

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 15547-15556
Author(s):  
Hongying Li ◽  
Shusheng Zhang ◽  
Ji Zhang ◽  
Zupei Lei ◽  
Fangdong Zheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mainland China ◽  
Infrared Camera ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Illegal Hunting ◽  
Critically Endangered Species ◽  
The Status ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Manis Pentadactyla ◽  
Camera Surveillance

Illegal hunting and trading of the Chinese Pangolin Manis pentadactyla has pushed this Critically Endangered species close to extinction.  While local reports have suggested its continued presence in mainland China, this has not been confirmed by a research group except for a survey of presumed pangolin burrows in 2004.  We conducted a six-month field study using infrared camera surveillance and community questionnaire survey in Zhejiang Wuyanling National Nature Reserve in China, to determine the status of Chinese Pangolins and understand local attitudes towards the conservation of this species.  Our study details the first verifiable documentation of two visual records of a Chinese Pangolin in the wild, demonstrating the suitability of pangolin habitat in Wuyanling region, and suggests an increasing awareness and strong willingness in local communities to conserve the Chinese Pangolin.  

scholarly journals Canopy structure drives orangutan habitat selection in disturbed Bornean forests

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (31) ◽  
pp. 8307-8312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew B. Davies ◽  
Marc Ancrenaz ◽  
Felicity Oram ◽  
Gregory P. Asner
Keyword(s):  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Habitat Restoration ◽  
Canopy Structure ◽  
Large Species ◽  
Anthropogenic Pressures ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Ecological Requirements ◽  
Disturbed Forest ◽  
Fragmented Forests

The conservation of charismatic and functionally important large species is becoming increasingly difficult. Anthropogenic pressures continue to squeeze available habitat and force animals into degraded and disturbed areas. Ensuring the long-term survival of these species requires a well-developed understanding of how animals use these new landscapes to inform conservation and habitat restoration efforts. We combined 3 y of highly detailed visual observations of Bornean orangutans with high-resolution airborne remote sensing (Light Detection and Ranging) to understand orangutan movement in disturbed and fragmented forests of Malaysian Borneo. Structural attributes of the upper forest canopy were the dominant determinant of orangutan movement among all age and sex classes, with orangutans more likely to move in directions of increased canopy closure, tall trees, and uniform height, as well as avoiding canopy gaps and moving toward emergent crowns. In contrast, canopy vertical complexity (canopy layering and shape) did not affect movement. Our results suggest that although orangutans do make use of disturbed forest, they select certain canopy attributes within these forests, indicating that not all disturbed or degraded forest is of equal value for the long-term sustainability of orangutan populations. Although the value of disturbed habitats needs to be recognized in conservation plans for wide-ranging, large-bodied species, minimal ecological requirements within these habitats also need to be understood and considered if long-term population viability is to be realized.

A new endemic psyllid genus, Stevekenia gen. nov. (Hemiptera: Psylloidea, Triozidae), from the Hawaiian Islands with two new and rare species on threatened host plants in the endemic genus Nothocestrum (Solanaceae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4286 (3) ◽  
pp. 370 ◽  
Author(s):  
DIANA M. PERCY
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Host Plants ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
Hawaiian Islands ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Iucn Red List ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Endemic Genus ◽  
Endangered Status

A new endemic psyllid genus from the Hawaiian Islands, Stevekenia gen. nov., is described. Two new species, both single island endemics, feed on host plants in the endemic genus Nothocestrum (Solanaceae). Stevekenia nothocestri sp. nov. is found on Nothocestrum longifolium on the island of Oahu and Stevekenia aiea sp. nov. is found on N. peltatum on the island of Kauai. The host plants are montane rainforest species and both are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. In particular, N. peltatum, which is endemic to the island of Kauai, is considered critically endangered, and therefore a similarly endangered status for these host-specific insects is likely. Only a few specimens of each Stevekenia species have been found, suggesting occurrence at low abundance. The host plants survive either as isolated individuals or small fragmented populations, which may already constitute less than the required critical host plant density for the long term survival of this psyllid genus. Unique morphological characters distinguish Stevekenia from other Hawaiian genera, and the placement of this genus within Triozidae is discussed. Mitochondrial DNA barcodes for the new species are provided. 

Long-term survival despite low genetic diversity in the critically endangered Madagascar fish-eagle

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
JEFF A. JOHNSON ◽  
RUTH E. TINGAY ◽  
MELANIE CULVER ◽  
FRANK HAILER ◽  
MICHÈLE L. CLARKE ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Long Term Survival ◽  
Low Genetic Diversity

No long-term effect of intracoelomic acoustic transmitter implantation on survival, growth, and body condition of a long-lived stenotherm in the wild

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin A. G. Hubbard ◽  
Brendan E. Hickie ◽  
Jeff Bowman ◽  
Lee E. Hrenchuk ◽  
Paul J. Blanchfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Lake Trout ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Acoustic Transmitter ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Surgical Implantation ◽  
Fish Survival

A fundamental assumption of biotelemetry studies is that there are no adverse consequences from the surgical implantation or presence of the acoustic transmitter. In fisheries, most studies have evaluated this assumption over only short time periods (<2 y) in a laboratory setting. Here we compared the survival, growth, and body condition of populations of Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in three lakes containing tagged and untagged individuals over a 12-year period (2002-2013). We found no significant negative effects of acoustic telemetry tagging on the long-term survival of fish (estimates of combined annual survival ranged from 67% to 91%), and no negative effect of surgical implantation on growth or body condition for fish of either sex. Additionally, we found no significant effect of transmitter:fish mass ratio on fish survival, growth (with the exception of smaller-bodied fish in one lake), or condition. All implanted fish received tags weighing <1.25% of their mass (in water), indicating that this criterion is desirable for larger-bodied adult Lake Trout. Our findings support the assumption that long-lived fish species tagged with acoustic transmitters via intracoelomic surgery survive, grow, and maintain body condition similar to un-tagged conspecifics over the long-term in the wild.

scholarly journals Play in Elephants: Wellbeing, Welfare or Distraction?

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 305 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Elizabeth Webber ◽  
Phyllis C. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Social Play ◽  
Feeding Time ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Active Time ◽  
Object Play ◽  
Welfare Indicator ◽  
Potential Indicator ◽  
In The Wild

We explore elephant play behaviour since (a) play has been proposed to represent a potential welfare indicator; and (b) play has been associated with long-term survival in the wild. We categorised play into four types, and investigate both social (gentle, escalated-contact) and non-social (lone-locomotor, exploratory-object) play from observations made on wild (Asian N = 101; African N = 130) and captive (Asian N = 8; African N = 7) elephant calves ranging in age from birth to five years. Social play was the most frequent type of play among immature elephants, accounting for an average of 3%–9% of active time. Non-social play accounted for an additional 1%–11% of time. The most time spent in play was seen in captive Asian calves, particularly at the ages of 1–6 months, while wild African calves spent the least time in play overall, even though they had the greatest number and most diverse range of play partners available. We assessed calf energetics using time spent suckling, resting, moving and independent feeding. Time spent playing was unrelated to time spent suckling but negatively associated with time spent independently feeding. There were no associations with time spent moving or resting. Maternal energy via lactation was unrelated to play early in life, but energy acquired independently may constrain or enable play. Play, while a potential indicator of compromised welfare for many species when absent, can act as a highly stimulating activity for captive elephants in the absence of other forms of arousal.

scholarly journals Telomere dynamics rather than age predict life expectancy in the wild

2009 ◽  
Vol 276 (1662) ◽  
pp. 1679-1683 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Bize ◽  
François Criscuolo ◽  
Neil B Metcalfe ◽  
Lubna Nasir ◽  
Pat Monaghan
Keyword(s):  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Telomere Length ◽  
Good Evidence ◽  
Chronological Age ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Telomere Dynamics

Despite accumulating evidence from in vitro studies that cellular senescence is linked to telomere dynamics, how this relates to whole-organism senescence and longevity is poorly understood and controversial. Using data on telomere length in red blood cells and long-term survival from wild Alpine swifts of a range of ages, we report that the telomere length and the rate of telomere loss are predictive of life expectancy, and that slow erosion of relatively long telomeres is associated with the highest survival probabilities. Importantly, because telomere dynamics, rather than chronological age, predict life expectancy, our study provides good evidence for a mechanistic link between telomere erosion and reduced organism longevity under natural conditions, chronological age itself possibly not becoming a significant predictor until very old ages beyond those in our sample.

scholarly journals Trade in Asian elephant ivory in Sri Lanka

Oryx ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 176-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Santiapillai ◽  
Ajith Silva ◽  
Champika Karyawasam ◽  
Shameema Esufali ◽  
Salila Jayaniththi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Endangered Species ◽  
Turn Of The Century ◽  
Elephas Maximus ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Recent Past ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Elephant Ivory

AbstractElephants Elephas maximus have declined in range and number in the wild in Sri Lanka, from c. 12,000 at the turn of the nineteenth century to c. 4000 today. While in the distant past the decline in elephant numbers was due largely to indiscriminate killing by sportsmen and trophy hunters, today elephants are being killed primarily because they interfere with agriculture. Human-elephant conflicts have increased substantially in the recent past and ivory poaching has become a byproduct of such conflicts. Elephant tusks have been used traditionally in the ivory-carving industry in Sri Lanka since the time of the ancient kings. Until the turn of the century, very little ivory was imported from Africa because there was a plentiful supply of tuskers locally available. Sri Lankan ivory carvers started to use African ivory in 1910. Today ivory and fake-ivory products are sold openly to tourists in some 86 shops in the island. Before the listing of the African elephant in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the value of raw ivory in Sri Lanka used to be $US228–285 per kg. After the listing, the price fell to $US72 per kg, reflecting a drastic drop in the demand for ivory from tourists. Many ivory carvers have switched to other jobs or are using substitutes (such as bone and horn) to produce fake-ivory carvings. Only about 7.5 per cent of bulls in Sri Lanka are tuskers and they are under poaching pressure outside protected areas. Given the rarity of tuskers in Sri Lanka, promotion of trade in ivory products, even locally, may pose a serious threat to their long-term survival in the wild.

scholarly journals Ongoing decline of suitable habitat for the Critically Endangered Gurney's pitta Hydrornis gurneyi

Oryx ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Tommaso Savini ◽  
Nay Myo Shwe ◽  
Niti Sukumal
Keyword(s):  
Industrial Development ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Legal Protection ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
Conservation Action ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Long Term Survival ◽  
Lowland Forests

Abstract From 1999 onwards, level, lowland forests (altitude < 150 m, slopes < 10°) in the Tanintharyi Region of southern Myanmar have been cleared on a large scale and replaced by oil palm plantations. This has resulted in a drastic decline in suitable habitat for several species, including Gurney's pitta Hydrornis gurneyi (Passeriformes, Pittidae). The habitat for this species has decreased by > 80%, leading to its categorization as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List in 2019. As threats in the region have continued, we updated information on the status of the species’ habitat in January 2020, and examined forest loss in the three strongholds where the species still persists in the wild. Since the previous estimate in 2017, suitable habitat in these locations has decreased by 8% (from 656 to 603 km2), with > 10% of the remaining area now in fragments of < 1 km2, which are unsuitable for the mid- to long-term survival of the species. Forest degradation and edge effects from increased fragmentation have led to further loss of suitable habitat in these strongholds. Projections indicate that unless conservation action is taken, all suitable habitat will disappear by 2080. The main threat to the long-term survival of Gurney's pitta is the lack of legal protection of primary lowland forests, resulting in uncontrolled clearance for small- and large-scale agriculture and industrial development. We provide recommendations to reduce the rate of loss of the remaining suitable habitat for the species.

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