Protected areas are now the last strongholds for many imperiled mammal species

Background: The habitat degradation together with fragmentation and illegal hunting represent a major threat for biodiversity conservation in Lama protected areas. Method: We used a combination of questionnaire survey with local communities for ranking the hunted mammal species as bushmeat and track surveys in gridded-cell system of 500x500 m2 (n=268) to assess at what extend the management design, the anthropogenic factors and habitat type affect the occupancy model of those mammal species. Results: Twenty mammal species have been predominantly reported by the local inhabitants to consume bushmeat species and 5 of them have been identified as the most preferable as hunted game mammals. The selection of the preferred habitat among the swampy forest, the dense forest, the tree plantations and cropland for the prioritized game species varies between species but looks similar when grouping in different orders. Some bushmeat species were found to select the more secure habitat (natural forest); suggesting the zoning system in the Lama forest can passively protect those species. However, some species such as T. swinderianus although highly hunted showed preference to anthropogenic habitat, avoiding the well secured core zone in Lama Forest. Conclusion: Our findings highlighted the importance of the zoning system with different management objectives in the habitat occupancy model of the highly hunted wildlife species.

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Non-volant mammals from the protected areas associated to hydroelectric projects on the eastern slope of the northern Cordillera Central, Colombia

Check List ◽

10.15560/13.2.2098 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 2098 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Camilo Sánchez-Giraldo ◽

Juan M. Daza

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

Eastern Slope ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Cordillera Central ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Mammal Conservation ◽

Voucher Specimens ◽

Hydroelectric Projects ◽

San Carlos ◽

Ongoing Monitoring

The northern part of the Cordillera Central in Colombia has been recognized as a region of particular relevancy in vertebrates biodiversity. We provide a list of non-volant mammal species in Jaguas and San Carlos, two protected areas around hydroelectric projects on the eastern slope of the Cordillera Central in Antioquia. As part of an ongoing monitoring project, we obtained records from a standardized survey in 2011 and sporadic surveys in 2014–2015 (capture and non-invasive methods), and from the revision of voucher specimens. From 132 records we generated a list of 34 species, 22 species in Jaguas and 27 in San Carlos, belonging to 20 families and seven orders. We record the occurrence of four endemic and four threatened species, including the endemic and Endangered Tamarin, Saguinus leucopus, highlighting the importance of these protected areas for mammal conservation in this highly diverse region.

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Unfenced Borders Cause Differences in Vegetation and Fauna Between Protected and Unprotected Areas in a Tropical Savanna

Tropical Conservation Science ◽

10.1177/1940082919870371 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

pp. 194008291987037 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Antonia Nyamukuru ◽

John-Arvid Grytnes ◽

John R. S. Tabuti ◽

Ørjan Totland

Keyword(s):

Species Composition ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Protected Area ◽

National Park ◽

Woody Vegetation ◽

Land Use Type ◽

Tropical Savanna ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Species Composition Of Vegetation ◽

Trees And Shrubs

Protected areas generally occur within a matrix of intensively human-modified landscapes. As a way to maintain the biodiversity in these areas, enclosure by fencing is often preferred. This strategy, however, is costly and little is known about the effectiveness of the alternative of unfenced borders on the vegetation and fauna. The objectives of this study are to assess whether there is a distinct difference in biodiversity and composition of plants and mammals between the protected Lake Mburo National Park and the adjacent ranchlands across an unfenced border and to determine the associations between vegetation and faunal species over the same border. We recorded herbaceous vegetation, woody vegetation, and mammal species composition in plots 300 to 500 m away from the border both inside the protected area and in the adjacent ranchlands. The species composition of herbs and mammals in the protected area differ from the adjacent ranchlands, but there is no difference for trees and shrubs. After accounting for land-use type, distance from the border did not significantly account for any additional variation. We also find a correlation between the species composition of vegetation and fauna. Our results suggest that unfenced borders around protected areas create a clear effect.

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Protected areas in boreal Canada: a baseline and considerations for the continued development of a representative and effective reserve network

Environmental Reviews ◽

10.1139/er-2013-0056 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 22 (2) ◽

pp. 135-160 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Margaret E. Andrew ◽

Michael A. Wulder ◽

Jeffrey A. Cardille

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

Boreal Forests ◽

Management Practices ◽

Sustainable Forest Management ◽

Gap Analysis ◽

Natural Disturbance ◽

Boreal Zone ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Disturbance Regimes ◽

Management Interventions

Boreal forests maintain regionally important biodiversity and globally important ecosystem services, such as carbon storage and freshwater resources. Many boreal systems have limited anthropogenic disturbances and are preserved, in effect, to date largely by their harsh climates and remoteness. As of 2011, almost 10% of Canada is subject to some manner of formal protection, with 4.5% of this protected area found within the boreal zone. The management of existing parks and protected areas (PPAs) is shared amongst many federal, provincial, and territorial jurisdictions. Although there are currently low levels of anthropogenic development in some portions of the boreal zone (especially the north), if expansion of protected areas is of interest, there are challenges to traditional PPA networks that may be more prominent in the boreal zone than elsewhere: (1) the boreal zone is home to charismatic mammal species with area requirements much larger than typical PPAs; (2) the boreal zone is characterized by natural disturbance regimes that impact large areas; and (3) projected changes to climate for the boreal zone are among the greatest in the world, creating temporal considerations for conservation planning exercises. There is currently no PPA assessment specific to boreal Canada. To address this lack of an assessment, we developed a conservation gap analysis of the current PPA system with respect to a variety of environmental surrogates (ecozones, land cover, vegetation productivity, and landscape structure). The amount of formally protected land varied within each surrogate, with few commonly reported features meeting national or international conservation targets. Furthermore, few reserves met the areal requirements that have been previously recommended to protect large mammals or accommodate the disturbance regimes present. We also discuss considerations and implications of area-based versus value-based protection objectives. While recognizing that there are still scientific challenges around understanding and evaluating the effectiveness of PPAs, based upon our review and assessment, the following considerations should inform conservation options for the boreal zone: (1) representation of the distribution of natural features within the PPA network; (2) effective maintenance of habitat requirements and spatial resilience to both cyclical and directional changes in spatial patterns through large, connected reserves; and (3) implementation of sustainable forest management practices (where applicable) throughout the broader landscape, as traditional on-reserve protection is unlikely to be sufficient to meet conservation goals. The Canadian boreal is unique in possessing large tracts of inaccessible forested lands that are not subject to management interventions, thereby offering functions similar to protected lands. The question of how to more formally integrate these lands into the existing PPA network requires further consideration. Further, the important temporal role of landscape dynamics in designing an effective PPA needs to be further studied as well as development of a better understanding of design needs in the context of a changing climate.

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MAMÍFEROS DE MÉDIO E GRANDE PORTE NA ÁREA DE PROTEÇÃO AMBIENTAL MUNICIPAL DO RIO VERMELHO EM SANTA CATARINA, SUL DO BRASIL

Oecologia Australis ◽

10.4257/oeco.2021.2503.08 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 25 (03) ◽

pp. 722-737

Author(s):

Marcelo Hübel ◽

◽

Izar Aximoff ◽

Antonio Carlos de Freitas ◽

Clarissa Rosa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

Atlantic Forest ◽

Sustainable Use ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Lepus Europaeus ◽

Sampling Effort ◽

Large Mammals ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Santa Catarina ◽

Santa Catarina State

MEDIUM AND LARGE MAMMALS IN RIO VERMELHO MUNICIPAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AREA, SANTA CATARINA, SOUTHERN BRAZIL: Most studies on medium and large mammals in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest are carried out in areas under full protection (as parks and biological reserves). Considering the continuing threats that the forest remnants are suffering, it is essential to carry out mammal surveys in protected areas for sustainable use. In order to evaluate the species richness and the relative frequency of medium and large mammals in the área de proteção ambiental municipal do Rio Vermelho – APARV (northern Santa Catarina state), methodologies of direct visualization and camera traps were used. The study was conducted from the beginning of 2015 to the end of 2019. In Santa Catarina state, there is only one study which sampling effort is comparable to the present one (7300 night-trap). Thirty-three native mammal species and two alien species (Canis familiaris and Lepus europaeus) were found. The species accumulation curve tended to stabilize at the beginning of the third year. Three species were responsible for more than half of the photographic records (Cerdocyon thous, Eira barbara and Procyon cancrivorus). In total, 33.3% of the species are classified in some category of threat, and three of these species are among the less recorded in Santa Catarina state (Tayassu pecari, Tapirus terrestris and Mazama nana). Our survey added 18 new occurrences to the APARV management plan. Only two of the 18 mammal surveys carried out previously in the Santa Catarina state recorded more species than our study. This is the second survey which was carried out in protected areas for sustainable use in Santa Catarina state. Our study contributes to the important knowledge that can be used in conservation measures. In this way, the APARV plays a fundamental role for the conservation of the Atlantic Forest mammals, constituting an important area favoring the population movements of mammals.

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Agriculture is the primary driver of tree cover loss across the Forestière region of the Republic of Guinea, Africa

Environmental Research Communications ◽

10.1088/2515-7620/ac4278 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Maegan Fitzgerald ◽

Janet Nackoney ◽

Peter V Potapov ◽

Svetlana Turubanova

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Change Detection ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Spatial Data ◽

Tree Cover ◽

Conservation Strategies ◽

Forest Change ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Detection Model ◽

Primary Driver

Abstract Biodiversity hotspots are conservation priority areas that feature exceptionally high levels of species endemism and high levels of habitat loss. The Guinean Forests of West Africa hotspot, home to a quarter of all the mammal species of Africa, has experienced high levels of forest loss within its protected areas. Here, we analyzed tree cover loss and its proximate drivers within Guinée Forestière, a high biodiversity region within the Guinean Forests of West Africa hotspot, both inside and outside protected areas. Using Landsat analysis ready data and a regionally calibrated, annual forest change detection model, we mapped tree cover loss occurring across this region from 2000 to 2018. We quantified the area of tree cover loss and identified proximate drivers using a statistical sample of reference data. The total tree cover loss in Guinée Forestière between years 2000 and 2018 was 10,907 km2 (SE 889 km2), which consists of approximately 25% of the region’s total land area. Of this total loss, 364 km2 (SE 91 km2) occurred within protected areas of high biodiversity value. Tree cover loss was not consistent across high biodiversity areas and did not appear to be related to protected area classification. Smallholder agriculture (subsistence and cash crop farming) was the primary driver of tree cover loss across Guinée Forestière. This research provides multitemporal spatial data on tree cover dynamics that is required for effective implementation of sustainable management and biodiversity conservation strategies within the broader socioecological landscape of Guinée Forestière. We also highlight important limitations to consider and address when using remote sensing to automate change detection across landscapes.

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Spatiotemporal distribution of large- and medium-sized mammals and humans in the Lar Protected Area, Iran

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr16199 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 44 (5) ◽

pp. 400 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jamshid Parchizadeh

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

Protected Area ◽

Biological Diversity ◽

Temporal Distribution ◽

Camera Trap ◽

Spatial And Temporal Distribution ◽

Potential Threat ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Northern Iran ◽

Tribal People

Context One-fifth of mammal species are at risk of extinction in the wild due to overhunting, habitat loss and habitat fragmentation. Protected areas are considered an effective method for conserving biological diversity, and can help prevent declines and extinctions of species. Thus, evaluating the effectiveness of protected areas in achieving conservation objectives is vital for successful conservation and management. Aims The aim of this study was to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of large- and medium-sized mammals and humans as an aid to evaluate the effectiveness of the Lar Protected Area in northern Iran. This area is expected to be a year-round habitat for seven large- and medium-sized mammal species: (1) brown bear (Ursus arctos); (2) golden jackal (Canis aureus); (3) Persian leopard (Panthera pardus); (4) Eurasian red fox (Vulpes vulpes); (5) wild goat (Capra aegagrus); (6) Alborz red sheep (Ovis orientalis); and (7) wild boar (Sus scrofa). Methods A camera-trap survey (2780 camera-trap days) was conducted in the Lar Protected Area, which included mountains, canyons and plains, from June 2013 to August 2014. The spatial and temporal distribution of four categories of humans in the study area was documented: wardens, poachers, tribal people and tourists. Key results All aforementioned mammals were photographed in the study area. The Lar Protected Area was a seasonally important habitat for the majority of these species, especially from October to December, whereas the presence of tribal people, tourists and wardens was greatest in summer. Poachers were most common in autumn, when wardens and other humans were less common. Poachers preferentially used an area containing canyons, as did wild goats, bears, leopards, foxes and jackals. Conclusions The seasonality of the distribution of the seven species, which were most common in autumn, suggests that mammals were avoiding humans in summer. An average of 7.6 photographs of poachers for every photograph of a warden was obtained; this implies a potential threat to the conservation of mammals. Implications These results suggest that the Lar Protected Area functions as a seasonal habitat for many species of mammals, thus highlighting the importance of adjacent protected areas. Temporal separation of wardens from poachers indicates that reallocation of wardens could reduce poaching.

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Assessing potential effects of land use and climate change on mammal distributions in northern Thailand

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr14171 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 41 (6) ◽

pp. 522 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Yongyut Trisurat ◽

Budsabong Kanchanasaka ◽

Holger Kreft

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Land Use ◽

Species Richness ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Spatially Explicit ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Climate Change Scenarios ◽

Combined Effects ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Effects Of Land Use

Context Tropical ecosystems are widely recognised for their high species richness and outstanding concentrations of rare and endemic species. Previous studies either focussed on the effects of deforestation or climate change, whereas studies on the combined effects of these two major threats are limited. Aims This research aimed to model current and future distributions of medium- to large-sized mammal species on the basis of different land-use and climate-change scenarios in 2050 and to assess whether the predicted effects of land-use change are greater than those of climate change and whether the combined effects of these drivers are greater than those of either individual driver. Methods The present article demonstrates a method for combining nationwide wildlife-inventory data, spatially explicit species-distribution models, current and predicted future bioclimatic variables, other biophysical factors and human disturbance to map distributions of mammal species on the basis of different land-use and climate-change scenarios and to assess the role of protected areas in conservation planning. Key results Seventeen medium- to large-sized mammal species were selected for modelling. Most selected species were predicted to lose suitable habitat if the remaining forest cover declines from the current level of 57% to 50% in 2050. The predicted effects of deforestation were stronger than the effects of climate change. When climate and land-use change were combined, the predicted impacts were more severe. Most species would lose suitable habitat and the average shift in species distribution was greater than 40%. Conclusions The predicted effects were positive for only a few species and negative for most species. Current and future centres of mammal-species richness were predicted in large and contiguous protected forests and the average contribution of existing and proposed protected areas in protecting the focal species will increase from 73% to 80% across all scenarios. Implications The present research advances the current understanding of the ecology of 17 medium- to large-sized mammal species with conservation relevance and the factors that affect their distributions at the landscape scale. In addition, the research demonstrated that spatially explicit models and protected areas are effective means to contribute to protection of mammal species in current and future land-use and climate-change scenarios.

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The importance of Vu Quang Nature Reserve, Vietnam, for bird conservation, in the context of the Annamese Lowlands Endemic Bird Area

Bird Conservation International ◽

10.1017/s0959270901000326 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 247-285 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

J. C. Eames ◽

R. Eve ◽

A. W. Tordoff

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

Nature Reserve ◽

Conservation Status ◽

Bird Species ◽

Present Species ◽

Bird Conservation ◽

Conservation Priority ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Species Lists ◽

Complementarity Analysis

Vu Quang Nature Reserve, Vietnam, was brought to the attention of the world scientific community following the discovery of two previously undescribed large mammal species in the early 1990s. In light of the identification of other sites of high biodiversity value in the Annamite mountains of Vietnam and Laos, the relative importance for biodiversity conservation of Vu Quang needs to be reassessed. In this paper we evaluate the importance of the site for bird conservation, in relation to 13 other protected areas in the Annamese Lowlands Endemic Bird Area (EBA) and present species lists for all 14 sites. Whilst Vu Quang supports one of the highest numbers of recorded bird species of all 14 protected areas, a complementarity analysis revealed that Vu Quang does not fall within the critical subset of sites necessary to conserve 95% of the avifaunal diversity of the EBA. The site should not, therefore, be considered a regional bird conservation priority. Furthermore, of the nine restricted-range species known from the Annamese Lowlands EBA, only three are known from Vu Quang, which is not, therefore, a priority site for the conservation of endemic bird species. We also evaluate the conservation status of the avifauna of Vu Quang, and propose potential conservation measures to enhance its importance for bird conservation.

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Identifying priority areas for the conservation of antelopes in the Republic of Guinea, West Africa, using the complementarity approach

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s0030605311000391 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 46 (2) ◽

pp. 253-259 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

David Brugière

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Protected Area ◽

Conservation Strategies ◽

Area Network ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Protected Area Network ◽

Republic Of Guinea ◽

Complementarity Approach ◽

The Republic

AbstractThe Republic of Guinea has one of the highest diversities of mammal species in West Africa. However, its protected area network is poorly developed and little quantitative information has been available to help guide national conservation strategies. I therefore examined the distribution of antelopes and related species (families Bovidae and Tragulidae) across 17 sites, including four protected areas, to determine how the existing protected area network contributes to the conservation of antelope species and where action should best be focused for the conservation of this group. A total of 21 species of antelope have been recorded in the 17 sites; four of these species are absent from the four protected areas. An iterative heuristic complementarity approach was used to determine an irreplaceability index, which accounts for both species richness and species rarity, for each of the sites. The Kankan Faunal Reserve and Nimba Strict Nature Reserve have the second and fourth highest irreplaceability indices, respectively. The two other protected areas have moderate to very low irreplaceability indices, showing that they protect species widespread throughout the 17 sites. The Ziama Forest has the highest index (because it contains a high number of species and of globally threatened species), highlighting the significance of this site. I discuss the importance of the other sites and the threats affecting antelopes in Guinea, and make recommendations to improve the study and conservation of antelope species in the country.

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