scholarly journals First attempt at rehabilitation of Asiatic Black Bear cubs to the wild in Thailand

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 18411-18418
Author(s):  
Robert Steinmetz ◽  
Worrapan Phumanee ◽  
Rungnapa Phoonjampa ◽  
Suthon Weingdow
Keyword(s):  
Black Bear ◽  
Rapid Weight Gain ◽  
Surrogate Mothers ◽  
Asiatic Black Bear ◽  
Supplemental Food ◽  
Human Contact ◽  
Direct Observations ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Foraging Skills

Returning orphan bear cubs to the wild can benefit bear welfare and conservation but is hindered in Asia by the scarcity of documented experience.  We experimented with rehabilitation of two Asiatic Black Bear cubs in Thailand using the assisted method of soft-release.  We raised the 5-month old cubs for 11 months with minimal human contact in a remote enclosure in high quality habitat, letting cubs out periodically to walk with caretakers in the forest.  The caretakers acted as surrogate mothers, allowing cubs to safely acquire foraging skills and familiarity with the forest.  Supplementary feeding resulted in the cubs’ rapid weight gain (average 157g/day), faster than would occur in the wild.  Faster growth allowed the cubs to be released sooner, reducing the likelihood of long-term habituation.  After three months of rehabilitation, the bear cubs started showing signs of being wary of the caretakers (e.g., cautious when we approached their enclosure) and their focus during walks switched from play to foraging.  After seven months they began to spend nights away from their enclosure, thus declining the supplemental food.  This sequence and timing of increasing separation and independence from people matched other assisted soft releases in the region.  The cubs went missing in month 12, shortly before planned collaring and release. They were seen together 2.5 months later on a fruiting tree and ran away when approached.  Assisted soft releases might be a promising option for bear rehabilitation in Asia but more data are needed to evaluate their effectiveness relative to other methods.  This method affords direct observations of bears in the wild that can augment our knowledge of bear behavior and ecology.

Childbirth and rearing characteristics of an Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus ussuricus) with trauma disorder in the wild

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 467-473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeong-Jin Kim ◽  
Tae-Wook Kim ◽  
Ju-Yeol Choi ◽  
Seuong-Hoon Chae ◽  
Kwang-sun Moon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Black Bear ◽  
Asiatic Black Bear ◽  
Ursus Thibetanus ◽  
In The Wild

scholarly journals The role of past experience in development of feeding behavior in common vampire bats

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jineth Berrío-Martínez ◽  
Samuel Kaiser ◽  
Michelle Nowak ◽  
Rachel A. Page ◽  
Gerald G. Carter
Keyword(s):  
Life History Strategy ◽  
Past Experience ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Blood Temperature ◽  
Age Dependent ◽  
Vampire Bats ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Foraging Skills

The life history strategy of common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) suggests that learning might play a role in development of their foraging skills. We took advantage of 12 captive births in a study colony of vampire bats to test the role of past experience in two aspects of feeding. First, we compared preferences for blood temperature in 32 wild-born vampire bats versus 11 captive-born vampire bats that had only previously fed on blood of ambient temperature or colder. We found no evidence for a preference in either group for blood presented at 4 °C versus 37 °C. Second, we tested whether captive-born vampire bats with no previous experience of feeding on live animals could successfully feed on a live chicken. Five of 12 naïve captive-born bats were able to bite the chicken and draw blood, but only one bat gained more than 5% of body mass. We were unable to reasonably compare their feeding performance with that of wild-born bats because only two of three wild-born, short-term captive bats fed on the chicken and none of the seven wild-born, long-term captive mothers attempted to feed. This unexpected lack of feeding might be due to a previously reported age-dependent neophobia. When six of the captive-born bats were released in the wild, they appeared to feed successfully because they survived for more than three consecutive nights. We suggest further tests that would better clarify the role of learning in the development of foraging in vampire bats.

Behaviour of Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus) and Crop Damage in the Forage Corn Field

2003 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 383-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshitaka DEGUCHI ◽  
Shusuke SATO ◽  
Kazuo SUGAWARA
Keyword(s):  
Black Bear ◽  
Crop Damage ◽  
Asiatic Black Bear ◽  
Ursus Thibetanus ◽  
Corn Field

scholarly journals Lyell, the Geikies and Croll's observations on terrestrial glacial sediments and landforms

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
James ROSE
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Glacial Sediments ◽  
Direct Observations ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Status ◽  
Social And Physical Environment ◽  
Glacial Landforms

ABSTRACT Within the context of the work and achievements of James Croll, this paper reviews the records of direct observations of glacial landforms and sediments made by Charles Lyell, Archibald and James Geikie and James Croll himself, in order to evaluate their contributions to the sciences of glacial geology and Quaternary environmental change. The paper outlines the social and physical environment of Croll's youth and contrasts this with the status and experiences of Lyell and the Geikies. It also outlines the character and role of the ‘Glasgow School’ of geologists, who stimulated Croll's interest into the causes of climate change and directed his focus to the glacial and ‘interglacial’ deposits of central Scotland. Contributions are outlined in chronological order, drawing attention to: (i) Lyell's high-quality observations and interpretations of glacial features in Glen Clova and Strathmore and his subsequent rejection of the glacial theory in favour of processes attributed to floating icebergs; (ii) the significant impact of Archibald Geikie's 1863 paper on the ‘glacial drift of Scotland’, which firmly established the land-ice theory; (iii) the fact that, despite James Croll's inherent dislike of geology and fieldwork, he provided high-quality descriptions and interpretations of the landforms and sediments of central Scotland in order to test his theory of climate change; and (iv) the great communication skills of James Geikie, enhanced by contacts and evidence from around the world. It is concluded that whilst direct observations of glacial landforms and sediments were critical to the long-term development of the study of glaciation, the acceptance of this theory was dependent also upon the skills, personality and status of the Geikies and Croll, who developed and promoted the concepts. Sadly, the subsequent rejection of the land-ice concept by Lyell resulted in the same factors challenging the acceptance of the glacial theory.

scholarly journals Advancement in long-distance bird migration through individual plasticity in departure

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesse R. Conklin ◽  
Simeon Lisovski ◽  
Phil F. Battley
Keyword(s):  
Bird Migration ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Breeding Site ◽  
Environmental Constraints ◽  
Adaptive Responses ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Direct Observations ◽  
Breeding Resources ◽  
Plastic Responses

AbstractGlobally, bird migration is occurring earlier in the year, consistent with climate-related changes in breeding resources. Although often attributed to phenotypic plasticity, there is no clear demonstration of long-term population advancement in avian migration through individual plasticity. Using direct observations of bar-tailed godwits (Limosa lapponica) departing New Zealand on a 16,000-km journey to Alaska, we show that migration advanced by six days during 2008–2020, and that within-individual advancement was sufficient to explain this population-level change. However, in individuals tracked for the entire migration (50 total tracks of 36 individuals), earlier departure did not lead to earlier arrival or breeding in Alaska, due to prolonged stopovers in Asia. Moreover, changes in breeding-site phenology varied across Alaska, but were not reflected in within-population differences in advancement of migratory departure. We demonstrate that plastic responses can drive population-level changes in timing of long-distance migration, but also that behavioral and environmental constraints en route may yet limit adaptive responses to global change.

An ER–Golgi Tethering Factor SLOH4/MIP3 Is Involved in Long-term Heat Tolerance of Arabidopsis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuho Isono ◽  
Ryo Tsukimoto ◽  
Satoshi Iuchi ◽  
Akihisa Shinozawa ◽  
Izumi Yotsui ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Stress ◽  
Heat Tolerance ◽  
Secretory Proteins ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Additional Function ◽  
Transcript Levels ◽  
Unfolded Protein ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Protein Response

Abstract Plants are often exposed not only to short-term (S-) heat stress but also to diurnal long-term (L-) heat stress over several consecutive days. To reveal the mechanisms underlying L-heat stress tolerance, we here used a forward genetic screening for sensitive to long-term heat (sloh) mutants and isolated sloh4. The mutant was hypersensitive to L- but not S-heat stress. The causal gene of sloh4 was identical to MIP3 encoding a member of the MAIGO2 (MAG2) tethering complex, which is composed of the MAG2, MIP1, MIP2, and MIP3 subunits and is localized at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane. Although sloh4/mip3 was hypersensitive to L-heat stress, the sensitivity of the mag2-3 and mip1–1 mutants was similar to that of the wild type. Under L-heat stress, the ER stress and the following unfolded protein response (UPR) were more pronounced in sloh4 than in the wild type. Transcript levels of bZIP60-regulated UPR genes were strongly increased in sloh4 under L-heat stress. Two processes known to be mediated by INOSITOL REQUIRING ENZYME1 (IRE1)—accumulation of the spliced bZIP60 transcript and a decrease in the transcript levels of PR4 and PRX34, encoding secretory proteins—were observed in sloh4 in response to L-heat stress. These findings suggest that misfolded proteins generated in sloh4 under L-heat stress may be recognized by IRE1 but not bZIP28, resulting in initiation of the UPR via activated bZIP60. Therefore, it would be possible that only MIP3 in MAG2 complex has an additional function in L-heat tolerance, which is not related to the ER–Golgi vesicle tethering.

Shaping Monkey-Human Contact

1973 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 235-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis Aarons
Keyword(s):  
Behavior Therapy ◽  
Physical Contact ◽  
Human Relationship ◽  
Human Contact ◽  
Experimental Behavior ◽  
Long Term Studies

An empirically ordered sequence of 11 steps is described for the training of progressive increases in physical contact between monkeys and Es. The steps range from a point at which food is not accepted from E's hand, through the touching and petting of varied parts of the monkey's body, to the monkey climbing on or being held by E. Some illustrative data are presented and it is suggested that evaluation of the animal-human relationship is relevant to long-term studies in experimental behavior therapy.

scholarly journals Non-breeding feather concentrations of testosterone, corticosterone and cortisol are associated with subsequent survival in wild house sparrows

2011 ◽  
Vol 279 (1733) ◽  
pp. 1560-1566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee Koren ◽  
Shinichi Nakagawa ◽  
Terry Burke ◽  
Kiran K. Soma ◽  
Katherine E. Wynne-Edwards ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Hormones ◽  
Passer Domesticus ◽  
House Sparrows ◽  
Long Term Study ◽  
Darwinian Fitness ◽  
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
The Subject ◽  
As Stress

Potential mechanistic mediators of Darwinian fitness, such as stress hormones or sex hormones, have been the focus of many studies. An inverse relationship between fitness and stress or sex hormone concentrations has been widely assumed, although empirical evidence is scarce. Feathers gradually accumulate hormones during their growth and provide a novel way to measure hormone concentrations integrated over time. Using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, we measured testosterone, corticosterone and cortisol in the feathers of house sparrows ( Passer domesticus ) in a wild population which is the subject of a long-term study. Although corticosterone is considered the dominant avian glucocorticoid, we unambiguously identified cortisol in feathers. In addition, we found that feathers grown during the post-nuptial moult in autumn contained testosterone, corticosterone and cortisol levels that were significantly higher in birds that subsequently died over the following winter than in birds that survived. Thus, feather steroids are candidate prospective biomarkers to predict the future survival of individuals in the wild.

scholarly journals Positive Human Contact and Housing Systems Impact the Responses of Piglets to Various Stressors

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1619
Author(s):  
Megan E. Hayes ◽  
Lauren M. Hemsworth ◽  
Rebecca S. Morrison ◽  
Alan J. Tilbrook ◽  
Paul H. Hemsworth
Keyword(s):  
Physiological Responses ◽  
Human Interaction ◽  
Lower Intensity ◽  
Oral Vaccination ◽  
Escape Behaviour ◽  
Housing Systems ◽  
Iron Administration ◽  
Human Contact ◽  
Piglet Growth

This experiment studied the effects of lactation housing systems and human interaction on piglets’ responses to routine stressors. Forty litters of piglets were reared in either a standard farrowing crate (FC) or a loose farrowing and lactation pen (LP; PigSAFE pen) and received either routine contact with humans (C) or regular opportunities for positive human contact (+HC; 3 min of patting, stroking and scratching 5 times/week). Behavioural and physiological responses to routine husbandry procedures, weaning, novelty and humans were studied in addition to effects on piglet growth, injuries and survival. Compared to C piglets, +HC piglets vocalised for shorter durations (p = 0.018) during husbandry procedures and showed a lower intensity of escape behaviour during iron injection (p = 0.042) and oral vaccination (p = 0.026) at 3 d of age, capture at 2 wk of age (p < 0.001), and intramuscular vaccination (p = 0.005) at 3 wk of age. +HC piglets at 2 wk of age were faster than C piglets to approach (p = 0.048) and interact (p = 0.042) with a stationary unfamiliar human. Compared to LP piglets, FC piglets showed a lower intensity of escape behaviour during capture and iron administration by a stockperson at 3 d of age (p = 0.043). FC piglets at 2 wk of age were faster than LP piglets to approach (p = 0.005) and interact (p = 0.027) with a novel object and approach (p = 0.009) and interact (p = 0.008) with an unfamiliar human. FC piglets had fewer injuries than LP piglets at 2 wk of age (p = 0.004). +HC pigs had fewer injuries than C pigs after weaning (p = 0.003). After weaning there were more pigs from LP than FC observed to be upright (both stationary, p = 0.002 and walking, p = 0.024), vocalizing (p = 0.004), nosing another pig (p = 0.035) and nosing the pen floor (p = 0.038). There were no significant effects on neutrophil:lymphocyte ratios or plasma cortisol concentrations 1.5 h after weaning. However, 25 h after weaning +HC pigs had higher haptoglobin concentrations than C pigs (p = 0.002), and C/LP pigs had higher cortisol concentrations than +HC/LP and C/FC pigs (p = 0.012). There were no significant effects on piglet growth, the number of piglets born alive or the number stillborn, however there were more piglets weaned from FC than LP (p = 0.035). The results from this experiment raise questions that require further research on the ability of pigs reared in loose pens to cope with stressors such as exposure to humans, novelty, husbandry procedures and weaning. This experiment also provides evidence that regular positive human interaction reduces pigs’ fear of humans and husbandry procedures imposed by stockpeople. More research is required to determine if any of these effects are sustained long-term.

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