A large mammal survey in Koyli Alpha Community Wildlife Reserve and its surroundings in the Great Green Wall extension area in Senegal

Wildlife in the Great Green Wall (GGW) area, northern Senegal, is threatened by the cumulative effects of anthropogenic activities, drought, and climatic changes. To support conservation planning in line with the GGW management objectives, we studied large mammal diversity in the Koyli Alpha Community Wildlife Reserve in the GGW extension area. We interviewed local communities, made reconnaissance & transect walks, placed camera traps, and carried out fixed point surveys to map the distribution of mammals & to estimate their relative abundance. The surveys were conducted between May 2017 and December 2019. We identified the presence of nine mammal species belonging to six families: one lagomorph, Cape Hare Lepus capensis; seven carnivores, Common Jackal Canis aureus, Pale/Sand Fox Vulpes pallida, Wild Cat Felis silvestris, Marsh Mongoose Atilax paludinosus, Honey Badger Mellivora capensis, Zorilla Ictonyx striatus, Common Genet Genetta genetta, and one primate, Patas Monkey Erythrocebus patas. Our results indicate that the most of the observed species range broadly across the Koyli Alpha Reserve. The Wild Cat and the Sand Fox were also found outside the reserve around the village of Koyli Alpha. Camera trapping events of humans and domestic animals were high throughout the survey area, and the majority of the large mammals observed were mainly nocturnal. The diversity of large wild mammals identified during this study points to the urgent need for the implementation of a management plan of the biodiversity in this area of the Ferlo.

Banco de dados da comunidade de mamíferos de médio e grande porte da Estação Ecológica do Taim, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

O banco de dados inclui dados derivados de levantamentos de armadilhas fotográficas de mamíferos de médio e grande porte, realizados na Estação Ecológica de Taim, uma unidade de conservação federal no sul do Brasil. Todas as informações foram registradas entre março de 2002 e maio de 2003 como parte do projeto Estrada Viva, que avaliou os efeitos da estrada sobre a biodiversidade nesta área protegida. Foram instaladas armadilhas fotográficas em quatro áreas com diferentes graus de impactos antrópicos (próximo e distante da rodovia) e tipo de vegetação (campo e floresta). Foram identificadas 13 espécies de mamíferos de médio e grande porte; 11 nativas, uma exótica e outra doméstica. As espécies foram: Capivara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris; n = 481), Cachorro-do-campo (Lycalopex gymnocercus; n = 68), Cachorro-do-mato (Cerdocyon thous; n = 51), Ratão-do-banhado (Myocastor coypus; n = 29), Tatu-galinha (Dasypus novemcinctus; n = 24), Mão-pelada (Procyon crancrivorus; n = 7), Zorrilho (Conepatus chinga; n = 6), Lebre (Lepus capensis; n = 5); Lontra (Lontra longicaudis; n = 4); Gato-do-mato-grande (Leopardus geoffroyi; n = 4); Gambá-de-orelhas-brancas (Didelphis albiventris; n = 3); Gato doméstico (Felis catus; n = 2); Tatu-peludo (Euphractus sexcinctus; n = 2). Os dados permitem avaliar os efeitos da paisagem e da presença de estradas na composição da comunidade faunística da região.

On the Hunting of, and Threats Facing, the Cape Hare (Lepus capensis Linnaeus, 1758) in the Gaza Strip, Palestine

The Cape Hare (Lepus capensis Linnaeus, 1758) is the only lagomorph in Palestine (27,000 km2). Although it was common in the Gaza Strip 4-5 decades ago, its present occurrence is restricted by several overlapping factors. The current study aims to spotlight the hunting of, and the threats facing, Cape Hares in the Gaza Strip (365 km2). This descriptive study, which lasted 5 years (2016 – 2020), was based on frequent field visits and observations in addition to meetings and discussions with wildlife hunters and farmers. We found that the eastern parts of the Gaza Strip were the main hunting places for Cape Hares. The methods involved in hare hunting included shooting, foothold traps, live traps known locally as "maltash", net walls, pit traps and coursing which involves the use of greyhounds. Wildlife hunters described the hunting of Cape Hares as a complicated task due to its low occurrence, extreme caution, difficulty of tracking it, presence near the Israeli security fence, which poses a danger to hunters, in addition to the great experience and high concentration that such hunting requires. Cape Hares face several threats, some of which are Israeli, and some specific to Gazans and the environment of the Gaza Strip. The Israeli threats include the Israeli security fence which prevents the natural flow of wildlife between the Gaza Strip and the rest of the Palestinian territories, Israeli wars and invasions, and the Israeli spraying of herbicides at the eastern border areas of the Gaza Strip for claimed security reasons which eradicates the plant cover supporting hares and other fauna with shelter and food. The Gazan threats include urban encroachment at the expense of natural habitats, excessive use of chemical pesticides, overhunting of Cape Hares, noticeable increase of opportunistic carnivores feeding on Cape Hares, and weakness of environmental awareness campaigns and laws that protect wildlife. Finally, the study recommends the use of all possible means to sustainably protect and conserve wildlife including Cape Hares in the Gaza Strip.