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GNUSLETTER Volume 34 Number 2

ANTELOPE SPECIALIST GROUP December 2017

IUCN Survival Commission Specialist Group Gnusletter Volume 34 Number 2: December 2017

Contents

From IUCN and ASG…………………………………………………………………………….. 2

Meetings……………………………………………………………………………………………. 2

Opinion A response to the ASG Policy, Appendix 1 C.P. Groves……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4

Original Articles Carl Theodor Ericsson, an overlooked early collector of endemic Basin region H. Pihlström……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 8

Analysis of temporal population trend and conservation of in Chang Chenmo Valley and , Changthang, , K. Ahmad, R. Ahmad, P. Nigam, & J. Thapa………………………………………………………. 16

A new comprehensive package for the management and analysis of camera trap data for monitoring antelopes and other wild species 21 R. Amin & T. Wacher………………………………………………………………………………………….

Notes from the Field First record of Four-horned Antelope Tetracerus quadricornis (De Blainville, 1816) in Deukhuri Valley: First camera trap record outside protected areas in C. Khanal, Y. Ghimirey, R. Acharya, & S. Baniya………………………………………………………... 24

Antelope survey in , , West E.A. Sogbossou & B.D. Kassa……………………………………………………………………… 27

Antelopes in , DRC M. D’haen……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 31

Antelope News…………………………………………………………………………………….. 34

Published Articles ………………………………………………………………………………… 36

Announcement “The . Last members of a Critically ”. Ed. by E.C. Mungall … 40

Cover photo: Tibetan Antelope Pantholops hodgsonii in Ladakh, India. © K. Ahmad

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From IUCN and Antelope Specialist Group

IUCN Red List Zoologische Gesellschaft für Arten- und The reassessment of all antelopes for the Global Populationsschutz (ZGAP; the Zoological Assessment is almost complete. A few Society for the Conservation of Species and species are still working their way through the Populations), Membership of NABU-Germany’s IUCN approval system and a full report will be working group on Africa, and Lecturer in published in Gnusletter once all species and Conservation at the University in assessments have been formally Landau. J-O.H. has always been very supportive approved and published by IUCN. of ASG and we would like to express our gratitude for his many work on antelope Jens-Ove Heckel (pictured below) is a long- conservation, both in- and ex-situ, wish him all established member and for many years led the the best is his new roles, and look forward to many more years of collaboration in the future.

Professor Colin Groves Just as this edition of Gnusletter was being finalized, the sad news arrived that Colin Groves passed away on 30 November 2017. He was Professor Emeritus of Biological Anthropology at the Australian National University where he worked for 40 years, and was a noted taxonomist, with many contributions and publications to his credit, particularly on primates, antelopes, and other bovids. One of his last articles is published in this issue. An obituary will appear in the next issue of Gnusletter.

Dr Heiner Engel On the 5th December, Dr Heiner Engel passed away after a long illness. Heiner was the former North- sub-group of ASG. For the last Zoological Director at Zoo Hannover, the five years he also served as Chair of the European previous EEP coordinator for , a founding Association of Zoos and Aquaria’s Antelope and member of SSIG and Conservation Fund Advisory Group (AGTAG). He has and a champion of Sahelo-Saharan wildlife. An decided to step down from these two posts to obituary will appear in the next edition of concentrate on his (many) other roles – Director Gnusletter. and Head Veterinarian at Zoo Landau in Germany, his recent appointment as Chair of the

Meetings

SSIG update on the Scimitar-horned Oryx The 17th annual meeting of the Sahelo-Saharan dammah reintroduction in ; conservation of Interest Group (SSIG) took place in St Louis, Western Derby Eland derbianus , on 4-6 May 2017. Two days of talks derbianus; reintroduction of Gazella cuvieri to covered all aspects of biodiversity in this vast Serj NP (). A field trip to Guembeul region and included several that concern Reserve, a and acclimatization antelopes, including: conservation work in centre for antelopes took place on 6 May Guembeul, Ferlo and Boundou Reserves during which Scimitar-horned Oryx, Dorcas (Senegal); translocation of Dorcas Gazelle and were seen. In the days Gazella dorcas to Gadabedji Reserve (), an before, the Science and Conservation Committee 2 held a one-day meeting in Dakar, and the ASG problem, antelopes are often kept as pets or for Co-Chairs attended a meeting with the DPN in hotel gardens and private facilities in (government agency) and Czech University of Somaliland (around 60 such captive individuals Life Sciences to discuss progress on conservation are currently known, comprising Speke’s Gazelle, of the Critically Endangered Western Derby Soemmerring’s Gazelle, , Eland. and Lesser ). Participants discussed potential strategies and the Saiga Captive Breeding Workshop requirements of a confiscation and rehabilitation A two-day workshop was held at the Institute of center to house antelopes in the initial stages, and Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy later . A short visit was made to the site of Sciences in Moscow, 28-29 August identified for the center, near Debbis. A workshop 2017 to discuss captive breeding of Saiga report is in preparation. Antelope Saiga tatarica. A total of 30 participants attended, representing each saiga range state and EAZA AGTAG international experts. The EAZA Antelope and Giraffe Taxon Advisory Group (AGTAG) held a meeting during the The primary objectives of the workshop were to annual EAZA conference, in Emmen, Holland, on determine how captive breeding can contribute to 20th September 2017. Topics discussed included saiga conservation and how to improve and the Regional Collection Plan and support for saiga coordinate existing captive breeding programs. A breeding centers, in view of the serious situation series of presentations summarized the current affecting wild populations, in particular after the status of existing captive breeding programs, recent disease outbreaks. Sander Hofman has husbandry and lessons learned. Range state taken over as Chair of the AGTAG and Kim groups then developed national priorities for Skalborg Simonsen will continue as vice-chair. captive breeding and reintroduction (where ASG wishes both of them well in these important appropriate). A full workshop report is in roles. preparation. Forthcoming meetings:

Somaliland Wildlife Rehabilitation Center th The of Africa has become a center for illegal • 19 Sharjah International Conservation wildlife trade, much of which passes through Workshop on Arabian Biodiversity, 5-8 Somaliland. Cheetahs are one of the most February 2018, Sharjah, UAE. prominent species traded illegally and a conference took place in Addis Ababa in • CMS Central Asian Initiative December 2016 to discuss regional approaches to midterm review workshop, 16-20 April the issue, followed by a national strategy 2018, Wilm, Germany. workshop in Somaliland in April 2017. The th Ministry of Environment and Rural Development • 18 annual SSIG meeting, May 2018, hosted a second workshop in , Paris. Somaliland, September 9-11, to develop the draft strategy, with an emphasis on an initiative to build a wildlife sanctuary for confiscated . The workshop was funded by the Murulle Foundation, IFAW, and GIZ and attended by senior officials and international NGOs, as well a representative of ASG. In addition to the illegal

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Opinion A comment on the ASG Taxonomy Policy, Appendix 1. Colin P. Groves†, Australian National University This Appendix to the ASG Taxonomy Policy species as “a lineage (an ancestral-descendant reveals a good deal of misunderstanding about sequence of populations) evolving separately species and their ontology and recognition. Since from others and with its own unitary evolutionary the insights of Mayden (1997), it has been clear role and tendencies” (Simpson, 1961). Simpson’s that the Evolutionary Species Concept (ESC) is definition was generally overlooked, and most not just “another species concept”: it is the taxonomists followed Mayr’s definition despite essence of the species, and the Biological Species increasing unease with its drawbacks. In Concept (BSC) and Phylogenetic Species particular, nobody was quite clear about what was Concept (PSC) are criteria for operationalising meant by “potentially interbreeding”, and the fact the ESC. The Appendix evidently misinterprets that apparently closely related populations are Cracraft’s (1983) reference to “a parental pattern commonly allopatric (occurring in separate, non- of ancestry and descent”, and unfortunately does overlapping geographic areas) rendered the not quote the definition given in Groves & Grubb application of the Biological Species Concept (2011), which emphasises the population nature entirely arbitrary in most cases. It was this tension of the PSC. The Appendix suggests that the PSC between theory and practice that led to the risks misinterpreting widely separated geographic proposal of over a score of “species concepts”, samples of clines, and populations separated by most notably the Phylogenetic Species Concept anthropogenic factors: but these are potential (PSC) in which a species is “the smallest stumbling blocks in any taxonomic arrangement. diagnosable cluster of individual organisms It warns that recognising species under the PSC within which there is a parental pattern of ancestry “could prevent genetic rescue by reinforcement and descent” (Cracraft 1983). Meanwhile, the with individuals from outside that “molecular revolution” brought to light cases of ‘subpopulation/species’, a potentially harmful interbreeding between what had always been consequence”; this surely applies well below the regarded as “good” species. Indeed, among some species level, however the latter is defined, Primates, it turned out that interbreeding had been because genetic supplementation is fraught with rife during their evolution, such that some species, perils, regardless of taxonomy (Miller et al. 2006). even whole genera, are of origin (Roos et Finally, it notes that “The principle of al. 2011). One can also detect such cases among diagnosability is open-ended, some African antelopes (Groves 2014). improvements in the refinement of analytical All the various species concepts were discussed processes will inevitably lead to increased by Mayden (1997), who distinguished between resolution of ‘diagnosability’. Applying the theoretical concepts and operational definitions, principle of diagnosability inevitably leads to an and argued that the primary concept is the ESC, increase in the number of ‘species’…” This is not which “is the only available concept with the a fault. It is in fact a characteristic of science: as capacity to accommodate all known types of our knowledge and understanding increase, our biologically equivalent diversity”. A similar hypotheses must be modified. sentiment was expressed by de Queiroz (2007 and History of species concepts elsewhere) in his General Lineage Concept The BSC is best summed up in the definition (GLC): “Every lineage is a species”. This recalls offered by Mayr (1963): “Species are groups of the Individuality Thesis of Ghiselin (1974), which actually or potentially interbreeding natural views species as individuals, each with its own populations that are reproductively isolated from internal economy, sustaining itself out of its own other such groups”. An alternative, the resources. The ESC/GLC and the Individuality Evolutionary Species Concept (ESC) defines a Thesis remind us that, while taxonomy as such is 4 a artefact, species themselves have a real counting up differences in morphology, DNA, existence. vocalisation etc., setting a threshold above which the species should be recognised. Both of these The ESC/GLC clarifies what species are, but we proposals raise criteria that seem arbitrary and still need to be able to recognise them in practice. subjective. Hausdorf (2011) proposed a Mayden (1997) recommended that the Differential Fitness Species Concept, under evolutionary species be operationalised by the which species are defined as “groups of PSC: “The set of operations necessary to discover individuals that are reciprocally characterised by diversity associated with species are clearly features that would have negative fitness effects outlined”, and he rejected the BSC: “the ability to in other groups and that cannot be regularly interbreed is viewed as a shared-primitive exchanged between groups upon contact”; this is attribute and is not of consequence in the a reiteration of what Mayr (1963) had argued was recognition of species as taxa”. De Queiroz involved in the evolution of reproductive (2007) argued that all “species concepts” other isolation, and is not at all useful as an operational than the ESC/GLC are characteristics that may criterion. Interestingly, Zachos (2016), since his arise at different times after the origination of an numerous writings against the PSC, has evolutionary species: failure to interbreed with undergone a rethink and has written a useful book other species, for example, may or may not evolve detailing the history of the species concept and during a species’ existence (see also Rabosky & embracing the Individuality Thesis. Matute 2013). Case studies Groves & Grubb (2011) used the PSC to propose It may be helpful to bring these principles home new taxonomic arrangements of Perissodactyla with a couple of case studies of African antelopes. and Artiodactyla, and defined species as: “A 1) St Leger (1934) described two new species of species is the smallest population or aggregation , fosteri from Mt. Elgon and of populations which has fixed heritable differences from other such populations or C. hooki from Mt. , stating that “they aggregations”. This definition has three strands: appear to be closely related to nigrifrons of the 1) Species are populations (or aggregations of Congo and rubidus of Mt. Rwenzori”. Subsequent populations); authors, including St Leger herself, downgraded 2) The differences between species, as far as the them to subspecies of C. nigrifrons, as C. n. evidence goes, are heritable (not due to fosteri and C. n. hooki respectively, although phenotypic plasticity); Grubb & Groves (2001) did note that they are 3) These differences are fixed (in the genetic “very distinct… and we have considered whether sense, meaning consistent, 100%, characterising to separate them as species level; but this would all members given age/sex variation). risk leaving the rest of C. nigrifrons The Groves & Grubb (2011) revisions are paraphyletic”. Grubb & Groves (201) also testable, as scientific propositions should be, described a new subspecies, C. n. hypoxanthus, whereas taxonomy under the BSC is not testable. from the Itombwe Mountains. Later, Groves & It is unfortunate that no such testing has been Grubb (2011) restored both fosteri and hooki as forthcoming: instead, there has been mainly full species, admitting also hypoxanthus as a hostility to the very idea of the PSC. Most of these species. It is unclear whether hypoxanthus is in criticisms have, I am sorry to say, been spurious: genetic contact with C. nigrifrons, but fosteri and splitting (“taxonomic inflation”) is somehow hooki are certainly not. The BSC/DFSC offers no inimical to conservation, as Zachos et al. (2013) guidance here: would they interbreed with C. maintained. nigrifrons if their ranges were to meet? - nothing Bradley & Baker (2001) proposed that the PSC be but speculation is available. On the other hand, the modified by recognising as species only those PSC gives a clear imperative: they constitute candidate populations differing from their populations separate from C. nigrifrons and from relatives by a certain genetic distance. Tobias et each other, and they differ in multiple al. (2010) suggested a cumbersome scheme of morphological characters (no DNA studies appear 5 to have been undertaken on them as yet). Quite might have been more conspicuous for incidentally, it is clearly important for conservation purposes (see also Gippoliti et al. conservation to note that the highland of 2017). Mt. Elgon and of Mt. Kenya and the Aberdares Species concepts and conservation (where C. hooki also occurs) are home to endemic One of the claims made about the PSC is that the species of duiker. consequent “taxonomic inflation” is somehow 2) The genus Alcelaphus () is often harmful to conservation (Zachos et al. 2013b); regarded as being monotypic, despite there being this was refuted in detail by Gippoliti et al. (2017) eight very distinctive “subspecies”. Capellini who argued that on the contrary, it is taxonomic (2007) showed that some of the species are inertia which is harmful. Such claims had in fact “heavily armed”, with heavy and horns in already been examined some years earlier the male, whereas others are “lightly armed”, and (Hazevoet, 1996; Morrison et al. 2009): as she related this to breeding season length and analysed by these authors, species splitting, PSC- fighting ability. An mtDNA study by Flagstad et style, always helped protection. In response to al. (2001) showed three major geographic Zachos et al. (2013b), Gutiérrez & Helgen (2013) – southern, eastern and western – with some noted again that simplification (taxonomic intermixture among three “subspecies” (swaynei, inertia) is harmful to conservation: “modern cokii and lelwel) within the East African . integrative approaches have shown that this tactic The intermixture between lelwel and cokii was has hidden an incommensurable number of examined in more detail by Ouma et al. (2011), distinctive species from conservation efforts… who showed morphological intermediacy Thereby increasing the risk of ”. “A between them in several regions, which the better understanding of the natural world will microsatellite distribution more or less tracked, always positively impact conservation policy” although the mitochondrial D-loop of cokii was (Raposo et al. 2017). more widespread, suggesting that lelwel had, in References the past, “invaded” cokii populations, leading to Bradley, R.D. & Baker, R.J. 2001. A test of the nuclear swamping. Genetic Species Concept: cytochrome-b Morphologically, the differences between the so- sequences and mammals. Journal of called “subspecies” of hartebeest are conspicuous Mammalogy 82: 960-973. Capellini, I. 2007. Dimorphism in the hartebeest. and consistent, and Groves & Grubb (2011) Pp. 124-132 in D.J. Fairbairn, W.U. suggested restoring them to the species status Blankenhorn & T.Szekely, eds. Sex, Size and under which they were originally described. Even Gender roles: Evolutionary Studies of Sexual the barrier between Alcelaphus lelwel and A. Size Dimorphism. . cokii, despite the occurrence of hybridisation, is Cracraft, J. 1983. Species concepts and speciation narrow, and each occupies a wide range within analysis. Current Ornithology 1: 159-187. which it is homogeneous (and the same seems to Flagstad, Ø., Syvertsen, P.O., Stenseth, N.C. & be true of their interfaces with A. swaynei). No Jakobsen, K.S. 2001. Environmental change hybrids are known from elsewhere, though of and rates of evolution: the phylogeographic course they may prove to occur. Hybridisation, at patterns within the hartebeest complex as any rate, does not disturb the separate related to climatic variation. Proceedings of evolutionary lineage status of any of the eight the Royal Society of London B 268: 667-677. species. I may note that Heckel et al. (2008) Gippoliti, S, Cotterill, F.P.D., Zinner, D. & Groves, C.P. 2017. Impacts of taxonomic reported that one of the “subspecies”, A. b. tora, inertia for the conservation of could not be found despite searching, and is diversity: an overview. Biological Reviews possibly extinct. One wonders whether, if it had 10.1111/brv.12335 been recognised as a distinct species (Alcelaphus Ghiselin, M.T. 1974. A radical solution to the tora) all along, rather than having been arbitrarily species problem. Systematic 23: 536- sunk into a catchall Alcelaphus buselaphus, it 544. 6

Groves, C.P. 2013. The nature of species: a S.S. 2009. The impact of taxonomic change on rejoinder to Zachos et al. Mammalian Biology conservation: does it kill, can it save, or is it 78: 7-9. just irrelevant? Biological Conservation 142: Groves, C. 2014. Current taxonomy and diversity 3201-3206. of crown above the species level. Ouma, C., Roca, A.L., Were, T., et al. 2011. Zitteliana, B 32:1-10. Genetic structure of hartebeest populations Groves, C. & Grubb, P. 2011. Ungulate straddling a transition zone between Taxonomy. , Johns Hopkins morphotypes. Journal of Basic and Applied University Press. Scientific Research, 1: 131-149. Grubb, P. & Groves, C.P. 2001. Appendix C: De Queiroz, K. 2007. Species concepts and revision and classification of the species delimitation. Systematic Biology 56: Cephalophinae. Pp. 703-728 in V.J. Wilson, 879-886. ed. of Africa: Masters of the African Rabosky, D.L. & Matute, D.R. 2013. Forest Floor. Chipangali Wildlife Trust, Macroevolutionary speciation rates are . decoupled from the evolution of intrinsic Gutiérrez, E.E. & Helgen, K.M. 2013. Outdated reproductive isolation in Drosophila and birds. taxonomy blocks conservation. Nature 495: Proceedings of the National Academy of 314. Sciences USA 110: 15354-15359. Hausdorf, B. 2011. Progress toward a general Raposo, M.A., Stopiglia, R., Brito, G.R.R. et al. species concept. Evolution 65: 923-931. 2017. What really hampers taxonomy and Hazevoet, C.J. 1996. Conservation and species conservation? A riposte to Garnett and lists: taxonomic neglect promotes the Christidis (2017). Zootaxa 4317: 179-184. of endemic birds, as exemplified by Roos, C., Zinner, D., Kubatko, L., et al. 2011. taxa from eastern Atlantic islands. Bird Nuclear versus mitochondrial DNA: evidence Conservation International 6: 181-196. for hybridisation in colobine monkeys. BMC Heckel, J.-O., Wilhelmi, F., Kaariye, H.Y. & Evolutionary Biology 11: 77. Gegebeyeu, G. 2008. Preliminary status Simpson, G.G. 1961. Principles of assessment survey on the critically endangered Taxonomy. Columbia University Press. Tora hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus tora) St Leger, J. 1934. On two “red duikers” from and further wild in north-western Mount Elgon and Mount Kenya, East Africa. . Gnusletter 26(2): 3-6. Annals & Magazine of Natural History (10) IUCN/SSC Antelope Specialist Group 2017. 14: 382-385. Antelope Specialist Group Taxonomy Policy Tobias, J.A., Seddon, N. and Spottiswoode, C.N. Version 2.0 January 2017. IUCN/SSC et al. 2010. Quantitative criteria for species Antelope Specialist Group (and republished in delimitation. Ibis, 152: 724-746. Gnusletter 34(1): 3-4). Yang, Z.& Rannala, B. 2010. Bayesian species Mayden, R.L. 1997. A hierarchy of species delimitation using multilocus sequence data. concepts: the denouement in the saga of the Proceedings of the National Academy of species problem. Pp. 381-424 in M.F. Sciences USA 107: 9264-9269. Claridge, H.A. Dawah & M.R. Wilson, eds. Zachos, F.E. 2016. Species Concepts in Biology. Species: the Units of Biodiversity. London, Berlin: Springer. Chapman & Hall. Zachos, F.E., Apollonio, M., Bärmann, E.V. et al. Mayr, E.1963. Animal Species and Evolution. 2013a. Species inflation and taxonomic Harvard University Press. artefacts – a critical comment on recent trends Miller, F.L., Barry, S.J., Calvert, W.A. & Zittlau, in mammalian classification. Mammalian K.A. 2006. Rethinking the basic conservation Biology 78: 1-6. unit and associated protocol for augmentation Zachos, F.E., Clutton-Brock, T.H., Festa- of an ‘endangered’ caribou population: an Bianchet, M. et al. 2013b. Taxonomy: species opinion. Rangifer Special Issue 17: 13-24. splitting puts conservation at risk. Nature 494: Morrison III, W.R., Lohr, J.L., Duchen, P., 35. Wilches, R., Trujillo, D., Mair, M. & Renner,

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Original Articles

Carl Theodor Eriksson, an overlooked early collector of endemic Zambesi Basin region antelopes

Henry Pihlström Department of Biosciences, Physiology and Neuroscience, P.O. Box 65 (Viikinkaari 1), 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland.

Summary Taxonomy. In this volume, the authors recognize In the early years of the twentieth century, the approximately twice as many ungulate (including Finnish prospector and colonial official, Carl bovid) species as is customary in “traditional” Theodor Eriksson (1874-1940), traveled widely in classifications. parts of what were then north-eastern Rhodesia The response to such dramatically new proposals and the Katanga region in the Belgian Congo. has been mixed (for a supportive view, see José During this time, Eriksson collected several Castelló’s 2016 book Bovids of the World), and antelope specimens for the institution that is today here is not the place to review this discussion. known as the Finnish Museum of Natural History However, the combined effect of publications in Helsinki, Finland. Among these specimens such as Groves and Grubb (2011) on the one hand, were, unbeknownst to Eriksson and his and the development of new, sophisticated contemporaries, representatives of endemic research methods (especially in molecular Zambezi Basin taxa that would not be described biology) on the other hand, has been an increased scientifically until many decades later. They appreciation of the potential importance of old include a specimen of the mammalogical collections housed in natural tsessebe lunatus superstes, and two history museums around the world. Such specimens of the currently Critically Endangered collections may include representatives of Upemba leche anselli; Eriksson’s populations that have become rare or even extinct Upemba lechwe may, in fact, be the earliest in . Thus, old museum specimens can scientifically collected specimens of their kind. In provide unique insights into the phylogeny and to place the significance of Eriksson’s phylogeography of taxa that would otherwise be specimens in a wider context, a short review of difficult or impossible to study (e.g. Pitra et al. lechwe taxonomy is presented, together with 2006, Bärmann et al. 2013). remarks about the implications for this taxonomy on research and conservation of antelopes in Partially inspired by these new developments in general. It is suggested that antelope populations the field of bovid taxonomy, the present author which are distinct but taxonomically “invisible” undertook in 2016 and 2017 a systematic survey are at greater risk of becoming overlooked not of the non-native mammal specimen collection in only in museum collections but also in the Finnish Museum of Natural History (FMNH) conservation efforts. in Helsinki, Finland. This collection includes a small number of wild-collected bovids, mainly In recent years, it has become apparent that our from Africa and . Of particular interest knowledge of the taxonomic diversity within the turned out to be specimens collected by the is still far from complete. Species Finnish prospector, adventurer and big- that are entirely new for science have been hunter Carl Theodor Eriksson (1874-1940) discovered during the last few decades (Dung et (Figure 1) in the Zambezi Basin region in al. 1993, Colyn et al. 2010). Other new taxa have at the beginning of the twentieth been recognized as a consequence of applying century. C.T. Eriksson (whose surname is novel species concepts (e.g. Grubb and Groves sometimes misspelled “Ericson” or “Erickson” in 2001). The most notable individual contribution secondary sources) was born into a Swedish- on this subject has probably been Colin Groves speaking working-class family in Helsinki, the and Peter Grubb’s 2011 book Ungulate capital of what at the time was an autonomous

8 part of the Russian Empire, the Grand Duchy of In addition to his official administrative duties, Finland. Eriksson, who did not fancy his career Eriksson collected zoological specimens for his prospects in his native country, moved to South native country. Eriksson was not a professional Africa in 1895. After having spent a few years in naturalist, but he the , Eriksson entered into the was a skilled hunter and a keen observer of wild service of a British mining company, and animals. He entered an agreement with Finnish travelled northwards to north-eastern Rhodesia naturalists to collect a representative sample of (subsequently Northern Rhodesia, and today the African animals (mostly large mammals) to be Republic of ). sent to the fledgling natural history museum in Helsinki. Eriksson’s collecting trips took place During the first decade of the 20th century, he mainly in September–October 1906, in north- traveled in various parts of north-eastern eastern Rhodesia and in the Katanga region of the Rhodesia and the Belgian Congo (present-day Belgian Congo. Democratic ), mainly prospecting for copper. Eriksson brought with He collected specimens in an area approximately him a camera, and, despite the often-challenging bordered by the Lualaba River in the west, by the conditions in the field, he managed to produce a upper reaches of the Lufira River (it is unclear fairly extensive photographic record of his exactly how far north towards the Upemba Lakes activities. Eriksson later wrote an autobiography Eriksson travelled) and in the north, of his African years in his native Swedish by the and Lake Bangweulu in the (Eriksson 1932); a Finnish translation was also east, and by the Broken Hill (present-day Kabwe) published. Thanks to all this photographic and region in the south. All in all, the zoological written material, C.T. Eriksson’s African travels material that C.T. Eriksson sent to Finland are, for the most part, well documented; see included more than 30 individual mammal Särkkä (2015) for an overview. specimens, mostly antelopes (Table 1). Among these were a few specimens that, unbeknownst to Figure 1. Carl Theodor Eriksson, photographed in Eriksson and his contemporaries, represented taxa 1901. Original photo is in the Institute of that would not be scientifically described until Migration, Turku, Finland. nearly a century later. Among the historically notable antelope specimens that Eriksson collected is a male tsessebe that he shot south of Lake Bangweulu, near the Luapula River in October 1906. Eriksson noted that the animal, which he photographed and illustrated in his memoirs (Eriksson 1932:310), possessed unusually large and robust horns for a tsessebe. The skin was mounted and sent to the natural history museum in Helsinki, where it remains today (Figure 2). Neither in his handwritten field notes nor in his memoirs did Eriksson consider the possibility that the Lake Bangweulu tsessebe might be taxonomically distinct from tsessebe Damaliscus lunatus in other parts of Africa. However, the Lake Bangweulu tsessebe are geographically isolated from other Damaliscus populations, and available evidence suggests that this isolation is of relatively ancient origin (Cotterill 2003a,b). The Lake Bangweulu tsessebe are also morphologically distinct from other tsessebe, most notably regarding the size and shape of their horns (Cotterill 2003b, Castelló 2016). Due to its distinctiveness, Cotterill (2003b) described the Lake Bangweulu tsessebe as a 9 separate species, Damaliscus superstes. This the horns of one of these specimens, and the species-level distinction was supported by Groves whole of the other (Figures 3a and b), and and Grubb (2011) and Castelló (2016). The IUCN also the skins of both individuals. In his field Red List also recognizes the Lake Bangweulu notes, he identified these animals as “red lechwe”, tsessebe as taxonomically distinct, although only and provided a few additional notes about their subspecifically, as Damaliscus lunatus superstes habits and distribution. He wrote that red lechwe (IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group 2017a). were “common” (although localized) in both Katanga and in the vicinity of Lakes Mweru and Of even greater historical interest are the lechwe Bangweulu, but that they were “never” found by that Eriksson collected. According to his field the Lualaba River. Eriksson also noted that in notes, two male lechwe specimens were shot in Katanga, the horns of red lechwe were “always” September 1906 in Katanga, in the vicinity of the smaller than the horns of red lechwe further south, Lufira River, which at the time was not yet in the Kafue region (which Eriksson had visited dammed (Magis 1962). Eriksson collected only on earlier occasions).

Figure 2. Bangweulu tsessebe Damaliscus lunatus superstes, specimen UN 137, FMNH. (The sloth does not belong to C.T. Eriksson’s collection of African animals.) Photo: Henry Pihlström.

On October 9 1906, Eriksson shot a male black which he also collected. Later, in Helsinki, these lechwe south of Lake Bangweulu; he later larvae were found to represent a species of botfly published a photograph of this specimen in his new to science, named Strobiloestrus erikssoni memoirs (Eriksson 1932:310). So impressed was after its discoverer (Poppius 1907). Eriksson by his quarry that he wrote in his book C.T. Eriksson appears to have been either that red lechwe are “banal” by comparison uninterested in or, more likely, unware of the (Eriksson 1932:313). This disparaging comment contemporary complexities of lechwe taxonomy. is the only mention of red lechwe in Eriksson’s The original “red lechwe” Kobus leche or published memoirs. He collected both the black southern lechwe was described in the mid-19th lechwe’s skull and skin (Figure 4). Embedded in century (Gray 1850). (Another lechwe species, the skin, Eriksson found several botfly larvae the lechwe Kobus megaceros was described 10 shortly thereafter (Fitzinger 1855), but this There have been few molecular studies on lechwe, species does not live in the Zambezi Basin region and most of these have included only some of the and is therefore of no concern for the present purported species/subspecies. Both De Meneghi discussion. From here on in this text, “lechwe” et al. (1995) and Birungi and Arctander (2001) refers exclusively to members of the southern included representatives of just three taxa, African Kobus leche species complex.) A few namely, Kobus leche leche, K. l. kafuensis, and K. decades later, the superficially quite distinct black l. smithemani. Specimens of Kobus leche lechwe was described as a separate species by robertsoni, which by the time was already extinct, Lydekker (1899). The majority of later authors were not available for genetic study. Both De have, however, preferred to consider it merely a Meneghi et al. (1995) and Birungi and Arctander separate subspecies (Kobus leche smithemani) of (2001) concluded that the three compared taxa are the red lechwe. Rothschild described the so-called distinct, but only subspecifically. Birungi and Roberts’ lechwe as a new species shortly Arctander (2001), however, qualified their thereafter (Rothschild 1907). In this case, too, conclusion by noting that additional molecular subsequent authors have generally accepted this data are needed to fully resolve this question. form as a valid taxon, but only at the subspecies level (Kobus leche robertsi). Later still, the Kafue Ever since the 1950s, some zoologists, notably W. population of red lechwe Kobus leche kafuensis F. H. Ansell, had suggested that lechwe was recognized as subspecifically distinct by taxonomic diversity was underestimated and in Haltenorth (1963). Most recently, Cotterill (2005, need of a critical revision (e.g. Ansell 1958, 2006) described the Upemba lechwe from the Grimwood et al. 1958). These suggestions were Katanga region as a separate species-level taxon, followed up by Cotterill (2000) in a major Kobus anselli (see below). departure from the by then fairly established lechwe classification. On morphological grounds, Before the 21st century, there had been only a few Cotterill (2000) suggested that the black, serious attempts to revise lechwe taxonomy. Roberts’, and should all be elevated Barclay (1933) thought, on the basis of a rather to full species status, alongside the “common” red cursory examination of lechwe pelage coloration, lechwe. Later, following a study of the hitherto that only the black lechwe was taxonomically poorly known Upemba lechwe, Cotterill (2005) distinct, and that no other subspecies should be described it too as a separate species, bringing the recognized. Howard and Sidorovicz (1976) number of extant and recently extinct species in compared skull sizes in different lechwe the Kobus leche species complex to five. Still populations, and found that, while the black later, Cotterill (2006) expanded his dataset to also lechwe was on average smaller than the red include molecular characters. Cotterill’s lechwe and thus, in their view, probably a valid molecular phylogenetic analysis, which suggested taxon, the “common” red lechwe and the Kafue that the divergence dates of the five lechwe taxa red lechwe did not significantly differ from each are relatively recent, was unfortunately not able to other regarding skull size. Therefore, Howard and fully resolve lechwe phylogeny; it did, however, Sidorovicz (1976) also argued against suggest that the Upemba lechwe lineage was recognizing different subspecies of red lechwe. among the first (perhaps even the first) to diverge However, Ansell and Banfield (1979) later from other lechwe populations (Cotterill 2006). showed that these analyses were flawed. The Morphologically, the Upemba lechwe is notable supposed “common” red lechwe sample studied for being, on average, smaller than other lechwe by Howard and Sidorovicz (1976) actually taxa, especially in its skull and horn dimensions consisted of erroneously labeled Kafue lechwe (Cotterill 2005, Castelló 2016; cf. Eriksson’s field specimens, so Howard and Sidorovicz had, notes, quoted above). unwittingly, performed a within-population morphological comparison (which, As the holotype for the Upemba lechwe Cotterill unsurprisingly, did not find any significant size (2005) chose a specimen that was collected in differences). 1926 by J.T. Zimmer. This represented, at the time of Cotterill’s description, the earliest known The phylogenetic relationships between the collected material of the Upemba lechwe. various lechwe taxa are still mostly unresolved. However, the two “red” lechwe specimens 11 collected by C.T. Eriksson in Katanga in 1906 only because of their locality data but also their pre-date Zimmer’s specimen by two decades. skull and horn dimensions, which agree with the That these FMNH specimens indeed represent data presented by Cotterill (2005). Upemba lechwe is beyond reasonable doubt, not

Figure 3. Upemba lechwe (Kobus leche anselli). 3a (left), specimen UN 288, FMNH. Eriksson’s original handwriting is visible on the parietal . Figure 3b (right), specimen UN 3000, FMNH. Photos: Henry Pihlström.

At the time of Eriksson’s collecting trip, all the The current precarious status of some of the various lechwe taxa appear to have been plentiful surviving lechwe taxa, and the Upemba lechwe in in the Zambezi Basin region. Since then, however, particular, makes preserved museum specimens many populations have drastically decreased and particularly valuable, and in some cases their distributions have become more fragmented. effectively irreplaceable. Sadly, not even Roberts’ lechwe became wholly extinct, deposition in a museum collection has always apparently unnoticed by contemporary observers, sufficed to prevent specimens from being lost to by the mid-20th century (Cotterill 2006). The science. C.T. Eriksson, as noted, collected both black lechwe has disappeared from large parts of skull and skin material of the Upemba lechwe. its former range (Thirgood et al. 1994, However, during the early 20th century Kamweneshe 2000, Siamudaala et al. 2012). The (particularly during the Second World War) some Kafue lechwe, while still fairly abundant, has also parts of the FMNH collections, unfortunately been decreasing (Chansa and Kampamba 2010). including Eriksson’s material, were kept in The most seriously threatened of the surviving storage facilities that were not optimal for the lechwe taxa is the most recently described, the preservation of specimens. Eventually, the Upemba lechwe, which is classified as Critically condition of the flat skins of the two Upemba Endangered (IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist lechwe specimens had deteriorated to such an Group 2017b). Its current population size is extent that in 1991 a decision was made to destroy estimated to be fewer than 1,000 individuals them. Eriksson’s black lechwe skin, which had (Cotterill 2005). It seems likely that an important remained in better condition, was fortunately reason why the plight of the Upemba lechwe has spared. There is little doubt that a major not been properly recognized until very recently contributing factor to the regrettable decision to is because its distinctiveness from other lechwe destroy these Upemba lechwe skins was that they has remained unknown to science for so long; were, at the time, considered to merely represent such taxonomic “invisibility”, in turn, may “common” red lechwe. If there had been a serious seriously impede conservation efforts (Cotterill suspicion in the early 1990s that Eriksson’s 2005, 2006). lechwe specimens from Katanga might represent a taxonomically distinct population, this material

12 would surely not have been destroyed, poor descriptions that have appeared in recent years. It condition or not. Hopefully, the present is possible and perhaps even likely that such re- publication will stimulate other researchers and examination will expose additional, previously institutions to critically re-examine museum overlooked specimens of rare or extinct bovid specimens of bovids that were collected before taxa in the collections of the world’s natural the taxonomic revisions and new taxon history museums.

Table 1. Antelope specimens collected by C. T. Eriksson in North-Eastern Rhodesia (NER) and Katanga (KAT) in 1906 for the Finnish Museum of Natural History. Species-level taxonomy follows the IUCN Red List. Taxon N Collection locality/localities

Sylvicapra grimmia splendidula 1 NER (“Musambo River”a) Ourebia ourebi hastata 2 NER (“Chongola, near the Luapula River”) Tragelaphus oryx livingstonii 1 NER (“East of the Luapula River”) Alcelaphus lichtensteinii 2 NER (“Broken Hill”), KAT (“Kambowe”) Damaliscus lunatus superstes 1 NER (“South of Lake Bangweulu”) equinus 2 NER (“Broken Hill”), KAT Hippotragus niger kirkii 4 NER, KAT (“Kambowe”) Redunca arundinum 3 NER (”South of Lake Mweru”), KAT Kobus ellipsiprymnus defassa 2 NER (”North of Broken Hill”) Kobus vardonii 7 NER, KAT Kobus leche anselli 2 KAT (“Lufira River”) Kobus leche smithemani 1 NER (“South of Lake Bangweulu”) a Exact present-day locality uncertain.

Acknowledgements I thank Risto Väinölä and Martti Hildén at the for insightful comments. This work has been Finnish Museum of Natural History for providing funded by the Anna och Signe von Bonsdorffs me access to specimens in their care, Janne släktfond, the Waldemar von Frenckell Granroth for help with locating C.T. Eriksson’s Foundation, the Ella and Georg Ehrnrooth original handwritten field notes, Timo Särkkä for Foundation, and the Oskar Öflund Foundation. help with the literature, and the late Colin Groves

References Ansell, W.F.H. 1958. On the study of African analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene Mammalia. Journal of Mammalogy 39: 577- sequences. Journal of Mammalian Evolution 581. 8: 125-147. Ansell, W.F.H. and Banfield, C.F. 1979. The Castelló, J.R. 2016. Bovids of the World. subspecies of Kobus leche Gray, 1850 Princeton University Press, Princeton / (Bovidae). Säugetierkundliche Mitteilungen Oxford. 27: 168-176. Chansa, W. and Kampamba, G. 2010. The Barclay, E.N. 1933. The lechwe of South-Central population status of the Kafue lechwe in the Africa. The Annals and Magazine of Natural , Zambia. African Journal of History 11: 334-339. Ecology 48: 837-840. Bärmann, E.V., Börner, S., Erpenbeck, D., Colyn, M., Hulselmans, J., Sonet, G., Oudé, P., de Rössner, G.E., Hebel, C. and Wörheide, G. Winter, J., Natta, A., Tamás Nagy, Z. and 2013. The curious case of Gazella arabica. Verheyen, E. 2010. Discovery of a new duiker Mammalian Biology 78: 220-225. species (Bovidae: Cephalophinae) from the Birungi, J. and Arctander, P. 2001. Molecular Dahomey Gap, . Zootaxa 2637: 1- systematics and phylogeny of the Reduncini 30. (Artiodactyla: Bovidae) inferred from the

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Cotterill, F.P.D. 2000. Reduncine antelope of the Groves, C.P. and Grubb, P. 2011. Ungulate Zambesi Basin. In: J.R. Timberlake (ed). Taxonomy. The Johns Hopkins University Biodiversity of the Zambesi Basin , Press. pp. 145-199. Biodiversity Foundation for Grubb, P. and Groves, C.P. 2001. Revision and Africa / Zambesi Society, Bulawayo / Harare. classification of the Cephalophinae. In: V.J. Cotterill, F.P.D. 2003a. A biogeographic review Wilson (ed). Duikers of Africa: Masters of the of tsessebe antelopes Damaliscus lunatus African Forest Floor, pp. 703-728. Chipangali (Bovidae: Alcelaphini) in south-central Africa. Wildlife Trust, Zimbabwe. Durban Museum Novitates 28: 45-55. Haltenorth, T. 1963. Klassifikation der Cotterill, F.P.D. 2003b. Insights into the Säugetiere: Artiodactyla. Handbuch der taxonomy of tsessebe antelopes Damaliscus Zoologie. Band 8. Walter de Gruyter Verlag, lunatus (Bovidae: Alcelaphini) with the Berlin. description of a new evolutionary species in Howard, G.W. and Sidorowicz, J.A. 1976. south-central Africa. Durban Museum Geographical variation in lechwe (Kobus leche Novitates 28: 11-30. Gray) in Zambia. Mammalia 40: 69-77. Cotterill, F.P.D. 2005. The Upemba lechwe, IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group. 2017a. Kobus anselli: an antelope new to science Damaliscus lunatus ssp. superstes. The IUCN emphasizes the conservation importance of Red List of Threatened Species 2017: Katanga, Democratic Republic of Congo. e.T136860A50198040. Journal of Zoology, London 265: 113-132. IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group. 2017b. Cotterill, F.P.D. 2006. The evolutionary history Kobus leche ssp. anselli. The IUCN Red List and taxonomy of the Kobus leche species of Threatened Species 2017: complex of South-Central Africa in the context e.T136937A50198198. of palaeo-drainage dynamics. PhD thesis, Kamweneshe, B.M. 2000. Ecology, conservation University of Stellenbosch, . and management of the black lechwe (Kobus De Meneghi, D., Apollonio, M. and Hartl, G.B. leche smithemani) in the Bangweulu Basin, 1995. Biochemical-genetic approach towards Zambia. PhD thesis, University of Pretoria, the systematics of lechwe Kobus leche. Acta South Africa. Theriologica 40: 303-308. Lydekker, R. 1899. Description of the skin of an Dung, V.V., Giao, P.M., Chinh, N.N., Tuoc, D., apparently new antelope from the Arctander, P. and MacKinnon, J. 1993. A new neighbourhood of Lake Mweru, with note on a species of living bovid from Vietnam. Nature skull and horns of an antelope of the same 363: 443-445. genus. Proceedings of the Zoological Society Eriksson, C.T. 1932. Mitt Afrika. Holger Schildts of London 1899: 981-984. Förlag, Helsingfors. (Finnish translation: Magis, N. 1962. Étude limnologique des lacs Seikkailujeni Afrikka. Gummerus, Helsinki, artificels de la Lufira et du Lualaba (Haut 1932.) Katanga). I. Le régime hydraulique, les Fitzinger, L. 1855. Bericht an die kaiserl. variations saisonnières de la température. Akademie der Wissenschaften über die von International Review of Hydrobiology 47: 33- dem Herrn Consulatsverweser Dr. Theodor v. 84. Heuglin für die kaiserliche Menagerie zu Pitra, C., Vaz Pinto, P., O’Keeffe, B.W.J., Schönbrunn mitgebrachten lebenden Thiere. Willows-Munro, S., Vuuren, B.J. and Sitzungsberichte der Kaiserlichen Akademie Robinson, T.J. 2006. DNA-led rediscovery of der Wissenschaften. Mathematisch- the giant in . European Naturwissenschaftliche Classe 17: 242-253. Journal of Wildlife Research 52: 145-152. Gray, J.E. 1850. Synopsis of the species of Poppius, B. 1907. Eine neue Art der Oestriden- antelopes and strepsiceres, with descriptions of Gattung Dermatoestrus Brauer aus Central- some new species. Proceedings of the Afrika. Öfversigt af Finska Vetenskaps- Zoological Society 1850: 111-146. Societetens Förhandlingar 49(19): 1-3. Grimwood, I.R., Benson, C.W. and Ansell, Rothschild, W. 1907. Descriptions of a new W.F.H. 1958. The present-day status of species and two new subspecies of antelopes ungulates in Northern Rhodesia. Mammalia and a new . Proceedings of the 22: 451-468. Zoological Society of London 1907: 237-238. 14

Särkkä, T. 2015. Imperialists without an empire? current status of black lechwe (Kobus: Finnish settlers in late nineteenth- and early Bovidae) in Zambia. African Journal of twentieth-century Rhodesia. Journal of Ecology 32: 1-8. Migration History 1: 75-99. Thirgood, S.J., Nefdt, R.J., Jeffery, R.C.V. and Kamweneshe, B. 1994. Population trends and

Figure 4. Black lechwe (Kobus leche smithemani), specimen UN 898. Photo: Henry Pihlström.

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Analysis of temporal population trend and conservation of Tibetan Antelope in Chang Chenmo Valley and Daulat Beg Oldi, Changthang, Ladakh, India

Khursheed Ahmad1*, Riyaz Ahmad2, Parag Nigam3 and Jigmit Takpa4 1Centre for Mountain Wildlife Sciences, Sher-e- University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar 190025, Srinagar, J & K, India. 2 Wildlife Trust of India, Jammu & Kashmir Chapter, Srinagar, J & K India; 3 Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabhani 248001, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 4 Department of Wildlife Protection, Jammu & Kashmir Government * Corresponding author email: [email protected]

Abstract threat. Monitoring of socio-economic The Tibetan Antelope or Chiru Pantholops circumstances may be as important to Tibetan hodgsonii is a threatened antelope also listed in Antelope conservation as scientific population Appendix 1 of CITES. It is endemic to the monitoring, surveillance and management. - Plateau which lies almost entirely in . A small population however, migrates Introduction into the Chang Chenmo Valley (CCV) and Daulat The Tibetan Antelope or Chiru Pantholops Beg Oldi (DBO) areas in eastern Ladakh, India. hodgsonii is endemic to the high of the We report a comparative analysis of the structure Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, most of which lies in and temporal trend of this population and China, with a small extension in Ladakh in conservation concerns observed in both areas northern India. It is a Schedule 1 species under the during preliminary surveys in 2004–2006 and Indian Wildlife Protection Act 1972 (amended more intensive studies during 2012-2014. The 2006) and Jammu & Kashmir Wildlife Protection surveys were carried out along nine line transects Act 1978 (amended 2006). It was until recently in four survey blocks each in Chang Chenmo listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List Valley and Daulat Beg Oldi. The results indicate because of large scale for its under that these areas of Ladakh hold a seasonal fleece, shahtoosh, which was smuggled into population of 300-350 Tibetan Antelope and Kashmir and woven into . Efforts taken to contrary to earlier reports that the entire stop the shahtoosh trade have helped the chiru to population migrates back to China during winter, recover and the global population is reported to we found a small population of around 15-20 have doubled since the mid-1990s with present individuals stayed in Chang Chenmo Valley population estimated between 100,000 (Leslie during winter. We estimated a population of 64 and Schaller 2008) and c. 150,000 (Liu 2009). Tibetan Antelope in Chang Chenmo in 2004, 55- The species has recently been reassessed as Near 60 in 2005 and 40-45 in 2006, we observed 75-80 Threatened due to the recovery of the main Chiru in 2012, 70-80 in 2013 and 80-95 in 2014. population in China (IUCN SSC Antelope Group size varied from 6.30 (±4.82) in 2004 to Specialist Group 2016). The migratory nature and 6.34 (±5.15) in 2014 while encounter rates varied clumped distribution of the Tibetan Antelope from 1.13 (±1.06) in 2004 to 1.20 (±1.18) /km in complicate extrapolation and calculation of 2012-2014. In DBO 230 Tibetan Antelope were accurate population estimates, but most of the estimated in 2005 and 200-250 in 2006. We could reliable sources agree that the population has been survey only a part of the DBO area during 2012- increasing (Leslie and Schaller 2008; IUCN SSC 2014 and estimated a population of 260-280. Antelope Specialist Group 2016). due to livestock and the accompanying herders and dogs might have Most Tibetan Antelopes occur in China but a reduced to a large extent owing to strict small population migrates to two sites in extreme regulations imposed by security agencies on the northern India, the Chang Chenmo Valley (CCV movement of changpa (nomads) of Changthang and Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO), both located in the and their livestock into the area. Feral dogs and Ladakh region (Fig. 1). No more than 2,500 km2 dogs accompanying the Indo-Tibetan Border of have been estimated to lie within Indian Police and Army installations are still a major . However, a large part of the

16 region, where summer populations of Tibetan N-34.37N and 78.10 E-9.00E) (Fig. 2). These Antelope also occur, is currently under Chinese sites lie within the westernmost extension of the control. Some populations are sedentary, others Tibetan Plateau and vary in altitude from 4450 to migratory (Schaller, 1998). Information on the 5800 m asl and are located north and north-east of status, trend and conservation of the Indian lake and 84 km from the last population is limited. We undertook preliminary habitable village of Phobrang (Namgial 2009; surveys in 2004-2006, followed by a more and Takpa 2009; Ahmad and Nigam 2015). intensive study in 2012-2015 to enhance The area falls administratively under knowledge on the population size and structure of Block of . CCV lies within Changthang Tibetan Antelope in India, and conservation Wildlife Sanctuary (>3100 km2). DBO implications for ensuring long term survival of the (consisting of Gaptain and ) lies in species and its . Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary. DBO has limited human habitation and is a restricted area due to The study was carried out in Daulat Beg Oldi security considerations. (DBO) and Chang Chenmo Valley (CCV) (34.00

Tibetan Antelope in Ladakh, India. Photo K. Ahmad

Methodology Results and Discussion CCV and DBO were stratified into five survey The preliminary survey conducted during July– blocks with nine transects in each, varying in September in 2004, 2005 and 2006 indicated that length between 6 and 10 km, based on differences the Tibetan Antelope population in both areas in altitude, aspect, habitat and degree of human remained more or less stable except for a dip in disturbance. Line transect (Buckland et al. 2001) 2006 which could be attributed to the survey in and trail monitoring (Rutledge 1982) 2006 been conducted during the time of the methodology were adopted for collecting data on i.e. October 2006 when outward migration of the distribution and abundance. All transects were Chiru population starts (Table 2). We estimated a surveyed four times a month at 05.00-12.00 and population of 64 Tibetan Antelope in Chang 15.00-18.00. For every Tibetan Antelope Chenmo in 2004, 55-60 in 2005 and 40-45 in sighting, data on population size, structure, were 2006, we observed 75-80 in 2012, 70-80 in 2013 recorded, along with date. Duplications were and 80-95 in 2014 (Table 1). Group size varied deleted by comparing time, locality and group from 6.30 (±4.82 CI) in 2004 to 6.34 (±5.15) in composition. 2014. Encounter rates varied from 1.13 (±1.06) in 2004 to 1.20 (±1.18) Tibetan Antelope/km in 2012-2014. In DBO, 230 Chiru were estimated in 17

2005 and 200-250 in 2006. We could survey only However, some males were seen in the female a part of the DBO area during 2012-2014 and area of DBO for the first time. During one survey observed a population of 80 females with young a group of 80 females with young were recorded and estimated 260-280 Tibetan Antelopes in from the Galwan Nullah, along Kugrang Nullah DBO. During 2012-2015, 162 surveys were adjacent to DBO, confirming the reported carried out in the nine transects and four survey presence of Chiru in this area. blocks involving a total time effort of 1208.85 hours and distance of 918.60 km walked. The We confirmed that the timing of inward migration study indicated that in addition to Tibetan of Tibetan Antelope from Tibet to CCV is in Antelope, Chang Chenmo Valley holds other April, not May as suggested by Schaller (1997) mammals such as Wild mutus, Tibetan and Wright and Kumar (1997). Contrary to ammon hodgsoni, Tibetan Wild Ass previous reports of outward migration of the Equus , Blue Sheep nayaur, entire Tibetan Antelope population to the Chinese Tibetan Canis lupus chanco and sector of the Tibetan Plateau in October (Schaller Vulpes vulpes. 1998; Sarkar et al. 2008; Namgail 2009) we observed that around 15-20 individuals stayed in Out of the total of 1604 individuals of eight CCV during winter. In CCV, the Tibetan different species which were recorded, the Antelope was seen mostly at the Hot Spring area maximum number of sightings and individuals and occasionally at K. Hill. It has not been recorded were of Tibetan Antelope with a mean reported beyond K. Hill so far. During our encounter rate of 1.53/hr and 1.20/km (n = 92 surveys over 10 days in February 2014, in the group sightings and 583 individuals) (Fig. 3). The Thratsang La, where a new location for Tibetan chiru sighting encounter rates/hr effort and per Antelope had been reported (Sankar et al. 2011), kilometer walk varied significantly (F=19.97 P= we did not have any direct sightings of Chiru or 0.000; F= 17.95 P = 0.000 respectively). Chiru find any indirect evidence of its presence in the group size usually varied from solitary animals up area. The resident nature of the Chiru population to 12 although two groups during the late summer in CCV is supported by our studies we conducted comprised 23 and 19 individuals. Group size using the control region marker (Ahmad et al. varied between seasons. The mean group size in 2016), documenting for the first time the genetic Chang Chenmo was 6.3 (± 4.82) in 2004 and 6.34 variation of the Indian population of the Tibetan (±5.15) in 2014 whereas in DBO the mean group antelope, the extent of migration and its size varied from 4.33-4.66 in 2005/2006 to 6.5 relationships with other populations which during 2012-2014. Only males (adult and indicated absence of Chiru migration from India subadult) were seen in CCV whereas in DBO to Qinghai Tibetan Plateau (QTP) (Ahmad et al. females with young were encountered in all 2016). sightings.

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Table 1. Population Status of Tibetan Antelope in Chang Chenmo Valley and Daulat Beg Oldi in 2004- 2014. Chang Chenmo Valley Daulat Beg Oldi

Year No of No of Pop. No of No of Pop.

Groups TA estimate Groups TA estimate

2004 10 63 63

2005 19 120 55-60 142 662 250

2006 05 18 40-48 246

2012 42 217 75-80 2013 18 131 70-80 03 120 250-280

2014 32 193 80-90

Conservation Measures & Technology (DST), Government of India, New Special efforts and measures are required to Delhi for funding support in conducting this ensure the survival of the Indian population of study. We are deeply indebted to Prof. Nazeer Tibetan Antelope. Disturbance due to livestock Ahmad, Vice-Chancellor Sher-e-Kashmir and the accompanying herders and dogs might University of Agricultural Sciences and have reduced to a large extent owing to strict Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-Kashmir), Dr. regulations imposed by security agencies on the Tej Partap, former Vice-Chancellor, and Dr. movement of changpas (nomads) of Changthang Shafiq A. Wani, former Director Research and their livestock into the area. However, feral SKUAST-Kashmir for their support, help and dogs and dogs accompanying the Indo-Tibetan cooperation in carrying out the mandated research Border Police and Army installations in the area smoothly and successfully. The outright support, still pose a potential threat to wild animals help and cooperation provide by Mr. Intisar including Tibetan Antelope. Some signs of Suhail, Wildlife Warden, Leh is highly poaching can be found, although the area is acknowledged. Support provided by the former recovering from past pressures. Drafting Chief Wildlife Warden, Shri A.K. Singh and Shri of a proper management plan for the area to Deepak Khana, the Chief Wildlife Warden, in conserve the Tibetan Antelope, and providing necessary permission for the study is other important species of this cold desert highly acknowledged. The kind support provided is needed urgently. Awareness raising by Dr V.B. Mathur, Director Wildlife Institute of among the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), India and his colleagues for carrying out other security forces, and local herders, who are laboratory work at the forensic facility at WII is the major stakeholders in these remote areas, is sincerely acknowledged. imperative for the long-term survival of the species and its habitats in this region. As References suggested by Ahmad et al. (2016) it is recommended that genetic studies are undertaken Ahmed, K and Nigam, P. (2015). Ecological and to investigate patterns of , socio-economic study on the Tibetan Antelope relatedness, and population connectivity using or Chiru (Pantholops hodgsonii) in Chang mtDNA and nuclear markers in the study Chenmo Wildlife Sanctuary, Leh, Ladakh. populations to determine their relationship with Project Completion Report. Submitted to other populations on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Department of Science and Technology, Govt. and identify if any barriers exist. of India., Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Acknowledgements Kashmir, Shuhama, Alusteng, Srinagar, J&K. We acknowledge the Science and Engineering Ahmad, K., Kumar, V.P., Joshi, B.D., Raza, M., Research Board (SERB), Department of Science Nigam, P., Khan, A.A. and Goyal, S.P. (2016) 19

Genetic diversity of the Tibetan antelope Sankar, K., Rawat, G.S. and Upadhyay, A.K. (Pant.holops hodgsonii) population of Ladakh, (2011). Habitat Ecology and Conservation India, its relationship with other populations Status of Wild Ungulates in Northern Parts of and conservation implications. BMC Res. Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary, Ladakh. Final Notes 9: 477 DOI 10.1186/s13104-016-2271- Technical Report. Wildlife Institute of India, 4. Dehradun 66 pp. Ahmed, R., Sarkar, P., Pendharkar, A., Sarkar, P., Takpa J., Ahmed R., Tiwari, S.K., Upadhyay, A.K. & Tiwari, S.K. 2006. Survey Pendharkar, A., Milandad, S.J., Upadhyay, A., of Tibetan antelope and wild yak in Ladakh, and Kaul, R. (2008). Mountain Migrants: Jammu & Kashmir. WTI. Interim Report. Survey of Tibetan Antelope (Panthalops Buckland, S.T., Anderson, D.R., Burnham, K.P., hodgsonii) and Wild Yak (Bos grunniens) in Laake, J.L., Borchers, D.L. and Thomas, L. Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India. 2001. Introduction to distance sampling. Conservation Action Series. Wildlife Trust of Oxford: Oxford University Press. India. IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group 2016. Schaller, G.B. 1998. Wildlife of the Tibetan Pantholops hodgsonii. The IUCN Red List of Steppe. The University of Chicago Press, Threatened Species 2016: Chicago, Illinois. e.T15967A50192544. Shawl, T. and Takpa. J. (2009). Status and http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016- distribution of Tibetan antelope (chiru) and 2.RLTS.T15967A50192544.en associated mammals in Changchenmo Valley Leslie, D.M., Jr. & Schaller, G.B. (2008). and Daulet Beg Oldi Ladakh, India. Pantholops hodgsonii. Mammalian Department of Wildlife Protection, Species 817: 1-13. Government of Jammu and Kashmir. Namgial, T. 2009. Mountain Ungulates of the Wright B. and A. Kumar 1997. Fashioned for Trans-Himalayan Region of Ladakh, India, Extinction: An expose of the shahtoosh trade. India. International Journal of Wilderness 15: Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), 35-40. New Delhi. 48pp. Rutledge R.D. (1982). The method of bounded counts: When does it work? Journal of Wildlife Management 46: 757-761.

Tibetan Antelopes in Ladakh, India. Photo: K. Ahmad

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A new comprehensive package for the management and analysis of camera trap data for monitoring antelope and other wildlife species

Rajan Amin ([email protected]), Tim Wacher ([email protected]) Conservation Programmes, Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London

Camera trapping – the use of remotely triggered • Distribution plots of trapping rates and cameras to photograph wildlife – is emerging as occupancy (in Google Earth, QGIS and one of the most important methods to monitor ArcGIS). terrestrial medium-to-large mammals. It is • 24-hour activity patterns with radial plot particularly suited to monitoring forest antelopes. and bar chart outputs. The decrease in camera trap cost, with technological improvement, proven success in The package is now extensively being used to monitoring rare and elusive species, as well as analyse camera trap survey data from a range of whole mammal communities makes camera ZSL and partner sites and habitats including trapping an important and efficient survey desert systems (, Chad Mongolia), technique for conservation. However, the very systems (India, Nepal, Benin, South large amounts of data generated are frequently Africa) and forest systems (Kenya, , only partially analysed because of the difficulties , , , Indonesia, Russia). in managing and analysing the thousands of Examples of outputs generated from the analysis images recorded. One consequence is that package illustrating results for various forest important biological information on a range of antelope species using the package’s species species captured by the cameras is overlooked. selection options are shown in Figures 1-7. In order to maximise use of camera trap data the Future Developments Zoological Society of London (ZSL) has The following features will be available in version developed a Camera Trap data Analysis Package 2 of the software package. (CTAP) for managing and processing large • Image processing tool volumes of image data efficiently and reliably. The package has been designed to manage • Population density estimates for marked multiple surveys using standardised lists of animals (spatially explicit capture- species and camera trap parameters. The package recapture modelling). performs a range of survey effort and species • Movement pattern analysis and home level analyses with tabular, graphical, and QGIS range estimation for marked animals. and Google Earth map outputs. • Population density estimates for Key features of the software package include: unmarked animals. • Survey effort reports. • Activity level modelling. • Species list (taxonomically ordered with information on habitat, habit, tropic level, • Diversity measures. adult body weight, IUCN Red List threat • Species community structure analyses. status) with number of images, number of events and number of camera stations • Statistical tests (chi-square, circular detected. statistics etc.). • Species rarefaction curves and species • Cross survey analyses. richness estimates. • Species spatio-temporal plots. • Standardised reports generation in Word and RTF. • Species trapping rates with standard errors (overall and daily / seasonal). Further information on CTAP is available on • Species occupancy modelling (with sites https://www.zsl.org/zsl-camera-trap-data- covariates). management-and-analysis-package

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Acknowledgements: The data outputs used to Ministère des Forêts et de La Faune (MINFOF) in illustrate analysis results of the camera trapping Cameroon and between ZSL and Kenya Wildlife package in this article derive from reports Service (KWS) in Kenya. The authors thank all produced in collaborations between ZSL and members of the field teams in both countries.

Figure 1. Comparative plot of trapping rates (camera trap events/day x 100, with standard Figure 2. Plot occupancy modelling for selected error bars) of selected species; antelopes, Boni species; comparing antelope species, based on National Reserve, coastal Kenya. 40 camera traps in a 2x2 km grid layout, Dja Biosphere Reserve, Cameroon.

Bates' Pygmy Antelope Bates' Pygmy Antelope 1 1 0.95 0.95 0.9 0.9 0.85 0.85 Bates’ Pygmy Antelope Bates’ Pygmy Antelope 0.8 0.8 0.75 0.75 batesi 0.7 0.7 Neotragus batesi 0.65 0.65 0.6 0.6 0.55 0.55 0.5 0.5 0.45 0.45 0.4

0.4 Modelledoccupancy Modelledoccupancy 0.35 0.35 0.3 0.3 0.25 0.25 0.2 0.2 0.15 0.15 0.1 0.1 0.05 0.05 0 0 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Primary forest Bouamir rocky outcrop Secondary forest Sw amp Boundary Habitat 1o forest Rock outcrop 2o forest Distance to boundary (km) Habitat Figure 4. Plot occupancy modelling of camera Figure 3. Plot occupancy modelling of camera trap data by numerical covariate (distance from trap data by categorical covariate (habitat ); protected area boundary); Bates’ Pygmy Bates’ Pygmy antelope, Dja Biosphere Reserve, antelope, Dja Biosphere Reserve, Cameroon. Cameroon.

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Bay duiker Cephalophus dorsalis Peter’s duiker Cephalophus callipygus

Figure 5. Plot timing of camera trap events (bar-chart or radial); comparison of event frequency and activity pattern of and Peter’s duiker, Dja Biosphere Reserve, Cameroon.

Figure 7. Spatial plot of trapping rates for any selected species; viewed direct on Google earth or through QGIS; Aders’ duiker Cephalophus adersi, Boni-Dodori forest Figure 6. Plot results of occupancy system, coastal Kenya. modelling: monticola occurrence map, Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve, Kenya. Derived from output of CTAP on 46 camera traps using covariates ‘distance from protected area boundary’ and ‘forest habitat type’ (Brachystegia forest, Cynometra forest, mixed forest).

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First record of Four-horned Antelope Tetracerus quadricornis (De Blainville, 1816) in Deukhuri Valley: First camera trap record outside protected areas of Nepal

Chiranjeevi Khanal123*, Yadav Ghimirey1, Raju Acharya1 and Sanjeev Baniya3 1 Friends of Nature (FON Nepal); 2 IUCN SSC Hyaena Specialist Group; 3 Institute of Forestry, Pokhara, Nepal. *Corresponding Author: email: [email protected]

Abstract status in Nepal is lacking (Kunwar et al. 2016). Four-horned Antelope is endemic to the Indian This paper confirms the record of FHA in subcontinent. During a camera trapping Deukhuri valley and also outside a protected area programme in the Deukhuri valley, Nepal, in in Nepal. 2016 and 2017, the species was recorded in Narayanpur community forest. Past studies show Study area the presence of Four-horned Antelope in Nepal Dang district is located in the western region of only in Parsa, Chitwan, Bardia and Banke Nepal (28°7’0”N and 82°18’0”E) and covers an National Parks. This is the first camera trap record area of 2,955 km2. Dang district consists of two in Deukhuri valley of Dang District and also valleys; Dang and Deukhuri Valley, upper and outside protected areas in Nepal, and the finding lower valley respectively. Deukhuri valley, also adds information on the distribution of this known as “Valley of Hyaenas” consists of 11 species in the country. village development committees (VDC). Research was conducted in 10 of the VDCs in the Introduction valley, covering an area of about 200 km2. Rapti Four-horned Antelope Tetracerus quadricornis River flows in between the valley and divides the (FHA hereafter), is endemic to the Indian valley in southern and northern part. , subcontinent. It is a solitary with small , Sonpur, Sisahaniya, Lalmatiya are the body size (Karanth and Sunquist 1992; Leslie and VDC in northern side whereas Rajpur, Bela, Sharma 2009). It is listed as globally Vulnerable Gadawa, Gangaparaspur, Gobarhardiya and on the IUCN Red List (IUCN SSC Antelope lies on south of valley. This Valley is Specialist Group 2017) but is classified as data surrounded by forest covered hills that connects deficient in the national red list of Nepal since Bardiya-Banke and Chitwan National Park insufficient information is available to make an through the Churia forests in the Dovan accurate assessment of the extinction risk of this Bottleneck. The valley is connected with Banke species in the country (Jnawali et al. 2011). The National Park in the west and an intact forest in current population size of FHA in Nepal is the south connects with Sohelwa Wildlife unknown. It is listed in the National Parks and Sanctuary in India (Khanal 2015). The valley It Wildlife Conservation Act 1973 as a protected lies outside of Nepal’s protected area system. It priority species. FHA is believed to be widely has been identified as one of Nepal’s Important distributed with fragmented populations Bird Areas (IBAs) by BirdLife International particularly in dry deciduous forest in lowland of (Baral and Inskipp 2005). Shorea robusta, Nepal and India (Krishna et al. 2008; Leslie and Dalbergia-Accassia forest are the forest types Sharma 2009; Sharma et al. 2013; IUCN SSC found here, as well as patches of degraded forest. Antelope Specialist Group 2017). According to Leslie and Sharma (2009), the species occurs in Methods east-central Nepal, whereas the IUCN Red List We carried out research focused on Striped states that FHA occurs only in the western part of Hyaena hyaena in 2016 and 2017 in Deukhuri Nepal. Presently, they are reported from four Valley. The primary methods used were camera- protected areas: Bardia National Park, Chitwan trapping and sign surveys. The study area was National Park, Parsa National Park (previously divided into grids of 5*5 km2. Grids were Parsa Wildlife Reserve) and Banke National Park assessed on the basis of forest cover and grids (Kunwar et al. 2016). Baseline information about with more than 50% forest cover were selected for their distribution, feeding ecology, habitat camera trapping and sign surveys and those with requirements, population density and present human settlements, agricultural fields, rivers and 24 large river banks were excluded. A total of 22 trap nights in total. Indirect sign surveys along grids were selected for camera trapping. Motion- existing trails were carried out in each grid. sensor camera-traps were placed on forest trails, covering 1-2 km. Coordinates and altitudes of at waterholes and also in areas where carcasses each record were taken by GPS units (Garmin were found opportunistically. A single camera Etrex 10). Mammals encountered during field trap was deployed in each grid for a minimum of work were identified using Baral & Shah (2008). 15 nights. Camera traps were deployed for 529

Figure 1. Map showing the FHA record site in Deukhuri Valley. Results the valley (Jnawali et al. 2011, Pokharel 2016). In total, 13,622 images were obtained. A sub- This finding adds information on the distribution adult FHA was captured in camera traps in of this species in Nepal and represents the first Narayanpur Community forest of Chailahi VDC camera-trap record outside protected areas in (now ) in Deukhuri Valley, Nepal. No other information on FHA in this and Dang, at an elevation of 240 m on 21 January nearby forests is available, so a detailed study of 2017. Four images of FHA were obtained in a the status and distribution in the valley is single independent capture on a forest trail near a recommended for a long-term conservation of this conservation pond. This community forest is species. frequently visited by people to collect firewood and fodder and graze , mainly during the Acknowledgements day. There was no previous evidence of FHA in We would like to acknowledge The Rufford the valley (Jnawali et al. 2011, Pokharel 2016). Foundation for their financial support for the This finding adds information on the distribution hyaena research project in Deukhuri Valley; of this species in Nepal and represents the first Department of Forest, Nepal for providing the camera-trap record outside protected areas in camera trapping permission in Dang. We are Nepal. No other information on FHA in this and thankful to District Forest Office, Dang, Narti nearby forests is available, so a detailed study of Community Forest Coordination Committee for the status and distribution in the valley is their support and coordination during research, recommended for a long-term conservation of this Bimal KC for helping in preparing maps and species fodder and graze cattle, mainly during the Bikas Shahi Thakuri for his help during field day. There was no previous evidence of FHA in work

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References Baral, H.S. & Shah, K.B. 2008. Wild mammals of Krishna, Y.C.Y., Krishnaswamy, J. and Kumar, Nepal. Himalayan Nature, Kathmandu, Nepal. N.S. 2008. Habitat factors affecting site Baral, H.S. and Inskipp, C. 2005. Important Bird occupancy and relative abundance of four- Areas in Nepal. Bird Conservation Nepal and horned antelope. Journal of Zoology 276: 63- Bird Life International. Kathmandu and 70. Cambridge. Kunwar, A., Gaire, R., Pokharel, K.P., Baral, S. IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group. 2017. & Thapa, T.B. 2016. Diet of the Four-horned Tetracerus quadricornis. The IUCN Red List Antelope Tetracerus quadricornis (De of Threatened Species 2017: Blainville, 1816) in the Churia Hills of Nepal. e.T21661A50195368. Journal of Threatened Taxa 8(5): 8745–8755. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017- http://dx.doi.org/10.11609/jott.1818.8.5.8745- 2.RLTS.T21661A50195368.en 8755 Jnawali, S.R., Baral, H.S., Lee, S., Acharya, K.P., Leslie, D.M. and Sharma, K. 2009. Tetracerus Upadhyay, G.P., Pandey, M., Shrestha, R., quadricornis (Artiodactyla: Bovidae). Joshi, D., Laminchhane, B.R., Griffiths, J., Mammalian Species 843: 1–11. Khatiwada, A. P., Subedi, N. and Amin, R. Pokharel, K.P., Ludwig, T. & Storch, I. 2016. (compilers). 2011. The Status of Nepal Predicting potential distribution of poorly Mammals: The National Red List Series. known species with small database: the case of Department of National Parks and Wildlife four horned antelope Tetracerus quadricornis Conservation, Kathmandu, Nepal. on the . Ecology and Karanth, K. and Sunquist, M. 1992. Population Evolution 6: 2297-2307. structure, density and biomass of large Sharma, K., Chundawat, R.S., Van Gruisen, J. in the tropical forests of and Rahmani, A.R. 2013. Understanding the Nagarahole, India. Journal of Tropical patchy distribution of four-horned antelope Ecology 8: 21-35 Tetracerus quadricornis in a tropical dry Khanal. C. 2015. First camera trap record of deciduous forest in Central India. Journa l of Striped Hyena (Hyaena hyaena) in Deukhuri Tropical Ecology. 30: 45-54. Valley, Dang Nepal. TigerPaper 42 (2): 22-24.

Figure 2. Four-horned Antelope, camera-trapped in Deukhuri Valley

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Antelope survey in Lama Forest, Benin, West Africa Etotépé A. Sogbohossou & Barthélémy D. Kassa Laboratory of Applied Ecology, University of Abomey-Calavi (LEA/UAC), BENIN. [email protected] Lama gazetted forest is one of the most important erythrogaster and several antelopes species protected areas in southern Benin that still hosts (Kassa & Sinsin 2003). The forest is managed by some wildlife populations. Located between the national timber office (Office National du 6°55’–7°00’N and 2°04–2°12’E, this forest Bois ONAB in French). This office manages the covers 16,250 ha. It is composed of a core area plantations and pays guards to protect the core which is the original forest (4,777 ha) surrounded zone. Southern Benin is densely populated and the by tree plantations (Figure 1). Local people have Lama forest is hypothesized to be the main source been relocated in few settlements inside the forest. of animals that fuel the trade in this part The forest has a high plant diversity (Sinsin et al. of the country (Sogbohossou & Kassa, 2016). We 2003) and serves as habitat to various species of conducted a short survey in 2015 in the core area wildlife among which the endemic red-bellied of the forest to assess the biodiversity and check guenon Cercopithecus erythrogaster ssp. if the bushmeat trade has affected it.

Figure 1. Location of Lama forest in Benin We carried out a camera trapping survey in July 24.6% were pictures of antelopes. A total of 16 and August 2015, deploying 43 camera stations species belonging to 12 families and 6 orders were along trails. One camera (Bushnell Trophy Cam, captured. Mammals comprised 68.8% of the Browning Dark Ops HD, Moultrie M880i and M- captured species. We got 39 and 23 pictures of 990i) was placed at each station. Cameras were duikers and Bushbuck respectively, representing set to record the date and time of each capture and a capture rate of 3.39 and 2 photographs 100/day worked 24 hours a day. Each station was surveyed for the two species. However Bushbuck were 20–32 days with a total of 1152 camera trap days. more widely distributed than duikers in the forest, We calculated the capture rate (the number of with duikers present in 13.95% of the sites and pictures per 100 days of trapping) and the naïve bushbuck in 32.56% of the surveyed sites. occupancy, which is the proportion of stations at Poachers were found on 30.23 % of the sites with which a species was captured. We obtained 252 a capture rate of 2 photographs/100 days. The pictures with recognizable objects, of which only duiker species correctly identified on 27 pictures was Maxwell’s Duiker Philantomba Monkey Cercopithecus mona, Nile Monitor maxwelli. Other species captured were lizard Varanus niloticus, mongooses, genets Genetta spp., African Palm Hystrix cristata, Patas Monkey Erythrocebus Civet Nandinia binotata, Striped Ground-squirrel patas, Gambian Rat Cricetomys gambianus and Xerus erythropus, Crested Guineafowl Guttera snakes. Mongooses, duikers and genets had the pucherani, porcus, Cane highest capture rate followed by bushbuck and Rat Thryonomyx swinderianus, Double-spurred poachers. Mongoose, genets and Bushbuck have Francolin Francolinus bicalcaratus, Mona the widest distribution followed by poachers.

Photo 1. Aerial view of Lama Forest (the teak plantation on the left and the natural forest on the right) ©LEA/UAC These preliminary results showed that the Lama they occur in very low density. Lama Forest is Forest hosts an appreciable wildlife diversity. hypothesized to be one of the main source of the However, the capture rate is quite low compared bushmeat trade in southern Benin (Sogbohossou to findings in other forests in Africa (Rovero & & Kassa 2016). The relatively low capture rate Marshall 2009; Mugerwa et al. 2012). Some and the absence of several expected species species expected were not found in the pictures. indicate that poaching has a negative impact on Several years ago, more antelope species were the wildlife populations of the forest. The frequent recorded in Lama Forest through questionnaires presence of poachers on pictures confirm this and direct and indirect transect methods. These threat. During discussions with local people, were Neotragus pygmaeus, several hunters in the area also reported killing Yellow-backed Duiker Cephalophus silvicultor, wildlife in farms. It will be important to survey Cephalophus niger (Kassa and the plantations, which separate the core zone from Sinsin 2003; Djossa et al. 2010). farms and villages. The current research did not Tragelaphus spekei was also said to be present in take into account this part of the forest, in order to the forest (Djossa et al. 2010). Buffalo was reduce the loss of cameras. A survey in this area reported to be extinct quite some time ago in the will confirm if it serves as corridor for wildlife forest. The absence of these species from pictures movement from the core area to farms and if does not mean they are absent from the site. farms and also plantations which are extensively However if these antelopes are still present in the used by population play the role of a sink area for area, their absence from captures suggests that wildlife. On the other hand, it is necessary to

28 increase the duration of the camera trap survey in it necessary to increase efforts to guarantee the the Lama Forest in order to increase the chance of conservation of these species in the few existing recording all species present. Indeed, in forested protected areas. Species such as Maxwell’s areas, Tobler et al. (2008) advised surveying for Duiker depend greatly on the Lama Forest for at least 1600–2000 trapping days in order to detect their survival in southern Benin. rare species. A continuous monitoring of the diversity in the While some of the antelopes found in Lama Lama ecosystem and of bushmeat trade in the Forest, such as Bushbuck, are found in protected region will provide important baseline data to areas both in north and south Benin, others are improve policies and conservation actions. It is limited to the southern part of the country which urgent to take more appropriate measures to is densely populated with fewer protected areas conserve the diversity in this unique ecosystem of than in the north. The human pressure and the southern Benin so that it could continue to play importance of bushmeat in southern Benin make the role of biodiversity reservoir. References Djossa, A.B, Sogbohossou, E.A., Kassa, B. & density in forest ungulates. Journal of Applied Sinsin, B.A. 2010. Antelopes. In B. Sinsin & Ecology 46: 1011-1017. D. Kampmann, eds. Biodiversity Atlas of West Sinsin, B., Attignon, S.E., Lachat, T., Peveling, R. Africa. Volume I Benin. Cotonou & & Nagel, P. (2003). La forêt de Lama au Bénin: Frankfurt/Main. un écosystème menacé sous la loupe. Opuscula Kassa, B. & Sinsin B. 2003. Détermination de Biogeographica Basileensia III. Basel, l’abondance des mammifères de la forêt Switzerland. classée de la Lama. Opuscula Biogeographica Sogbohossou, E.A. & Kassa, D.B. (2016). The Basileensia 3: 24. bushmeat trade and livelihoods in southern Mugerwa, B., Sheil, D., Ssekiranda, P., van Heist, Benin: An exploratory survey. Nature & M., and Ezuma, P. 2012. A camera trap Faune, 30(2): 29-31. assessment of terrestrial vertebrates in Bwindi Tobler, M.W., Carrillo-Percastegui, S.E., Leite Impenetrable National Park, . African Pitman R., Mares, R. & Powell, G. (2008). An Journal of Ecology 51: 21-31. evaluation of camera traps for inventorying Rovero F. & Marshall A.R. 2009. Camera large- and medium-sized terrestrial rainforest trapping photographic rate as an index of mammals. Animal Conservation 11: 169-178.

Photo 2. Tragelaphus scriptus in Lama Forest. © LEA/UAC

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Photo 3. Philantomba maxwelli in Lama Forest. © LEA/UAC

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Antelopes in Garamba National Park, DRC Mathias D’haen Czech University of Life Sciences. Email: [email protected] Garamba National Park, nestled in the north- The Garamba complex consists of Garamba eastern corner of the Democratic Republic of National Park (5,133 km2) and three adjacent Congo (Fig. 1) and once home to the world’s last hunting reserves totalling a further area of 14,793 Northern White Rhinos Ceratotherium simum km2. Established in 1938 it is one of Africa’s cottoni, has, sadly enough, regularly made news oldest National Parks and was designated a with its war-torn environment. With increased UNESCO world heritage site in 1980. The efforts by and Institut Congolais Garamba complex just falls outside the country’s pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN), the famous rainforest, with a core area consisting of Park’s future now looks bright again and research open savannah and densely forested peripheries. and monitoring activities are being developed.

Fig. 1. Garamba National Park, in the north-eastern corner of the DRC Garamba’s most abundant large mammal is the What follows is an overview of the antelope Syncerus caffer with a total of species occurring in the Park and their status 6728 animals counted during the last aerial survey based on a combination of historical and recent in 2017. Herds of up to 300 individuals are information. Unless stated otherwise, their status regularly recorded. Even though buffaloes occur has remained the same. Historical records are all over the Park they are most abundant in the based on large mammal surveys by Verschuren in 1949-1952. When a subspecies name is shown in south-central sector, where they reach densities of brackets its taxonomy is unclear or the name 7.2 buffaloes per km2. Lower numbers are noted is as used by Verschuren. in the peripheries and in the north of the Park where they suffered high levels of poaching in the Red-flanked duiker Cephalophus rufilatus past. It is expected that buffalo populations will (rubidior) start growing again in these regions making the Not in open savannah. Restricted to the species a good indicator for the anti-poaching wooded savannah of the peripheries. Blue duiker Philantomba monticola (used to be: efforts of the Park. Cephalophus monticola aequatorialis) 31

Restricted to gallery forests and rarely seen, One of the most common antelopes in and probably due to their elusive life-style. around Garamba NP. Bush duiker Sylvicapra grimmia (roosevelti) Bushbuck Tragelaphus scriptus (dianae) Uncommon and difficult to spot during wet Common. Not so much in the open savannah, season. more in the wooded savannah. Yellow-backed duiker Cephalophus silvicultor Sitatunga Tragelaphus spekei (gratus) Gallery forests and the more densely Historical status ‘rare’. Current status is vegetated parts of the park. Rarely seen but difficult to assess, given its elusive lifestyle good densities occur in the adjacent but it is believed that the species is more peripheries of the park. common than thought. Two confirmed Bohor Redunca redunca (dianae) observations in 2017. Common, though difficult to spot during wet Tragelahus euryceros euryceros season. Historically recorded by only one specimen Ourebia ourebi that was found inside a dead python! Recent Common, though difficult to spot during wet status is unclear, but tracks have been found. season. (Derby's eland) Tragelaphus Kobus ellipsyprimnus defassa (used derbianus gigas (used to be: ) to be Kobus defassa harniei) Historical: rare. Current: most likely extinct. One of the most common antelopes in and Water Hyemoschus aquaticus around Garamba NP. Recently discovered through a camera trap. Uganda Kob Kobus kob thomasi (used to be: Probably not uncommon and only recorded Adenota kob alurae) now because their nocturnal life style. Probably the most common antelope in the Park. Restricted to the open savannah. Reference Hippotragus equinus (bakeri) Verschuren J. (1958) Ecologie et Biologie des Uncommon. grands mammifères. Exploration du Parc Alcelaphus buselaphus lelwel National de la Garamba. Institut des parcs (used to be: A. lelwel lelwel) nationaux du Congo Belge. Bruss

Aerial view of Garamba NP. Photo: Mathias D’haen

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Antelopes in Garamba NP: Top left; Cephalophus scriptus. Below: African Buffalo. All photos: rufilatus; top right: Tragelaphus spekii; Bottpm left: Mathias D’haen. Hippotragus equinus; bottom right: Tragelaphus

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Antelope News in key areas of habitat such as Shargiin Gobi, Khuren Gol, and Uguumur after a very dry Black Lechwe Kobus leche smithemani summer with late rainfall in most of saiga range. A late wet season aerial survey was The few remaining saiga individuals have become commissioned by African Parks Network (APN) scattered due to lack of forage as pastureland is and carried out by ASG member Petri Viljoen in severely overgrazed. A similar harsh winter to early 2017. 15,783 Black Lechwe were counted in 2002 could be expected this year according to the 223 km2 survey area resulting in an overall saiga researchers and conservationists, posing a population estimate of 45,313 (44,763–45,863). severe threat to the remaining saiga. WWF- The survey methodology used was a video-based Mongolia will distribute hay and build winter sample and the results confirm that this technique shelters, as they have done for the last two produces accurate and reliable results. decades. Source: Viljoen, P. 2017. Source:http://mongolia.panda.org/en/?uNewsID Zambia. Black Lechwe Survey May 2017. African =315712 (Posted on 06 November 2017) Parks Network. Tibetan Antelope Pantholops hodgsonii Beisa Oryx Oryx beisa beisa The Red List status of Tibetan Antelope was A recent analysis of aerial survey data in Kenya recently changed to Near Threatened following showed that Beisa Oryx numbers had fallen intensive protection methods and an increase in significantly and a change in Red List Category to the wild population (Gnusletter 34#1). However, Endangered has been proposed. Aerial surveys a report to the CITES Standing Committee undertaken recently as part of the Northern meeting 27 November-1 December 2017 shows Rangeland Trust’s Beisa Oryx Recovery Program that illegal trade in wool products has not stopped. have located a large sub-population of Beisa Oryx Seizures of illegally traded shahtoosh shawls are in the eastern part of Nakuprat-Gotu Community increasing in , with a total of 159 shawls Conservancy, which adjoins Shaba National seized in Switzerland during 2010-2015. It is not Reserve. Numbers are estimated as at least 630, clear how many of the seizures involved new occupying an area of c. 800km2, representing a products and how many were ‘existing stocks’ but higher than average density. this evidence demonstrates that constant vigilance Source: King, J., Craig, I., Kuraru, S., Wandera, is needed. A. 2017. Nakuprat-Gotu Community Conservancy Aerial Surveys September 2016 and At the 26th meeting of the INTERPOL Wildlife June 2017. Northern Rangelands Trust. 12 pp. Crime Working Group hosted in Singapore in November 2015, ‘Operation Ring’, was initiated, Saiga Saiga tatarica which provides a platform for law enforcement Saiga News Issue 22 was published in October cooperation between source, transit and 2017. It contains articles on many aspects of saiga destination countries to combat illegal trade in conservation, including an update on Mongolian parts and derivatives of Tibetan Antelope. Saiga status, illegal trade, training dogs to detect saiga products and several other topics. Saiga INTERPOL hosted an “Operation Ring” News is published in six languages and is workshop in Lyon, , 30 June-1 July 2016, available to download from the websites below. in close cooperation with the CITES Management Source: http://www.saigaresourcecentre.org, Authority of Switzerland and with funding made www.saiga-conservation.com available through the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC). The Mongolian Saiga Saiga tatarica mongolica workshop brought together representatives from More bad news for Mongolian Saiga, following CITES authorities and enforcement agencies from the outbreak of PPR earlier in 2017 that killed an 10 Parties (China, Germany, India, Kuwait, estimated 54% of the Mongolian Saiga population Nepal, , , Switzerland, the United (see Gnusletter 34#1 and Saiga News 22). A Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, survey in October 2017 by a team from WWF- and the of America), various Mongolia and saiga rangers found that rangeland experts, and representatives from the CITES conditions were totally degraded and inadequate Secretariat and INTERPOL. The aim of the 34 workshop was to exchange information, Furthermore, Comoé NP in Côte d’Ivoire was knowledge and experiences on illegal trade in removed from the list of World Heritage Sites In parts and derivatives of Tibetan Antelope, as well Danger on 2 July 2017. Comoé is another as to train participants in identification of important site for antelopes, the largest single shahtoosh shawls containing fibres of wool from national park in West Africa, covering more than Tibetan Antelope. Subsequent to the workshop, a 11,400 km2 and containing a wide range of Project Ring Workshop Report was developed. and forest mosaic habitats. The initiatives taken by Switzerland and the Source: whc.unesco.org/en/list/227 INTERPOL Wildlife Crime Working Group are an excellent example of strengthening , Benin enforcement cooperation at a global level. African Parks assumed management of Pendjari Source: CITES Standing Committee 69 Doc. 59. NP in 2017, to revitalise the last large reserve in west and central Africa, and create a thriving Pelea wildlife destination. The park, with an area of This species is endemic to southern Africa and 4,800 km2, is part of the W-Arly-Pendjari (WAP) most of the population occurs in South Africa. complex which spans Benin, and Reports of its presence in southern have Niger, and is the largest remaining intact natural not been confirmed until recently when John Irish ecosystem in the whole of West Africa. Pendjari located a reliable record in the Sperregebiet. is home to iconic species including , Source: Namibia Biodiversity Database cheetah, , buffalo, antelope and a rich http://biodiversity.org.na/taxondisplay.php?nr=1 diversity host of other wildlife. Funding is being 15 provided by the Government of Benin and several other donors. UNESCO World Heritage Sites (WHS) Source: www.african-parks.org/the- Two important antelope landscapes have recently parks/pendjari been designated as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. , situated on Luengue-Luiana and Mavinga National Parks, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China, harbors a key Angola population of Tibetan Antelope Pantholops These two NPs in Cuando-Cubango Province hodgsonii as well as Tibetan Gazelle together cover 84,400 km2 and form part of the picticaudata. The Landscapes of Dauria WHS Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation covers most of the Daurian Steppe in eastern Area (KAZA), Africa’s largest conservation Mongolia and adjoining areas of Russia and landscape, encompassing parts of south-east China, which is the core habitat for Mongolian Angola, northern , north-east Namibia, Gazelle Procapra gutturosa. south-west Zambia and western Zimbabwe. The TFCA is a stronghold for large carnivores and The current WHS covers the contains Africa’s largest populations of African Nigerien sector of W NP and has now been buffalo and wild dog as well as half of the extended to include the whole W-Arly-Pendjari elephant population. An extensive camera trap Complex, a transboundary protected covering survey of Luengue-Luiana NP and Mavinga NP adjoining parts of Niger, Burkina Faso, and has been undertaken by Panthera. The results Benin. This is probably the most important showed that Sable and Roan were widely protected area in the whole of the West African distributed across the area. Also recorded were Savanna zone and protects several threatened , , Bushbuck, antelopes, including Sitatunga, , , Blue Alcelaphus buselaphus major, , Oribi, and Bush Duiker. Damaliscus lunatus korrigum, Buffon’s Kob Source: Funston, P., Henschel, P., Petracca, L., Kobus kob kob, and Red-fronted Gazelle Maclennan, S., Whitesell, C., Fabiano, E., Castro, rufifrons, in addition to several more I. 2017. The distribution and status of and common species. other large carnivores in Luengue-Luiana and Source: whc/unesco.org/en/newproperties Mavinga National Parks, Angola. KAZA TFCA Secretariat. 60 pp.

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Published articles

Dark grey gazelles Gazella (Cetartiodactyla: Conservation implications of wildlife Bovidae) in Arabia: Threatened species or translocations; The state's ability to act as domestic pet? conservation units for wildebeest populations Torsten Wronski, Hannes Lerp, Eva V. in South Africa. Bärmann, Thomas M. Butynski, Martin Plath Nicole Benjamin-Fink and Brian K. Reilly (2017) (2017). Hystrix, the Italian Journal of Global Ecology and Conservation 12: 46e58 Mammalogy 27: doi:10.4404/hystrix-28.1- Abstract 11816. Wildlife translocations have historically assisted Abstract in re-establishing species in areas of True gazelles (genus Gazella) are a prime extinction and are currently employed in over 50 example of a mammalian group with considerable countries. Ironically, they may also be taxonomic confusion. This includes the responsible for the extinction of pure genetic descriptions of several dark grey taxa of lineages via hybridization, thereby negatively questionable validity. Here, we examined captive impacting endangered, indigenous, and rare dark grey putative Neumann’s gazelle Gazella species. Due to recent evolutionary divergence, erlangeri. Our concerted efforts to retrieve (Connochaetes gnou) and blue mitochondrial sequence information from old wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) museum specimens of two dark grey gazelles, can mate and produce fertile offspring when putative G. erlangeri and putative Muscat gazelle sympatric. A total of 6929 translocated black G. muscatensis, were unsuccessful. We did, and from 273 private ranches and however, find the mtDNA haplotypes of extant 3 provincial protected areas protected putative G. erlangeri to be nested within the (PPAs) were documented over 5 years, across 5 haplotype variation of the G. South African provinces. We analyzed arabica. The observed population genetic dispersal patterns and wildlife ranching divergence between G. arabica and putative G. economics to identify conservation implications erlangeri (based on 11 nuclear microsatellites) and to infer if translocations are likely to persist was driven by genetic impoverishment of putative in their current form. Findings indicate (1) G. erlangeri. These results, along with 58.45% of sampled private ranches manage for morphological signatures of (e.g., both wildebeest populations, (2) blue reduced brain case size), suggest genetic bottle wildebeest males are primarily translocated, (3) necks and domestication effects as a consequence wildebeest are introduced across provincial lines, of prolonged captive breeding. Three hypotheses (4) wildebeest are introduced to within and are discussed: (a) G. erlangeri and/or G. amongst the private and commercial industry muscatensis are valid species but are now extinct; from multiple sources, and (5) wildebeest revenue (b) one or both taxa represent phenotypic accounted for 20.8% of variation within G. arabica and, therefore, are revenue generated from all wildlife synonyms of G. arabica; and (c) captive stocks, translocations. Unwanted conservation exhibiting the effects of domestication and implications concern ecological integrity, genetic inbreeding, are the sources for the swamping, and regulatory efficiency. We caution descriptions of G. erlangeri and G. muscatensis. against risks posed by the game industry upon the As concerns the conservation of gazelles, based PPA's ability to function as nature on current knowledge, we strongly advise against conservation units and act as stocking sources and using putative G. erlangeri for any introduction the plausibility that black wildebeest initiative but recommend the continued captive populations incorporate varying degrees of management of putative G. erlangeri. introgressive hybrids. Moreover, wildebeest Open access: http://www.italian-journal-of- account for 1/5 of revenue generated from all mammalogy.it/article/view/11816/pdf game translocations. This is indicative of its likelihood to persist in their current form, thereby 36 inducing hybridization and facilitating Across the Congo Basin, human hunting pressure outbreeding depression. We caution that concerns poses the biggest threat to small- and medium- are likely to worsen if no intervention is bodied forest ungulates (genus Philantomba and taken. Lastly, we coin the concept of Ecological Cephalophus, commonly known as duikers). The Sustainable Network (ESN); we designed a exploitation of these species has cascading effects framework for standardizing procedures to on larger ecosystem processes, as well as on advance effective wildlife translocation practices human subsistence practices. This study worldwide. Open access: compares encounter rates and estimated http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S23 population densities of duiker species, 51989417301361 specifically Philantomba monticola (blue duiker) in the Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas (APDS), Survival estimation of a cryptic antelope via (CAR). Data were photographic capture–recapture collected using direct observations of individual Marshal, J.P. (2017). Journal of African Ecology animals during diurnal (135 km) and nocturnal 55(1): 21-29. (150 km) transects in the APDS, with abundance Abstract estimates produced using DISTANCE software. Adult survival is a primary determinant of Transect data demonstrate that within hunted abundance and dynamics of large herbivore forests similar to APDS, nocturnal rather than populations. For species that are inconspicuous, diurnal transects yield more individual however, accurate survival estimation depends on observations of ungulates. Despite hunting accommodating low detection probability. For pressure in the region, estimates presented for species with individually recognizable markings, APDS suggest some of the highest density photographic capture–recapture (CR) provides an estimates reported for blue duikers in western and approach to estimate population parameters while central Africa (58.6 blue duikers per km2). This accounting for imperfect detection. I investigated study directly contributes current regional data on the use of photographic CR for a cryptic large the status of duiker populations at APDS and in herbivore, the , in a region of Hluhluwe– the larger Sangha Trinational Landscape (TNS, iMfolozi Park, South Africa. I conducted UNESCO). More broadly, we highlight the photographic sampling based on the closed robust potential importance of nocturnal transect data to design, with 5–6 daily sampling occasions nested the development of adaptive management within three week-long sampling periods, which regimes in hunted forests. delineated one dry and one wet season. Detection differed between sexes: encounter probability of Abundance, Distribution and Population female adults depended on whether individuals Structure of (Tragelaphus fell into high-encounter (seasonal range: 0.61– buxtoni) in Hanto Controlled Hunting Area, 0.71) or low-encounter (seasonal range: 0.29– Southeastern Ethiopia 0.40) groups, whereas male adults had a constant Worku, D. and Datiko, D. (2017). Journal of encounter probability of 0.39 per day. For both Biodiversity & Endangered Species 5: 190. doi: sexes, monthly survival probability was ≥0.93 and 10.4172/2332-2543.1000190 (open access) did not differ appreciably between seasons or Abstract sexes. Given the role of survival in population An investigation on abundance, distribution and dynamics, photographic CR has the potential to population structure of endemic and endangered provide survival estimates for cryptic large mountain nyala (Tragelaphus buxtoni) was herbivores that lack such information. carried out in Hanto controlled hunting area between 2015 and 2016 for both wet and dry Night and day: evaluating transect seasons. The objective of investigation was to methodologies to monitor duikers in the compile baseline data on abundance, distribution Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas, Central and population structure of mountain nyala in the African Republic controlled hunting area. To achieve the objective, Jost Robinson, C.A., Zollner, P.A., Kpanou, J.B. five major habitat types ( vegetation, (2017). African Journal of Ecology 55: 222-232. , Bamboo forest, Riverine forest and Abstract Grassland habitat) were identified and 21% of each habitat was surveyed. Sample counts of 37 mountain nyala was carried out using random line respectively. Morning and the late afternoon transect sampling method in an area of 39.9 km2 activity peaks were more pronounced during the from the total area of 190 km2 to estimate the dry season than the wet season. Therefore, population size and to identify their distribution. feeding and resting time was influenced by the The estimated populations of mountain nyala time of day and the seasons. But there were no were 531.9 ± 49.3 individuals. Male mountain significant differences in time allocation for other nyala comprised 37.5%, females were 50.9% and activities in both the wet and dry seasons. The young of both sexes were 11.6% of the total study has implications for understanding animal population. The male to female sex ratio was activity budget across species, particularly 1:1.36. Age structure was dominated by adults, relationships between temperature and season. which constituted 61.2% of the total population. The animals were distributed in all the five habitat types. Hence, the study revealed that, the Impacts of taxonomic inertia for the controlled hunting area harbors significant conservation of African ungulate diversity: an populations of endemic mountain nyala. As a overview Spartaco Gippoliti, Fenton P. D. result, it can serves not only as hunting concession Cotterill, Dietmar Zinner, and Colin P. Groves. but also as an important core protected area for the Biological Reviews 2017 Abstract country's wildlife conservation and tourist We review the state of African ungulate attraction area in the future. taxonomy over the last 120 years, with an

emphasis on the introduction of the polytypic Diurnal activity budget of African buffalo species concept and the discipline’s general (Syncerus caffer Sparrman, 1779) in Chebera neglect since the middle of the 20th century. We Churchura National Park, Ethiopia. single out negative consequences of ‘orthodox’ Megaze, A., Balakrishnan, M. and Belay, G. taxonomy, highlighting numerous cases of (2016). African Journal of Ecology doi: neglect of threatened lineages, unsound 10.1111/aje.12359 translocations that led to lineage introgression, Abstract and cases of maladaptation to local conditions One of the fundamental questions in animal including parasitic infections. Additionally, ecology concerns the activity pattern of animals several captive breeding programmes have been and the environmental and intrinsic factors that hampered by rearrangements caused influence such dynamics. This study tested the by involuntary lineage mixing. We advocate that hypotheses that activity time budgets of the specimen-based taxonomy should regain its African buffalo appeared to vary by season and keystone role in mammal research and times of day and predicted that buffalo would conservation biology, with its scientific values express unequal proportion of time for different augmented with genomic evidence. While activity patterns during the wet and dry seasons in integration with molecular biology, ecology and Chebera Churchura National Park (CCNP). An behaviour is needed for a full understanding of investigation on the diurnal activity budget of ungulate alpha diversity, we stress that the African buffalo was carried out during the wet morphological diversity has been neglected and dry seasons of 2012–2014 in the Chebera despite its tremendous practical importance for Churchura National Park, Ethiopia, using focal- some groups of ‘utilizers’ such as trophy hunters, animal sampling method. Buffalo spent a greater wildlife tourists and conservationists. We proportion of the time in feeding and conclude that there is no evidence that purported resting/ruminating activities in both the wet and ‘taxonomic inflation’ has adverse effects on dry seasons. Feeding and resting (lying down and ungulate conservation: rather, it is taxonomic standing) were the predominant activities inertia that has such adverse effects. We stress (87.14% of the diurnal active period), 48.95% that sound science, founded on robust taxonomy, time spent feeding during the dry season and should underpin effective sustainable 44.91% during the wet season. There was a management (hunting, ranching, captive breeding significant decrease in feeding and an increase in and reintroduction programmes) of this unique resting from dry seasons to wet seasons. Daytime African natural resource. and resting periods during the wet season were estimated to be 5.39 h and 4.98 h, Keywords: conservation, taxonomy 38

occurrence areas, by analysing 327 samples Recovery of ungulate populations in post-civil across North-West Africa. Phylogenetic analyses war , based on mitochondrial (CYTB) and five nuclear Ann Apio; Martin Plath; Torsten Wronski gene fragments (KCAS, LAC, SPTBN1, PRKCI Journal of East African Natural History and THYR) show that both taxa comprise a single 104(1&2): 127–141 (2015) monophyletic group. However, ecological niche- Abstract based modelling suggests that populations of Following the 1991–1995 civil war in Rwanda, these taxa occupy distinct geographic areas and large parts of Akagera National Park (NP) and the specific environments. Predicted areas of adjacent Mutara Game Reserve were endowed by sympatry were restricted, as a consequence of government to returning war refugees for cattle local sharp transitions in climatic traits. The lack grazing. In 1997, official degazettement reduced of genetic differentiation between these taxa the area covered by these two protected areas by suggests they should be lumped into G. cuvieri, 60% (from 2800 km² to 1120 km2). This study while ecological and morphological differences reports trends in population sizes and densities of indicate they correspond to distinct ecotypes. ungulates in modern Akagera NP (1120 km²), Conservation planning of G. cuvieri should with a focus on the more common ungulates consider the preservation of both mountain and (impala, , , buffalo, waterbuck, and lowland ecotypes to maintain the overall adaptive ). Data from previous surveys are potential of the species. This integrative approach compared with our 2010–2014 road strip counts provides valuable insights in identifying using distance sampling. A decline of ungulate evolutionary units and should be extended to populations during the civil war, followed by other gazelles. recovery several years after reduction of the size Keywords: Bayesian dating analysis – ecological of the Park, is evident. The ungulate populations niche-based modelling – Gazella cuvieri – show different trends in size in recent years, Gazella leptoceros – geographic information suggesting that the carrying capacity has been systems – phylogeny – Sahara. reached for some species. Keywords: density estimates, distance sampling, protected area reduction, antelopes, Time allocation and patterns of activity of the post-conflict trend dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas) in a sahelian habitat Teresa Abáigar & Mar Cano & Conrad Ensenyat Ecotypes and evolutionary significant units in Mammal Research, DOI 10.1007/s13364-07- endangered North African gazelles 033.4-0 Teresa L. Silva, Candida G. Vale, Raquel Abstract Godinho, Amina Fellous, Yves Hingrat, Paulo C. The patterns of activity are a reflection of the Alvesi, Teresa Abaigar and Jose C. Brito adaptation of a species to its habitat. This study Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2017, reports the patterns of activity and time allocation XX, 1–15. With 4 figures. of the dorcas gazelle following their Abstract reintroduction process from the captivity to semi- Conservation planning of threatened taxa relies wild conditions in a sahelian habitat. Activity of upon accurate data on systematics, ecological three adult males was recorded using GPS collars traits and suitable habitats. The genus Gazella equipped with a temperature sensor and includes taxa with distinct morphologies and acceleration sensors recording in two channels, ecological traits, but close phylogenetic forward–backward (X-axis) and sideways (Y- relationships. The North African Gazella cuvieri axis). Collars delivered data for 59, 139 and 151 and Gazella leptoceros loderi share days. The aim of this work is to assess the ability morphological and physiological characters but of dorcas gazelle to adapt its activity schedule to the former is darker and found in mountain areas, a changing environment. The main activity while the latter is lighter and associated with sand behavior observed is resting (59.8 ± 23.9%), dunes. Here we aim to assess the genetic followed by feeding (20.9 ± 10.9%), displacement distinctiveness of these taxa, to characterize their (15.1 ± 14.1%) and running (3.9 ± 5.5%). If ecological niches and to identify potential resting time is eliminated, the gazelles invest most 39 of their time in feeding (61.0 ± 21.3%) and Temperature is the main driver of this change in displacements (30.8 ± 15.6%) and only 7.6 ± patterns; when average temperature exceeds the 0.6% in running. The dorcas gazelle exhibit three body temperature of the dorcas gazelle, the patterns of activity: one diurnal with maximum pattern of activity changes from diurnal to activity in the central hours of the day, which bimodal. These results reveal the ability of the accounts during the dry-cool season (December, Dorcas gazelles facing environmental changing January and February); a bimodal pattern with conditions in their native habitat. maximum activity at dust and dark, resting in the Keywords: Gazella Dorcas, Time-pattern middle of the day during the hot-dry season activity, Temporal niche, Wildlife reintroduction, (April) and a transitional pattern in March.

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GNUSLETTER

Steve Shurter, Editor Holdings 581705 White Oak Road Yulee FL 32097 www.whiteoakwildlife.org

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