Sunn Cnnxrvonn Conservation
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Reproductive Traits of Two Sympatric Viviparous Skinks (Mabuya Macrorhyncha and Mabuya Ag/Lis) in a Brazilian Restinga Habitat
HERPETOLOGICAL JOURNAL, Vol. 9, pp. 43-53 (1999) REPRODUCTIVE TRAITS OF TWO SYMPATRIC VIVIPAROUS SKINKS (MABUYA MACRORHYNCHA AND MABUYA AG/LIS) IN A BRAZILIAN RESTINGA HABITAT CARLOS FREDERICO DUARTE ROCHA AND DAVOR VRCIBRADIC Setor de Ecologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil The reproductive cycles, fat body cycles and some life-history traits of the sympatric viviparous skinks Mabuya macrorhyncha and M. agilis were compared in a seasonal "restinga" habitat of south-eastern Brazil. Both male and female reproductive and fatbody cycles are very similar between species, with gestation lasting 9-12 months and parturition occurring during the early wet season. Clutch size of M. macrorhyncha was smaller than that of M. ag ilis. Females mature at a larger size in M. macrorhyncha than in M. agilis, but males of both species appear to mature at similar sizes. In both species, females are larger than males, but the latter have proportionately larger heads. Reproductive traits ofM. ag ilis are typical ofNeotropical Mabuya, but those of M. macrorhyncha have some peculiarities, one of which (small clutch size) is believed to result from constraints imposed by its morphological adaptation (i.e. relatively flattened body plan) to bromelicolous habits. Key words: Reproduction, life history, Mabuya, Brazilian skink INTRODUCTION which present differences may highlight those histori The genus Mabuya is one of the most speciose and cal forces that may select for certain reproductive widely distributed genera of the Scincidae, with about characteristics. Indeed, differences in reproductive 90 species found over most of tropical Africa,Asia , and characteristics among sympatric and allopatric populations of congeners have been reported for this America (Shine, 1985; Nussbaum & Rax worthy, 1994). -
(2007) a Photographic Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians Of
A Photographic Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Dominica, West Indies Kristen Alexander Texas A&M University Dominica Study Abroad 2007 Dr. James Woolley Dr. Robert Wharton Abstract: A photographic reference is provided to the 21 reptiles and 4 amphibians reported from the island of Dominica. Descriptions and distribution data are provided for each species observed during this study. For those species that were not captured, a brief description compiled from various sources is included. Introduction: The island of Dominica is located in the Lesser Antilles and is one of the largest Eastern Caribbean islands at 45 km long and 16 km at its widest point (Malhotra and Thorpe, 1999). It is very mountainous which results in extremely varied distribution of habitats on the island ranging from elfin forest in the highest elevations, to rainforest in the mountains, to dry forest near the coast. The greatest density of reptiles is known to occur in these dry coastal areas (Evans and James, 1997). Dominica is home to 4 amphibian species and 21 (previously 20) reptile species. Five of these are endemic to the Lesser Antilles and 4 are endemic to the island of Dominica itself (Evans and James, 1997). The addition of Anolis cristatellus to species lists of Dominica has made many guides and species lists outdated. Evans and James (1997) provides a brief description of many of the species and their habitats, but this booklet is inadequate for easy, accurate identification. Previous student projects have documented the reptiles and amphibians of Dominica (Quick, 2001), but there is no good source for students to refer to for identification of these species. -
Assessment of Species Richness and Relative Abundance of Small Carnivores in Natural Forest and Shrub Thickets at the University of Dodoma
The University of Dodoma University of Dodoma Institutional Repository http://repository.udom.ac.tz Natural Sciences Master Dissertations 2013 Assessment of species richness and relative abundance of small carnivores in natural forest and shrub thickets at the University of Dodoma Mwiyoha, Baraka D. The University of Dodoma Mwiyoha, B. D. (2013). Assessment of species richness and relative abundance of small carnivores in natural forest and shrub thickets at the University of Dodoma. Dodoma: The University of Dodoma http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12661/1518 Downloaded from UDOM Institutional Repository at The University of Dodoma, an open access institutional repository. ASSESSMENT OF SPECIES RICHNESS AND RELATIVE ABUNDANCE OF SMALL CARNIVORES IN NATURAL FOREST AND SHRUB THICKETS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DODOMA By Baraka David Mwiyoha Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Masters of Science in Biodiversity Conservation of the University of Dodoma. The University of Dodoma October, 2013 CERTIFICATION The undersigned certify that she has read and hereby recommend for acceptance by the University of Dodoma dissertation entitled Assessment of species richness and relative abundance of small carnivores in natural forest and shrub thickets at the University of Dodoma in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of masters of science in biodiversity conservation of the University of Dodoma. …………………………………… Dr. Shyamala Ratnayeke (SUPERVISOR) Date………………………………… i DECLARATION AND COPYRIGHT I, Baraka David Mwiyoha, declare that this dissertation is my own original work and that it has not been presented and will not be presented to any other university for a similar or any other degree award. -
First Sighting of the Giant Genet Genetta Victoriae in Rwanda
First sighting of the Giant Genet Genetta victoriae in Rwanda Vladimir DINETS Abstract A large genet photographed in 2005 in Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda, was identified as a Giant GenetGenetta victoriae, previously known with certainty only from the Democratic Republic of Congo and the adjacent part of Uganda and never before photographed in the wild. Keywords: montane rainforest, Nyungwe National Park, spotlighting, Viverridae Première observation de la Genette Géante Genetta victoriae au Rwanda Résumé Une genette de grande taille photographiée en 2005 dans le Parc National de Nyungwe au Rwanda, est identifiée comme représentant la Genette Géante Genetta victoriae ; cette espèce n’était connue que de la République Démocratique du Congo et de la partie limitrophe de l’Ouganda, et n’avait jamais été photographiée dans la nature. Mots clés: forêt ombrophile de montagne, Parc National de Nyungwe, spotlighting, Viverridae Giant Genet Genetta victoriae Thomas, 1901 is an enigmatic car- nivoran species, currently known with certainty only from northern and eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where it inhabits lowland and montane rainforests up to 2,000 m (Van Rompaey et al. 2008). It has been predicted to occur in Rwan- da and Uganda, but there are no confirmed observations or mu- seum specimens from outside DRC (Gaubert et al. 2006), except in Semiliki Forest in Uganda on the border with DRC (Bere 1962). A captive specimen has been photographed by Rahm (1966), but there are no photos obtained in the wild, and no published infor- mation on wild animals, except for observations by Kingdon (1977) in Uganda, which appear questionable (Schreiber et al. -
Helogale Parvula)
Vocal Recruitment in Dwarf Mongooses (Helogale parvula) Janneke Rubow Thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Science at Stellenbosch University Supervisor: Prof. Michael I. Cherry Co-supervisor: Dr. Lynda L. Sharpe March 2017 Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za DECLARATION By submitting this thesis electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (save to the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. Janneke Rubow, March 2017 Copyright © 2017 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Abstract Vocal communication is important in social vertebrates, particularly those for whom dense vegetation obscures visual signals. Vocal signals often convey secondary information to facilitate rapid and appropriate responses. This function is vital in long-distance communication. The long-distance recruitment vocalisations of dwarf mongooses (Helogale parvula) provide an ideal opportunity to study informative cues in acoustic communication. This study examined the information conveyed by two recruitment calls given in snake encounter and isolation contexts, and whether dwarf mongooses are able to respond differently on the basis of these cues. Vocalisations were collected opportunistically from four wild groups of dwarf mongooses. The acoustic parameters of recruitment calls were then analysed for distinction between contexts within recruitment calls in general, distinction within isolation calls between groups, sexes and individuals, and the individuality of recruitment calls in comparison to dwarf mongoose contact calls. -
Resource Partitioning Between Black-Backed Jackal and Brown Hyaena in Waterberg Biosphere Reserve, South Africa
Ramnanan et al. Jackal and hyaena in South Africa Copyright © 2016 by the IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group. ISSN 1478-2677 Research report Resource partitioning between black-backed jackal and brown hyaena in Waterberg Biosphere Reserve, South Africa Rivona Ramnanan1, Michelle Thorn1, Craig J. Tambling2 and Michael J. Somers 1, 3* 1 Centre for Wildlife Management, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa. 2 Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, 6031, South Africa. 3 Centre for Invasion Biology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa. Email: [email protected] * Correspondence author Keywords: apex predators, dietary niche, human modification, resource partitioning. Abstract Understanding resource partitioning by predators is important for understanding coexistence patterns, with this becoming more relevant as historical food webs are altered through human impacts. Using scat analysis, we investigated the diet overlap of two sympatric meso-carnviores, the black-backed jackal Canis mesomelas and brown hyaena Hyaena brunnea, in Waterberg Biosphere Reserve, South Africa. Scats (n = 30 jackal, 42 brown hyaena) were collected in April 2012 from game and livestock farms. When comparing main prey categories (medium-large mam- mal, small mammal, fruit, invertebrate, reptile, and bird) we found little difference in diets, with both carnivores con- suming predominantly medium-large mammals (10-100kg). Bushbuck Tragelaphus scriptus was the most commonly consumed large mammal species for both predators. Jackal and brown hyaena had, on average, 1.3 and 1.4 main prey categories per scat respectively which resulted in diet diversities of 3.9 for jackal and 2.5 for brown hyaena. -
3.4 ORDER CARNIVORA Bowdich, 1821
3.4 ORDER CARNIVORA Bowdich, 1821 3.4.1 Family Ursidae Fischer, 1817 There are eight species of bears in the world: - American Black Bear Ursus americanus - Brown Bear Ursus arctos - Polar Bear Ursus maritimus - Sloth Bear Melursus ursinus - Spectacled Bear Tremarctos ornatus - Giant Panda Ailuropoda melanoleuca - Asiatic Black Bear Ursus thibetanus - Malayan Sun Bear Helarctos malayanus The last two species are the only members of the family Ursidae known in Southeast Asia. They differ from each other by their furs and body sizes and both are threatened with extinction (Nowak, 1991; Corbet & Hill 1992). Bears have relatively undeveloped carnassial teeth; narrow premolars, crushing molars with flat crowns and large robust canines. 127 3.4.1.1 Subfamily Ursinae Fischer, 1817, Plate 3(A1 to B3) As mentioned above, two genera and two species represent the subfamily Ursinae in Southeast Asia, namely: - Malayan Sun Bear (Figure 3.8, A), Ursus/Helarctos malayanus (Raffles, 1821) with the scientific name Ursu and synonym Helarctos is distributed in the south west of China, Assam, Myanmar, Vietnam, Peninsular Malaysia, to the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. It is the smallest of all bears found in the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. - Asiatic Black Bear (Figure 3.8, B), Ursus thibetanus Cuvier, 1823 is mainly localized in the Himalayas, Afghanistan to southern China, Myanmar, northern Thailand and Indochina. It has several alternative names including Asiatic Black Bear, Himalayan Black Bear, Moon Bear and inhabits mountain forests. Figure 3.8 Malayan Sun Bear (A) and Asiatic Black Bear (B) in Zoo Negara, Malaysia National Zoological Park. -
Malawi Trip Report 12Th to 28Th September 2014
Malawi Trip Report 12th to 28th September 2014 Bohm’s Bee-eater by Keith Valentine Trip Report compiled by Tour Leader: Keith Valentine RBT Malawi Trip Report September 2014 2 Top 10 Birds: 1. Scarlet-tufted Sunbird 2. Pel’s Fishing Owl 3. Lesser Seedcracker 4. Thyolo Alethe 5. White-winged Apalis 6. Racket-tailed Roller 7. Blue Swallow 8. Bohm’s Flycatcher 9. Babbling Starling 10. Bohm’s Bee-eater/Yellow-throated Apalis Top 5 Mammals: 1. African Civet 2. Four-toed Elephant Shrew 3. Sable Antelope 4. Bush Pig 5. Side-striped Jackal/Greater Galago/Roan Antelope/Blotched Genet Trip Summary This was our first ever fully comprehensive tour to Malawi and was quite simply a fantastic experience in all respects. For starters, many of the accommodations are of excellent quality and are also situated in prime birding locations with a large number of the area’s major birding targets found in close proximity. The food is generally very good and the stores and lodges are for the most part stocked with decent beer and a fair selection of South African wine. However, it is the habitat diversity that is largely what makes Malawi so good from a birding point of view. Even though it is a small country, this good variety of habitat, and infrastructure that allows access to these key zones, insures that the list of specials is long and attractive. Our tour was extremely successful in locating the vast majority of the region’s most wanted birds and highlights included Red-winged Francolin, White-backed Night Heron, African Cuckoo-Hawk, Western Banded Snake -
Canid, Hye A, Aardwolf Conservation Assessment and Management Plan (Camp) Canid, Hyena, & Aardwolf
CANID, HYE A, AARDWOLF CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT PLAN (CAMP) CANID, HYENA, & AARDWOLF CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT PLAN (CAMP) Final Draft Report Edited by Jack Grisham, Alan West, Onnie Byers and Ulysses Seal ~ Canid Specialist Group EARlliPROMSE FOSSIL RIM A fi>MlY Of CCNSERVA11QN FUNDS A Joint Endeavor of AAZPA IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group IUCN/SSC Hyaena Specialist Group IUCN/SSC Captive Breeding Specialist Group CBSG SPECIES SURVIVAL COMMISSION The work of the Captive Breeding Specialist Group is made possible by gellerous colltributiolls from the following members of the CBSG Institutional Conservation Council: Conservators ($10,000 and above) Federation of Zoological Gardens of Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Claws 'n Paws Australasian Species Management Program Great Britain and Ireland BanhamZoo Darmstadt Zoo Chicago Zoological Society Fort Wayne Zoological Society Copenhagen Zoo Dreher Park Zoo Columbus Zoological Gardens Gladys Porter Zoo Cotswold Wildlife Park Fota Wildlife Park Denver Zoological Gardens Indianapolis Zoological Society Dutch Federation of Zoological Gardens Great Plains Zoo Fossil Rim Wildlife Center Japanese Association of Zoological Parks Erie Zoological Park Hancock House Publisher Friends of Zoo Atlanta and Aquariums Fota Wildlife Park Kew Royal Botanic Gardens Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust Givskud Zoo Miller Park Zoo International Union of Directors of Lincoln Park Zoo Granby Zoological Society Nagoya Aquarium Zoological Gardens The Living Desert Knoxville Zoo National Audubon Society-Research Metropolitan Toronto Zoo Marwell Zoological Park National Geographic Magazine Ranch Sanctuary Minnesota Zoological Garden Milwaukee County Zoo National Zoological Gardens National Aviary in Pittsburgh New York Zoological Society NOAHS Center of South Africa Parco Faunistico "La To:rbiera" Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo North of Chester Zoological Society Odense Zoo Potter Park Zoo Saint Louis Zoo Oklahoma City Zoo Orana Park Wildlife Trust Racine Zoological Society Sea World, Inc. -
Mammalian Predators Appropriating the Refugia of Their Prey
Mamm Res (2015) 60:285–292 DOI 10.1007/s13364-015-0236-y ORIGINAL PAPER When prey provide more than food: mammalian predators appropriating the refugia of their prey William J. Zielinski 1 Received: 30 September 2014 /Accepted: 20 July 2015 /Published online: 31 July 2015 # Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Białowieża, Poland (outside the USA) 2015 Abstract Some mammalian predators acquire both food and predators) may play disproportionately important roles in their shelter from their prey, by eating them and using the refugia communities. the prey construct. I searched the literature for examples of predators that exhibit this behavior and summarize their taxo- Keywords Predator–prey . Dens . Herbivore . Behavior . nomic affiliations, relative sizes, and distributions. I hypothe- Habitat . Resting . Foraging sized that size ratios of species involved in this dynamic would be near 1.0, and that most of these interactions would occur at intermediate and high latitudes. Seventeen species of Introduction Carnivorans exploited at least 23 species of herbivores as food and for their refugia. Most of them (76.4 %) were in the Mammals require food and most require shelter, either to pro- Mustelidae; several small species of canids and a few tect them from predators or from thermal stress. Carnivorous herpestids were exceptions. Surprisingly, the average mammals are unique in that they subsist on mobile food predator/prey weight ratio was 10.51, but few species of pred- sources which, particularly if these sources are vertebrates, ators were more than ten times the weight of the prey whose may build their own refuges to help regulate their body tem- refugia they exploit. -
The Ecology of Large-Spotted Genets Within an Urban Landscape and to Determine What Factors Facilitate Their Ability to Persist in an Urban Environment
i The ecology of large-spotted genets within an urban landscape Craig D. Widdows Submitted in fulfilment of the academic requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy In the Discipline of Ecological Sciences School of Life Sciences College of Agriculture, Science and Engineering University of KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg Campus 2015 i ABSTRACT Urbanization is one of the most damaging and rapidly expanding forms of anthropogenic landscape modification and is having profound consequences on biodiversity worldwide. The global increase in urbanization has resulted in exclusion of many carnivore species from human- altered landscapes due to a variety of anthropogenic impacts. However, despite the negative impacts of urbanization on carnivores, certain species such as large-spotted genets (Genetta tigrina) exhibit an ability to persist within urban areas. Despite their extensive distribution range, large-spotted genets are poorly studied in comparison to other African carnivores, with a handful of studies conducted on genetics, activity patterns and diet. Furthermore, no studies have focused on their ecology in an urban environment. There have been increasing reports of large-spotted genets within urban areas throughout KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The mosaic of patches of native vegetation within this urban landscape provides habitats for a variety of wildlife species. The main aim of the study was to investigate the ecology of large-spotted genets within an urban landscape and to determine what factors facilitate their ability to persist in an urban environment. Residential interviews were conducted to ascertain information pertaining to behavioural observations, land use as well as wildlife conflict and public perceptions of genets. Chi-square (2) goodness-of-fit tests were used to determine significant differences in the frequency of responses. -
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bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.08.12.456157; this version posted August 12, 2021. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY 4.0 International license. 1 TITLE PAGE 2 Research article 3 Article full title: 4 Effects of land-use and landscape drivers in the species richness and distribution of 5 carnivores in Faragosa-Fura Landscape of Southern Rift Valley, Ethiopia 6 Article short title: 7 Anthropogenic drivers of carnivores in Southern Rift Valley of Ethiopia 8 9 10 11 Authors’ name 12 Berhanu Gebo1* (ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3876-0948)│ Serekebirhan Takele1 13 (ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1701-2871)│Simon Shibru1 (ORCID: 14 http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2673-3272) 15 16 Authors Affiliation 17 1Department of Biology, Natural and Computational Sciences College, Arba Minch 18 University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia 19 20 *Corresponding author: 21 Email: [email protected], 22 ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3876-0948 1 bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.08.12.456157; this version posted August 12, 2021. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY 4.0 International license. 23 2 bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.08.12.456157; this version posted August 12, 2021.