Suiform Soundings
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Suiform Soundings Newsletter of the WPSG, ISSN: 1446-991X PSG and HSG Volume 11(2) August 2012 Suiform Soundings is the newsletter of the IUCN/SSC Wild Pig, Peccary, and Hippo Specialist Groups. This newsletter is electronically available at: http://data.iucn.org/themes/ssc/sgs/pphsg/Suiform%20soundings/Newsletter.htm Photo front page: An impressive male warthog, Phacochoerus africanus, in the Bale Mountains National Park, southern Ethiopia. Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Graham TABLE OF CONTENTS EDITORIAL by Anne-Marie Stewart 3 A “Chacoan Peccary Workshop” to re-evaluate the species’ Red List Status and develop a Conservation Ac- tion Plan by Harald Beck and Mariana Altrichter 3 A brief summary of the Chacoan Peccary in Paraguay, and research and conservation needs for the species. by Juan Campos 4 News From the SSC Peccary Specialist Group 6 PAPERS AND COMMUNICATIONS Ovarian functional anatomy in the Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) from North-eastern Spain by Pedro Mayor, Gregorio Mentaberre, Ignasi Marco, Santiago Lavín, Francesc Closa, Víctor Sazatornil, Carlos López-Plana and Manel López-Béjar 7 IUCN red listing status for peccaries in Brazil: Should the global status of the white-lipped peccary be up- graded? by A Keuroghlian, ALJ Desbiez, BM Beisiegel, A Gatti, AR Mendes Pontes, CB Campos, CF Tófoli, EA Moraes Jr, GM Pinho, LP Cordeiro, TS Santos Jr, AA Morais, PR Mangini, K Flesher, LF Rodrigues and LB Almeida 14 Mexico has raised the legal status of the white-lipped peccary by Rafael Reyna-Hurtado, Rodrigo A. Medellín and Eduardo J. Naranjo 16 An eyeless Eurasian Wild Pig (Sus scrofa) surviving in northern Laos by Jan F. Kamler and Phonepasong Louangaphaiyalath 18 Stress assessment in white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) by Sérgio LG Nogueira-Filho, Heneile Carvalho, Hélderes PA Silva, Luis C Fernandes and Selene SC Nogueira 21 The collared peccary as a model to investigate the spermatogonial stem cell physiology and niche in mam- mals by Paulo Henrique A Campos-Junior, Guilherme MJ Costa, Samyra MSN Lacerda and Luiz R de França 28 RESEARCH CURRENTLY UNDERWAY 31 ARTICLES IN THE NEWS 34 NEW LITERATURE ON SUIFORMES 40 SUIFORM SOUNDINGS VOL 11(2) PAGE 2 EDITORIAL It’s the peccaries that feature strongly in this latest issue of Suiform Soundings. The Peccary Specialist Group voice their concerns about the status of the Chacoan Peccary, as well as discussing the listing of the white- lipped peccary both on a global scale and nationally, within Mexico. We also hear the latest news from the PSG, including recognition of the work done by Alexine Keuroghlian for peccary conservation in Brazil. Research currently underway and highlighted in this issue focuses on both the suids and tayassuids, and addresses new questions related to the Major Histocompatibility Complex, a genetic system with an essen- tial role in both the adaptive and innate immunity response against virus and bacteria, which, according to Dr Jaime Gongora, has resulted in its high conservation during the evolution of vertebrates. Read more on page 31. Along with the other articles included in this newsletter, we also get a much-anticipated update on the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme, where recent releases into the Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park of Assam bring the total number of reintroduced pygmy hogs to the milestone figure of 60. An update on the programme is given on page 34. I hope you enjoy reading this issue of Suiform Soundings—thank you to those of you who submitted arti- cles. I encourage other members to send in their contributions, letters, comments and feedback, and to dis- tribute the newsletter to a wider audience, helping to highlight current conservation issues. Anne-Marie Stewart, Bale Mountains, Ethiopia. [email protected] A “Chacoan Peccary Workshop” to re-evaluate the species’ Red List Status and develop a Conservation Action Plan. Harald Beck and Mariana Altrichter [email protected]; [email protected] The situation for the Chacoan Peccary keeps deteriorating, primarily because of habitat destruction and over-hunting. This has also caught the media’s attention. Surprisingly, there is very little knowledge on the ecology of this species and its current conservation situation. It is our responsibility as the IUCN/SSC Peccary Specialist Group to respond to this dire situation. Thus, for 2013, we are planning to organize a “Chacoan Peccary Workshop” to re-evaluate the species’ Red List Status and to develop a Conservation Action Plan. We are already in contact with several of our Zoo affiliated group members, but clearly also need your expertise and help! Specifically, we would appreciate information on any potential funding agencies, NGO or government sources that could be approached for financial support. We would also like to hear from experts who SUIFORM SOUNDINGS VOL 11(2) PAGE 3 have been working in the Chaco region with the Chacoan peccary, and from those who have witnessed habitat destruction and over-hunting. In view of the feedback we have already received from group members, it seems the workshop should fo- cus on four main goals: 1. Collect all the data and facts needed for a new Red List Assessment. We need to start with the data col- lection and the compilation of some GIS tables and maps much earlier than the proposed workshop. 2. Draft a Conservation Action Plan. Again some work should start prior to the workshop. 3. Connect members interested in or involved in captive breeding and reintroduction programs to coordi- nate future work. 4. Connect members interested in future work including genetic analyses, education, outreach, fund rais- ing etc. To achieve the most comprehensive assessment, we need as much input as possible. Please let us know if you have observed or have any data on the following: On the past and present distribution of the Chacoan Peccary (ideally with GIS coordinates). Human activities such as hunting or habitat alteration that have or may impact the Chacoan Peccary. Areas with increased livestock activities where Chacoan Peccaries are known to occur. Any other information you think might be useful for the assessment. The link below shows the current Chacoan Peccary assessment, which might also give you further ideas of what type of data we are looking for: http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/4015/0 A brief summary of the Chacoan Peccary in Paraguay, and research and conservation needs for the species. Juan Campos [email protected] We have been working hard for almost 30 years on the study and captive breeding of the Chacoan peccary in Paraguay, or Taguá as we know them here. In Paraguay, the last Chacoan peccary censuses were carried out almost 20 years ago by Dr. Taber in 1991 and then by Handen et al in 1994. Since then, there have been a few reports but nothing exclusively dedi- cated to evaluating population numbers, range, habitat or hunting pressure on the Chacoan peccary in the region. At present, the Chaco Center has been granted funds that will allow us to finally carry out a census of the species throughout its distribution in the Chaco of Paraguay. We are hoping to gather information on population numbers, habitat availability and destruction, as well as creating distribution maps using niche model software. Hopefully, this will allow us to identify areas that need urgent conservation efforts and better understand habitat needs of the species. Similarly, we are currently working together with WCS-Py and recently submitted a proposal to carry out an ambitious education and conservation programme in pri- mary schools of the Chaco. SUIFORM SOUNDINGS VOL 11(2) PAGE 4 The Chaco region of Paraguay is going through an unprecedented wave of deforestation, with over 1000 hectares of forest cleared daily. Wild populations of Chacoan peccary are facing the fastest and most exten- sive habitat loss ever recorded in recent history. New roads and cattle settlements are established daily. As well as causing habitat destruction, these activities have increased the hunting pressure on the species. However, we know little about the consequences this has in local populations of Chacoan peccary. At present we have a well established breeding facility at the Chaco Center, with 66 Chacoan peccary in ad- dition to nine white-lipped and 22 collared peccary. The Center carried out successful soft reintroductions of Chacoan peccaries between 2000 and 2002. Similarly, we have carried out telemetry and a complete sur- vey of plants eaten by the animals during the reintroduction period. From the start of the captive breeding programme, we have reintroduced an estimated 200 animals back into the wild. The following are the research topics and actions that I believe are critical for the species in Paraguay: We need to carry out work on the genetics of the species, with emphasis on population genetics and biogeography, including the three countries in which it occurs. We also need to carry out a genetic analysis of all our captive animals in national and international zoos, to preserve genetic diversity and execute a management plan based on their genetic profile. We need to carry out a census to reliably estimate population numbers, as well as updating and cre- ating species survival plans for national parks and, if possible, private lands. I suggest we consolidate an education program for locals as well as for internationals to make the species known to the world. We should reinforce and expand new and existing in-situ captive breeding facilities in the three countries in which the Chacoan peccary is found. It is unlikely that the current trend of deforestation that Paraguay is experiencing will stop soon, making captive animals extremely important for the future survival of the species. We should encourage and support scientists and students to conduct research on this species.