DOCSLIB.ORG

Decaluwe Umd 0117E 13200.Pdf

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Decaluwe Umd 0117E 13200.Pdf ABSTRACT Title of Document: CHARACTERIZATION AND CONTROL OF AGGRESSION AND REPRODUCTION IN THE MALE CLOUDED LEOPARD (NEOFELIS NEBULOSA) Heather Burton DeCaluwe, Doctor of Philosophy, 2012 Directed By: Professor Mary Ann Ottinger, Department of Animal and Avian Sciences Clouded leopards are a striking and elusive cat species whose secretive nature has made it difficult to gather information on population statistics and behavior in the wild, where the population is in decline. While captive populations are intended as a hedge against extinction, breeding clouded leopards ex situ has been a challenge, primarily due to extreme male aggression toward females. Despite the importance of aggression in this species, there has as yet been no systematic study characterizing the basis of aggressive episodes. Two mechanisms seem to underlie the aggressive behavior in clouded leopards: degree of anxiety and circulating testosterone levels. Three studies were conducted to characterize mechanisms modulating aggression in male clouded leopards. In Study 1, sixteen adult male clouded leopards were categorized as ‘anxious’ or ‘calm’ using a keeper questionnaire and fecal endocrine (androgen and glucocorticoid) profiles; these measures were correlated with behavior rates and frequencies before, during, and after a series of behavioral reaction tests aimed at assessing an individual’s response to stress-inducing situations. In Study 2, the behavioral and endocrine responses to the same tests were compared in the same clouded leopards following three treatments: 1) an anxiety- reducing psychotropic drug (clomipramine, n = 4); 2) a gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (deslorelin, n = 5), or 3) no treatment (n = 4). In Study 3, the long- term effects of the drug treatments on spermatogenesis and hormone concentrations were compared in clouded leopards (n = 2/treatment) and domestic cats (n = 5/treatment), a model for non-domestic felid reproduction. Studies revealed important findings about the basis of aggressive behavior in male clouded leopards. First, two of the behavioral reaction tests – ‘mirror image stimulation’ and ‘unfamiliar people’ – were effective tools for evaluating temperament and eliciting a behavioral response. Second, treatment with both clomipramine and deslorelin reduced anxious and aggressive behaviors (e.g. ‘tail flicking’ and ‘growling’) indicating multiple physiological mechanisms likely modulate aggression in this species. Finally, deslorelin temporarily suppressed hormone concentrations and reproductive function, while clomipramine had no clear effect on either. Ultimately, this information provides important tools for improving male-female pairing success and the overall management of captive clouded leopards. CHARACTERIZATION AND CONTROL OF AGGRESSION AND REPRODUCTION IN THE MALE CLOUDED LEOPARD (NEOFELIS NEBULOSA) By Heather Burton DeCaluwe Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Maryland, College Park, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2012 Advisory Committee: Professor Mary Ann Ottinger, Chair Professor Amy O. Burk Professor Eric S. Haag Dr. Katharine M. Pelican Dr. Budhan S. Pukazhenthi © Copyright by Heather Burton DeCaluwe 2012 Dedication For my beloved husband, Steven And In memory of Dr. JoGayle Howard ii Acknowledgements First, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my advisors, Dr. Mary Ann Ottinger, Dr. Katey Pelican, and Dr. JoGayle Howard. Together they made the perfect team of advisors! Their support, guidance, expertise, dedication, and encouragement were invaluable; I couldn’t have made it to this point without them. A special thanks to the other members of my committee for their time and attention and, importantly, for being the five (out of nine) to make it to the end – Dr. Eric Haag, Dr. Budhan Pukazhenthi, and Dr. Amy Burk. My deepest gratitude to Dr. Nadja Wielebnowski, an honorary committee member, for her enthusiasm, expertise, and guidance from the very beginning. When I asked for her help she said, “of course, it’s for clouded leopards, right?” Words cannot express how grateful I am to the many many zookeepers, managers, veterinarians, scientists, support staff, and interns at the 12 participating zoological institutions who graciously donated their time and effort to work with us on this research. I will try to name many here and for those I forget, you are not truly forgotten, only momentarily in my exhausted state: Veronica Acosta, Bonnie Breitbeil, Laura Carpenter, Dr. Pierre Comizzoli, Deb Copeland, Christie Eddie, Jilian Fazio, Norah Fletchall, Beth Graham, Kenn Harwood, Dr. Katharine Hope, Kally Koester, Jessica Kordell, Ken Lang, Lisa Laskoski, Elena Less, Bethany Lorentz, Cathi Morrison, Dr. Luis Padilla, Nikki Presley, Sarah Putman, Sara Riger, Jenny Santiestevan, Teresa Shepard, Tracy Sorensen, Dr. Kimberly Terrell, Laurie iii Trechsel, Lisa Ware, Rain Westgard, Drew White, Dr. Megan Wilson, and Michelle Witek. I am eternally grateful to my colleagues and mentors within the Society for Conservation Biology and Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, for their support, understanding, inspiration, and most importantly, dedication to conservation – when things got really tough, they helped me remember why it was all worth it! And to my family – I truly could not have accomplished this without you. Dad, you are always in my memory, I know you would be so proud. Mom, your love and support over the past 34 years have made me who I am today. Jenny and Devin, you are like sisters to me, what more can I say? And Steven, you are my rock; you bring constant joy, love, and laughter to my life. Finally, I would like to thank the Conservation Endowment Fund, managed by The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) - grant #08-801 - for providing financial support for this project. I would also like to acknowledge the partial financial support from University of Maryland, University of Minnesota, and Smithsonian Women’s Committee. iv Table of Contents Dedication..................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements......................................................................................................iii Table of Contents.......................................................................................................... v List of Tables .............................................................................................................viii List of Figures.............................................................................................................. ix List of Figures.............................................................................................................. ix Chapter 1: Introduction................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Overview of Study .............................................................................................. 1 1.2 Hypothesis and Objectives.................................................................................. 3 1.3 Background and Significance ............................................................................. 4 1.3.1 Clouded Leopard Natural History................................................................ 4 1.3.2 Neural Pathways and Aggression ................................................................ 6 1.3.3 Testosterone and Aggression ....................................................................... 7 1.3.4 Temperament and Aggression ..................................................................... 9 1.3.5 Stress-Sensitivity and Aggression................................................................ 9 1.3.6 Spermatogenesis and Reproductive Function............................................ 10 1.3.7 Testosterone and Reproductive Function................................................... 11 1.3.8 The Affect of Stress on Reproductive Function ........................................ 12 1.3.9 Psychotropic Drugs, Anxiety and Aggression, and Reproductive Function ............................................................................................................................. 13 1.3.10 GnRH Agonists, Testosterone and Aggression, and Reproductive Function .............................................................................................................. 14 1.4 Summary........................................................................................................... 15 Chapter 2: Behavioral Reaction Tests as a Measure of Stress Reactivity to Determine Temperament in the Male Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa).............................. 16 2.1 Introduction....................................................................................................... 16 2.2 Methods............................................................................................................. 21 2.2.1 Animals and Study Area ............................................................................ 21 2.2.2 Study Design.............................................................................................. 22 2.2.3 Behavioral Questionnaire........................................................................... 23 2.2.4 Behavioral Reaction Tests ......................................................................... 23 2.2.5 Videotaping and Analysis.........................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Correlated Evolution in the Small Parsimony Framework*
    bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.01.26.428213; this version posted July 3, 2021. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission. Correlated Evolution in the Small Parsimony Framework? Brendan Smith1, Cristian Navarro-Martinez1, Rebecca Buonopane1, S. Ashley Byun1, and Murray Patterson2[0000−0002−4329−0234] 1 Fairfield University, Fairfield CT 06824, USA fbrendan.smith1, rebecca.buonopane, [email protected] [email protected] 2 Georgia State University, Atlanta GA 30303, USA [email protected] Abstract. When studying the evolutionary relationships among a set of species, the principle of parsimony states that a relationship involving the fewest number of evolutionary events is likely the correct one. Due to its simplicity, this principle was formalized in the context of computational evolutionary biology decades ago by, e.g., Fitch and Sankoff. Because the parsimony framework does not require a model of evolution, unlike maximum likelihood or Bayesian approaches, it is often a good starting point when no reasonable estimate of such a model is available. In this work, we devise a method for detecting correlated evolution among pairs of discrete characters, given a set of species on these char- acters, and an evolutionary tree. The first step of this method is to use Sankoff's algorithm to compute all most parsimonious assignments of an- cestral states (of each character) to the internal nodes of the phylogeny. Correlation between a pair of evolutionary events (e.g., absent to present) for a pair of characters is then determined by the (co-) occurrence pat- terns between the sets of their respective ancestral assignments.
    [Show full text]
  • The Paradoxical Extinction of the Most Charismatic Animals
    PERSPECTIVE The paradoxical extinction of the most charismatic animals Franck Courchamp1,2,3*, Ivan Jaric4,5,6, CeÂline Albert1, Yves Meinard7, William J. Ripple8, Guillaume Chapron9 1 Ecologie, SysteÂmatique and Evolution, Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Universite Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France, 2 Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America, 3 Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America, 4 Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, Na SaÂdkaÂch, Česke Budějovice, Czech Republic, 5 Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany, 6 Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade, Kneza Viseslava, Belgrade, Serbia, 7 Universite Paris Dauphine, Paris Sciences & Lettres Research University, CNRS, LAMSADE, Paris, France, 8 Global Trophic Cascades Program, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, United States of America, 9 Department of Ecology, GrimsoÈ Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden a1111111111 a1111111111 * [email protected] a1111111111 a1111111111 a1111111111 Abstract A widespread opinion is that conservation efforts disproportionately benefit charismatic spe- cies. However, this doesn't mean that they are not threatened, and which species are ªchar- OPEN ACCESS ismaticº remains unclear. Here, we identify the 10 most charismatic animals and show that they are at high risk of imminent extinction in the wild. We also find that the public ignores Citation: Courchamp F, Jaric I, Albert C, Meinard Y, Ripple WJ, Chapron G (2018) The paradoxical these animals' predicament and we suggest it could be due to the observed biased percep- extinction of the most charismatic animals.
    [Show full text]
  • Giant Panda Facts (Ailuropoda Melanoleuca)
    U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Giant Panda Facts (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) Giant panda. John J. Mosesso What animal is black and white Giant pandas are bears with one or two cubs weighing 3 to 5 and loved all over the world? If you striking black and white markings. ounces each is born in a sheltered guessed the giant panda, you’re The ears, eye patches, legs and den. Usually only one cub survives. right! shoulder band are black; the rest The eyes open at 1 1/2 to 2 months of the body is whitish. They have and the cub becomes mobile at The giant panda is also known as thick, woolly coats to insulate them approximately three months of the panda bear, bamboo bear, or in from the cold. Adults are four to six age. At 12 months the cub becomes Chinese as Daxiongmao, the “large feet long and may weigh up to 350 totally independent. While their bear cat.” In fact, its scientific pounds—about the same size as average life span in the wild is name means “black and white cat- the American black bear. However, about 15 years, giant pandas in footed animal.” unlike the black bear, giant pandas captivity have been known to live do not hibernate and cannot walk well into their twenties. Giant pandas are found only in on their hind legs. the mountains of central China— Scientists have debated for more in small isolated areas of the The giant panda has unique front than a century whether giant north and central portions of the paws—one of the wrist bones is pandas belong to the bear family, Sichuan Province, in the mountains enlarged and elongated and is used the raccoon family, or a separate bordering the southernmost part of like a thumb, enabling the giant family of their own.
    [Show full text]
  • References: Future Works
    Phylogenomics and Evolution of the Ursidae Family Department of Biology Ammary Jackson, Keanu Spencer, & Alissya Theis Fig 8. Red Panda Fig. 6. American Black Bear (Ailurus fulgens) (Ursus americanus) Introduction: Ursidae is a family of generally omnivorous mammals colloquially Objectives: Results: referred to as bears. The family consists of five genera: Ailuropoda ● To determine the relatedness among the 30 individual bear taxa. Red Panda (giant panda), Helarctos (sun bear), Melursus (sloth bear), Tremarctos Spectacled Bear ● To determine if Ailurus fulgens obtained its common Spectacled Bear (spectacled bear), and Ursus (black, brown, and polar bears) all of Polar Bear name (Red Panda) from similarities to the genes Polar Bear which are found in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa Polar Bear belonging to the Ursidae family or if it’s simply based on Polar Bear (Kumar et al. 2017.) The phylogenetic relationship between Ursidae Polar Bear phenotypic attributes. Polar Bear bears and the red panda (Ailurus fulgens) has been somewhat Brown Bear inconsistent and controversial. Previous phylogenetic analyses have Brown Bear Brown Bear placed the red panda within the families Ursidae (bears), Procyonidae Polar Bear Brown Bear (raccoons), Pinnepedia (seals), and Musteloidea (raccoons and weasels, Brown Bear Brown Bear skunks, and badgers) (Flynn et al. 2000.) Determining monophyly Methods: Cave Bear Cave Bear would elucidate the evolutionary relationship between Ursidae bears Sloth Bear ● Mitochondrial gene sequences of the ATP6 and ND1 genes Sloth Bear and the Red Panda. This analysis (i) tested the monophyly of the family Sun Bear were taken from a sample of 31 species (30 Ursidae family Sun Bear Ursidae; and (ii) determined how the Red Panda fits within the Black Bear and 1 Ailuridae family).
    [Show full text]
  • GIANT PANDA the Giant Panda Is Universally Admired for Its Distinctive Eyes and Seemingly Gentle Demeanour
    © naturepl.com / Edwin Giesbers WWF GIANT PANDA The giant panda is universally admired for its distinctive eyes and seemingly gentle demeanour. They are also the most threatened species of bear. Read on to discover more interesting facts about them. Giant pandas inhabit temperate montane Where forests in south-western China. There are CHARACTERISTICS FAMILY they around 1,860 giant pandas in the wild. • They have a larger head and shorter legs than The female giant panda usually gives birth to one, They are classified as vulnerable on the most bears. They have a distinctive black and live sometimes two cubs between August and September, IUCN Red List having recently been up white coat, most of their body and belly are white, although usually only one cub survives. As a cub, they listed from endangered following decades contrasting sharply with their black ears, black k ' are helpless after birth for the first few weeks of their of conservation wor that s now seeing a limbs and shoulders, and black patches over rise in their wild population numbers. life and their mother cares for them in a den located the eyes. wwf.org.uk/wildlife/giant_panda/ in the base of a hollow tree or in a cave. They remain • They have large muscular jaws, while their teeth dependent on their mother until around 18 months are wider and flatter than those of other bears, old. As an adult, they lead a solitary lifestyle, rarely allowing them to grind bamboo. meeting other pandas unless it’s the mating season. • Weight: 75-125kg. • Most of their time is spent eating and sleeping, VIDEO but they can climb using muscly forearms.
    [Show full text]
  • A Standardized Ethogram for the Felidae: User Guide
    A Standardized Ethogram for the Felidae: User Guide 1. Behaviors Researchers should start by selecting which base behaviors should be used depending on the specific aim of their study. The titles of the base behaviors are written in bold text. If unsure of which behaviors to observe, researchers may consult the behavioral categories list for suggestions of which behaviors to measure. Additional information about the base behaviors is located directly below the definitions. This information either explains the behavior in further detail, or states other behaviors that may accompany the base behavior being discussed. If appropriate, the researcher may choose to include the additional information within their definition. If a researcher wishes to combine some behaviors to be scored together, as opposed to separately as they appear in the ethogram, it may be helpful to consult the behavioral categories, or create a new category and state which behaviors will be categorized within it. Additionally, a researcher can pull other behaviors into their definition at any time if they are to be scored together, so long as it is stated. Table 1. A standardized ethogram for the Felidae including definitions for all base behaviors. Title Definition Allogroom Cat licks the fur of another cat’s head or body. - In human-cat studies, this can be scored when a cat licks a human. Arch Back Cat curves back upwards and stands rigidly. - May be accompanied by piloerection. Approach Cat moves toward (modifier) while looking at it. Attack Cat launches itself at (modifier) with extended forelegs and attempts to engage in physical combat.
    [Show full text]
  • Factsheet Giant Panda
    Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) The giant panda, the rarest of bear species, is found in mountainous areas in China. They mainly live on the east side of the Tibetan Plateau. Origin The giant panda is classified under the subfamily of Ailuropodinae and is the only existing representative of this family. Two subspecies have been recognized, Ailuropoda melanoleuca melanoleuca and Ailuropoda melanoleuca qinlingensis, or the small panda (also red panda) and the giant panda. The classification of the giant panda has been the subject of some debate: a diet consisting of bamboo, ambiguity as regards their ancestors and different anatomic characteristics all gave rise to uncertainty within the scientific community on whether the giant panda was indeed a true bear. Genetic research suggests that the panda is a real bear and therefore part of the Ursidae family. However, some doubt will always remain and a few experts believe that the giant panda and the small panda form a separate family altogether. Others disagree completely and believe that the panda is not a true bear but related to the raccoon. Opinions differ greatly on this subject. One could say that the small panda is indeed related to the raccoon and their relatives. Habitat The giant panda is found only in the impenetrable bamboo forests in the mountains at an elevation of 1,400 to 4,000 meter. Appearance The giant panda is very recognizable by its distinct black and white coloration. They have black patches around the eyes, making the eyes look unusually big. Another, less conspicuous, characteristic is the existence of a sixth finger: the panda has six fingers on the forelimbs instead of five.
    [Show full text]
  • STUDY of SNOW LEOPARD (Uncia Uncia) at PADMAJA NAIDU HIMALAYAN ZOOLOGICAL PARK , DARJEELING
    STUDY OF SNOW LEOPARD (Uncia uncia) AT PADMAJA NAIDU HIMALAYAN ZOOLOGICAL PARK , DARJEELING. By Miss Shradhanjali Rai Page | 1 STUDY OF SNOW LEOPARD (Uncia uncia) AT PADMAJA NAIDU HIMALAYAN ZOOLOGICAL PARK, DARJEELING. Project Report on “Study of Snow leopard (Uncia uncia) at Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling” By Under Guidance of Mr. A.K. Jha, IFS Period - 22/03/2011 - 30/09/2013 STUDY OF SNOW LEOPARD (Uncia uncia) AT Page | 2 PADMAJA NAIDU HIMALAYAN ZOOLOGICAL PARK, DARJEELING. THE PROJECT IN BRIEF 1. Name of the Project: “Study of Snow leopard (Uncia uncia) at Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling” 2. Name of the Zoo/Organization: Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park. 3. Project Letter: Sri.A.K.Jha IFS, Director, Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling. 4. Duration of the Project: From 22.03.2011-30.09.2013 5. Location of the Project: Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling. 6. Region/State: West Bengal. 7. Closest main city: Darjeeling. 8. Principal Investigator : Mr.A.K.Jha, IFS. 9. Research Associate : Miss Shradhanjali Rai. 10. Period to be spent on the Project from : For 48 hours /week for two and half years (Day/Momth/Year) 11. Total cost of the Project :Rs.8,40,000 12. Signature Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling. Signature: Signature: Signature Date Date Date Seal Seal Seal Page | 3 STUDY OF SNOW LEOPARD (Uncia uncia) AT PADMAJA NAIDU HIMALAYAN ZOOLOGICAL PARK, DARJEELING. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The Project entitled “ Study of Snow Leopard at Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoo- logical Park, Darjeeling” under short term research grant by CZA was conducted by Miss Shradhanjali Rai, under the guidance of the undersigned from 22/11/2011 to 30/09/2013 which included further extension vide Memo No.
    [Show full text]
  • 2009 Conservation Impact Report
    2009 Conservation Impact Report Introduction AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums serve as conservation centers that are concerned about ecosystem health, take responsibility for species survival, contribute to research, conservation, and education, and provide society the opportunity to develop personal connections with the animals in their care. Whether breeding and re-introducing endangered species, rescuing and rehabilitating sick and injured animals, maintaining far-reaching educational and outreach programs or supporting and conducting in-situ and ex-situ research and field conservation projects, zoos and aquariums play a vital role in maintaining our planet’s diverse wildlife and natural habitats while engaging the public to appreciate and participate in conservation. In 2009, 127 of AZA’s 238 accredited institutions and certified-related facilities contributed data for the 2009 Conservation Impact Report. A summary of the 1,762 conservation efforts these institutions participated in within ~60 countries is provided. In addition, a list of individual projects is broken out by state and zoological institution. This report was compiled by Shelly Grow (AZA Conservation Biologist) as well as Jamie Shockley and Katherine Zdilla (AZA Volunteer Interns). This report, along with those from previous years, is available on the AZA Web site at: http://www.aza.org/annual-report-on-conservation-and-science/. 2009 AZA Conservation Projects Grevy's Zebra Trust ARGENTINA National/International Conservation Support CANADA Temaiken Foundation Health
    [Show full text]
  • Ailuropoda Melanoleuca Giant Panda Endangered
    Ailuropoda melanoleuca Giant Panda Endangered Geographic Range Information The giant panda is confined to south-central China. Currently, it occurs in portions of six isolated mountain ranges (Minshan, Qinling, Qionglai, Liangshan, Daxiangling, and Xiaoxiangling) in Gansu, Shaanxi and Sichuan Provinces (about 75% of the population inhabits Sichuan Province). The panda's total range encompasses approximately 30,000 sq km between 102–108.3° E longitude and 28.2–34.1° N latitude. This range highly overlaps that of the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus), although the ecological requirements of these species differ appreciably (Schaller et al. 1989). Significant climatic changes combined with thousands of years of cultivation of lower and flatter habitats and hunting by humans caused the giant pandas’ range to shrink to a remnant at the rugged western fringe of a once more expansive area (Schaller et al. 1985). This species previously ranged throughout most of southern and eastern China, with fossils indicating presence as far south as northern Myanmar and northern Vietnam and stretching north nearly to Beijing. Another related species, the pygmy giant panda (A. microta), now extinct, also once existed in this area. As recently as 1850, giant pandas existed in eastern Sichuan and Hubei and Hunan Provinces. By 1900, they occurred only in the Qinling Mountains and along the edge of the Tibetan plateau. Soon after 1900, the expansion of agriculture upstream along principal river valleys separated this distribution into separate regions in the six mountain ranges. Range Countries China 2 Population Information Three range-wide surveys have been conducted, in the mid-1970s, mid-late1980s, and 2000–2002.
    [Show full text]
  • Save Pdf (0.3
    Relationship between human disturbance and Endangered giant panda Ailuropoda melanoleuca habitat use in the Daxiangling Mountains C HENG Z HAO,BISONG Y UE,JIANGHONG R AN,TIMOTHY M OERMOND,NING H OU X UYU Y ANG and X IAODONG G U Abstract The Endangered giant panda Ailuropoda melano- Introduction leuca is one of the most threatened mammals. The species he giant panda Ailuropoda melanoleuca is one of the has experienced declines in its population and habitat as a Tmost threatened mammals and is categorized as result of human disturbance. We investigated the influence Endangered on the IUCN Red List (Lu et al., ). The spe- of human disturbance on habitat use by giant pandas in the cies was widely distributed in south-western China, includ- ’ Daxiangling Mountains, in China s Sichuan Province. We ing Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan, Shanxi, and Gansu Provinces, mapped all signs of giant panda and all locations of seven during the –th centuries (Hu, ), but as a result of types of human disturbance in the study area. We used cor- extensive expansion of agriculture and transport systems relation analysis, generalized linear models, and Akaike in- and the widespread destruction and fragmentation of forest formation criteria to analyse the influence of the various habitat, giant pandas are now confined to six fragmented types of human disturbances on habitat use by the giant mountain areas at the edge of the Tibetan Plateau (Fig. ; panda. Our results showed that habitat use was positively Hu, ; Ran et al., ). The smallest population is in correlated with elevation and distance from roads, resi- the Daxiangling Mountains, where the species remains crit- dences, hydropower stations and logging or tree-felling ically threatened by human disturbance (State Forestry sites, but negatively correlated with distance from bamboo Administration of China, ).
    [Show full text]
  • Summer 2018 Vol
    International Bear News Tri-Annual Newsletter of the International Association for Bear Research and Management (IBA) and the IUCN/SSC Bear Specialist Group Summer 2018 Vol. 27 no. 2 Illustration of Asiatic black bear (by Mohammad Rasoul Haghani), used on a poster created by Hadi Fahimi to convey information about the Baluchistan bear (Ursus thibetanus gedrosianus) of Iran. Read more on asiatic black bears in articles starting on page 6, 11, 12, 21. IBA website: www.bearbiology.org Table of Contents INTERNATIONAL BEAR NEWS 3 International Bear News, ISSN #1064-1564 IBA PRESIDENT/IUCN BSG CO-CHAIRS 4 President’s Column 6 A Tribute to Three Bear Biologists, Tennessee to Iran, and Thoughts on Mentoring IBA MEMBER NEWS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENTS 11 In Memoriam: Hadi Fahimi, 1980–2018 23 26th International Conference on Bear Research & Management CONSERVATION 12 Bear Parts Use in Vietnam: Do We Know as WORKSHOP ANNOUNCEMENT Much as We Think We Do? 23 24th Eastern Black Bear Workshop, April 22 13 Use of Small Explosives are a Threat to – 25, 2019. Potosi, Missouri Sloth Bears in India 15 Status of the Japanese Black Bear STUDENT FORUM in Shikoku Island, Japan, and the 24 Your Online Presence Conservation Project Launched by Japan 24 Truman Listserv and Facebook Page Bear Network PUBLIcaTIONS MANagER’S CORNER 25 Recent Bear Literature 17 Post-Release Conflicts with Humans by Captive-Rehabilitated New Mexico Black CORRECTION Bears 29 Correction: Spring 2018 Issue 18 Florida Provides Over $2.1 million to Local Governments to Reduce Human-Bear IBA OFFICERS & COUNCIL Conflicts 30 Executive Council Members and Ex-Officio Members CONFERENCE AND WORKSHOP SUMMARY 19 1st BSG Sloth Bear Expert Team Meeting BSG EXPERT TEAM CHAIRS Sets Stage for Coordinated Research and 31 Bear Specialist Group Team Chairs Conservation 21 1st National Bear Conservation Workshop Held in Myanmar 2 International Bear News Summer 2018, vol.
    [Show full text]