Management Evaluation of Protected Areas Tuberculosis in Captive and Free-Ranging Wildlife 8 – 11 February 2016 17th Sharjah International Conservation Forum for Arabia’s Biodiversity Management Evaluation of Protected Areas; Tuberculosis in Captive and Free-Ranging Wildlife 8-11 February 2016 Compiled by Philip Seddon1, Mike Knight2, David Mallon3, Jane Budd4, Gerhard Steenkamp5 and Sarah May6 Organised by Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) Government of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates 1 Department of Zoology, University of Otago PO Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand Email: [email protected] 2 Park Planning and Development, South African National Parks Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Summerstrand Campus PO Box 7700, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa Email: [email protected] 3 Manchester Metropolitan University, UK, & IUCN/SSC Conservation Planning Sub-Committee Email: [email protected] 4 Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife Email: [email protected] 5 Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria South Africa Email: [email protected] 6 Environmental Consultant Email: [email protected] 17th Sharjah International Conservation Forum for Arabia’s Biodiversity © Environment and Protected Areas Authority, Sharjah, 2018 Recommended citation: EPAA (2018). 17th Sharjah International Conservation Forum for Arabia’s Biodiversity. Environment and Protected Areas Authority, Sharjah, UAE. Reproduction of this publication for educational, conservation or other non-profit purposes is authorised without prior written permission from the copyright holder provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for sale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission of the copyright holder. The designation of geographical entities in this book, and the presentation of the material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of EPAA or other participating organisations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of EPAA or other participating organisations. Cover photo: © Sarah May Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY I PROTECTED AREAS AND PLANNING THEME 1 Country Protected Areas Network Updates 1 Introduction 1 Method 1 Results 4 Protected areas network. 4 What is wild 15 Conclusion 17 References and Further Reading 17 Appendix 1: IUCN Protected Areas Categories System 18 Appendix 2: Arabian Peninsula Habitats 19 VETERINARY THEME 20 Tuberculosis in Captive and Free-Ranging Wildlife – An Overview 20 Introduction 20 Diagnosing tuberculosis in wildlife 20 Species specific considerations 22 Tuberculosis treatment of wildlife 22 Research Necropsy Report Form 24 Capture Myopathy 30 Introduction 30 The capture myopathy disease complex 30 Conclusion 31 PARTICIPANT LIST 33 i Figures Figure 1 The frequency (N = 65) of opinion of what size of protected area that would support a wild population of Arabian oryx. 15 Figure 2 The frequency (N = 69) of opinion of the degree of intensity of management that would be acceptable in supporting a wild population of Arabian oryx. 15 Figure 3 The average (+ SD) score of what size of protected area would support a wild population of Arabian oryx by respondent occupation category. 16 Figure 4 The average (+ SD) score of what intensity of management would be acceptable for a wild population of Arabian oryx, by respondent occupation category. 16 Figure 5 The three stages of stress. 31 Tables Table 1 Example of a Protected Areas Data Sheet. 3 Table 2 Summary of status of protected areas in the Arabian Peninsula, inclusive of Iraq and Syria. 4 Table 3 Summary file of status of protected areas in the Arabian Peninsula. 5 ii Executive Summary The 17th Sharjah International Conservation Forum for Arabia’s Biodiversity (SICFAB) was held at the Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, on 8– 11 February 2016. This regional forum brought together over 150 participants representing UAE, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Yemen, Oman, Qatar and Iraq, as well as from the UK, USA, South Africa, Italy and New Zealand. The Sharjah workshops are hosted by the Environment and Protected Areas Authority of the Government of Sharjah, under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. The forum had three major themes: 1. Species assessment theme. The species assessment theme conducted a review of the distribution and conservation status of all mammals in the Arabian region. Two working groups assessed the conservation status of all species (>160) of terrestrial mammals in the Arabian region, the Arabian Peninsula and Syria and Iraq. A third working group reviewed the status and distribution of the 22 species of marine mammals in the Arabian region, the first time this exercise has been undertaken. The regional Red List assessment for both terrestrial and marine mammals will be published under the auspices of the IUCN and is not part of this report. 2. Protected areas and planning theme. The protected areas and planning theme worked in conjunction with the mammal assessments to compile an up-to-date register of all biodiversity of protected areas in the region to facilitate an evaluation of current mammal protection and future needs. A comprehensive compilation of summary data on biodiversity in protected areas was completed. Over 150 protected areas were identified, and the boundaries of key areas were mapped to facilitate a gap analysis of current and future conservation needs for threatened mammals. 3. Veterinary theme. The veterinary theme addressed the issue of wild ungulate disease diagnosis and management, with an emphasis on tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and was expanded to consider the complications associated with mass game capture and the use of short- and long-acting tranquilisers. The veterinary delegates discussed disease surveillance of important zoonotic diseases and accurate diagnosis of M. tuberculosis in wildlife species in the Middle East. The focus was to facilitate discussion of disease occurrence within the region and to equip the attendees with a good understanding of diagnostic pitfalls surrounding the testing and interpretation of M. tuberculosis screening. Capture myopathy was also discussed in more detail, building on from introductory lectures presented at the 2015 workshop and introducing important recent research into this poorly understood but preventable complex. i Protected Areas and Planning Theme Dr Mike H. Knight & Prof Philip J. Seddon Country Protected Areas Network Updates Introduction The protected areas and planning theme focused on consolidating the most comprehensive list of protected areas on the Arabian Peninsula to date. There has been a pressing need for such a list given the growth in the number of protected areas, their importance in the conservation of the region’s biodiversity, and the increasing threats that the region’s protected areas face. This review complimented the IUCN Red Listing revision of the region’s mammal species. An important consideration kept in mind throughout the workshop was the fact that many of the larger mammalian species are confined to protected areas, most of which are either fenced or confined through human activities, and this may affect the viability and wildness of these populations. There has been considerable debate around what constitutes wild animal populations. Stanley- Price & Mallon (2013) have defined wild populations as populations of species that persist in viable numbers in representative parts of their indigenous ranges, in dynamic and resilient ecosystems, over spatial and temporal scales that allow natural selection to take place, with minimal human interference. The individual perception of what constitutes a wild population can also be affected by personal and professional focus, exposure and knowledge of the diversity of types, sizes, and management intensity of specific protected areas in the Arabian Peninsula. Delegates to the 17th SICFAB were polled for their understanding of what constitutes a wild population. Method 1. Protected areas network – Prior to the meeting, delegates were requested to complete a data sheet for the protected areas within their area (Table 1, together with its two Appendices). This collated the latest information on the status, classification, proclamation, size, as well as information on the objectives, threats, and main activities of each protected area in the Arabian Peninsula (including Iraq and Syria). In addition, the latest spatial data on protected area boundaries was collated to facilitate a gap analysis of the importance of reserve networks for mammal conservation across the Arabian Peninsula. Delegates with knowledge of the protected areas of the regions were asked to verify some of information during the course of the meeting. 2. What is wild – The opinion of when a species (the example used was a large ungulate such as the Arabian oryx) is considered wild was assessed through a questionnaire provided to delegates during the meeting. The questionnaire sought to investigate two aspects associated with wildness: the degree of confinement and the intensity of management. For the degree of confinement delegates were asked to indicate what