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Wildlife Research Wildlife Research Society
Ecology, management and conservation in natural and modified habitats
Table of Contents
Wildlife Research

Wildlife Research

Volume 47 Number 1 2020

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Interactions between fire and introduced predators are thought to be contributing to the ongoing collapse of native mammal communities across Australia. I review the evidence for these interactions, identify key knowledge gaps, examine the feasibility of potential management options and highlight immediate research priorities. Relevant, evidence-based recommendations for predator and fire management are urgently needed to improve outcomes for threatened native mammals across Australia’s predator-invaded, fire-prone landscapes. Photograph by Bronwyn Hradsky.

WR19029Desert bighorn sheep responses to human activity in south-eastern Utah

Kanalu K. Sproat, Nathan R. Martinez, Tom S. Smith 0000-0001-7541-8311, William B. Sloan, Jerran T. Flinders, J. William Bates, Joseph G. Cresto and Vernon C. Bleich
pp. 16-24
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We documented the response of desert bighorn of Canyonlands National Park to a varying level of human activity. Bighorn responded to human activity by adjusting foraging and vigilant activity such that foraging was inversely proportional to human activity, whereas vigilance was positively correlated with human activity. Photograph by Rusty Robinson.

WR18165Time allocation to resources by three species of rats (Rattus spp.) in a radial arm maze

Gary W. Witmer 0000-0003-1945-1891, Nathan P. Snow and Rachael S. Moulton
pp. 25-33
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A radial arm maze was used to determine how rats initially respond to novel stimuli. The maze pictured has eight arms and a central hub chamber. Various odours or objects can be placed at the end of each arm. The rat is placed in the hub and then all doors are opened so the rat can explore any and all arms that it wants to. Photograph by USDA.

WR19045Physiological stress response of African elephants to wildlife tourism in Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa

Isabelle D. Szott 0000-0002-7872-5066, Yolanda Pretorius, Andre Ganswindt and Nicola F. Koyama
pp. 34-43
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Wildlife tourism can increase stress in a variety of species and affect welfare and behaviour. We assessed whether wildlife tourism affected physiological stress levels of African elephants and found that greater tourist numbers were positively correlated with stress. Reserve managers should provide potential alleviation measures for elephants during periods of high tourist pressure, for example, by ensuring that refuge areas are available. Photograph by Isabelle Szott.

WR19108Scale, rank and model selection in evaluations of land cover influence on wildlife–vehicle collisions

Scott H. Markwith 0000-0003-0969-3723, Aaron H. Evans, Vanessa Pereira da Cunha and Julio Cesar de Souza
pp. 44-54
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Our aim was to examine how scale and taxonomic rank of analysis of wildlife–vehicle collisions (WVCs) may influence model selection and interpretations. We found that species may not agree on scale of analysis and explanatory variables in the highest quality models, and analysis of pooled species may not include explanatory variables that are significant at the individual species level. Accurate analyses of WVCs occur when species are analysed individually and multiple scales of land over variable collection are evaluated. Photograph by Julio Cesar de Souza.

WR18185New aliens in Australia: 18 years of vertebrate interceptions

Adam Toomes 0000-0003-4845-1073, Pablo García-Díaz, Talia A. Wittmann, John Virtue and Phillip Cassey
pp. 55-67
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Australia has experienced increased rates of alien vertebrate incursions over the past two decades as a result of transnational human activities. We identified broad trends in alien vertebrate-detection frequency and predicted increases in stowaway and post-border incidents, particularly for species traded as pets. Australia’s biosecurity is dependent on both stringent border security and effective management of high-risk species already present in domestic captivity. Photograph by Pablo García‐Díaz.

WR19053Density and activity patterns of Andean cat and pampas cat (Leopardus jacobita and L. colocolo) in the Bolivian Altiplano

Juan Carlos Huaranca, Ma. Lilian Villalba, Nuno Negrões, Jaime E. Jiménez, David W. Macdonald and Luis F. Pacheco
pp. 68-76
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The Andean cat and pampas cat are two of the least studied felids and threatened in the Andes. We aimed to estimate the population density and analyse the activity patterns and the main prey. We used camera traps to evaluate density of both felid species and the overlap in their activity patterns. The Andean cat and pampas cat densities were similar. Low population densities pose an additional conservation problem for these felids, in an area such as the high Andes. Photograph by Juan Carlos Huaranca.

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We investigated ecological mechanisms of bobcat repatriation in Ohio, USA’s coal-mined landscape, after a century of state-wide extirpation. We found that relative growth differed for two populations: body condition indices were higher and home ranges smaller for a denser population, suggesting access to greater resources; mine reclamation methods could have affected habitat use. We recommend a conservative, stratified approach to bobcat management while populations expand in range and size. Photograph by Christa Rose.

WR19122Applying skin-size limits for management of trade in Asian reptile skins

Daniel J. D. Natusch 0000-0002-3275-518X, Jessica A. Lyons, Mumpuni, Awal Riyanto and Syarifah Khadiejah
pp. 89-98
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The trade in Southeast Asian reptile skins is massive but is currently managed sub-optimally through the sole implementation of harvest quotas. We show that measurements taken on dried skins correlate strongly with the size of live pythons, offering an alternative method for regulating trade by using limits placed on the size of skins. This method confers numerous advantages over the use of quotas, which we discuss in the context of ensuring sustainable and legal trade in wildlife. Photograph by Jessica A. Lyons.

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