Predation is an emerging, but unexplored risk for New Zealand’s threatened freshwater mussels (kākahi). The present study aimed to identify kākahi predators and found direct evidence of consumption by native birds (purple swamphen or pūkeko, Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus). Clarifying kākahi food webs offers conservation managers valuable knowledge for planning future translocations and contributes key information for mitigating freshwater mussel declines. Photograph by Bridgette Farnworth.

While moving from their nest to the open ocean, sea turtle hatchling dispersal is dependent on their locomotion performance. Locomotion performance can be measured in simple artificial structures, and we found that crawling and swimming in these structures is correlated with crawling on the beach and swimming in the sea. Thus, measurement of locomotion performance in artificial structures can be used to indicate relative dispersal ability of sea turtle hatchlings during their beach crawl and initial phase of the swimming frenzy. Photograph by David Booth.

Scat surveys are a rapid, non-invasive wildlife monitoring method, but their use has historically been avoided due to associated error and potential biases. We have quantified these by comparing scat surveys with pre-established camera-trap data for richness, occupancy and activity estimates. We found that scat surveys markedly underestimated richness and activity relative to cameras, but they can provide a cheap ‘snapshot’ index of occupancy for medium to large, trail-using mammals. Photograph captured by a camera trap.

Increasing human populations and demand for agro-pastoral activities are reducing available land for wildlife and threatening biodiversity. This study aimed to assess the value of pastoral ranches in western Botswana for mammal diversity and found that these areas support high species richness, high species-specific occupancy and habitat for some threatened species. We encourage coexistence in these rangelands and suggest strategies to harness benefits from wildlife in pastoral areas. Photograph by Cheetah Conservation Botswana.

Canid pest ejectors (CPEs) are a potential control tool for wild dogs, predators of livestock and native species in Australia. We trialled CPEs by using a variety of lures in the arid rangelands of Western Australia over 2 years and recorded a decrease in wild dog density despite the high non-target activity. CPEs will complement any toolbox of control methods for wild dogs. Photograph by Tracey Kreplins.

Knowledge about whether cross-scale interactions involving climate and land use affect declining forest birds is limited. Abundances of the indigo bunting (Passerina cyanea) and seven other species were associated with interactions involving subregional-scale temperature and precipitation and landscape-scale percentage exurban cover and forest patch size. Models incorporating cross-scale interactions can inform broad-scale management across species ranges. Photograph by Susan Killian from Pixabay.

Accidental poisoning of domestic dogs is a potential risk when undertaking a baiting program to control invasive species. We trialled a self-training device to teach conservation-working dogs to avoid poison baits. This device and training protocol were tested on 27 conservation-working dogs over 1 year and it was determined that is possible to induce a learned aversion to baits in domestic dogs. Photograph by Tracey Kreplins.

The growing number of utility-scale wind-energy facilities worldwide has increasing impacts on wildlife, including many avian species. The present study examined bird species presence and behaviour within a wind-energy facility by utilising camera trapping at ground-level natural features. This technique provides another tool to evaluate avian behaviour and habitat use, especially that of ground-dwelling birds, in relation to wind-energy infrastructure and operations. Tools such as this could help determine the vulnerability of avifauna that utilise the area. Photograph by US Geological Survey.