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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.