WildCRU

WildCRU members participated in the 5th IUCN #Species #Survival Commission Leaders' Meeting, which issued a powerful declaration affirming “Saving Species Sustains Life”. This landmark gathering brought together more than 300 conservation leaders to address the urgently needed interconnected solutions to protect #biodiversity, stabilise #climate, and support #human well-being. See: https://lnkd.in/ebczsmMF

To avoid predation, African wild dogs typically steer clear of their lion competitors and as such, the prey-rich areas they are associated with. But is this behaviour seen in ecosystems with reduced prey density (and subsequently, reduced lion densities)? A new spatial analysis of wild dogs and lions in the Greater Kafue Ecosystem, Zambia, tested whether wild dogs continue to avoid lions, despite their density being three times lower than in comparable ecosystems. The results showed that wild dogs continued to strongly avoid lions and habitats associated with them, preventing access to important prey species for the wild dogs. Read the paper with contributions from Egil Dröge and Ruth Kwabe 👉 https://lnkd.in/d5FtEqVa #WildDogs #Lion #Zambia #Ecosystem #Wildlife #WildlifeConservation

The IUCN has announced a major status change for the European hedgehog, with a worrying move from Least Concern to Near Threatened. WildCRU-led hedgehog research contributed important background knowledge for the assessment and Sophie Lund Rasmussen (Dr Hedgehog/Dr Pindsvin) co-evaluated the European hedgehog's status. In a new Nature Correspondence, Sophie and David Macdonald share why this escalation in concern for the species' future is an important step forward for conservation. 👉 https://lnkd.in/drhPn8rf #Hedgehog #EuropeanHedgehog #RedList #Wildlife #WildlifeConservation #Conservation Nature Portfolio

One small edit for a hedgehog expert, but one giant leap for hedgehog-kind! 📣 Today we are writing history! The IUCN Red List for Europe has been updated, and the European hedgehog changes status from “Least Concern” to “Near Threatened”. 🔎 Even though many have been painfully aware of the species’ gradual disappearance from the wild for years, and even decades, it is not until today that the worrying situation is officially announced for the whole of Europe. 🤓 Alongside Abi Gazzard, I was one of two assessors invited to prepare the report and evaluation forming the background for the IUCN status update for the European hedgehog, and I am extremely proud to have played a role in this important status change. 🦔 This status change will finally allow hedgehogs a voice!  When speaking up to protect the hedgehogs through research and conservation initiatives we now finally have a reference point, the IUCN Red List status for Europe, to refer to, when asked why it all matters and why attention and priority should be given to hedgehog conservation. 💔 Despite the species’ amazing popularity, the European hedgehog is now in decline over most of Europe. How did we let things get so bad? It is time to consider the following questions and come up with effective and sustainable solutions:  What can we – as governments, communities and individuals - do to reverse this situation? 🙏 It is my hope that this status change will generate more attention and support for the important research uncovering the reasons for the decline and what we can do to mitigate this, and conservation work we have ahead of us to help preserve this iconic ambassador species in the wild, allowing future generations to encounter the charming and fascinating, little prickly creatures in their gardens at night. WildCRU, Linacre College, Oxford, British Hedgehog Preservation Society, People's Trust for Endangered Species, University of Oxford, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Denmark, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Denmark

Taiwan was once a stronghold for clouded leopards (Neofelis nebulosa), but a combination of hunting, habitat loss and fragmentation have caused a rapid decline in the abundance and distribution of the species. A new analysis of potential clouded leopard habitat in Taiwan suggests that the island could be a good candidate for reintroduction of the elusive species, based on increasing prey abundance and high forest coverage. In a paper coauthored by Yifeng Wang, Żaneta Kaszta, Samuel Cushman, David Macdonald, Andrew Hearn and Po-Jen Chiang, a multi-scale, multivariate habitat selection model used camera-trap data to estimate that 38% of Taiwanese territory is potentially suitable habitat for the clouded leopard reintroduction. Read more 👉 https://bit.ly/3A73kVk #CloudedLeopard #Taiwan #SpeciesReintroduction #Conservation #Wildlife #WildlifeConservation

The Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area could play a crucial role in preserving global biodiversity and promoting the sustainable development of local communities. A new survey of camera trap data from the Ondjou Conservancy in Namibia identified high carnivore richness, despite widespread human activity and prey depletion. Carnivore occurrence increased with increasing distance from the main village and with closer proximity to the conservancies. These findings suggest that this conservancy could act as an important buffer for the larger conservation network. Read the paper, led by Stijn Verschueren and coauthored by WildCRU’s Hans Bauer 👉 https://bit.ly/3NFdMX8 #Conservation #WildlifeConservation #Namibia #WildlifeConservancy Cheetah Conservation Fund

Myanmar is a biodiversity hotspot but lacks baseline data on mammalian species occurrence and distribution. In a new paper coauthored by Pyae Phyoe Kyaw and Saw Htun (with WCS Myanmar team Samuel Cushman, Żaneta Kaszta, Dawn Burnham and David Macdonald), camera trap data and scale-optimized modelling were used to determine baseline mammal occupancy and better understand interactions with environmental factors. 47 terrestrial species were identified, and the findings suggest that Northern Myanmar should be prioritized for rare species conservation, while common species could serve as indicators for monitoring overall biodiversity health. The spatial variation in occupancy patterns emphasizes the importance of multi-scale conservation strategies to protect Myanmar's unique wildlife. Learn more 👉 https://bit.ly/4fywBr5

Congratulations to the Diploma class of 2024! Seven aspiring conservationists undertook practical training and independent research projects during the Recanati-Kaplan Centre Post-Graduate Diploma in International Wildlife Conservation Practice in collaboration with the Department for Continuing Education and funded by Panthera. Before the diploma students departed Tubney House, each presented their research findings to the WildCRU team – a celebration of their dedication to their chosen field and of their time with WildCRU. Congratulations to Lorraine, Darya, Hua, Mynor, Melisa, Ruth (Chansa) and Taisiia! Read more about their projects👉 https://bit.ly/4dVQQgX

Measurable indicators are needed to assess the effectiveness of Managed Protected Areas over space and time. In Sumatra, camera trap surveys and multispecies occupancy models developed across forest-farmland habitat gradients reveal four key population parameters: relative abundance, probability of habitat use, species richness and detection probability. A new paper, coauthored by Iding Haidir and David Macdonald, explores the role of habitats in supporting multiple overlapping functional groups. The data reveals that species from six guilds (carnivores, frugivores, granivores, herbivores, insectivores and omnivores) are present in Sumatra's Managed Protected Areas and that these guilds are more abundant in primary forest but less numerous at elevation. The study also recommends five areas for increased protection and other conservation measures, such as increasing the frequency of ranger patrols to safeguard biodiversity. Read the paper 👉 https://bit.ly/3Aa6Yha #ManagedProtectedAreas #Habitat #EcosystemManagement #Wildlife #WildlifeConservation #ConservationResearch

Of the 40,000+ species currently listed as globally threatened, 98% are exclusively threatened by processes driven by human behaviour. A new study, led by Diogo Veríssimo and Katie Blake, looked at three different pathways which can influence human behaviour to better support conservation efforts. 1. Behavioral interventions that mitigate threats such as pollution, climate change, invasive species and human disturbance. 2. Interventions focused on stakeholders, including voters, investors, environmental managers, consumers and producers. 3. Tailoring message delivery, from news and social media to in person activities. Overall, the research shows that there is currently inequality when designing and implementing behaviour change interventions and that there is a need to encourage everyone to play their part to protect biodiversity. Read the paper 👉 https://bit.ly/4fdUweW #Biodiversity #Wildlife #WildlifeConservation #BehaviourChange University of Oxford