Flagship Species: Do They Help or Hurt Conservation?

The Amur tiger is currently confronted with challenges of anthropogenic development, leading to its population becoming fragmented into two geographically isolated groups: smaller and larger ones. Small and isolated populations frequently face a greater extinction risk, yet the small tiger population’s genetic status and survival potential have not been assessed. Here, a total of 210 samples of suspected Amur tiger feces were collected from this small population, and the genetic background and population survival potentials were assessed by using 14 microsatellite loci. Our results demonstrated that the mean number of alleles in all loci was 3.7 and expected heterozygosity was 0.6, indicating a comparatively lower level of population genetic diversity compared to previously reported studies on other subspecies. The genetic estimates of effective population size (Ne) and the Ne/N ratio were merely 7.6 and 0.152, respectively, representing lower values in comparison to the Amur tiger population in Sikhote-Alin (the larger group). However, multiple methods have indicated the possibility of genetic divergence within our isolated population under study. Meanwhile, the maximum kinship recorded was 0.441, and the mean inbreeding coefficient stood at 0.0868, both of which are higher than those observed in other endangered species, such as the African lion and the grey wolf. Additionally, we have identified a significant risk of future extinction if the lethal equivalents were to reach 6.26, which is higher than that of other large carnivores. Further, our simulation results indicated that an increase in the number of breeding females would enhance the prospects of this population. In summary, our findings provide a critical theoretical basis for further bailout strategies concerning Amur tigers.

Most populations of wild felines are now considered endangered or near extinction due to the indiscriminate hunting and the reduction of their natural habitat, caused by man. Due to the limited number of animals within a population, these species are especially vulnerable to the impacts of diseases and endogamy. In addition, wild felines are also susceptible to metabolic and behavioral changes related to a change in their natural conditions, habitat, and feeding, when the animal enters into captivity. There are few descriptions in the literature of the serum biochemistries of lions and tigers. This study presents the biochemical parameters of 23 captive lions (Panthera leo) and 10 captive Siberian tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) from the Zoological Park of the Sao Paulo Foundation. Serum urea, creatinine, total protein, albumin, total, direct and indirect bilirubin were measured. In addition, serum levels of ALT, AST, ALP, GGT, glucose, CK, lactate dehydrogenase, cholesterol, and triglycerides were determined, as well as calcium, phosphorus, chlorine, sodium, and potassium. Biochemical parameters did not differ significantly among males and females lions, but higher albumin values were observed in male Panthera tigris altaica in comparison to females. The values obtained in this study may be used as reference for captive individuals of Panthera leo and Panthera tigris altaica.

A 5-day-old, mother-raised, Amur tiger cub (Panthera tigris altaica) presented with tongue ulcerations. Identical lesions appeared and progressed to sloughing of the tongue in the three littermates of this cub the following day. The lesions progressed in all cubs to include sloughing of the carpal, tarsal, metacarpal, and metatarsal foot pad epithelium. Oral ulcerations were also noted in adult African lions (Panthera leo) and Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica), but not in two adult snow leopards (Panthera uncia) housed in the same building. All adult cats had been previously vaccinated for common feline diseases including feline calicivirus (FCV). Detection of FCV RNA in oral secretions by a real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay (RRT-PCR) confirmed FCV infection in the tiger cubs and one lion. A male lion and a male tiger cub died during the disease outbreak. RRT-PCR confirmed FCV in multiple tissues in both of these animals. A stray cat live-trapped outside the feline building during the epidemic was found to be positive for FCV by virus isolation and was thought to be the source of infection.

Big cats are often on display in zoos around the world. The study of their time budget is the basis of ethological research in captivity. The paper considers the features of the behavior of the subfamily Pantherinae, the daily activity of animals in the summer, methods of keeping, the exposition of enclosures, and relationships with keepers. The studies were conducted in the summer of 2012 and 2013 at the Barnaul Zoo. The total observation time for the animals was 120 hours. The behavior of the African lion (Panthera leo leo – male), the Ussuri tiger (Panthera tigris altaica – female), and the Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis – male) has been studied. In the course of the work, the compilation of ethograms, continuous recording, and free observations were used. The clustering method was applied to analyze the patterns of behavior of animals in captivity. Cluster analysis breaks down the behavior of captivities animals into two large blocks. Locomotion in animals should be considered as a separate block. The animal’s growth and development period require a high proportion of physical activity, which is noticeable when observing the Amur tiger. Locomotion occupied 32.8% of the total time budget of this animal. Large cats have never been in a shelter (in wooden structures of the appropriate size). They used the roof of the houses only as a place for rest and observation. The proportion of marking, hunting, eating, exploratory behavior, grooming, and such forms of behavior as freezing, static position, orienting reaction did not differ significantly. Play behavior with elements of hunting and manipulative activity took 5.5% of the Amur tiger’s time budget for the period under review. We associate this primarily with the age of the given animal. Play behavior was observed two times less often in the Far Eastern leopard (2.9%) and African lion (2.6%)..

Wildlife tourism provides an opportunity to offset conservation costs and promote co-existence between people and wildlife. To promote conservation through wildlife tourism, one can use flagship species; charismatic species that increase awareness and public recognition of a site, and stimulate financial and political support for conservation. Due to their large area requirements and sensitivity to disturbance, promoting conservation of large carnivores automatically promotes conservation of other species, and the use of large carnivores as flagship species has been positively related to ecosystem conservation. In this study, we interviewed wildlife tourists to determine which large carnivores could serve as flagship species for the Zimbabwe component of the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA), an area that is expected to become a premier tourist destination and make a significant contribution to conservation. Based on likability and the possibility to raise funds and promote the area, lion (Panthera leo) was the most suitable flagship species, closely followed by leopard (Panthera pardus). Spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) was the least suitable flagship species. Despite its endangered status, African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) did not seem to have a high potential to serve as a flagship species for the area. Although cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) was less often mentioned as a species tourists were hoping to see or a favourite species seen, cheetah was liked as much as lion and leopard and provided similar potential to raise funds and promote the area. Flagship species status does not have to apply to a single species, it can also successfully apply to a cohort of species. With the KAZA TFCA being in the unique position of harbouring the largest free-roaming cheetah population in Zimbabwe, it would be appropriate if the area was promoted by using large cats as a flagship species cohort.

ABSTRACTThe Amur tiger, a flagship species in wildlife conservation in China, was the focus of this study, which is aimed at detecting viral infections that could threaten the survival of this population. A total of 60 Amur tigers were examined, including 21 blood samples and 60 nasopharyngeal swab samples. Various PCR methods were used to detect the viruses: standard PCR was applied to identify feline parvovirus (FPV), nested PCR for feline herpesvirus‐1 (FHV‐1), feline calicivirus (FCV), feline coronavirus (FCoV), feline leukemia virus (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and qPCR for canine distemper virus (CDV) and influenza A virus (IAV). The results showed that 70.0% (42/60) of the tigers tested positive for at least one viral infection. Specifically, the prevalence of FPV, FHV‐1, and FCoV were 14.3% (3/21), 26.7% (16/60), and 56.7% (34/60), respectively. A co‐infection rate of 21.4% (9/42) was observed among infected tigers. No positive results were found for FCV, FIV, FeLV, CDV, or IAV. Overall, this is the first study to detect the presence of FCoV in Amur tigers in China and confirms their exposure to FPV, FHV‐1, and FCoV.

With the continuous advancement of technology, people are paying more and more attention to the living environment of wild animals. Located at the top of the food chain of the forest ecosystem, the Siberian tiger is a flagship species and umbrella species for biodiversity protection. The effective protection and sustainable survival of its population has far-reaching natural and social significance for China’s ecological security1. At present, the research on the Siberian tiger is mainly concentrated in the biological fields such as genes and heredity. Only a small amount of research on the detection of Siberian tigers and their footprints in static images. Research on the behavior recognition of Siberian tigers in videos is currently in its infancy. In the field of computer vision, as an independent research object, more and more researchers pay attention to the automatic recognition of gait. Based on the human gait model, a standard database for evaluating the performance of gait recognition algorithms has been established to promote the research of gait recognition. development of. This article will use deep neural convolutional networks and feature subspace learning algorithms to extract the gait features of the Siberian tiger from video images and establish a gait model of the Siberian tiger. This will lay the foundation for the identification of Siberian tigers and further research on their health status, and provide a foundation for the wild Provide theoretical support for animal protection.

The Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) is a flagship and umbrella species of forest ecosystems in northeastern Asia. Climate change is profoundly and irreversibly affecting wildlife habitat suitability, especially for large mammals. To effectively protect the Amur tiger, it is necessary to understand the impact of climate change on the quality and the connectivity of its habitat. We used the species distribution models combined with the latest Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) climate scenarios to predict current and future changes in habitats and corridors. We found the following: (1) The total area of the Amur tiger's suitable habitat currently amounts to approximately 4941.94 km2, accounting for 27.64% of the study area represented by two adjacent national parks. Among these habitats, the highly suitable areas are mainly located on the both sides of the Sino-Russian border. The landscape connectivity remains relatively stable, and the degree of fragmentation in highly suitable habitats is low. (2) Although the suitable habitat of the Amur tiger shows an expansion trend under most climate scenarios (excluding SSP3-7.0), the area of suitable habitat within the entire study region does not increase significantly. Therefore, we should implement conservation measures to facilitate the continued expansion of suitable habitat for the Amur tiger. The quantity and length of landscape connectivity corridors are expected to vary in response to changes in core habitat patches, while the centroid of highly suitable habitats is also expected to shift to different extents. In such circumstances, new ecological corridors need to be constructed, while existing natural ecological corridors should be preserved.

Small and hyperostotic tympanic bone spicules (STBS and HTBS) extending from the tympanic wall or from the septum bullae into the tympanic cavity have been described in large feline species such as Siberian tigers or African lions and in canids such as dogs, red foxes and wolves. Detailed descriptions of prevalence, location and orientation were performed for dogs and African lions by means of necropsy and conventional computed tomography (cCT). Aims of the current study were to describe same characteristics for domestic cats by means of microcomputed tomography (µCT) and cCT. A total of 15 cats or rather 30 ears were examined. Furthermore, new bone formations extending into the tympanic cavity shaped like small lamellae were found and named "tympanic bone crests" (TBCs). The registered phenomenon of a thickened tympanic wall in some cats was named "tympanic wall thickening" (TWT). STBS appeared in 43% of the ears being bilateral in 44% of the cases, whereas HTBS appeared in one ear. TBC was present in 33% of the ears with a bilateral prevalence of 67%, and TWT could be detected in 13% of the ears. The mentioned structures are just barely or not at all detectable with cCT; therefore, µCT is necessary for an identification and detailed description. The origin and the factors inducing the development of examined phenomena are unknown, and it is hypothesized that the occurrence can be assessed as anatomical norm variations.

Whale-watching tourism in Ecuador thrives through the spectacular image of a flagship species, the humpback whale. Seemingly, it is an example of an industry regulated and managed in accordance with sustainable principles of nature conservation, thanks to the work of Ecuadorian scientists who advocate for policies to protect whales from harmful exploitation. However, does the use of the whale as an icon of conservation result in its utilization as a mere commodity for profit? Through ethnographic fieldwork including interviews, observations, and textual analysis, it is shown that the Ecuadorian practices of whale conservation have resulted in the whale becoming a subject of governance, by which the wild animals are recognized as entities worthy of ethical treatment. Using the humpback whale as a flagship species, the Ecuadorian scientists practice biopolitics through the strategies of categorizing, monitoring, and regulating human interactions with the whale population. The success of this approach to wildlife governance highlights the role of NGO-affiliated scientists as knowledge producers and policy advocates.

Metal Levels in Whales from the Gulf of Maine: A One Environmental Health approach

The fact that wild felines are carriers of pernicious infectious viruses should be a major concern due to the potential cross-species transmission between the felines and human or domestic animals. However, studies on the virus in the captive wild felines, especially in tigers, are thin on the ground. In this study, we screened four infectious viruses, namely, feline parvovirus (FPV), feline coronavirus (FCoV), canine distemper virus (CDV), and influenza A virus (IAV), in the blood samples of 285 captive Siberian tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) and in the spleen samples of two deceased lions (Panthera leo), which were collected from 2019 to 2021 in three Siberian Tiger Parks from the northeast of China. Nucleic acids isolated from the blood samples collected from tigers and the spleen samples collected from two deceased lions were positive for FPV by PCR, and the positive rate was 4.6% (13/285) in tigers. Furthermore, the VP2 gene of FPV was amplified by nested PCR, and the sequences of the VP2 gene from these six FPV positive strains shared 98.3–99.9% homology with the reference. The key amino acid sites of VP2 protein were consistent with that of FPV reference strains. Phylogenetic analysis based on the VP2 gene showed that in this study, FPV-positive strains were grouped within the FPV clade and closely related to the Asian strains clade. The results of this study showed that FPV circulated in the captive Siberian tigers and lions in northeastern China and provided valuable information for the study of FPV epidemiology in wild felines. Therefore, we suggest that regular antibody monitoring and booster immunization for tigers should be performed.

The surrounding thermal environment has a direct influence on the well-being of an animal. However, few studies have investigated the microclimatic conditions that result from outdoor zoo enclosure designs and whether this affects where animals choose to spend time. Two African lions (Panthera leo) and two Siberian/Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) were observed for a total of 18 full days during the summer and fall of 2009. Their activities and locations were recorded to the nearest minute of each test day. Simultaneous on-site microclimate measurements were taken of air temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, and wind. Observations indicated that the locations where the animals chose to spend time were influenced by the microclimatic conditions. All subjects spent more time in the shade on their sunny warm days than on other days and differed from one another in their choice of shade source on all days. Temperature-comparable sunny and cloudy days showed a greater use of sun on the cloudy days. Species-specific differences between the lions (whose native habitat is hot) and the tigers (whose native habitat is temperate with cold winters) were observed with the tigers displaying more cooling behaviors than the lions in terms of solar radiation input and evaporative heat loss. The tigers were also more active than the lions. The results of this study provide new insight into how lions and tigers respond to microclimatic conditions in a captive environment.

BackgroundDespite the public health importance of toxocariasis/toxascariasis, only a few species of these ascaridoid parasites from wild canine and feline carnivores have been studied at the molecular level so far. Poor understanding of diversity, host distribution and the potential (zoonotic) transmission of the ascaridoid species among wild animals negatively affects their surveillance and control in natural settings. In this study, we updated previous knowledge by profiling the genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of ascaridoid species among eleven wild canine and feline animals on the basis of a combined analysis of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) gene and the partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 2 (cox2) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (nad1) genes.ResultsIn total, three genetically distinct ascaridoid lineages were determined to be present among these wild carnivores sampled, including Toxocara canis in Alopex lagopus and Vulpes vulpes, Toxocara cati in Felis chaus, Prionailurus bengalensis and Catopuma temmincki and Toxascaris leonina in Canis lupus, Panthera tigris altaica, Panthera tigris amoyensis, Panthera tigris tigris, Panthera leo and Lynx lynx. Furthermore, it was evident that T. leonina lineage split into three well-supported subclades depending on their host species, i.e. wild felids, dogs and wolves and foxes, based on integrated genetic and phylogenetic evidence, supporting that a complex of T. leonina other than one species infecting these hosts.ConclusionsThese results provide new molecular insights into classification, phylogenetic relationships and epidemiological importance of ascaridoids from wild canids and felids and also highlight the complex of the taxonomy and genetics of Toxascaris in their wild and domestic carnivorous hosts.

Two frozen, raw horse meat-based diets fed to captive exotic felids at Brookfield Zoo were irradiated to determine the extent of microbial destruction and whether radiation treatment would affect consumption and/or fecal consistency in exotic cats. Fifteen cats, two African lions (Panthera leo), two Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica), one Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis), two clouded leopards (Neofelis nebulosa), two caracals (Felis caracal), one bobcat (Felis rufus), and five fishing cats (Felis viverrinus), housed at Brookfield Zoo were fed nonirradiated and irradiated raw diets containing horse meat with cereal products and fortified with nutrients: Nebraska Brand Feline and/or Canine Diet (Animal Spectrum, North Platte, Nebraska 69103, USA). Baseline data were obtained during a 2-wk control period (nonirradiated diets), which was followed by a 4-wk period of feeding comparable irradiated diets. Feed intake and fecal consistency data were collected. An estimated radiation dose range of 0.5-3.9 kilograys reduced most microbial populations, depending on specific diet and microbe type. Irradiation had no overall effect on either feed consumption or fecal consistency in captive exotic cats, regardless of species, age, sex, or body mass. Data indicate that irradiation of frozen horse meat-based diets (packaged in 2.2-kg portions) result in microbial destruction in these products but that product storage time between irradiation and sampling may also affect microbial reduction. However, irradiation would be an appropriate method for reducing potentially pathologic bacteria in raw meat fed to exotic cats.