Abundance Of Mammals Research Articles

Distribution and Abundance of Marine Mammals in the Estuarine Waters of the Piscataqua River, Maine, USA

The estuaries and tidal rivers of the Gulf of Maine have rarely been surveyed systematically for marine mammals. We report here on three years of survey data, 2017 to 2019. This study employed a shipboard visual line-transect methodology study design, collecting data on marine mammals in the lower Piscataqua River, which is confluent with the Gulf of Maine. Marine mammal species observed most often were harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) and gray seals (Halichoerus grypus), with a resulting in-water density estimate of 1.02 seals/km2 and an abundance estimate of seven harbor seals and one gray seal (CV = 19.3%) in the survey area. Seals were present in all months of the year. No live pups were detected. Harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) and minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) were also observed, but the sightings (6 harbor porpoises; 7 minke whales) did not yield enough data to estimate density or abundance. The minke whales were present during August and September 2018, concurrent with an influx of Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus), a prey species. The consistent albeit relatively low marine mammal species sightings and abundances suggest that the lower Piscataqua River is used regularly by a relatively small number of harbor and gray seals, although not for pupping, and occasionally by harbor porpoises and by foraging minke whales. This is the first study of its kind in an estuarine environment in the Gulf of Maine.

A population survey of sympatric cheirogaleids in southwestern Madagascar

AbstractZombitse‐Vohibasia National Park harbours a species‐rich but understudied lemur community in southwestern Madagascar. Local population estimates are dated or absent for its four sympatric species of Cheirogaleidae: the grey mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus), Coquerel's giant mouse lemur (Mirza coquereli), fat‐tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius) and pale fork‐marked lemur (Phaner pallescens). To provide local density and encounter rate estimates for these cheirogaleids, we conducted line transect surveys in the Zombitse sector of the National Park over a three‐week period in December 2018–January 2019. We calculated densities of 37.4 Mir. coquereli individuals/km2 (95% CI = 20.4–68.6) and 230.8 C. medius individuals/km2 (95% CI = 172.6–308.6). Our results highlight the conservation importance of Zombitse‐Vohibasia as a stronghold for these restricted and threatened species. The sample sizes for Mic. murinus and P. pallescens were insufficient for generating population estimates. Considering that Microcebus spp. are typically amongst the most abundant mammals at a given site, further studies are needed to investigate and verify this apparent scarcity.

Productivity correlates positively with mammalian diversity independently of the species’ feeding guild, body mass, or the vertical strata explored by the species

AbstractMammals can influence ecosystem functioning through essential ecological processes. In patchy landscapes, mammalian diversity can be correlated with ecosystem productivity through its effect on resource availability. However, mammals comprise species with contrasting habitat use and requirements, and it is unknown whether the diversity–productivity relationship changes as a function of the mammal species’ traits.We use meta‐analytical techniques to quantify the effect and assess whether mammal species richness and abundance correlates positively with productivity. Further, we assess whether the diversity–productivity relationship is influenced by the species’ body mass (<1 kg: small, and >1 kg: large, and mixed small and large), the vertical strata explored by the species (terrestrial, arboreal, and mixed terrestrial and arboreal species), and the species’ feeding guild (herbivore, omnivore, insectivore, and mixed feeding guilds).In total, 53 studies fitted the eligibility criteria worldwide, comprising 285 different effect sizes representing the magnitude of the mammal diversity–productivity relationship in six biogeographical realms. Ecosystem productivity was quantified with various surrogate variables, such as soil nutrients, annual rainfall, above‐ground production, evapotranspiration, net primary production, plant cover, and elevation.The relationships between productivity measures and both mammal species richness and abundance were significant and positive. Mammal diversity correlated positively with ecosystem productivity, for mammal species differing in body mass, the vertical strata explored by species (except arboreal mammals), and feeding guilds (except insectivorous mammals). Overall, this result supports the view that diversity in the entire mammal community is positively related to increasing productivity.Sites with greater ecosystem productivity are usually associated with more resources and higher ecosystem carrying capacity, which provide greater resilience to human disturbance than less productive sites. Thus, quantifying productivity can help researchers to identify critical areas for restoration and to propose effective guidelines for mammal conservation.

Bamboo shapes the fine-scale richness, abundance, and habitat use of small mammals in a forest fragment

Bamboo shapes the fine-scale richness, abundance, and habitat use of small mammals in a forest fragment

The effect of oil palm-dominated landscapes on the home range and distribution of a generalist species, the Asian water monitor.

The Asian water monitor lizard, Varanus salvator, is one of the largest predators in Southeast Asia which persists in human‐dominated landscapes and, as such, is a suitable model to understand the behavioral plasticity of generalists in anthropogenic landscapes. We used Local Convex Hull with adaptive algorithm to estimate the home range size of 14 GPS‐tagged individuals, followed by a MAXENT approach and community prey composition to understand the habitat preferences within the landscape. We estimated larger home ranges in forest than in oil palm plantations, as well as a larger diversity and abundance of mammals. Core home ranges were always linked to water bodies. However, the use of underproductive oil palm, freshwater swamp forest, and degraded forest by monitor lizards were higher than other kind of vegetation. This suitable habitat is proportionally larger in forest (73.7%) than in oil palm plantations (39.6%). Generalized estimation equation models showed that, while full home range size was negatively associated with the abundance of mammals, core areas depicted a positive association with mammal abundance, as well as with the proportion of suitable habitat within the home range. Besides having smaller home ranges in oil palm plantations, our findings suggest that limited suitable habitat availability forces the Asian water monitor lizard's population to establish only one or very few core areas. Contrastingly, under the protection of forest, they have more core areas, widely dispersed within larger home ranges. We conclude that regardless the plasticity of the species, human‐dominated landscapes are altering natural patterns of home range establishment in the monitor lizard's population, creating a potential ecological trap where conditions may not remain favorable for them in the long run. A deeper understanding of the ecological implications on the species and the prey community is advisable.

Динамика населения мелких млекопитающих пирогенных сообществ в степном бору

In 2008–2021 we studied small mammals annually using zoological ditches in the Tsasucheysky steppe pine forest (Zabaikalsky Region, Russia). Before the 2012 high-severity fire we captured small mammals in a typical pine forest, either old-growth or old-burnt sites, and after the 2012 fire—in sites of fresh primary and repeated burns as well as in survived areas. The undisturbed steppe pine forest was characterised by small numbers of mammals, dominated by Myodes rutilus. In the first-burnt sites mainly Cricetulus pseudogriseus individuals were captured during the first decade after the fire. This species also rapidly invaded the re-burnt sites; however, in the third or fourth year the small mammal community became polydominant. In the old post-fire area (more than 10 years after the fire) small mammals were most abundant and the community was more diverse. In the post-fire sites С. pseudogriseus, Lasiopodomys raddei, Sorex tundrensis and S. minutissimus were the most numerous; Alexandromys mongolicus was also common in the old burnt sites. The total number of small mammals decreased significantly only in the first year after the fire. The total abundance of small mammals in the sites of old and repeated burns was significantly higher than in the undisturbed pine forests and first burned areas. In parallel, the total numbers of small mammals in the pyrogenic and relevant preceding communities were not statistically different. The number of M. rutilus decreased and the number of C. pseudogriseus increased in the burns compared to the pine forest. Despite the changes in the composition and structure of the community, the fire led to no significant changes in the overall abundance of small mammals in the Tsasucheysky Pine Forest during the first following decade. Subsequently, when the burns became overgrown, the small mammal community became richer in both number of species and their abundance. This indicates the resilience of small mammal populations to fires in the forest-steppe and, thus, the stability of the food base for small mammal predator populations.

The Diversity of Mammals in the Wehea-Kelay Landscape, East Kalimantan

The Wehea-Kelay landscape is an area with a tropical rainforest ecosystem which is the habitat for various types of mammals. Ecologically, the existence of mammal species plays role in maintaining the balance of the forest ecosystem, thus the balance of a forest ecosystem can be measured by the level of species diversity. The aim of this study is to determine the diversity, conservation status, relative abundance of mammal species, and the sepan conditions in the Wehea-Kelay landscape. The research was conducted from January to June 2020. The data collection method was the direct observation, signs searching, camera traps, and data analysis. The results of this study are 12 species, 9 families, and 4 orders of mammals were found. Based on the conservation status, 6 species as protected animals, 1 species is critically endangered, and 2 species are in appendix I. Overall, the highest relative abundance of mammals based on the presence frequency of the camera traps is M. muntjak and the lowest is T. kanchil. The species of mammals found based on the encounter rate in the Wehea Protected Forest were more than PT. Gunung Gajah Abadi, and the highest abundance of mammals is 1.67±1.529 individuals/km in Wehea Protected Forest and 1.00±1.00 individuals/km in PT. Gunung Gajah Abadi of H. malayanus. The feeding class of mammals found consisted of 9 species of Omnivores and 3 species of Herbivores. The sepan area in the Wehea Protected Forest is an area that must be conserved because it is a source of minerals for mammals.

Diverse Regulation of YB-1 and YB-3 Abundance in Mammals

Diverse Regulation of YB-1 and YB-3 Abundance in Mammals

Snow track counts for density estimation of mammalian predators in the boreal forest

Context Methods for estimating density of meso-carnivores in northern ecosystems are labour intensive and expensive to implement if mark–recapture and radio collaring are used. One alternative is to count tracks in the snow along transects as an index of density, but this method has been criticised as imprecise and lacking validation. Aims We aimed to examine the utility of track counts along snowmobile trails in the snow for measuring changes in populations of Canada lynx and coyotes in the boreal forest of north-western Canada. Methods We compared winter track counts of Canada lynx at three study sites and of coyotes at one site with concurrent estimates of density based on locations of radio-collared animals and estimates of numbers of uncollared animals from three 7–9-year studies in the Yukon and Northwest Territories, during a period of cyclical population fluctuations. Key results Snow track counts were positively correlated (r2 = 0.83) with density of Canada lynx, estimated by live trapping and radio collaring in the three survey areas. Coyotes also showed a clear relationship (r2 = 0.80) between known density and snow track counts, but track counts were strongly affected by season, with much higher counts in the early winter when snow was shallower. This indicates the need to control for season or snow depth when using track counts as indices of coyote abundance. We recommend sample sizes of at least 10 track counts per winter along a 25-km transect to maximise precision. Conclusions Snow track counts are a relatively simple, inexpensive method of concurrently tracking abundance of multiple species of meso-carnivores. These data indicate that track counts may be reliably used to monitor trends in numbers, but we suggest site-specific validation of the regressions reported here between tracks and animal abundance are required to translate these indices into estimates of density. Implications Track counts have the potential to be an affordable alternative to more intensive methods of monitoring trends in abundance of medium-sized mammals, for purposes such as management of harvest or to measure the success of programs to increase or reduce population abundance.

Small mammals in the diet of Barn Owls (Tyto furcata) in an urban area in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, with a new record of the dwarf mouse opossum (Cryptonanus)

Abstract Several studies emphasize the use of owl pellets in small mammal inventories in natural areas harboring high richness of rare species, but few Brazilian Atlantic forest localities have been surveyed by this method. The present study documents the species composition and abundance of small mammals in the diet of Tyto furcata in an urban area of the municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, remarking on a new record of the dwarf mouse opossum genus Cryptonanus in the Atlantic forest. We analyzed 265 pellets regurgitated by a pair of T. furcata from November 2016 to September 2017 found in a nesting box. Analysis of the samples enabled finding a total of 596 individuals of four small mammal species. Mus musculus was predominant among the prey items (98.3%), while the native rodents Necromys lasiurus (1.3%) and Holochilus brasiliensis (0,17%) were much rarer. A single specimen of Cryptonanus sp. was identified among the diet items based on distinctive dental characters. The identification of this genus in the present study represents the second record in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and the sixth in the Atlantic Forest biome, suggesting that this marsupial occupies a wider ecological and biogeographic range. The present study underscores the relevance of owl pellets for small mammal surveys, even in urban and highly disturbed areas.

Effect of Traditional Grazing on Abundance of Small Mammals and Activity Patterns of Mountain Vizcacha in the High Central Semi-Arid Andes

Effect of Traditional Grazing on Abundance of Small Mammals and Activity Patterns of Mountain Vizcacha in the High Central Semi-Arid Andes

Small mammal communities of Gangtey-Phobji Ramsar Site (2264), a Wetland of International Importance, Bhutan

Small mammals support the ecological integrity of wetlands, and data on their diversity, richness, abundance, habitat use, and anthropogenic threats are essential for conservation management of wetland ecosystems. We assessed four different habitat types (forest, agriculture farm, grassland, and riparian) in Gantey-Phobji Ramsar site, Bhutan. We used Sherman and pitfall traps to capture and recapture animals, and we confirmed species based on morphometric measurements. We recorded environmental variables and anthropogenic activities that might alter small mammal presence, abundance, and diversity. We recorded 7 species and 128 individuals, as new record for the Ramsar site. Agricultural land has the highest species richness, and the forest had the highest diversity of small mammals. Small mammals used agricultural land as macrohabitat and shrubs as microhabitat. Small mammal occurrence varied in each habitat we sampled; therefore, holistic conservation interventions specific to habitat type are essential to conserve both wetlands and small mammals.

Seasonal variation of non-volant small mammals in Gibe Sheleko national park, Southwestern Ethiopia

The species composition and abundance of small mammals can vary within space and time. The main objective of this study was to assess seasonal variation of non-volant small mammals from randomly selected Acacia woodland, bushland, farmland, grassland, riverine forest and wooded grassland habitats in Gibe Sheleko National Park, southwestern Ethiopia. Data were collected using 49 Sharman live traps in 70 x 70 m sized square girds from December, 2018 to August, 2020. Capture mark recapture technique was applied to estimate population size of the existing small mammals and the data were analyzed using a chi-square test. A total of 1160 individual small mammals belonging to 10 species and 2 families were recorded. Three non-captured species: Hystrix cristata, Xerus rutilus and Tachyoryctes splendens were also identified. There was a significant (χ2= 31.12, df = 1, P < 0.05) difference in the total abundance of small mammals between seasons. Of the total individuals captured, 675(58.19%) were trapped during the wet season while 485(41.81%) individuals were during the dry season. Significant seasonal variation was also observed in the total abundance of both sexes, i e. males (χ2= 11.99, df = 1, P < 0.05) and females (χ2= 20.24, df = 1, P < 0.05). Among age groups, significant statistical seasonal variation was shown in adults (χ2=15.14, df = 1, P < 0.05) and young (χ2=44.61, df = 1, P < 0.05) but not significant in sub-adults (χ2=0.75, df = 1, P >0.05). The identified small mammals exhibited seasonal changes in their abundance associated with changes in climatic and environmental conditions. However, a long-term and annual based study is required to see the overall dynamics of existing small mammals.

First osteohistological and histotaphonomic approach of Equus occidentalis Leidy, 1865 (Mammalia, Equidae) from the late Pleistocene of Rancho La Brea (California, USA).

Rancho La Brea (California, USA) is the most emblematic Quaternary fossiliferous locality in the world, since both the high number and diversity of the specimens recovered and their excellent preservational quality. In the last decades, paleobiological and paleoecological knowledge of the different groups of mammals from this site has increased notably; however, some aspects have not yet been inquired or there is little information. In this work we provide information on one of the most abundant mammals of this site, the equid Equus occidentalis, based on the study, from osteohistological and histotaphonomic perspectives, of thin sections of different limb bones. On the one hand, from an osteohistological viewpoint, we observe that the distribution and characterization of bone tissues in the different skeletal elements are, in general lines, similar to that mentioned for other extant and extinct equids. Cyclical growth marks allowed us to propose preliminary skeletochronological interpretations. On the other hand, from a taphonomic viewpoint, we note that all the samples reflect an excellent preservation of the bone microstructure, slightly altered by different pre- and post-burial processes. The variations recorded evidence different taphonomic history and preservation conditions among pits. This is the first study including fossil material from Rancho La Brea exclusively based on the analysis of the bone microstructure features.

Evaluating conservation tools in intensively-used farmland: Higher bird and mammal diversity in seed-rich strips during winter

Farmland biodiversity have experienced a steep decline over recent decades. Various conservation measures, including EU agri-environmental schemes (AES), have been designed to prevent further biodiversity loss. Despite the AES were criticized for limited benefits for biodiversity, the existing conservation evidence demonstrated some AES, such as seed-rich strips (SRS), can have a positive effect on overall biodiversity. However, evidence of the effectiveness of SRS during winter is largely missing in Eastern Europe or it is based on single-species evaluations. In our study, we investigate the effects of SRS on several taxa typical of the farmland (i.e., farmland birds, European hare, roe deer and small mammals) during winter, when these species may suffer from a lack of food sources. More specifically, we evaluated the effect of spatial location (hedges, forests, and open fields), time in the season (early and late winter), and area (Single Large or Several Small analysis, i.e., “SLOSS analysis”) of SRS on species richness and abundance of birds and mammals. SRS showed higher species richness and abundance than control transects, except for roe deer. The largest differences in abundance and species richness of farmland birds between the SRS and the controls were found in the fields. The highest abundance of European hare and small mammals were found in SRS located in the fields. Ordination analysis indicated that several bird species preferred SRS. Moreover, different birds occurred in strips adjacent to open fields, hedges, and forest, indicating that the landscape context of SRS can affect its use by different bird species. We found a significant decrease in the abundance of farmland birds and declining farmland species during late winter in the SRS, but not in the controls, suggesting the SRS may be depleted of seeds towards the end of winter. Finally, the SLOSS analysis indicated there was no clear difference in species richness between small-to-large and large-to-small strips accumulation, but the pooled abundance of all birds and mammals was generally higher at a few large rather than many small patches of the same cumulative size. Our findings suggest that SRS are a simple and cost-effective measure for farmland biodiversity conservation. Even relatively small SRS are used by many species and therefore should be promoted. SRS careful planning (e.g., location of SRS within the landscape and the choice of seed mixtures) can improve their effectiveness for biodiversity conservation.

Large Mammals Abundance and Diversity a Tool for Sustainable Tourism: A Case Study of Idanre Forest Reserve Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract: This study investigates the quantity and variety of big animals as a tool for sustainable tourism: a case study of the Idanre Forest Reserve in southern Nigeria. The goal of this study was to examine the distribution and abundance of big mammals in the Idanre forest reserve in order to build a management plan for sustainable ecotourism and to offer information on the sighting rate of these species in the study area. The line transect approach was employed to collect data on the variety and abundance of animals in the study region. A total of 40 transect lines of 1000 m were randomly set, and each transect was broken into 200 m parts. Each compartment received 20 transects at random. In all, 40 transect lines were randomly put in the reserve's two divisions, and the forest reserve was separated into compartments for the purposes of this research study. The GPS 2011 Utility software was used to determine the starting and finishing sites of transects. Transect lines were walked three times per week for three months throughout both seasons (May, July, and September for the rainy season and November, January, and March for the dry season). The findings indicated that seventeen (17)'mammals were counted in the research region. The White-throated Monkey has the greatest proportion of frequency of observation (19%), followed by the Mona Monkey (13%). The African Tree Pangolin has the lowest percentage frequency of observation. Within the research region, opportunistic sightings of Chimpanzee, Forest Elephant, Forest Buffalo, and Bushbaby have occurred. According to the Simpson diversity, it was greater in the dry season (0.9101) than in the rainy season (0.9066).

Habitat Specificity Modulates the Response of Small Mammals to Habitat Fragmentation, Loss, and Quality in a Neotropical Savanna

Landscape conversion of natural environments into agriculture and pasture are driving a marked biodiversity decline in the tropics. Consequences of fragmentation might depend upon habitat amount in the landscape, while the quality of remnants can also affect some species. These factors have been poorly studied in relation to different spatial scales. Furthermore, the impacts of these human-driven alterations may go beyond species loss, possibly causing a loss of ecosystem function and services. In this study, we investigated how changes in landscape configuration (patch size and isolation), habitat loss (considering a landscape gradient of 10, 25, and 40% of remnant forest cover), and habitat quality (forest structure) affect small mammal abundance, richness, taxonomic/functional diversity, and species composition in fragmented landscapes of semideciduous forests in the Brazilian Cerrado. Analyses were performed separately for habitat generalists and forest specialists. We live-trapped small mammals and measured habitat quality descriptors four times in 36 forest patches over the years 2018 and 2019, encompassing both rainy and dry seasons, with a total capture effort of 45,120 trap-nights. Regression analyses indicated that the effect of landscape configuration was not dependent on the proportion of habitat amount in the landscape to determine small mammal assemblages. However, both patch size and habitat loss impacted different aspects of the assemblages in distinct ways. Smaller patches were mainly linked to an overall increase in small mammal abundance, while the abundance of habitat generalists was also negatively affected by habitat amount. Generalist species richness was determined by the proportion of habitat amount in the landscape. Specialist richness was influenced by patch forest quality only, suggesting that species with more demanding habitat requirements might respond to fragmentation and habitat loss at finer scales. Taxonomic or functional diversity were not influenced by landscape structure or habitat quality. However, patch size and habitat amount in the landscape were the major drivers of change in small mammal species composition in semideciduous forests in the Brazilian savanna.

Winners and Losers: How Woody Encroachment Is Changing the Small Mammal Community Structure in a Neotropical Savanna

Years of fire suppression, decreases in herbivores, and global climate change have led to shifts in savannas worldwide. Natural open vegetation such as grasslands and shrublands is increasing in wood density, but the effects for small mammals are not well understood. While most of the mammal studies from the Brazilian Cerrado are concentrated in the core area of this large Neotropical savanna, its southern portions are suffering from biome shifting through woody encroachment. Herein, we surveyed a small mammal community from the southeastern boundary of Cerrado (Santa Bárbara Ecological Station) and evaluated the micro and macro environmental variables shaping community structure in order to investigate how the woody encroachment in the last 15 years may have influenced this assemblage. We recorded 17 species of marsupials and rodents along five distinct habitats in a gradient from grasslands to woodlands. Although richness was not affected by microhabitat variables, total and relative abundance varied according to habitat type and in relation to herbaceous, shrub, and tree density. Rodents such as Calomys tener and Clyomys laticeps were positively affected by increasing herb cover, Cerradomys scotti and Oligoryzomys nigripes by shrub cover, while the marsupial Didelphis albiventris had higher association with increasing tree cover. We detected an increase of 27.4% in vegetation density (EVI) between 2003 and 2018 in our study site, and this woody encroachment negatively affected the abundance of some small mammals. The open-area specialists Cryptonanus chacoensis and C. scotti had a decrease in abundance, while D. albiventris and O. nigripes were favored by woody encroachment. Our data suggest that woody encroachment is shifting community composition: small mammals often associated with grasslands and open savannas are likely to be negatively affected by woody encroachment; while species that rely on tree-covered habitats are likely to benefit from an increasing woody landscape. Therefore, forest-dwellers are gradually replacing open-vegetation inhabitants. Active management of open formations (e.g., with prescribed burning) may be needed to maintain Cerrado biodiversity, especially considering the open-area endemics.

Diversity of small terrestrial mammals under different organic farming management in Mediterranean and Continental agriculture ecosystems

Diversity of small terrestrial mammals under different organic farming management in Mediterranean and Continental agriculture ecosystems

Landscape-Scale Effects of Fire, Cats, and Feral Livestock on Threatened Savanna Mammals: Unburnt Habitat Matters More Than Pyrodiversity

Northern Australia has undergone significant declines among threatened small and medium-sized mammals in recent decades. Conceptual models postulate that predation by feral cats is the primary driver, with changed disturbance regimes from fire and feral livestock in recent decades reducing habitat cover and exacerbating declines. However, there is little guidance on what scale habitat and disturbance attributes are most important for threatened mammals, and what elements and scale of fire mosaics actually support mammals. In this study, we test a series of hypotheses regarding the influence of site-scale (50 × 50 m) habitat and disturbance attributes, as well as local-scale (1 km radius), meta-local scale (3 km), landscape-scale (5 km) and meta-landscape scale (10 km) fire mosaic attributes on mammal abundance and richness. We found that habitat cover (rock, perennial grass, and shrub cover) at the site-scale had a positive effect, and disturbance factors (feral cats, fire, feral livestock) had a negative influence on mammal abundance and richness. Models supported site-scale habitat and disturbance factors as more important for mammals than broader-scale (local up to meta-landscape scale) fire mosaic attributes. Finally, we found that increasing the extent of ≥ 4 year unburnt habitat, and having an intermediate percentage (ca. 25%) of recently burnt (1-year burnt) habitat within the mosaic, were the most important functional elements of the fire mosaic at broad scales for mammals. Contrary to expectations, diversity of post-fire ages (‘pyrodiversity’) was negatively associated with mammal abundance and richness. These results highlight the need for management to promote retention of longer unburnt vegetation in sufficient patches across savanna landscapes (particularly of shrub and fruiting trees), maintain low-intensity patchy fire regimes, reduce the extent of intense late dry season wildfires, and to reduce the impact of feral livestock. This study provides further evidence for the role of feral cats in northern Australian mammal declines, and highlights the need for increased research into the efficacy of cat control methodologies in reducing biodiversity impacts in these extensive landscapes.