Alien Mammals Research Articles

Serologic Survey of Brucella spp. in Culled Invasive Alien Mammals from El Palmar National Park, Argentina, and in Exposed Consumers.

Brucellosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease caused by Brucella spp. and transmitted from domestic and wild animals to humans. Brucellosis causes important economic losses in livestock, has a significant impact on public health, and may affect the health of wildlife. Hunting and consumption of meat from culled wildlife constitute a risk for Brucella spp. infection in humans and hunting dogs. In El Palmar National Park (EPNP), Argentina, the invasive alien mammals wild boar (Sus scrofa) and axis deer (Axis axis) are controlled, slaughtered in situ, and consumed by hunters, with meat trimmings and offal often fed to dogs. In this study, we evaluated but did not detect anti-Brucella antibodies in wild boar (n=95) and axis deer (n=238) from EPNP or in game consumers, dogs (n=39) and humans (n=61). These results suggest a lack of exposure to Brucella spp. at this site during the study period. Despite negative findings in the sampled location, One Health surveillance across multiple species contributes to our understanding of pathogen dynamics and enables targeted interventions to minimize health risks.

Records of the Invasive Cattle Tick Rhipicephalus microplus on Wild Hosts and of a Neotropical Tick, Amblyomma dubitatum, on Invasive Alien Mammals, Southern Brazil.

Invasive species threaten wildlife. We detected invasive ticks on wildlife and indigenous ticks on invasive mammals in southern Brazil. The invasive cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus was found on 12 native mammals and one invasive exotic (Axis axis). The Neotropical tick Amblyomma dubitatum was found on three invasive alien mammal species.

The “IAS Management Attitude” scale: a tool for measuring consensus between experts and practitioners in invasion biology

Quantifying attitudes towards invasive alien species (IAS) is fundamental to understanding the extent to which conservation scientists agree and can collaborate in their management. We tested the IAS Management Attitude scale (IMA), a shortened version of the Pest Management Attitude Scale, originally invented to quantify attitudes towards pests in New Zealand, as a tool to quantify broader attitudes towards IAS among bioinvasion experts in Italy. We administered an online questionnaire to a sample of experts working on biological invasions in Italy. We collected 316 answers, both from conservation practitioners (26.6%) and researchers (73.4%), and we used structural equation modeling to test for the psychometric properties of the scale and compare attitude scores between groups. The scale showed both a good reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.7), validity (CFI = 0.99, TLI = 0.99, SRMR = 0.03, RMSE = 0.02) and measurement invariance, when comparing researchers and practitioners, as well as when comparing respondents working on different invasive taxa. Both researchers and practitioners, as well as respondents of a different age, had similar attitudes about IAS and their management. Our study shows that this shortened version of PMA scale, a simple scale originally conceived to measure attitudes towards invasive alien mammals, could indeed be used to quantify the attitudes of experts towards IAS, even in countries where the public debate about biological invasions is much more recent than in New Zealand. The scale could potentially be used both for large-scale and long-term research about the attitudes of experts about IAS.

Alien vs. Native—Influence of Fallow Deer (Dama dama) Introduction on the Native Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) Population

Fallow deer is one of the most widespread alien mammals in Europe. We documented the response of the roe deer population shortly after the fallow deer was introduced to a hunting ground in central Poland. Mean roe density dropped from 17.6 ind./100 ha to 10.5 ind./100 ha after the alien species was introduced. In the reference area, where fallow deer was absent, the roe deer density did not change in the analogue study period. At both study sites, mean roe deer productivity before fallow deer introduction was similar (1.6 juv./female). However, in the first study area, the productivity dropped to 1.4, while in the reference study area, it slightly increased to 1.75. The presence of fallow deer influenced roe deer space use negatively, i.e., the number of pellet groups of roe deer decreased with an increase in the number of fallow deer feces. Overall, the introduction of the fallow deer was successful and the population grew quickly. Yet, the economic impact of its introduction was far from satisfactory. At the same time, its negative influence on the roe deer was apparent. This shows that the fallow deer is an alien species threatening local biodiversity.

Чужорідні види ссавців району природного заповідника «Дніпровсько-Орільський»

The paper provides information on alien mammal species occurring in the territory of the Dnipro–Oril Nature Reserve. The data were collected during annual mammal surveys and by compiling the data provided in the Chronicles of Nature of previous years (1991–2022) within the framework of the scientific topic ‘Study of biodiver-sity, structure and dynamics of natural complexes of the Dnipro–Oril Nature Re-serve.’ Since the creation of the reserve, 44 species of mammals belonging to six orders (Leporiformes, Muriformes, Soriciformes, Vespertilioniformes, Caniformes, and Cerviformes) have been recorded in its territory. The species diversity of mammals of the reserve corresponds to 71% of the mammal fauna of Dniprope-trovsk Oblast and 34% of the mammal fauna of Ukraine. Most of the mammal species found in the reserve are indigenous but the raccoon dog Nyctereutes procy-onoides, muskrat Ondatra zibethicus, and sika deer Cervus nippon, which are arti-ficially introduced species. In addition, the brown rat Rattus norvegicus and the house mouse Mus musculus are distant invaders. The beech marten Martes foina, Blyth’s pipistrelle Pipistrellus lepidus, and serotine bat Eptesicus serotinus are close invaders. Alien species make up 18% of the mammal fauna of the reserve, being represented by a total of eight species. However, there are also species with fluctuating ranges in the studied area: European roe deer Capreolus capreolus, elk Alces alces, Eurasian otter Lutra lutra, Eurasian badger Meles meles, and wild boar Sus scrofa. The periodic contraction and expansion of their ranges within the region makes them similar to introduced species. The presence of the majority of adventive species was registered during the first inventory of the fauna of the described territory during the establishment of the reserve in 1991. However, the first sighting of serotine bat occurred in March 2013 in the floodplain part of the reserve, and the sighting of Blyth’s pipistrelle in the reserve was recorded in the spring of 2016. The article describes the specifics of the existence of alien mammal species in the reserve. The dynamics of abundance, population structure, diet, and environmental impact are presented. Other adventive species that could possibly be found in this territory in the near future are the American mink Neogale vison and golden jackal Canis aureus. A case of visual observation of the coypu Myocastor coypus in the vicinity of the reserve is also presented.

Чужорідні види ссавців у колекції зоологічного музею Луганського національного університету імені Тараса Шевченка

This paper presents a review of information on the specimens of the theriological part of the stock and exhibition collections of the Zoological Museum of Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University in Luhansk as of 2014. Specimens of species and subspecies belonging to the group of alien mammals were taken into account. The review included both introductions, invaders, and animals belonging to the group of regional invaders (expanded their range within the region), reintroductions and alien species that occur naturally but do not form stable natural populations. Information on specimens of such invasive alien species as Lutra lutra, Nyctereutes procyonoides, Neogale vison, Ondatra zibethicus provide useful data for analysing the distribution and abundance of alien species in certain regions of the Siverskyi Donets basin. The majority of these species occurred in the main channel of the Donets and its immediate tributaries, which once again underlines the important role of river basins in the distribution of mammalian amphibians. The collections of a number of other alien species and subspecies are small, represented only by single specimens of rodents (Sciurus vulgaris exalbidus, Myocastor coypus) and ungulates (Cervus nippon, Dama dama, Bison bonasus, Saiga tatarica) originating from other regions of Ukraine or without information on the place of occurrence. The collections of such species as Castor fiber and Rattus norvegicus, which comprise 4 and 5 specimens respectively, contain specimens from Luhansk region, but information on their distribution is incomplete or insufficient for analysis or comparison. All the specimens listed in the text are valuable for the study of geographical distribution, craniological and morphological studies of alien species from the territory of Luhansk region and other regions of Ukraine, in particular from Poltava (Lutra lutra), Crimea (Sciurus vulgaris exalbidus) and Kherson (Dama dama).

INTRODUCTION OF MAMMALS TO THE ISLANDS OF THE NORTHWESTERN PACIFIC

Introduction of alien species to marine islands leads to destabilization of the unique ecosystems, which are characterized by a high level of ecological vulnerability. A review of alien mammal species in the insular theriocomplexes of the Northwestern Pacific was made and the results of a massive invasion that occurred in the recent 150 years were analyzed. Currently, 43 alien species belonging to 19 families of 7 mammal orders live on the islands of the Northwest Pacific, among which 9 are included in the list of the 14 most dangerous invasive species of the world, and 8 of the 10 most dangerous introduced mammals of the Russian Federation inhabit the islands of the Russian segment of this region.

Alien Mammals in the Ecosystems of the Central Part of the North Caucasus

Alien Mammals in the Ecosystems of the Central Part of the North Caucasus

Identifying global research and conservation priorities for Columbidae: a quantitative approach using random forest models

The family of Columbidae, including pigeons and doves, remains understudied despite their patrimonial value and high ecological and conservation relevance. Currently, 353 extant columbid species are listed in the IUCN red list, with about 20% of them being threatened with extinction. However, there has been little effort so far to synthetize the available information on factors influencing extinction risk and the allocation of research effort among columbid species. In this context, using random forest models, the present study aims at quantitatively assessing to what extent environmental, life history and socio-political factors may drive the extinction risk of pigeons and doves and explain differences in scientific attention among species. We found that high risk of extinction in columbids is associated with small historical range, exposure to invasive alien mammals and living in isolated islands and/or at low altitudes, while the probability of population decline is associated with species body size, surrounding human density and narrow habitat breadth. We also evidenced a large disparity between species or population extinction risk and scientific interest. Indeed, most of the studies on columbids have been conducted by scientists from North America and Western Europe on their local species, whereas species from biodiversity hotspots, which are more at risk of extinction, have comparatively received little attention. This unequal acquisition of knowledge creates gaps that deserve to be filled in order to have a good appreciation of extinction risk in columbids and associated threats, through fair transnational cooperation, academic training and regional coordination in conservation-oriented research on columbids.

Mammal diversity of an urbanised environment in an arid zone of south-west Africa

Thorough investigation of the entire mammalian assemblages has not been hitherto conducted in any African city. Most studies were limited to single species causing problems to citizens or to small mammals causing health hazard. In 2011–2020, 81 mammal species were recorded in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, although only 34 (42.0%) species occurred in the inner zone of the city (50 sq. km). The most speciose (25 species) order were rodents. Within this order the most speciose was the family Muridae (n = 13 species), while the most common rodent species were: Rhabdomys pumilio, Mastomys coucha, Gerbilliscus leucogaster, and Gerbillurus paeba. The second most speciose group of mammals were Chiroptera represented by 14 (17.3%) species in the outer zone (650 sq. km) and 8 species (23.5%) in the inner zone. Ungulates, although mostly rare or uncommon, were in the outer zone represented by eight (9.9%) species. None was, however, recorded in the inner zone. Nineteen Carnivora species (23.5%) were recorded in the outer zone, but only two of them in the inner zone. Other species recorded in Windhoek were representatives of seven other orders: Eulipotyphla (n = 4 spp.), Macroscelidea (n = 3), Lagomorpha (n = 3), Hyracoidea (n = 1), Primates (n=2), Tubulidentata (n = 1), and Pholidota (n = 1). Two species, Cynictis penicillata and Geosciurus inauris, were found to be relatively common in the inner zone. They have reached a population density (5.6 and >2.0 individuals per 100 ha, respectively) higher than in any other cities in Namibia, and probably in southern Africa at large. Despite intense searching in the inner zone, Hystrix africeaustralis and Procavia capensis were only recorded in a shrubby hill. The Procavia capensis population was estimated at 40–70 individuals. A few troops of Papio ursinus are resident only in the outer zone. The following species recorded in Windhoek are in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Acinonx jubatus, Panthera pardus, Felis nigripes, Hyaena brunnea, and Smutia temminckii. Noteworthy is the absence of any alien mammal species in the inner zone, and the presence of only Mus musculus in the outer zone of the city. The protection of mammals in Windhoek, especially in the outer zone, may act as a catalyst to move the municipality governance towards a more effective biodiversity conservation.

Alien mammal species in floodplain habitats of the Siversky Donets basin (Ukraine)

An analysis of invasions and expansions of mammals in the Siversky Donets basin and adjacent areas is presented. Data on population and range the dynamics of habitats and the number of semi-aquatic mammals of two groups are given. The first group includes alien species that were introduced and had previously been unknown in the fauna of not only the region, but also Ukraine in general: muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus), coypu (Myocastor coypus), American mink (Neogale vison), and raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides). The second group includes local invaders, which nowadays are expanding their range, inhabiting the river and its tributaries: Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) and Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra). The maps presented show the process of animal spread in the region, indicating the places of introduction, directions of expansion, and known registrations. For local invaders, the territory of their natural habitat at the time of the start of acclimatiszation (for Castor fiber) or expansion to steppe regions (for Lutra lutra) is indicated. Population dynamics of all the species considered was analysed using data from the State Statistical Reporting, for the period from 1984 to 2021, and also monitoring data of other investigators for the pre-war period (until February 2022). The results of the statistical analysis show that populations of the the number of introduced species of mammals increases increased rapidly from the time of their appearance in the composition of the fauna, after which their numbers began to decreases. Also, a number of factors were noted that over a certain period of time exerted had an additional influence on the population dynamics of several certain alien mammal species of mammals. Data on long term dynamics of local invaders show that, along with the expansion of animals to new areas and increase in their abundance, a decrease of their numbers in areas of their historical distribution took place, such as in the case of Lutra lutra. Concerning the distribution and abundance of Castor fiber, an ambiguous situation has appeared: the state of its populations in some steppe areas is better than in the forest areas, where its number abundance is decreasing. Information on the distribution and population state of the studied species based on OSINT-analysis, author’s data and questionnaire surveys are presented. The results of introduction of the studied species are discussed.

Breeding success of an endangered island endemic kestrel increases with extent of invasion by an alien plant species

The Mauritius Kestrel Falco punctatus, once the rarest kestrel worldwide, became an icon of bird conservation after it recovered from four to six individuals in 1974 to some 800 by 2005 following intense conservation management. Its population however then halved within about a decade prompting a re-evaluation of the IUCN status and up listing of the species in 2014 and an increased conservation attention. Drivers of this new decline are unclear and the influence of habitat structure and diet on breeding success may be important contributors but have received relatively little attention, particularly in the way they may interact to influence production of new fledglings. We address this knowledge gap by studying whether breeding success is influenced by habitat structure (in terms of cover of the invasive Ravenala in native habitats, an alien plant causing strong structural shift in the forests that it invades, and extent of cleared area), diet composition and food pass frequency (as a proxy for food intake) and food quality at 28 nests of a re-introduced kestrel population in south east Mauritius during the 2015–2016 breeding season. The kestrel’s diet comprised native and alien birds, reptiles, insects, and small alien mammals, with a disproportionately high proportion of Phelsuma gecko. A higher frequency of food provisioning and percentage cover of Ravenala both contributed to higher breeding success. Ravenala may increase gecko density or increase gecko detectability and predation by the kestrel, or both, while changed land use (pasture and sugar cane fields) may increase prey diversity in the form of non-forest prey known to be eaten by Kestrels (e.g. alien agamids, small mammals and birds). These prey related influences on breeding suggest that the Bambou mountain range provides a human-generated novel ecosystem altering food availability and increasing the kestrel’s breeding success. However, Ravenala is an invasive alien species harmful to the wider forest biodiversity. Progressive weeding of Ravenala and concurrent re-introduction and augmentation of native palms and Pandanus species which geckos can use at comparable densities to Ravenala, is recommended. This would likely improve the kestrel’s hunting habitat quality and maintain high gecko density or detectability and the vegetation structure required for hunting manoeuvrability and prey availability without the negative consequences of invasive Ravenala.

Invasive and Alien Mammal Species in Poland—A Review

About 20 species of non-native mammals have been recorded in Poland. Some of them are already extinct or have been extirpated, while others are widely distributed and may affect the native biota in Poland. We review the literature on 15 non-native species found in this country, discussing their origin, distribution, and presence on lists of invasive species that pose a threat to wildlife in Poland and the EU. In addition, we discuss current knowledge on their impact on Polish ecosystems. However, on many of these species, there is little information, and the consequences of their presence remain unclear. Therefore, we emphasize the importance of this review for appropriate species management and suggest the introduction of monitoring, especially of species whose populations are increasing.

The role of invasive alien species in the emergence and spread of zoonoses

The role of invasive alien species in the transmission dynamics of zoonotic pathogens is often overlooked, despite the rapid escalation in biological invasions globally. Here we synthesise available information on the influence of invasive alien species on zoonotic pathogen dynamics in invaded ranges, focussing on Europe, and identify key associated knowledge gaps. We identified 272 documented interactions between alien species and zoonotic pathogens within invaded ranges. The majority of these involved invasive alien mammals followed by birds with only a few occurrences of other taxa documented. A wide range of potential interactions between invasive alien species and zoonotic pathogens were identified but few studies considered transmission to humans and so there was limited evidence of actual impacts on human health. However, there is an urgent need to raise awareness of the potential risks posed to human health by the transmission of zoonotic diseases by invasive alien species; the role of invasive alien species in zoonotic disease transmission may exceed that of native wildlife and occur in a relatively short period following the arrival of an invasive alien species within a new region. Ecological and social mechanisms govern the dynamics of zoonotic disease transmission but wildlife diseases are not consistently included within animal, plant and human policies. Rapid advances in the development of systems frameworks that integrate the ecological, economic and social processes promoting spillover in rapidly changing environments will increase understanding to inform decision-making.

Global economic costs of mammal invasions

Invasive alien mammals cause huge adverse ecological impact on human society and natural ecosystems. Although studies have estimated economic costs of mammal invasions at regional scales, there is lacking the large-scale comprehensive assessment of currency costs for this taxon. Here, we estimated the economic cost of invasive alien mammals on a global scale using the most comprehensive global database compiling economic costs of invasive species (InvaCost). From 1960 to 2021, mammal invasions caused costs (summing damage costs and management costs) of US$ 462.49 billion to the global economy, while the total amount of robust costs reached US$ 52.49 billion. The majority of the total economic costs corresponded to damage costs (90.27 %), while only 7.43 % were related to management cost. Economic costs showed an increasing trend over time. The distribution of costs was uneven among taxonomic groups and regions, with the global total cost highly biasing toward to 5 species (European rabbit, Domestic cat, Black rat, Wild boar and Coypu), and North America reporting much higher costs (60.78 % of total economic costs) than other regions. The total costs were borne by agriculture, environment, authorities stakeholders and other sectors. Geographic and taxonomic biases suggested that total economic costs caused by invasive alien mammals were underestimated. Integrated research efforts are needed to fill in knowledge gaps in the economic costs generated by mammal invasions and to identify the drivers of the economic costs.

Novel food resources and conservation of ecological interactions between the Andean Araucaria and the Austral parakeet.

In fragile ecosystems, the introduction of exotic species could alter some ecological processes. The Austral parakeet (Enicognathus ferrugineous) shows close ecological and evolutionary relationships with the Andean Araucaria (Araucaria araucana), so any alteration in these interactions may have negative consequences for both partners and for ecosystem functioning and structure. We conducted extensive roadside surveys to estimate the abundance of parakeets in the northern Patagonian Andes over 4 years and recorded the food plants consumed by foraging flocks. The use of native habitats and humanized areas like villages and farms was influenced by the Araucaria seed crop. In masting years, the large seed crop allowed a massive use of this resource during the non‐breeding season, and even during the breeding season. The exploitation of exotic plants was minor in the masting year, but became predominant in non‐masting years, especially during the non‐breeding season. This feeding switch towards exotic plants primarily arose because the low Araucaria seed crop in non‐masting years is entirely consumed just after production by domestic and wild exotic mammals living in Araucaria forests year‐round, thus forcing the displacement of parakeets towards anthropic habitats to exploit exotic plants. Given the degradation of the remaining Andean Araucaria forests due to the impact of exotic mammals on the ecological interaction between Araucaria and Austral parakeets, ambitious programs to exclude or reduce the density of these alien mammals, including livestock, are warranted.

Knowledge gaps in invasive species infections: Alien mammals of European Union concern as a case study

Invasive Alien Species (IAS), i.e. species introduced by humans outside their natural geographic range, may act as host or vectors of pathogens of both human and animal health relevance. Although it has been recognized that IAS should deserve more attention from a public and animal health perspective, data on the pathogens hosted by these species are not systematically collected and this prevents accurate assessments of IAS-specific risks of disease transmission.To support the future development of disease risk assessments, we systematically reviewed the scientific literature related to the pathogens of the eleven mammal species included in the European list of IAS of concern to gain insight in the amount and quality of data available. Data were analyzed to assess the current knowledge on the pathogens harbored by mammal IAS in natural conditions, through the identification of the main factors associated with research intensity on IAS pathogens and with the IAS observed pathogen species richness, the estimation of the true pathogen species richness for each IAS, and a meta-analysis of prevalence for the pathogens of health relevance.While the review confirmed that mammal IAS harbor pathogens of human and animal health relevance such as rabies virus, West Nile Virus, Borrelia burgdorferi and Mycobacterium bovis, results also highlighted strong information gaps and biases in research on IAS pathogens. In addition, the analyses showed an underestimation of the number of pathogens harbored by these species and the existence of high levels of uncertainty in the prevalence of the pathogens of health significance identified.These results highlight the need towards more efforts in making the available information on IAS pathogens accessible and systematically collected in order to provide data for future investigations and risk assessments, as well as the need of relying on alternative sources of information to assess IAS disease risk, like expert opinions.

Scalability of genetic biocontrols for eradicating invasive alien mammals

CRISPR-based gene drives offer novel solutions for controlling invasive alien species, which could ultimately extend eradication efforts to continental scales. Gene drives for suppressing invasive alien vertebrates are now under development. Using a landscape-scale individual-based model, we present the first estimates of times to eradication for long-lived alien mammals. We show that demography and life-history traits interact to determine the scalability of gene drives for vertebrate pest eradication. Notably, optimism around eradicating smaller-bodied pests (rodents and rabbits) with gene-drive technologies does not easily translate into eradication of larger-bodied alien species (cats and foxes).

Age and Fieldwork Experience Increase Brazilian University Students’ Ability to Identify Wild Mammals

A lack of engagement with the natural environment can reduce awareness of issues surrounding environmental and biodiversity conservation. Therefore, to increase students’ awareness, science teachers should develop activities related to biodiversity, bringing students into closer connection with the natural environment. This study evaluated the ability of 115 Brazilian university students’ to identify native and alien wild mammals. Patterns in university students’ ability to identify species were predicted by a combination of variables (university-level, age, gender, experience linked to countryside, family farming, fishing, and hunting). Students correctly identified alien mammals more frequently than native mammals. We found distinct groups of species in function of students’ experience (university-level, age group, fishing, and hunting). In addition, we found that the correct identification of native species was mainly associated with older male students who go regularly to the countryside, and participate in activities linked to farming, fishing, and hunting. Our findings support those from previous studies that show fieldwork classes are essential to increase the contact of an increasingly urbanized society with the local natural environment. We suggest that inclusion of fieldwork is necessary for the development of university students’ awareness regarding the richness of native mammal species and consequently, the importance of their conservation.

Blacklists do not necessarily make people curious about invasive alien species. A case study with Bayesian structural time series and Wikipedia searches about invasive mammals in Italy

Blacklists of invasive alien species (IAS) are a popular tool for managing and preventing biological invasions. Moreover, blacklists also have the potential to make the general public more curious about biological invasions, usually by benefiting from media coverage and providing accessible examples of IAS. We have tested if the implementation of the first List of IAS of Union concern by the European Union increased visits to Wikipedia pages on invasive alien mammals in Italy. We adopted causal impact analysis to quantify changes in the overall volume of visits to pages about invasive alien mammals that appeared on the list, by using pages about native mammals as a control. Following the publication of the first Union list, there was no increase in the amount of visits to Wikipedia pages on invasive mammals, regardless of their inclusion in the Union list. Rather, visits to Wikipedia were irregular in time, coinciding with media coverage of single, charismatic species. Our results indicate that important policymaking initiatives do not necessarily increase curiosity about biological invasions, even when they are covered by generalist media and are relatively easy to understand. We would therefore emphasise that policymaking initiatives should be coupled with adequate communication campaigns and should adopt communication guidelines for generalist media.