Free Roaming Research Articles

Attraction-repulsion among top predators following reintroduction efforts

Much of our understanding of the effects top predators play in structuring ecological communities are from studies documenting ecological changes following the recovery or reintroduction of large carnivores. Reintroduced predators, for example, may create unanticipated competition scenarios that influence local carnivore guilds. Here, we tested whether newly released Mexican gray wolves in Chihuahua, Mexico interacted with resident pumas, as a first step in exploring potential competition between the two species. We employed GPS data and novel methods offered by MoveMine 2.0 to quantify attraction-repulsion between individual wolves and pumas during two time periods: the first when wolves were free roaming, and the second when they restricted their movements to an area around their den and rendezvous site to protect and provide for pups. In summary, attraction-repulsion analyses conducted with MoveMine provided meaningful outputs, but we would highlight the importance of fieldwork to interpret interactions and significance values calculated between pairs. We found that high attraction values resulted from mutual attraction between wolves in the same pack, between wolves and one puma they repeatedly harassed, as well as between two pumas that repeatedly exhibited social tolerance for each other. Thus, the analyses offered by MoveMine provided a powerful means of identifying interactions and assessing attraction-repulsion relevant to questions of intra- and interspecific competition, but required intimate knowledge of the species studied and the interactions between them to interpret outputs correctly.

What influences the home range size of free-roaming domestic dogs?

In many regions of the world domestic dogs are free roaming and live in close relationship with humans. These free-roaming domestic dogs (FRDD) can cause public health problems such as dog bites and transmission of infectious diseases. To effectively control diseases transmitted by FRDD, knowledge on the dogs' behaviour is required. To identify predictors of home range (HR) size, we collected global positioning system data from 135 FRDD living in eight Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Northern Australia. The core HR size ranged from 0·17 to 2·33 ha and the extended HR size from 0·86 to 40·46 ha. Using a linear mixed effect model with a Restricted Maximum Likelihood approach, the dog's sex and reproductive status were identified as predictors of roaming. Non-castrated males had the largest HRs, followed by neutered females. Also, FRDDs were found to roam further during the pre- than the post-wet season. These findings have implications for infectious disease spread. Identification of risk groups for disease spread within a population allows for more targeted disease response and surveillance. Further investigation of predictors of roaming in other FRDD populations worldwide would increase the external validity of such studies.

Supplementary feeding and endoparasites in threatened avian scavengers: Coprologic evidence from red kites in their wintering stronghold

Many obligate and facultative avian scavengers are increasingly dependent on food provided in supplementary feeding stations (SFS), which are managed for the conservation of these species. Deliberate feeding can influence disease-related host demography and population dynamics through physiological changes and density-dependent parasite acquisition and transmission, but information on this threat to avian scavengers is scarce. Due to their effects on host aggregation and density, we hypothesised that the predictability and concentration of food in SFS can exacerbate parasite infection. This hypothesis was tested by comparing the prevalence, richness, abundance and mixed infection of endoparasites (coccidia and helminths) in red kites Milvus milvus foraging on livestock carcasses (mostly of pigs and poultry) in overcrowded and confined conditions at SFS, relative to those foraging alone or in small groups on wild prey unevenly randomly distributed within large areas during winter, mostly wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). No clear differences were found between areas with and without SFS in the prevalence and abundance of oocyst of Eimeria. This coccidian genus appears to include parasites of the prey rather than the raptors, thus representing parasite transport or pseudo-parasitism rather than actual parasitism in the kites. A higher prevalence and richness of helminths, as well as mixed infections with several phyla, was found in kites exploiting SFS than in those feeding on wild prey in the area without SFS. The unsanitary conditions derived from the stack of livestock carcasses and the contamination of carrion with the faeces of multiple scavenger hosts can increase the accumulation and persistence of helminths eggs and intermediate hosts. The regular use and frequent confinement of large numbers of red kites at SFS can promote the spread of parasites to a large proportion of the European breeding population distributed across Spain during the winter. We encourage that carcasses of free roaming livestock can be left in the countryside, as well as the conservation management of wildlife exploited as food by red kites (especially wild rabbits), to attempt avoiding overcrowded and confined conditions at SFS. Further research is required to assess the impact of deliberate feeding on the spread of parasites and other disease agents in the threatened species SFS are intended to favour.

Filarial nematodes with zoonotic potential in ring-tailed coatis (Nasua nasua Linnaeus, 1766, Carnivora: Procyonidae) and domestic dogs from Iguaçu National Park, Brazil.

Iguaçu National Park, which contains the largest remnant of Atlantic Forest in southern Brazil and Iguaçu Falls as one of its main visiting points, is a year-round attraction for thousands of domestic and international tourists. Ring-tailed coatis are generalist, opportunistic carnivores that benefit from human association. These animals are the most abundant carnivores in this park, where they come into close contact with tourists and the resident population around the park. Moreover, as the park is surrounded by human dwellings, free roaming domestic dogs are frequently present, favoring the exchange of pathogens with wild animals. Wild carnivores are known to be infected with several pathogens, from viruses to arthropods, some of them passed on by domestic carnivores. Among the nematodes that infect wild carnivores, those of the Onchocercidae family are of concern due to their zoonotic potential. The objective of this research was to assess the prevalence of filarial nematodes in coatis and dogs in Iguaçu National Park, as well as the potential impact of infection on host health and body condition. To this end, 75 coatis and 50 adult dogs were captured in the aforementioned area. Seven species of filarioids, Dirofilaria immitis, Dirofilaria repens, Acanthocheilonema reconditum, Brugia sp., Mansonella sp. and two undetermined species, confirmed by histochemical tests, were diagnosed in the area. Knott's concentration test in coatis and dogs showed a prevalence of 81.6% and 16.0%, respectively. Seven microfilarial morphotypes were diagnosed in the coatis and two morphotypes were found in the dogs. A specific immunoassay test for Dirofilaria immitis revealed the presence of D. immitis infection in 1.33% of the coatis and 22% of the domestic dogs. The parasitic infection had negligible effects on the body condition of both dog and coati hosts, but an increase was found in eosinophil counts in coatis with filarial infection, as well as decreases in hematocrit and hemoglobin in the infected domestic dogs. These findings represent new locality and host records for all the filarioids diagnosed in the area of this study, with some of the diagnosed parasites, given their zoonotic potential, representing a health risk for park visitors and the local population.

Serological survey of Leptospira interrogans, Toxoplasma gondii and Trypanosoma cruzi in free roaming domestic dogs and cats from a marginated rural area of Yucatan Mexico.

To evaluate the serological status for Trypanosoma cruzi, Toxoplasma gondii and Leptospira interrogans antibodies in free roaming dogs and cats from a marginated rural community in Yucatan Mexico, 100 households were visited and animals sampled. From the 106 samples, 93 were from dogs and 13 were from cats. Frequency of positive results for T. gondii, T. cruzi and Leptospira spp was 97.8%, 9.7% and 45.2% for dogs and 92.3%, 0.0% and 15.2% for cats, respectively. No associations with age, sex and body condition was found for T. gondii and Leptospira spp neither for the place where pets sleep, fumigation or presence of triatomes in the household in the case of T. cruzi. For leptospirosis the most common serovars found were Canicola, Autralis and Bratislava in dogs and cats with titres of 100 or 200 with exception of one dog with a titre of 400. The high frequency of seropositive dogs suggests a high circulation of the agents in the population of free roaming owned dogs and cats probably due to the lack of control of the reservoirs and vectors involved. Domestic animals in those rural communities can be sentinels to assess the risk of human exposure in the rural communities.

On the record: Interview with Major General Johan Jooste (retired), South African National Parks, head of Special Projects

A multitude of measures, including regulatory changes, law enforcement measures and demand reduction campaigns, appear to have done little to stem the tide against organised environmental crimes. However, fewer rhinos were poached in South Africa’s signature national park, the Kruger National Park (KNP), in 2015 and 2016 than in the year before and a steady decline was evident at the time of the interview in June 2017. The KNP is home to the largest number of free roaming rhinos in the world. The park has been in the ‘eye of the storm’, losing close to 4 000 rhinos to poaching between 2006 and 2016. In 2012, the South African National Parks (SANParks) management formed a unit named Special Projects. The function of the project team was to develop and implement mitigation measures to deal with the drastic increase in wildlife crime and, in particular, rhino poaching in the KNP. Major General Johan Jooste (Ret) heads the unit. Critical voices have questioned the efficacy of the anti-poaching strategy, suggesting that park authorities are waging a ‘war on poaching’ with unintended long-term consequences for protected areas management and community relations.1 Scholars have argued that ‘green militarisation’ has led to an arms race between poachers and rangers2 and, moreover, that ‘green violence’ has led to the deployment of violent instruments and tactics in pursuit of the protection of nature, and ideas and aspirations related to nature conservation.3

Dynamic Generation Method of Virtual Coal Mining Scene Based on 3D Entities Transformation and Combination

In order to present the virtual scene of underground coal mining, a dynamic and data-driven method for the virtual scene generation was proposed and its experimental software was developed. The data model of the software system is classified as two types that are the primary model and the display model. The system structure is designed as four layers from bottom to top, namely storage layer, display layer, combination layer and operation layer. Storage layer, the lowest layer and the data center of the system to store all the primary models, is a database containing some data tables, views, constrains, rules and storage processes. Display layer as the second lower layer is to implement an essential data-driven algorithm to transform the selected primary models into display models through scaling, stretching, rotating or assembly operations. Combination layer focuses on the whole scene building business based on the operation of related display models such as visible setting, connecting, handling the shading and presenting special effects. Operation layer as the top layer is to respond to user’s instructions such as free roaming and screen pickup. Finally, the software is tested in Qinan colliery of China. Results show that the proposed method is practicable and efficient to implement virtual coal mining scene.

Potential Risk Factors Associated with Human Cystic Echinococcosis: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BackgroundScientific literature on cystic echinococcosis (CE) reporting data on risk factors is limited and to the best of our knowledge, no global evaluation of human CE risk factors has to date been performed. This systematic review (SR) summarizes available data on statistically relevant potential risk factors (PRFs) associated with human CE.Methodology/Principal FindingsDatabase searches identified 1,367 papers, of which thirty-seven were eligible for inclusion. Of these, eight and twenty-nine were case-control and cross-sectional studies, respectively. Among the eligible papers, twenty-one were included in the meta-analyses. Pooled odds ratio (OR) were used as a measure of effect and separately analysed for the two study designs. PRFs derived from case-control studies that were significantly associated with higher odds of outcome were “dog free to roam” (OR 5.23; 95% CI 2.45–11.14), “feeding dogs with viscera” (OR 4.69; 95% CI 3.02–7.29), “slaughter at home” (OR 4.67; 95% CI 2.02–10.78) or at “slaughterhouses” (OR 2.7; 95% CI 1.15–6.3), “dog ownership” (OR 3.54; 95% CI 1.27–9.85), “living in rural areas” (OR 1.83; 95% CI 1.16–2.9) and “low income” (OR 1.68; 95% CI 1.02–2.76). Statistically significant PRFs from cross-sectional studies with higher odds of outcome were “age >16 years” (OR 6.08; 95% CI 4.05–9.13), “living in rural areas” (OR 2.26; 95% CI 1.41–3.61), “being female” (OR 1.38; 95% CI 1.06–1.8) and “dog ownership” (OR 1.37; 95% CI 1.01–1.86).Conclusions/SignificanceLiving in endemic rural areas, in which free roaming dogs have access to offal and being a dog-owner, seem to be among the most significant PRFs for acquiring this parasitic infection. Results of data analysed here may contribute to our understanding of the PRFs for CE and may potentially be useful in planning community interventions aimed at controlling CE in endemic areas.

Prevalence and risk factors for patent Toxocara infections in cats and cat owners’ attitude towards deworming

The prevalence of and risk factors for shedding Toxocara eggs in cats older than 6 months were determined by examining 670 faecal samples collected in 4 cross-sectional studies in the Netherlands. Additionally, cat owners provided information on their attitude towards routine deworming. Samples were examined using the centrifugal sedimentation flotation method. Overall Toxocara prevalence was 7.2 %. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that young age and living in rural areas were significant risk factors for shedding Toxocara eggs. Moreover, the more time a cat was allowed to roam outdoors, the higher was its risk to shed Toxocara as compared to cats with no outdoor access at all. For 199 cats (81.6 % of cats subjected to a deworming regimen) owners provided the reason for treatment. The main reason for routine deworming (80.4 %) concerned the cat’s health and only 10.6 % of the cats were treated for public health reasons. Moreover, the generally advocated four-times-a-year deworming advice was applied on only 24.5 % of cats. We concluded that free roaming is a key factor in the acquisition of patent Toxocara infections leading to the environmental contamination with Toxocara eggs. Additionally, the knowledge of cat owners is still insufficient to expect them to make sound decisions on routine deworming.

Non-human primate antibody response to mosquito salivary proteins: Implications for dengue virus transmission in Puerto Rico

An important step to incriminate a mosquito as a vector of a disease pathogen is finding evidence of direct contact between the mosquito and humans. Typically, this is accomplished through landing/biting catches, or host blood meal analysis in engorged mosquitoes via immunologic assays. An alternate approach is to identify the presence of specific mosquito anti-saliva protein antibodies in the blood of exposed hosts. Following the discovery of dengue infected, free roaming non-human primates in Puerto Rico, we investigated which mosquito species had bitten these primates using a serologic assay. Serum samples from 20 patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas) and two rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) were used to evaluate mosquito bite exposure to Aedes aegypti, Aedes mediovittatus, Aedes taeniorhynchus, and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes. Of 22 non-human primates examined 20 (90%), 17 (77%), 13 (59%), and 7 (31%) were positive for exposure to Ae. mediovittatus, Cx. quinquefasciatus, Ae. taeniorhynchus, and Ae. aegypti, respectively. Our findings indicated that free-roaming primates in Puerto Rico were exposed to the bites of one proven dengue vector, Ae. aegypti and one potential dengue vector, Ae. mediovittatus.

Prevalence of Platynosomum fastosum infection in free roaming cats in northeastern Brazil: Fluke burden and grading of lesions

The objective of this paper was to investigate prevalence and parasite load of the trematode Platynosomum fastosum infection and the risk of developing cholangitis/cholangiohepatitis among infected domestic cats in a city of northeastern Brazil, and to characterize the influence of fluke burden in the formation of lesions in liver and gallbladder. A total of 141 cats was necropsied and examined for the presence of P. fastosum. The observed prevalence was 42.6% (60/141, 95% CI=34.2–50.9). Parasite load varied from 1 to 219 flukes per animal. Adult cats were more frequently infected than kittens (p<0.01). Risk of cholangitis was about three times higher in infected animals (RR=3.23, 95% CI=2.01–5.07, p<0.01). Centrolobular congestion, portal cholangitis and cholestasis was significantly more common in infected as compared to non-infected cats (p<0.01). Similarly, fibrosis, cholangitis and mucous gland hyperplasia were significantly more prevalent in the bile duct of infected animals (p<0.01). Mild fibrosis and cholecystitis were observed principally in infected cats. Hyperplastic precursor lesions of cholangiocarcinoma were observed, but no solid tumor was diagnosed. These results reveal high prevalence of P. fastosum in free roaming cats in northeastern Brazil, with increased risk of liver disease.

Risk factors associated with nonvaccination rabies status of dogs in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Canine rabies has been enzootic in the dog population of the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa since the mid-1970s and has been associated with high rates of human exposures and frequent transmissions to other domestic animal species. Several decades of control efforts, consisting primarily of mass vaccination programs, failed to sufficiently curb rabies in this province. For meaningful progression toward better control and elimination, the factors contributing to the persistence of this disease need to be elucidated and addressed. This paper reports evaluated observations from survey records captured through a cross-sectional observational study regarding owned canine populations in this South African province. We used logistic regression modeling to predict variables associated with risk of nonvaccination of rabies in owned dogs. The study indicated that husbandry practices, rabies knowledge, geographical area/location, and the ages of dogs were important factors associated with the risk of nonvaccination. High population turnover, together with large free roaming dog populations, compromised the levels of vaccination achieved and contributed to the persistence of dog rabies in the province. Dog owners in this study also reported that they were more likely to present their dogs for vaccination when the vaccines were free of charge (52%) and less than a kilometer from their homes (91%). It has been suggested that effective dog rabies control requires 70% or more of the dog population to be vaccinated. Our data showed that this figure was not reached in the surveyed dog population.

A quantitative assessment of the vegetation types on the island of St. Eustatius, Dutch Caribbean

Caribbean dry forests are among the most endangered tropical ecosystems on earth. Several studies exist on their floristic composition and their recovery after natural or man-made disturbances, but little is known on the small Dutch Caribbean islands. In this study, we present quantitative data on plant species richness and abundance on St. Eustatius, one of the smallest islands of the Lesser Antilles. We collected and identified trees, shrubs, lianas and herbs in 11 plots of 25 x 25 m in different vegetation types. We compared their floristic composition and structure to vegetation surveys from roughly the same locations in the 1990s and 1950s. We found substantial differences among our 11 plots: vegetation types varied from evergreen forests to deciduous shrubland and open woodland. The number of tree species ≥10 cm DBH ranged between one and 17, and their density between three and 82 per plot. In spite that all plots were subject to grazing by free roaming cattle, canopy height and floristic diversity have increased in the last decades. Invasive species are present in the open vegetation types, but not under (partly) closed canopy. Comparison with the earlier surveys showed that the decline of agriculture and conservation efforts resulted in the regeneration of dry forests between the 1950s and 2015. This process has also been reported from nearby islands and offers good opportunities for the future conservation of Caribbean dry forests.

Frothy Bloat (primary ruminal tympany) Potential and Nutrient Content of Forage Kochia (Bassia prostrata L.)

Forage kochia (Bassia prostrata L.) has been used extensively by grazing animals in Central Asia. Forage kochia was introduced into the U.S.A. in 1966 from a Stavropol Botanical Gardens (USSR) planting, and released as a cultivar (Immigrant) in 1984. It has been included in fire and rangeland rehabilitation seed mixes and planted on at least 200,000-400,000 ha in the USA. However, in central Nevada (USA), it has been linked to cattle mortality by frothy bloat (primary ruminal tympany) under specific ecological site conditions. In order to assess its potential to cause frothy bloat in free roaming cattle, we investigated the nutritive value of forage kochia across a grazing season (September-January), and compared in vitro gas production, and foam production and strength with fresh alfalfa. Crude protein values were highest in October-November (23.3 and 21.5%, respectively), while NDF was lowest during the same period (38.8 and 39.3%, respectively). Gas and foam production were higher for alfalfa than kochia over a 12 h incubation period. In general, alfalfa produced twice as much gas and foam as forage kochia (P<0.001). However, forage kochia foam strength (g/DM) was double that of alfalfa (P<0.002), and by 6 h incubation time, foam height of forage kochia was twice that of alfalfa (P<0.001). Forage kochia when used as the sole forage in the diet has the potential to cause frothy bloat in cattle. Fresh alfalfa produces more gas in the rumen; however, foam from forage kochia digestion is likely to be more persistent, potentially leading to frothy bloat development.

Ivory Harvesting Pressure on the Genome of the African Elephant: A Phenotypic Shift to Tusklessness.

The unique chequered pattern of elephant ivory has made it a desired commodity for the production of various works of art. The demand however outstrips the supply and with soaring prices, illegal tusk harvesting is thriving on the African continent. Formal restrictions placed on trade in elephant products have been ineffective in reversing the rapid decline in elephant numbers. We are presently facing the reality of extinction of free roaming elephant on the African continent. This paper describes the histogenesis of the chequered pattern, the genomic impact of ivory harvesting on the phenotype of breeding herds, and the contribution of science to tracing the origin of illegal ivory.

Imaging phenology; scaling from camera plots to landscapes

Abstract Information on the spatial and temporal patterns of plant phenology is important to develop a more comprehensive understanding of food availability and habitat for many animal species. The combination of broad scale, regional climatic, and more localized, site-level drivers presents a challenge when upscaling phenology from the plot to the region. Likewise, developing relationships between ground- or camera-based estimates and satellite imagery remains difficult due to the trade-off between temporal and spatial resolution. Landsat imagery, with its 16 day temporal resolution, is often thought of as being insufficient for timely observation of changes in vegetation throughout the year. However the free availability of the Landsat archive has enabled a major shift in the way Landsat imagery is processed moving towards pixel, rather than scene, based analyses. In this paper we build on previous research by examining the applicability and accuracy of Landsat derived phenology curves beyond deciduous stands into more mixed stands and conifer dominated forest types in the Rocky Mountains and foothills in Alberta, Canada. In addition, we discuss the application of these Landsat phenology curves to phenology of understorey species which are linked to habitat selection for free roaming wildlife, in particular grizzly bears. The agreement between Landsat- and camera-derived estimates of key phenological events was stronger for green-up (RMSE = 7 days) than for senescence (RMSE = 14 days). Our results show that yearly adjustment of green-up and senescence dates using available Landsat observations improved the agreement with camera-derived estimates when compared to average annual curves. Seasonal phenology transition dates accepted as valid ranged from 25% for alpine herbaceous pixels to 75% for closed deciduous, demonstrating the variable success of this approach across land cover types. Season transition dates were rejected if pixels lacked a strong enough green-up signal in Landsat spectral indices or if the estimated dates fell outside of the valid range. We conclude by investigating the spatial patterns of seasonal phenology at the Landsat scale, and assess the relative importance of regional vs. microsite conditions as well as the utility of these data for resource and wildlife management.

Welfare assessments for long-term housing in animal shelters

A KEY consideration for animal shelters is maintaining quality of life and welfare. In the USA many shelters are experiencing a decrease in intake and euthanasia rates, resulting in shorter...

Stray dog bite menace: an open invitation to rabies in Shimla city, Himachal Pradesh, India

Shimla is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. Shimla acts as a hub for India's tourism sector. It is among the top 10 preferred entrepreneurial locations in India. 1 City is grappling with the problem of stray dog menace. Stray dogs have established their habitats around the restaurants, hotels, hostels, hospitals and clubs here. There are around 3500-4000 stray dogs in Shimla City. In localities like the Mall Road, the Ridge, Jakhu and Summer Hill etc. the free roaming dogs are seen barking on the people.

Vaccinate-assess-move method of mass canine rabies vaccination utilising mobile technology data collection in Ranchi, India.

BackgroundOver 20 000 people die from rabies each year in India. At least 95 % of people contract rabies from an infected dog. Annual vaccination of over 70 % of the dog population has eliminated both canine and human rabies in many countries. Despite having the highest burden of rabies in the world, there have been very few studies which have reported the successful, large scale vaccination of dogs in India. Furthermore, many Indian canine rabies vaccination programmes have not achieved high vaccine coverage.MethodsIn this study, we utilised a catch-vaccinate-release approach in a canine rabies vaccination programme in 18 wards in Ranchi, India. Following vaccination, surveys of the number of marked, vaccinated and unmarked, unvaccinated dogs were undertaken. A bespoke smartphone ‘Mission Rabies’ application was developed to facilitate data entry and team management. This enabled GPS capture of the location of all vaccinated dogs and dogs sighted on post vaccination surveys. In areas where coverage was below 70 %, catching teams were re-deployed to vaccinate more dogs followed by repeat survey.ResultsDuring the initial vaccination cycle, 6593 dogs were vaccinated. Vaccination coverage was over 70 % in 14 of the 18 wards. A second cycle of vaccination was performed in the 4 wards where initial vaccination coverage was below 70 %. Following this second round of vaccination, coverage was reassessed and found to be over 70 % in two wards and only just below 70 % in the final two wards (66.7 % and 68.2 %, respectively).ConclusionOur study demonstrated that mobile technology enabled efficient team management and rapid data entry and analysis. The vaccination approach outlined in this study has the potential to facilitate the rapid vaccination of large numbers of dogs at a high coverage in free roaming dog populations in India.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12879-015-1320-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Mobile Ad-hoc Network using P-Encryption Scheme

As MANET edge closer toward wide-spread deployment, security issues have become a central concern and are increasingly important. Various security mechanisms have been proposed, widely used, and proven to be effective in wired networks, but no single mechanism provides all the services required in a MANET. Due to certain characteristics of MANETs, some security mechanisms are not applicable to this environment. These certain characteristics of ad hoc networks include: lack of a network infrastructure and online administration, the dynamics of the network topology and node membership, the potential attacks from inside the network. an important issue in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs) is Energy saving. the energy consumption can be reduced by network coding in MANETs by using less transmissions. However ,there are other sources of energy consumption, e.g., data encryption/decryption. To point this issue energy saving encryption scheme called Enhanced P-Coding is proposed for MANETs , by exploiting networking coding technique. let source compress the coded messages (prefixed with coding vectors) is basic idea of Enhanced Pcoding using run length encoding technique and hence the original message is said to be encrypted efficiently since for the eavesdropper to obtain any meaningful information from compressed data is very difficult task.A Mobile ad hoc Network (MANET) is a self-governing network comprised of free roaming nodes which communicate wireless by radio transmission Keywords–. MANET, Mobile ad hoc networks, energy saving, network coding, lightweight encryption