Big Cats Research Articles

Assessment of physiological status of felids as indicator of their welfare in the wild

One of the main approaches to monitoring the welfare of wild mammal populations in the wild is animal health estimation based on an analysis of their physiological parameters. To assess that for the natural felid populations, we analyzed adrenal activity level, white blood cells (WBC) counts and occurrence of seropositive reactions to different diseases. The first study was conducted in the Southwest Primorye, in natural habitats of Far Eastern leopard. Unevenly cold and snowy winters in 2010 and 2011 provided extreme natural conditions for overwintering mammals across the Russian Far East. Adrenocortical activity of leopards was significantly higher in 2011 (fecal cortisol level was 712.7 ± 92.4 ng g-1) than in 2010 (361.4 ± 80.5 ng g-1). We suggest that abundance and availability of weakened deer and carcasses could facilitate hunting for leopards and help them to avoid starvation. In the second study we used WBC counts as a health index for three felid species: Pallas cat (Daursky State Nature Biosphere Reserve, 2010), Far Eastern leopard (Southwestern Prymorie, 2011), Siberian tiger (Ussuriskii Reserve, 2010-2011). The ratio of neutrophils to lymphocytes (N:L) was used as an indicator of stress and/or disease state. Occurrence of seropositive reactions to 12 different pathogens was analyzed in all the animals after the hematological analysis. Pallas cats had the lowest N:L ratio (1.0 ± 0.1), significantly differing from leopards (42.8 ± 16.0) and tigers (24.5 ± 9.2). The N:L ratio correlated with the occurrence of seropositive reactions but not with the pathogen diversity. Pallas cats had the lowest occurrence of positive reactions to 4 pathogens: Toxoplasma gondii (12.5%), Mycoplasma sp. (12.5%), influenza A (7.1%), and feline leukemia virus (8.3%). Leopards had the highest N:L and occurrence of seropositive reactions only to 2 infections: T. gondii (16.6%) and Candida sp. (100%). On the contrary, tigers had positive responses to 6 pathogens, including canine distemper (7.7%), feline immunodeficiency virus (8.3%) and Aujeszky’s disease (31%), which were not found in other cats. Values of N:L depended also on the time spent to get blood samples. In the big felid species effects of glucocorticoids on the WBC ratio (neutrophilia) were obtained in blood samples from anesthetized animals, taken more than 2 hours after capture. In Pallas cats blood samples were collected within 13 ± 2 min without anesthesia. Thus the high N:L ratio in big felids can be explained by several reasons: stress of capture, immunosuppression and a high diversity of detected infections. The present findings may have important implications for creation of effective conservation strategies of rare felid species in the wild.

“It’s a conspiracy theoryandclimate change”

This article traces the introduction of the category of climate change into the Indian Himalaya. Climate change emerged as an explanation for recurring incidences of humananimal conflict and the disappearance of a protected species through the labors of the local state bureaucracy. Even as the narratives on climate change were being imbued with expert authority, counternarratives dealing with the very same phenomena voiced by long-term residents of the Himalayas were summarily dismissed by the state as constituting mere conspiracy theories. This article accords both these narratives equal space and details the effects of the explanatory force of climate change in this region. On the basis of ethnography centered on humans, big cats, bears, and musk deer, it argues for an enhanced ethnographic attention to the political work done in the name of climate change. The article questions the analytic utility of the concept of the Anthropocene and ends by outlining certain distinctive characteristics of climate change as a concept and call to act upon the world.

A generalised random encounter model for estimating animal density with remote sensor data.

Summary Wildlife monitoring technology is advancing rapidly and the use of remote sensors such as camera traps and acoustic detectors is becoming common in both the terrestrial and marine environments. Current methods to estimate abundance or density require individual recognition of animals or knowing the distance of the animal from the sensor, which is often difficult. A method without these requirements, the random encounter model (REM), has been successfully applied to estimate animal densities from count data generated from camera traps. However, count data from acoustic detectors do not fit the assumptions of the REM due to the directionality of animal signals.We developed a generalised REM (gREM), to estimate absolute animal density from count data from both camera traps and acoustic detectors. We derived the gREM for different combinations of sensor detection widths and animal signal widths (a measure of directionality). We tested the accuracy and precision of this model using simulations of different combinations of sensor detection widths and animal signal widths, number of captures and models of animal movement.We find that the gREM produces accurate estimates of absolute animal density for all combinations of sensor detection widths and animal signal widths. However, larger sensor detection and animal signal widths were found to be more precise. While the model is accurate for all capture efforts tested, the precision of the estimate increases with the number of captures. We found no effect of different animal movement models on the accuracy and precision of the gREM.We conclude that the gREM provides an effective method to estimate absolute animal densities from remote sensor count data over a range of sensor and animal signal widths. The gREM is applicable for count data obtained in both marine and terrestrial environments, visually or acoustically (e.g. big cats, sharks, birds, echolocating bats and cetaceans). As sensors such as camera traps and acoustic detectors become more ubiquitous, the gREM will be increasingly useful for monitoring unmarked animal populations across broad spatial, temporal and taxonomic scales.

Improving photon detector efficiency using a high-fidelity optical controlled-not gate

A significant problem for optical quantum computing is inefficient, or inaccurate photo-detectors. It is possible to use CNOT gates to improve a detector by making a large cat state then measuring every qubit in that state. In this paper we develop a code that compares five different schemes for making multiple measurements, some of which are capable of detecting loss and some of which are not. We explore how each of these schemes performs in the presence of different errors, and derive a formula to find at what probability of qubit loss is it worth detecting loss, and at what probability does this just lead to further errors than the loss introduces.

The Factors for the Extinction of Jaguars and Cougars in El Salvador

The jaguar (Panthera onca, Linnaeus 1758) and cougar (Puma concolor, Linnaeus 1771) are the largest cats in the Americas and are listed as uniquely extinct in El Salvador, Central America. The contributory factors for this event are little understood and/or ignored. This omission hampers conservation planning for declining big cat populations in other countries. A thorough review and analysis of the literature reveals important gaps that impede assessment of the factors for big cat extinction, and also possible meliorative efforts. The evidence questions the commonly blamed civil war and deforestation, and critically assesses a wider set of factors mostly not linked to big cat extinction; dense human population, small national territory, border porosity, cat adaptability to modified land cover and the actual importance of connecting forested corridors. The evidence from other countries shows possibilities of cat adaptability to all possible factors for extinction, but also hints at the possibility of the lack of connecting corridors as uniquely negative in El Salvador. Reintroductions of big cats in El Salvador must include internationalized assessments of their ecology and public tolerance of cat presence. It is imperative that generalized assumptions of cat extinction, e.g. the civil war and deforestation, and human population density are critically reviewed. Full conservation of big cats in the region requires reintroductions based on such critically acquired knowledge, rather than further debate

Conservation inequality and the charismatic cat: Felis felicis

Conservation resources are limited, making it impossible to invest equally in all threatened species. One way to maximise conservation gains is to focus upon those species with particular public appeal, using them to generate funding and support that could also benefit less charismatic species. Although this approach is already used by many conservation organisations, no reliable metrics currently exist to determine the likely charisma of a given species, and therefore identify the most appropriate targets for such campaigns. Here we use market research techniques on over 1500 people from five continents to assess the relative charisma of different mammals, which factors appear to drive it, and how these patterns vary between countries. Felids and primates emerged as highly favoured species for conservation, with the tiger (Panthera tigris) the top species by a wide margin. Using an information theoretic approach we develop models that successfully predict respondents’ preferences across the entire sample, suggesting global commonalities in the attributes that people prefer for conservation. However, by analysing each country separately we are able to improve our models, thus highlighting the importance of identifying locally specific flagships for conservation. The most important attributes were body size and IUCN status, although the extent of baldness, whether the species was a potential threat to humans and whether the eyes were forward or side facing were also widely important. Several of the key attributes revealed in this study could be extrapolated to nearly all terrestrial mammals, paving the way for a standardised global identification of species likely to prove effective for future conservation campaigns. The public preferred species with which they had affinity and familiarity, and we discuss how these aspects could be increased to promote the under-achievers, whilst maximising the funding potential of the highly charismatic mammals. While the felids are widely regarded as a popular taxonomic group, the great extent to which they appealed to our respondents emphasises their potential as ambassadors for conservation. Indeed, the big cats were so highly rated that we might think of them as one, Felis felicis: a globally powerful flagship for conservation.

Wirausaha Kelompok Usaha Budidaya Pembesaran Lele

<p><span><em>Business Group Catfish Aquaculture enlargement as a form of response </em><span><em>to the community groups who are in RT 01 and RT 02 Somoitan, Girikerta, Turi, </em><span><em>Sleman, who wish to pioneer the cultivation of catfish, but they are faced with: 1). </em><span><em>Production problems in the form of limited/partners of the limited knowledge: a). On </em><span><em>preparation techniques for the cultivation of fish rearing pondcat fish. b). stocking of </em><span><em>cat fish. c).enlargement process includes feeding catfish, prebiotics and vitamins, water </em><span><em>treatment pond and high settings. d). about the harvest which includes sorting the </em><span><em>harvest and transport fish. 2). Management problems that include both partners still </em><span><em>lack knowledge about: a). How to access capital financial institution Bank/Non-Bank. </em><span><em>b). Including financial management analyst investment costsand production costs as </em><span><em>well as production breakeven analysis (Break Even Point/BEP) efforten large ment cat </em><span><em>fish. c). About entrepreneurship, especially in business planning. </em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><em>The method used to overcome the problem of training and practice are partners as well </em><em>as mentoring. The training consiste do ftraining and practice etraining the fish pond </em><em>preparation, seeding, maintenance catfish, fish harvesting, training how to access </em><em>capital, financial management training business, and entrepreneurship training and </em><em>business planning. The results of this activityis the increase of knowledge, under </em><em>standing and skills of the participants in the cultivation of catfish rearing which </em><em>includes the ability to preparea fishpond, stocking, maintenance and harvesting. In </em><em>terms of partner management business grouph as been an increase in knowledge</em>, <em>understanding and skills of participants in the field of access to capital, management of </em><em>business financial management, entrepreneurship and business planning. While </em><em>mentoring partners can be expected to start catfish farming sustainable </em>enlargement to <em>improvethe economic welfare ofthe group members.</em></p>

Inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate induced Ca2+ release and excitation-contraction coupling in atrial myocytes from normal and failing hearts.

Impaired calcium (Ca(2+)) signalling is the main contributor to depressed ventricular contractile function and occurrence of arrhythmia in heart failure (HF). Here we report that in atrial cells of a rabbit HF model, Ca(2+) signalling is enhanced and we identified the underlying cellular mechanisms. Enhanced Ca(2+) transients (CaTs) are due to upregulation of inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor induced Ca(2+) release (IICR) and decreased mitochondrial Ca(2+) sequestration. Enhanced IICR, however, together with an increased activity of the sodium-calcium exchange mechanism, also facilitates spontaneous Ca(2+) release in form of arrhythmogenic Ca(2+) waves and spontaneous action potentials, thus enhancing the arrhythmogenic potential of atrial cells. Our data show that enhanced Ca(2+) signalling in HF provides atrial cells with a mechanism to improve ventricular filling and to maintain cardiac output, but also increases the susceptibility to develop atrial arrhythmias facilitated by spontaneous Ca(2+) release. We studied excitation-contraction coupling (ECC) and inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3)-dependent Ca(2+) release in normal and heart failure (HF) rabbit atrial cells. Left ventricular HF was induced by combined volume and pressure overload. In HF atrial myocytes diastolic [Ca(2+)]i was increased, action potential (AP)-induced Ca(2+) transients (CaTs) were larger in amplitude, primarily due to enhanced Ca(2+) release from central non-junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and centripetal propagation of activation was accelerated, whereas HF ventricular CaTs were depressed. The larger CaTs were due to enhanced IP3 receptor-induced Ca(2+) release (IICR) and reduced mitochondrial Ca(2+) buffering, consistent with a reduced mitochondrial density and Ca(2+) uptake capacity in HF. Elementary IP3 receptor-mediated Ca(2+) release events (Ca(2+) puffs) were more frequent in HF atrial myoctes and were detected more often in central regions of the non-junctional SR compared to normal cells. HF cells had an overall higher frequency of spontaneous Ca(2+) waves and a larger fraction of waves (termed arrhythmogenic Ca(2+) waves) triggered APs and global CaTs. The higher propensity of arrhythmogenic Ca(2+) waves resulted from the combined action of enhanced IICR and increased activity of sarcolemmal Na(+)-Ca(2+) exchange depolarizing the cell membrane. In conclusion, the data support the hypothesis that in atrial myocytes from hearts with left ventricular failure, enhanced CaTs during ECC exert positive inotropic effects on atrial contractility which facilitates ventricular filling and contributes to maintaining cardiac output. However, HF atrial cells were also more susceptible to developing arrhythmogenic Ca(2+) waves which might form the substrate for atrial rhythm disorders frequently encountered in HF.

The mechanisms of calcium cycling and action potential dynamics in cardiac alternans.

Alternans is a risk factor for cardiac arrhythmia, including atrial fibrillation. At the cellular level alternans manifests as beat-to-beat alternations in contraction, action potential duration (APD), and magnitude of the Ca(2+) transient (CaT). Electromechanical and CaT alternans are highly correlated, however, it has remained controversial whether the primary cause of alternans is a disturbance of cellular Ca(2+) signaling or electrical membrane properties. To determine whether a primary failure of intracellular Ca(2+) regulation or disturbances in membrane potential and AP regulation are responsible for the occurrence of alternans in atrial myocytes. Pacing-induced APD and CaT alternans were studied in single rabbit atrial and ventricular myocytes using combined [Ca(2+)]i and electrophysiological measurements. In current-clamp experiments, APD and CaT alternans strongly correlated in time and magnitude. CaT alternans was observed without alternation in L-type Ca(2+) current, however, elimination of intracellular Ca(2+) release abolished APD alternans, indicating that [Ca(2+)]i dynamics have a profound effect on the occurrence of CaT alternans. Trains of 2 distinctive voltage commands in form of APs recorded during large and small alternans CaTs were applied to voltage-clamped cells. CaT alternans was observed with and without alternation in the voltage command shape. During alternans AP-clamp large CaTs coincided with both long and short AP waveforms, indicating that CaT alternans develop irrespective of AP dynamics. The primary mechanism underlying alternans in atrial cells, similarly to ventricular cells, resides in a disturbance of Ca(2+) signaling, whereas APD alternans are a secondary consequence, mediated by Ca(2+)-dependent AP modulation.

La inervación del miembro torácico en felinos

La inervacion de las regiones del miembro toracico de los gatos no se ha descrito bien a pesar de su importancia para la cirugia reparadora y por ser probablemente el desorden de nervios perifericos mas importante en gatos. En los felinos, los miembros toracicos facilitan el salto y representan uno de los principales medios para la captura de las presas. Los principales musculos y nervios que participan en estas actividades se encuentran en la region del antebrazo y la mano. El objetivo del presente estudio fue proporcionar una descripcion detallada de la inervacion de las regiones del miembro toracico del jaguar (Panthera onca) y el puma (Puma concolor), en comparacion con la del gato domestico (Felis catus), contribuyendo asi con el conocimiento anatomico para su aplicacion en la cirugia y la patologia de los miembros toracicos en grandes y pequenos felinos. Se describen el recorrido de los nervios y sus patrones de distribucion en el miembro toracico de tres especies de felinos. Los resultados hallados indican que las variaciones observadas son minimas y los conceptos anatomicos obtenidos del estudio del gato domestico, pueden aplicarse ampliamente a los felinos silvestres.

Effect of Bungee-carcass enrichment on behavior and fecal glucocorticoid metabolites in two species of zoo-housed Felids.

Enrichment can improve animal physiological and psychological well-being. This study sought to promote more natural felid behavior and prevent development or incidence of stereotypies through the use of a feeding enrichment. Our objectives are to use fecal glucocorticoid metabolites values and behavioral observations to quantify the effectiveness of the enrichment device for two species of large cats, Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris; n = 2) and cougar (Felis concolor; n = 2). The feeding enrichment, a white-tailed deer carcass flank securely attached to an AussieDog Products(©) Felid 120-cm bungee, was implemented twice for each individual separated by 1 month. Fecal samples were obtained from each felid and analyzed for pre- and post-enrichment fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) concentrations using a cortisol enzyme immunoassay. An ethogram with 12 mutual exclusive behavioral categories was utilized to record behavioral responses to the enrichment. Results demonstrate that: 1) there were no differences (P > 0.05) in FGMs for either species between pre- and post-enrichment; 2) pacing decreased (P = 0.025) and walking increased (P = 0.017) after exposure to enrichment in both cougars; and 3) tigers reduced (P = 0.025) 'other' behavioral category after the first enrichment exposure and laid down more (P = 0.025) after the second enrichment exposure. The neutral hormonal impact on the animals coupled with the behavioral changes indicates that this enrichment is successful at altering the animals' behavior without adding physiological stress to their environments. These findings, combined with the low cost and versatility of the enrichment, promote the use of this enrichment to enhance large felid enclosures.

Trade in tigers and other wild cats in Mong La and Tachilek, Myanmar – A tale of two border towns

Trade in large cats (Panthera and Neofelis species), and indeed other wild cats, is a clear impediment to their conservation. Myanmar is an important country for cat conservation, both because of the presence of significant populations of threatened species but equally as it is positioned strategically between China, Thailand and India. Here we analyse data from large cat skins and other cat parts observed openly for sale at two border towns in Myanmar. Data from Tachilek on the Myanmar–Thailand border (19 surveys, 1991–2013) and Mong La on the Myanmar–China border (7 surveys, 2001–2014) show that the most common species in trade was the clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa (482 individuals; observed in 22/24 surveys), followed by leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis (458 individuals; 11/12 surveys), leopard Panthera pardus (344; 22/24 surveys), tiger P. tigris (207 individuals; 21/24 surveys) and Asiatic golden cat Catopuma temmincki (135 individuals; 10/12 surveys). Volumes of skins held no relationship with the number of other cat parts (e.g. skull, claws and canines) in trade. The number of small cat skins observed was positively related to the number of large cat skins. There were no indications that leopards or clouded leopards were used as replacement for tigers. While the number of shops selling cat parts increased in Mong La from 6 in 2006 to 21 in 2014 there was no associated temporal increase in trade, whereas the number of shops decreased from 35 in 2000 to 6 in 2013 in Tachilek and this coincided with a decrease in available cat parts. These data show that in the last decades the trade of cat parts from Myanmar into Thailand has diminished and reaffirms the role of China in the trade of cats out of Myanmar.

Do attacks by jaguars Panthera onca and pumas Puma concolor (Carnivora: Felidae) on livestock correlate with species richness and relative abundance of wild prey?

Abstract: Attacks by big cats on livestock are one of the major causes of human-felid conflicts and, therefore, an important factor in the conservation of these species. It has been argued that a reduction in natural prey abundance promotes attacks on domestic species, but few studies have tested this statement, and some have delivered contradictory results. We investigated whether the occurrence of attacks to livestock by jaguar and puma relates to the abundance and richness of their natural prey. In the rainy season 2009, we tracked potential prey species counting signs of presence along linear transects in 14 non-attacked cattle farms (control) and in 14 attacked cattle farms in NW Costa Rica. There was a negative relationship between the occurrence of attacks and both species richness (p = 0.0014) and abundance (p = 0.0012) of natural prey. Our results support the establishment of actions to promote support and recovery of natural prey, in order to diminish attacks on livestock, while maintaining jaguar and puma populations.

Reoccupation of Former Territories by the Asiatic Lion <I>Panthera Leo Persica</I>, Meyer, 1826, in Southern Saurashtra, Gujarat, India: A Vision for Future Management

While the total lion population has increased by 27% from 2010 to 2015, the increase during the same period in protected areas is only 6%, but the increase outside of them is 126%. The total area of the Gir National Park and Sanctuary and the Girnar, Mitiyala, and Paniya sanctuaries and their environs, is approximately 1,900 sq. km, while the current landscape occupied by the Lion in Southern Saurashtra is about 22,000 sq. km. No large wild cat has affected reoccupation of its former habitat on such a scale, neither in Asia nor in Africa, in the last more than 50 years. An encouraging factor which will assist the lion reoccupation of former territories is the sense of tolerance and pride with which the local people view the arrival of lions in their neighbourhood. The fact that lions prey substantially upon nilgai which cause damage to agriculture, has helped in their acceptance by the local communities. However, public opinion can change if lions come in serious conflict with human interests. The authorities, therefore, must prepare a comprehensive prospective management plan, which would assist the lion to reoccupy suitable former habitats including the Barda landscape, allow movement of specimens to prevent in-Breeding, as well as to safeguard the lions, their prey and their habitats.

Front and Back Covers, Volume 30, Number 6. December 2014

Front and back cover caption, volume 30 issue 6Front coverTHE HOUSE GUNThe world was watching when Paralympic gold medallist Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp's parents stepped into the magisterial Palace of Justice in Pretoria. At that moment they entered alien territory beyond the ken of the insular white upper class Afrikaner community, many of whom live as if poor blacks were not the very foundation and backbone of the nation. Little had changed for them except their increased fears of criminal assault by black ‘intruders’ washed up from the surrounding townships. The only defence for their beleaguered class was a latter‐day version of the Afrikaaner laager: the gated community, motion sensors, armed guards, and a private arsenal of guns – from high powered rifles to the trusty little ‘weekend special’, the house gun. Face to face with a stern and stoical Zulu judge, Thokozile Masipa, the defendant sobbed, retched, and begged for mercy from ‘My Lady’. He admitted killing his live‐in girlfriend by shooting wildly through the door of a tiny toilet cubicle, arguing that it was a mistake.As Nancy Scheper‐Hughes argues in this issue, one way of understanding the Pistorius case is through the powerful writings of white South African authors such as Nobel Prize laureate Nadine Gordimer's anticipatory post‐apartheid novel, The house gun, in which she imagined a scenario similar to the one played out in the Pistorius trial where white fears and black justice met in the courtroom. South Africa is not unique. The mobilization of white peoples' fear of black or brown ‘intruders’ has infected other divided nations, like the United States and Israel. Here the social and architectural construction of ‘white’ settler or settler‐like special enclosures fortified by the legal right to self‐defence with private weapons has reproduced a colonial ‘paranoid ethos’ and a dangerous denial of the violence that is nested like a coiled rattlesnake from within their own segregated and hypervigilant enclosures.Back coverEATING PETS?An eating place offering dog meat for sale at a market; a common sight in South Korea.Seoul's largest cat and dog meat market opens on calendar days ending with 4 and 9 of each month. Here, on these days, ready‐cooked dog meat is also widely served all year round. One row of market stalls is entirely dedicated to shops selling mainly live dogs and chickens, animals consumed as part of a belief system that maintains that their consumption helps to regulate body temperature especially during the summer.As evidenced in the recent horsemeat controversy, British food anxieties revolve especially around maintaining a clear separation between companion animals and livestock. The Korean case, however, shows vernacular sensibilities running along different lines, principally based on local ideas about medicine and cosmology.Korean activists are presently taking a moral stance against dog meat consumers capable of tenderizing live animals for their meat. Yet even these activists voice their stance largely through emic interpretations of trans‐species relations rooted in Korean cosmology and ontology.In this issue, Julien Dugnoille looks at how Korean activists bring the issue of animal welfare to the attention of Korean society. He explores the ways in which activists deploy rescue narratives in order to attract families willing to adopt rescued animals, thus transforming people's perception of livestock animals into that of potential lifetime companions. Combined here are the Confucian virtue of impartial benevolence and 18th‐century Western moral philosophy.

Coexistence of the tiger and the common leopard in a prey‐rich area: the role of prey partitioning

AbstractEcological theory predicts that sympatric species should avoid competition through diet, spatial and/or temporal partitioning. In carnivores, interference is widespread between species with similar diets. Smaller species are expected to differentiate their diet from that of larger, dominant ones, to reduce the risk of potentially lethal encounters. Interference has been reported between tigers and common leopards, with the former dominant over the latter. In 2009–2011, in an area ofTerai,South‐WestNepal, we assessed food habits and prey selection of tigers and common leopards, to evaluate whether prey partitioning occurred between these large cats. Prey availability was high, both in terms of number of species (at least seven wild ungulates beside livestock, two primates and an array of smaller prey) and density (large ungulates, livestock and primates: 130.8–174.8 individuals per km2). Wild vertebrates were the staple of both cats (tigers: 82.7%; common leopards: 66.6%), but common leopards used livestock significantly more than tigers did. Diet breadth of leopards wasc.20% larger than that of tigers, indicating a broader trophic niche. Significant differences in prey use and selection occurred between tigers and leopards, with the former using large (i.e. >100 kg) prey more often and small (i.e. 5–25 kg) prey less often than the latter did. Medium‐sized prey were taken in comparable proportions by the two cats, with a great overlap of diet (Pianka index: 0.85). In conclusion, in our study area, apparently tigers and leopards did not base their coexistence on diet partitioning, suggesting a major role for spatial and/or temporal partitioning.

Evaluating physiological stress in Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris ssp. sumatrae) managed in Australian zoos.

Glucocorticoid quantification using non-invasive methods provides a powerful tool for assessing the health and welfare of wildlife in zoo-based programmes. In this study, we provide baseline data on faecal-based glucocorticoid (cortisol) monitoring of Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris ssp. sumatrae) managed at the Melbourne Zoo in Victoria, Australia. We sampled five tigers daily for 60 days. Faecal cortisol metabolites (FCMs) in tiger faecal extracts were quantified using enzyme immunoassays that were successfully validated using parallelism and accuracy recovery checks. Two female tigers had significantly higher mean FCM levels than the two males and another female, suggesting that females may have higher FCM levels. A significant elevation was noted in the FCM levels for one female 2 days after she was darted and anaesthetized; however, the FCM levels returned to baseline levels within 3 days after the event. Comparative analysis of FCM levels of tigers sampled at Melbourne Zoo with tigers sampled earlier at two other Australian Zoos (Dreamworld Themepark and Australia Zoo) showed that FCM levels varied between zoos. Differences in the enclosure characteristics, timing of sampling, size and composition of groupings and training procedures could all contribute to this variation. Overall, we recommend the use of non-invasive sampling for the assessment of adrenocortical activity of felids managed in zoos in Australia and internationally in order to improve the welfare of these charismatic big cats.

Bow-Wow’s Nightmare Neighbors by Mark Newgarden (review)

Reviewed by: Bow-Wow’s Nightmare Neighbors by Mark Newgarden Deborah Stevenson Newgarden, Mark Bow-Wow’s Nightmare Neighbors; written and illus. by Mark Newgarden and Megan Montague Cash. Roaring Brook, 2014 [64p] ISBN 978-1-59643-640-4 $17.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 2-4 In this wordless book, golden little Bow-Wow is peacefully sleeping when a trio of wee ghostly kittens sneaks his cushion out from underneath him. The determined dog tracks the thieves to the creepy old mansion next door, where he encounters a multitude of cats, who have a fondness for biting his tail. Bow-Wow eventually finds his cushion among an array of others—which are all serving as the padding for a humongous white cat. After biting the big cat’s tail, Bow-Wow makes his hasty exit, but when lightning strikes the old mansion the cats befriend the dog and cozily join him in his house. The transitions are confusing at times, so it takes some sophisticated visual decoding, but it’s a humorous tale; it unfolds with the cheerful anarchy of an old-school cartoon, with lively smaller events (Bow-Wow scares off a burglar and flushes an annoying kitty down the toilet) keeping viewer interest as the pup tours the house. The thickly lined digital art evinces a whimsical yet sturdy charm; the palette livens up its ominous gray backgrounds with touches of color in Bow-Wow’s gold and the green of the cushion (and occasional cushion lookalikes), while rounded edges and toylike simplicity control the scare factor. This isn’t quite up to the standard of Varon’s wordless Robot Dreams (BCCB 11/07), but it’s an amusing readalone for kids who find words get in the way of their enjoyment. Copyright © 2014 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Carnivore and Herbivore Densities in the Immediate Aftermath of Ethno-Political Conflict: The Case of Manas National Park, India

Many biodiversity hotspots experience high political volatility and armed conflicts. But their impacts on wildlife conservation are poorly understood. In this study we analyze the influence of fifteen years of armed conflict and subsequent peacetime interventions on wildlife populations in Manas National Park, India. Camera trapping and line-transect surveys were carried out to estimate the densities of carnivores and herbivores respectively. Using relative abundance index, the estimated densities of the three large felids were: tiger, Panthera tigris (1.86 animals/100 km2), leopard, Panthera pardus (1.68 animals/100 km2), clouded leopard, Neofelis nebulosa (0.58 animals/100 km2). Among the ungulates, which are the principal prey species of tigers, wild-buffalo, Bubalus arnee was most abundant (22.88± S.E. 11.63 animals/km2). The combined density of the ungulate species was 42.02 animals/km2. Our data and observations from the field indicate that except for the rhino, Rhinoceros unicornis, most wildlife species survived the conflict. Relationships between ungulate and tiger abundances indicate that Manas can support more tigers than are currently present. The ongoing restoration efforts seem to have an uplifting effect on the overall profile of the park, particularly on tourism and in engaging local communities. Our baseline estimates for the large cats and their prey species will enable future evaluation of the recovery process with respect to change in species abundance over time.

Meiotic maturation of oocytes recovered from the ovaries of Indian big cats at postmortem.

In order to increase the available sources of genetic material for endangered members of the great cat family, this study was designed to assess the meiotic competence of oocytes recovered from postmortem ovaries of the Indian leopard, tiger and lion. The average number of oocytes that were recovered per ovary was 11.0 ± 5.0, 11.0 ± 3.5 and 21.3 ± 8.8 for tiger, lion and leopard, respectively. The proportion of culture grade oocytes for tiger, lion and leopard were 72.7, 78.8 and 71.9%, respectively. The culture grade oocytes were matured in tissue culture medium 199 modified with sodium bicarbonate supplemented with 0.3% BSA (fatty acid-free) (w/v), 10 μg/ml FSH, 6 IU/ml LH, 1 μg/ml 17β-estradiol, 0.36 mM pyruvate, 2.2 mM calcium lactate, 2.0 mM L-glutamine, 100 IU/ml penicillin and 0.1 mg/ml streptomycin in an incubator with 5% CO2 under humidified air at 38.5°C for 36 h. After in vitro maturation, 56.3, 53.8 and 58.7% of the tiger, lion and leopard oocytes, respectively, were matured. The proportion of oocytes that extruded first polar body was significantly higher when the oocytes were collected from the animals of less than 15 yr of age compared to above 15 yr. These findings suggest that the oocytes recovered from ovaries of tiger, lion and leopard immediately postmortem can be successfully matured to MII stage.