Conservation Of Threatened Species Research Articles

Reversing the decline of threatened koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) populations in New South Wales: Using genomics to enhance conservation outcomes.

Genetic management is a critical component of threatened species conservation. Understanding spatial patterns of genetic diversity is essential for evaluating the resilience of fragmented populations to accelerating anthropogenic threats. Nowhere is this more relevant than on the Australian continent, which is experiencing an ongoing loss of biodiversity that exceeds any other developed nation. Using a proprietary genome complexity reduction-based method (DArTSeq), we generated a data set of 3239 high quality Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) to investigate spatial patterns and indices of genetic diversity in the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), a highly specialised folivorous marsupial that is experiencing rapid and widespread population declines across much of its former range. Our findings demonstrate that current management divisions across the state of New South Wales (NSW) do not fully represent the distribution of genetic diversity among extant koala populations, and that care must be taken to ensure that translocation paradigms based on these frameworks do not inadvertently restrict gene flow between populations and regions that were historically interconnected. We also recommend that koala populations should be prioritised for conservation action based on the scale and severity of the threatening processes that they are currently faced with, rather than placing too much emphasis on their perceived value (e.g., as reservoirs of potentially adaptive alleles), as our data indicate that existing genetic variation in koalas is primarily partitioned among individual animals. As such, the extirpation of koalas from any part of their range represents a potentially critical reduction of genetic diversity for this iconic Australian species.

An assessment of potential herbivory impacts of a reintroduced marsupial in a predator‐free woodland sanctuary

SummaryFenced sanctuaries that exclude feral predators are critical for threatened species conservation. However, adaptive management of these sanctuaries requires careful consideration of the potential impact herbivore populations free from predation can have on the condition of native vegetation. The Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary in the Australian Capital Territory comprises Critically Endangered box‐gum grassy woodland, threatened orchids, abundant macropods, and a reintroduced population of the Eastern Bettong (Bettongia gaimardi, hereafter “Ngaluda”). To understand how Ngaluda, along with other herbivores, may be potentially impacting vegetation across the sanctuary, we undertook an assessment of indicator plant species. We monitored 106 plots for 13 indicator species (10 species with tuberous roots that the burrowing Ngaluda would be preferentially targeting and three non‐tuberous species). We found that most floristic indicators we investigated – including richness of indicator species and the abundance of lilies – were higher in the Goorooyarroo area of the sanctuary (where Ngaluda are absent and wallabies are rare) compared to the Mulligans Flat area of the sanctuary (where Ngaluda are present and wallabies are abundant), suggesting a negative impact of the overall herbivore assemblage of Mulligans Flat. However, within just Mulligans Flat, some indicators, including the abundance of a common orchid, were significantly lower in areas associated with high Ngaluda activity irrespective of other herbivore densities. We found no instance of Ngaluda presence or higher activity being associated with higher values for any floristic indicator we investigated. These results are consistent with known impacts of abundant herbivores and reintroduced digging marsupials in other predator‐free sanctuaries in Australia. Our results highlight that Ngaluda herbivory may be outweighing any positive effect of their diggings on native vegetation and indicate the need for careful risk mitigation when deciding how critically endangered animals and vegetation communities are managed together in sanctuaries.

Selecting safe zone for threatened species conservation: a case study of a watershed in the southern Philippines

ABSTRACT The Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources has protocols for identifying landscapes for conservation but lacks clear guidelines for mapping areas of interest. To augment the procedure, we explored using Multi-Criteria Overlay Raster Analysis that scores the best available data from a watershed to identify potential Critical Habitat or Protected Areas. The algorithm deducts potential areas for wildlife habitation from areas that contribute to conservation conflicts, resulting in a potential ‘safe zone’ for conservation. The framework is applied to a case study in a watershed in the southern Philippines and produces a gradient score to determine the most suitable to least suitable areas for conservation. By using the best available data and local perspectives, the synthesized methodological framework was found to be useful in the decision-making process.

Valuing harvest regulation changes in recreational fisheries with a discrete choice experiment study: What can we learn from a synthetic review?

This study presents a synthetic review of the application of a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to investigate anglers’ valuation of harvest regulation schemes. From an initial search of 44 eligible primary studies published during the period from the beginning of 2000 to the end of 2021, 17 studies met the criteria for inclusion in this review and provided 255 estimates of willingness to pay (WTP) for an additional authorized fish. To identify which valuation scenarios, experiment design methodology, sampling and modeling approaches were developed, we conducted a qualitative overview of the 17 selected studies. We then synthesized the influence of study characteristics (including harvest regulation type, recreational fisheries settings, sampling strategy and data analysis) on the value of WTP estimates, using meta-regression models. Findings from both types of analysis seem to suggest that previous DCE studies have developed a wide range of methodological solutions, given the variety of fisheries contexts. The present review has its limitations because the number of studies investigated is too small to provide an overarching synthesis of existing evidence. However, the results do convey relevant information for fisheries management and threatened species conservation, notably on the continued preference for keeping catches, the larger welfare loss following a management shift from open-access to regulated fisheries, and the relative preference for migratory species. A further original survey would be needed to fill the existing gaps in the geographic distribution of information about harvest regulation values. This analysis also highlights the fact that little is known about the other economic values that anglers can express regarding species preservation and their motivations.

The Australian public worries more about losing species than the costs of keeping them

SummaryGovernment conservation measures will always depend on public support. While more has been learnt about which species the public values and which conservation measures are socially acceptable, less is known about the criteria that the public thinks government should consider when making conservation investment decisions. This study uses a stated preference best–worst scaling method to gauge the views of a sample of the Australian public on what they think government should consider when allocating funding to threatened species conservation. We found that the three most important factors were the risk that a species might become extinct, the likelihood that a conservation intervention might be effective and the risk of unintended consequences for other species that could potentially arise if the measure was implemented. Costs of conservation measures and the degree to which the society accepts these costs were considered much less important. The latter aspect was consistent with the high level of trust that respondents placed in the judgement of experts and scientists concerning threatened species conservation. We conclude that the Australian Government has a societal mandate to spend more money on threatened species conservation, provided that there is little risk and that it is backed up by science.

Mismatch between conservation needs and actual representation of lions from West and Central Africa in in situ and ex situ conservation

AbstractMismatches between conservation action and conservation needs have been highlighted for diverse species. Lion (Panthera leo) conservation is no exception, raising the question of whether current conservation strategies are always adequate to ensure the long‐term persistence of threatened taxa.To investigate the representation of different lion Evolutionary Significant Units in field research, captive populations, funding allocation, and education, we carried out a literature review and sent an online questionnaire to zoos worldwide. Over 75% of the publications focused on southern and eastern African populations. Uplisting the West African lion to Critically Endangered did not change this result. We received 88 responses from zoos, which reported 346 lions in 83 zoos. Only 14 individuals have West and Central African origins. Over 70% of the respondents reported that they do not include any information on the conservation status or taxonomy of lions from West and Central Africa in their education programs. The minority of zoos funding in situ lion projects did so in Eastern and Southern Africa. We provide recommendations to encourage role‐players involved in lion and other threatened species conservation to address this mismatch by shifting some of their attention and funding to West and Central Africa.

Problems in Threatened Species Conservation: Differences in National Red Lists Assessments with Global Standards

The solution of transnational environmental problems in the field of the protection of threatened species and conservation biology directly depends on the level of international communication, which can significantly decrease due to differences in Red Lists and Red Data Books of different levels. In order to identify the similarities and differences in approaches to the assessment of national Red Lists and Books of the Baltic Sea region countries (Russia, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Finland, Poland and Sweden) with the IUCN Red List, a comparative analysis was carried out. It was determined that the level of discrepancy between Red Data Lists and Books varies considerably, with differences in the scales of species categories, species lists and categories. Most of the threatened species at the national level are not listed under the IUCN Red List, while species in a more stringent category at the national level prevail (37% and 3% on average, respectively). However, national Red Lists and Red Data Books do not take into account the global trend of the risk of extinction of species. The percentage of species with insufficient information to define a category at the national or global level ranges from 6% to 28%. These discrepancies make it difficult to exchange data on threatened species and create a unified database with information on protected species at different levels and, therefore, reduce the effectiveness of biodiversity conservation activities at regional and international levels. The results also demonstrate that countries have an international responsibility to conserve a species, and the cases identified can provide useful additional information to guide a national conservation strategy.

Linking life history to landscape for threatened species conservation in a multiuse region.

Landscape-scale conservation that considers metapopulation dynamics will be essential for preventing declines of species facing multiple threats to their survival. Toward this end, we developed a novel approach that combines occurrence records, spatial-environmental data, and genetic information to model habitat, connectivity, and patterns of genetic structure and link spatial attributes to underlying ecological mechanisms. Using the threatened northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) as a case study, we applied this approach to address the need for conservation decision-making tools that promote resilient metapopulations of this threatened species in the Pilbara, Western Australia, a multiuse landscape that is a hotspot for biodiversity and mining. Habitat and connectivity were predicted by different landscape characteristics. Whereas habitat suitability was overwhelmingly driven by terrain ruggedness, dispersal was facilitated by proximity to watercourses. Although there is limited evidence for major physical barriers in the Pilbara, areas with high silt and clay content (i.e., alluvial and hardpan plains) showed high resistance to dispersal. Climate subtlety shaped distributions and patterns of genetic turnover, suggesting the potential for local adaptation. By understanding these spatial-environmental associations and linking them to life-history and metapopulation dynamics, we highlight opportunities to provide targeted species management. To support this, we have created habitat, connectivity, and genetic uniqueness maps for conservation decision-making in the region. These tools have the potential to provide a more holistic approach to conservation in multiuse landscapes globally.

Influence of management practice on the microbiota of a critically endangered species: a longitudinal study of kākāpō chick faeces and associated nest litter

BackgroundThe critically endangered kākāpō is a flightless, nocturnal parrot endemic to Aotearoa New Zealand. Recent efforts to describe the gastrointestinal microbial community of this threatened herbivore revealed a low-diversity microbiota that is often dominated by Escherichia-Shigella bacteria. Given the importance of associated microbial communities to animal health, and increasing appreciation of their potential relevance to threatened species conservation, we sought to better understand the development of this unusual gut microbiota profile. To this end, we conducted a longitudinal analysis of faecal material collected from kākāpō chicks during the 2019 breeding season, in addition to associated nest litter material.ResultsUsing an experimental approach rarely seen in studies of threatened species microbiota, we evaluated the impact of a regular conservation practice on the developing kākāpō microbiota, namely the removal of faecal material from nests. Artificially removing chick faeces from nests had negligible impact on bacterial community diversity for either chicks or nests (p > 0.05). However, the gut microbiota did change significantly over time as chick age increased (p < 0.01), with an increasing relative abundance of Escherichia-Shigella coli over the study period and similar observations for the associated nest litter microbiota (p < 0.01). Supplementary feeding substantially altered gut bacterial diversity of kākāpō chicks (p < 0.01), characterised by a significant increase in Lactobacillus bacteria.ConclusionsOverall, chick age and hand rearing conditions had the most marked impact on faecal bacterial communities. Similarly, the surrounding nest litter microbiota changed significantly over time since a kākāpō chick was first placed in the nest, though we found no evidence that removal of faecal material influenced the bacterial communities of either litter or faecal samples. Taken together, these observations will inform ongoing conservation and management of this most enigmatic of bird species.

Disproportionate admixture improves reintroduction outcomes despite the use of low‐diversity source populations: population viability analysis for a translocation of the greater stick‐nest rat

AbstractTranslocation is becoming an increasingly important approach to threatened species conservation. Coupled with the knowledge that maximizing genetic diversity aids population establishment, the growing use of translocations can place unsustainable harvesting pressure on critical and vulnerable source populations. However, adaptive, genetically informed modelling tools such as Population Viability Analysis (PVA) can be used to predict translocation outcomes and optimize harvesting strategies. In this study, we use PVAs for the frequently translocated greater stick‐nest rat (Leporillus conditor) to demonstrate the value of admixing founder populations for translocation, even when one source population is deemed genetically depauperate. This approach not only maximizes genetic diversity in the translocated population but reduces harvesting pressure on critical populations. Further, we show that admixed harvesting ratios can be skewed significantly towards the genetically depauperate population in order to further protect the critical population while still producing favourable outcomes, providing adequate founder numbers are used. As many threatened species are limited to fragmented and bottlenecked populations, these results are broadly applicable to the science of reintroduction biology, and demonstrate the value of PVAs for preliminary translocation planning and species management.

The Contingent Valuation Method contributes solutions for wildlife conservation: A case study at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in Borneo, Malaysia.

Deforestation is an alarming issue that is prolific throughout world forests. Endemic fauna, flora, and wildlife habitat loss are serious concerns for world heritage. That is why Goal 15 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) promotes the conserved use of these natural resources. Sabah, Malaysia is fortunate to have "Orang Hutan" literally "Jungle People" in the Sepilok Forest area. The government had designated the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre as their safeguard. Indeed, this is the world's first Rehabilitation Centre for Orangutans. However, the wildlife conservation of Orangutans needs to be translated into economic values. This study aims to determine the economic valuation of wildlife conservation through visitors' Willingness to Pay (WTP) via applying the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM). A total of 143 questionnaires were distributed randomly to international and local visitors. The Logistic Regression was used to estimate the Mean WTP. Results showed that several significant sociodemographic variables influence the respondents' WTP. Nevertheless, most respondents were willing to pay a maximum of MYR16.73, while the mean was MYR7.27 only. In 2017, the estimated annual economic value of the Rehabilitation Centre was MYR9, 697 074.96 compared to the estimated conservation value of MYR96, 970 749.60. The findings of this study demonstrate the possible beneficial role of economic valuation in assisting not just Orangutan conservation but threatened species conservation elsewhere. The study has assisted the Centre's management in determining the appropriate entrance fees for the future, as they have not been revised in over a decade. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:1174-1186. © 2022 SETAC.

Identifying critical habitat with archives: 275-year-old naturalist's notes provide high-resolution spatial evidence of long-term core habitat for a critically endangered shark

Historical sources can provide important data for modern-day threatened species conservation, such as identifying formerly important habitat on which to focus recovery efforts. Here we reveal unique written archival material from the 1740s that provides reliable first-hand observations of the Critically Endangered angel shark Squatina squatina, extending modern knowledge of this species in Welsh waters back by over half a century. These sources clearly identify small-scale and spatially explicit areas of abundance (including of juveniles) around specific reefs that align with more recent data, further strengthening evidence that these areas are of long-term importance that should be prioritised for the global conservation of this species, which has become extinct across much of its former range. These contemporary sources also describe fisheries for angel shark and high desirability, economic value and export trade of their meat, which could suggest that population declines of this intrinsically vulnerable species commenced centuries before modern science detected this. These unique observations highlight the value that historical material can provide in prioritising resource-limited conservation efforts, as well as helping to reframe our temporal understanding of elasmobranch fish declines.

Multiyear monitoring of threatened iconic arboreal mammals in a mid-elevation conservation reserve in eastern Australia.

Multiyear investigations of population dynamics are fundamental to threatened species conservation. We used multiseason occupancy based on spotlight surveys to investigate dynamic occupancy of the koala and the greater glider over an 8‐year period that encompassed a severe drought in year 6. We combined our occupancy estimates with literature estimates of density to estimate the population sizes of these species within the focal conservation reserve. Both species showed substantial yearly variation in the probability of detection (koala: 0.13–0.24; greater glider: 0.12–0.36). Detection of the koala did not follow any obvious pattern. Low detection of the greater glider coincided with the drought and two subsequent years. We suggest the low detection reflected a decline in abundance. The probability of occupancy of the koala was estimated to be 0.88 (95% CI: 0.75–1.0) in year 8. Autonomous recording units were also used in year 8, enabling an independent occupancy estimate of 0.80 (0.64–0.90). We found no evidence of a drought‐induced decline in the koala. Habitat variables had a weak influence on koala occupancy probabilities. The probability of occupancy of the greater glider changed little over time, from 0.52 (95% CI: 0.24–0.81) to 0.63 (0.42–0.85) in year 8. Modeling suggested that the probability of colonization was positively influenced by the percentage cover of rainforest. Increased cover of these nonbrowse trees may reflect thermal buffering, site productivity, or soil moisture. We estimate that our study reserve is likely to contain >900 adult koalas and >2400 adult greater gliders. These are among some of the first reserve‐wide estimates for these species. Our study reserve can play an important role in the conservation of both species.

Choosing optimal trigger points for ex situ, in toto conservation of single population threatened species.

Many endangered species exist in only a single population, and almost all species that go extinct will do so from their last remaining population. Understanding how to best conserve these single population threatened species (SPTS) is therefore a distinct and important task for threatened species conservation science. As a last resort, managers of SPTS may consider taking the entire population into captivity-ex situ, in toto conservation. In the past, this choice has been taken to the great benefit of the SPTS, but it has also lead to catastrophe. Here, we develop a decision-support tool for planning when to trigger this difficult action. Our method considers the uncertain and ongoing decline of the SPTS, the possibility that drastic ex situ action will fail, and the opportunities offered by delaying the decision. Specifically, these benefits are additional time for ongoing in situ actions to succeed, and opportunities for the managers to learn about the system. To illustrate its utility, we apply the decision tool to four retrospective case-studies of declining SPTS. As well as offering support to this particular decision, our tool illustrates why trigger points for difficult conservation decisions should be formulated in advance, but must also be adaptive. A trigger-point for the ex situ, in toto conservation of a SPTS, for example, will not take the form of a simple threshold abundance.

Metapopulation management of a critically endangered marsupial in the age of genomics

The value of genetic management is increasingly recognised in natural resource management particularly in relation to threatened species conservation and translocations. Technical advancements in methodologies available to conservation managers for genetic management present a challenge for long-running programs that monitor genetic diversity over time. Given that microsatellite and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data are not interchangeable, conservation managers are faced with two options: continue using older techniques for consistency (limits genetic knowledge); or discard previous data and move to more precise modern genetic markers (wastes resources and prevents temporal monitoring). To achieve a balance, we should consider whether conservation recommendations made are broadly similar between interpretations of different marker sets, even if estimates are not directly comparable. Here we generated 13,194 SNPs for the woylie ( Bettongia penicillata ), an Australian marsupial, to provide conservation recommendations across their current range (N = 13 indigenous, reintroduced and haven populations) and provide guidance to conservation managers on how these recommendations align with those previously made using 12 microsatellite markers. Observed heterozygosity was significantly less than expected heterozygosity reflecting the historical bottleneck for the species. Only 4 of the 13 populations showed evidence of inbreeding, and effective population sizes ranged from 9.9 to 268.9. Trends in observed heterozygosity were broadly similar between microsatellite and SNP marker sets. Herein we provide advice for conservation managers undertaking translocations on using genetic data, highlight the benefits of moving to newer SNP based approaches for monitoring conservation actions over time, and show that historical management actions are supported by new technologies.

A “Wicked Problem” Reconciling Human-Shark Conflict, Shark Bite Mitigation, and Threatened Species

Conservation measures often result in a “wicked problem,” i.e., a complex problem with conflicting aims and no clear or straightforward resolution without severe adverse effects on one or more parties. Here we discuss a novel approach to an ongoing problem, in which actions to reduce risk to humans, involve lethal control of otherwise protected species. To protect water users, nets are often used to catch potentially dangerous sharks at popular bathing beaches, yet in Australian waters one of the targeted species, the white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is listed as Vulnerable, while bycatch includes the Critically Endangered grey nurse shark (Carcharias taurus). Recent, highly publicised, shark attacks have triggered demands for improved bather protection, whilst welfare and conservation organisations have called for removal of lethal measures. This leaves management and policy makers with a wicked problem: removing nets to reduce impacts on threatened species may increase risk to humans; or leaving the program as it is on the premise that the benefits provided by bather protection are greater than the impact on threatened and protected species. We used multivariate analysis and generalised additive models to investigate the biological, spatial-temporal, and environmental patterns influencing catch rates of threatened and of potentially dangerous shark species in the New South Wales shark nets over two decades to April 2019. Factors influencing catches were used to develop a matrix of potential changes to reduce catch of threatened species. Our proposed solutions include replacing existing nets with alternative mitigation strategies at key beaches where catch rate of threatened species is high. This approach provides stakeholders with a hierarchy of scenarios that address both social demands and threatened species conservation and is broadly applicable to human-wildlife conflict scenarios elsewhere.

Reconstructing lost ecosystems: A risk analysis framework for planning multispecies reintroductions under severe uncertainty

Abstract Reintroduction projects, which are an important tool in threatened species conservation, are becoming more complex, often involving the translocation of multiple species. Ecological theory predicts that the sequence and timing of reintroductions will play an important role in their success or failure. Following the removal of sheep, goats and feral cats, the Western Australian government is sequentially reintroducing 13 native fauna species to restore the globally important natural and cultural values of Dirk Hartog Island (DHI). We use ensembles of ecosystem models to compare 23 alternative reintroduction strategies on DHI, in Western Australia. The reintroduction strategies differ in the order, timing and location of releases on the island. Expert elicitation informed the model structure, allowing for use of different presumed species interaction networks which explicitly incorporated uncertainty in ecosystem dynamics. Our model ensembles predict that almost all of the species (~12.5 of 13, on average) will successfully establish in the ecosystem studied, regardless of which reintroduction strategy is undertaken. The project can therefore proceed with greater confidence and flexibility regarding the reintroduction strategy. However, the identity of the at‐risk species varies between strategies, and depends on the structure of the species interaction network, which is quite uncertain. The model ensembles also offer insights into why some species fail to establish on DHI, predicting that most unsuccessful reintroductions will be the result of competitive interactions with extant species. Synthesis and applications. Our model ensembles allow for the comparison of outcomes between reintroduction strategies and between different species interaction networks. This framework allows for inclusion of high uncertainty in dynamics. Finally, an ensemble modelling approach also creates a foundation for formal adaptive management as reintroduction projects proceed.

Two species, one island: Retrospective analysis of threatened fauna translocations with divergent outcomes.

Translocations are globally a popular tool used with the intention of improving threatened species conservation and re-establishing ecosystem function. While practitioners strive for successful outcomes the failure rate of translocations continues to be high. We demonstrate how predictive modelling can contribute to more informed decision making and hence potentially improve the success rate of translocation programs. Two species, the Djoongari (Shark Bay mouse) Pseudomys fieldi and the golden bandicoot Isoodon auratus barrowensis, were introduced independently to Doole Island in the Exmouth Gulf of Western Australia. We used population viability analysis to critique the outcomes of these translocations and provide an example of how this tool can be incorporated with expert knowledge to predict likely outcomes of translocations. Djoongari did not establish on the island after seven translocations over nine years, while golden bandicoots established a population after just one release event. Retrospective population viability analysis (of data that was unavailable prior to the translocations) predicted and clarified the reasons behind the outcomes of both translocations. Golden bandicoots have considerably higher demographic plasticity than Djoongari, which were never likely to establish on the island. We conclude that the failure of the Djoongari translocation was due to interactions between sparse habitat, native predators and cyclonic storm surges, whereas golden bandicoots have demonstrated habitat flexibility and an ability to recover from multiple natural disasters. As a result we (1) remind conservation planners of the importance of quantifying likely refuges and habitat availability at release sites, (2) suggest practitioners consider how different threats (including natural disasters) may interact at potential release sites and (3) advocate for the incorporation of predictive modelling during the planning stages of translocations, particularly for conservation introductions where no precedent exists for the species’ survival at a particular location.

Evaluating a large-scale online behaviour change intervention aimed at wildlife product consumers in Singapore.

Interventions to shift the behaviour of consumers using unsustainable wildlife products are key to threatened species conservation. Whether these interventions are effective is largely unknown due to a dearth of detailed evaluations. We previously conducted a country-level online behaviour change intervention targeting consumers of the Critically Endangered saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica) horn in Singapore. To evaluate intervention impact, we carried out in-person consumer surveys with >2,000 individuals pre- and post-intervention (2017 and 2019), and 93 in-person post-intervention surveys with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) shopkeepers (2019). The proportion of self-reported high-usage saiga horn consumers in the target audience (Chinese Singaporean women aged 35–59) did not change significantly from pre- to post-intervention (24.4% versus 22.6%). However, post-intervention the target audience was significantly more likely than the non-target audience to accurately recall the intervention message and to report a decrease in saiga horn usage (4% versus 1% reported a behaviour change). Within the target audience, high-usage consumers were significantly more likely than lower-usage consumers to recall the message and report a behaviour change. Across respondents who reported a decrease in saiga horn usage, they cited the intervention message as a specific reason for their behaviour change significantly more than other reasons. Additionally, across all respondents, the belief that saiga is a common species in the wild decreased significantly from pre- to post-intervention. TCM shopkeepers, however, cited factors such as price and availability as the strongest influences on saiga horn sales. In sum, the intervention did significantly influence some consumers but the reduction of high-usage consumer frequency was not significant at the population level. We explore reasons for these findings, including competing consumer influences, characteristics of the intervention, and evaluation timing. This work suggests our intervention approach has potential, and exemplifies a multi-pronged in-person evaluation of an online wildlife trade consumer intervention.

Effect of extenders, cryoprotectants, and freezing methods on sperm quality and fertilisation rate of the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

Fish semen cryopreservation is a valuable technique to sustain good quality sperm for fertilization, facilitating threatened species conservation and broodstock genetic development. The present investigation aimed to develop suitable standardized protocols to cryopreserve sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) semen. Thus, four experiments were conducted to determine the most effective extender (egg-yolk citrate, urea-egg-yolk, and 0.9% NaCl), cryoprotectant (DMSO, glycerol, ethylene glycol “EG”, and methanol), sperm/cryodiluent dilution ratio (1:2, 1:4, 1:10, and 1:20) and equilibration time (0, 5, 15, or 30 min) to maintain the sperm content after cryopreservation. The consistency of post-thaw semen was assessed, with motility percentage, motility duration, and fertilization rate all being taken into account. When sperms were thawed, the consistency was at its best, especially when sperm was diluted with a ratio of 1:20 with egg-yolk citrate extender containing 10% DMSO, with a 15-min equilibration period before cryopreservation. Sea bass sperm cryopreserved using this protocol exhibited fertilisation rates, class motility, and motility duration close to fresh semen. Thus, the cryopreservation method developed in the present investigation proved to be an efficient and effective approach to augment the cryosurvival of sea bass spermatozoa.