Wild Dogs Research Articles

Leptospiral meningoencephalitis in a raccoon dog.

Neuroleptospirosis is a rare disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira interrogans in humans; however, it has not been fully studied in animals. A young wild raccoon dog was found convulsing in the recumbent position and died the next day. Histologic examination revealed nonsuppurative meningoencephalitis in the cerebrum, cerebellum, midbrain, and medulla oblongata. The lesions consisted of mixed infiltrates of Iba1-positive macrophages and CD3-positive T cells, with a small number of CD79α-positive B cells and myeloperoxidase-positive neutrophils. In the frontal cortex, perivascular cuffs and adjacent microglial nodules were distributed diffusely, especially in the molecular layer. Glial nodules were comprised of Iba1- and myeloperoxidase-positive activated microglia. Immunohistochemistry revealed leptospires in mononuclear cell perivascular cuffs, but not in glial nodules. Neuroleptospirosis was accompanied by Leptospira-related nonsuppurative interstitial nephritis, pulmonary edema and hemorrhage, and coronary periarteritis, as well as Toxocara tanuki in the small intestine and nonspecific foreign-body granulomas in the lungs and stomach.

Coprophagy of African wild dog faeces by spotted hyaenas and hooded vultures in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe

Coprophagy of African wild dog faeces by spotted hyaenas and hooded vultures in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe

Efficacy and safety of Eradicat® feral cat baits in eastern Australia: population impacts of baiting programmes on feral cats and non-target mammals and birds

Reducing the damage caused by feral cats (Felis catus) to wildlife, livestock and human health is a key objective for many land managers and human health agencies globally. The lack of safe and efficacious lethal control tools in many regions, however, makes the control of feral cats and their impacts challenging. We performed a baiting trial in central Queensland to measure the efficacy and safety of Eradicat®, a feral cat bait currently approved for use only in the state of Western Australia, as a potential tool for the broadscale control of feral cats in eastern Australian environments. We used camera traps, cat-borne GPS collars and chemical residue analysis to monitor mortality and changes in feral cat populations following baiting. We also used camera traps and bird count surveys to monitor the response of key at-risk non-target species, specifically wild dogs (Canis familiaris), common brush-tailed possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) and 10 bird species at risk of consuming baits. Feral cat abundance reduced significantly (29–40%) following baiting, with reductions observed across 83% of the site. There were no significant changes in wild dog, possum or potentially bait-consuming bird populations following baiting. Our findings suggest that Eradicat® could potentially be a safe and efficacious tool for the landscape control of feral cats at some sites in eastern Australia. Future research is required to test the safety and efficacy of Eradicat® at other sites in eastern Australia, as suites of non-target species will vary among sites in different environments.

Reverse zoonosis of coronavirus disease-19: Present status and the control by one health approach.

The recent coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak is one of its kind in the history of public health that has created a major global threat. The causative agent, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has a zoonotic source and hence, reverse zoonosis (disease transmission from humans to animals) increases the risk and rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Serological and molecular analyses and experimental infection studies have identified SARS-CoV-2 infection in several animal species in various countries. Different domestic and wild animals, including cats, dogs, tigers, lions, puma, snow leopard, minks, and pet ferrets, are infected naturally with SARS-CoV-2, mostly through suspected human to animal transmission. In addition, in vivo experimental inoculation studies have reported the susceptibility of cats, ferrets, hamsters, Egyptian fruit bats, and non-human primates to the virus. These experimentally infected species are found to be capable of virus transmission to co-housed animals of the same species. However, SARS-CoV-2 showed poor replication in livestock species such as pigs, chickens, and ducks with no detection of viral RNA after the animals were deliberately inoculated with the virus or exposed to the infected animals. As the pets/companion animals are more susceptible to COVID-19, the infection in animals needs an in-depth and careful study to avoid any future transmissions. The one health approach is the best inter-disciplinary method to understand the consequences of viral spread and prevention in novel host populations for the betterment of public health. Further in this review, we will explain in detail the different natural and experimentally induced cases of human to animal SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Role of wild animals in epizootology of infectious diseases inYakutia

It is known that wild animals and birds can be reservoirs and carriers of many infectious diseases of animals and humans. A cadastre of disadvantaged anthrax settlements was developed based on the study of epizootology, which will help optimize epizootological and epidemiological measures for the prevention of anthrax in animals (wild and domestic) and the population. We first identified yersinia (Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis) from the material for shooting moose and roe deer living in the Central zone of Yakutia. Antibodies to the serogroups Leptospira Pomona, Grippotyphosa, and Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroups were detected in forest bisons exported from Canada to Yakutia for acclimatization. We developed a method for sampling frozen urine with snow at low temperatures (minus 10-50 ?С) to diagnose leptospirosis of wild animals and dogs, in places of natural habitat of wild mammals (without seizure and capture). The bactericidal effect of the probiotic strains of bacteria Bacillus subtilis TNP-3 and TNP-5 on the causative agent of leptospirosis of various serological groups has been established. The methods are protected by the Russian Federation patents for the invention. There was marked disease and mortality of roe deer from salmonellosis caused by Sal. abortus equi. There has been established the circulation of viruses of infectious rhinotracheitis, diarrhea in the deer population of the Arctic regions, the causative agents of which may be migratory birds and animals of the disadvantaged settlements. In the period of intensive exploration of Actica, climate warming and changes in the fauna, the migration routes of wild animals and birds, growing threat of zoonoses it is necessary to conduct large-scale monitoring of infections, especially viral diseases.

Reconsidering Horses and Horsemanship in Blood Meridian and the Border Trilogy

Abstract Horsemanship as Cormac McCarthy represents it in his novels of the border Southwest is a variable craft—horsemanship contingent upon the particular needs and practices of the horsemen in each work. In Blood Meridian, the scalphunters use horses as tools to aid in killing. In All the Pretty Horses, John Grady Cole's abilities with horses strain credulity as a nearly chimerical communicative experience exists between the working cowboy and his horses. In The Crossing, Billy and Boyd Parham, who are not professional cowboys, use horses as vehicles, and Billy's horsemanship rests upon an emotional bond to the Parham horses, a bond that is based upon his psychological and emotional ties to the horses. In Cities of the Plain, horsemanship returns to the horse as tool for both constructive utility and extermination, while the working cowboys use horses to eradicate a wild dog population in a bloody excursion that mirrors Blood Meridian and All the Pretty Horses. Thus, in Blood Meridian and the Border Trilogy, horsemanship is a gradation shaped by the means and purposes of the riders as well as the historical locus in which the works are set.

Ten Years on: Have Large Carnivore Reintroductions to the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, Worked?

Large (>15 kg) carnivores, namely lions (Panthera leo), leopards (Panthera pardus), cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus), spotted (Crocuta crocuta) and brown hyaenas (Parahyaena brunnea), have been reintroduced to 16 private- and state-owned reserves in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Objectives behind these reintroductions ranged from ecotourism, ecological restoration, to species conservation. We reassessed the reintroductions' objectives and updated their outcomes a decade after the initial assessment. Ecotourism and ecological restoration were the most common objectives for the reintroduction of top predators to these reserves. With one exception, these reintroductions were successful in meeting their specific objectives, as only African wild dogs have failed to re-establish in the province. Assessments for leopards and brown hyaenas were inconclusive due to a lack of monitoring data. Causes of objective- and species-specific failures in some reserves included founding same-sex populations, lack of breeding events and changes in reserve management objectives. Long-term monitoring is essential in managing and assessing the success of conservation actions, including reintroductions of threatened species. Our review demonstrates this by highlighting changed outcomes for populations and identifying new challenges that have arisen in the landscape. In the modern parlance of conservation marketing, the multi-species reintroductions that occurred within the Eastern Cape represent successful rewilding within the province.

The effect of device density on encounters by a mobile urban carnivore: Implications for managing peri-urban wild dogs

A variety of devices are often placed in the landscape to count, catch, kill, or otherwise manage wild species. It is important to understand the interactions between such devices and the species of interest to achieve and improve the efficiency of research and management objectives. Canid pest ejectors (CPEs; hereafter ejectors) are a device recently made available for use in Australia for the control of wild dogs (Canis familiaris) and European foxes (Vulpes vulpes), but there is limited data to inform best practice deployment for their safe and effective use in peri-urban environments. Data from eleven GPS collared wild dogs in peri-urban north-eastern Australia were used to quantify and compare encounters with three different densities (spacings of every 200 m, 500 m or intersections only) of modelled ejector locations placed in each respective animal’s home-range. Survival analyses was conducted on each modelled ejector to determine the effect of the three road-based deployment spacings and the effect of sex and season on the initial encounter by wild dogs. Ejector survivability (i.e. encounter) was significantly different between seasons for individual wild dogs, and between male and females, with ejectors placed within female home-ranges found to have significantly less survivorship than those in male home-ranges. Ejectors spaced at closer intervals (200 m) had a greater percentage of days with wild dog encounters. Placing ejectors at intersections provided the highest probability of wild dog encounter, with the average ejector at this location 1.5 times more likely to be encountered than those at the alternative spacings (200 m and 500 m). Our results show that achieving the most appropriate ejector placement depends on whether maximum interactions or maximum efficiency is desired, which are important considerations in the short- or long-term deployment of ejectors for the management of wild dogs. These findings assist the development of guidelines for the optimal and efficient placement of ejectors to ensure their safe and effective use in peri-urban environments. They also have additional relevance for other applications of device placement to survey or manage mobile species in peri-urban areas.

Do Livestock Injure and Kill Koalas? Insights from Wildlife Hospital and Rescue Group Admissions and an Online Survey of Livestock-Koala Conflicts.

Simple SummaryKoala populations in Australia are declining and the species is vulnerable to extinction. In the past decade, grazing livestock emerged anecdotally as a threat to koala survival; cattle and horses were reported to have trampled koalas to death when encountered on the ground. In this study, we investigated the scale, frequency, and outcome of livestock-inflicted incidents to koalas via an online survey, and analysed koala admission records from Queensland wildlife hospitals and a wildlife rescue group (Wildlife Victoria) in Victoria. The results provide evidence of both livestock-inflicted injuries and deaths to koalas, especially as these have been confirmed by witness statements. The outcomes for the koala victims of the incidents were severe, which had a 75% death rate. The reported frequency of livestock–koala incidents was low but increasing, with 72 cases (0.14% out of 50,873 admissions) in Queensland wildlife hospitals during 1997–2019, and 59 cases (0.8% of 7017 rescue records) in Wildlife Victoria during 2007–2019, but it is recognised that this was likely to be under-reported. Future research is encouraged to explore the causes of livestock–koala incidents and to develop management strategies to minimise the livestock threat to koalas.Koala populations in Australia are declining due to threats such as chlamydiosis, wild dog predation and vehicle collision. In the last decade, grazing livestock emerged anecdotally as a threat to koala survival in areas where koala habitat and livestock grazing land overlap. This is the first study investigating the significance of livestock-inflicted injuries and deaths in koala populations over a large spatial and temporal scale. We investigated the outcome, scale, and frequency of livestock–koala incidents via an online survey and analysed koala admission records in Queensland wildlife hospitals and a wildlife rescue group (Wildlife Victoria) in Victoria. The results provide evidence of both livestock-inflicted injuries and deaths to koalas, especially as these have been confirmed by witness statements. The outcomes for the koala victims of the incidents were severe with a 75% mortality rate. The reported frequency of livestock–koala incidents was low but increasing, with 72 cases (0.14% out of 50,873 admissions) in Queensland wildlife hospitals during 1997–2019, and 59 cases (0.8% of 7017 rescue records) in Wildlife Victoria during 2007–2019. These incidents were likely to be under-reported due to the remoteness of the incident location, possible mis-diagnoses by veterinarians and the possible reluctance of farmers to report them. Future research is encouraged to explore the mechanics and causes of livestock–koala incidents and to develop management strategies to minimise the livestock threat to koalas.

Evaluating the impact of storytelling in Facebook advertisements on wildlife conservation engagement: Lessons and challenges

AbstractSocial media ad stories are widely used to grow engagement in wildlife conservation. Yet the benefits of different types of story character and content are unclear. In four video stories, we explored the impact of varying the type of protagonist species (Elephant and WildDog) and content about the role of humans in causing wildlife loss (Elephant + HumanAction and WildDog + HumanAction) using Facebook A/B split tests. Counter to prior perceptions that traditional charismatic flagships are more appealing, stories featuring wild dogs—with and without human‐caused harm—elicited higher traffic to a conservation organization's donation website. Only the Elephant video elicited one donation. These results show that storytelling in social media ads, by choosing character and content, can help raise engagement. Yet the failure to raise funds and limitations arising from Facebook's opaque algorithms, underscores the need for greater experimentation to build knowledge about how to convert engagement into donations.

Temporal partitioning and spatiotemporal avoidance among large carnivores in a human-impacted African landscape.

Africa is home to some of the world's most functionally diverse guilds of large carnivores. However, they are increasingly under threat from anthropogenic pressures that may exacerbate already intense intra-guild competition. Understanding the coexistence mechanisms employed by these species in human-impacted landscapes could help shed light on some of the more subtle ways in which humans may impact wildlife populations, and inform multi-species conservation planning. We used camera trap data from Tanzania's Ruaha-Rungwa landscape to explore temporal and spatiotemporal associations between members of an intact East African large carnivore guild, and determine how these varied across gradients of anthropogenic impact and protection. All large carnivores except African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) exhibited predominantly nocturnal road-travel behaviour. Leopard (Panthera pardus) appeared to employ minor temporal avoidance of lion (Panthera leo) in all sites except those where human impacts were highest, suggesting that leopard may have been freed up from avoidance of lion in areas where the dominant competitor was less abundant, or that the need for leopard to avoid humans outweighed the need to avoid sympatric competitors. Lion appeared to modify their activity patterns to avoid humans in the most impacted areas. We also found evidence of avoidance and attraction among large carnivores: lion and spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) followed leopard; leopard avoided lion; spotted hyaena followed lion; and lion avoided spotted hyaena. Our findings suggest that large carnivores in Ruaha-Rungwa employ fine-scale partitioning mechanisms to facilitate coexistence with both sympatric species and humans, and that growing human pressures may interfere with these behaviours.

High real-time reporting of domestic and wild animal diseases following rollout of mobile phone reporting system in Kenya.

BackgroundTo improve early detection of emerging infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), many of them zoonotic, numerous electronic animal disease-reporting systems have been piloted but not implemented because of cost, lack of user friendliness, and data insecurity. In Kenya, we developed and rolled out an open-source mobile phone-based domestic and wild animal disease reporting system and collected data over two years to investigate its robustness and ability to track disease trends.MethodsThe Kenya Animal Biosurveillance System (KABS) application was built on the Java® platform, freely downloadable for android compatible mobile phones, and supported by web-based account management, form editing and data monitoring. The application was integrated into the surveillance systems of Kenya’s domestic and wild animal sectors by adopting their existing data collection tools, and targeting disease syndromes prioritized by national, regional and international animal and human health agencies. Smartphone-owning government and private domestic and wild animal health officers were recruited and trained on the application, and reports received and analyzed by Kenya Directorate of Veterinary Services. The KABS application performed automatic basic analyses (frequencies, spatial distribution), which were immediately relayed to reporting officers as feedback.ResultsOf 697 trained domestic animal officers, 662 (95%) downloaded the application, and >72% of them started reporting using the application within three months. Introduction of the application resulted in 2- to 14-fold increase in number of disease reports when compared to the previous year (relative risk = 14, CI 13.8–14.2, p<0.001), and reports were more widely distributed. Among domestic animals, food animals (cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and chicken) accounted for >90% of the reports, with respiratory, gastrointestinal and skin diseases constituting >85% of the reports. Herbivore wildlife (zebra, buffalo, elephant, giraffe, antelopes) accounted for >60% of the wildlife disease reports, followed by carnivores (lions, cheetah, hyenas, jackals, and wild dogs). Deaths, traumatic injuries, and skin diseases were most reported in wildlife.ConclusionsThis open-source system was user friendly and secure, ideal for rolling out in other countries in SSA to improve disease reporting and enhance preparedness for epidemics of zoonotic diseases.

African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) show differences in diet composition across landscape types in Kruger National Park, South Africa

Abstract The Kruger National Park (KNP) is home to the last genetically viable, minimally managed population of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus, wild dogs) in South Africa. Until 2004, this population remained stable, but since has been declining. In this study, we aimed to improve our understanding of the ecology of KNP wild dogs by estimating the relative contribution of different prey types to their diet across landscape types. Based on a Bayesian mixing model, we assessed wild dog diet and foraging preferences using stable isotope analysis. We sampled 73 individuals from 40 packs found in six different landscape types. In thickets, packs predominantly prey on small browsing and mixed-feeding species (accounting for ~73% of their diet), but occasionally hunt large grazers (~24%) and large browsers (~3%). In open landscape types where lions (Panthera leo) are more or less absent, such as in the Lowveld sour bushveld, wild dogs prey on large browsers and large grazers (~67%). Our results demonstrate that KNP wild dogs occupy a broader ecological niche than previously thought, with small browsers forming an integral part of their diet. We also present the first data describing differences in wild dog diet–tissue discrimination factors for tail hair and whiskers compared to respective stable nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C) values obtained from feces of captive wild dogs, as well as from those of South Africa’s broader managed metapopulation. While these data should be considered preliminary, we suggest that until wild dog diet–tissue discrimination factors are calculated through a controlled feeding study, the discrimination factors calculated for the gray wolf (Canis lupus) should be used for wild dog-related isotope studies, rather than the often cited values for red foxes (Vulpes vulpes).

Environment considerations on the spread of rabies among African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) with control measures

Wildlife conservation is crucial in preventing endangered species from becoming extinct, and disease outbreaks is one of the biggest threats. Rabies is one of the devastating viruses that can almost be impossible to control once an outbreak occurs. There is no effective treatment or cure of rabies once symptoms show. In this work, we propose euthanasia of infected Lycaon pictus dogs as a control strategy to reduce the spread of the virus. We propose a simple deterministic SEI‐type rabies model that takes into account the contaminated environment and the euthanasia of infectious dogs to better understand the transmission and progression dynamics of the disease, as well as to seek to predict the effectiveness of this control strategy. Qualitative analysis and numerical simulations are provided to support our findings.

Serological study of American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis in working horses and contact dogs in the city of Bandeirantes, Parana

The American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis (ATL) occurs in several parts of the world, in Brazil and also in the State of Parana, it is a disease of great importance in public health, since it affects animals and humans, with a zoonotic character. Leishmaniasis is found in two forms, tegumentary and visceral, and has sandflies as vectors and wild animals and domestic dogs as reservoirs. ATL is considered an endemic disease in the city of Bandeirantes, with human cases occurring in several urban and rural locations, mainly in areas close to forest remnants, peri-urban and peripheral areas, where vulnerable populations live in general, and with precarious basic sanitation conditions. In these regions also live the participants of the wagon driver project, who own several working horses. The project provides guidance on management, good practices, disease prevention, and animal welfare. Since the role of horses as reservoirs and in the chain of transmission of ATL is not well known, the aim of this study was to carry out a serological study of ATL in horses and in the contact dogs of the participants of the " wagon driver" project, at UENP-CLM, to evaluate seropositivity in these species. Blood samples were collected from 20 horses and 12 contact dogs. A serological study, using the ELISAi test for ATL diagnosis, was carried out on the horses and dogs in relation to this study population, to assess seropositivity. In the serological survey, eight horses out of 20 animals (40%) and four dogs out of 12 animals (33.33%) were seropositive, a result considered significant, indicating the presence of the disease and the risk of transmission where they live. The occurrence of human cases and the presence of ATL vectors have already been identified in several locations in the city. Due to the lack of knowledge about the disease and the difficulty in controlling the vectors, health education is necessary in order to provide the population with orientation on how to prevent the disease, as well as entomological surveillance and new serological studies in areas at risk for ATL transmission. The results indicate that there may be importance in the role of horses as reservoirs and in the transmission of Tegumentary Leishmaniasis, which still needs to be clarified.

Collaboration for conservation: Assessing countrywide carnivore occupancy dynamics from sparse data

AbstractAimAssessing the distribution and persistence of species across their range is a crucial component of wildlife conservation. It demands data at adequate spatial scales and over extended periods of time, which may only be obtained through collaborative efforts, and the development of methods that integrate heterogeneous datasets. We aimed to combine existing data on large carnivores to evaluate population dynamics and improve knowledge on their distribution nationwide.LocationBotswana.MethodsBetween 2010 and 2016, we collated data on African wild dog, cheetah, leopard, brown and spotted hyaena and lion gathered with different survey methods by independent researchers across Botswana. We used a multi‐species, multi‐method dynamic occupancy model to analyse factors influencing occupancy, persistence and colonization, while accounting for imperfect detection. Lastly, we used the gained knowledge to predict the probability of occurrence of each species countrywide.ResultsWildlife areas and communal rangelands had similar occupancy probabilities for most species. Large carnivore occupancy was low in commercial farming areas and where livestock density was high, except for brown hyaena. Lion occupancy was negatively associated with human density; lion and spotted hyaena occupancy was high where rainfall was high, while the opposite applied to brown hyaena. Lion and leopard occupancy remained constant countrywide over the study period. African wild dog and cheetah occupancy declined over time in the south and north, respectively, whereas both hyaena species expanded their ranges. Countrywide predictions identified the highest occupancy for leopards and lowest for the two hyaena species.Main ConclusionsWe highlight the necessity of data sharing and propose a generalizable analytical method that addresses the challenges of heterogeneous data common in ecology. Our approach, which enables a comprehensive multi‐species assessment at large spatial and temporal scales, supports the development of data‐driven conservation guidelines and the implementation of evidence‐based management strategies nationally and internationally.

Genetic analyses reveal demographic decline and population differentiation in an endangered social carnivore, Asiatic wild dog

Deforestation and agricultural intensification have resulted in an alarming change in the global land cover over the past 300 years, posing a threat to species conservation. Dhole is a monophyletic, social canid and, being an endangered and highly forest-dependent species, is more prone to the loss of favorable habitat in the Anthropocene. We determined the genetic differentiation and demographic history of dhole across the tiger reserves of Maharashtra using the microsatellite data of 305 individuals. Simulation-based analyses revealed a 77–85% decline in the major dhole sub-populations. Protected areas have provided refuge to the historically declining dhole population resulting in clustering with strong genetic structure in the remnant dhole population. The historical population decline coincides with the extreme events in the landscape over the past 300 years. The study highlights the pattern of genetic differentiation and diversity of a highly forest-dependent species which can be associated with the loss of forest cover outside tiger reserves. It also warrants attention to develop conservation plans for the remnant surviving population of dholes in India.

Low apex carnivore density does not release a subordinate competitor when driven by prey depletion

Conservation of competitively subordinate carnivores presents a difficult challenge because they are limited by dominant competitors. Prey depletion is one of the leading causes of large carnivore decline worldwide, but little is known about the net effect of prey depletion on subordinate carnivores when their dominant competitors are also reduced. African wild dogs are often limited by high densities of dominant competitors, particularly lions. We measured African wild dog density and survival, using mark-recapture models fit to 8 years of data from 425 known individuals in the Greater Kafue Ecosystem, Zambia. The GKE is affected by prey depletion, particularly of large herbivores, and thus the density of lions is significantly lower than ecologically comparable ecosystems. Counter to expectations from mesopredator release theory, wild dog density in GKE was far lower than comparable ecosystems with higher lion and prey density, though annual survival rates were comparable to large and stable populations. Average pack size was small and home range size was among the largest recorded. Our results show that low lion density did not competitively release the GKE wild dog population and we infer that the low density of wild dogs was a product of low prey density. Our results suggest that there is an optimal ratio of prey and competitors at which wild dogs achieve their highest densities. This finding has immediate implications for the conservation of the endangered African wild dog, and broad implications for the conservation of subordinate species affected by resource depletion and intraguild competition.

English

Communities living adjacent to protected areas tend to express more willingness to coexist with large carnivores in their areas when they receive tangible benefits. The aim of this study was to explore people&rsquo;s willingness to coexist with large carnivores, including lions (Panthera leo), leopards (Panthera pardus), cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) and black-backed jackals (Canis mesomelas schmidti). The authors used a pre-test and post-test approach by implementing a chemoprophylactic program as a conservation incentive among the Maasai and Sonjo tribes living in the eastern Serengeti, Tanzania. Chemoprophylaxis is the prevention of infectious disease by using chemical agents. The pre-test results showed that both tribes had low willingness to coexist with these large carnivores. Of the two tribes, the Sonjo tribe was less willing than the Maasai tribe. Our post-test results indicated an increase in willingness to coexist with large carnivores in their area because the livestock loss due to large carnivore depredation was significantly lower than that caused by diseases in both tribes. Therefore, this study calls for more conservation incentives to local people to promote their willingness to coexist with large carnivores in their areas. &nbsp; Key words: Coexistence, depredation, diseases, large carnivores, livestock, Maasai and Sonjo tribes.

Role of wild rabbits as reservoirs of leishmaniasis in a non-epidemic Mediterranean hot spot in Spain

There is limited information regarding the role of wild mammals in the transmission dynamics of Leishmania infantum. A potential human leishmaniasis hot spot was detected in southern Spain that could not be explained solely by canine leishmaniasis prevalence. The aim of this work was to analyse the involvement of wild rabbits as the main factor affecting this Mediterranean hot spot. A survey of wild rabbits, dogs and sand flies was conducted in the human cases environment. A nearby region without clinical leishmaniasis cases was used as reference control. 51 wild rabbits shot by hunters were analysed by molecular techniques. 1100 sand flies were captured and morphologically identified. Blood collected from patients’ relatives/ neighbours (n = 9) and dogs (n = 66) was used for molecular analysis and serology. In Mediterranean leishmaniasis hot spots such as Montefrío municipality (average incidence of 16.8 human cases per 100,000 inhabitants/year), wild rabbits (n = 40) support high L. infantum infection rates (100%) and heavy parasite burdens (average value: 503 parasites/mg) in apparently normal ear skin directly accessible to sand flies, enabling the existence of heavily parasitized Phlebotomus perniciosus females (12.5% prevalence). The prevalence of infection and median parasite load were very low among rabbits captured in Huéscar (n = 11), a human clinical leishmaniasis-free area for the last 18 years. P. perniciosus was the most abundant Phlebotomus species in all the domestic/peridomestic microhabitats sampled, both indoors and outdoors. Accordingly, leishmaniasis is clustering in space and time at this local scale represented by Montefrío due to the proximity of two competent host reservoirs (dogs and heavily parasitized wild rabbits) associated with overlapping sylvatic and domestic transmission cycles through the main vector, P. perniciosus. We highlight the usefulness of determining the prevalence of infection and parasite burden in wild rabbits as a control leishmaniasis measure with the advantage that the use of the ear offers.