Wildlife Ecology Research Articles

Identifying the spatial and temporal scale at which animals select resources is critical for predicting how populations respond to changes in the environment. The spatial distribution of fine‐scale resources (e.g. patches of dense vegetation) are often linked with critical life‐history requirements such as denning and feeding sites. However, mapping these microhabitat features can be challenging as the acquisition of fine‐resolution data using traditional field methods (e.g. plot surveys) is labor‐intensive and expensive. The deployment of high‐resolution light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors on unoccupied aerial systems (UAS) provides an opportunity to evaluate fine‐scale animal–habitat relationships in a way rarely afforded in wildlife ecology studies. In this paper, we collect UAS‐based LiDAR to evaluate the microhabitat relationships of snowshoe hares Lepus americanus across a range of forest cover types and seral stages in the temperate‐boreal forests of northern New England. We mapped 14 forested stands (each 20 ha) using UAS–LiDAR (> 300 returns m −2 ) and conducted fecal pellet surveys to estimate snowshoe hare microhabitat selection during the leaf‐off and leaf‐on seasons of 2022. We used the LiDAR point cloud data to generate traditional forest metrics (canopy closure, sapling prevalence, and shrub prevalence) that are often used in snowshoe hare habitat studies and three‐dimensional metrics that we hypothesized to represent predator exposure (viewshed and lacunarity) and food availability (lacunarity). We found that snowshoe hares selected microhabitats with higher sapling and shrub prevalence and avoided open areas and viewsheds during the leaf‐off period. We also found that hares selected regularly spaced medium‐sized gaps during the leaf‐on season, potentially highlighting preferences for small open areas that have increased cover and food in the summer. The use of these UAS‐based LiDAR metrics provides a new opportunity for understanding and predicting microhabitat selection not only for snowshoe hares but for myriad other wildlife species.

Abstract Understanding diet quality is essential for wildlife ecology and management, especially in Mediterranean ecosystems where forage quality varies markedly throughout the year. Fecal nitrogen is a widely used non‐invasive indicator of ungulate diet quality, though its collection and analysis can be resource‐intensive. To address this, environmental proxies like the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and bioclimatic indices (e.g., real bioclimatic intensity [RBI], standardized precipitation‐evapotranspiration index [SPEI]) have been proposed as scalable alternatives. This study evaluated the spatial and intra‐annual variation of fecal nitrogen in a fenced Mediterranean estate in central Spain and its relationship with NDVI at different scales and bioclimatic indices. Fecal nitrogen showed significant intra‐annual variability aligned with seasonal changes in forage quality but no spatial differences across local habitats. The NDVI derived from herbaceous vegetation, open forests, and whole‐estate scales explained monthly fecal nitrogen variation, whereas NDVI from Mediterranean woodlands did not. We did not find evidence of relationships between fecal nitrogen and RBI or SPEI. These findings highlight that the fecal nitrogen–NDVI relationship is scale‐dependent and that herbaceous NDVI is a reliable proxy for tracking diet quality in Mediterranean red deer populations.

Abstract Integrating complex geospatial data into research and applications for wildlife ecology remains a challenge. For example, animations of wildlife tracking data can be useful for developing hypotheses, communicating with stakeholders and infrastructure planning. Conveying an effective message often requires visualizing movements in relation to custom background layers, such as dynamic weather conditions or local transportation features. However, animations are commonly made using software that is easy to use but offers few options for input layers, thus limiting their impact. Alternatively, bespoke solutions require advanced programming skills that are not readily available for many ecologists. We developed ECODATA, a suite of open‐source tools to support exploration, analysis and visualization of animal movements and dynamic geospatial data layers. The tools do not require programming skills and guide users through the process of manipulating vector, raster and tabular data files to prepare inputs to custom animations or further analyses. The software was developed by a team of remote sensing experts, quantitative ecologists, wildlife managers and conservation practitioners. We demonstrate the use of ECODATA through two examples. The first describes the use of the software to animate movements of elk (Cervus elaphus) and wolves (Canis lupus) in relation to roads, wildlife crossing structures and seasonal vegetation green‐up near Banff National Park in Canada. The second illustrates the impact of the software on wildlife management, with an animation of caribou (Rangifer tarandus) movements and parturitions during the calving season. Both examples include processed remote sensing data and feature layers that provide relevant local context. ECODATA offers a novel resource to explore and communicate animals' interactions with their environment, informing management decisions and conservation strategies. The flexible tools for geospatial data manipulation can be used for data visualization, as described here, or to create predictor variables for inclusion in habitat selection or other ecological models.

The extreme conditions of polar and mountain regions foster uniquely adapted wildlife. Given that climate shifts are more extreme in those regions, monitoring animal species is essential for effective conservation measures. Earth observation data offer considerable advantages in areas that are difficult to reach using traditional ground-based methods. This systematic review, based on 145 SCI-journal publications between 2000 and 2024, examines how Earth observation is used in wildlife ecology research in these regions. We give an extensive overview of the Earth observation sensors used, spatial and temporal resolution of studies, studied animal species, methods used, amount of aerial imagery linked to satellite-based Earth observation, and research objectives. Bird (52 studies) and ungulate (38 studies) species are primarily investigated in relation to animal monitoring, distribution and foraging behavior. Products of Landsat (63 studies) and MODIS (52 studies) are used in most reviewed studies, but the potential of freely available, higher spatial and temporal resolution data like Sentinel-2 (seven studies), as well as AI methods are not yet fully utilized. Linking Earth observation data in polar and mountain regions to wildlife ecology research should be facilitated by encouraging interdisciplinary working groups. Two major crises can be tackled at once, climate change and biodiversity loss.

Abstract Models have become an integral component of wildlife conservation and management, and lie at the foundation of decision‐making in our field today. Yet, like too much of anything, there are risks with their overuse. Herein, we argue that despite their value, our increasing reliance on, and incorporation of, models into our data analysis, education of future wildlife profesionals, and development of management decisions has inherent risks. We believe that increased reliance on models has resulted in a detachment from the species and systems that we model, which threatens the quality of our science and, ultimately, decision‐making. The impact of models, both pros and cons, on the wildlife field should be an often‐discussed topic at wildlife conventions and within research agencies and academic institutions.

This publication provides some examples of effectively using camera traps to teach ecological concepts related to wildlife feeding preferences, daily activity, human disturbance, ecosystem engineering, and pollinators. Written by K. A. Carey, B. W. McDonald, A. Lahiri, B. M. Mason, I. L. Esquivel, C. T. Callaghan, and C. Baruzzi, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, June 2025.

Brown bears (Ursus arctos) and black bears (Ursus thibetanus) are important species on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. However, limited studies have been conducted on these species due to sampling constraints. This study, using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and untargeted metabolomics, analyzed fecal samples from six wild brown bears and six wild black bears. The results revealed distinct gut microbiota profiles, with brown bears showing higher microbial richness, particularly in Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, and Actinobacteriota, while black bears were mainly enriched in Firmicutes. Lipid metabolism emerged as the primary metabolic pathway for both species, probably aiding adaptation to the plateau environment. Notably, we found positive correlations between differential metabolites and specific microbiota; in addition, traces of pesticides suggested contamination in the region. Our study provides valuable insights into the gut microbial diversity and metabolomic features of wild brown bears and black bears from the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, contributing to our understanding of wildlife ecology in this unique environment.

ABSTRACTTo advance our understanding of freshwater biodiversity in data‐limited systems, this study used multispecies occupancy models to predict species richness and individual species occupancy, providing critical insights for the conservation of these rapidly declining ecosystems. Chilean watersheds were chosen as the study system as they support a highly endemic and vulnerable assemblage of freshwater fishes in need of increased research and management. We tested several model types and ultimately pursued latent spatial multispecies occupancy models, which gained popularity in wildlife ecology, but are relatively underutilized in fisheries ecology. Advantages include simultaneously modeling multiple species to infer both species‐specific and assemblage‐level responses to hydro‐geomorphological conditions while also accounting for imperfect species detections. Model results showed that fish species richness is primarily driven by negative relationships with elevation; however, individual species responses were variable across all environmental drivers. We present maps of predicted occupancies, representing niche model results for selected native and nonnative species. Finally, to put our results in the context of the rapid development in hydropower taking place throughout Chile, we analyzed predicted species richness and occupancy patterns in relation to aquatic ecosystem fragmentation risk from current and planned dams throughout Chile. Results showed a large number of dams are planned for the diverse lower elevation areas of the Biobio, Valdivia, and Puelo River Basins, highlighting the potential for negative impacts to the species that inhabit them. As over half the species modeled are currently listed as endangered, critically endangered, or data deficient by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), model outputs could aid in conservation planning. This approach not only enhances our ability to protect Chile's unique and vulnerable freshwater fish species but also provides a robust framework for integrating modeled ecological insights of data‐limited systems into conservation planning.

Abstract Nonconsumptive effects (NCEs) on prey animals by predators have received considerable interest in wildlife ecology and conservation. However, NCEs by large carnivore species with omnivorous diet still remains unclear. The Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) is widely found in eastern parts of the Eurasian Continent, including Honshu and Shikoku Islands of Japan. At present, this bear species is the only large carnivore in the region as a typical omnivore that occasionally predates sika deer (Cervus nippon). If sika deer recognize predation threats from black bears, then the NCEs by bears will provoke antipredator behavioral responses by the deer. In testing this hypothesis, we evaluated the spatial and temporal overlaps between bears and deer as well as compared the vigilance level and spatiotemporal avoidance observed in sika deer between bear-active and -inactive years, using camera trapping in an agroforest landscape in Fukushima, eastern Japan. Consequently, we found little changes in deer behaviors between bear-active and -inactive years, indicating that sika deer neither exhibited spatial partitioning and spatiotemporal avoidances from black bears nor increased their vigilance even in bear-active year. We concluded that our study showed no significant NCE of omnivorous Asiatic black bears on sika deer.

ABSTRACTAnthropogenic noise is a pervasive byproduct of human activity that increasingly impacts wildlife behavior and ecology. This study examines the travel behavior of wild siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus) in response to playback experiments simulating the anthropogenic noises of a jackhammer, traffic, music, and a natural sound control of cicada calls. Over the course of 12 months, seven siamang groups from four field sites in northern Sumatra were studied using GPS‐tracked movement patterns pre‐ and post‐playback experiments. We found that siamangs traveled substantially farther following anthropogenic noise playbacks compared to baseline conditions, with the strongest responses to traffic and jackhammer stimuli. Although no significant group level differences (defined here as consistent differences in response patterns across siamang groups) between playback types were observed, there was anecdotal evidence that one group separated in response to noise events. This suggests that anthropogenic noise has the potential to disrupt pair bonds and influence home range usage, with potential fitness consequences. This research underscores the need for further investigation into the ecological impacts of anthropogenic noise and its implications for wildlife conservation.

Parasites are increasingly recognized as critical components of ecological systems, with profound impacts on biodiversity, food web dynamics, and ecosystem functioning. Far from being mere agents of disease, parasites can serve as sensitive and integrative indicators of environmental health, responding predictably to changes in habitat quality, climate variability, pollution, and host biodiversity. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the ecological roles of parasites and their utility as bioindicators across multiple taxa, including mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish, and invertebrates. Emphasis is placed on how parasite diversity, prevalence, and community structure reflect underlying ecosystem processes and disturbances. Methodological approaches to parasite monitoring, including field sampling, molecular techniques, and host-parasite network analysis, are discussed alongside challenges such as complex life cycles and host specificity. Emerging research directions highlight the potential for integrating parasite-based metrics into conservation biology, ecosystem management, and biodiversity assessment frameworks. Recognizing parasites as integral ecological players offers a more comprehensive and realistic understanding of ecosystem health in a rapidly changing world.

Abstract As the human population undergoes a process of urbanization, this causes a fundamental change in human-wildlife relations. (1) The environmental change leads to conflicts between species of wildlife and humans. Some species have adapted to urban environments to the extent that allows them to survive and, in some species, even thrive. (2) The process of urbanization depends on the characteristics of the urban environment, mainly the supply of food and water, suitable places for growing and roosting, and a sense of security. (3) The relationships between humans and urban wildlife are very complex, and they lead to conflicts between humans and wildlife. Vague complaints from residents after encounters with wild animals often result in an ineffective response from local authorities. (4) To protect both city residents and wildlife, municipalities must take the following actions: (a) Municipalities and stakeholders should receive professional advice before taking action. (b) All stakeholders, including wildlife conservation organizations, municipalities, and city residents, must cooperate in reducing the environmental conditions that create conflicts with urban wildlife. (c) Municipalities and stakeholders must leverage valuable information from the wealth of literature on urban wildlife ecology and mammal and bird management to develop targeted programs.

Abstract Pulsed resources can dramatically influence spatial ecology of wildlife. Black vulture (Coragyps atratus) movements depend on habitat structure and foraging opportunities, but their responses to pulsed resources are poorly understood. In contrast, changes to home ranges during large‐game hunting seasons are well documented in mammalian predators. Thus, we hypothesized that increased access to carrion would decrease black vulture space use. To test for changes in space use, we quantified home ranges using data from 12 GPS‐tagged black vultures during nonhunting, archery‐only, and firearms study periods in Indiana and Kentucky, USA. We compared estimated home range size, home range overlap, density of forest edge, and density of roads within each home range. Home range sizes decreased 52.9% from the nonhunting to archery‐only period (t35 = 2.77, P = 0.024), then remained stable (increased 9.98%, t35 = −0.25, P = 0.967) throughout the firearms period. Home range overlaps decreased with greater resource pulse intensities. Estimated forest edge and road densities within home ranges did not change across study periods. Black vultures in our study area changed space use in response to pulsed resources associated with deer hunting. Thus, vultures may shift space use in response to other resource pulses, such as afterbirth and stillbirths from livestock. Pulsed resource locations can serve as targeted survey sites for estimating scavenger abundance and distribution. Integrating resource pulse dynamics into wildlife management strategies can improve efforts to monitor disease risks at aggregation sites and address ecological challenges arising from human activities.

ABSTRACTIn the current era of global change, the emergence of infectious diseases at the wildlife–livestock interface poses risks to biodiversity, agricultural economies, and public health. Driven by anthropogenic influence, increased sharing of resources between wildlife and livestock can promote cross‐species transmission, the consequences of which are challenging to predict. Mycoplasma bovis , an economically important bacterial pathogen in cattle, has recently emerged as a threat to other ungulate species. This study reports on a case of M. bovis in an intensively monitored free‐ranging mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus ) in Colorado, USA, which presented an opportunity to describe the disease in a novel host and infer transmission and infection dynamics from GPS collar data. Following a mortality signal from a GPS‐collared adult female mule deer, field investigation revealed predation while postmortem examination further revealed severe, acute, fibrinosuppurative and necrotizing pleuropneumonia. Histopathological analysis, immunohistochemistry, and real‐time PCR confirmed M. bovis as the etiology. GPS collar data demonstrated spatial overlap with dairy cattle in the 50 days prior to death, implicating potential spillover from cattle as the transmission pathway. Reduced movement was identified 19 days prior to death, indicative of sickness behavior due to acute pneumonia. This case underscores the potential for M. bovis to cause severe disease in wild ungulates and highlights the value of thorough postmortem investigations as a routine component of studies involving wildlife tracking. The retrospective use of GPS collar data provides valuable insights into the movement ecology of wildlife exposed to novel pathogens, aiding in the understanding of cross‐species transmission and informing management strategies to reduce the potential for spillover.

Large-scale anthropogenic developments in the metropolitan areas of Nepal and the rural to urban influx of people have exacerbated human-wildlife conflicts across human-altered landscapes of Nepal. The Kathmandu Valley has experienced large-scale urbanization and has subsequently witnessed substantial incidents of human-wildlife conflicts given the increasing levels of human encroachment into remnant wildlife habitats. Here, we applied DNA metabarcoding in combination with geospatial analysis to study the feeding ecology of two urban carnivores, the leopard (Panthera pardus) and the leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), in the forests surrounding the Kathmandu Valley and to check whether the leopards' predation on domestic animals contributes to human-leopard conflict in this region and to obtain a baseline data on the dietary habits of the poorly studied leopard cat. We found that leopards were highly dependent on domestic animals in areas dominated by human-use activities (agricultural and built-up areas), whereas leopard cats mostly predated on wild rodents. Through our work, we highlight the importance of domestic prey in the diets of urban carnivores like leopards and demonstrate the influence human-induced habitat disturbance has on the ecology of local wildlife. This study generates critical information which will help to inform conflict mitigation strategies and conservation planning for the two carnivore species, in addition to identifying areas within the region that are susceptible to human-wildlife conflicts.

This article surveys the literature on miniature radio transmitters designed to track free-ranging wild animals using emitter-localization techniques. The articles covers the topics of power sources used in such transmitters, including miniature batteries and energy harvesting, techniques for generating the transmitted radio-frequency carrier, techniques for creating short radio pulses and more general on-off schedules, modulation in modern wildlife-tracking transmitters, construction, manufacturing, and tuning techniques, and recent trends in this area. The article also describes the recreation of the first successful wildlife-tracking transmitter, a nontrivial invention that had a profound impact on wildlife ecology, and explores its behavior.

Strontium isotope (87Sr/86Sr) analysis with reference to strontium isotope landscapes (Sr isoscapes) allows reconstructing mobility and migration in archaeology, ecology, and forensics. However, despite the vast potential of research involving 87Sr/86Sr analysis particularly in Africa, Sr isoscapes remain unavailable for the largest parts of the continent. Here, we measure the 87Sr/86Sr ratios in 778 environmental samples from 24 African countries and combine this data with published data to model a bioavailable Sr isoscape for sub-Saharan Africa using random forest regression. We demonstrate the efficacy of this Sr isoscape, in combination with other lines of evidence, to trace the African roots of individuals from historic slavery contexts, particularly those with highly radiogenic 87Sr/86Sr ratios uncommon in the African Diaspora. Our study provides an extensive African 87Sr/86Sr dataset which includes scientifically marginalized regions of Africa, with significant implications for the archaeology of the transatlantic slave trade, wildlife ecology, conservation, and forensics.

Indian wildlife ecology comes of age.

In the Northern Cape Province of South Africa, an investigation was launched into the impact of large-scale open-pit mining on wildlife ecology and populations, more specifically on the animal species richness and detection rates across different vegetation types. Using camera traps, we monitored a 43,000-hectare area, which included active mining areas and adjacent lands, over a period of five years (2020–2024). Data on 44 animal species ranging from small mammals to large megaherbivores were collected, with a large variation in species richness across the study site being observed. The detection of species that are of conservation concern, such as the vulnerable Temminck’s ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii) and endangered mountain reedbuck (Redunca fulvorufula), highlighted additional potential risks that mining activities pose to biodiversity in the area, emphasizing the importance of monitoring biodiversity in areas that are impacted by large-scale anthropogenic and mining activities. Furthermore, the results suggest that some areas may require a more targeted approach to conservation in order to mitigate the disruptive effect of mining. Benchmarking the species present and proving the presence of endangered and vulnerable species prove the successful first steps into understanding habitat disruption caused by mining activities and will guide future conservation and management efforts.

Thermal Infrared (TIR) drones are emerging as effective tools for wildlife ecology monitoring and are increasingly employed in primate surveys. However, systematic methods for assessing primate detectability are lacking. We present a comprehensive approach utilizing a novel Thermal Detection Index (TDI) to evaluate the potential of TIR drones for primate monitoring. We developed TDIs for 389 primate species, considering activity patterns, locomotion types, body mass, densities, habitat utilization, and sleeping behaviors during diurnal and nocturnal surveys. Through the integration of TDIs with primates’ distribution and climatic variables (average annual temperature, precipitation, and wind speed), we established a Global TDI Suitability Score aimed at pinpointing species and regions most compatible with TIR drone-based monitoring. Atelidae, Cercopithecidae, and Indridae showed the highest TDI values, suggesting their suitability for TIR-drone surveys. We identified optimal regions in Africa, Asia and Latin America for primate monitoring with TIR drones, driven by favorable ecological conditions, habitat types, and high TDI species diversity. However, local ecological factors and regulatory frameworks also influence drone survey feasibility, necessitating careful consideration prior to implementation. Overall, our study provides a valuable framework for prioritizing primate species and regions for TIR drone-based monitoring, facilitating targeted conservation efforts and advancing primate monitoring research.