Mammal ecology

The little known Bengal Mongoose Herpestes palustris Ghose, 1965 is a wetland-dependent peri-urban mammalian species of India, which was previously considered a subspecies of H. javanicus or conspecific with H. auropunctatus. In the
country, it is the only endangered mongoose species endemic to West Bengal,
where it is restricted to a tiny native range spread over three southern districts
(Howrah, North and South 24-Parganas) on both banks of the River Hooghly (a
distributary channel of the Ganges) in its lower course. This species is well adapted
to the non-saline, natural or manmade wetland habitat and lead a semi-aquatic
life. But this landscape has been much converted for the agriculture, industries and
human settlements but degraded, fragmented and greatly shrunk during the last
four decades. Since,the available literature does not provide an exclusive account
of its natural history. Hence, a study was conducted in 2010–2011 through literature review, questionnaire-based interview and field survey in this region, in order to built up a new knowledge-base on the natural history of H. palustris. The little known Bengal Mongoose Herpestes palustris Ghose, 1965 is a wetland-dependent peri-urban mammalian species of India, which was previously
considered a subspecies of H. javanicus or conspecific with H. auropunctatus. In the
country, it is the only endangered mongoose species endemic to West Bengal,
where it is restricted to a tiny native range spread over three southern districts
(Howrah, North and South 24-Parganas) on both banks of the River Hooghly (a
distributary channel of the Ganges) in its lower course. This species is well adapted
to the non-saline, natural or manmade wetland habitat and lead a semi-aquatic
life. But this landscape has been much converted for the agriculture, industries and
human settlements but degraded, fragmented and greatly shrunk during the last
four decades. Since,the available literature does not provide an exclusive account
of its natural history. Hence, a study was conducted in 2010–2011 through literature review, questionnaire-based interview and field survey in this region, in order to built up a new knowledge-base on the natural history of H. palustris.

Densidad y estructura poblacional de Cebus capucinus curtus (Primates: Cebidae) y Bradypus variegatus gorgon (Pilosa: Bradypodidae), Abstract: Density and structure of populations of Cebus capucinus curtus (Primates:Cebidae) and Bradypus variegatus gorgon (Pilosa:Bradypodidae) in Gorgona Island, Colombia. Gorgona is a continental island in the Pacific of Colombia. Two subspecies of arboreal mammals inhabit the island: the White-throated Capuchin (Cebus capucinus curtus) and the Brown-throated Sloth (Bradypus variegatus gorgon). These organisms are important for conservation since they are endemic and perform an essential role as seed dispersers in the National Park. This paper presents information on the population ecology of these two subspecies by using the transects-of-variable-width method, based on perpendicular detection distance, to establish density and age structure. The density of C. capucinus curtus in Gorgona Island was 170.6ind/km 2 (95% CI=122-238.4), while that of B. variegatus gorgon was 2.6ind/km 2 (IC 95%= 1.3 to 4.9ind/km 2 ). The density of C. capucinus curtus in Isla Gorgona is the highest recorded for this species throughout its geographic range, while that of B. variegatus gorgon is the lowest reported for the species. The high density of C. curtus capucinus could be related to a synergistic effect between low predation and continuous availability of food, while the low density of B. variegates gorgon could be related to past hunting pressure, to the low reproductive rate of the species, and to a pandemic occurred in 2005. We recommend constant monitoring of populations of both subspecies, and population health studies for B. variegatus gorgon. Rev. Biol. Trop. 62 (Suppl. 1): 447-456. Epub 2014 February 01.

Hernández Hernández J. C. Factores de coexistencia entre mamíferos carnívoros: ¿segregarse o competir? Elementos 100 (2015) 47-52 47 w w w . e l e m e n t o s . b u a p . m x A los seres vivos se les puede clasificar por sus características físicas que los hacen únicos y distintos entre sí, un ejemplo de ello son los mamíferos. Entre los mamíferos, uno de los grupos más diversos y reconocidos es el de los carnívoros, pertenecientes al Orden Carnívora compuesto por 271 especies (Ceballos, 2005) que presentan características que los hacen muy diferentes del resto de las especies. Como su nombre lo dice, se caracterizan por presentar estructuras especializadas para una alimentación basada en carne, como una dentición carnisal, es decir, caninos o colmillos muy desarrollados, largos y puntiagudos, con premolares y molares de puntas comprimidas y cortantes que les permiten cortar la piel y los músculos de sus presas. El término carnívoro proviene del latín carnivorum y significa devorador de carne; especies de carnívoros se alimentan exclusivamente de carne, como los felinos, sin embargo Julio César Hernández Hernández E l e m e n t o s 1 0 0 , 2 0 1 5 , p p . 4 7 -5 2 Factores de coexistencia entre

Habitat loss, wind energy development, and the disease white-nose syndrome are major threats contributing to declines in bat populations in North America. In the southeastern US in particular, the recent arrival of white-nose syndrome and changes in landscape composition and configuration have driven shifts in bat species populations and distributions. Effective management strategies which address these large-scale, community-level threats require landscape-scale analyses. Our objective was to model the relationship between ecoregional and landscape factors and occupancy by all bat species in South Carolina, USA, during summer. We conducted acoustic surveys from mid-May through July 2015 and 2016 and evaluated temporally dynamic occupancy models for eight bat species or species groups at the 100 km 2 level. We found significant effects of landscape factors such as ecoregion and forest edge density for three species, but habitat condition effects were not statistically significant for five other species. Thus, for some species, site-use analyses may be more appropriate than larger scale occupancy analyses. However, our occupancy predictions generally matched statewide historical distributions for all species, suggesting our approach could be useful for monitoring landscape-level trends in bat species. Thus, while our scale of study was likely too coarse for assessing fine-scale habitat associations for all bat species, our findings can improve future monitoring efforts, inform conservation priorities , and guide subsequent landscape-scale studies for bat species and community-level responses to global change.

The advent of biotechnology has made data on undomesticated mammals relevant to dairy science.  Such data indicate the potential of lactation for modification, reveal genetic material available for use through bioengineering, help distinguish adaptive features from historical artifacts, and clarify limits on lactational diversity that date from early evolution.  Evolutionary analysis indicates that a complex degree of lactation preceded divergence of the extant mammalian lineages during the Mesozoic Era.  Although aspects of monotreme lactation appear to be ancestral for extant mammals, marsupials and eutherians exhibit divergent specializations.  Evidence is consistent with the idea that proto-lacteal glands evolved by combining features of skin gland populations into a new functional complex.  Secretions of these ancestral glands may have had antimicrobial properties that protected the eggs or hatchlings and organic components that supplemented offspring nutrition.  Following development of highly nutritious milks, evolution produced diversity in milk composition and function, milk output, length of lactation, mammary gland anatomy, and contributions of lactation to offspring nutrition.  Certain marsupials are specialized in terms of functional independence and temporal plasticity of mammary tissues.  Mammalian diversity indicates that artificial selection and physiological manipulation of domestic artiodactyls have only modestly exploited the potential of mammary glands as a nutritional source for humans.

Context: As invasive grey squirrels continue to spread, red only areas are becoming rarer. It has been reported that red squirrels can outcompete greys only in pure coniferous woodland. In areas of sympatry with grey squirrels, there are concerns about red squirrels’ dependence on certain coniferous tree species in light of recent tree diseases.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate tree selection by red squirrels in an area vulnerable to the spread of the grey squirrel, but currently free of this species.

Methods: During 2013–14, squirrels were trapped and monitored on a 315-ha managed island, with a woodland characterised by a mixture of deciduous and coniferous species. Radio-tracking revealed that squirrels clustered their activity along a network of yew trees, a preference they showed throughout the year. Trap success was also higher in traps placed on yew trees. Yew and beech were selected most commonly, but squirrels were also observed foraging on other items, such as sycamore flowers and lichen. Squirrels spent 35% of their time foraging, utilising the greatest number of tree species in June (n = 13). In spring, squirrels foraged to a greater extent on the ground than in the trees, and exploited a lower number of tree species.

Conclusions: There has been little previous data on the use of yew trees by red squirrels, but they have previously been listed as a species that is preferred by red squirrels rather than greys. This study has further emphasised the importance of this tree species to red squirrels.

Implications: The continued spread of the grey squirrel may lead to red squirrels becoming restricted to areas of intense management such as parks and, accordingly, optimum tree planting is required from the onset for the long-term maintenance of red squirrels. With recent concern about the disease vulnerability of other coniferous species, this study emphasises the relative importance of yew and other tree species in the distribution of red squirrels.

Densidad y estructura poblacional de Cebus capucinus curtus (Primates: Cebidae) y Bradypus variegatus gorgon (Pilosa: Bradypodidae), Abstract: Density and structure of populations of Cebus capucinus curtus (Primates:Cebidae) and Bradypus variegatus gorgon (Pilosa:Bradypodidae) in Gorgona Island, Colombia. Gorgona is a continental island in the Pacific of Colombia. Two subspecies of arboreal mammals inhabit the island: the White-throated Capuchin (Cebus capucinus curtus) and the Brown-throated Sloth (Bradypus variegatus gorgon). These organisms are important for conservation since they are endemic and perform an essential role as seed dispersers in the National Park. This paper presents information on the population ecology of these two subspecies by using the transects-of-variable-width method, based on perpendicular detection distance, to establish density and age structure. The density of C. capucinus curtus in Gorgona Island was 170.6ind/km 2 (95% CI=122-238.4), while that of B. variegatus gorgon was 2.6ind/km 2 (IC 95%= 1.3 to 4.9ind/km 2 ). The density of C. capucinus curtus in Isla Gorgona is the highest recorded for this species throughout its geographic range, while that of B. variegatus gorgon is the lowest reported for the species. The high density of C. curtus capucinus could be related to a synergistic effect between low predation and continuous availability of food, while the low density of B. variegates gorgon could be related to past hunting pressure, to the low reproductive rate of the species, and to a pandemic occurred in 2005. We recommend constant monitoring of populations of both subspecies, and population health studies for B. variegatus gorgon. Rev. Biol. Trop. 62 (Suppl. 1): 447-456. Epub 2014 February 01.

In this work we attempt to reconstruct the dynamic collapse over time of a regional population of Italian roe deer in central Italy (Latium and Abruzzi) from 15th Century to the present day. To meet this aim, both historical and grey literature (both primary and secondary) has been investigated, and the DPSIR model and a standardized threat taxonomy have been applied. Historically, different driving forces and threat pressures changed the status of roe deer and different conservation responses were promoted. Biological resource use (5.1-"Hunting and collecting terrestrial animals" and 5.3-"Logging and wood harvesting"), Natural system modification (7.1-"Fire" and 7.3-"Other ecosystem modifications, as land reclamation) and Invasive and other problematic species (8.3 "Introduced genetic material and genes") were the main threats (IUCN standardized taxonomy). We recognized three historical phases and one sub-phase of demographic reduction and collapse: "Aristocratic hunting" phase (15th Century), "Fire weapons and people hunting" phase (from 16th to 18th Century), "Habitat collapse" phase (19th and 20th Century), with a sub-phase of "genetic introgression" beginning in the 1940s. Our analysis highlighted: (i) the role in conservation biology of primary and secondary grey sources of data; and (ii) the use of the DPSIR approach to schematically reconstruct the local factors and processes acting on the demographic collapse of a below-species taxon.

Aim: We use cluster analysis to delimit climatically and functionally distinct mam-malian faunal clusters. These entities form regional species pools and are relevant to community assembly processes. Similar clusters can be differentiated in the fossil record, offering the potential for use as palaeoenvironmental proxies.

The  absence  of  public  protected  areas  in  CasanareColombiahas  led  to  strengthen  conservation processes byprivate reserves (RNSC), where working together with local communities is the basis of biodiversity management. Thisstudy aimedto evaluate the richness and abundance of terrestrial mammals through a community-based monitoring program. During two seasons (2018 and 2019), eleven camera traps were installed, for a total of 960 camera-days. Eighteen mammalspecies were recorded,  belonging  to  ten families  and  six  orders,  including the two  threatened  species Myrmecophaga  tridactyla and Pteronura  brasiliensis.  This studyis  one  of  the  first  mammalian inventories inthe Colombian Orinoco based on a community exercise of biodiversity knowledge.