We observed differences in den types, den site characteristics, and chronology of denning between... more We observed differences in den types, den site characteristics, and chronology of denning between radiocollared brown bears (Ursus arctos) and Asiatic black bears (U. thibetanus) on and near the Sikhote-Alin Biosphere Zapovednik in the Russian Far East during 1993-2002. Of 27 Asiatic black bear dens, 17 (63%) were in hollow trees, 6 (22%) in ground nests, 3 (11%) in caves or under rocks, and 1 (4%) was in an old excavated brown bear den. Of 12 brown bear dens, 9 were burrows excavated into hillsides, 2 under rock outcroppings, and 1 was a ground nest. We compared elevation, percent slope, aspect, and location on slope of 20 brown and 31 Asiatic black bear dens between species, sexes, and with 100 random coordinates, used to represent availability. Brown bears denned at higher elevations and on steeper slopes than Asiatic black bears and selected higher elevations and steeper slopes than were generally available. Black bears selected flat areas more often than available. Female black bears emerged from dens later than did males, and female black bears with cubs emerged later than barren females. One brown and 1 Asiatic black bear abandoned dens in response to investigator disturbance. While in dens, 1 Asiatic black bear was killed by a tiger (Panthera tigris) and 2 other Asiatic black bears survived predation attempts, one by a tiger and one by a brown bear. Tree dens may be important for Asiatic black bears for protection against predators. To increase survival and reproduction, we recommend protecting potential den trees from logging and adjusting hunting seasons and practices to reduce mortality of adult females.
Searching for the coexistence recipe: a case study of conflicts between people and tigers in the ... more Searching for the coexistence recipe: a case study of conflicts between people and tigers in the Russian Far East DALE MIQUELLE, IGOR NIKOLAEV, JOHN GOODRICH, BORIS LITVINOV, EVGENY SMIRNOV AND EVGENY SUVOROV INTRODUCTION Large ...
Data were colleted on the scent-marking patterns of radio-collared and visually identifiable tige... more Data were colleted on the scent-marking patterns of radio-collared and visually identifiable tigers for 4 years in Royal Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Five categories of marking were recorded: urine spraying; scraping with deposits of urine faeces, and anal gland ...
Non-invasive genetic sampling (NGS) methods have been instrumental in providing robust population... more Non-invasive genetic sampling (NGS) methods have been instrumental in providing robust population abundance and density estimates of bears. We conducted a small pilot study to (1) evaluate 2 NGS methods of hair traps and bear rubs in the Russian Far East (RFE) on sympatric populations of Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus) and brown bears (Ursus arctos), and (2) to identify potential DNA marker sets for future study. Genetic analysis required 6 microsatellite markers to definitively identify individuals plus a gender marker, and closed population models estimated 142 Asiatic black bears and 18 brown bears. Spatially-explicit mark-recapture (SECR) density estimates for brown bears were 3 bears/100 km 2. Inflated Asiatic black bear estimates resulted from a lack of recaptures, although using combined detection data from the 2 NGS methods was found to improve precision for abundance estimates. Capture probabilities were higher for brown bears than for Asiatic black bears, but overall recapture probabilities were low for both species. The frequency of rubbing declined from June to August, possibly due to bears leaving the study area, and Asiatic black bears were detected less frequently on rubs than brown bears, suggesting that species-specific ecology must be incorporated into future study designs. We recommend that future applications of NGS in the RFE improve capture probabilities by sampling earlier in the season to mitigate geographic closure violation for abundance estimates and to increase the number of detections for robust spatially explicit capture-recapture analyses. Our results demonstrate that NGS methods have strong potential for monitoring of bear populations in the RFE.
Leopards, Panthera pardus , are widely distributed across southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. T... more Leopards, Panthera pardus , are widely distributed across southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. The extent and phylogeographic patterns of molecular genetic diversity were addressed in a survey of 77 leopards from known geographical locales representing 13 of the 27 classical trinomial subspecies. Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences (727 bp of NADH5 and control region) and 25 polymorphic microsatellite loci revealed abundant diversity that could be partitioned into a minimum of nine discrete populations, tentatively named here as revised subspecies: P. pardus pardus , P. p. nimr , P. p. saxicolor , P. p. fusca , P. p. kotiya , P. p. delacouri , P. p. japonensis , P. p. orientalis and P. p. melas . However, because of limited sampling of African populations, this may be an underestimate of modern phylogeographic population structure. Combined phylogeographic and population diversity estimates support an origin for modern leopard lineages 470 000 -825 000 years ago in Africa followed by their migration into and across Asia more recently (170 000 -300 000 years ago). Recent demographic reductions likely have led to genetic impoverishment in P. p. orientalis and in the island subspecies P. p. kotiya .
The Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) is a critically endangered felid that suffered a severe ... more The Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) is a critically endangered felid that suffered a severe demographic contraction in the 1940s. In this study, we sampled 95 individuals collected throughout their native range to investigate questions relative to population genetic structure and demographic history. Additionally, we sampled targeted individuals from the North American ex situ population to assess the genetic representation found in captivity. Population genetic and Bayesian structure analyses clearly identified two populations separated by a development corridor in Russia. Despite their welldocumented 20th century decline, we failed to find evidence of a recent population bottleneck, although genetic signatures of a historical contraction were detected. This disparity in signal may be due to several reasons, including historical paucity in population genetic variation associated with postglacial colonization and potential gene flow from a now extirpated Chinese population. Despite conflicting signatures of a bottleneck, our estimates of effective population size (N e = 27-35) and N e ⁄ N ratio (0.07-0.054) were substantially lower than the only other values reported for a wild tiger population. Lastly, the extent and distribution of genetic variation in captive and wild populations were similar, yet gene variants persisted ex situ that were lost in situ. Overall, our results indicate the need to secure ecological connectivity between the two Russian populations to minimize loss of genetic diversity and overall susceptibility to stochastic events, and support a previous study suggesting that the captive population may be a reservoir of gene variants lost in situ.
We examined causes of mortality and survival rates for Amur tigers on and near the Sikhote-Alin B... more We examined causes of mortality and survival rates for Amur tigers on and near the Sikhote-Alin Biosphere Zapovednik. Our objectives were to estimate and compare survival rates among sex and age classes, estimate cause-specific mortality, identify conservation issues related to tiger mortality and provide recommendations for reducing human-caused mortality. We used two separate datasets; one based on radio-tracking tigers from 1992 to 2005 and one based on reports of dead tigers from 1976 to 2000. We examined causes of mortality for both datasets and used a Cox proportional hazards models to estimate survival rates using data from 42 radio-collared tigers. Mortality was predominantly human-caused for both datasets (83% for the telemetry dataset and 78% for the other, n = 24 and 53 mortalities, respectively), and 75% of collared animals were poached. All collared subadult tigers that dispersed were poached (n = 6). Annual survival of adult females (0.81 AE 0.10) was greater than that of adult males (0.63 AE 0.20) (z = 1.52, P= 0.13) and subadult males (0.41 AE 0.46) (z = 2.07, P = 0.04). Survival rates were precariously low on our study area, which included the largest protected area within Amur tiger range. Efforts to reduce human-caused mortality should focus on poaching and reducing deaths from tiger-human conflicts.
The Amur tiger, Panthera tigris altaica, is a highly endangered felid whose range and population ... more The Amur tiger, Panthera tigris altaica, is a highly endangered felid whose range and population size has been severely reduced in recent times. At present, the wild population is estimated at 490 individuals, having rebounded from the 20-30 tigers remaining following a severe bottleneck in the 1940's. The current study presents preliminary data on the patterns and levels of genetic variation in the mitochondrial DNA control region using DNA extracted from non-invasively sampled faecal material, collected throughout the entire range of P. t. altaica in the Russian Far East. Analysis of 82 scat samples representing at least 27 individuals revealed extremely low levels of CR haplotype diversity, characterized by a single widespread haplotype (96.4%) and two rare variants, each differing by a single step within the hypervariable I (2.4%) and central conserved regions (1.2%), respectively. A comparison with previous data on cytochrome b variation in 14 captive individuals revealed a potentially greater amount of genetic variation represented in captivity relative to that found in the wild population. The extremely low levels of mitochondrial DNA variation in the wild population is discussed in light of the demographic processes that might have shaped these patterns as well as the potential bias introduced through analysis of fecal samples. These results highlight the continuing need to assess levels of genetic variation even in recovering populations that are increasing in number and underscore the important role that captive breeding programs may play in preserving remnant genetic diversity of endangered species.
We observed differences in den types, den site characteristics, and chronology of denning between... more We observed differences in den types, den site characteristics, and chronology of denning between radiocollared brown bears (Ursus arctos) and Asiatic black bears (U. thibetanus) on and near the Sikhote-Alin Biosphere Zapovednik in the Russian Far East during 1993-2002. Of 27 Asiatic black bear dens, 17 (63%) were in hollow trees, 6 (22%) in ground nests, 3 (11%) in caves or under rocks, and 1 (4%) was in an old excavated brown bear den. Of 12 brown bear dens, 9 were burrows excavated into hillsides, 2 under rock outcroppings, and 1 was a ground nest. We compared elevation, percent slope, aspect, and location on slope of 20 brown and 31 Asiatic black bear dens between species, sexes, and with 100 random coordinates, used to represent availability. Brown bears denned at higher elevations and on steeper slopes than Asiatic black bears and selected higher elevations and steeper slopes than were generally available. Black bears selected flat areas more often than available. Female black bears emerged from dens later than did males, and female black bears with cubs emerged later than barren females. One brown and 1 Asiatic black bear abandoned dens in response to investigator disturbance. While in dens, 1 Asiatic black bear was killed by a tiger (Panthera tigris) and 2 other Asiatic black bears survived predation attempts, one by a tiger and one by a brown bear. Tree dens may be important for Asiatic black bears for protection against predators. To increase survival and reproduction, we recommend protecting potential den trees from logging and adjusting hunting seasons and practices to reduce mortality of adult females.
Searching for the coexistence recipe: a case study of conflicts between people and tigers in the ... more Searching for the coexistence recipe: a case study of conflicts between people and tigers in the Russian Far East DALE MIQUELLE, IGOR NIKOLAEV, JOHN GOODRICH, BORIS LITVINOV, EVGENY SMIRNOV AND EVGENY SUVOROV INTRODUCTION Large ...
Data were colleted on the scent-marking patterns of radio-collared and visually identifiable tige... more Data were colleted on the scent-marking patterns of radio-collared and visually identifiable tigers for 4 years in Royal Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Five categories of marking were recorded: urine spraying; scraping with deposits of urine faeces, and anal gland ...
Non-invasive genetic sampling (NGS) methods have been instrumental in providing robust population... more Non-invasive genetic sampling (NGS) methods have been instrumental in providing robust population abundance and density estimates of bears. We conducted a small pilot study to (1) evaluate 2 NGS methods of hair traps and bear rubs in the Russian Far East (RFE) on sympatric populations of Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus) and brown bears (Ursus arctos), and (2) to identify potential DNA marker sets for future study. Genetic analysis required 6 microsatellite markers to definitively identify individuals plus a gender marker, and closed population models estimated 142 Asiatic black bears and 18 brown bears. Spatially-explicit mark-recapture (SECR) density estimates for brown bears were 3 bears/100 km 2. Inflated Asiatic black bear estimates resulted from a lack of recaptures, although using combined detection data from the 2 NGS methods was found to improve precision for abundance estimates. Capture probabilities were higher for brown bears than for Asiatic black bears, but overall recapture probabilities were low for both species. The frequency of rubbing declined from June to August, possibly due to bears leaving the study area, and Asiatic black bears were detected less frequently on rubs than brown bears, suggesting that species-specific ecology must be incorporated into future study designs. We recommend that future applications of NGS in the RFE improve capture probabilities by sampling earlier in the season to mitigate geographic closure violation for abundance estimates and to increase the number of detections for robust spatially explicit capture-recapture analyses. Our results demonstrate that NGS methods have strong potential for monitoring of bear populations in the RFE.
Leopards, Panthera pardus , are widely distributed across southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. T... more Leopards, Panthera pardus , are widely distributed across southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. The extent and phylogeographic patterns of molecular genetic diversity were addressed in a survey of 77 leopards from known geographical locales representing 13 of the 27 classical trinomial subspecies. Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences (727 bp of NADH5 and control region) and 25 polymorphic microsatellite loci revealed abundant diversity that could be partitioned into a minimum of nine discrete populations, tentatively named here as revised subspecies: P. pardus pardus , P. p. nimr , P. p. saxicolor , P. p. fusca , P. p. kotiya , P. p. delacouri , P. p. japonensis , P. p. orientalis and P. p. melas . However, because of limited sampling of African populations, this may be an underestimate of modern phylogeographic population structure. Combined phylogeographic and population diversity estimates support an origin for modern leopard lineages 470 000 -825 000 years ago in Africa followed by their migration into and across Asia more recently (170 000 -300 000 years ago). Recent demographic reductions likely have led to genetic impoverishment in P. p. orientalis and in the island subspecies P. p. kotiya .
The Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) is a critically endangered felid that suffered a severe ... more The Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) is a critically endangered felid that suffered a severe demographic contraction in the 1940s. In this study, we sampled 95 individuals collected throughout their native range to investigate questions relative to population genetic structure and demographic history. Additionally, we sampled targeted individuals from the North American ex situ population to assess the genetic representation found in captivity. Population genetic and Bayesian structure analyses clearly identified two populations separated by a development corridor in Russia. Despite their welldocumented 20th century decline, we failed to find evidence of a recent population bottleneck, although genetic signatures of a historical contraction were detected. This disparity in signal may be due to several reasons, including historical paucity in population genetic variation associated with postglacial colonization and potential gene flow from a now extirpated Chinese population. Despite conflicting signatures of a bottleneck, our estimates of effective population size (N e = 27-35) and N e ⁄ N ratio (0.07-0.054) were substantially lower than the only other values reported for a wild tiger population. Lastly, the extent and distribution of genetic variation in captive and wild populations were similar, yet gene variants persisted ex situ that were lost in situ. Overall, our results indicate the need to secure ecological connectivity between the two Russian populations to minimize loss of genetic diversity and overall susceptibility to stochastic events, and support a previous study suggesting that the captive population may be a reservoir of gene variants lost in situ.
We examined causes of mortality and survival rates for Amur tigers on and near the Sikhote-Alin B... more We examined causes of mortality and survival rates for Amur tigers on and near the Sikhote-Alin Biosphere Zapovednik. Our objectives were to estimate and compare survival rates among sex and age classes, estimate cause-specific mortality, identify conservation issues related to tiger mortality and provide recommendations for reducing human-caused mortality. We used two separate datasets; one based on radio-tracking tigers from 1992 to 2005 and one based on reports of dead tigers from 1976 to 2000. We examined causes of mortality for both datasets and used a Cox proportional hazards models to estimate survival rates using data from 42 radio-collared tigers. Mortality was predominantly human-caused for both datasets (83% for the telemetry dataset and 78% for the other, n = 24 and 53 mortalities, respectively), and 75% of collared animals were poached. All collared subadult tigers that dispersed were poached (n = 6). Annual survival of adult females (0.81 AE 0.10) was greater than that of adult males (0.63 AE 0.20) (z = 1.52, P= 0.13) and subadult males (0.41 AE 0.46) (z = 2.07, P = 0.04). Survival rates were precariously low on our study area, which included the largest protected area within Amur tiger range. Efforts to reduce human-caused mortality should focus on poaching and reducing deaths from tiger-human conflicts.
The Amur tiger, Panthera tigris altaica, is a highly endangered felid whose range and population ... more The Amur tiger, Panthera tigris altaica, is a highly endangered felid whose range and population size has been severely reduced in recent times. At present, the wild population is estimated at 490 individuals, having rebounded from the 20-30 tigers remaining following a severe bottleneck in the 1940's. The current study presents preliminary data on the patterns and levels of genetic variation in the mitochondrial DNA control region using DNA extracted from non-invasively sampled faecal material, collected throughout the entire range of P. t. altaica in the Russian Far East. Analysis of 82 scat samples representing at least 27 individuals revealed extremely low levels of CR haplotype diversity, characterized by a single widespread haplotype (96.4%) and two rare variants, each differing by a single step within the hypervariable I (2.4%) and central conserved regions (1.2%), respectively. A comparison with previous data on cytochrome b variation in 14 captive individuals revealed a potentially greater amount of genetic variation represented in captivity relative to that found in the wild population. The extremely low levels of mitochondrial DNA variation in the wild population is discussed in light of the demographic processes that might have shaped these patterns as well as the potential bias introduced through analysis of fecal samples. These results highlight the continuing need to assess levels of genetic variation even in recovering populations that are increasing in number and underscore the important role that captive breeding programs may play in preserving remnant genetic diversity of endangered species.
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Papers by Dale Miquelle