Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Jennah Green, Catherine Jakins, Louise de Waal, Neil D'Cruze
Summary: The African lion farming industry in South Africa, which includes activities like sport hunting, tourism, and the international bone trade, faces controversy despite its legal status. In 2020, a high-level panel was appointed to review policies and management regarding wildlife breeding, hunting, trade, and handling, including lions. In May 2021, the government announced intentions to end lion farming by amending existing permit conditions and halting permits for new entrants, necessitating a comprehensive, well-managed plan for a responsible exit from the industry.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
David M. Cooper, Andrew J. Dugmore, Andrew C. Kitchener, Marc J. Metzger, Antonio Trabucco
Summary: This study reconstructs the changing range of lions during the late Pleistocene and Holocene using ecological niche models and environmental stratification of palaeoclimate. It found that lion habitat suitability has reduced throughout the Holocene, mainly due to aridification of the Sahara and human impacts. The research highlights the importance of integrating fluctuating vegetation and desiccation of the Sahara into palaeoclimatic models for understanding shifting faunal ranges during the Holocene.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Taesik Yun, Jeongho Kim, Hyun-Gu Kang
Summary: An 8.5-year-old intact female lion diagnosed with pyometra underwent successful ovariohysterectomy via the lateral flank approach, recovering well post-surgery.
VETERINARY SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Jason A. Turner, Emma J. Dunston-Clarke, Inger Fabris-Rotelli, Hans de Iongh
Summary: This study assesses the home range and movement behavior of reintroduced white lions, showing that they display natural behavior and suggesting successful reintroduction.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nancy Felix, Bernard M. Kissui, Linus Munishi, Anna C. Treydte
Summary: Conflicts between humans and lions are common in coexistence landscapes due to livestock predation and threats to human safety. Retaliatory lion killing by humans is a leading cause of declining lion populations in Africa. In the Tarangire-Manyara Ecosystem (TME), male lion coalitions are larger and have longer tenure periods in locations with lower risk of retaliatory killing and away from active hunting blocks. Younger people (18-35 years old) have a more positive attitude towards lion existence and conservation. Surprisingly, people with primary or secondary education are more likely to kill lions if they attack livestock compared to those with no formal education.
Article
Biology
Jennifer Zahmel, Stefanie Jaensch, Katarina Jewgenow, Ditte-Mari Sandgreen, Kim Skalborg Simonsen, Martina Colombo
Summary: In this study, in-vitro maturation and fertilization techniques were applied to African lion oocytes, with some oocytes being vitrified before maturation. The maturation rate and fertilization success were lower in the vitrified group compared to the control group, with embryos in the vitrified group failing to develop beyond the 4-cell stage. This study represents the first successful production of in-vitro-derived embryos from African lions following oocyte vitrification.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
J. Green, C. Jakins, E. Asfaw, A. Parker, L. de Waal, N. D'Cruze
Summary: Breeding and housing wild lions in captive environments, especially on commercial lion farms in South Africa, can lead to welfare challenges including disease, injury, negative behaviors, negative mental experiences, nutritional concerns, and environmental challenges. However, there is a lack of scientific research specifically focusing on the welfare of captive lions, particularly on lion farms in South Africa. This could have significant consequences for the welfare of thousands of lions within the industry.
Article
Ecology
Angharad K. Jones, Simon P. E. Blockley, Danielle C. Schreve, Chris Carbone
Summary: The study revealed that spotted hyena biomass is more influenced by environmental conditions, while lion biomass is more influenced by the biomass of large prey. Competition had a negligible effect on both spotted hyena and lion populations, and environmental partitioning resulted in uneven distribution of spotted hyena population biomass in different areas.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Gidey Yirga, Solomon Amare, Fikirte Gebresenbet, Hans H. De Iongh, Matthijs Vos, Claudio Sillero-Zubiri, Hans Bauer
Summary: Ethiopia is experiencing a decline in lion populations due to human-lion conflicts, habitat loss, and inadequate protection measures. Despite perceiving lions as dangerous carnivores, the majority of respondents express a desire for lions to be present in restricted areas regionally.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Vivienne L. Williams, Peter G. Coals, Marli de Bruyn, Vincent N. Naude, Desire L. Dalton, Antoinette Kotze
Summary: The article discusses the export of lion bones from South Africa, including the increase in legal exports, concerns over possible laundering, and evaluation of the CITES compliance procedures. South Africa is required to monitor and report trade, and limit illegal trade and laundering of lion and other large felid bones. The compliance procedure successfully prevented the laundering of a tiger skeleton in 2018, highlighting the importance of mixed-method protocols for monitoring compliance in CITES Appendix II export quota systems.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Wesley C. Au, Simon G. Dures, Yasuko Ishida, Cory E. Green, Kai Zhao, Rob Ogden, Alfred L. Roca
Summary: The illegal poaching of lions for their body parts poses a severe threat to lion populations across Africa. This study presents the Lion Localizer, a software tool that uses DNA sequences to identify the potential origin of seized lion body parts, aiding in the fight against lion poaching.
JOURNAL OF HEREDITY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Ronja D. Haring, Grant Beverley, Peter N. Thompson, Andrew Taylor, Jacques H. O'Dell
Summary: Researchers simulated lion presence to guide the movements of endangered African wild dogs and reduce conflict with farmers. The study found that wild dog incursion rate decreased by 55.5% and the duration of incursions decreased by 72.7% after lion scat was deployed. This novel approach provides a promising strategy for wild dog conservation.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Georgiana Deak, Angela Monica Ionica, Andrei Daniel Mihalca
Summary: This paper reports a new host-parasite association between the oriental eye worm (Thelazia callipaeda) and a male lion (Panthera leo) from a zoo in Romania.
VETERINARY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Susan M. Miller, Antoinette Kotze, Cindy K. Harper, Jacqueline M. Bishop, Vivienne L. Williams, Charne Rossouw, Johanita Schoeman, Marli de Bruyn, Desire Lee Dalton, S. A. Jeanetta Selier
Summary: South Africa's captive lion sector is being closed down by the government, but there is a lack of knowledge on the origin and genetic diversity of captive lions. Survey and permit data suggest that most captive lions in South Africa are sourced from within the country, but there are also indications of mixed origins. Genetic analysis shows that captive lions in South Africa have a genetic composition comparable to wild lions, but there is a risk of future inbreeding due to their high genetic interconnectedness and smaller effective population size. The findings highlight the importance of considering genetic factors in the conservation of captive lions.
CONSERVATION GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Davide Persico
Summary: A well-preserved left felid hemimandible was found in fluvial deposits of the Po River near Cremona, showing morphology and size that match modern and fossil lions. The fossil has all the teeth intact and is classified as a subadult female Panthera spelaea intermedia based on morphometric comparisons with cave lion and fossil leopard hemimandibles. The mammalian fossil record from the Po River indicates a mixing of different faunal assemblages from interglacial and glacial periods of the Late Pleistocene, including large herbivores, carnivores, and primates.
QUATERNARY INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Robert A. Montgomery, Jamie Raupp, Methodius Mukhwana, Ashley Greenleaf, Tutilo Mudumba, Philip Muruthi
Summary: Efforts have been made to reduce elephant crop raiding through interventions such as chili peppers and crop guarding combined with deterrents, which have been reported as most effective. However, further research is needed to evaluate the scalability of these interventions across different elephant populations.
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Robert A. Montgomery, Jamie Raupp, Storm A. Miller, Matthew Wijers, Roxanne Lisowsky, Abigail Comar, Cassandra K. Bugir, Matt W. Hayward
Summary: The hunting modes of humans, including sit-and-wait, sit-and-pursue, and active hunting, have significant implications for animal populations and can impact a wide range of prey species.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Herbert Kasozi, Remington J. Moll, Robert M. Kityo, Robert A. Montgomery
Summary: By studying a community of 22 sympatric mammal species in Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda, we found that phylogeny is a stronger predictor of species activity levels than body mass. Our findings provide empirical evidence for the phylogenetic structuring of mammal activity in diverse communities, and suggest the importance of evolutionary relationships in predicting species traits in diverse animal communities.
BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Matthew Wijers, Paul Trethowan, Byron du Preez, Andrew J. Loveridge, Andrew Markham, David W. Macdonald, Robert A. Montgomery
Summary: African lions adjust their movement behavior according to wind speed and direction to maximize olfactory information gained per unit of energy spent. These findings provide important insights into large carnivore anemotaxis and contribute to the understanding of the influence of wind on predator ecology.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Tutilo Mudumba, Remington J. Moll, Sophia Jingo, Shawn Riley, David W. Macdonald, Christos Astaras, Robert A. Montgomery
Summary: Subsistence poaching poses a threat to wildlife populations and the well-being of local people. Conflict with wildlife is a key factor in determining attitudes towards poaching.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
David R. Heit, Christopher C. Wilmers, Waldemar Ortiz-Calo, Robert A. Montgomery
Summary: The movement patterns of animals provide insights into their habitat decisions and behavior. However, current analysis methods often neglect the complexity of landscapes and fail to consider the vertical dimension. Incorporating vertical dimensionality can improve the understanding of animal behaviors and enable researchers to study animal movement ecology more effectively.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Arthur B. B. Muneza, Bernard Amakobe, Simon Kasaine, Daniel B. B. Kramer, Mwangi Githiru, Gary J. J. Roloff, Matt W. W. Hayward, Robert A. A. Montgomery
Summary: Unsustainable hunting has led to the extinction of many species, including giraffes. Giraffes are hunted for consumption and for their body parts, but the socio-economic factors influencing the use of giraffe body parts are not well understood. A study conducted in Kenya showed that gender, occupation, and land ownership were significantly correlated with the use of giraffe body parts.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sarah E. Stock, Kaya Klop-Toker, Samantha Wallace, Oliver Kelly, Alex Callen, Rebecca Seeto, Stephen V. Mahony, Matt W. Hayward, Michael J. Mahony
Summary: This study used genomic sequencing to investigate the Littlejohn's treefrog in eastern Australia. The results revealed genetic isolation and population declines, indicating the urgent need for conservation management. The study highlights the importance of genetic methods for studying rare species.
CONSERVATION GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Matt W. Hayward, Gina J. Hayward, Graham I. H. Kerley
Summary: Predators can influence the behavior of prey, which can in turn affect prey demography and trophic interactions. Little is known about the factors that drive prey species' spatial responses to predators. In this study, we tested the factors that affected the proximity of prey to reintroduced lions in Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa. Our results suggest that large vertebrate prey responses to predators are context dependent, challenging the conventional belief that odor is the primary factor in predator detection.
ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Ecology
David R. Heit, Joshua J. Millspaugh, Jon T. McRoberts, Kevyn H. Wiskirchen, Jason A. Sumners, Jason L. Isabelle, Barbara J. Keller, Aaron M. Hildreth, Robert A. Montgomery, Remington J. Moll
Summary: This study examined the influence of spatial scale on habitat selection analyses and investigated whether individual variation in scale of effect could be predicted by intrinsic or extrinsic factors. The results showed that spatial scale had varying effects on different individuals, and home range size, study site, and proportion of forest within a home range could predict the individual variation in scale of effect.
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Nadine Nolan, Matthew W. Hayward, Kaya Klop-Toker, Michael Mahony, Frank Lemckert, Alex Callen
Summary: The global decline of amphibians is attributed to human actions triggering the sixth mass extinction. Amphibians have exhibited severe declines and their lack of response to conservation actions may be due to challenges faced by taxa with biphasic life histories. There is an urgent need for cost-effective conservation measures to ensure positive outcomes.
Article
Biology
Chris Sutherland, Darragh Hare, Paul J. Johnson, Daniel W. Linden, Robert A. Montgomery, Egil Droge
Summary: The debates surrounding model selection paradigms are important, especially in the absence of a consensus. This study highlights the need for a better understanding of existing approaches, specifically among end-users of statistics and model selection tools. The researchers focus on the Akaike information criterion (AIC) in ecological literature and address common misunderstandings related to 'pretending' variables and the interpretation of p-values in relation to AIC. By complementing technical literature with simulations, the study aims to improve statistical practices and the interpretation and reporting of models selected using AIC.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Sean M. Sultaire, Joshua J. Millspaugh, Patrick J. Jackson, Robert A. Montgomery
Summary: Changes in topography have significant effects on animal ecology and species detection probability in mountainous landscapes. This study quantified the influence of topographic variables on mammal species detection probability and found different responses to terrain steepness and position.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Talesha J. Dokes, Gary J. Roloff, Kelly F. Millenbah, Bjorn H. K. Wolter, Robert A. Montgomery
Summary: Over the past 30 years, there has been a shift in the demographics of undergraduate natural resources students, with more students coming from urban backgrounds with lower levels of engagement in consumptive activities. Family participation in consumptive activities plays a crucial role in students' career decision-making.
WILDLIFE SOCIETY BULLETIN
(2022)