Journal of Wildlife and Biodiversity
Volume:7 Issue: 3, Summer 2023

Bats are found all over the world except Arctic and Antarctic regions and a few isolated oceanic islands. Northeast India has28 genera and 62 species and subspecies of bats. The state of Assam has a total of 39 different bat species under 16 genera. On 12.04.2017, one male Greater false vampire bat Lyroderma lyraGeoffroy, 1810 (former ‘Megaderma lyra’) was collected from a classroom near the old Zoology Department (Latitude: N 2601′ 28.1136′′; Longitude: E 89058′ 9.9912′′) of B. N. College campus of Dhubri district of western Assam which lies in the Brahmaputra valley of Assam, India (South Asia). It comes under the family ‘Megadermatidae’ which is an ancient family of carnivorous bats. An individualwas a robust one with a forearm length of 66.2 mm and 93 gms of body mass. Some of the other important morphometric measurements recorded were as Length of the ear (E)-30mm, Length of head and body (HB)-82 mm, Length of the penis (p)-9mm, Height ofnoseleaf (nslf)-9.5mm, Wing span (wsp)-423mm and the length of the tragus (Tr)-16mm respectively. The structureof the ears wasfound to be large ovals joined medially to the forehead region. The tragus of each ear was slender and distinctly bifid. The noseleaf was foundto be erected and elongated. Previously the species was reported from the Tinsukia district of Upper Assam followed by the Kamrup and Goalpara districtsof the Lower Brahmaputra Valleyof Assam. The currentplace of occurrence, i.e., the ‘Dhubri district’has been established as a new distributional record for the species from the western part of Assam of Northeast India, a global biodiversity hotspot.

A millipede species originating from South Asia and distributed throughout Europe, Oxidus gracilis is recorded for the second time in Turkey, with the first definite locality record, an altered cave environment (Koçköy cave, Düzce province, West Blacksea coast).

This short communication reports the initial results of the experimental reintroduction of the Olkhon mountain voleAlticola olchonensis, an endemic mammal species of the Lake Baikal area. In2019–2020, several dozen young individuals born in the vivarium of the Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals SB RAS (Novosibirsk, Russia) were released into the wild on Borokchin Island(the Maloe More Strait, Lake Baikal). The Olkhon mountain vole used to inhabit this island but disappeared in the early 21st century. The reintroduction outcomes can be considered successful as the young-of-the-year voles have survived the winter and bred.

Rich biodiversity is one of the Philippines' greatest assets. The population and diversity of flora and fauna continue to face threats due to anthropogenic interventions. This study in Mt. Calavite Wildlife Sanctuary (MCWS) is one of the pioneering research on vertebrate fauna in a permanent biodiversity monitoring plot which followed a nationally accepted system of biodiversity assessment and monitoring for species and habitat conservation. The study established a 2-ha Permanent Biodiversity Monitoring Area (PBMA) following the procedures in the Biodiversity Assessment and Monitoring System crafted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Biodiversity Management Bureau. Results showed that MCWS was home to different kinds of vertebrate fauna including 23 bird species from 17 families, 7 mammalian species from 6 families, and 8 herpetofaunal species from 7 families. The habitat association assessment revealed that the majority of species were forest-dependent and some were associated with grassland, agricultural areas, and forest streams. The computed diversity values in MCWS were generally higher than in other areas in the Philippines. Lastly, a high percentage of ecologically important species were recorded including the native, endemic, and threatened species. The study revealed the presence of essential species that shall be prioritized for conservation. The product of this study can act as baseline information for the continuous monitoring of the area and can further be used in crafting more appropriate and comprehensive conservation and management plans for the area.

The cloudedleopard (Neofelis nebulosa) is a medium-sized cat having distinct cloud-shaped patches. In India, its range mainly consists of the northeasternstates. The species has a long history of being housed in captivity, i.e., in Indian Zoos, and a breeding programfor clouded leopards wasalso initiated in an Indian Zoo. It has been reported that the species is difficult to manage in captivity and little is known about it in terms of its breeding success. The study aims to learn about the history and population scenario of the clouded leopard in Indian zoos. The study of populations serves as an important tool both in terms of management and ex-situconservation. The data regarding the history of housing clouded leopards in Indian zoos, theirsex ratio, birth data, death data, acquisition, disposal, and founder animals were collected from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) and National Studbooks.The study's results revealed the history of the clouded leopard being housed at 11 zoos in India, with a decrease in the number of breeding pairs and more mortality comparedto the number of births over the years. This study indicates that the genetic management of species and knowing the present constraints in managing species in captivity needs further examination to conserve species more effectively in captivity. Aneffective species-specific management plan needs to be implemented for the species.

Thestudy was conducted at Dengago Mountain in Eastern Ethiopia to identify and analyze species' diversity,population structure,and regenerationstatus alongaltitudinal gradients.Asystematic sampling procedurewas employed with 6 transect lines and 45 quadrats established along the transect lines. Datawere collected on the tree,shrubs,climbers, andherbaceousplantsalong altitudinal gradients. Thevegetation data were statistically analyzedin one-way ANOVA using R software(version 4.0.5). A total of 49 species within23familiesand34generawere identified of which42.8% were shrubs, 40.8% trees, 10.2% climbers,and 6.1% tree/shrubs.Tiliaceaewasthedominantand Lower Altitude had significantly higher plant density than MA and UA. On the other hand,Middle altitude hada significantlyhigher Shannon’sdiversity index value and the Jaccard’s similarities index showedthe highest species similarity between MA and UA. The diameterand height class distribution of the population exhibited an inverted J-shape and the regenerationstatusof the forest was in faircondition.The study identified the presence of anthropologic disturbancesand suggest the conservationthe of Dengego mountain.

The Philippine tarsier Carlito syrichta (Linnaeus, 1758) is considered a specially protected flagship species in the Philippines. However, the species is threatened due to natural disasters and human activities. Little is known about the ecology and existing threats of tarsier populations in some islands in the Philippines, particularly in Samar, Dinagat, Biliran, and Leyte. In this study, we report the existence of a population of tarsiers utilizing a karst forest patch in Hindang, Leyte, and characterize the habitat of the species after a super typhoon. Using field-based observations, camera traps, and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with the stakeholders, we generated baseline data on tarsiers in Mt. Bontoc, their habitats, and the existing and possible future threats. Results revealed that tarsiers were present in forested areas dominated by small-sized trees having a mean diameter at breast height (DBH) of 2.5 centimeters and a mean height of 5.0 meters. These trees are harvested for firewood. Recorded threats to the population and its habitat include incidental captures of the animal, typhoons, forest fires, and the presence of exotic animals. FGDs revealed high concerns of the stakeholders for the protection and conservation of the species and the inclusion of the tarsiers for local management and tourism strategies in the future. The study highlights the significance of field visits and community participation to assess the local threats to tarsiers for future actions in terms of biodiversity conservation in fragmented habitats.

Overwhelming anthropogenic activities combined with the effects of climate change pose extreme threats to wildlife resources, resulting in habitat loss and the decline of many mammal species. The African elephant (Loxodontaafricana) is an endangered large mammal occurring in some protected areas in Africa. In this study, a species distribution model using the spatial maximum entropy algorithm was developed to determine the geographic extent and distribution of the elephant in Omo National Park. Elephant surveys were conducted in the wet and dry seasons in 2021 and 2022. Occurrence data and the 12 predictor variables were processed and framed, and the corresponding models were built for two seasons separately in the Geographic Information System and R software. The modeled seasonal combined results of theelephant range have a total area of 1999 km2 (39% of the study area), of which 365 km2 (7.2%) is optimal, 748 km2 (14.7%) is suitable, and 886 km2 (17.5%) is moderately suitable. Distance to the rivers, distance to the canals, and land use/land cover contributed most to predicting habitat suitability (10 and 49%, 40 and 16%, and 34 and 29%, respectively) during the wet and dry seasons. Habitat suitability increases as the mean diurnal range (bio 2) and temperature seasonality (bio 4) increase in both seasons and as the distance to rivers increases and decreases during the wet and dry seasons, respectively. Performance ratings were high, with AUC values (area under receiver operating curves) of 0.877 and 0.952 for the wet and dry seasons, respectively. Changing environmental variables and land use interact to influence habitat suitability and wildlife distribution. Our results are vital for understanding the influence of these variables on elephant distribution and movement and, thus, for adaptive management and migration corridor design to maintain species viability and ecosystem functionality in the study area.