The cheer pheasant Catreus wallichi is a globally threatened species that inhabits the western Himalayas. Though it is well established that the species is threatened and its numbers declining, updated definitive esti...The cheer pheasant Catreus wallichi is a globally threatened species that inhabits the western Himalayas. Though it is well established that the species is threatened and its numbers declining, updated definitive estimates are lacking, so in 2011, we conducted a survey to assess the density, population size, and threats to the species in Jhelum valley, Azad Kashmir, which holds the largest known population of cheer pheasants in Pakistan. We conducted dawn call count surveys at 17 points clustered in three survey zones of the valley, 11 of which had earlier been used for a 2002-2003 survey of the birds. Over the course of our survey, 113 birds were recorded. Mean density of cheer pheasant in the valley was estimated at 11.8±6.47 pairs per km2, with significant differences in terms of both counts and estimated density of cheer were significantly different across the three survey zones, with the highest in the Chinari region and the lowest, that is the area with no recorded sightings of the pheasants, in Gari Doppata. The total breeding population of cheer pheasants is estimated to be some 2 490 pairs, though this does not consider the actual area of occupancy in the study area. On the whole, more cheer pheasants were recorded in this survey than from the same points in 2002-2003, indicating some success in population growth. Unfortunately, increasing human settlement, fires, livestock grazing, hunting, and the collection of non-timber forest products continue to threaten the population of cheer in the Jhelum valley. To mitigate these potential impacts, some degree of site protection should be required for the conservation of cheer pheasants in Pakistan, and more effective monitoring of the species is clearly needed.展开更多
Conservation of endangered sympatric species must be carefully executed to ensure that the protection of one species does not negatively impact the survival of another. Critically endangered Pecos gambusia Gambusia no...Conservation of endangered sympatric species must be carefully executed to ensure that the protection of one species does not negatively impact the survival of another. Critically endangered Pecos gambusia Gambusia nobilis and Leon Springs pupfish Cyprinodon bovinus, which are endemic to a threatened desert spring habitat, exemplify one such scenario. Recently, this habitat has been expanded, and captively bred C. bovinus were released to repopulate an area historically known to contain this species. A previous study suggested that G. nobilis are detrimental to C. bovinus populations, due to their tendency to congregate near spawning pairs and feed on their eggs. Whether G. nobilis are attracted to territorial C. bovinus, regardless of spawning behavior, remains unclear. To determine this, the number of G. nobilis in occupied and unoccupied breeding territories of both wild and captively bred C. bovinus was measured. Gambusia nobilis densities were similar between unoccupied and occupied territorial sites, suggesting that they do not show a preference for C. bovinus territories. Regardless of habitat location or prior captivity, territorial C. bovinus significantly excluded G. nobilis within their direct vicinity （5 cm）, but not from their entire territory. Decreased G. nobilis density within the habitat may allow C. bovinus to defend their breeding territories more readily during the summer spawning season. This study provides empirical evidence of captively raised individuals behaving similarly to wild indi- viduals upon reintroduction to their natural habitat and support for conservation methods that focus on common limiting factors between endangered species [Current Zoology 60 （4）： 527-533, 2014].展开更多
基金This study was supported by the Rufford Small Grant Foundation （8213-1） Acknowledgments： Pheasant Association We are grateful to the World and IUCN/SSC/Galliformes Specialist group for the technical support provided during the project implementation. We are thankful to the State Wildlife and Fisheries Department for logistic support and to the Department＇s field staff for their help during the surveys. Prof. Z.B. Mirza kindly provided guidance during the fieldwork.
文摘The cheer pheasant Catreus wallichi is a globally threatened species that inhabits the western Himalayas. Though it is well established that the species is threatened and its numbers declining, updated definitive estimates are lacking, so in 2011, we conducted a survey to assess the density, population size, and threats to the species in Jhelum valley, Azad Kashmir, which holds the largest known population of cheer pheasants in Pakistan. We conducted dawn call count surveys at 17 points clustered in three survey zones of the valley, 11 of which had earlier been used for a 2002-2003 survey of the birds. Over the course of our survey, 113 birds were recorded. Mean density of cheer pheasant in the valley was estimated at 11.8±6.47 pairs per km2, with significant differences in terms of both counts and estimated density of cheer were significantly different across the three survey zones, with the highest in the Chinari region and the lowest, that is the area with no recorded sightings of the pheasants, in Gari Doppata. The total breeding population of cheer pheasants is estimated to be some 2 490 pairs, though this does not consider the actual area of occupancy in the study area. On the whole, more cheer pheasants were recorded in this survey than from the same points in 2002-2003, indicating some success in population growth. Unfortunately, increasing human settlement, fires, livestock grazing, hunting, and the collection of non-timber forest products continue to threaten the population of cheer in the Jhelum valley. To mitigate these potential impacts, some degree of site protection should be required for the conservation of cheer pheasants in Pakistan, and more effective monitoring of the species is clearly needed.
文摘Conservation of endangered sympatric species must be carefully executed to ensure that the protection of one species does not negatively impact the survival of another. Critically endangered Pecos gambusia Gambusia nobilis and Leon Springs pupfish Cyprinodon bovinus, which are endemic to a threatened desert spring habitat, exemplify one such scenario. Recently, this habitat has been expanded, and captively bred C. bovinus were released to repopulate an area historically known to contain this species. A previous study suggested that G. nobilis are detrimental to C. bovinus populations, due to their tendency to congregate near spawning pairs and feed on their eggs. Whether G. nobilis are attracted to territorial C. bovinus, regardless of spawning behavior, remains unclear. To determine this, the number of G. nobilis in occupied and unoccupied breeding territories of both wild and captively bred C. bovinus was measured. Gambusia nobilis densities were similar between unoccupied and occupied territorial sites, suggesting that they do not show a preference for C. bovinus territories. Regardless of habitat location or prior captivity, territorial C. bovinus significantly excluded G. nobilis within their direct vicinity （5 cm）, but not from their entire territory. Decreased G. nobilis density within the habitat may allow C. bovinus to defend their breeding territories more readily during the summer spawning season. This study provides empirical evidence of captively raised individuals behaving similarly to wild indi- viduals upon reintroduction to their natural habitat and support for conservation methods that focus on common limiting factors between endangered species [Current Zoology 60 （4）： 527-533, 2014].
