• Title/Summary/Keyword: Wildlife Conservation

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Trypanosoma brucei Infection in Asymptomatic Greater Kudus (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) on a Game Ranch in Zambia

  • Munang'andu, Hetron Mweemba;Siamudaala, Victor;Munyeme, Musso;Nambota, Andrew;Mutoloki, Stephen;Matandiko, Wigganson
    • Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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    • v.48 no.1
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    • pp.67-69
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    • 2010
  • Trypomastogotes of Trypanosoma brucei were detected from 4 asymptomatic kudus (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) on a game ranch located approximately 45 km north east of Lusaka, Zambia. Blood smears examined from 14 wildlife species comprising of the impala (Aepyceros melampus), Kafue lechwe (kobus leche kafuensis), sable antelope (Hippotragus niger), tsessebe (Damaliscus lunatus), warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus), puku (Kobus vardoni), zebra (Equus burchelli), waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus), bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus), reedbuck (Redunca arundinum), wilderbeest (Connochaetes taurinus), hartebeest (Alcephelus lichtensteini), African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), and kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) showed that only the kudu had T. brucei. Although game ranching has emerged to be a successful ex-situ conservation strategy aimed at saving the declining wildlife population in the National Parks, our findings suggest that it has the potential of aiding the re-distribution of animal diseases. Hence, there is a need for augmenting wildlife conservation with disease control strategies aimed at reducing the risk of disease transmission between wildlife and domestic animals.

The use of conservation drones in ecology and wildlife research

  • Ivosevic, Bojana;Han, Yong-Gu;Cho, Youngho;Kwon, Ohseok
    • Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.38 no.1
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    • pp.113-118
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    • 2015
  • Conservation drones are remote-controlled devices capable of collecting information from difficult-to-access places while minimizing disturbance. Although drones are increasingly used in many research disciplines, their application to wildlife research remains to be explored in depth. This paper reports on the use of Phantom 2 Vision+ for monitoring areas in two national parks in South Korea. The first research area was conducted in Chiaksan National Park, and the second in Taeanhaean National Park. The aim of this research is to introduce ecologists and researchers alike to conservation drones and to show how these new tools have are fundamentally helping in the development of natural sciences. We also obtained photographs and videos of monitoring areas within our test site.

First Record of the Himalayan Swiftlet Aerodramus brevirostris (Aves: Apodiformes) from Korea

  • Choi, Chang-Yong;Park, Jong-Gil;Lee, Yun-Sun;Min, Mi-Sook;Bing, Gi-Chang;Hong, Gil-Pyo;Lee, Hang
    • Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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    • v.25 no.3
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    • pp.269-273
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    • 2009
  • On 28 April 2008, a male Himalayan Swiftlet (Aerodramus brevirostris) was captured and examined at a night roost of swallows on Hongdo Island, Jeollanam-do, Korea. This is the first record of this species from Korea confirmed by specimen examination. We describe morphological features and some phylogenetic notes of the Himalayan Swiftlet found.

Temporal Variation in Tiger Population in a Semi-Arid Habitat in India

  • Singh, Randeep;Pandey, Puneet;Qureshi, Qamar;Sankar, Kalyanasundaram;Krausman, Paul R.;Goyal, Surendra Prakash
    • Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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    • v.3 no.3
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    • pp.154-164
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    • 2022
  • Understanding temporal variations in wildlife populations is a prerequisite for conservation planning of wide-ranging species such as tigers (Panthera tigris). We determined the temporal variation in abundance, population growth, and sex ratios at different age and sex stages for a tiger population in Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, India from November 2007 to February 2011 using motion-sensing cameras. We identified 19 male and 21 female tigers from stripe patterns during 16,110 trap nights within an area covering 233 km2. The annual abundance of the population varied from 34.9 (mean)±3.8 (SE) to 23.9±1.5, with a declining trend in the mean annual change of abundance (-12%). The density of adult females remained stable across the study duration, but the densities of adult males and non-breeding tigers fluctuated. The sex ratio was female-biased (0.58 males/female) for breeding tigers and male-biased (1.74 males/female) for non-breeding tigers. Our results reinforce the importance of long-term studies for monitoring the naturally occurring processes in populations to develop population indicators and identify reliable baseline information for conservation and management planning of populations.

Evaluation of Co-Management Impact in Protected Area: Field Experience from Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary, Bangladesh

  • Sohel, Md. Shawkat Islam;Rana, Md. Parvez;Akhter, Sayma;Karim, Sheikh Md. Fazlul;Khan, Md. Mostafijur Rahman
    • Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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    • v.25 no.1
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    • pp.43-48
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    • 2009
  • Forests render both a home and a livelihood for people living in and around them. To reconcile the need of local communities with conservation, the Nishorgo Support Project (NSP or Nishorgo) is supporting co-management in five protected areas of Bangladesh, including Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary. The main focus of this study is to assess the effectiveness of alternate income generating activities (AIGAs) which is provided by the Nishorgo Support Project. It is a tool for reducing dependence on forest resources by people living in and around Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary and also play effective role in forest conservation. This study compares the socioeconomic condition (income, living style etc.) and forest dependency before and after implementation of co-management activities in Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary. A total of 11 villages (sampling intensity was 31%) namely Kalibari, Mongoliabari, Chokidarbari, Chonbari, kalenga, Krishnochura, Hatimara, Himalia, Rashidpur, Goramchori and Horinmara were studied. We surveyed 272 households in these villages (Incase of households survey, sampling intensity was 100%). Data analysis shows that the major income generating livelihood activities were agro farming (30%), followed by fuelwood collection (22.50%), nursery raising (12.5%), cattle rearing (10%), fisheries (7.50%) and others. Study also reveals that after being implementation of the co-management activities the average income levels of the studied villages have rises on 578 Tk/households (1US$ = 70 Taka, Taka means Bangladeshi currency). Further more, many of the illegal loggers became forest protector, which make their life more secured. It was also found that peoples of the study villages are now actively engaging in forest management activities and it is the only hope for conservation and restoration of forest resources not only in Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary but also in other protected area's of our country.

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A Study on Survey and Analysis of Designated Status of Wildlife Protected by City/Do Ordinance (시·도보호 야생생물 조례 지정 현황 조사 및 분석)

  • Chu, Yeounsu;Cho, Youngho;Lee, Taeho;Jang, Eun-Hye;Kim, Jungkwon
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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    • v.28 no.3
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    • pp.299-311
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    • 2019
  • This study was conducted to investigate and analyze the designation status of the Local Wildlife Conservation Ordinance for the conservation and management of wild fauna and flora, and to elucidate the problems and improvement directions. We compared and analyzed the provisions of the wildlife conservation ordinance of 17 regional local governments. After that,the designation status of Wildlife Protected by City/Do was investigated and the appropriateness was confirmed based on guidelines and laws. The ordinances related to wildlife were enacted in all municipalities, and provisions such as selection criteria, protection measures, and act limitations were commonly reflected. The provisions were varied depending on the characteristics of each local government, including details of flag species, the addition of species in the restoration promotion plan as criteria for selection and provision of protection and restoration of habitats. Since 2006, when the wildlife protected by City/Do designation and protection guidelines have been established, the protected wildlife have increased sharply, and there has been newly designated regional local government within the past one or two years. However, in some local government, protected wildlife has been designated for more than 10 years, and there are many that do not meet the selection criteria. Therefore, more scientific and objective selection criteria and methods should be constructed for the selection of species suitable for the purpose of the Wildlife protected by City/Do.

Mitochondrial Cytochrome b Sequence Variations and Population Structure of Siberian Chipmunk (Tamias sibiricus) in Northeastern Asia and Population Substructure in South Korea

  • Lee, Mu-Yeong;Lissovsky, Andrey A.;Park, Sun-Kyung;Obolenskaya, Ekaterina V.;Dokuchaev, Nikolay E.;Zhang, Ya-Ping;Yu, Li;Kim, Young-Jun;Voloshina, Inna;Myslenkov, Alexander;Choi, Tae-Young;Min, Mi-Sook;Lee, Hang
    • Molecules and Cells
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    • v.26 no.6
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    • pp.566-575
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    • 2008
  • Twenty-five chipmunk species occur in the world, of which only the Siberian chipmunk, Tamias sibiricus, inhabits Asia. To investigate mitochondrial cytochrome b sequence variations and population structure of the Siberian chipmunk in northeastern Asia, we examined mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences (1140 bp) from 3 countries. Analyses of 41 individuals from South Korea and 33 individuals from Russia and northeast China resulted in 37 haplotypes and 27 haplotypes, respectively. There were no shared haplotypes between South Korea and Russia - northeast China. Phylogenetic trees and network analysis showed 2 major maternal lineages for haplotypes, referred to as the S and R lineages. Haplotype grouping in each cluster was nearly coincident with its geographic affinity. In particular, 3 distinct groups were found that mostly clustered in the northern, central and southern parts of South Korea. Nucleotide diversity of the S lineage was twice that of lineage R. The divergence between S and R lineages was estimated to be 2.98-0.98 Myr. During the ice age, there may have been at least 2 refuges in South Korea and Russia - northeast China. The sequence variation between the S and R lineages was 11.3% (K2P), which is indicative of specific recognition in rodents. These results suggest that T. sibiricus from South Korea could be considered a separate species. However, additional information, such as details of distribution, nuclear genes data or morphology, is required to strengthen this hypothesis.

Genetic Diversity among Local Populations of the Gold-spotted Pond Frog, Rana plancyi chosenica (Amphibia: Ranidae), Assessed by Mitochondrial Cytochrome b Gene and Control Region Sequences

  • Min, Mi-Sook;Park, Sun-Kyung;Che, Jing;Park, Dae-Sik;Lee, Hang
    • Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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    • v.24 no.1
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    • pp.25-32
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    • 2008
  • The Gold-spotted pond frog, Rana plancyi chosenica, designated as a vulnerable species by IUCN Red list. This species is a typical example facing local population threats and extinction due to human activities in South Korea. A strategic conservation plan for this endangered species is urgently needed. In order to provide information for future conservation planning, accurate information on the genetic diversity and taxonomic status is needed for the establishment of conservation units for this species. In this study, we used a molecular genetic approach using the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and control region sequences to find the genetic diversity of gold-spotted pond frogs within South Korea. We sequenced the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b gene and control region of 77 individuals from 11 populations in South Korea, and one from Chongqing, China. A total of 15 cytochrome b gene haplotypes and 34 control region haplotypes were identified from Korean gold-spotted pond frogs. Mean sequence diversity among Korean gold-spotted pond frogs was 0.31% (0.0-0.8%) and 0.51% (0.0-1.0%), respectively. Most Korean populations had at least one unique haplotype for each locus. The Taean, Ansan and Cheongwon populations had no haplotypes shared with other populations. There was a sequence divergence between Korean and Chinese gold-spotted pond frogs (1.3% for cyt b; 2.9% for control region). Analysis of genetic distances and phylogenetic trees based on both cytochrome b and control region sequences indicate that the Korean gold-spotted pond frog are genetically differentiated from those in China.

Policy Decision Making Through Wildlife Habitat Potential With Space Value Categorization (야생동물 서식지 잠재력과 공간가치분류를 통한 정책방향 설정)

  • Jang, Raeik;Lee, Myungwoo
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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    • v.18 no.1
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    • pp.1-12
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    • 2015
  • Beginning of the human ecology in 1920s, the efforts for applying the environmental values to a policy have been embodied by the enactments of international agreement and relevant laws. The government has been struggling to adopt the environmental values for the policy by enacting the relevant laws and establishing the environmental value evaluation information (environmental conservation value assessment map, eco-natural map, biotope map). In spite of the efforts to apply the environmental value assessment information for the habitat potential of wildlife, the application is being challenged by the discrepancy in methods and criteria. Thus this study intends to measure the potential of wildlife habitat and apply it to the spatial value classification for the application plan of wildlife habitat potential in policy. Maxent was used for the habitat potential and the land types were classified depending on the surface and land use pattern of cadastral map. As a result, the policy matrix including conservation strategy(CS), restoration strategy(RS), practical use strategy(PS) and development strategy(DS) has been deduced as CS $13.05km^2$(2.38%), RS $1.64km^2$(0.30%), PS $162.42km^2$(29.57%) and DS $8.56km^2$(1.56%). CS was emerged mostly on forest valleys and farmlands, and RS was appeared in the road area near the conservation strategy areas. Boryung downtown and Daecheon Beach were the center of DS, while the forest and farmlands were presented as PS. It is significant that this study suggest the new approaching method by comparing the wildlife habitat potential with the land type. Since this study evaluated the environmental value by one species of leopard cat (Prionailurusbengalensis) with Maxent model, it is necessary to apply the habitat potential measuring method for various target species as further research.

Age structure and growth rates of two Korean salamander species (Hynobius yangi and Hynobius quelpaertensis) from field populations

  • Lee, Jung-Hyun;Min, Mi-Sook;Kim, Tae-Ho;Baek, Hae-Jun;Lee, Hang;Park, Dae-Sik
    • Animal cells and systems
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    • v.14 no.4
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    • pp.315-322
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    • 2010
  • We studied and compared the age structure, body size, and growth rates of field populations of two Korean salamander species (Hynobius yangi and Hynobius quelpaertensis) to elucidate important aspects of basic population dynamics of these two endemic Hynobius species. In both populations, females were sexually mature at three years of age, while H. yangi and H. quelpaertensis males matured at two and three years of age, respectively. Both males and females of H. yangi and H. quelpaertensis attained a maximum age of 11 years and 10 years, respectively. In both species, the snout-vent length (SVL) and body weight (BW) of the females were greater than those of the males. The SVL, BW, and asymptotic SVL of both male and female H. yangi were smaller than those of H. quelpaertensis. The adult growth rates after sexual maturation of male and female H. yangi were lower than those of H. quelpaertensis, possibly resulting in the smaller body size of the former, although overall growth coefficients were not significantly different between the two species. We also compared the age structure and growth rates of three Korean and three Japanese species of Hynobius.