Volume 89, Issue 1

Population characteristics of the Barbary sheep Ammotragus lervia , the only wild caprine in Northwest Africa, were investigated in a captive population located in a 150-ha fenced area within the Amassine reserve, Morocco, created for promoting wildlife watching tourism. We analysed the population trend during 20 years since the introduction of 10 individuals in 1999. Using direct counting in March-April 2016 to 2019, before herd dispersal, we assessed population size, age-sex structure, birth and survival rates. We estimated survival rates from mortality analysis using exponential regression models. The population size exhibited fluctuations over time expressed by significant exponential equations. We observed three successive phases corresponding each to a fast-growing period followed by a sharp decline. Estimated population density ranged from 0.25 to 0.41 ind. ha −1 . Adult sex ratio varied from 67 to 91 rams per 100 ewes. Juveniles and subadults comprised 27–43 % of the population, and adults, rams and ewes, represented 26–31 % and, 29–45 %, respectively. Birth rate varied from 14 to 73 lambs per 100 ewes. The survival rate during the postnatal year approximated 35 %. For adult rams, it was around 69 % year −1 . Our findings would be helpful for developing a sustainable population management plan, and assessing potential reintroduction/restocking in other areas.

The Plains Spotted Skunk ( Spilogale interrupta ) historically occurred across parts of the eastern and midwestern United States west of the Mississippi River. Following perceived population declines across much of its range, efforts to assess populations of this species have increased. Here, we report novel records of S. interrupta from this area of south Texas for the first time since 1961. This rediscovery demonstrates the persistence of this species in an underreported portion of its range. This information is useful for better understanding the distribution and population status of S. interrupta in Texas and broadly throughout North America and is crucial for future applied conservation policy efforts.

The North African sengi ( Petrosaltator rozeti syn. Elephantulus rozeti ) is a small mammal endemic to the Maghreb area, and is one of the least studied mammals in North Africa. Little is known about its status, habitat preference, and distribution across large areas of its range. This work provides a detailed geographical and ecological distribution of the species in Tunisia based on 200 surveyed sites throughout the country with 103 positive occurrence records. We also used species distribution modelling to assess the habitat suitability of the species. P. rozeti showed a heterogeneous bioclimatic niche, with a presence in the semi-arid, arid and Saharan bioclimatic zones. But the species’ distribution seems to be limited to the main mountain ranges of Tunisia. This was also confirmed by habitat suitability modeling where the elevation was the most informative predictor variable. Our work also show some first recorded ecological traits, confirms the rock-dwelling specialist nature of the species and debate its endemism to mountain ecosystems.

The caviomorph rodent Abrocoma uspallata Braun, J.K. and Mares, M.A. (2002). Systematics of the Abrocoma cinerea species complex (Rodentia: Abrocomidae), with a description of a new species of Abrocoma . J. Mammal . 83: 1–19, doi: 10.1093/jmammal/83.1.1, stands as the most recently described species within its genus and remains one of the least studied. Known from two localities in northwestern Mendoza Province, Argentina, this elusive rodent has been the subject of four field studies conducted during 2022. The obtained evidence, including craniodental remains and fecal samples, suggest a moderate abundance of the species and a broader geographical range spanning at least 1,050 km 2 . Abrocoma uspallata has scattered occurrences at mid-elevations, typically around 2,000 m, across the Sierra de Uspallata and adjacent hilly systems. These findings point the species as a pre-Andean Abrocoma Waterhouse, 1837, together with Abrocoma schistacea Thomas, O. (1921). On mammals from the Province of San Juan, Western Argentina. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 8th Series 9: 214–221, which occurs in the nearby province of San Juan. In addition, although treated as Vulnerable according to the last Argentinean conservation assessment, the species should be considered Least Concern.

Reproductive strategies vary widely among bats, even within the same species. The molossid Tadarida teniotis has an intermediate latitudinal distribution between tropical bats and those of temperate zones. There are still some uncertainties about its migratory behaviour and reproductive mode that are not yet fully understood. Some authors believe that this species breeds in spring and is sedentary, while others propose a bimodal breeding cycle with occasional or partial migration. In this paper, these contradictory approaches are exposed, providing more data to help solving this controversy. The results of the species monitoring for several years verified the existence of harems in spring and summer-autumn in at least one location of its range (Valladolid, central Spain). In both periods and during several months, males were observed performing patrols and displaying aggressive behaviour towards male intruders. This may have been facilitated by the peaks in migratory moth abundance. For the late parturitions occurring in autumn/winter and in case of absence of deferred reproduction mechanisms, a sex-biased migration is necessary for, at least, the females who got pregnant during the autumn mating. Thus, the species appears to show greater reproductive and migratory complexity than previously thought.

Hipposideros spp . are insectivorous bats and karst cave dwellers. This study aimed to study the roosting ecology, reproduction, and population fluctuations of three species H. diadema , H. larvatus , and H. ater in Gunung Sewu Karst region, Indonesia. Age and reproductive status of individuals were identified and analyzed using a combination of forearm length (FA) and body mass grades (W). Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the correlation between population size, rainfall and population structure based on FA, reproductive status, and W. Crude birth rate (CBR) and general fertility rate (GFR) were used to determine the population’s birth rate and female fertility. The results showed that the population of the three Hipposideros species were quite stable over the year with a peak in January which classified them as monoestrous, with mating, pregnancy, and lactation occurring once a year with no delay between mating and pregnancy. Pregnancy lasted 8–12 weeks and lactation 4–5 weeks. The population structure of the three species tended to be stable over the year. The CBR and GFR values can be used for rapid assessment guidelines in an area.

Natural environments have undergone significant alteration and devastation, often becoming immersed in a matrix of anthropogenic activities. Therefore, it is imperative to ascertain whether mammals inhabit these modified areas. We present the composition of medium and large-sized terrestrial mammal species in a Cerrado area surrounded by a eucalyptus matrix. Our study area comprises a 363 ha Cerrado fragment. Surveys were conducted using 10 camera traps from December 2015 to April 2017, totaling 125 sampling stations and a sampling effort of 3,018 trap-days. We identified 19 mammal species, seven of them regionally threatened (37 %), representing 61 % of the potential species pool in the region. Omnivores and insectivores accounted for most of the recorded species. Notably, records include the Priodontes maximus , Tapirus terrestris, and Ozotoceros bezoarticus , cubs and a predation record. Given that T . terrestris was recorded only in our study and P . maximus in a single other study in the region, our findings suggest that these species can inhabit small vegetation fragments. Additionally, we include O . bezoarticus in the list of mammals inhabiting the region. Our study underscores the capacity of Cerrado fragments surrounded by silviculture to harbor a rich diversity of medium and large-sized mammals, especially considering those threatened with extinction.

Cytogenetics contributed to our knowledge about the diversity of a wide range of species. In this report, we present the karyotype of 28 specimens of 10 species distributed in four genera of family Echimyidae, collected in the Amazonian Forest. These rodents are between the most diverse groups of the Neotropical region and highlights the importance of obtaining chromosome suspension in field conditions. Several of these karyotypes ( Makalata sp. 2n = 68, FNa = 100 or 102; Mesomys sp. 1, 2n = 62, FNa = 73 or 75; Mesomys sp. 2, 2n = 62, FNa = 76 or 78; and Mesomys sp. 3, 2n = 62 and FNa = 64 or 66) differ from those previously reported, suggesting that the cytogenetic diversity of Neotropical rodents is far from being properly described and understood.

Pigmentation anomalies and lesions are aspects of wild bat populations that have been rarely addressed and scarcely documented. We captured a total of 4,118 bats belonging to 30 species during 2020, 2021, and 2022 in the municipalities of Santa Maria Huatulco and San Miguel Lachiguiri, Oaxaca, southeastern Mexico. Of these, 9 individuals (0.21 %) showed piebaldism (6 females and 3 males), and 11 individuals (0.26 %) had skin and hair lesions (7 females and 4 males). The highest number of piebaldism and lesions was observed in Natalus mexicanus (6 of the 20 individuals), followed by Mormoops megalophylla ( n  = 4), Pteronotus mesoamericanus ( n  = 3), Pteronotus fulvus ( n  = 3), Glossophaga mutica ( n  = 2), and Artibeus lituratus ( n  = 2). The months with the highest number of bats with piebaldism and lesions were October ( n  = 6) and July 2021. Seventeen records occurred in caves, two in the medium sub-evergreen forest, and one in a human settlement. To date, it has not been confirmed that skin depigmentation in bats affects the social life and reproductive activity of bats, but they could be more susceptible to predation events. Furthermore, lesions could negatively affect flight performance and, consequently, foraging efficiency.

The jaguarundi is one the least studied felids in South America. With its three main forms (brownish-black, grey and reddish), the species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, but is Vulnerable in Brazil. The grey form is the most common, and has been recorded at several sites within the Pantanal biome, but not the reddish form so far. In this study we report the reddish phenotype for the first time in the biome. Records were obtained from November 2022 through camera traps in Acurizal Reserve. Reports like this are important to understand the evolutionary processes affecting the species over time.

Aberrant pelage colourations have been occasionally detected in carnivores, including mustelids. However, to our knowledge, no cases of leucism have been reported in the genus Mustela to date. On May 1, 2024, an Egyptian weasel ( Mustela subpalmata ) killed by locals was discovered and photographed in the town of Tahta, Egypt. The specimen exhibited predominantly white fur on its left side and head. Although eye colour was not inspected, the normal lip colouration, dirty white fur hue, and dark brown tail tip suggest a case of leucism rather than albinism. Leucism is often linked to inbreeding caused by population isolation or size reduction, which could arise through urban development, considering that roads can act as social and physical barriers to gene flow. Genetic studies are needed to elucidate the population dynamics and conservation implications for urban Egyptian weasels.

An individual of spotted hyena Crocuta crocuta was killed by local people in Elba Protected Area, South-East Egypt in winter of 2024. This record constitutes the first record of the species in contemporary Egypt since its extinction over 5,000 years ago. The possibility of increased rainfall and grazing practices creating a corridor for hyena dispersal from neighboring Sudan was investigated. The record is 500 km north of the known range of the spotted hyena.

The insectivorous bat genus Cynomops belongs to the Neotropical fraction of the family Molossidae, which includes Free-tailed Bats or Mastiff Bats. Currently, nine species are recognized within Cynomops . In this study, we present the first records of Cynomops kuizha for the Colombian Caribbean Region. The two female specimens were recovered in the campus of the Puerta Roja of the University of Sucre, Sucre and represent a significant extension in the geographical and ecological distribution of the species. With these new records, the known distribution of this species is extended approximately 520 km northeast of the nearest previous record in the department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia. Identification of both specimens was carried out through morphological comparisons and analysis of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome-b ( Cyt-b ). Molecular analyses revealed that the Cyt-b sequences from the Sucre specimens are >99 % similar to those documented for C. kuizha in southwestern Colombia. With these new records, the known distribution of this species is extended approximately 520 km northeast of the nearest previous record in the department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia. Additionally, we discuss some morphological peculiarities observed in our Sucre specimens and their relationship with closely related species present in the area: Cynomops abrasus , Cynomops greenhalli , and Cynomops mastivus .