The Wildlife Atlas of Sabah was recently published, in English and Malay, presenting information for 31 mammal species living in the dipterocarp forests of Sabah in northern Borneo. The data indicate substantial declines over 40 years, including the extirpation of the Sumatran rhinoceros Dicerorhinus sumatrensis in 2019. This followed a wave of widespread and intensive timber extraction, and then a period of oil palm plantation development. Despite these declines, Sabah still holds viable populations of the remaining forest mammal species, with the majority living in logged forests that are regenerating naturally. Safeguarding these populations depends on keeping the deforestation rate at its current low level, to maintain about half of the state as natural forests. Within these forests, current policy is for 30% of Sabah to be Totally Protected Areas, and the remainder to be under sustainable timber production. All forest areas require management to control hunting, especially to protect larger and commercially valuable species. Oil palm plantations support little forest wildlife, but oil palm companies can still support wildlife conservation through restoring wildlife corridors and controlling hunters’ access to adjacent forests. The Sabah government is seeking to integrate forest protection and palm oil production through a jurisdictional approach to certified sustainable agricultural practices.

This study examines mortality of the Amur tiger Panthera tigris altaica caused by traffic collision incidents in the Russian Far East from 1980 to 2023. Forty-six per cent of mortality incidents occurred within the last 4 years of this period (2020–2023) following an outbreak of African swine fever, which led to a reduction of prey available for tigers. Using multiple regression analysis, we identify significant predictors of tiger mortality, including road type, biotope, and distances to settlements and federally protected areas. We identified five locations with concentrations of tiger mortality, with four of these near protected areas comprising 54% of all incidents. Asphalt roads have an elevated risk of tiger deaths during the winter, whereas unpaved roads have elevated risk during warmer months. Wildlife-friendly road planning, including crossings and enhanced night-time controls, is crucial for reducing mortality and ensuring the survival of this species amidst increasing development of human infrastructure. This study highlights the urgent need for targeted conservation efforts to reduce traffic-related risks to the Amur tiger.

Urbanization is one of the most enduring transformations in land use, resulting in often irreversible habitat loss and fragmentation, which are key drivers of defaunation. However, the impact of urbanization varies depending on the native vegetation remaining within urban areas. In the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, urbanization has led to biodiversity loss but the city still has a significant coverage of green areas and remnants of Atlantic Forest. This includes the Tijuca National Park, which has been the focus of reintroduction projects to restore native fauna. The first of these was of the Ariel toucan Ramphastos ariel in 1970, which has established well. Flocks are now often seen in the city’s green spaces but no monitoring has been carried out since the reintroduction. Here, we seek to understand how the reintroduced population is utilizing urban green areas for feeding and reproduction, which are key indicators of reintroduction success. We characterized frugivory in the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden over 290 weeks during 2017–2023, using the feeding bouts method. We recorded 850 observations of toucans feeding on the fruits of 91 plant species. We also assessed reproductive success during two breeding seasons, monitoring 29 fledglings in 10 nests. Nests in tree cavities were re-used in both breeding seasons, by different nesting birds. We conclude that this urban green area provides breeding sites for the R. ariel population and food resources year-round. Our results corroborate the potential of urban green areas to support biodiversity and contribute to the success of reintroduction projects in cities.

Estimating the population size of shy and elusive species is challenging but necessary to inform appropriate conservation actions for threatened or declining species. Using camera-trap surveys conducted during 2017–2021, we estimated and compared African clawless otter Aonyx capensis population densities and activity times in six conserved areas in southern Africa. We used two different models to estimate densities: random encounter models and camera-trap distance sampling. Our results highlight a general pattern of higher estimated densities and narrower confidence intervals using random encounter models compared to camera-trap distance sampling. We found substantial variation in densities between study areas, with random encounter model estimates ranging between 0.9 and 4.2 otters/km2. Our camera-trap distance sampling estimates supported the relative density estimates obtained from random encounter models but were generally lower and more variable, ranging from 0.8 to 4.0 otters/km2. We found significant differences in otter activity patterns, with populations either being nocturnal, mostly nocturnal or cathemeral. As all study areas experience little human disturbance, our results suggest that there are large natural variations in otter densities and activity patterns between regions. When densities are converted to metrics that are comparable to previous studies, our estimates suggest that African clawless otter population numbers are generally lower than previously reported. This highlights a need for broader spatial coverage of otter population assessments and future studies to assess potential environmental drivers of spatial, and potentially temporal, variation in population numbers and activity patterns.

Biodiversity credits are increasingly being promoted as an innovative tool for closing the biodiversity finance gap. A growing number of providers are offering biodiversity credits, either linked to carbon credits or as a new asset class in their own right. However, there are also warnings that they could become a double-edged sword for conservation and distract governments from their financial responsibilities agreed in the Global Biodiversity Framework. Biodiversity credits differ from other environmental policy instruments in that they offer a non-offsetting way of financing conservation and restoration activities. Well-designed credit schemes can therefore make a significant contribution to real net biodiversity gains. But to realize their full potential, biodiversity credits need to be based on a common methodology, broaden their focus to include marine areas, and respect the rights of local and Indigenous communities. Benefit sharing and embedding in regulatory approaches will be critical to their success.

The Chinese pangolin Manis pentadactyla is categorized as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List but little is known about its status in Nepal. Although indirect sign surveys have reported its presence in several community forests in Kavrepalanchok district, no photographic or video evidence has previously been documented. We used camera traps to investigate the occurrence of pangolins in 20 community forests in Panauti Municipality in Kavrepalanchok. A total of 75 0.01 km2 plots were surveyed using camera traps during September 2022–February 2023, with a total survey effort of 803 trap-days. The cameras recorded a total of 16 individual video footage events of Chinese pangolins in six of the community forests. This is the first camera-trap evidence of the species' presence in these forest patches, and in Kavrepalanchok district. The pangolins displayed behaviours such as sniffing, gathering plant material and digging, between 18.00 and 1.00. The camera-trap records provide more accurate species identification and reliable information than indirect sign surveys, indicating camera traps are a useful surveying tool for rare, nocturnal and elusive pangolins.

Indonesia is home to a high number of Critically Endangered land vertebrates. Examining the research on these species is important to improve biodiversity-related policy and management and to provide insight into knowledge gaps. We conducted a comprehensive review of 2,188 publications published during 2000–2021 that studied the Critically Endangered vertebrate species of Indonesia, to understand variations in the level of research on each species and the proportion of research carried out within Indonesia and by Indonesian researchers. Over this 22-year period, research on Critically Endangered species in Indonesia increased, but > 50% of this research was carried out by researchers based outside Indonesia. Moreover, the quantity of research was uneven across taxonomic classes, indicating an imbalance in research attention. Most publications during the period were on mammals (1,573 publications), followed by reptiles (310), birds (300) and amphibians (5). We identified 17 species for which there were no significant publications, suggesting little attention has been given to these species. We highlight three key issues: limited Indonesian authorship, taxonomic bias towards mammals and birds, and a need to address these challenges in authorship and bias. The low number of publications on many Critically Endangered land vertebrates reflects a lack of research effort, mostly because of limited funds and unequal conservation attention.

Hunting, habitat loss and fragmentation have caused a rapid decline in the distribution and abundance of the clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa across its range, and in several areas, including Taiwan, the species is now extirpated. Taiwan, a former stronghold for the species, is a candidate for its reintroduction, based on increasing prey abundance and high forest coverage. Such future reintroduction efforts, however, are hampered by a lack of analysis of potential clouded leopard habitat on the island. To address this, we explore habitat suitability for the species in Taiwan. We used a multi-scale, multivariate habitat selection model based on clouded leopard presence–absence data from extensive camera-trap surveys across its current range to predict suitable habitat in Taiwan. Our findings indicate that 38% of Taiwanese territory is potentially suitable habitat for the clouded leopard, of which 46% is under protection. This demonstrates the high potential of Taiwan's habitat for clouded leopard reintroduction.

Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins Sousa chinensis face multiple anthropogenic threats in the coastal waters of Langkawi and the adjacent Perlis–Kedah mainland in north-west Peninsular Malaysia. The area is recognized by the IUCN as an Important Marine Mammal Area and harbours a significant population of humpback dolphins. Understanding their social structure is crucial for identifying conservation units to guide targeted management to preserve the species’ ecological processes, particularly for a species in the data-deficient Southeast Asia region. Association patterns and network analysis from a decade of photo-identification surveys (2010–2020) revealed a fission–fusion society defined by frequent changes in group membership and size, and characterized by loose associations between individuals. Association strength was generally low, although some non-random long-term associations persisted for 5 months to several years. Unusually large groups of humpback dolphins (81–204 individuals) were often observed, comprising travelling mother–calf pairs and functioning as nursery groups. The grouping plasticity and social dynamics reflect the species’ survival strategies in response to local environmental conditions, notably resource availability and predation pressure. Most importantly, our findings confirm that the humpback dolphin population in this region constitutes a stable and well-connected single conservation unit, necessitating coordinated protection by different governmental administrators across the extensive study area. The insights from our study should inform tailored management strategies for humpback dolphins and promote early detection of anthropogenic threats that may impact social-ecological processes and the overall survival of the population.

Mexico ranks third globally in seabird diversity and second in the number of endemic species that breed within its territory, yet 16% of seabird species in the country are categorized as threatened on the IUCN Red List, including the Critically Endangered Townsend’s shearwater Puffinus auricularis. Nearly 20 years ago, the breeding population of Townsend’s shearwater, which is endemic to the Revillagigedo Archipelago of Mexico, was inferred to comprise < 100 breeding pairs. Since then, conservation initiatives have been implemented in the archipelago. We assessed the current status of Townsend’s shearwater by mapping the distribution of breeding colonies, estimating breeding population size, evaluating reproductive success, describing ongoing threats and modelling population trends under three conservation scenarios. During 2016–2024, we conducted field surveys on the islands of Socorro and Clarión using acoustic monitoring techniques in historical nesting areas. We estimated that the breeding population on Socorro comprises < 200 pairs and documented the return of a small breeding population to Clarión after a 30-year absence. However, reproductive failure persists because of the effects of native predators such as land crabs, snakes and ravens. The population has exhibited a slow decline driven by interactions between native and invasive species. Without ongoing restoration efforts and management actions, including the removal of feral cats, the population could face extinction.

Conservation management in human-modified landscapes requires information on the sustainability of interactions between people and biodiversity. Wild Chinese alligators Alligator sinensis only persist within the National Chinese Alligator Reserve in south-eastern China, where they live alongside agricultural communities that utilize local terrestrial and wetland habitats. We conducted an interview survey of communities within and around the Reserve to evaluate whether local ecological knowledge can provide a baseline on the species' local status and trends, and to understand the relationships between land-use practices and alligator presence and survival. Respondents within the Reserve were more likely to recognize alligators, report sightings and perceive declines than other respondents. Absolute levels of knowledge and experience of alligators were low, highlighting the species' perilous status, and analysis of correlative patterns between respondents' experiences and associated data on human–environmental interactions provides new conservation-relevant insights. Alligator sightings were more likely to be reported by respondents who did not grow crops, and eggs and nests by those who did not utilize local water sources for irrigation, suggesting that existing environmental pressures associated with agriculture may be unsustainable for alligators. Although respondents who lived outside the Reserve were more likely to use agrochemicals, we found no relationship between pesticide or fertilizer usage and variation in respondent awareness or experience of alligators. Our findings indicate that China's last wild alligators continue to experience negative human pressures, and current land-use practices are probably incompatible with long-term alligator survival.

In Singapore, the Critically Endangered Sunda pangolin Manis javanica is threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, and road traffic collisions. To mitigate these threats, an understanding of its spatiotemporal distribution is needed, as identified in the National Conservation Strategy and Action Plan for the species. However, Sunda pangolin occurrence data are held in multiple separate databases, are typically collected using non-standardized methods, and often lack accurate location details. To compile a complete georeferenced database of Sunda pangolin records in Singapore, we consolidated occurrence data from heterogeneous databases and mainstream and social media, and converted locality descriptions into geographical coordinates. We demonstrate the use of this database to analyse data on rescued pangolins and those killed on roads, to aid conservation efforts in Singapore, and describe other potential applications. We georeferenced 482 records of pangolin sightings, rescues and roadkill for 1996–2021, finding an increase in all three over the study period. Roadkill and rescues occurred mostly in central and western Singapore, close to forested areas, and were predominantly of subadults and adult males. The data can be used to inform threat mitigation strategies, post-rescue release plans and further research. The database has already been used in practice, contributing to environmental impact assessments and conservation recommendations. Overall, this georeferenced database demonstrates the value of citizen science and collating wildlife data from multiple sources, and the methods used can be applied to other taxa to aid conservation strategies.

A recent study published in Oryx proposed that the extinct Javan tiger Panthera tigris sondaica may still survive on the Island of Java, Indonesia, based on mitochondrial DNA analysis of a single hair sample collected from a location where a tiger was reportedly encountered. However, upon reanalysing the genetic data presented in that study, we conclude that there is little support for this claim. The sequences of the putative tiger hair and Javan tiger museum specimens generated are not from tiger cytoplasmic mitochondrial DNA but more likely the nuclear pseudogene copies of mitochondrial DNA. In addition, the number of mismatches between the two Javan tiger sequences is unusually high for homologous sequences that are both from tigers, suggesting potential issues with data reliability. The paper provides insufficient details on quality control measures, making it impossible to rule out the possibility that errors were introduced during the analysis. Consequently, it is inappropriate to use the sequences presented in that study to infer the existence of the Javan tiger.

The spotted hyaena Crocuta crocuta is relatively understudied across its range despite evidence of widespread declines. It is therefore essential that robust baseline population density assessments are conducted to inform current management and future conservation policy. In Mozambique this is urgent as decades of armed conflict followed by unchecked poaching have resulted in large-scale wildlife declines and extirpations. We conducted the first robust population density estimate for a spotted hyaena population in Mozambique using spatially explicit capture–recapture methodologies. We recorded a relatively low population density of 0.8–2.1 hyaenas/100 km2 in the wildlife management area Coutada 11 in the Zambezi Delta of central Mozambique in 2021. These densities are well below the estimated carrying capacity for the landscape and are comparable to published densities in high human-impact, miombo woodland-dominated and arid environments. The combination of historical armed conflict, marginal trophy hunting and bushmeat poaching using wire snares and gin traps (with physical injuries evident in 9% of identified individuals) presents persistent anthropogenic pressure, limiting the post-war recovery of this resident hyaena population. We provide insights into the dynamics of hyaena population status and recovery in such post-war landscapes, adding to mounting evidence that the species is less resilient to severe anthropogenic disturbances than previously believed. We recommend long-term monitoring of this and other carnivore populations in post-war landscapes to ascertain demographic trends and implement effective conservation interventions for population recovery.

The thick-shelled river mussel Unio crassus is categorized as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and searching for surviving populations is urgent. We surveyed for this species in Kaliningradskaya Oblast, a Russian territory lying between Poland and Lithuania, where empty shells of the species had been reported from two rivers. There are at least 125 rivers and numerous small streams in the region, and as a comprehensive survey of all of these watercourses is infeasible, we used a method developed for surveys of the freshwater pearl mussels Margaritifera margaritifera and Margaritifera laevis. This involved a remote assessment of the forests and lakes in the river basins to identify sites potentially suitable for U. crassus based on criteria used for pearl mussels, followed by site surveys. We surveyed six sites and discovered U. crassus in five of those, only two of which support healthy populations. The existence of other U. crassus populations in Kaliningradskaya Oblast is unlikely. This study underscores the critical role of riparian arboreal vegetation for freshwater mussels. The conservation of U. crassus in rivers surrounded by farmlands is challenging because of siltation, eutrophication and other processes that negatively impact the riverine environment. Even the abandonment of these farmlands does not necessarily lead to improvements in mussel survival. Any plans for the restoration of U. crassus will require concurrent restoration of riparian arboreal vegetation.

Visual methods of surveying snakes are subject to observer bias and their accuracy is often questioned. Data collection by non-specialists offers an alternative way to record sightings. We present citizen science as a valuable tool for surveying the viperid snake Lachesis rhombeata, yielding more data than a traditional visual census in a remnant of the Atlantic Forest in north-east Brazil. From visits to local museum/university collections and a literature search, we obtained only 10 georeferenced historical records for this species in the study area dating from 1990 to 2020. In 218 h of visual field surveys during 2022 and 2023, covering 15,000 m2, we did not locate any L. rhombeata individuals, probably because their low population density and cryptic habits made their detection difficult. However, during the same period we acquired 110 georeferenced records through citizen science. The high number of records from citizen science underscores the value of this approach when working with an elusive and threatened snake. Lachesis rhombeata is often implicated in human–wildlife conflict but engaging local people in the project led to positive behavioural changes. Through citizen science we were able to examine live individuals, map the species’ current distribution, investigate threats to its survival and contribute data for studies on taxonomy, diet, home range, diseases and ethno-herpetology.

The tiger Panthera tigris is an apex predator categorized as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. The availability of sufficient prey is a key requirement for its survival. The tiger diet landscape refers to a dynamic ecological picture of the diverse prey species consumed by tigers in a specific region, reflecting the complex relationships between tiger populations and their prey. It can provide information on the tiger’s preferred prey as well as the conservation status of prey species across boundaries. To draw up a road map for the conservation and management of tigers across the Indian subcontinent, where the Bengal tiger Panthera tigris tigris occurs, we identified which prey species make up the majority of the tiger’s diet and answered questions relating to prey density, distribution and conservation status. We reviewed 48 studies published over 30 years (1992–2022) on tiger diet and prey availability. We recorded c. 30 mammalian prey species, with chital Axis axis, sambar Rusa unicolor, wild boar Sus scrofa, Tarai gray langur Semnopithecus hector, northern red muntjac Muntiacus vaginalis and domestic livestock contributing c. 90% of the total relative biomass consumed. Nearly half of the prey species are of conservation concern (categorized as Near-Threatened, Vulnerable or Endangered on the IUCN Red List), and 11 prey species are listed on CITES Appendix I. As part of a sustainable tiger conservation road map, we suggest that the tiger’s major prey species should be incorporated into government protection schemes.

Phalangerids in Sulawesi occur at the westernmost extent of marsupial distribution in Wallacea and are facing escalating anthropogenic pressures. The ecology of the Vulnerable bear cuscus Ailurops ursinus, one of four endemic phalangerids in Sulawesi, is poorly understood and the extent of its decline unknown. This study aimed to build the first habitat suitability model for the species in South Sulawesi and identify priority areas for its conservation. We used maximum entropy modelling to predict the species’ potential distribution, and overlaid the resulting habitat suitability map with regulatory and mining activity maps. Our model predicted only 7.5% (143,682 ha) of the total study area to be potentially suitable habitat for the bear cuscus, predominantly in scattered forest patches, some of which are in areas affected by active mining or frequent poaching. Land-cover type was the most important predictor of the species’ distribution. Our findings suggest the lack of legal protection for the bear cuscus should be reconsidered, and we recommend the species is reassessed for the IUCN Red List. The forested areas of southern South Sulawesi have decreased by 12.5% since 2000, with over half of this decline occurring since 2015, preventing northwards dispersal and restricting the species to a fraction of the province's protected forests. Immediate intervention is necessary to combat poaching, slow the expansion of mining and increase landscape connectivity, to prevent further reduction of the species’ current and potential habitat.