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AimMacroecological studies that require habitat suitability data for many species often derive this information from expert opinion. However, expert-based information is inherently subjective and thus prone to errors. The increasing availability of GPS tracking data offers opportunities to evaluate and supplement expert-based information with detailed empirical evidence. Here, we compared expert-based habitat suitability information from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with habitat suitability information derived from GPS-tracking data of 1,498 individuals from 49 mammal species.LocationWorldwide.Time period1998-2021.Major taxa studiedForty-nine terrestrial mammal species.MethodsUsing GPS data, we estimated two measures of habitat suitability for each individual animal: proportional habitat use (proportion of GPS locations within a habitat type), and selection ratio (habitat use relative to its availability). For each individual we then evaluated whether the GPS-based habitat suitability measures were in agreement with the IUCN data. To that end, we calculated the probability that the ranking of empirical habitat suitability measures was in agreement with IUCN's classification into suitable, marginal and unsuitable habitat types.ResultsIUCN habitat suitability data were in accordance with the GPS data (> 95% probability of agreement) for 33 out of 49 species based on proportional habitat use estimates and for 25 out of 49 species based on selection ratios. In addition, 37 and 34 species had a > 50% probability of agreement based on proportional habitat use and selection ratios, respectively.Main conclusionsWe show how GPS-tracking data can be used to evaluate IUCN habitat suitability data. Our findings indicate that for the majority of species included in this study, it is appropriate to use IUCN habitat suitability data in macroecological studies. Furthermore, we show that GPS-tracking data can be used to identify and prioritize species and habitat types for re-evaluation of IUCN habitat suitability data.

Scientists are increasingly using volunteer efforts of citizen scientists to classify images captured by motion-activated trail cameras. The rising popularity of citizen science reflects its potential to engage the public in conservation science and accelerate processing of the large volume of images generated by trail cameras. While image classification accuracy by citizen scientists can vary across species, the influence of other factors on accuracy is poorly understood. Inaccuracy diminishes the value of citizen science derived data and prompts the need for specific best-practice protocols to decrease error. We compare the accuracy between three programs that use crowdsourced citizen scientists to process images online: Snapshot Serengeti, Wildwatch Kenya, and AmazonCam Tambopata. We hypothesized that habitat type and camera settings would influence accuracy. To evaluate these factors, each photograph was circulated to multiple volunteers. All volunteer classifications were aggregated to a single best answer for each photograph using a plurality algorithm. Subsequently, a subset of these images underwent expert review and were compared to the citizen scientist results. Classification errors were categorized by the nature of the error (e.g., false species or false empty), and reason for the false classification (e.g., misidentification). Our results show that Snapshot Serengeti had the highest accuracy (97.9%), followed by AmazonCam Tambopata (93.5%), then Wildwatch Kenya (83.4%). Error type was influenced by habitat, with false empty images more prevalent in open-grassy habitat (27%) compared to woodlands (10%). For medium to large animal surveys across all habitat types, our results suggest that to significantly improve accuracy in crowdsourced projects, researchers should use a trail camera set up protocol with a burst of three consecutive photographs, a short field of view, and determine camera sensitivity settings based on in situ testing. Accuracy level comparisons such as this study can improve reliability of future citizen science projects, and subsequently encourage the increased use of such data.

Accurately quantifying species' area requirements is a prerequisite for effective area-based conservation. This typically involves collecting tracking data on species of interest and then conducting home-range analyses. Problematically, autocorrelation in tracking data can result in space needs being severely underestimated. Based on the previous work, we hypothesized the magnitude of underestimation varies with body mass, a relationship that could have serious conservation implications. To evaluate this hypothesis for terrestrial mammals, we estimated home-range areas with global positioning system (GPS) locations from 757 individuals across 61 globally distributed mammalian species with body masses ranging from 0.4 to 4000 kg. We then applied block cross-validation to quantify bias in empirical home-range estimates. Area requirements of mammals 1, meaning the scaling of the relationship changed substantially at the upper end of the mass spectrum.

Simple Summary: This review focuses on the West African giraffe and summarizes their past and present conservation management activities. It evaluates their impact to advise and prioritize future conservation actions moving forward. This review covers monitoring and annual censuses, local community engagement, habitat use, and translocation. Recommendations for the long-term conservation of the West African giraffe are provided as a summary. The West African giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis peralta) was historically spread across much of the Sudano-Sahelian zone but is now restricted to Niger. Several factors resulted in their dramatic decline during the late 20th century. In 1996, only 49 individuals remained, concentrated in the 'Giraffe Zone'. Conservation activities implemented by the Government of Niger, supported by local communities and NGOs, facilitated their population numbers to increase. This review summarizes past and present conservation activities and evaluates their impact to advise and prioritize future conservation actions for the West African giraffe. The long-term conservation of the West African giraffe is highly dependent on the local communities who live alongside them, as well as supplementary support from local and international partners. Recent conservation initiatives range from community-based monitoring to the fitting of GPS satellite tags to better understand their habitat use, spatial movements to expansion areas, and environmental education to the establishment of the first satellite population of West African giraffe in Gadabedji Biosphere Reserve, the latter serving as a flagship for the future restoration of large mammal populations in West Africa. The integration of modern technologies and methods will hopefully provide better-quality data, improved spatial analyses, and greater understanding of giraffe ecology to inform the long-term management of West African giraffe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most research on mammalian resting and sleep behavior is conducted under controlled laboratory or zoo settings, with limited studies taking place in their natural habitats. To analyze these behaviors within a natural setting, actigraphy has been identified as a valuable method. This study sought to, firstly, measure inactivity and sleep in free-roaming Angolan giraffe (Giraffa giraffa angolensis) and, secondly, present their nocturnal behavioral rhythmicity. Three giraffe were fitted with an accelerometer-GPS device attached to an ossicone in November 2018 and behavioral data were collected daily between December 2018 and April 2019 to record their cranial movement. As giraffe show behavior specific head movements, sleep events could be detected as well as active and inactive behavior patterns. In this study, we analyzed how long giraffe were inactive during the night, how many sleep events they showed and for how long they were in the sleep position during the night. Giraffe were inactive for 490.8 ± 43.7 minutes during the night (from 19:00 to 7:00 local time), and a total of 857 sleep events were recorded with an average of 2.0 ± 1.0 events per night and total length of sleep per night averaged 8.6 ± 7.9 minutes. Further, results show a clear biphasic sleep profile during the night with peaks of inactivity and sleep events during the hours after sunset (21:00–23:00) and during the early morning hours before sunrise (3:00–5:00). We found individual differences for the number or sleep events, the total time sleeping as well as for inactivity. Interestingly, differences between months only were detected for inactivity. No differences were found for the number of sleep events nor for the total sleep time per night between months. For the first time, this study sheds light on the nocturnal sleep behavior and biphasic inactivity rhythm of giraffe in their natural habitat, providing additional support for previous findings indicating brief sleep episodes in giraffe [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congenital deformities and neoplasia are poorly documented in wildlife, owing to the difficulty of detection in wild populations. Congenital deformities may lead to premature mortality, thus reducing the chances of thorough documentation. Importantly, neoplasia diagnoses depend on either sampling suspicious lesions from living individuals or access to fresh, undisturbed carcasses, which can prove challenging. We describe five cases of suspected congenital cranial deformities (midfacial cleft, wry nose, and brachygnathia inferior) and two possible cases of cranial neoplasia (orbital bone mass and a soft tissue mass) opportunistically observed in wild giraffe (Giraffa spp.) across their range in Africa. Although cases are largely limited to subjective description because physical examination is often not possible, it is critical to document such observations to help identify and track potential health concerns in wild giraffe populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in the technology of biotelemetry are transforming the ways in which we remotely acquire environmental, physiological and behavioural data. Large and heavy batteries, however, continue to reduce the availability of GPS tracking devices for small taxa and for species with morphologies that limit attachment options. Device miniaturisation is beginning to be achieved through the use of in-built solar accumulators, but it is important that the rapid uptake of these technologies does not outpace systematic tests of their precision and performance. Here, we share the technical details of a new 180 g solar-powered device originally designed for vultures but adapted for use on terrestrial herbivores. We test the precision and performance of this device using both stationary and animal-borne trials across multiple geographical areas. Our results show exceptionally high fix acquisition success rates and moderate precision error. We also demonstrate that these solar-powered devices maintain a high and stable voltage over long-term animal-borne trials. These results highlight the importance of a-priori testing of new technologies in biotelemetry research and demonstrate how solar-technology can help to address some of the challenges we face in tracking terrestrial mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]