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The effects of grazing and browsing by terrestrial vertebrates are poorly understood for southern hemisphere saltmarshes, many of which are recovering from stock grazing. We investigated whether the native late-successional shrub, Tecticornia arbuscula, regenerating several years after the cessation of stock grazing, was grazed by wild herbivorous mammals to the degree of impeding recovery. We measured T. arbuscula growth parameters in exclosures and adjacent controls for two years and used camera trapping of animals across four consecutive austral seasons to indicate grazing pressure. Height growth was more affected by exclosure from grazing than lateral change. Notably, grazing did not prevent the recovery of the shrubs from stock grazing at either site, suggesting that the growth rate of T. arbuscula relative to total grazing pressure is at sustainable levels and these shrubs are in a trajectory of recovery, with the smaller plants growing the fastest. Also, we found little difference between our two sites in grazing impact, despite one site having twice the number of animals, largely native macropods, as the other site, which was dominated by introduced lagomorphs (rabbits and hares). These findings further the knowledge of native and non-native terrestrial vertebrates in austral saltmarsh ecology and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study represents the first investigation into the occurrence and identification of Metastrongylus spp. in wild boars (Sus scrofa) in Iran, utilizing both molecular and morphological methods. Thirteen wild boars from Kerman Province were examined, with 92.3% found to be infected with at least one species of Metastrongylus. Mixed infections were observed in 38.46% of the animals. Morphological and molecular analyses confirmed the presence of M. pudendotectus and M. salmi, with prevalence rates of 76.9% and 53.9%, respectively. Histopathological examination revealed transverse and longitudinal sections of Metastrongylus parasites within the airways, causing partial to complete obstruction, interstitial pneumonia, and inflammatory responses. The study also highlights the public health significance of these parasites. The higher prevalence observed compared to earlier studies suggests changes in environmental conditions, host dynamics, or agricultural practices as possible factors, warranting further investigation. The findings underscore the need for comprehensive surveillance and control measures to mitigate the risk of zoonotic transmission, particularly in regions with significant wild and domestic swine populations. This study contributes to the understanding of Metastrongylus spp. distribution and their pathological impact, emphasizing the ecological importance of wild boars and the necessity for continued monitoring and research to prevent and control infections in both animal and human populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stray animals such as cats and dogs, mainly have an independent life, are homeless, have uncontrollable reproduction, and have a large population in the environment and the city. These animals have become a concern for public health in cities and the environment. With the spread of deadly diseases such as rabies, they are considered a threat to human life and health, and their number is increasing day by day in Tehran City. Therefore, it is necessary to provide basic solutions to control and reduce the population of stray animals in Tehran City. Based on reviewing the laws of successful developed and developing countries and expert interviews with 40 people in different fields, suitable solutions for the basic collection, control, and management of stray animals in Tehran City were obtained according to the existing conditions. The results showed that the best solutions include neutering (19%), education and awareness in society (16%), collecting and transfer to shelters (15%), fines for people who violate the rules and prohibition of food to stray animals (13%), euthanasia (10%), using efficient experts and waste management (9%), registration in the system, birth certification, and microchipping of the animal (8%), amending existing laws (6%), and amending municipal contracts (4%). Therefore, it is necessary to control the population of stray animals in Tehran City with solutions such as neutering, educating informing people, and collecting stray animals to be transferred to the shelter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of domestic animals is a key feature of the Neolithic. Their earliest presence in archaeological contexts across the European continent is often interpreted as reflecting farming practices. However, domestic animals often escape, survive, and become feral. Using the comparative example of colonial North America, this article's aim is to illustrate what happens when livestock are introduced to a new, continental temperate environment. Taking a dual historical and archaeological perspective, the author reiterates and elaborates on the suggestion that feral animals were almost certainly a feature of the European Neolithization process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Modoc County, located in northeastern California, there is a high elevation sage-steppe rangeland ecosystem heavily populated by wild horses and managed primarily by the United States Forest Service (USFS) called the Devil's Garden Plateau. Wild horses have significantly exceeded (roughly 2,000 horses) appropriate management levels (206-402 horses) in recent years and expanded their range outside of the designated territory (258,000 acres) and onto private and tribal lands (nearly 500,000 acres). Increased pressure from wild horses on the multiple use mandate of Forest Service lands have put strains on livestock, wildlife, and the local rural economy. The Modoc National Forest has decreased grazing by roughly 5,000 AUMs (animal unit months) on the Devil’s Garden Plateau due to excessive wild horse use. Each lost AUM results in a decrease of $57.43 - $144.70 of income to Modoc County. Three helicopter gathers in recent years have removed over 1,500 horses from the Devil’s Garden Plateau. Due to the extensive collaboration between the USFS, Modoc National Forest, and local partners, many of these horses have found new homes. This was done by using a tiered pricing approach and offering sales with limitations for older and unadoptable horses. The addition of a robust social media campaign run by volunteers has created a brand for the Devil’s Garden Plateau horses and educated the public on the declining range condition and horse health. Although good progress is being made to gather and place horses in private care, more diverse management solutions may be needed in the future.

Context: Peatlands in the Australian Alps are important ecologically and recognised in national environmental legislation. Increasing fire frequency over the past 40 years has put the community at greater risk of degradation. Aims: Using published studies of fire effects in peatlands and new data, we investigate general responses of peatlands to fire so that risk can be evaluated and appropriate management adopted. Methods: We present four case studies that employ repeated measures of floristic composition or chronosequences to assess fire-related changes. Key results: Cover of frequently-occurring species declined after fire but most had returned to pre-fire cover after 10 years. Recovery of the obligate seeder shrub Dracophyllum continentis (B.L.Burtt) S.Venter and the dominant moss Sphagnum cristatum Hampe was much slower, but variable for the latter, apparently depending on fire intensity and post-fire moisture availability; both species favoured less frequently burnt peatlands with high soil moisture. Some herbs (including non-native species) benefitted from fire, briefly becoming abundant soon afterwards. Overall species richness and diversity were unaffected by fire. Conclusions: Peatlands in the Australian Alps tend to be resilient to single fires with effects on species composition being short-lived. However, species cover (especially Sphagnum cristatum) requires perhaps 20 years between fires for full recovery. Fire can cause localised community extinction and this is likely to be exacerbated by other pressures such as trampling and drought. Implications: Fire will be difficult to manage in peatlands but resilience might be built by removing other pressures such as trampling by feral animals. Peatlands of the Australian Alps are important ecologically and recognised in conservation legislation but they are increasingly threatened by fire. Our review of long-term studies in peatlands shows that species composition recovers within a few years of fire but species cover, including the dominant moss layer, does not. A fire frequency less than 20 years may cause permanent change in this plant community but resilience might be enhanced by removing other threats, in particular trampling by feral animals. Photo credit: Keith McDougall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Wild pigs cause around $1 billion of damage to agriculture in the United States each year — foraging on crops, breaking branches and vines, and damaging irrigation lines and fences — but little is known about how and when they access agricultural fields. We used wildlife camera traps to document and describe wild pig access to two fenced southern San Joaquin Valley farms. Pigs breached fences around agricultural fields, especially during the harvest period when crops were ripe, and almost exclusively at night, outside of the regulated, daytime recreational pig hunting period. GPS data from an adult boar revealed that pigs may travel long distances from wildlands to reach crops. The results of our case study suggest that increasing monitoring and maintenance of fences during the harvest season and removing pigs that have learned to access farms may help reduce pig damage to agricultural fields. The results also suggest a formal scientific investigation of risk factors and strategies to reduce wild pig damage is warranted.

This article studies how the national media reacted to four feral woman episodes between 1843 and 1857. In 1843 and 1848, newspapers reprinted stories about two feral women without sectional variations in coverage. This national consensus collapsed after a feral woman in Texas was identified as African. Northern newspapers then broke from the consensus. Dramatic sectional differences in coverage also appear after the Wild Woman of Cincinnati show in 1856 and during an Alabama Wild Woman incident in 1857. We can see gender and racial ideologies driving the North and South apart when we study antebellum feral woman episodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: A public forum can reveal a wide range of perspectives on the ethical treatment of animals. This article describes how a panel of experts navigated through a discussion on the many and varied challenges of attempting to manage invasive and native fauna in Australia. The panel acknowledged the variety of these fauna, their effects on others and the consequences of control measures for three parties: animals, humans and the environment. The One Welfare concept has been developed to guide humans in the ethical treatment of non-human animals, each other and the environment. The forum accepted the need to consider this triple line, and exemplifies the merits of a One Welfare approach to discussions such as this. We used a series of questions about past, present and anticipated practices in wildlife control as the core of the panel discussion. We revealed five different but intersecting perspectives: conservation action, wildlife research, invasive animal ecology, mainstream animal protection and compassionate conservation. This article shows how understanding of lines of contention on various core topics can provide a framework for further discourse that may bear fruit in the form of One Welfare solutions. The One Welfare concept is proposed to guide humans in the ethical treatment of non-human animals, each other and the environment. One Welfare was conceptualized for veterinarians but could be a foundational concept through which to promote the ethical treatment of animals that are outside of direct human care and responsibility. However, wild-living animals raise additional ethical conundrums because of their multifarious values and roles, and relationships that humans have with them. At an open facilitated forum, the 2018 Robert Dixon Memorial Animal Welfare Symposium, a panel of five experts from different fields shared their perspectives on "loving and hating animals in the wild" and responded to unscripted questions from the audience. The Symposium's objectives were to elucidate views on the ethical treatment of the native and invasive animals of Australia and to identify some of the resultant dilemmas facing conservationists, educators, veterinarians and society. Here, we document the presented views and case studies and synthesize common themes in a One Welfare framework. Additionally, we identified points of contention that can guide further discourse. With this guide in place, the identification and discussion of those disparate views was a first step toward practical resolutions on how to manage wild-living Australian fauna ethically. We concluded that there was great utility in the One Welfare approach for any discourse about wild animal welfare. It requires attention to each element of the triple bottom line and ensures that advocacy for one party does not vanquish the voices from other sectors. We argue that, by facilitating a focus on the ecology in the context of wild animal issues, One Welfare is more useful in this context than the veterinary context for which it was originally developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper was prepared to show the damage that feral/stray dogs cause to wildlife that uses or are forced to uses forest ecosystems or their surroundings as a habitat in Turkey. It is also aimed to detect the damage of these animals to wildlife and to develop solution proposals for them. The original data of the article was obtained using the semi-structured interview technique and the content analysis method. Using the semi-structured interview technique, the feral/stray dogs problem in forest areas and the strategies to be applied in this context have been evaluated with 6 different stakeholder groups and 56 stakeholder representatives. Official institutions do not hold the records of damage caused to wildlife by feral/stray dogs in Turkey. For this reason, media news was analyzed using the content analysis technique to determine the damage of feral dogs to wildlife. The news of the internet was examined in Turkey in the 2006-2020 years by the content analysis technique and in this context 66 news were found. According to this information, A total of 89 wild animals were damaged, including 53 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), 17 gazelle (Gazella gazella), 9 wild goats (Capra aegagrus), 8 fallow deer (Cervus elaphus), 1 caretta (Caretta caretta), and 1 rabbit (Lepus europaeus). As a result, all of the stakeholder group representatives agree that feral/stray dogs should not be in forest ecosystems in terms of sustainable natural resource management. According to this, a feral/stray dog action plan individually identifying the actions and methods of struggle of all stakeholders in forest ecosystems should be urgently prepared. For the successful implementation of this plan, firstly, all stakeholders should cooperate with each other, later, public institutions and municipalities should support stakeholders in terms of infrastructure, organization, cost, and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The One Welfare concept is proposed to guide humans in the ethical treatment of non-human animals, each other and the environment. One Welfare was conceptualized for veterinarians but could be a foundational concept through which to promote the ethical treatment of animals that are outside of direct human care and responsibility. However, wild-living animals raise additional ethical conundrums because of their multifarious values and roles, and relationships that humans have with them. At an open facilitated forum, the 2018 Robert Dixon Memorial Animal Welfare Symposium, a panel of five experts from different fields shared their perspectives on “loving and hating animals in the wild” and responded to unscripted questions from the audience. The Symposium’s objectives were to elucidate views on the ethical treatment of the native and invasive animals of Australia and to identify some of the resultant dilemmas facing conservationists, educators, veterinarians and society. Here, we document the presented views and case studies and synthesize common themes in a One Welfare framework. Additionally, we identified points of contention that can guide further discourse. With this guide in place, the identification and discussion of those disparate views was a first step toward practical resolutions on how to manage wild-living Australian fauna ethically. We concluded that there was great utility in the One Welfare approach for any discourse about wild animal welfare. It requires attention to each element of the triple bottom line and ensures that advocacy for one party does not vanquish the voices from other sectors. We argue that, by facilitating a focus on the ecology in the context of wild animal issues, One Welfare is more useful in this context than the veterinary context for which it was originally developed.

1. Feral pigs (Sus scrofa) are widespread and cause significant damage to the ecological and cultural values of wetlands through their rooting, pugging, and wallowing behaviour. 2. The impacts of feral pigs on the epigeic (ground surface) invertebrates of exposed wetland sediments were investigated using 48 composite pitfall samples collected from 21 sites over three occasions in the Archer River catchment, north Queensland, Australia. Feral pig damage was quantified in transects along the margins of the wetlands. We tested the prediction that invertebrate assemblages would demonstrate reduced taxon richness and abundance, and altered assemblage composition, with an increasing intensity of pig damage. 3. Pig damage to exposed wetland sediments was a stressor to epigeic invertebrates in this environment, where there was a diverse invertebrate fauna. As expected, both taxon richness and abundance were significantly limited by pig damage, as was variability in multivariate assemblage composition. Thirty‐one epigeic invertebrate taxa (66%) showed a decrease in their frequency of occurrence, mean abundance, or both, at sites with high levels of pig damage, relative to sites with low levels of pig damage. Certain families of spiders, beetles, snails, and freshwater crabs were among the taxa more prevalent when pig damage was low, whereas none of those taxa was more prevalent when pig damage was high. 4. There are biodiversity conservation ramifications from these results as pigs threaten elements of this fauna and thus wetland biodiversity, but the taxonomy, ecology, and distributions of epigeic invertebrates of exposed wetland sediments are poorly known. 5. The intensity of pig damage and the richness and abundance of epigeic invertebrates, as measured here, provide useful monitoring indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of pig control measures wherever pigs damage wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The risk of non-target species being harmed by pest management activities can be a major impediment to animal control being implemented. This problem is particularly acute in complex faunal communities, where the pest occurs with functionally-similar species. Here, we present a framework for developing target-specific pest management tools for complex communities that helps managers reduce the risk of non-target species impacts. We applied the framework to the problem of poison baiting for feral pig control in the tropical rainforests of north-eastern Australia, and identified several potential methods to reduce adverse baiting impacts on non-target species. We evaluated the target-specificity of different baits and bait presentation methods using camera traps and sandplots to monitor animal-bait interactions in the field. As predicted using the framework, making baits available only at night prevented bait take by diurnal species, and bait burial substantially reduced bait consumption by nonfossorial species. The illumination of bait sites also reduced the foraging intensity of small non-target mammals, without inhibiting bait take by feral pigs. Two putative auditory repellents for small mammals were ineffective. Temporal variation in bait take by pigs and other species was unpredictable, and we were unable to exploit seasonally-variable factors to further enhance targetspecificity. The use of a starch-rich vegetable bait, rather than an omnivore bait, prevented bait take by dingoes and improved bait take by feral pigs. The use of a light plastic container to cover this bait prevented bait take by small omnivores when an uncovered free-feed was also provided. This latter baiting method renders nocturnal distribution, bait burial, and site illumination unnecessary, and provides a simple, target-specific baiting protocol that will allow effective feral pig control in the region for the first time. Our field results demonstrate the usefulness of the framework in our study site. The framework is similarly suitable for developing target-specific methods for delivering other chemical or biological agents to wildlife or pest populations, or for developing other pest control tools such as traps. The framework awaits further evaluation in other complex faunal communities.

Wildlife management and conservation biology are full of conflict, especially in regard to introduced vertebrates in Hawai`i. At present, there are 17 introduced mammals with established wild populations in Hawai`i, including 6 ruminants, 4 rodents, 3 feral pets, pigs, donkeys, rock wallabies, and mongooses. Disagreement about the reliability of information on the impacts of introduced mammals in Hawai`i is one reason for conflict between stakeholders, which may undermine conservation and management programs. The objective of this research was to assess what science has recorded in regards to the impact of introduced mammals on the native flora, fauna, and ecosystems of the Hawaiian Islands. A literature (peer-reviewed articles, theses, dissertations, and grey literature) search for data on the impact of these species resulted in 156 articles, which were assigned to 1 of 6 categories that describe science’s ‘Level of understanding’ of the impacts of mammals in Hawai`i. The vast majority of the available data (134/156 articles) resulted from basic observations or general exclosure plots. In terms of their impact in Hawai`i, cats (21 articles), black rats (27 articles), and pigs (40 articles) are the most researched and hence best understood species. Very little is known about the impacts of dogs, rabbits, brush-tailed rock wallabies, and donkeys on the flora, fauna, and ecosystems of Hawai`i. Analysis of the dates of publication of articles suggests research may be influenced by the level of controversy surrounding a species.

Feral pigs cause considerable damage to island and mainland ecosystems around the world. Eradication efforts can be extremely challenging and may require many years. Some techniques used in removal programs include: trapping, hunting with dogs, ground hunting, aerial shooting, and fencing. Trapping can be very successful when pig densities are high and natural forage is at a minimum. Dogs can be used at any time, but are best used when pig densities are moderate to low, and during the cool wet months of the year. Ground hunting techniques are valuable throughout an entire eradication process because they can be used opportunistically with other techniques and often remove pigs less susceptible to other methods. Aerial shooting can be very effective in certain situations where the terrain permits easy location of animals from the air. Fencing, while expensive, can prove indispensable for pig eradication projects and can be used to contain a population, divide a population, or exclude animals from sensitive areas. The difficulty of performing a pig eradication project can be compounded by logistically challenging aspects of working on an island. However, islands have the distinct advantage of not requiring a perimeter fence, and upon completion, the island will remain pig-free unless pigs are intentionally reintroduced. Mainland pig eradication projects depend entirely on the integrity of a perimeter fence. Therefore, there is a constant threat of pigs becoming reestablished if the fence integrity is compromised. Thus, a perimeter fence must be vigilantly monitored during eradication and indefinitely afterward. A flexible plan with solid financial backing is necessary for any eradication project to be successful. Finally, safety is the number one concern when working in remote field locations and handling firearms.

The decline and extinction of Australian mammals since the arrival of Europeans has been catastrophic. Attempts to reintroduce threatened species of native mammals to their former ranges have failed due to predation by the introduced red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and feral cat (Felis silvestris catus). Baiting with poisoned meat baits will control foxes, but feral cats are generally unwilling to consume a bait. This has seen recent reintroduction attempts fail due to cat predation, possibly involving only a few individual animals. Historical anecdotes from Western Australia record the death of cats and dogs after feeding on a number of the native animal species, with the bronzewing pigeons, Phaps chalcoptera and P. elegans, most frequently mentioned. The toxicity of the pigeons has been attributed to the birds’ feeding on seeds from plants of the Gastrolobium genus. Such a mechanism has been suggested to have aided the survival of 35- to 5,500-g mammals in southwest Western Australia when such species have disappeared elsewhere. Analysis of the seeds of members of the genus Gastrolobium has found extremely high levels of organically bound fluorine. Previous studies report this fluorine to be stored in the seeds as monofluoroacetate (MFA – synonymous with Compound 1080). However, a number of the poisoning anecdotes suggest toxicity of the pigeon skeleton, and report times to death which appear too rapid for the known action of MFA or “1080.” The objective of this research is to examine the authenticity of the historical anecdotes and the feasibility of using a skeletally retained natural plant toxicant to aid the reintroduction of native fauna. Those individual cats and foxes effecting the predation may be removed at the first predatory event if the reintroduced fauna were toxic to the predating animal. This is anticipated to greatly improve the success rate of future reintroduction programs. Exhaustive extraction of Gastrolobium seeds with a variety of solvents and subsequent analysis utilizing a fluoride ion-specific electrode, 19F nuclear magnetic resonance, and other techniques has established the presence of a number of fluorinated and alkaloid compounds. Determination of the identity and toxicity of these compounds is expected to identify a compound(s) which may explain many of the historical poisoning anecdotes and could also provide a method for the control of feral cats in native mammal reintroduction programs.

Social design education has become a significant part of industrial design education, thus new methodologies are required and being developed. One of these societal problems is animal welfare and human interaction with stray animals that is not a common topic amongst previous studies. This study presents a toolkit for social design teaching, combining social design thinking and product development processes to generate and realise design solutions for stray animals with a production-based learning approach. The toolkit consisting of nine phases under two processes was implemented into the secondyear 'Product Design II' 7-week studio project at Gazi University. A total of 35 sophomores taking the course offered during the second semester of the 2017/2018 academic year, participated in housing and feeding stations for a stray animals design project. To analyse the appropriateness of the toolkit, the submissions and process of the project were observed and evaluated by instructors and post-project questionnaires were employed to both instructors and students. The results revealed that this toolkit for social design education combining design thinking and product development processes improved industrial design students' competencies and learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European ferret, Mustela putorius, a species prohibited in California, has become increasingly popular as a household "pet." As a result, its threat to public health, wildlife and agriculture has markedly increased. There has also been a consequent increase in reported attacks on humans, especially infants, including several fatalities. Reports of rabid European ferrets are also on the increase. When European ferrets establish "feral" populations, domestic poultry, waterfowl, game birds, rabbits and other species are at substantial risk. At this time, a California Legislature Assembly Bill has been introduced to change the status of the European ferret from a wild animal to a domestic pet. Passage of this bill would allow unlimited legal importation into California of this now prohibited and potentially detrimental species. The opportunity is therefore taken to increase the public's awareness on the dangers of European ferrets and by extension to also include other exotic wild animals as "pets."

Feral cats are contentious and transgressive, with opposing views on whether to classify them as abandoned pets, wild animals, or invasive species. Concerns about their welfare often conflict with fears that they are impacting native fauna. This paper presents the results of a case study of human-feral cat relations that took place in southern Ontario, Canada in 2014. This research investigates the discursive constructions of feral cats and their 'animal spaces' using the results of 40 semi-structured interviews. Following recent calls to move beyond human representations of animals and better integrate animals' geographies, this study also explores the 'beastly places' of feral cats using the results of field observations of 20 feral cat colonies and anecdotal evidence from colony caretakers. The results emphasize the diversity of free-living contexts and the complexity of management options. This paper ends by discussing the place-making practices of cats, along with their potential ethical ramifications. Overall, it illustrates the importance of spatial factors in understanding the complex social and ethical dynamics of human-animal relations, and advances an understanding of nonhuman animals as inhabitants of personally meaningful homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feral and conventional growth performances were compared using Marismeña cattle as a model. Marismeña calves are commonly reared under feral conditions in one of the most important reserves of Europe (Doñana National Park, Spain). Data recording in these natural conditions faces compromises as animals are only handled once per year. This fact has to be saved to obtain efficient estimations for the biological growth curve of cattle reared under feral conditions. On the one hand, we assessed the inference of the theoretical influence of human management on cattle growth. On the other hand, we studied the fitness of the best growth curve, in both feral and conventional systems to use the physiological meaning of the parameters obtained from their study as selection criteria related to the adaptability of potential breeding males and females. Fitting of Brody's, von Bertalanffy, Verhulst, logistic, Gompertz and Richards’ models was tested as these models are the most representative ones for cattle growth. In general, Brody's and Richards’ models presented the best fitting values for the biological curve. According to the biological curve parameters, males and females presented asymptotic weights of 641.71 kg and 403.55 kg, respectively. As expected, the results of the commercial growth curve severely differed from those of the biological curve. The best fitting biological curve was not representative for cattle reared under commercial conditions. The logistic model was the best fitting one for feral females, Gompertz model for feral males, and Verhulst for intensive males and females, respectively. Seasonal oscillations in feeding may be responsible for the earlier achievement of the best performance in feral cattle (7 and 10 months for males and females, respectively), while such best performances were reached at 11 months in intensive calves, what becomes relevant for management and slaughtering decision-making. The study of the biological curve in Marismeña feral breed is very illustrative as this is the first time that feral cattle's growth is approached. Knowledge on the biological growth curve parameters could be used to interpret the strong relation between feral animals and their environment. This research could infer a model to quantify the effects of human management on livestock development, as feral resources offer unique opportunities to study domestic livestock without any human influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The question of problem animals in Australia is often framed in language that has nothing to do with either science or conservation management, but is rather about nationalism and popular culture. The need to attract funding for conservation can often lead to framing problems as 'national', yet caring for nature can be done on many scales, and ecological systems is seldom work on national scales. This paper considers both ecological scales (regulated by the animal or plant under consideration) and personal scales (scales meaningful to the conservation manager). The idea that only certain sorts of conservationists can 'care' can itself become the problem where conservation groups care, but care differently, and spend time and effort fighting each other, rather than improving ecological outcomes for the animals and plants they care about. Examples discussed include kangaroos in Canberra and cane toads in northern Australia. Changing some inflammatory language and finding more productive uses for the animals culled may enable more inclusive conservation efforts, and engage more hands to help. Macho and military eradication efforts may get in the way of caring for the country, or the animals displaced by invaders. Wasteful practices give conservation a bad name. Better 'metaphors for environmental sustainability' (Larson, 2011) can lead to better outcomes for the environment and for those who care for it. The task of conservation demands more than science: it is rewarding for many of the people who undertake it. Conservation is an opportunity for service that many volunteers welcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal shelters exist worldwide to care for and rehome unwanted or straying pets. Previous studies have examined why owners breed unwanted animals, or relinquish their pets to shelters. However, the views of shelter workers, who receive and care for these animals, have previously been largely unexplored. The aim of this study was to investigate the perceptions of animal shelter workers on the problems facing their industry. A sampling frame was constructed, consisting of every identified shelter in the UK, and a postal questionnaire sent to each. This included two open questions, soliciting respondents’ views on their biggest problems, and inviting further comments. A total of 661 respondents replied to at least one question. Thematic analysis on the free text content was carried out, and basic and global themes identified. Respondents’ main concerns centered on a mismatch between the continuous demand for their services and their limited resources, which has worsened during the recent financial crisis. Respondents perceived a need for increased public awareness of the commitment involved in keeping a pet, and of controlling breeding by neutering. Points of intervention, such as education programs, were suggested. Coordinating efforts with others, including local authorities, landlords, and housing associations, and a potential role for veterinary professionals working in shelter medicine were all explored by respondents. Rehoming organizations play an important role in the management of pet overpopulation, and the views and beliefs of their workers form an important contribution to the dialogue surrounding this issue. Consideration of these perspectives may suggest alternative routes to address underlying causes and management of pet overpopulation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]