Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
WILD AND FREE: WHAT ARE WE CONSERVING HOW DO WE MEASURE IT? Matthew Child, Jeanetta Selier et al. AND INTRODUCTION Minimum goal is saving species from extinction Ideal goal is to conserve (& create) wild, flourishing, adaptive & self-sustaining populations IUCN Red List – only wild populations can be considered There is no clear definition of wild Wildness - spectrum from captive-bred to free roaming management intensity and property size, location and isolation Viability in short or long term South Africa unique situation GOALS 1. Need an objective framework that a. b. 2. unambiguously measures the conservation value or wildness of a subpopulation, regardless of the management system or philosophy evaluates which subpopulations are eligible for the Red List assessments. A more proactive & inspiring metric of conservation success (saving something from extinction is the minimum goal). METHODS Two expert workshops Achieved the following: Used Redford et al. 2014 defined nodes along wilderness spectrum as a starting point, adapted it to local requirements Listed the potential management attributes / actions that applied to each wildness node Developed measurable thresholds for each attribute for each node Averaged the score for each attribute to determine the wildness status of each subpopulation and used radar plots to visualise the score Framework was then tested for subpopulations of several spp. incl. Cape mountain zebra and roan Red List requested data from the wildlife ranching sector Data obtained from wildlife ranching survey (EWT) Manipulation of all vital rates Feeding every winter Simulated natural No manipulation of resource Near natural Self sustaining Captive managed Attributes & actions Intensively chosen to reflect managed effects on short-term survival of individuals, as well as Manipulation of all long-term resilience resource of the overall population based on subpopulation connectivity & adaptive capacity. No manipulation of vital rates Potential South African wildness nodes 1. Captive managed: Social resource dynamics completely negated by management. 2. Intensively managed: Direct intervention at the individual and/or subpopulation levels. May exist in extensive systems (as opposed to breeding camps) but with conditions controlled to benefit the focal species. 3. Simulated Natural: Limited set of interventions directed at subpopulation sustainability and mitigating extrinsic factors (for example, metapopulation management). 4. Near Natural: Interventions are directed at long-term ecosystem process management and not at the individual or subpopulation level. 5. Self-sustaining: No deliberate interference to sustain or grow subpopulations and can adapt to change. Attributes relating to ecological and evolutionary functioning Space Home range Dispersal Disease & parasite resistance Natural predation Vet care Exposure to native predators Food limitations Presence & freq. food prov. Water limitations Reproduction Mate selection Freq. & spatial orientation H2O Augmenta tion Strategy Attribute thresholds between wildness nodes No. Attribute description Captive managed Intensively managed Simulated natural Near natural Self-sustaining 1 Functional space Single species camps < home range => home range =>2 x home range Home range units > no. social groups present 1a Dispersal Impermeable fences: total Impermeable fences: large animals Permeable / wildlife-friendly fences Wildlife-friendly / no fences No fences / fences are not barrier (large area) 2 Disease & parasite resistance Continuous preventative and reactive veterinary care to all individuals Non-selective permanent preventative measures; reactive veterinary care. Care focused on the individual Ad-hoc preventative vaccination (threatened / mandated spp). Focus on population presistance. Ad-hoc reactive measures to major disease outbreaks No disease control 3 Predator removal Total predator community exclusion through lethal control/mere incompatibility Apex predators removed (lethal or non-lethal); ad hoc removal of mesopredators (lethal or non-lethal) - occasional exposure to mesopredators Frequent exposure to mesopredators; occasional exposure to apex predators; selective removal of individuals (problem animals) Functional guild of predators present (at least one apex); no predator control Full complement of predators present, no predator control 3a Predator exclusion Impermeable camp fences: total Impermeable fences: large predators Permeable / wildlife-friendly fences Wildlife-friendly / no fences No fences / fences are not barrier (large area) 4 Food provision Continuous supplementary feeding to individuals. Feeding > 75 % of year Supplementary feeding in winter. Feeding 25 – 75 % of year. Supplementary feeding in droughts, where < 25 % feeding perhaps. No supplementary feeding No supplementary feeding 4a Habitat management for resources Single species enclosures Modifying habitat for focal species (e.g. planting pastures) Habitat management for ecosystem functioning (e.g. alien invasive removal / mosaic burning); continual Habitat management for ecosystem functioning (e.g. alien invasive removal / mosaic burning); periodic No habitat management 4b Endemism Inside or outside natural range Inside or outside natural range Inside or outside natural range Inside natural range Inside natural range 5 Water provisioning and fluctuations Continuous water provision to individuals More artificial water-points than natural; artificial waterpoints permanent More artificial water-points than natural but >50% artificial water-points temporary Natural or only temporary artificial water-points Only natural water sources 5b Water-point distribution >1 water-point / home range unit >1 water-point / home range unit < 1 water-point / home range unit < 1 water-point / home range unit < 1 water-point / home range unit 6 Breeding competition Individuals matched and selected for specific traits Selective breeding for production (not trait specific); periodically replacing breeding stock males and females have choice in mating partners; regular introduction / removal of individuals into breeding herd(s) Multiple social groups present (e.g. presence of bachelor groups) No breeding manipulation 6a Harvesting Selecting individuals for harvesting / translocation Selecting individuals for harvesting / translocation; may disrupt social structure (e.g. hunting female leopards) Selecting individuals for harvesting / translocation to simulate predation or gene flow (e.g. hunting postreproductive individuals) Non-selective harvesting of individuals across species Very occasional non-selective harvesting 6b Translocation Selecting individuals for harvesting / translocation Selecting individuals for harvesting / translocation; may disrupt social or ecological structure (e.g. introducing alien ecotypes / subspecies) Selecting individuals for harvesting / translocation to simulate predation or gene flow (e.g. to conserve genetic diversity; only native ecotypes / subspecies) Non-selective translocation (only native ecotypes / subspecies) No translocation following initial reintroduction (if applicable) Just to show we have put some work into this….. Analysis methods Space 5 4 Reproduction 3 2 Disease and parasite resistance 1 0 Exposure to natural water limitations and fluctuations Exposure to natural predation Exposure to natural food limitations and fluctuations >80% individuals on private land eligible Total wild population: 2,381– 3,247 mature individuals Reproduction Space 5 4 3 2 1 0 Exposure to natural water limitations and… Exposure to natural predation Exposure to natural food limitations and… <12% individuals on private land eligible Total wild population: : 233-272 mature individuals Roan Disease and parasite resistance OBVIOUSLY more work to do… • Thresholds need calibrating through ground-truthing. • Specialised survey design. • Measure formally protected areas for baseline wildness. • Exhaustive list of management actions allowed in each node. • Need buy-in from all stakeholders. • Could potentially form the basis of a certification /branding scheme for the industry THANK YOU C. Birss D. Buijs B. Coverdale H. Davies Mostert P. Goodman M. Hoffman D. Mallon L. Nel M. Pfab M. Peel J. Power D. Peinke F. Radloff A. Taylor