Coupling bio-logging with nutritional geometry to reveal novel insights into the foraging behaviour of a plunge-diving marine predator

It is widely believed that predators maximise their energy intake while foraging and consume prey that are nutritionally similar. We combined GPS data loggers, miniaturised cameras, dietary sampling and nutritional geometry to examine the nutritional variability in the prey and selected diet, and foraging performance, of the masked booby (Sula dactylatra tasmani), a wild carnivore and marine top predator. Data loggers also revealed no significant differences between sexes in the foraging performance of chick-rearing adults. Females provided more food to their chicks than the males and, regardless of the nutritional variability of prey consumed, both sexes showed similar amounts of protein and lipid in their diets. Miniaturised cameras combined with nutritional analysis of prey provided, for the first time, fine-scale detail of the amounts of macronutrients consumed in each plunge dive and the overall foraging trip. Our methodology could be considered for future studies that aim to contribute to the general understanding of the behavioural and physiological mechanisms and ecological and evolutionary significance of animal foraging (e.g. energy expenditure budgets and prey selection for self- and offspring-feeding that could lead to sex-specific foraging strategies).     

Acceptability of Management Actions and the Potential for Conflict Following Human-Black Bear Encounters

Despite low numbers for the past century, black bear (Ursus americanus) populations in Alabama appear to be growing. There are often strong emotional reaction and public disagreement toward how wildlife management agencies respond to human-bear encounters. We used data from a mail in survey (n?=?564) distributed to residents of two distinct regions of Alabama to examine the acceptance of five common black bear management strategies in response to specific human-bear encounter scenarios. We applied the second generation Potential for Conflict Index (PCI2) to estimate the potential for social conflict which may arise due to dissenting opinions toward bear management strategies. Potential for conflict varied according to severity and frequency of the bear encounter and severity of management actions and was greater in rural areas. We recommend managers create standardized bear management protocols and a human-bear encounter classification system to maintain consistency and limit negative public reaction to management techniques.     

Approval of Wolves in Scandinavia: A Comparison Between Norway and Sweden

Based on Norwegian and Swedish representative national samples, and samples from areas with large mammalian carnivores present, we investigated whether well-known predictors for approval of wolves may explain between-country differences. Swedes were in general more positive than Norwegians were, while respondents in large carnivore areas, regardless of nationality, were less positive. The profile of those who approved wolf presence was the same in all samples. The difference between the samples was greater in Sweden, indicating that the relationship between urbanized and rural areas is more polarized in Sweden compared to Norway. We suggest this to be an effect of the fact that Norway’s large carnivore and agriculture policies favor the rural population, and of a higher degree of urbanization in Sweden. We recommend future studies to look into the different power relations between people living in urban and rural areas, comparing countries with different degree of urbanization.     

Conservation Opportunity and Risk Mapping for Carnivores Using Landowner Survey Data from the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

Large landscape planning for wildlife corridors often requires inclusion of private lands and willing landowners to establish successful pathways to and from protected core habitats. Using mail survey data, we spatially assessed carnivore occurrences, perceptions of carnivores, and landowner preferences toward conservation planning tools from three communities to quantify conservation opportunity and risk related to carnivore movement on the landscape. The mapping of social data illustrates the importance of understanding individuals for conservation planning. The approach has the potential to identify areas that pose risks or present opportunities for the implementation of on-the-ground conservation actions to facilitate long-term wildlife movement across private lands.     

Comment on Rust et al.: Human–Carnivore Conflict in Namibia Is Not Simply About Black and White

Carnivore conservationists agree that addressing the socioeconomic needs of people is critical to human-carnivore conflict mitigation. We therefore welcome studies that encompass complex social and cultural factors that affect the severity of human-carnivore conflict on Namibian farmlands. However, we contend that the recent study by Rust et al. (2016 Rust, N. A., J. Tzanopoulos, T. Humle, and D. C. MacMillan. 2016. Why has human–carnivore conflict not been resolved in Namibia? Society &; Natural Resources 29 (9):1079–94. doi:10.1080/08941920.2016.1150544[Taylor &; Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) was poorly designed, used inappropriate sampling methods, lacked quantitative information on their qualitative results, and ultimately produced unsupported conclusions about the role of historic apartheid and current racism in exacerbating human-carnivore conflict in Namibia. We outline our concerns regarding the methods used, and demonstrate that the conclusions drawn by Rust et al. were not supported by their data.