SummaryIllegal killing/taking of birds is a growing concern across the Mediterranean. However, there are few quantitative data on the species and countries involved. We assessed numbers of individual birds of each species killed/taken illegally in each Mediterranean country per year, using a diverse range of data sources and incorporating expert knowledge. We estimated that 11-36 million individuals per year may be killed/taken illegally in the region, many of them on migration. In each of Cyprus, Egypt, Italy, Lebanon and Syria, more than two million birds may be killed/taken on average each year. For species such as Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla , Common Quail Coturnix coturnix , Eurasian Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs , House Sparrow Passer domesticus and Song Thrush Turdus philomelos , more than one million individuals of each species are estimated to be killed/ taken illegally on average every year. Several species of global conservation concern are also reported to be killed/taken illegally in substantial numbers: Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata , Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca and Rock Partridge Alectoris graeca . Birds in the Mediterranean are illegally killed/taken primarily for food, sport and for use as cage-birds or decoys. At the 20 worst locations with the highest reported numbers, 7.9 million individuals may be illegally killed/ taken per year, representing 34% of the mean estimated annual regional total number of birds illegally killed/taken for all species combined. Our study highlighted the paucity of data on illegal killing/taking of birds. Monitoring schemes which use systematic sampling protocols are needed A-L. Brochet et al. 2 to generate increasingly robust data on trends in illegal killing/taking over time and help stakeholders prioritise conservation actions to address this international conservation problem. Large numbers of birds are also hunted legally in the region, but specific totals are generally unavailable. Such data, in combination with improved estimates for illegal killing/taking, are needed for robustly assessing the sustainability of exploitation of birds.

Habitat-suitability modelling is being increasingly used as a tool for conservation biology.Although studies at large spatial scales are more appropriate for reserve design and management, there is a scarcity of published work on local, high-resolution applications of such models. In this work we develop high-resolution habitat models (1 ha) and study habitat preferences (focal points) of Dupont's lark Chersophilus duponti, an endangered shrubsteppe passerine, in the partially overlapping Special Protected Area for birds (SPA) and Important Bird Area (IBA) of ''pá ramos de Layna'' (NW Spain), to assess both the adequacy of the reserve's limits and the effect of land-use changes on the species' population size.Both analytical approaches show that the Dupont's lark favours flat areas characterized by small shrubs with bare ground, so that, for example, a conversion of dry crops to shrubs promoted by agri-environment schemes under CAP could increase the population size up to 80%. Although the IBA and SPA are similar in size -as compelled by EU environmental policy -the latter shows rugged topography typically avoided by the species. We further discuss the possible conflict between EU environmental and agricultural policies on the conservation of this species and suggest it can be addressed with our study approach.

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Unintentional mortality of endangered carnivores due to non-selective trapping is important for conservation and warrants urgent attention. Currently, non-selective traps are being approved and used based on trap selectivity tests conducted according to International Organization for Standardization (ISO) guidelines. We review these guidelines and find them inadequate, because: 1) the ISO definition of selectivity does not account for relative abundance of target and non-target species and does not therefore meaningfully reflect selectivity; 2) the guidelines methodology at best quantifies relative selectivity of one trap against another, which is of limited use unless the control trap is known to have an acceptable level of absolute selectivity for the target species; 3) information on relative trap selectivity cannot simply be extrapolated elsewhere, unless species assemblage and relative species abundances are consistent. We demonstrate that the ISO definition of trap selectivity is only a simple capture proportion and therefore does not represent trap selectivity. ISO guidelines on trap selectivity should be reviewed to reflect particular ecological scenarios and we suggest how this might be done. Policy-makers, practitioners and researchers should interpret scientific results more cautiously. Trap approval decisions should be based on scientific evidence to avoid undermining the conservation of biodiversity.

The synthesis and spectroscopical data of 1,2,6-thiadiazine 1,1-dioxides, designed as antiprotozoal agents, are reported. The in vitro trichomonacidal and trypanocidal activities of new compounds and their precursors were evaluated against Trichomonas vaginalis and Trypanosoma cruzi. The chemoprophylactic activity on mice treated with blood infected with T. cruzi and their mortality percentage were tested. Compounds 2 and 8b show a higher chemoprophylactic activity and lower mortality percentage than Nifurtimox used as reference drug.