Estimates of regional population densities of badger Meles meles, fox Vulpes vulpes and hare Lepus europaeus using walked distance sampling

Parrott, Dave; Prickett, A. J.; Pietravalle, Stéphane; Etherington, Thomas R.; Fletcher, Mark

doi:10.1007/s10344-011-0536-8

Cited by 15 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…The highest density was calculated at the most species rich site, the national park site of Junik, where hunting is permanently prohibited; while the lowest density was found at the least species rich site, Malisheva, which had one of the highest levels of public access and consisted of smaller, more fragmented areas of forest. The range of density estimates obtained from the camera survey for foxes in Kosovo forests are comparable to densities reported in other European countries, with rural fox densities ranging from 0.2 to 0.4/km 2 in Northern Scandinavia [24] up to 4/km 2 in South West England [25]. The total Kosovo fox population is likely to be much higher than the above estimate, as generally forest areas will support lower fox densities than more heterogeneous environments such as agricultural land [26].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Developing methods for measuring national distributions and densities of wild mammals using camera traps: A Kosovo study

Beatham¹,

Ward

Fouracre³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Understanding the distributions and density of wild mammals is integral to the implementation of wildlife management strategies, particularly for controlling diseases and conservation management. Recent advances in camera trap technology together with the development of the Random Encounter Model have provided a non-invasive method for estimating mammal densities. In addition, the development of citizen science initiatives have advanced ecological data collection. This study describes a national camera trap survey delivered by local stakeholders in eleven forest sites in Kosovo from 2014 to 2015 to measure the distributions and abundance of medium to large wild mammals as part of the Control and/or eradication of animal diseases project. The Random Encounter Model was used to calculate density data for each species, which appear realistic when compared to densities found in other European countries. The study particularly focussed on the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and the grey wolf (Canis lupus) as potential vectors of rabies and wild boar (Sus scrofa) as a vector of classical swine fever. These species were found to be three of the most widely distributed species in Kosovo and were present at the majority of sites at high densities. The camera survey also provided information on species of conservation concern such as the Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos) and provided the first physical evidence of a live Eurasian golden jackal (Canis aureus) in Kosovo. Although sources of bias were identified, these estimates are likely to be more accurate than those devised from methods such as hunting bags and the findings of this study suggest that, with a moderate amount of development, camera trapping implemented by local stakeholders can be used as an effective and practicable method to estimate national distributions and population sizes of medium to large sized wild mammals.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Developing methods for measuring national distributions and densities of wild mammals using camera traps: A Kosovo study

Beatham¹,

Ward

Fouracre³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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“…Frequent building visits recorded in England might reflect a preponderance of studies in Gloucestershire, where badger density is high (Neal & Cheeseman 1996); indeed one study explicitly selected farms based on high badger density (Tolhurst et al 2009). Since the densities in our four study areas (4.2-6.3 badgers/km 2 by the minimum number alive method; Table S8) are fairly typical of TB-affected farmland in Britain (Bourne et al 2007, Parrott et al 2012, the relatively low rates of building use that we detected might also be representative.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Use of farm buildings by wild badgers: implications for the transmission of bovine tuberculosis

et al. 2016

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Diseases transmitted from wildlife to livestock or people may be managed more effectively if it is known where transmission occurs. In Britain, farm buildings have been proposed as important sites of Mycobacterium bovis transmission between wild badgers (Meles meles) and cattle, contributing to the maintenance of bovine tuberculosis (TB). Farmers are therefore advised to exclude badgers from buildings. We used Global Positioning System (GPS) collars and remote cameras to characterise badgers’ use of farm buildings at four TB-affected sites in southwestern Britain. Across 54 GPS-collared badgers, 99.8% of locations fell ≥3 m from farm buildings. Remote cameras deployed in feed stores recorded just 12 nights with badger visits among 3134 store nights of monitoring. GPS-collared badgers used space near farm buildings less than expected based on availability, significantly preferring land ≥100 m from buildings. There was no positive association between badgers’ use of farm buildings and the infection status of either badgers or cattle. Six GPS-collared badgers which regularly visited farm buildings all tested negative for M. bovis. Overall, test-positive badgers spent less time close to farm buildings than did test-negative animals. Badger visits to farm buildings were more frequent where badger population densities were high. Our findings suggest that, while buildings may offer important opportunities for M. bovis transmission between badgers and cattle, building use by badgers is not a prerequisite for such transmission. Identifying ways to minimise infectious contact between badgers and cattle away from buildings is therefore a management priority

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“…Unpublished data collected by Cheshire Wildlife Trust during its TB badger vaccination campaign in 2013 and 2014 found estimated densities of up to 10.5 badgers per km 2 . These estimates may be inflated by their being based on surveys of areas with known badger populations, but suggest densities in some areas of Cheshire not dissimilar to those found in the South-West areas of England in 2010, where densities ranged from 1.5–4.8 per km 2 31 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

A study of tuberculosis in road traffic-killed badgers on the edge of the British bovine TB epidemic area

Barron

Swift

Chantrey

et al. 2018

Sci Rep

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The role of badgers in the geographic expansion of the bovine tuberculosis (bTB) epidemic in England is unknown: indeed there have been few published studies of bTB in badgers outside of the Southwest of England where the infection is now endemic in cattle. Cheshire is now on the edge of the expanding area of England in which bTB is considered endemic in cattle. Previous studies, over a decade ago when bovine infection was rare in Cheshire, found no or only few infected badgers in the south eastern area of the county. In this study, carried out in 2014, road-killed badgers were collected through a network of local stakeholders (farmers, veterinarians, wildlife groups, government agencies), and Mycobacterium bovis was isolated from 21% (20/94) badger carcasses. Furthermore, there was strong evidence for co-localisation of M. bovis SB0129 (genotype 25) infection in both badgers and cattle herds at a county scale. While these findings suggest that both badgers and cattle are part of the same geographically expanding epidemic, the direction of any cross-species transmission and the drivers of this expansion cannot be determined. The study also demonstrated the utility of using road-killed badgers collected by stakeholders as a means of wildlife TB surveillance.

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Estimates of regional population densities of badger Meles meles, fox Vulpes vulpes and hare Lepus europaeus using walked distance sampling

Cited by 15 publications

References 24 publications

Developing methods for measuring national distributions and densities of wild mammals using camera traps: A Kosovo study

Developing methods for measuring national distributions and densities of wild mammals using camera traps: A Kosovo study

Use of farm buildings by wild badgers: implications for the transmission of bovine tuberculosis

A study of tuberculosis in road traffic-killed badgers on the edge of the British bovine TB epidemic area

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