Human-carnivore conflict in China: a review of current approaches with recommendations for improved management

Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) is a conservation concern that increasingly threatens the continued existence of some of the world's most endangered species. With an increase in human population, urban sprawl and subsequent encroachment on wild land, human and wildlife interaction has become inevitable. In the majority of cases, this interaction results in a negative outcome for humans, wildlife or both. In China, these key elements, along with a decrease in wild prey species, have resulted in the expansion of HWC encounters, and the need for alleviating this conflict has become a conservation priority. Loss of human life, livestock and/or crops is most often the catalysts that fuel HWC. Techniques to alleviate conflict around the world have included preventative measures and mitigation techniques, such as financial compensation and other incentive programs. Both types of measures have had variable success. We review the current status of human-carnivore conflict management in China, and, drawing lessons from around the globe, we make recommendations for improving conservation management in China. For example, an increase in law enforcement in nature reserves is vital to reducing human disturbance in prime carnivore habitat, thereby reducing conflict encounters. Also, modifications to current wildlife compensation programs, so that they are linked with preventative measures, will ensure that moral hazards are avoided. Furthermore, investigating the potential for a community self-financed insurance scheme to fund compensation and increasing efforts to restore wild prey populations will improve the outcome for wildlife conservation. Ultimately, HWC management in China will greatly benefit from an integrative approach.     

Insecticidal properties of monoterpenoid derivatives to the house fly (diptera: Muscidae) and red flour beetle (coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Monoterpenoid derivatives were synthesized and their insecticidal activities were evaluated against red flour beetles, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), in fumigant bioassays and against house flies Musca domestica (L.) in topical, fumigant, and ovicidal bioassays. Acetate derivatives and haloacetate derivatives were compared with each other, and with the parent monoterpenoid to determine structure-activity relationships. Acetate derivatives were more active than the propionate derivatives of cyclic monoterpenoids in the topical, fumigant, and ovicidal bioassays. Pivalates were topically more insecticidal than acetates to adult house flies, while the acetates had the greater ovicidal activity. Acetates and pivalates were more effective than haloacetates in the topical, red flour beetle fumigation and ovicidal bioassays. Fluoroacetates of cyclic monoterpenoids were the most effective house fly fumigants, followed by acetates, and trichloroacetates. Several derivatives were produced that displayed enhanced activity relative to the parent alcohols or phenols.     

Differential diagnosis and management of human-directed aggression in cats.

Human-directed aggression in cats should be evaluated as a multifactorial problem. It results from the combined actions of heredity, environment, learning, human social requirements (or needs), client interactions, lack of understanding of normal feline behavior, unrealistic client expectations, and lack of meeting the cat's basic ethologic needs. Managing human-directed aggression in cats encompasses the use of environmental modification, therapies, and, when and if needed, regulatory drugs so as to increase learning capabilities and adaptation and decrease danger to the human victims.     

Evaluation of corn fiber, cottonseed hulls, oat hulls and soybean hulls as roughage sources for ruminants

An in situ trial (randomized complete block design) using cows, and a site and extent of digestion trial (Latin square design) using sheep were conducted to study the potential of corn fiber (CF), cottonseed hulls (CSH), oat hulls (OH) and soybean hulls (SH) as roughage sources for ruminants. Two feedlot trials with steers and one with lambs (completely randomized design with factorial arrangements of treatments) were conducted to study the potential of CF and SH as energy supplements relative to corn. In situ rate of ruminal dry matter (DM) disappearance (3 to 36 h) and extent of DM disappearance (36 h) indicated that CF and SH were more fermentable in the rumen compared with OH or CSH, with SH being the most fermentable. Total tract digestibilities of DM, organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) were above 70% for sheep fed CF and SH diets, and were 50% or less for sheep fed OH and CSH diets. A ranking of by-products in terms of nutritive value followed the trend: CF greater than SH greater than OH greater than CSH. Lamb feedlot trial data showed that CF was of similar nutritive value to corn and of higher nutritive value than SH at the 50% level of supplementation. Corn-fed lambs responded better than CF- or SH-fed lambs at the 70% level of supplementation. Data from steer feedlot trials showed that CF was of similar quality to corn and of higher quality than SH. Dramatic differences exist in by-product feed utilization by ruminants. All by-products tested appeared to have some usefulness as dietary components.     

Efficacy of moxidectin, nemadectin and ivermectin against an ivermectin-resistant strain of Haemonchus contortus in sheep.

The efficacies of ivermectin, nemadectin and moxidectin were evaluated when administered orally to lambs infected with either a susceptible laboratory strain of Haemonchus contortus or a strain reported to be resistant to ivermectin. Groups of 24 Dorset cross Cheviot cross Suffolk lambs were infected with either the susceptible or resistant strain of H contortus and allocated to treatment groups according to their faecal egg counts 27 days after infection. One day later the lambs were dosed orally with one of the three anthelmintics at 0.2 mg/kg bodyweight, and they were killed and surviving worms were recovered 13 or 14 days after treatment. Against the ivermectin resistant strain, ivermectin did not significantly reduce the egg count or the numbers of adult H contortus; however, both nemadectin and moxidectin reduced the nematode egg counts and the numbers of H contortus by 99 and 100 per cent, respectively. Against the susceptible strain, all the anthelmintics reduced the egg counts by 100 per cent as early as four days after treatment and reduced the numbers of susceptible H contortus by 100 per cent. No adverse reactions to any of the drugs were observed.     

Evaluation of the efficacy of maduramacin ammonium in combination with roxarsone and avoparcin in caged broiler chickens

1. The anticoccidial activity of maduramicin ammonium (5 mg/kg food) administered alone or with roxarsone (50 mg/kg food) and/or avoparcin (10 mg/kg food) was evaluated in battery-reared broilers artificially challenged with recent field culture mixtures containing Eimeria acervulina, E. maxima and E. tenella or E. mivati, E. necatrix and E. brunetti. 2. Maduramicin ammonium exhibited a high degree of anticoccidial activity and the addition of roxarsone and/or avoparcin in food at recommended concentrations did not adversely affect the activity.     

Species diversity: Concept,measurement, and response to clearcutting and site-preparation

A review of aspects of diversity recently introduced in the statistical literature by Patil and Tallie is given: species diversity as an average property of a community is defined; the property averaged is identified as species rarity; and relations between common indices of diversity and associated measures of rarity are illuminated. This paper also computes common indices of diversity from substantial empirical data collected before clearcutting and site-preparation under two management regimes and for 3 years following planting of slash pine (Pinus elliottii) to illustrate that the initial response to these forest operations is increased species diversity, i.e., increased species rarity. This response may be expected whenever clearcutting and site preparation reduces but does not eliminate previously abundant, late-successional species and permits the reappearance of early-successional species, including forbs and grasses.     

Congenital feline portosystemic shunts

Five young cats with portosystemic communications, 2 with single intrahepatic and 3 with single extrahepatic portosystemic communications, were managed surgically. One cat with a ductus venosus was treated successfully by surgery. Ptyalism and behavioral changes were similar in all 5 cats. Biochemical abnormalities included low BUN values, increased blood ammonia values, and increased sulfobromophthalein retention. None of the cats had portal hypertension at the time of surgery. Seemingly, single portosystemic shunts should be considered a surgical disease in the cat.