Human activities in protected areas can affect wildlife populations a similar manner to predation risk, causing increases movement and vigilance, shifts habitat use changes group size. Nevertheless, recent evidence indicates that certain situations ungulate species may actually utilize associated with higher levels of human presence as potential refuge from disturbance-sensitive predators. We now four-years behavioral activity budget data collected pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) elk...

Significance Climate change is altering the seasonal environmental conditions to which animals have adapted, but outcome may differ between seasons for a particular species. Demographic responses therefore need disentangling on basis make accurate forecasts. Our study shows that climate causing seasonally divergent demographic in hibernating mammal. Continued will likely positive effect summer survival negative winter survival. This potentially has wide-ranging consequences across other...

Abstract Context : Deer (Cervidae) populations are increasing in many global regions, leading to concerns about their impacts on temperate forests. Advancing evidence‐based management requires a detailed understanding of the dietary habits deer and how these shaped by resource availability. Methodology We studied diet fallow ( Dama dama ) North Wales (United Kingdom), using faecal DNA metabarcoding. Samples were collected monthly from three woodlands during 2019–2021. Tree surveys seasonal...

Offshore wind farm developments may impact protected marine mammal populations, requiring appropriate assessment under the EU Habitats Directive. We describe a framework developed to assess population level impacts of disturbance from piling noise on harbour seal in vicinity proposed NE Scotland. Spatial patterns distribution and received levels are integrated with available data potential predict how many individuals displaced or experience auditory injury. Expert judgement is used link...

Abstract Monitoring trends in abundance of pinnipeds typically involves counting seals at terrestrial haul‐out sites during the breeding season. Counts made other times year are lower; however, it is often unknown whether this because fewer animals present or lower counts simply reflect a reduction probability. Here we illustrate how photo‐identification data from an individual‐based study harbor ( Phoca vitulina ) can be used to estimate seasonal variation and site fidelity. Monthly...

Phenological trends provide important indicators of environmental change and population dynamics. However, the use untested population-level measures can lead to incorrect conclusions about phenological trends, particularly when changes in structure or density are ignored. We used individual-based estimates birth date lactation duration harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) investigate energetic consequences pupping phenology. Using generalized linear mixed models, we first demonstrate annual...

Abstract There have been marked declines of UK harbour seal populations over at least the last decade. Protected areas, such as Special Areas Conservation (SACs), provide one tool to improve conservation status these populations. However, design and management SACs is often limited by a lack information on long‐term patterns in use haul‐out sites foraging areas. The Moray Firth only region where population studies conducted parallel with detailed ecology. We used this opportunity investigate...

Abstract Fine-scale information on the occurrence of coastal cetaceans is required to support regulation offshore energy developments and marine spatial planning. In particular, EU Habitats Directive requires an understanding extent which animals from Special Areas Conservation (SAC) use adjacent waters, where survey effort often sparse. Designing regimes that can be used these assessments especially challenging because visual sightings are expected rare in peripheral parts a population's...

Abstract Estimates of temporal variation in demographic rates are critical for identifying drivers population change and supporting conservation. However, inconspicuous wide-ranging species, births may be missed fecundity underestimated. We address this issue using photo-identification data a novel robust design multistate model to investigate changes bottlenose dolphin calf survival. The allows uncertainty breeding status, seasonal effects. best estimated an increase the proportion females...

Abstract Harbor seal breeding behavior and habitats constrain opportunities for individual‐based studies, no current estimates of both survival fecundity exist any the populations studied worldwide. As a result, drivers underlying variable trends in abundance exhibited by harbor around world remain uncertain. We developed an study seals northeast Scotland, whereby data were collected during daily photo‐identification surveys throughout pupping seasons between 2006 2011. However, consequence...

Abstract In capture–recapture studies, the estimation accuracy of demographic parameters is essential to efficacy management hunted animal populations. Dead recovery models based upon reporting rings or bands are often used for estimating survival waterfowl and other harvested species. However, distance from ringing site condition bird may introduce substantial individual heterogeneity in conditional band rates ( r ), which could cause bias estimated S ) suggest nonexistent . To explore...

The transmission of reliable information between individuals is crucial for group-living animals. This particularly the case cognitively advanced mammals with overlapping generations that acquire detailed social and ecological knowledge over long lifetimes. Here, we directly compare elephants from two populations, radically different developmental histories, to test whether profound disruption affects their ability assess predatory threat. Matriarchs (≤50 years age) family groups received...

Abstract For large herbivores living in highly dynamic environments, maintaining range fidelity has the potential to facilitate exploitation of predictable resources while minimising energy expenditure. We evaluate this expectation by examining how seasonal African elephants ( Loxodonta africana ) Kruger National Park, South Africa is affected spatiotemporal variation environmental conditions (vegetation quality, temperature, rainfall, and fire). Eight-years GPS collar data were used analyse...

Abstract Climate change is having profound impacts on animal populations, and shifts in geographic range are predicted response. Shifts that result overlap between previously allopatric congeneric species may have consequences for biodiversity through interspecific competition, hybridization, genetic introgression. Harbor seals ( Phoca vitulina ) spotted largha parapatric sibling areas of co‐occurrence at the edges their range, such as Bristol Bay, Alaska, offer a unique opportunity to...

Assessing broad‐scale changes in seabird populations across the North Atlantic requires an integration of available datasets to understand spatial extent potential drivers and demographic change. Here, we compared survival Northern Fulmars Fulmarus glacialis from a Scottish Irish colony 1974 2009. Despite lower recapture probabilities monel‐ringed birds with colour‐ringed birds, probability decreased at both colonies. The which decline is related density‐dependent processes or other external...

Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) is a common morphological trait in ungulates, with polygyny considered the leading driver of larger male body mass and weapon size. However, not all polygynous species exhibit SSD, while molecular evidence has revealed more complex relationship between paternity mating system than originally predicted. SSD is, therefore, likely to be shaped by range social, ecological physiological factors. We present first definitive analysis hippopotamus ( Hippopotamus...

Predictive models can improve the efficiency of wildlife management by guiding actions at local, landscape and regional scales. In recent decades, a vast range modelling techniques have been developed to predict species distributions patterns population spread. However, data limitations often constrain precision biological realism models, which make them less useful for supporting decision-making. Complex also be challenging evaluate, results are difficult interpret practitioners. There is...

Sea birds in the Irish are known to target tidal mixing fronts (the interfaces between seasonally stratified and mixed waters) as foraging grounds these tend be areas high nutrients primary productivity thus, prey availability. However, little is about inter- intraannual variability of selected by sea birds. Here, using locations derived from GPS tags on Manx shearwaters (Puffinus puffinus) reanalysis oceanographic data observational collected cruises, we evaluate which features targeted...