bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Status of wild Bactrian camels and other large ungulates in south-western Mongolia
Authors: Reading Richard P. , Mix Henry , Lhagvasuren Badamjaviin , Blumer Evan S.
Published: March 2003

Wild Bactrian camels Camelus bactrianus ferus are endangered. Surveys over the past several decades suggest a marked decline in camel numbers and reproductive success. However, most surveys were made using methods that precluded rigorous population estimation. The need for more accurate surveys resulted in an aerial survey of known and suspected camel habitat in Mongolia during March 1997. We estimated density, group density and population size of large mammals in south-western Mongolia using the interactive computer program DISTANCE. We recorded sufficient data for population modelling of wild Bactrian camels, goitred gazelles Gazella subgutturosa, Asian wild asses Equus hemionus and argali sheep Ovis ammon. We observed 277 camels in 27 groups (mean group size = 10.26 ± 2.38 SE camels/group). Modelling yielded a population estimate of 1985 ± 802 SE camels in the survey area. Population modelling for other ungulates yielded estimates of 6046 ± 1398 SE goitred gazelles, 1674 ± 506 SE Asian wild asses and 909 ± 303 SE argalis. Discrepancies between population estimates of ungulates in our survey and previous surveys are discussed with regard to methods used and robustness of results obtained. We also discuss conservation implications for wild Bactrian camels and other Mongolian ungulates.
Strategic conservation interventions in a region of high biodiversity and high vulnerability: a case study from the Agulhas Plain at the southern tip of Africa
Authors: Heydenrych Barry J. , Cowling Richard M. , Lombard Amanda T.
Published: March 2003

In terms of the persistence of biodiversity, the siting of conservation areas has traditionally beenad hoc.In the Cape Floristic Region, a hot-spot of plant biodiversity and endemism, past conservation interventions have led to the mountains being over-represented in the reserve network, while the lowlands have remained very poorly conserved. Ongoing threats to the lowlands such as the rampant spread of invasive alien plants, and land transformation for agriculture and resort development, continue to undermine biodiversity in these regions. A new conservation intervention, the Agulhas National Park, is in the process of being implemented on the coastal lowlands at Africa's southernmost tip. A flexible, reserve-selection design tool is being used to guide this process. The practical challenges in implementing a new protected area in a fragmented landscape, which has a high biodiversity and vulnerability, are examined. The role of different institutions, in partic-in particular state-private partnerships, and current investigations into conservation agencies' policies, legislation and funding mechanisms are dealt with. It is imperative that future conservation planning considers the threats to biodiversity first and foremost. Institutions such as South African National Parks and the Cape Nature Conservation Board must act strategically to avoid changes in land use that will compromise the biodiversity goals of retention and persistence. Conservation efforts will only succeed if institutional and socio-economic considerations are integrated with conservation plans aimed at ensuring the long-term persistence of biodiversity.
Bearded sakis in south-eastern Amazonia—back from the brink?
Authors: Ferrari Stephen F. , Emidio-Silva Claudio , Lopes M. Aparecida , Bobadilla Urbano L.
Published: March 2003

The endemic bearded sakisChiropotes satanas SatanasandChiropotes satanas utahickiof south-eastern Amazonia are among the most threatened of this region's primates because of a combination of deforestation and hunting, and their apparent intolerance of habitat disturbance. Recent surveys at eight sites confirm that sakis are locally extinct in some areas where intense habitat fragmentation is exacerbated by hunting pressure, but also show that, in the absence of hunting, they can be relatively abundant in isolated forest fragments. Density was unexpectedly low in one protected area, however, which implies that caution is necessary for the planning of long-term conservation strategies. Well-protected forest fragments of reasonable size ( > 5000 ha) appear to have good potential for the protection of bearded saki populations. While many of the region's major landowners may thus make a significant contribution to the management of saki populations, land conflicts are a potentially serious problem for the long-term conservation of not just these primates, but the region's fauna and flora as a whole.
The potential role of safari hunting as a source of revenue for protected areas in the Congo Basin
Authors: Wilkie David S. , Carpenter Julia F.
Published: March 2003

In sub-Saharan Africa conservation of biodiversity is increasingly predicated on finding ways to ensure that the economic value of maintaining a landscape in its ‘natural’ state meets or exceeds the expected returns from converting the area to an alternative land use, such as agriculture. ‘Wildlands’ in Africa must generate, directly or from donor contributions, funds sufficient to cover both the operating costs of conservation, and the opportunity costs of forgoing other forms of resource use. Government and donor investments currently meet less than 30 per cent of the estimated recurring costs required to manage the protected-area network within central African countries effectively, and cover none of the growing opportunity costs incurred to maintain protected areas. Unfortunately, few additional sources of funding are available.
Can nature tourism help finance protected areas in the Congo Basin?
Authors: Wilkie David S. , Carpenter Julia F.
Published: March 2003

In the debt-ridden, high-population-growth, resource-mining states of the Congo Basin, conservation of biodiversity is seldom the primary concern of national policy makers or of local resource users. Moreover, the recurring costs of managing protected areas and the opportunity costs of forgoing logging and farming to maintain protected areas are a substantial net drain on national and local economies. Consequently, it is becoming increasingly important that protected areas generate, from user fees or donor contributions, sufficient funds to offset the costs of maintaining them. Government and donor investment currently meet less than 30 per cent of the estimated recurring costs required to manage the protected-area network within central African countries effectively, and cover none of the growing opportunity costs. Nature tourism, the fastest growing sector of the $US3 trillion (3 million million) a year global tourism industry, may offer a source of revenue to help fill this gap in funds. Congo Basin national parks and reserves harbour many charismatic animals (okapi, lowland gorilla, mandrills, bongo, forest elephant) that are likely to attract tourists, and as a result many protected- area managers are sinking capital into the development of tourist infrastructure. This paper reviews the evidence for ecotourism's capacity to generate revenue for protected-area management and appraises the financial viability of nature tourism in the Congo Basin.
Status and conservation of primates in Odzala National Park, Republic of the Congo
Authors: Bermejo Magdalena
Published: March 2003

A survey of diurnal primate populations was carried out in Odzala National Park, Republic of the Congo, over 3 months in 1994 and 2 months in 1995. The park contains a high diversity and species-specific abundance of primates, and has the highest number of diurnal primates (10 species) in the forest block of Central Africa. Eight species of monkey: greater whitenosed monkeyCercopithecus nictitans, moustached monkeyCercopithecus cephus, crowned guenonCercopithecus pogonias, De Brazza's monkeyCercopithecus neglectus, talapoinMiopithecus talapoin, white-cheeked mangabeyCercocebus albigena, agile mangabeyCercocebus galeritusand guerezaColobus guereza, as well as gorillaGorilla g.gorillaand chimpanzeePan t.troglodyteswere sighted in the survey. Monkey species richness was highest in dense inundated forest and thicket, with all eight species occurring in these habitats, whereas only four species were found interra firmaforest (consisting of the park's two main habitats, open-canopy Marantaceae forest and closed-canopy primary forest). Three of the four species (C. nictitans, C. cephusandC. albigena) present interra firmaforest were most abundant in closed-canopy primary forest (1.4,1.0 and 0.6 groups per km, respectively) while the fourth (C. pogonias) was most abundant in open-canopy Marantaceae forest. Gorilla nests were most abundant in open-canopy Marantaceae forest (12.1 nests per km), while chimpanzee nests were mostly found in closed-canopy primary forest and Marantaceae forest (14 and 12 nests per km, respectively). Odzala has the highest recorded densities of western lowland gorilla (mean = 5.4 individuals per sq km) and chimpanzee (mean = 2.2 individuals per sq km) in Central Africa. The high densities of gorillas and chimpanzees may be a result of the high productivity of the forest and low poaching pressure. Conservation measures to ensure the maintenance of conditions in the area, such as educational programmes, are suggested.
Preliminary observations on the distribution and status of dwarf blue sheep Pseudois schaeferi
Authors: Wang Xiao-ming , Peng Ji-tai , Zhou Hua-ming
Published: March 2003

Dwarf blue sheep Pseudois schaeferi are known to survive only in Batang County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China. According to the results of a survey between 19 November and 21 December 1997, the species has declined steeply in both range and numbers since the 1950s and 1960s because of excessive hunting. The survey found that dwarf blue sheep were concentrated on steep cliffs between 2700 and 3200 m. In the area near Batang, the species's range was estimated to cover 295 sq km and the population to number c. 200 individuals. The average group size was 6.2 individuals, with a male: female ratio of 67.7:100. The authors recommend that the species be included in Class I of the National List of Protected Animals in China.
Chemical restraint of endangered mammals for conservation purposes: a practical primer
Authors: Osofsky Steven A. , Hirsch Karen J.
Published: March 2003

Wild mammals sometimes need to be restrained for conservation purposes. Game rangers, wildlife managers, field biologists and wildlife veterinarians need to be fully conversant with a wide array of environmental and biological variables when using chemical restraint on wild mammals. In order to minimize risks to subject animals, they also need to be able to react appropriately using the correct equipment with sufficient skill to deal with anything that can go wrong. The importance of thorough background research and planning before going into the field cannot be overemphasized. The physiological results of immobilization drugs delivered by dart depend on dosages, the success of dart placement and drug delivery in good muscle, as well as the physiological state of the animals prior to and during anaesthetic induction. This paper describes the essential components of a planning and monitoring protocol for chemically restraining terrestrial mammals under field conditions.
Preliminary assessment of the impacts of human activities on gorillas Gorilla gorilla gorilla and other wildlife at Dzanga-Sangha Reserve, Central African Republic
Authors: Remis Melissa J.
Published: March 2003

The aim of this study was to make preliminary assessments of the effects of human activities on the gorillas and other wildlife in the Dzanga-Ndoki Park and broader Dzanga-Sangha Dense Forest Reserve (RDS), Central African Republic. During a month-long survey in 1997, observation and sign of humans and large mammals, including ape nest-sites, were recorded on 81.2 km of line transects in three sectors of the park and reserve. Human activities, including intensities of logging and hunting, appeared to decrease with distance from the population centres and were lower in the park than in the reserve sectors. Encounter rates with sign of duikers Cephalophus spp., monkeys Cercopithecus spp. and Cercocebus albigena, elephants Loxodonta africana, and gorillas Gorilla gorilla gorilla were generally lower in regions of high human activity in the reserve than in the park sectors. Nevertheless, gorilla nest-site densities did not vary significantly between sectors or with human activity levels. A high frequency of zero (bare ground) nests at RDS suggests that gorilla surveys that rely on line transect methods and use nest decomposition rates from other studies may sometimes underestimate gorilla densities. This study suggests that current levels of exploitation in managed hunting zones of national forest reserves may be negatively affecting targeted wildlife populations in these zones. Assessments should be a regular part of efforts to monitor the health of wildlife populations in managed protected zones. Participation by Central Africans in research will continue to benefit conservation and development efforts.
The local extinction of the proboscis monkey Nasalis larvatus in Pulau Kaget Nature Reserve, Indonesia
Authors: Meijaard Erik , Nijman Vincent
Published: March 2003

The population of the threatened proboscis monkey Nasalis larvatus, a Bornean endemic, in the Pulau Kaget Nature Reserve, South Kalimantan, Indonesia, is extinct. Until 1997, this small, isolated population, estimated at c. 300 individuals, had been pushed towards the fringes of the reserve by illegal agricultural expansion. As food sources became depleted, the population apparently exceeded the decreasing carrying capacity of the reserve and was reported to be starving to death. As a solution, 84 animals were translocated to nearby, unprotected sites, resulting in 13 fatalities. An additional 61 animals were taken to a zoo, where 60 per cent died within 4 months of their capture. There was neither a proper pre-translocation assessment of the suitability of the release sites, nor a proper post-translocation monitoring programme for the released animals. We conclude that the Pulau Kaget reserve and its proboscis monkeys have been poorly managed. We provide some suggestions to improve the effectiveness of conservation efforts in Indonesia.
Rediscovery of rodents (GenusNesoryzomys) considered extinct in the Galápagos Islands
Authors: Dowler Robert C. , Carroll Darin S. , Edwards Cody W.
Published: March 2003

The history of the endemic rodents of the Galápagos Islands began with the discovery of the first Galápagos rice rat species by Charles Darwin in 1835 and the last species was described as recently as 1980. Unfortunately, of the seven described species known to occur in the islands during the past 150 years, only two were known to be extant to 1995. Since then, two expeditions to the Galápagos Islands have been conducted to survey endemic rodent populations. The first confirmed the existence of a small endemic rice rat,Nesoryzomys fernandinae, on Fernandina, known previously only from owl pellet remains found in 1979. In 1997, an expedition to Santiago revealed a population of the larger rice ratN. swarthi, a species collected alive only once in 1906 and considered extinct in all recent literature on the Galápagos Islands. Survey efforts on Santa Cruz resulted only in the collection of introduced rodent species (Rattus rattus, R. norvegicus and Mus musculus). The extant species of native rodents in the Galápagos Islands now number four:N. narboroughiandN. fernandinaeon Fernandina;N. swarthion Santiago; andOryzomys baurion Santa Fe. Three species are found on islands where no introduced rodents or cats occur, whereas only one (N. swarthi) co-exists withR. rattusandM. musculus. Nesoryzomys darwiniandN. indefessuson Santa Cruz andO. galapagoensison San Cristóbal are still considered extinct. Strategies for conservation should include monitoring islands for introduced rodents and cats, development of emergency plans in the event of introductions, and captive management.
Great bustards Otis tarda in Morocco: status in spring 1999 and evidence of a decline in recent decades
Authors: Alonso Juan C. , Lane Simon J. , Dawson Robert , Idaghdour Youssef
Published: March 2003

A spring (1999) census was conducted of great bustards Otis tarda in north-western Morocco, where a poorly known population of this species occurs. Sixty-four birds were seen in four distinct areas. Adult males were seen displaying at three of these areas, indicating that they are probably traditional lek sites. No adult males were observed in the fourth area and its status as a lek site is uncertain. Two further sites were visited but no birds were seen. Two lst-year males were seen with their mothers, demonstrating successful breeding in 1998. We argue that the small number of birds, a population sex ratio of 1:3.3 in favour of females, evidence for a range contraction, and probable isolation from other great bustard populations mean that this population is now extremely endangered and will decline to extinction unless conservation measures are implemented immediately.
Imminent extinction crisis among the endemic species of the forests of Yanbaru, Okinawa, Japan
Authors: Itô Yosiaki , Miyagi Kuniharu , Ota Hidetoshi
Published: March 2003

The natural forest in Yanbaru, the northern part of the main island of Okinawa (Okinawa Hontô), is an important area for nature conservation, because it has a large number of endemic animals and plants. First, we explain the status of the most important endemic animals of Yanbaru, stressing that most of them are endangered and near extinction. Second, we show especially high species diversity of trees, insects and mites in the Yanbaru forest. However, the integrity of the Yanbaru forest is seriously threatened by clearcutting and complete removal of forest undergrowth. Although an area in Yanbaru occupied by the US Marine Corps has, to date, preserved good natural forest, a new plan to establish seven military helipads in this area is now being examined. Possible outcomes of such a development are evaluated. In addition, requests by Japanese biologists for the Defence Facilities Administration Agency, Japan to consider alternate sites for the helipads are described.
Community-based conservation and social change amongst South Indian honey-hunters: an anthropological perspective
Authors: Anderson Paul Nicholas
Published: March 2003

This article reconsiders the use of financial incentives for securing the participation of ‘local’ people on conservation programmes by raising several less discussed social consequences which such incentives may entail. To this end, it outlines the involvement of a South Indian honey-hunting ‘tribe’ with an ecodevelopment programme and the market economy, noting how commercializing ‘traditional’ livelihoods may increase the general ‘standard of living’ but undermine the social ‘fabric’ of the community and aid in the rationalization of custom. It concludes by suggesting that social development should precede economic development for communities in transition between subsistence and commodity-orientated economic practices.
Status of the Ganges river dolphin or shushuk Platanista gangetica in Kaptai Lake and the southern rivers of Bangladesh
Authors: Smith Brian D. , Ahmed Benazir , Ali Muhammad Edrise , Braulik Gill
Published: March 2003

Surveys for shushuks Platanista gangetica were conducted during January to April 1999 in Kaptai Lake and the southern rivers of Bangladesh. A population of at least 125 dolphins was recorded in the Karnaphuli and Sangu rivers and connecting canal. The overall encounter rate was 0.76 dolphins per km. Density was highest in the lower reaches of the Sangu, where we recorded 1.36 dolphins per km. These rates are fairly high when compared with other areas of shushuk distribution. Dolphin movements in the Sikalbaha–Chandkhali Canal were consistent with it being used as a corridor for migration and dispersal between the Karnaphuli and Sangu. Shushuks were also sighted in marine waters of the Karnaphuli and Sangu river mouths, adding credibility to the hypothesis that dolphins move along the coast between the Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna and Karnaphuli–Sangu systems, perhaps during the monsoon when freshwater plumes extend into the Bay of Bengal. No dolphins were nobserved in Kaptai Lake, a dam-created reservoir of the upper Karnaphuli, despite reports of occasional sightings by local fishermen. No shushuks were observed in the Bagkhali and Matamuhuri rivers, possibly because of seasonal-closure dams present near the mouths of both rivers. The main threats to dolphin survival in the Karnaphuli-Sangu system are probably accidental entanglement in monofilament gillnets, bioaccumulation of persistent contaminants and possibly collisions with motorized vessels and a decline in prey as a result of over fishing. The most significant conservation measure that could be taken would be to establish a protected area for dolphins in the Sangu River below the Dohazari Bridge.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda: gorilla census 1997
Authors: McNeilage Alastair , Plumptre Andrew J. , Brock-Doyle Andrew , Vedder Amy
Published: March 2003

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in south-west Uganda supports a population of gorillas that has become the primary gorilla population for tourism following the genocide in Rwanda. Previous estimates made in the early 1990s indicated that the population numbered around 300 individuals. The census reported here was the first in Bwindi to use the method successfully developed in the Virungas, which utilizes a complete sweep across the park within a short period of time by a large number of teams working simultaneously. We estimated the population to be 292 individuals; to the best of our understanding – based on previous estimates – the population, therefore, appears to be stable. Most gorillas were found within the centre of the southern section of the park. It appears that there are some areas of unused habitat and, therefore, room for the population to grow. We found no clear relationship between gorilla distribution and human presence, but some forms of disturbance were more frequent and close to the edge of the park and may contribute to the gorillas' avoidance of these areas. The effects of human disturbance, including tourism, on the gorillas and other wildlife should be investigated in more detail and monitored over time. This is particularly important in multiple-use zones which have been established around the edges of the park for bee-keeping, collection of nontimber forest products, and tourism.
Home ranges of translocated lesser anteaters Tamandua tetradactyla in the cerrado of Brazil
Authors: Rodrigues Flávio H. G. , Marinho-Filho Jader , dos Santos Hamilton G.
Published: March 2003

Eight lesser anteaters Tamandua tetradactyla rescued from the rising waters of a dam at Serra da Mesa, Minaçu, Goiás, Brazil, were tranlocated to other areas and tracked using radio telemetry for periods of up to 10 months, from December 1996 through February 1998. With the exception of one, or perhaps two, female(s) that left the area while the radio collars were in place, the anteaters stayed within 2.17 km of their release sites and appeared to thrive. The results suggest that it is feasible to translocate small numbers of anteaters into new areas of suitable habitats without adverse effects on resident anteaters.
Ecological consequences of hunting in Atlantic forest patches, São Paulo, Brazil
Authors: Cullen L. , Bodmer E. R. , Valladares-Padua C.
Published: March 2003

This paper evaluates the ecological consequences of hunting by comparing mammalian densities, biomass, relative energy consumption and community structure between sites with different levels of hunting pressure. Hunting is carried out mainly by colonists who farm on the edge of Atlantic forest fragments in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Mammals were studied over a period of 18 months, along 2287 km of line transects. Transects were distributed among two protected sites, one slightly hunted site and two heavily hunted sites. Tapirs, the two peccary species, brocket deer, armadillos and agoutis are preferred by hunters in the region. Primates are not hunted in the region. Hunting has affected community structure, with ungulates dominating mammalian biomass at protected sites and primates dominating at hunted sites. This has caused an ecological inversion in the hunted areas of the Atlantic forests. In Amazonian regions of the Neotropics hunting is more evenly distributed among primates, large rodents, and ungulates and has resulted in an opposite inversion, with hunted sites having lower primate biomass. Atlantic forests are very susceptible to the possible ecological imbalances induced by hunting by humans, and this must be considered for management and conservation programmes.
Two hundred years after a commercial marine turtle fishery: the current status of marine turtles nesting in the Cayman Islands
Authors: Aiken Jonathan J. , Godley Brendan J. , Broderick Annette C. , Austin Timothy , Ebanks-Petrie Gina , Hays Graeme C.
Published: March 2003

Large populations of marine turtles breeding in the Cayman Islands were drastically reduced in the early 1800s. However, marine turtle nesting still occurs in the islands. The present-day status of this nesting population provides insight into the conservation of marine turtles, a long-lived species. In 1998 and 1999, the first systematic survey of marine turtle nesting in the Cayman Islands found 38 nests on 22 beaches scattered through the three islands. Three species were found: the green Chelonia mydas, hawksbill Eretmochelys imbricata and loggerhead Caretta caretta turtles. Comparison with other rookeries suggests that the small number of sexually mature adults surviving Cayman's huge perturbations may be impeding population recovery. This shows the need to implement conservation measures prior to massive reductions in population size.
Five years of conserving the ‘world's rarest snake’, the Antiguan racerAlsophis antiguae
Authors: Daltry Jenny C. , Bloxam Quentin , Cooper Gillian , Day Mark L. , Hartley John , Henry McRonnie , Lindsay Kevel , Smith Brian E.
Published: March 2003

Abstract The Critically Endangered Antiguan racerAlsophis antiguaeis confined to Great Bird Island, a 9.9 ha (24.5-acre) islet off the north-east coast of Antigua in the Lesser Antilles. This island represents well under 0.1 per cent of the species's historical distribution range. During the past 5 years, the total number of racers aged 1 year or more has fluctuated between 51 and 114, and currently stands at approximately 80. Since 1995, the Antiguan Racer Conservation Project (ARCP) has en-deavoured to save this harmless snake from extinction by using a combination of education, conservation breeding, habitat restoration, local capacity building and applied research. The Antiguan racer's ecology and population dynamics have become well understood after 5 years of intensive study, and the species has evidently benefited from the project's rat eradication programme. The snakes are still seriously threatened by other intrinsic and extrinsic factors, however, including inbreeding depression, frequent hurricanes, invasive predators and deliberate killing by tourists, as well as the problem that Great Bird Island is too small to support more than about 100 individuals. This paper describes the activities and impact of this project to date, and outlines a series of conservation activities to safeguard the long-term future of the species, which include reintroduction of the Antiguan racer to restored islands within its former distribution range.
Assessing the risks of intervention: immobilization, radio-collaring and vaccination of African wild dogs
Authors: Woodroffe Rosie
Published: March 2003

Controversy has surrounded the role of intervention in studies of African wild dogs Lycaon pictus. Following the death or disappearance of all wild dogs under study in the Serengeti ecosystem, it was suggested that immobilization, radio-collaring or administration of rabies vaccines might have caused high mortality by compromising wild dogs′ immune response to rabies virus. Planning future management and research on wild dogs and other species demands an assessment of the risks associated with such intervention. This paper critically reviews the available evidence and concludes that it is extremely unlikely that intervention contributed to the extinction of wild dogs in the Serengeti ecosystem. A more likely scenario is that vaccination failed to protect wild dogs exposed to rabies virus. Radio-collaring is an important component of wild dog research; hence, the benefits of immobilization appear to outweigh the risks, as long as (i) research is orientated towards wild dog conservation, (ii) radiocollaring is followed up by efficient monitoring, (iii) the number of animals immobilized is kept to the minimum necessary to maintain scientific rigour, and (iv) full data on disease and genetics are collected from all immobilized animals. By contrast, rabies vaccination currently seems to confer few benefits, at least when a single dose of vaccine is given. Further research, on captive animals, is in progress to establish more effective protocols, and to assess the role that vaccination might play in future management of wild dog populations.
Evidence of a dramatic decline of the red-necked ostrich Struthio camelus camelus in the Aïr and Ténéré National Nature Reserve, Niger
Authors: Ostrowski Stéphane , Massalatchi Mahaman Sani , Mamane Mamadou
Published: March 2003

In 1990 the population of the red-necked ostrich Struthio camelus camelus in the Aïr and Ténéré National Nature Reserve, Niger, was estimated at c. 1600 individuals. During a 14-day survey carried out in the protected area in October and November 2000 no evidence of recent occurrence of ostriches was found, and it appears that the population size has dramatically declined in its favoured habitat. The species seems to have been severely persecuted during the civil war of 1991–1997. Although a small population had remained in the protected area after the conflict, the occurrence of further poaching suggests that remaining individuals are threatened with extirpation.
How accurate are antenatal weight measurements? A survey of hospital and community clinics in a South Thames Region NHS Trust
Authors: Harris Helen E. , Ellison George T. H. , Holliday Mary , Nickson Caroline
Published: March 2003

The accuracy of antenatal weight data recorded in obstetric notes was investigated in the 45 hospital and community antenatal clinics within a South Thames Region NHS Trust. In order to assess the reliability and validity of all 60 clinic scales triplicate measurements of body weight for low‐ and high‐weight subjects were recorded on each clinical scale and on a calibrated standard scale. The quality of weighing practice during antenatal care was investigated by means of semi‐structured interviews conducted with all 33 midwives who currently provide antenatal care within the Trust. Beam balances had the highest reliability and validity, whereas scales with spring mechanisms were the least accurate. Only 40% of the clinics surveyed had access to beam balances, yet most of the maternal weight measurements recorded during antenatal care are likely to be out by no more than 1–1.5% of body weight. Weighing practice was generally inconsistent, and serial measurements of maternal body weight collected during pregnancy are probably too imprecise to provide a sensitive screen for conditions associated with unusual weight gain and too inaccurate to assess compliance with guidelines for weight gain.
Factors associated with preterm births in Southeast Brazil: a comparison of two birth cohorts born 15 years apart
Authors: Bettiol Heloisa , Rona Roberto J. , Chinn Susan , Goldani Marcelo , Barbieri Marco A.
Published: March 2003

An increase in preterm deliveries in Ribeirão Preto stimulated an analysis of possible explanatory factors. Two cohorts of singleton livebirths were studied, the first based on 6746 births in 1978–9 and the second based on 2846 births in 1994. A logistic regression was carried out to assess the association of preterm birth with several socio‐demographic, behavioural and clinical variables, including year of survey. Delivery in private settings compared with a public setting, maternal age of  17 compared with any other age group, and mothers who had had previous abortions and previous stillbirths were associated with greater rates of preterm birth. Although there was an increase in preterm birth rates regardless of mode of delivery, the increase was greater in the caesarean section group than in the vaginal delivery group. Over the study period, deliveries in private hospitals and caesarean section operations increased markedly (from 4% to 36% and from 30% to 51% respectively). Caesarean section may be the main contributor to the increase of preterm birth rate in this study. It is essential to ensure that health‐care staff, especially those in private facilities, are properly educated and audited.
Maternal age and preterm births in a black population
Authors: Ekwo Edem E. , Moawad Atef
Published: March 2003

Babies born to teenagers aged 15–19 years have a substantial risk of dying within the first year of life. Although associated socio‐demographic factors may account for an increase in the risk of adverse reproductive outcomes for teenagers, there is a concern that young maternal age may also be a biological risk factor. We examined the effects of maternal age of primiparous black women on the incidence of preterm births using data from 6072 black women delivering between 1989 and 1995 at an urban perinatal network of 17 hospitals and health centres serving residents in a well‐defined geographical area. Maternal age was grouped as:  15, 16–17, 18–19, 20–24, 25–29 or  30 years age groups. The 20–24 age group with the highest number of births and lowest preterm rate was used as the reference age. Preterm birth was defined as delivery < 37 completed weeks of gestation. Of the 6072 infants born to the cohort, 1170 (19.3%) were preterm. The unadjusted odds for a preterm birth for the  15‐year‐olds (odds ratio [OR] = 0.97; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.69,1.36), for the 16‐ to 17‐year‐olds (OR = 1.21; CI = 0.94, 1.57) and for the 18‐ to 19‐year olds (OR = 1.15, CI = 0.92, 1.43) were not significantly different from that for the reference group. The risk for the 25‐to 29‐year‐old mothers was 1.26 times [CI = 1.05, 1.50] and for the > 30‐year‐old mothers 1.28 times [CI = 1.07, 1.52] that for the reference group. Adjustments using logistic regression analysis for the effects of maternal smoking, drug abuse during pregnancy, insurance status, having prenatal care and median family income from census tract of residence did not result in a significantly increased risk for preterm birth or low birthweight for the teenage groups compared with the reference group. We conclude that primiparous teenage black mothers do not have an inherent biologically increased risk for preterm births.
Pre‐eclampsia and premature labour among pregnant women with haematuria
Authors: Stehman‐Breen Catherine , Miller Leslie , Fink Jeffrey , Schwartz Stephen M.
Published: March 2003

The authors conducted a retrospective cohort study of pregnant women to estimate the prevalence and associated risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes among pregnant women with microhaematuria. Between 1 January 1993 and 15 March 1993 at University of Washington Medical Center, 328 consecutive births were identified, and demographic data, medical history, laboratory data and pregnancy outcomes were abstracted from hospital charts. The presence or absence of haematuria was determined in 276/328 cases. Sixteen per cent (44/276) of the women were found to have haematuria. Those with haematuria were at increased risk of developing pre‐eclampsia (odds ratio [OR] = 9.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.1, 28.2) and premature labour (OR = 3.8, 95% CI 1.5, 9.7). These associations persisted after controlling for age, race, and urinary tract infection (UTI) (pre‐eclampsia OR = 9.1, 95% CI 2.5, 33.7; premature labour OR = 4.2, 95% CI 1.2, 15.3). Infants of women with haematuria were at a non‐significantly increased risk of low Apgar scores (OR = 2.8, 95% CI 0.7, 11.9) and low birthweight (OR = 1.9, 95% CI 0.7, 4.7). In this observational study, microscopic haematuria was prevalent among pregnant women and was independently associated with an increased risk of adverse maternal complications.
Pregnancy outcomes and community health: the POUCH study of preterm birth
Authors: Holzman C. , Bullen B. , Fisher R. , Paneth N. , Reuss L. ,   Prematurity Study Group
Published: March 2003

In light of the social/ethnic disparity in preterm delivery (PTD) rates, the Pregnancy Outcomes and Community Health (POUCH) Study takes a broad view of the determinants of PTD by attempting to link underlying biological and psychosocial factors. The relationships between placental pathology, maternal biomarkers, and antecedent psychosocial factors are evaluated in three hypothesised pathways of PTD – one characterised primarily by infection, one by maternal vascular disease, and one by premature elevations in corticotropin releasing hormone in the absence of histological evidence of placental pathology. Within each pathway, an emphasis is placed on understanding the roles of stress and of maternal serum alpha‐fetoprotein, an early biomarker associated with PTD. The POUCH Study enrols pregnant women from five Michigan communities. Information about these women and their environments is gathered through detailed interviews and collection of biological samples including hair, urine, saliva, blood, vaginal fluid, and vaginal smear at 15–26 weeks of gestation. We have chosen to focus on the second trimester – a time when pathological processes may have evolved to a detectable stage, but generally before the onset of biological changes that accompany labour. This focus is consistent with the long‐range goal of early detection/intervention and prevention of PTD.
Interleukin‐12 and the host response to parasitic helminths; the paradoxical effect on protective immunity and immunopathology
Authors: Mountford Adrian P. , Pearlman Eric
Published: March 2003

In general, helminth infections are associated with the development of dominant Th2‐mediated immune responses which may be host protective but can also be the cause of immunopathology. Interleukin 12 (IL‐12) is known to be a potent inhibitor of Th2 immune responses and as such it might be expected to have an important modulatory role in helminth‐induced immune responses. In this review, we discuss the effect of IL‐12 on susceptibility to infection, protective immunity and immunopathology, in the context of exposure to a range of helminths including intestinal nematodes, filariae and schistosomes. It is apparent that the effects of IL‐12 are complex and can be beneficial as well as detrimental for the host. The precise role of IL‐12 depends upon a number of factors including the type of helminth and the specific tissue involved in the inflammatory response.
Protective immunity in the rat model of congenital toxoplasmosis and the potential of excreted‐secreted antigens as vaccine components
Authors: ZENNER LIONEL , ESTAQUIER JEROME , DARCY FRANCOISE , MAES PIERRETTE , CAPRON ANDRE , CESBRON‐DELAUW MARIE‐FRANCE
Published: March 2003

Toxoplasma infection is a major cause of severe foetal pathology both in humans and in domestic animals, particularly sheep. We have previously reported the development of an experimental model to study congenital toxoplasmosis in the rat. Here we demonstrate that, as in humans, total protection against congenital toxoplasmosis can be achieved regardless of the strain of Toxoplasma gondii used to infect rats, or when initial and challenge infections were carried out with different strains. Chronic infection is associated with a highly specific immunity that involves both B‐and T‐cell responses beginning at day 10 postinfection. The antibody isotype analysis revealed that whereas immunoglobulin (Ig)G2b is the major elicited isotype, no IgG1 antibodies are detected. T cell proliferation was assayed using crude Toxoplasma extracts or excretory‐secretory antigens (ESA). The analysis of T cell supernatants showed the specific secretion of both interleukin‐2 and interferon‐γ by activated T cells. Immunization of rats before pregnancy with either crude Toxoplasma extracts or with ESA elicited a B cell response that included antibodies of the IgG1 isotype and conferred on the newborns high levels of protection. Preliminary experiments of immunization using two HPLC‐purified ESA, GRA2 and GRA5, conferred, a significant protection although to a lesser extent. This experimental model represents an attractive model for the identification of future vaccine candidates against congenital toxoplasmosis.
Humoral responses in mice following vaccination with DNA encoding glutathione S‐transferase of Fasciola hepatica: effects of mode of vaccination and the cellular compartment of antigen expression
Authors: SMOOKER PETER M. , STEEPER KELLY R. , DREW DAMIEN R. , STRUGNELL RICHARD A. , SPITHILL TERRY W.
Published: March 2003

The humoral responses in mice following vaccination with DNA constructs encoding Fasciola hepatica glutathione S‐transferase (GST) have been evaluated. GST47 cDNA was subcloned into two DNA vaccine vectors, VR1012 and VR1020, which direct expression to the cytoplasmic and extracellular compartments, respectively. Expression was confirmed by transfection into COS 7 cells. Groups of mice were vaccinated with these constructs, by either intramuscular injection with the VR1012‐or VR1020‐based constructs, or intradermal vaccination (with a gene gun) with the VR1020‐based construct. Vaccination with the construct designed for secretion resulted in an increased humoral response compared to vaccination with the nonsecretory construct. The level of the total humoral response after vaccination with the secretion construct was not dependent on the route of vaccination. However, the isotype profile of the response differed between the groups; intramuscular vaccination with the construct directing cytoplasmic expression yielded an immuoglobulin (Ig)G2a dominant (Th1‐type) response, intradermal vaccination with the secretory construct a IgG1/IgE dominant (Th2‐type) response, and intramuscular vaccination with the secretory construct a mixed isotype response. These results demonstrate that the immunogenicity of a DNA vaccine based on Fasciola GST, as well as the isotype of the response against GST, is determined by the mode of vaccine administration.
Recombinant chimeric proteins generated from conserved regions of Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein 2 generate antiparasite humoral responses in mice
Authors: Lawrence Nicole , Stowers Anthony , Mann Victoria , Taylor Darrin , Saul Allan
Published: March 2003

The merozoite surface protein 2 of P. falciparum is highly polymorphic in nature, but has regions of almost complete conservation at its N‐ and C‐termini. We produced a chimeric recombinant protein comprising these regions only (hereafter termed NC). Mice immunized with the NC antigen produce antibodies at levels comparable to those immunized with 1624, a full‐length recombinant protein representing MSP2 from P. falciparum. Antisera raised against NC recognized P. falciparum schizonts by IFA and a P. falciparum protein of Mr 45 kDa by Western blot. However, antibody specificities were observed to differ between anti‐NC and anti‐1624 sera, and this resulted in differences in parasite recognition, despite similar levels of antibodies having been produced. The response to the NC antigen was also shown to be restricted in some mice (H2‐d), but this was overcome by including appropriate T‐cell help, which was accomplished by creating recombinant protein chimeras that contained NC and T‐helper epitopes from Tetanus toxoid, or MSP119 from P. berghei.
Mimicking a conformational B cell epitope of the heat shock protein PfHsp70‐1 antigen of Plasmodium falciparum using a multiple antigenic peptide
Authors: Huynh Quan Dat Myoura , Behr Charlotte , Jouin Hélène , Baleux Françoise , Mercereau‐Puijalon Odile , Dubois Philippe
Published: March 2003

The Pf72/Hsp70‐1 antigen is a major target in the naturally acquired immunity against Plasmodium falciparum malaria. We carried out an extensive analysis of the responses to several epitopes on the least conserved C‐terminal domain, according to the mode of sensitization: malaria infection or immunization with different immunogens. We found significant differences in the panel of B‐cell epitopes recognized by animal models including primates, and by humans sensitized by natural infection. We focused the analysis on one epitope that is unique to Plasmodium species. It is specifically recognized by a monoclonal antibody that mediates the killing of infected hepatocytes in vitro. We produced a polymeric multiple antigenic peptide (MAP) form of this sequence, which enabled us to identify a new B‐cell epitope not detected by ELISA with linear peptides. The polymer was strongly recognized by sera from monkeys or humans sensitized by natural infection, whereas the monomer was not. We modelled the three‐dimensional structure of the Pf72/Hsp70‐1 sequence, using known Escherischia coli DnaK structures as a template. This predicted that the corresponding region would form a loop in the native antigen. The results presented here suggest that the MAP strategy is also particularly useful as a means of obtaining suitable synthetic models for conformation‐dependent epitopes.
Vaccination against the Old World screwworm fly (Chrysomya bezziana)
Authors: Sukarsih  , Partoutomo Sutijono , Satria Edi , Wijffels Gene , Riding George , Eisemann Craig , Willadsen Peter
Published: March 2003

Chrysomya bezziana is an endemic pest of livestock or a threat to livestock production in large areas of Africa, the Middle East, southern and south‐east Asia and Australia. Its control is difficult. The feasibility of vaccinating against this pest has now been explored. In‐vitro and in‐vivo assays have been established. Using these assays, it has been shown that first instar larvae, third instar peritrophic membrane and cardia are all sources of material able to induce immunological reactions in sheep which lead to significant reductions in larval growth. In‐vitro assays following vaccination with peritrophic membrane also show larval mortality. Taken together, these effects lead to an 82% reduction in the weight of recovered larvae in vitro and 45% reduction in vivo. Preliminary evidence suggests that the mechanism of protection may be complex.