Sniffing out the stakes: hair-snares for wild cats in arid environments

Petra U. Hanke; Christopher R. Dickman

doi:10.1071/wr12210

Sniffing out the stakes: hair-snares for wild cats in arid environments

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr12210 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 40 (1) ◽

pp. 45 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Petra U. Hanke ◽

Christopher R. Dickman

Keyword(s):

Sand Dunes ◽

Arid Environments ◽

Simple Method ◽

Remote Cameras ◽

Invasive Method ◽

Wild Cats ◽

Emulsion Oil ◽

Wild Dogs ◽

Hair Snares ◽

Hair Snare

Context Wild cats (Felis spp.) are difficult to monitor because of their cryptic lifestyle and usually low numbers. Hair-snaring is a promising non-invasive method being used increasingly to estimate mammal populations. Aims Our aim was to carry out pilot trials of a simple hair-snare designed to capture hair from wild cats in arid environments. Methods Roughened wooden stakes were set at multiple sites on the crests of sand dunes and in swales in western Queensland, Australia, and in mostly sandy habitats of the Namib and Kalahari Deserts, Namibia. In Australia, stakes were sprayed with cat urine, extracts of catnip or valerian herbs as lures, or left untreated; in Namibia, alternate stakes were sprayed with a food lure of tuna emulsion oil. The stakes were checked for hair, usually daily, for 2–14 days, and the surrounding ground was inspected for tracks. Remote cameras also were used at some sites to confirm the identity of visitors to stakes. Key results In Australia, feral cats (Felis catus) were attracted to, and left hairs on, stakes sprayed with cat urine six times more frequently than to unsprayed stakes irrespective of whether snares were on dune crests or in swales, and showed no response to catnip or valerian. Tracks and photos showed that cats, dingoes or wild dogs (Canis lupus ssp.) and foxes (Vulpes vulpes) also approached and sniffed the stakes. In Namibia, F. catus, F. lybica and F. nigripes left hair on stakes, with deposition rates two and a half-fold higher at stakes with the food lure than without it. At least five other species of predators visited the hair-snare sites. Conclusions Simple wooden stakes provide a cheap and simple method of snaring hairs from wild cats, especially if used in conjunction with appropriate lures. Our results broadly support previous work, and extend the utility of the method to different Felis spp. in arid habitats. Implications Further research is needed on snares to investigate the seasonal efficiency of different lures. If DNA also is to be extracted to identify individuals, more work is needed to confirm that snares yield hair of sufficient quality to allow this.

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Cosmolian: High-resolution Integrated OSL and CN modelling Program for Sand Transportation in Eolian Realms (HIPSTER)

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-7120 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Shlomy Vainer ◽

Yoav Ben Dor

Keyword(s):

Landscape Evolution ◽

Sand Dunes ◽

Integrative Approach ◽

Model Parameters ◽

Arid Environments ◽

Aeolian Transport ◽

Migration Patterns ◽

Aeolian Processes ◽

Simpson Desert

<p>The extensivity of sand dunes in continental interiors makes the understating of their morphodynamical properties valuable for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions and the interpretation of landscape evolution. Nevertheless, the study of aeolian landscape development at the million-years timescale is hampered by the complex interaction of factors determining dune migration and the inherently self-destructive nature of their chronostratigraphy, thus limiting the applicability of traditional luminescence-based dating methods for configuring processes beyond ~300 Ka. In this study, we present a standalone program that simulates aeolian transport based on luminescence-derived chronologies coupled with numerical modelling of cosmogenic nuclides accumulation. This integrative approach reveals ancient phases of sand irruption and provides a data-based scheme facilitating the morphodynamical study of aeolian processes over multiple timescales. We present a case study of the program application by analyzing data from the Australian Simpson Desert, unfolding several phases of aeolian vitality since the late Pliocene. The synchronicity of the results with drastic changes in environmental settings exemplifies the applicability of process-based modelling in constructing a timeframe of key landscape evolution events in arid environments by studying aeolian landforms. Finally, the relationships between model parameters used to determine environmental settings on sand migration patterns make the program a powerful tool to further investigating triggers and mechanisms of aeolian processes.</p>

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Predicting the hatching date of Malleefowl Leipoa ocellata eggs without excavating the mound

10.20938/afo38078086 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 38 ◽

pp. 78-86

Keyword(s):

Western Australia ◽

Egg Production ◽

Hatching Success ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Breeding Population ◽

Egg Laying ◽

The North ◽

Remote Cameras ◽

Invasive Method ◽

Conservation Concern

The Malleefowl Leipoa ocellata (Family Megapodiidae) has suffered a major contraction in its distribution across Australia and is considered vulnerable to extinction. It incubates its eggs in a mound. A key conservation concern for this species is the level of recruitment of young into the breeding population. One approach for measuring recruitment success is to mark chicks as they emerge from the mound. Traditional methods have involved excavating the mound in order to determine the rate of egg production, hatching success and to predict the timing of hatching. This is laborious, involves significant disturbance and may pose a risk to the eggs or chicks. A less invasive method, using remote cameras to determine the date of egg-laying and hatching, and length of incubation, was tested to help predict when chicks emerge from their mound. In the mound studied at Matuwa in central Western Australia, 19 eggs were laid from 26 August 2017 to 27 January 2018, with eggs being laid earlier in the day as temperature increased and as time progressed. An average incubation period of 61.25 days was observed for four chicks that were recorded emerging from the mound. This study has provided evidence that remote cameras can be used to help determine the number of eggs laid and their hatching success and to predict emergence times of Malleefowl chicks without needing to excavate mounds. Further development of this technique as a more cost-effective and passive alternative for providing information on chick recruitment is recommended to help facilitate the recovery of the species. It was also of interest to record details of the mound observed here as the study site was located on the north-eastern limit ofthe known Malleefowl range in Western Australia, where there are few detailed records.

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A simple method for sexing live larvae of pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

Animal Biology ◽

10.1163/15707563-20191136 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 70 (1) ◽

pp. 97-100

Author(s):

Ramya R.S. ◽

Mohan M. ◽

Sunil Joshi

Keyword(s):

Abdominal Segment ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Fourth Instar ◽

Pectinophora Gossypiella ◽

Correct Identification ◽

Simple Method ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Naked Eye ◽

Invasive Method ◽

The Individual

Abstract Lepidopteran adults can be sexed using different morphological characters because sexual dimorphism is prevalent in most species. But sometimes, necessity arises for the sexual differentiation of immature stages like larvae so that virgin females can be studied. Here, we present a straightforward, reliable, and non-invasive method that permits sexing of Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders, 1844) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) larvae during their fourth instar. Male P. gossypiella larvae are identified by their testes, which are visible through the dorsal integument of the abdominal segments. The testes are observed as two dark elliptical bodies, one on either side of the midline of the fifth abdominal segment in the fourth instar of P. gossypiella. Length and width of the individual testes was measured as 653.33 ± 5.68 and 484.89 ± 4.34 μm, respectively, in P. gossypiella. After separation of live male larvae by these characters, they were transferred into separate vials and emerged adults were identified to ascertain correct identification of the males. We observed that all the larvae with dark-coloured testes visible to the naked eye in their fifth abdominal segment during the fourth instar developed into male moths and all other larvae without this character developed into female moths. The visual sexing of male and female larvae of P. gossypiella could save time in separating the sexes to carry out studies on sex-specific responses, hybrid mating, and/or inheritance of insecticide resistance.

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Long-term use of non-invasive sampling methods: does successful sampling of brown bears by hair snares and camera traps change over time?

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr19156 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 47 (6) ◽

pp. 499

Author(s):

A. E. Lincoln ◽

A. J. Wirsing ◽

T. P. Quinn

Keyword(s):

Sampling Methods ◽

Sampling Site ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Brown Bears ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Hair Samples ◽

Hair Snares ◽

Over Time ◽

Hair Snare

Abstract Context Non-invasive sampling methods are widely used by ecologists to collect animal hair, images, tissue or signs. Sampling devices are imperfect, and collection success may vary over time owing to behavioural changes in study organisms or other factors. If collection success decreases, the utility of non-invasive sampling devices for longitudinal studies that rely on consistency may be compromised. Aims Our primary objectives were to evaluate whether collection success of brown bear (Ursus arctos) hair by using hair snares and camera traps changed over time, and whether hair- and image-collection success was influenced by bear activity around the sampling site. Methods We paired non-invasive sampling by hair snares with motion-activated cameras at six streams in Alaska over 4–6 years, so as to evaluate how often brown bears left samples on wires or were photographed by cameras, and whether this sampling success changed over time. Changes in sampling success were evaluated in the context of bear activity per sampling period as determined by camera data (number of bear–wire encounters) or hair snare (number of barbs with hair); genetic analyses allowed us to evaluate whether the same bears were sampled repeatedly. Key results Overall, hair was collected in 78% and images in 73% of 2-day sampling periods when bears visited sites, and we observed no substantial change in the probability of successful sampling over time at 11 sites. The number of bear–wire encounters was positively correlated with the number of hair samples collected, as would be expected if sampling rates remained constant over time, and individual bears with previous wire experience were sampled in multiple years. Conclusions Overall, the results indicated that sampling success by using hair snare and camera trap showed substantial interannual variability, but changes over time were not consistently identified across sites. Among-site variation in sampling success highlighted the importance of accounting for site-specific differences in sampling success, and neither method sampled unfailingly. Implications Sampling by wires and cameras remained effective over time, suggesting that these non-invasive sampling methods may be successfully employed in long-term studies.

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Securing a nasopharyngeal airway

The Journal of Laryngology & Otology ◽

10.1017/s0022215107001065 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 122 (7) ◽

pp. 733-734 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Y Bajaj ◽

C Gadepalli ◽

L C Knight

Keyword(s):

Airway Obstruction ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Upper Airway ◽

Emergency Situation ◽

Upper Airway Obstruction ◽

Simple Method ◽

Emergency Situations ◽

Nasopharyngeal Airway ◽

Invasive Method

AbstractObjective:The nasopharyngeal airway is a simple airway adjunct used by various healthcare professionals. It is the least invasive method of safely managing upper airway obstruction. The objective of this report was to describe a rapid and very simple method of securing a nasopharyngeal airway in an agitated patient.Method:We describe a simple method of securing a nasopharyngeal airway, using safety pins and tapes.Result:This technique has been used by the authors in several emergency situations and has been found to be quick and effective.Conclusion:The nasopharyngeal airway is a simple piece of equipment that is cheap and easy to use. The technique described in this article is a simple, practical and effective method of securing a nasopharyngeal airway in an emergency situation.

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Hair-Snares: A Non-Invasive Method for Monitoring Felid Populations in the Selva Lacandona, Mexico

Tropical Conservation Science ◽

10.1177/194008291000300405 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

pp. 403-411 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Nashieli García-Alaníz ◽

Eduardo J. Naranjo ◽

Frank F. Mallory

Keyword(s):

Non Invasive ◽

Invasive Method ◽

Hair Snares

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A simple way for producing holographic filters suitable for image improvement

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100108271 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 36 (1) ◽

pp. 226-227

Author(s):

K.-H. Herrmann ◽

E. Reuber ◽

P. Schiske

Keyword(s):

Transfer Functions ◽

Diffraction Order ◽

Lateral Position ◽

Simple Method ◽

Spatial Frequencies ◽

Resolution Electron ◽

Wiener Filters ◽

Image Improvement ◽

Optical Reconstruction ◽

Set Up

Aposteriori deblurring of high resolution electron micrographs of weak phase objects can be performed by holographic filters [1,2] which are arranged in the Fourier domain of a light-optical reconstruction set-up. According to the diffraction efficiency and the lateral position of the grating structure, the filters permit adjustment of the amplitudes and phases of the spatial frequencies in the image which is obtained in the first diffraction order.In the case of bright field imaging with axial illumination, the Contrast Transfer Functions (CTF) are oscillating, but real. For different imageforming conditions and several signal-to-noise ratios an extensive set of Wiener-filters should be available. A simple method of producing such filters by only photographic and mechanical means will be described here.A transparent master grating with 6.25 lines/mm and 160 mm diameter was produced by a high precision computer plotter. It is photographed through a rotating mask, plotted by a standard plotter.

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Rotary Beveling for In Situ Thin-Section Microscopy of Cell Cultures

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100099192 ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 39 ◽

pp. 550-551

Author(s):

Dean A. Handley ◽

Jack T. Alexander ◽

Shu Chien

Keyword(s):

Cell Growth ◽

Cell Cultures ◽

Molecular Interactions ◽

Convenient Method ◽

Petri Dish ◽

Simple Method ◽

Thin Section Microscopy ◽

Thin Sectioning ◽

Organic Fluids

In situ preparation of cell cultures for ultrastructural investigations is a convenient method by which fixation, dehydration and embedment are carried out in the culture petri dish. The in situ method offers the advantage of preserving the native orientation of cell-cell interactions, junctional regions and overlapping configurations. In order to section after embedment, the petri dish is usually separated from the polymerized resin by either differential cryo-contraction or solvation in organic fluids. The remaining resin block must be re-embedded before sectioning. Although removal of the petri dish may not disrupt the native cellular geometry, it does sacrifice what is now recognized as an important characteristic of cell growth: cell-substratum molecular interactions. To preserve the topographic cell-substratum relationship, we developed a simple method of tapered rotary beveling to reduce the petri dish thickness to a dimension suitable for direct thin sectioning.

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