Conservation interventions increasingly involve active management of relative species abundances, especially when taxa of conservation concern are threatened by complex food web interactions. Unfortunately, the complexity of such interspecific interactions means that well-meaning management interventions can have unexpected, sometimes detrimental, effects on the species they are intended to protect. Here we report that the abrupt removal of an abundant non-native prey species (domestic sheep) and the cessation of predator control, actions intended to protect huemul deer Hippocamelus bisulcus in the future Patagonia National Park, appear to have had negative effects on this Endangered ungulate. During and following the changes in predator–prey management, predation of huemul fawns and females older than 1 year by native culpeo foxes Lycalopex culpaeus and pumas Puma concolor increased 3- and 5-fold, respectively. Predictions from demographic models suggest that elevated mortality rates of female huemul older than 1 year will, on average, cause this population of huemul to decline. These results highlight risks of unintended consequences when aggressive management actions are taken to protect taxa embedded in complex food webs. They also suggest that careful consideration of both inter- and intra-trophic level effects among all species in a system is warranted before conservation interventions are undertaken.

The target of the 2002 IUCN Action Plan for the Cape mountain zebra Equus zebra zebra was for a population of 2,500 animals. We assessed the validity of this goal by reviewing the conservation status of the subspecies and the prospects of achieving larger populations. All subpopulations were identified and data on each were collected by means of a questionnaire survey. The total extant Cape mountain zebra population was found to consist of at least 2,790 individuals in 52 subpopulations. The target number of 2,500 has therefore been exceeded and this success is largely attributable to the private sector, as there are at present double the number of privately owned subpopulations (35) compared to formally protected subpopulations (17) and the percentage of the population on privately owned land rose from 14% in 1998 to 32% in 2009. The security of the subspecies is still of concern, however, as the growing proportion of the metapopulation on private land is more vulnerable to threats associated with small populations and management actions. The total existing area available to the Cape mountain zebra is > 935,191 ha and it could potentially support a considerably larger population. We conclude that the IUCN target is substantially below the potential for recovery of the Cape mountain zebra and we recommend this target be revised in the light of these findings. More comprehensive conservation strategies to address current and potential future threats are also needed.

Methods that accurately estimate animal abundance or density are crucial for wildlife management. Although numerous techniques are available, there have been few comparisons of the precision and cost-effectiveness of different approaches. We assess the precision and cost of three methods for estimating densities of the Endangered Grevy's zebra Equus grevyi. We compare distance sampling and photographic capture–recapture, and a new technique, the random encounter model (REM) that uses camera-trap encounter rates to estimate density. All three methods provide comparable density estimates for Grevy's zebra and are preferable to the common practice of raw counts. Photographic capture–recapture is the most precise and line-transect distance sampling the least precise. Line transects and photographic capture–recapture surveys are cost-effective in the first year and REM is most cost-effective in the long-term. The methods used here for Grevy's zebra may be applied to other rangeland ungulates. We suggest that for single species monitoring programmes in which individuals can be identified, photographic capture–recapture surveys may be the preferred method for estimating wildlife abundances. When encounter rates are low, distance sampling lacks the precision of the other methods but its cost advantage may make it appropriate for long-term or multi-species monitoring programmes. The REM is an efficient and precise method of estimating densities but has high initial equipment costs. We believe REM has the potential to work well for many species but it requires independent estimates of animal movements and group size.

Tiger Panthera tigris populations are under threat from poaching and depletion of their prey populations. The National Tiger Action Plan for Malaysia contains several actions addressing the threat of legal and illegal hunting of tiger prey species. One action in this plan required an investigation of whether urgent policy changes were needed to improve the protection of the prey of tigers, based on existing data. As the lack of reliable baseline data prevented us from determining population trends accurately, we compiled camera-trapping data from 23 studies conducted between 1997 and 2008 on four principal tiger prey species (sambar Rusa unicolor, barking deer Muntiacus muntjac, wild boar Sus scrofa and bearded pig S. barbatus) and two potential prey species (gaur Bos gaurus and Malayan tapir Tapirus indicus) and compared their distributions and relative abundances. From 10,145 wildlife photographs spanning 40,303 trap-nights, sambar, bearded pig and gaur appeared to be most threatened given their restricted distribution and low relative abundance. Among these, the gaur has full legal protection and has received more conservation attention than the other two species. Following our assessment and advocacy a 6-year moratorium on hunting both sambar and barking deer was imposed by the Malaysian government and the highest protection status possible was afforded the bearded pig. This case study illustrates how best available data (BAD), in this case from camera-trapping studies, can be harnessed to effect precautionary policy changes to curb the impacts of hunting on threatened predator and prey populations that could crash well before resources would otherwise be available for rigorous scientific assessments.

Understanding spatial ecology is essential for the development of effective and appropriate conservation strategies, especially for the Asiatic cheetah Acinonyx jubatus venaticus, which occurs at a low density across vast arid areas of Iran. Yet, despite its Critically Endangered status, information on the ranging and movement of this species was formerly lacking. Here we present data for exceptionally long movements of a few individuals across multiple reserves in central Iran, obtained using camera traps during 2009–2013. We identified an adult female who moved c. 150 km multiple times between two reserves in 3 years, covering an estimated 3,629 km2. After becoming independent her three sons formed a coalition and ranged across multiple reserves, covering an estimated 4,862 km2 in their first 3 years. An adult male was also found patrolling three reserves, moving up to 40 km across an estimated 807 km2. These data demonstrate that cheetahs in Iran cover vast ranges, and indicate a requirement for large, connected areas for the long-term conservation of this metapopulation.

The conservation of wide-ranging, territorial carnivores presents many challenges, not least the inadequacy of many protected areas in providing sufficient space to allow such species to maintain viable populations. As a result populations occurring outside protected areas may be of considerable importance for the conservation of some species, although the significance of these areas is poorly understood. Brown hyaenas Parahyaena brunnea are categorized as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List and recent research suggests the species may be particularly vulnerable to habitat loss and the conversion of land to agriculture. Here we report on the population density and abundance of brown hyaenas in an area of commercial farmland in western Botswana. Mean brown hyaena density estimated from camera-trap surveys was 2.3 per 100 km2 and from spoor surveys 2.88 per 100 km2, which are comparable to estimates reported for protected areas. Estimated densities were higher on farms used for livestock production than on those used for game farming, suggesting that the species can tolerate land-use change where reliable alternative food resources exist. Our results indicate that populations of brown hyaenas in non-protected areas comprise a significant proportion of the global population and that such areas may be of critical importance for their conservation.

Many hornbill species in Thailand are categorized as Endangered or Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. The objectives of this research were to predict hornbill distributions in Thailand and to assess the national conservation status of the species using extent of occurrence. We employed maximum entropy modelling, using 10 environmental variables that were believed to directly or indirectly influence hornbill distributions across Thailand, to predict the habitats potentially suitable for 10 of the country's 13 hornbill species. Data on the presence of hornbills were gathered from the Thailand Hornbill Project and additional field surveys in protected area complexes during 2004–2006. The results indicated that patch size is the most important factor affecting distribution, followed by latitude, ecoregion and distance to villages. All hornbill species were predicted to occur primarily in intact protected area complexes. The total extent of all hornbill habitats covers 9.3% of the country's land area. Seven of the 10 modelled species are at risk and the current distribution pattern is expected to reflect stochastic extinctions because of small population size. We recommend that the conservation status of Austen's brown hornbill Anorrhinus austeni and Tickell's brown hornbill Anorrhinus tickelli should be changed from Vulnerable to Endangered. The model identified five protected area complexes as hornbill hotspots in Thailand. These findings will help guide conservation management.

The Barbary macaque Macaca sylvanus is the only macaque in Africa. The species is categorized as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is listed in CITES Appendix II. This macaque has a relict distribution in Morocco and Algeria. Recent studies have indicated a dramatic decline of Barbary macaque populations in the Middle Atlas and Rif Mountains in Morocco but there is limited available information on its distribution in the Central High Atlas. We therefore conducted interviews with local officials and inhabitants, and carried out field surveys in 12 sites from February 2004 to December 2008. We found Barbary macaques in relatively small and fragmented habitats in 10 of the 12 sites. A total of 35 groups were sighted and 644 individuals counted. Mean group size was 21 (range 6–42). In all surveyed sites habitat destruction and pressure from livestock were apparent. The interviews indicated that the macaques are often found in the proximity of agricultural land, and that there is evidence of illegal capture in the Bas Oued El Abid and Haut Oued El Abid areas. To protect this species we recommend establishment of protected areas specifically for the Barbary macaque, increased surveillance by forest guards, enforcement of the law against capture of the species, and education of the local people.

Concern has been raised about the lack of population data for the Nile crocodile Crocodylus niloticus in the lower/middle Zambezi valley. This area is important for conservation as well as being a source of crocodile eggs and adults for the ranching industry. Two spotlight surveys, in 2006 and 2009, were used to estimate population size, structure and trends. A stage-structured matrix model was parameterized from existing literature and the expected predictions were compared to those observed. The survey data suggests a population increase since 2006. Crocodile density was greatest (3.1 km−1) in the areas of increased wildlife and habitat protection and lowest (1.4 km−1) in areas of increased human presence. The predicted population stage structure differed to that observed, suggestive of a population not at equilibrium. Data on offtakes of crocodile eggs and adults would be useful for examining why this is the case. Continued monitoring of the wild population is necessary, to evaluate the trend of an increasing crocodile population, and additional demographic data for modelling purposes would be desirable.