The Amathole forest complex is the breeding stronghold of the endemic and vulnerable Cape Parrot Poicephalus robustus, and is also one of only two forest complexes in South Africa formally harvested for timber. The aim of this study was to determine if formal harvesting of indigenous trees, primarily the two yellowwood species Afrocarpus falcatus and Podocarpus latifolius, in 9 of 16 Amathole forests has had any effect on the presence of Cape Parrots and three primary nest-excavating species, as well as on parrot breeding. The study used logging data from the past 25 years (1997–2021) as well as data collected by acoustic recording units over two breeding seasons from 2019 to 2021. Cape Parrots were present in 15 of 16 forests, but breeding calls were identified in only seven forests: five in logged and two in unlogged forests. Fourteen of the forests harboured all three primary excavators: Knysna Woodpecker Campethera notata, Olive Woodpecker Dendropicos griseocephalus, and Red-fronted Tinkerbird Pogoniulus pusillus. The last two species were absent from the adjacent Mount Thomas and Kologha forests, respectively, in which parrots were present, but no breeding calls were recorded. Logging of yellowwoods was not found to affect parrot breeding. However, due to the overlap between preferred parrot breeding sites and preferred trees for harvesting, we recommend that harvesting in the five harvested forest blocks where parrot breeding occurs be limited to tree falls, with no standing dead, dying, or damaged trees harvested, to ensure that potential nesting trees are not harvested.

In the largely deforested areas of Madagascar, small forest fragments remain as last refuges for amphibian diversity. Isolated populations of the Critically Endangered Anodonthyla vallani and Anilany helenae persist in the fragmented forest of Ambohitantely but little information is available to inform their management and any conservation interventions. We generated estimates of population size and occupancy for both species in the largest fragment of Ambohitantely Special Reserve using acoustic survey data collected from 84 sites along 12 transects in December 2018. We used a single-season occupancy model to estimate detection and occupancy and a Royal–Nichols model to estimate abundance and population size. Anilany helenae and A. vallani had high occupancy rates (80 and 93%, respectively) whereas their detection rates differed (34 and 55%, respectively). Abundance and occupancy were best explained by vegetation structure whereas detection was influenced by time of survey and rainfall. For our sampled sites the estimated population sizes of males were 855 for A. vallani, with an estimated density of 52 individuals/ha, and 388 for A. helenae, with an estimated population density of 23 individuals/ha. Given their relatively low densities, small population sizes and restricted ranges, any further habitat loss could have drastic consequences for these populations. Our results provide guidance for future species-focused studies, and can inform conservation management at the local scale. Our work will help to improve species monitoring in Madagascar and elsewhere, especially for range-restricted non-charismatic amphibians.

Gaps in our knowledge of basic fish ecology have provided impetus for development of novel “ecology tags” to detect and quantify hard to observe behaviors such as spawning, schooling and feeding. The acoustic environment is one source of potentially useful information about these behaviors. We implanted an acoustic recording tag (Bioacoustic Probe) into the gut cavity of a blacktip reef shark to determine whether an implanted tag could successfully record external and internal sounds. The tag successfully recorded reef fish vocalizations, boat engine noise, the sound of the shark feeding and unidentified rhythmic sounds that may derive from shark tail beats. Technical challenges remain, but sound recording tags have the potential to provide novel insights into shark and fish ecology.