Contents

Advisory Board

xxi

About the authors

xxiii

Acknowledgements

xxv

1.

About this book

1

The Conservation Evidence project

1

The purpose of Conservation Evidence synopses

2

Who this synopsis is for

2

Background

3

Scope of the Terrestrial Mammal Conservation synopsis

4

Review subject

4

Advisory board

5

Creating the list of interventions

5

Methods

6

Literature searches

6

Publication screening and inclusion criteria

10

Study quality assessment & critical appraisal

14

Data extraction

15

Evidence synthesis

15

Dissemination/communication of evidence synthesis

20

How you can help to change conservation practice

20

References

20

2.

Threat: Residential and commercial development

23

2.1.

Protect mammals close to development areas (e.g. by fencing)

24

2.2.

Keep cats indoors or in outside runs to reduce predation of wild mammals

24

2.3.

Use collar-mounted devices to reduce predation by domestic animals

25

2.4.

Keep dogs indoors or in outside enclosures to reduce threats to wild mammals

29

2.5.

Keep domestic cats and dogs well-fed to reduce predation of wild mammals

30

2.6.

Translocate problem mammals away from residential areas (e.g. habituated bears) to reduce human-wildlife conflict

30

2.7.

Issue enforcement notices to deter use of non-bear-proof garbage dumpsters to reduce human-wildlife conflict

38

2.8.

Prevent mammals accessing potential wildlife food sources or denning sites to reduce nuisance behaviour and human-wildlife conflict

39

2.9.

Provide diversionary feeding for mammals to reduce nuisance behaviour and human-wildlife conflict

41

2.10.

Scare or otherwise deter mammals from human- occupied areas to reduce human-wildlife conflict

44

2.11.

Retain wildlife corridors in residential areas

50

2.12.

Install underpasses beneath ski runs

51

2.13.

Provide woody debris in ski run area

53

3.

Threat: Agriculture and aquaculture

55

All farming systems

55

3.1.

Establish wild flower areas on farmland

55

3.2.

Create uncultivated margins around intensive arable or pasture fields

58

3.3.

Provide or retain set-aside areas on farmland

64

3.4.

Maintain/restore/create habitat connectivity on farmland

68

3.5.

Manage hedgerows to benefit wildlife on farmland

68

3.6.

Plant new or maintain existing hedgerows on farmland

69

3.7.

Plant trees on farmland

71

3.8.

Pay farmers to cover the costs of conservation measures

74

3.9.

Provide refuges during crop harvesting or mowing

77

3.10.

Use repellent on slug pellets to reduce non-target poisoning

78

3.11.

Restrict use of rodent poisons on farmland with high secondary poisoning risk

79

Annual & Perennial Non-Timber Crops

80

3.12.

Increase crop diversity for mammals

80

3.13.

Create beetle banks on farmland

80

3.14.

Plant crops to provide supplementary food for mammals

82

3.15.

Change mowing regime (e.g. timing, frequency, height)

85

3.16.

Leave areas of uncut ryegrass in silage field

85

3.17.

Leave cut vegetation in field to provide cover

86

3.18.

Establish long-term cover on erodible cropland

87

Livestock Farming & Ranching

88

3.19.

Exclude livestock from semi-natural habitat (including woodland)

88

3.20.

Reduce intensity of grazing by domestic livestock

94

3.21.

Use livestock fences that are permeable to wildlife

102

3.22.

Install mammal crossing points along fences on farmland

103

3.23.

Use traditional breeds of livestock

106

3.24.

Change type of livestock

108

Reduce human-wildlife conflict

110

3.25.

Relocate local pastoralist communities to reduce human-wildlife conflict

110

3.26.

Pay farmers to compensate for losses due to predators/wild herbivores to reduce human-wildlife conflict

111

3.27.

Install non-electric fencing to exclude predators or herbivores and reduce human-wildlife conflict

114

3.28.

Install electric fencing to reduce predation of livestock by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

120

3.29.

Exclude wild mammals using ditches, moats, walls or other barricades to reduce human-wildlife conflict

126

3.30.

Use flags to reduce predation of livestock by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

128

3.31.

Use visual deterrents (e.g. scarecrows) to deter predation of livestock by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

132

3.32.

Use pheromones to deter predation of livestock by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

134

3.33.

Use taste-aversion to reduce predation of livestock by mammals to deter human-wildlife conflict

134

3.34.

Dispose of livestock carcasses to deter predation of livestock by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

140

3.35.

Use guardian animals (e.g. dogs, llamas, donkeys) bonded to livestock to deter predators to reduce human-wildlife conflict

141

3.36.

Use loud noises to deter predation of livestock by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

148

3.37.

Translocate predators away from livestock to reduce human-wildlife conflict

151

3.38.

Provide diversionary feeding to reduce predation of livestock by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

158

3.39.

Keep livestock in enclosures to reduce predation by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

160

3.40.

Install electric fencing to protect crops from mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

161

3.41.

Install metal grids at field entrances to prevent mammals entering to reduce human-wildlife conflict

168

3.42.

Install automatically closing gates at field entrances to prevent mammals entering to reduce human-wildlife conflict

170

3.43.

Use tree nets to deter wild mammals from fruit crops to reduce human-wildlife conflict

171

3.44.

Deter predation of livestock by mammals by having people close by to reduce human-wildlife conflict

172

3.45.

Deter predation of livestock by herding livestock using adults instead of children to reduce human- wildlife conflict

173

3.46.

Deter predation of livestock by using shock/electronic dog-training collars to reduce human-wildlife conflict

174

3.47.

Fit livestock with protective collars to reduce risk of predation by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

178

3.48.

Use lights and sound to deter predation of livestock by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

180

3.49.

Use scent to deter predation of livestock by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

182

3.50.

Use watchmen to deter crop damage by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

185

3.51.

Use mobile phone communications to warn farmers of problematic mammals (e.g. elephants)

185

3.52.

Use fencing/netting to reduce predation of fish stock by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

186

3.53.

Establish deviation ponds in fish farms to reduce predation of fish stock by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

187

3.54.

Use lights and sound to deter crop damage by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

188

3.55.

Provide diversionary feeding to reduce crop damage by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

190

3.56.

Use scarecrows to deter crop damage by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

194

3.57.

Use loud noises to deter crop damage (e.g. banger sticks, drums, tins, iron sheets) by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

194

3.58.

Use noise aversive conditioning to deter crop damage by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

201

3.59.

Use ultrasonic noises to deter crop damage by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

202

3.60.

Use drones to deter crop damage by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

204

3.61.

Translocate crop raiders away from crops (e.g. elephants) to reduce human-wildlife conflict

205

3.62.

Use negative stimuli to deter consumption of livestock feed by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

207

3.63.

Play predator calls to deter crop damage by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

209

3.64.

Use target species distress calls or signals to deter crop damage by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

209

3.65.

Use bees to deter crop damage by mammals (e.g. elephants) to reduce human-wildlife conflict

213

3.66.

Grow unattractive crop in buffer zone around crops (e.g. chili peppers) to reduce human-wildlife conflict

215

3.67.

Use chili to deter crop damage by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

216

3.68.

Use light/lasers to deter crop damage by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

221

3.69.

Use fire to deter crop damage by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

223

3.70.

Use pheromones to deter crop damage by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

225

3.71.

Use predator scent to deter crop damage by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

225

3.72.

Use target species scent to deter crop damage by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

228

3.73.

Use ‘shock collars’ to deter crop damage by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

229

3.74.

Use repellents that taste bad (‘contact repellents’) to deter crop or property damage by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

231

3.75.

Use repellents that smell bad (‘area repellents’) to deter crop or property damage by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

238

3.76.

Use dogs to guard crops to reduce human-wildlife conflict

240

3.77.

Drive wild animals away using domestic animals of the same species to reduce human-wildlife conflict

241

4.

Threat: Energy production and mining

243

4.1.

Restore former mining sites

243

4.2.

Use electric fencing to deter mammals from energy installations or mines

251

4.3.

Use repellents to reduce cable gnawing

252

4.4.

Translocate mammals away from sites of proposed energy developments

254

5.

Threat: Transportation and service corridors

257

Roads & Railroads

258

5.1.

Install tunnels/culverts/underpass under roads

258

5.2.

Install tunnels/culverts/underpass under railways

273

5.3.

Modify culverts to make them more accessible to mammals

278

5.4.

Install ledges in culverts under roads/railways

279

5.5.

Dig trenches around culverts under roads/railways

282

5.6.

Install fences around existing culverts or underpasses under roads/railways

282

5.7.

Install overpasses over roads/railways

287

5.8.

Install pole crossings for gliders/flying squirrels

299

5.9.

Install rope bridges between canopies

304

5.10.

Install one-way gates or other structures to allow wildlife to leave roadways

310

5.11.

Install barrier fencing along roads

315

5.12.

Install barrier fencing and underpasses along roads

323

5.13.

Install barrier fencing along railways

355

5.14.

Install wildlife warning reflectors along roads

356

5.15.

Install acoustic wildlife warnings along roads

365

5.16.

Install wildlife crosswalks

367

5.17.

Install wildlife exclusion grates/cattle grids

368

5.18.

Reduce legal speed limit

370

5.19.

Install traffic calming structures to reduce speeds

372

5.20.

Modify vegetation along roads to reduce collisions with mammals by enhancing visibility for drivers

373

5.21.

Modify the roadside environment to reduce collisions by reducing attractiveness of road verges to mammals

374

5.22.

Remove roadkill regularly to reduce kill rate of predators/scavengers

376

5.23.

Modify vegetation along railways to reduce collisions by reducing attractiveness to mammals

376

5.24.

Retain/maintain road verges as small mammal habitat

378

5.25.

Fit vehicles with ultrasonic warning devices

379

5.26.

Install signage to warn motorists about wildlife presence

382

5.27.

Use road lighting to reduce vehicle collisions with mammals

387

5.28.

Use chemical repellents along roads or railways

389

5.29.

Use alternative de-icers on roads

393

5.30.

Provide food/salt lick to divert mammals from roads or railways

394

5.31.

Use reflective collars or paint on mammals to reduce collisions with road vehicles

397

5.32.

Use wildlife decoy to reduce vehicle collisions with mammals

397

5.33.

Close roads in defined seasons

398

Utility & Service Lines

399

5.34.

Install crossings over/under pipelines

399

Shipping Lanes

402

5.35.

Install overpasses over waterways

402

5.36.

Install barrier fencing along waterways

404

5.37.

Provide mammals with escape routes from canals

404

6.

Threat: Biological resource use

409

Hunting & Collecting Terrestrial Animals

409

6.1.

Prohibit or restrict hunting of a species

409

6.2.

Ban private ownership of hunted mammals

412

6.3.

Site management for target mammal species carried out by field sport practitioners

413

6.4.

Set hunting quotas based on target species population trends

414

6.5.

Prohibit or restrict hunting of particular sex/ breeding status/age animals

417

6.6.

Incentivise species protection through licensed trophy hunting

419

6.7.

Use selective trapping methods in hunting activities

420

6.8.

Use wildlife refuges to reduce hunting impacts

421

6.9.

Provide/increase anti-poaching patrols

423

6.10.

Make introduction of non-native mammals for sporting purposes illegal

427

6.11.

Commercially breed for the mammal production trade

428

6.12.

Promote sustainable alternative livelihoods

429

6.13.

Promote mammal-related ecotourism

429

6.14.

Ban exports of hunting trophies

430

Logging & Wood Harvesting

432

6.15.

Use selective harvesting instead of clearcutting

432

6.16.

Use patch retention harvesting instead of clearcutting

437

6.17.

Retain undisturbed patches during thinning operations

440

6.18.

Clear or open patches in forests

442

6.19.

Retain dead trees after uprooting

445

6.20.

Use thinning of forest instead of clearcutting

446

6.21.

Remove competing vegetation to allow tree establishment in clearcut areas

448

6.22.

Retain understorey vegetation within plantations

450

6.23.

Leave standing deadwood/snags in forests

452

6.24.

Leave coarse woody debris in forests

453

6.25.

Gather coarse woody debris into piles after felling

456

6.26.

Retain riparian buffer strips during timber harvest

458

6.27.

Retain wildlife corridors in logged areas

459

6.28.

Thin trees within forest

461

6.29.

Apply fertilizer to trees

469

6.30.

Fell trees in groups, leaving surrounding forest unharvested

472

6.31.

Coppice trees

474

6.32.

Allow forest to regenerate naturally following logging

475

6.33.

Harvest timber outside mammal reproduction period

477

6.34.

Control firewood collection in remnant native forest and woodland

477

6.35.

Plant trees following clearfelling

478

6.36.

Use tree tubes/small fences/cages to protect individual trees

479

6.37.

Provide supplementary feed to reduce tree damage

480

7.

Threat: Human intrusions and disturbance

483

7.1.

Use signs or access restrictions to reduce disturbance to mammals

483

7.2.

Set minimum distances for approaching mammals

484

7.3.

Set maximum number of people/vehicles approaching mammals

485

7.4.

Exclude or limit number of visitors to reserves or protected areas

486

7.5.

Provide paths to limit extent of disturbance to mammals

489

7.6.

Use voluntary agreements with locals to reduce disturbance

490

7.7.

Habituate mammals to visitors

491

7.8.

Translocate mammals that have habituated to humans (e.g. bears)

492

7.9.

Treat mammals to reduce conflict caused by disease transmission to humans

494

7.10.

Use conditioned taste aversion to reduce human-wildlife conflict in non-residential sites

496

7.11

Use non-lethal methods to deter carnivores from attacking humans

498

8.

Threat: Natural system modifications

505

8.1.

Use prescribed burning

505

8.2.

Burn at specific time of year

524

8.3.

Provide shelter structures after fire

526

8.4.

Thin trees to reduce wildfire risk

527

8.5.

Remove burnt trees and branches after wildfire

530

8.6.

Remove mid-storey vegetation in forest

531

8.7.

Remove understorey vegetation in forest

533

8.8.

Remove trees and shrubs to recreate open areas of land

535

8.9.

Provide artificial waterholes in dry season

537

8.10.

Use fencing to protect water sources for use by wild mammals

540

8.11.

Provide supplementary food after fire

540

9.

Threat: Invasive alien and other problematic species

543

9.1.

Use fencing to exclude grazers or other problematic species

543

9.2.

Use fencing to exclude predators or other problematic species

546

Invasive Non-Native/Alien Species/Diseases

553

9.3.

Remove/control non-native amphibians (e.g. cane toads)

553

9.4.

Remove/control non-native invertebrates

554

9.5.

Remove/control non-native mammals

555

9.6.

Remove/control non-native mammals within a fenced area

571

9.7.

Remove/control non-native plants

573

9.8.

Control non-native/problematic plants to restore habitat

575

9.9.

Reintroduce top predators to suppress and reduce the impacts of smaller non-native predator and prey species

575

9.10.

Control non-native prey species to reduce populations and impacts of non-native predators

576

9.11.

Provide artificial refuges for prey to evade/escape non-native predators

577

9.12.

Remove/control non-native species that could interbreed with native species

578

9.13.

Modify traps used in the control/eradication of non- native species to avoid injury of non-target mammal

579

9.14.

Use conditioned taste aversion to prevent non-target species from entering traps

580

9.15.

Use reward removal to prevent non-target species from entering traps

582

Problematic Native Species/Diseases

583

9.16.

Remove or control predators

583

9.17.

Sterilize predators

590

9.18.

Remove or control competitors

591

9.19.

Provide diversionary feeding for predators

593

9.20.

Sterilise non-native domestic or feral species (e.g. cats and dogs)

593

9.21.

Train mammals to avoid problematic species

596

9.22.

Treat disease in wild mammals

598

9.23.

Use vaccination programme

600

9.24.

Eliminate highly virulent diseases early in an epidemic by culling all individuals (healthy and infected) in a defined area

605

9.25.

Cull disease-infected animals

606

9.26.

Use drugs to treat parasites

608

9.27.

Establish populations isolated from disease

613

9.28.

Control ticks/fleas/lice in wild mammal populations

615

10.

Threat: Pollution

619

10.1.

Reduce pesticide or fertilizer use

619

10.2.

Leave headlands in fields unsprayed

622

10.3.

Establish riparian buffers

623

10.4.

Translocate mammals away from site contaminated by oil spill

624

11.

Threat: Climate change and severe weather

627

11.1.

Retain/provide migration corridors

627

11.2.

Protect habitat along elevational gradients

628

11.3

Translocate animals from source populations subject to similar climatic conditions

629

11.4.

Provide dams/water holes during drought

630

11.5.

Apply water to vegetation to increase food availability during drought

631

11.6.

Remove flood water

632

12.

Habitat protection

635

12.1.

Legally protect habitat for mammals

635

12.2.

Encourage habitat protection of privately-owned land

640

12.3.

Build fences around protected areas

641

12.4.

Retain buffer zones around core habitat

643

12.5.

Increase size of protected area

644

12.6.

Increase resources for managing protected areas

645

13.

Habitat restoration and creation

647

13.1.

Remove topsoil that has had fertilizer added to mimic low nutrient soil

647

13.2.

Manage vegetation using livestock grazing

648

13.3.

Manage vegetation using grazing by wild herbivores

652

13.4.

Replant vegetation

654

13.5.

Remove vegetation by hand/machine

654

13.6.

Remove vegetation using herbicides

666

13.7.

Restore or create grassland

670

13.8.

Restore or create savannas

673

13.9.

Restore or create shrubland

675

13.10.

Restore or create forest

677

13.11.

Restore or create wetlands

681

13.12.

Manage wetland water levels for mammal species

684

13.13.

Create or maintain corridors between habitat patches

685

13.14.

Apply fertilizer to vegetation to increase food availability

688

13.15.

Provide artificial refuges/breeding sites

689

13.16.

Provide artificial dens or nest boxes on trees

695

13.17.

Provide more small artificial breeding sites rather than fewer large sites

710

14.

Species management

713

14.1.

Cease/reduce payments to cull mammals

713

14.2.

Temporarily hold females and offspring in fenced area to increase survival of young

715

14.3.

Rehabilitate injured, sick or weak mammals

715

14.4.

Hand-rear orphaned or abandoned young in captivity

723

14.5.

Place orphaned or abandoned wild young with wild foster parents

727

14.6.

Place orphaned or abandoned wild young with captive foster parents

730

14.7.

Provide supplementary food to increase reproduction/survival

732

14.8.

Provide supplementary water to increase reproduction/survival

747

14.9.

Graze herbivores on pasture, instead of sustaining with artificial foods

752

Translocate Mammals

753

14.10.

Translocate to re-establish or boost populations in native range

753

14.11.

Translocate mammals to reduce overpopulation

788

14.12.

Translocate predators for ecosystem restoration

790

14.13.

Use holding pens at release site prior to release of translocated mammals

792

14.14.

Hold translocated mammals in captivity before release

814

14.15.

Use tranquillizers to reduce stress during translocation

824

14.16.

Airborne translocation of mammals using parachutes

825

14.17.

Release translocated mammals into fenced areas

826

14.18.

Provide supplementary food during/after release of translocated mammals

842

Captive-breeding

854

14.19.

Breed mammals in captivity

854

14.20.

Place captive young with captive foster parents

857

14.21.

Use artificial insemination

859

14.22.

Clone rare species

861

14.23.

Preserve genetic material for use in future captive breeding programs

863

Release captive-bred mammals

865

14.24.

Release captive-bred individuals to re-establish or boost populations in native range

865

14.25.

Captive rear in large enclosures prior to release

882

14.26.

Use holding pens at release site prior to release of captive-bred mammals

885

14.27.

Provide live natural prey to captive mammals to foster hunting behaviour before release

904

14.28.

Train captive-bred mammals to avoid predators

907

14.29.

Release captive-bred mammals into fenced areas

909

14.30.

Provide supplementary food during/after release of captive-bred mammals

919

Release captive-bred/translocated mammals

929

14.31.

Release translocated/captive-bred mammals in areas with invasive/problematic species eradication/control

929

14.32.

Release translocated/captive-bred mammals to islands without invasive predators

945

14.33.

Release translocated/captive-bred mammals in family/social groups

950

14.34.

Release translocated/captive-bred mammals in larger unrelated groups

967

14.35.

Release translocated/captive-bred mammals into area with artificial refuges/breeding sites

972

14.36.

Release translocated/captive-bred mammals at a specific time (e.g. season, day/night)

984

14.37.

Release translocated/captive-bred mammals to areas outside historical range

989

15.

Education and awareness raising

995

15.1.

Encourage community-based participation in land management

995

15.2.

Use campaigns and public information to improve behaviour towards mammals and reduce threats

997

15.3.

Provide education programmes to improve behaviour towards mammals and reduce threats

999

15.4.

Provide science-based films, radio programmes, or books about mammals to improve behaviour towards mammals and reduce threats

1002

15.5.

Train and support local staff to help reduce persecution of mammals

1003

15.6.

Publish data on ranger performance to motivate increased anti-poacher efforts

1004

Appendix 1: Journals (and years) searched

1007

Index

1017

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