Lorestan University Press Journal of Animal Diversity 2676-685X 5 3 2023 11 15 Cetaceans of the Congo River Estuary, DRC: the first inventory, aided by citizen science 1 18 719719 10.61186/JAD.2023.5.3.1 EN Samuel Mbungu Ndamba l'Institut Supérieur de Navigation et de Pêche (ISNP), Muanda, Kongo Central, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC); Centre d’Initiatives pour la Conservation de la Biodiversité (CICOBIO), Avenue Lelo Luemba N°10, Q. Ocean, Muanda, DRC Albert Maba Ngaka Service National de l'Aquaculture à Nsiamfumu, DRC Serge Nzinga Équipe d’observateurs des Cétacés, CICOBIO, Avenue Lelo Luemba N°10, Q. Ocean, Muanda, DRC Jérémie Sambu Banganga Agence de Pêche Artisanal (Artisanal Fisheries Agency), Nsiamfumu, DRC Hong-Yu Lai Eco Institute, Favor Industrial Centre, 2-6 Kin Hong Street, Kwai Chung, N.T., Hong Kong Koen Van Waerebeek Peruvian Centre for Cetacean Research/Centro Peruano de Estudios Cetológicos (CEPEC), Museo de Delfines, Pucusana, Lima-20, Peru; Conservation and Research of West African Aquatic Mammals (COREWAM), c/o Faculty of Environment and Conservation, University College of Agriculture and Environmental Studies, P.O. Box 25, Bunso, Eastern Region, Ghana Journal Article 2023 08 16 The first inventory of cetacean diversity in coastal waters of the Congo River Estuary, Democratic Republic of the Congo, was obtained between May 2021 and April 2022, through incidental sightings (n=17) reported mainly by artisanal fishers and direct observations of bycatches at fish landing sites. Confirmed records include five odontocete species: four Delphinidae: Delphinus capensis Gray, Pseudorca crassidens (Owen), Stenella frontalis (G. Cuvier), Tursiops truncatus (Montagu); one Kogiidae: Kogia sima (Owen). There was one mysticete, Balaenopteridae: Megaptera novaeangliae (Borowski). Of six small cetaceans documented landed for use as aquatic bushmeat, four (66.7%) were T. truncatus. Megaptera novaeangliae was the most frequently sighted cetacean (47.1% of reported sightings), registered between 17 May–3 September 2021, with a seasonality (austral winter) consistent with the SE Atlantic breeding stock (‘B-Stock’). All information was collected by locals, the at-sea sightings by trained fishermen in a citizen science framework. The main benefits included a welcome marine conservation educational component, and low-cost, opportunistic fishing boat use. Shortfalls comprised a deficiency in scientific detail and effort quantification, occasional data loss and lack of biological sampling. However, in a remote coastal region like the DRC’s Congo River estuary, where marine mammals have never before been studied, local citizen science methodology proved effective and, after adjustments, should be scaled-up.

https://jad.lu.ac.ir/article_719719_f33e10de922861acc8bf56149d0f8142.pdf

Lorestan University Press Journal of Animal Diversity 2676-685X 5 3 2023 12 12 A range extension of Walterinnesia morgani (Mocquard, 1905) (Reptilia: Squamata: Elapidae) to Southeastern Iran 19 25 724945 10.61186/JAD.2023.5.3.2 EN Soheila Shafiei Bafti Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Iran 0009-0007-6308-7616 Mohammad Ebrahim Sehhatisabet Department of the Environment of Iran, Provincial Office of Kerman, Iran 0009-0000-6574-0665 Naeim Moradi Iranian Plateau Herpetology Research Group (IPHRG), Faculty of Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran 0000-0002-8288-3972 Journal Article 2023 07 18 One juvenile specimen of the desert Cobra (Walterinnesia morgani) was obtained from Kerman Province, southeastern Iran. Three further localities of the species were recorded during 2010–2020. The farthest locality is situated about 270 km northeast of easternmost limit of the range. These records indicate a wider distribution of Walterinnesia morgani on the Iranian Plateau than previously thought. Results indicated that Walterinnesia morgani has a compatible distribution pattern with the zoogeographical region of Khuzestan Plain and the Persian Gulf Costs. In addition, information of pholidosis and habitat is presented.

https://jad.lu.ac.ir/article_724945_5f85142616fedfd720aeb989e18b7cbc.pdf

Lorestan University Press Journal of Animal Diversity 2676-685X 5 3 2023 12 12 First record of White-bellied flying squirrel Petaurista albiventer (Gray, 1834) (Mammalia: Rodentia: Sciuridae) in Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, India 26 30 724969 10.61186/JAD.2023.5.3.3 EN Shahbaz Ahmed Khan Wildlife Trust of India, National Capital Region (NCR), Noida 201301, India; Department of Wildlife Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh 202002, India 0000-0002-4545-6947 Anil Kumar Nair Wildlife Trust of India, National Capital Region (NCR), Noida 201301, India 0000-0003-3424-5041 Sujnan Mohan Kumar Wildlife Trust of India, National Capital Region (NCR), Noida 201301, India; Centre for Wildlife Studies, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Pookode, Wayanad 673576, India 0009-0003-1609-4603 Ali Jabran Wildlife Trust of India, National Capital Region (NCR), Noida 201301, India; Department of Wildlife Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh 202002, India 0009-0006-6696-5878 Shubham Prakash Bhise Wildlife Trust of India, National Capital Region (NCR), Noida 201301, India; Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Environment Education and Research, Pune, Maharashtra 411043, India 0009-0009-8396-9346 Ekta Shekhawat Wildlife Trust of India, National Capital Region (NCR), Noida 201301, India; Department of Environmental Science, Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati University, Ajmer, Rajasthan 305009, India 0009-0008-4392-9764 Journal Article 2023 08 14 We report the first record of the White-bellied flying squirrel Petaurista albiventer (Gray, 1834) within the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, which is part of the Terai Arc Landscape in India. This marks a new geographical distribution for P. albiventer within the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. This study contributes to the understanding of the geographical distribution, habitat ecology and taxonomy of the genus Petaurista (Link, 1795), shedding light on its presence in various ecologically significant regions and emphasizing the importance of preserving its habitat and promoting further research.

https://jad.lu.ac.ir/article_724969_afd52be2d3161fb5c0148609f1137a1b.pdf

Lorestan University Press Journal of Animal Diversity 2676-685X 5 3 2023 09 01 Breeding ecology of critically endangered Long-billed vulture Gyps indicus (Scopoli, 1786) and White-rumped vulture G. bengalensis (Gmelin, 1788) in Kaghaznagar Forest Division and its adjoining areas in the Deccan Plateau, India 31 42 724975 10.61186/JAD.2023.5.3.4 EN Manchiryala Ravikanth Mammalian Biology Lab, Department of Zoology & Wildlife Biology, A.V.C. College (Autonomous), Mannampandal-609 305, Mayiladuthurai, (affiliated to Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli), Tamil Nadu, India 0000-0002-7483-8055 Nagarajan Baskaran Mammalian Biology Lab, Department of Zoology & Wildlife Biology, A.V.C. College (Autonomous), Mannampandal-609 305, Mayiladuthurai, (affiliated to Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli), Tamil Nadu, India 0000-0003-3590-4854 Journal Article 2025 06 01 Gyps species declined rapidly between the late 1990s and early 2000s in southern Asia due to the use of diclofenac and are listed as Critically Endangered species. Long-term data on breeding ecology is essential to understand the population trends of these threatened species. This study assessed the breeding phenology and reproductive performance of two critically endangered Gyps species—Long-billed Gyps indicus (Scopoli) (LBV) and White-rumped Gyps bengalensis(Gmelin) (WRV) vultures—through long-term monitoring at breeding colonies in Kaghaznagar and Sironcha Forest Divisions in the Deccan Plateau of India between 2010 and 2021. LBV began their nest construction and copulation in the second week of October, and ended in the fourth week of November, while the WRV completed the same between the first and second weeks of October. LBV started egg-laying during the first week of December and ended in the first week of January, with a peak during the third week on 14 December, and the mean incubation period was 54±1 days. The WRV completed their egg-laying early, during the second and third weeks of October, and peaked during the second week on 14 October and had a relatively longer incubation of 61±1 days. For LBV, hatching peaked during the first week of February, and the mean nestling period was 103±2 days, while for WRV hatching peaked much earlier, during the third week of December and the mean nestling period was 105±1 days. Overall nest success, breeding success, and productivity estimated based on 159 breeding pairs of LBV observed over 12 years were lower compared to that of 124 breeding pairs of WRV observed over 6-year period. The decline in breeding success of LBV since 2019 is discussed in light of cattle poisoning reported in 2018, and the reopening of the Sirpur paper industry (Kaghaznagar) in 2017 that discharges its hazardous effluent into the Peddavagu stream. Therefore, the present study suggests long-term monitoring of breeding colonies including evaluation of the drivers of population and breeding, molecular and toxicological studies, and implementation of Vulture Safe Zones to save these critically endangered Gyps vultures from local extinction.

https://jad.lu.ac.ir/article_724975_3a4f348a17c5981bd6553eadfcada468.pdf

Lorestan University Press Journal of Animal Diversity 2676-685X 5 3 2023 12 22 Survival strategy–Temporal segregation of different age and sex classes of a Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris Linnaeus) population in Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh India 43 54 724978 10.61186/JAD.2023.5.3.5 EN Aniruddha Majumder Madhya Pradesh State Forest Research Institute, Polipathar, Jabalpur-482008 (M.P.), India 0000-0002-0311-1713 Journal Article 2023 08 12

https://jad.lu.ac.ir/article_724978_b9e1002544bdbabd9a9a4ac45ca7fec6.pdf

Lorestan University Press Journal of Animal Diversity 2676-685X 5 3 2023 09 30 Exploring habitat suitability for Bubalus arnee (Kerr, 1792) (Mammalia: Artiodactyla: Bovidae) and its interplay with domestic cattle within Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve 55 71 725027 10.61186/JAD.2023.5.3.6 EN Ashish Subedi School of Environmental Science and Management (SchEMS), Faculty of Science and Technology, Pokhara University, Nepal 0009-0002-6339-2438 Rajeev Joshi College of Natural Resource Management, Faculty of Forestry, Agriculture and Forestry University, Katari-56310, Udayapur, Nepal 0000-0003-1106-9911 Santosh Ghimire Faculty of Forestry, Agriculture and Forestry University, Hetauda-44107, Nepal 0009-0006-4068-0989 Sewak Bhatta Faculty of Forestry, Agriculture and Forestry University, Hetauda-44107, Nepal 0009-0009-0474-5134 Kripa Pokhrel College of Natural Resource Management, Faculty of Forestry, Agriculture and Forestry University, Katari-56310, Udayapur, Nepal 0009-0005-0343-9283 Journal Article 2023 07 23 The wild water buffalo-WWB (Bubalus arnee) holds a significant ecological role within Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Nepal. Despite its importance, there has been a lack of comprehensive research addressing its distribution, habitat suitability, and interaction with domestic cattle. To address these gaps, this study was undertaken with the primary objectives of elucidating the population distribution of B. arnee within the reserve, mapping its habitat suitability, and evaluating the interplay between B. arnee and domestic cattle in the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve. The study area was subdivided into cells to gather data on B. arnee presence using various indicators such as sightings, dung, and footprints. Interaction between B. arnee and domestic cattle was assessed based on their spatial overlap within and outside a 500-meter radius from observation points. Employing the MaxEnt algorithm, distribution data of B. arnee and climatic variables including maximum and minimum temperatures, mean temperature, and rainfall were analyzed, while land use and cover maps were acquired from the Department of Survey for further analysis. Results revealed a concentration of B. arnee in the southwest region of the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, with a total of 405 individuals recorded, comprising 26 calves, 6 sub-adults, and 373 adults. The distribution pattern displayed a prevalence of small-sized herds (1–15 individuals) followed by medium-sized (15–29 individuals) and large-sized (29+ individuals) herds. Notably, B. arnee presence was most prominent in grassland areas (approximately 49% of observations), while forested regions accounted for the lowest presence (approximately 10% of observations). Interestingly, domestic buffalo were observed near B. arnee only in a single cell in the southwest section of the study area, while in the eastern cells of the reserve, overlaps between domestic cows and B. arnee occurred within a 500-meter radius. Our study indicated a suitability index greater than or equal to 0.5876, encompassing only about 14% of the reserve's total area. The jackknife test highlighted the influential environmental variables in the model, with annual precipitation contributing around 60.8% and the maximum temperature of the warmest month contributing about 39.20% in determining the distribution of B. arnee. The results underscored the significance of annual precipitation, with a regularized training gain of 0.50, compared to 0.32 for the maximum temperature of the warmest month. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the distribution, habitat suitability, and interaction dynamics of B. arnee within the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, offering valuable insights for informed wildlife management and conservation strategies.

https://jad.lu.ac.ir/article_725027_225dbb4f225caff113b8352f03a435e5.pdf

Lorestan University Press Journal of Animal Diversity 2676-685X 5 3 2023 09 30 Composition and seasonality of avifauna found near the National Thermal Power Corporation area of Angul district, Odisha, India 72 86 725028 10.61186/JAD.2023.5.3.7 EN Rajesh Lenka Department of Zoology, Ballygunge Science College, University of Calcutta, Kolkata-700019, West Bengal, India 0000-0002-0164-5754 Journal Article 2023 07 11 The present study was undertaken from November 2020 to October 2021 to understand the bird species diversity, and variation in their seasonality, near the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) area of Talcher located in Angul district of Odisha state in India. The identified birds included 668 individuals of 90 species (including three near-threatened species) belonging to 18 orders, 41 families and 75 genera. As per the study, Passeriformes is found to be most dominant with 34 species (38% of total bird species). Considering the feeding guilds of birds, insectivore bird species were found in higher number (32 species) followed by carnivores (16 species), and then omnivores and frugivores (10 species each). It was found that the winter season was the most species rich (70 species, 328 individuals), and the monsoon season the least (43 species, 127 individuals). The Shannon-Wiener index (H'= 3.48) was also found to be high in winter season but the evenness index (E= 0.65) was found to be higher in monsoon season. The cluster analysis showed that the bird composition of the summer season strongly correlates with bird composition of the winter and monsoon seasons, but the bird composition of the monsoon season is not significantly correlated with bird composition of the winter season. The results from the study can act as the baseline for further research on birds in the Angul district of Odisha.

https://jad.lu.ac.ir/article_725028_07e7ce04e9597c10b62034402a76f549.pdf

Lorestan University Press Journal of Animal Diversity 2676-685X 5 3 2023 09 30 Amphibians in the natural and human-modified ecosystems at the Center for Ecological Development and Recreation (CEDAR), Bukidnon, the Philippines 87 103 725029 10.61186/JAD.2023.5.3.8 EN Khean Harvey S. Acuevas Institute of Biological Sciences, Animal Biology Division, Central Mindanao University, Maramag, Philippines 0009-0004-7140-4341 Dave P. Buenavista Institute of Biological Sciences, Animal Biology Division, Central Mindanao University, Maramag, Philippines 0000-0002-0198-2179 Journal Article 2023 07 18 The Center for Ecological Development and Recreation (CEDAR) is an ecotourism site comprised of natural and human-modified ecosystems in Bukidnon, Philippines. With very little existing research on the influence of human-modified ecosystems on amphibian assemblages in the Philippines, we designed this study to evaluate amphibian assemblages in CEDAR. Using a combination of transects sampling, active searching, and auditory samplings, amphibian samplings were conducted at three sites: a human-modified area, a dipterocarp forest, and the Dila River System. A total of 425 individuals of 18 species from 13 genera and 7 families were documented. The family Ceratobatrachidae was the most represented group, with four species. Out of 18 species, 14 (78%) were Philippine endemics, indicating a high rate of amphibian endemism at CEDAR. In terms of IUCN conservation status, 14 out of 18 species were classified as Least Concern and two as Near Threatened, while two have undetermined conservation status. The Shannon-Weiner and Gini-Simpsons Diversity values revealed that the Human-modified area had the highest diversity compared to the Dila River System and dipterocarp forest. Surprisingly, the human-modified area in CEDAR was found to be the habitat of many anuran species, in particular, a number of generalist species, whilst some specialist species were restricted to natural habitats like the dipterocarp forest and Dila River System. The high amphibian diversity in the human-modified area requires further field studies; hence, additional amphibian samplings are recommended. Long-term wildlife evaluation and monitoring should be carried-out in CEDAR to facilitate the conservation of amphibian populations and their natural habitats in this area.

https://jad.lu.ac.ir/article_725029_9a70c270e81e6a8fe59db2142a332a1a.pdf