Wildcats in the Swiss Jura learn lessons from WildCRU’s studies in Scotland: the risk of hybridization between domestic cats and European wildcats

September 14, 2020

There may be more than one way to skin a cat, but hybridisation leads to only one outcome, writes David Macdonald in celebrating a new paper led by Claudio Quilodran Venegas: I have been involved in researching wildcat biology, and their conservation, in Scotland for over twenty years. While the analyses of hybridisation with domestic ... Read full story

Enumerating wild cats’ population over time: providing reliable measurement of small-medium sized wild cats population dynamics for better conservation interventions and policy

August 13, 2020

WildCRU’s Iding Haidir writes from Sumatra Wildlife conservation is a collective effort of many stakeholders. It comprises of conservation researchers and scientists works that i.e. assesses conservation states of species or habitats through conducting population estimate of a species or multi species in particular region or at global scale. Secondly, wildlife/national park managers who work ... Read full story

Dholes prefer small deer prey in Southeast Asia

August 4, 2020

The dhole (Cuon alpinus), or Asiatic wild dog, is classified as Endangered by the IUCN because it has disappeared from most of its historical range, and remaining populations are fragmented and still declining. The main threats to this species include depletion of their prey base, habitat loss, and persecution due to livestock predation. Depletion of ... Read full story

Ensuring conservation policy incorporates social and ecological complexities: lessons from Kenya and game meat

August 20, 2020

WildCRU’s Peter Tyrrell writes from Kenya Two years ago, the Kenyan Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife called for public comment on a potential policy change. The government was considering the reintroduction of the trade and sale of meat and other products from wildlife (trophy hunting was not considered). Following these calls for public participation, we assembled ... Read full story

Badgers inspire youthful scientists thanks to WildCRU’s classroom ambassador

August 6, 2020

I am thrilled to celebrate recognition of Tanesha Allen’s success in the education arena, writes David Macdonald. Tanesha is in the final throes of completing a doctoral thesis on olfactory communication in European badgers – a topic she has used as a launchpad for getting several Oxfordshire schools to engage in behavioural research. Some pupils have even joined ... Read full story

Preferences for lion and tiger bone wines amongst the urban public in China and Vietnam

August 4, 2020

Since 2008, over 6000 captive-bred lion skeletons have been legally exported from South Africa to South-east Asia; giving rise to one of the most high-profile and contentious issues in contemporary felid conservation. WildCRU, along with partner NGO TRAFFIC, has pioneered investigations into the lion skeleton trade, and in 2015 published the first report on international ... Read full story