Professor Vincent Nijman
Professor in Anthropology
School of Law and Social Sciences
Teaching and supervision
Courses
Modules taught
I have taught for five years on an MSc course in Animal Behaviour at the University of Amsterdam and I am currently module leader for four modules for the MSc in Primate Conservation (Department of Social Sciences) and the MSc in International Conservation (Department of Biological and Medical Sciences).
Modules taught
Postgraduate
- P10203 International Legislation, Humans and Wildlife
- P20101 Primate Diversity and Conservation
- P20104 Population Genetics and Management
- P20107 Final project
Research Students
Name | Thesis title | Completed |
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Leah Fitzpatrick | Evolution and conservation of venomous primates, the slow and pygmy lorises of South East Asia (Nycticebus sp. and Xanthonycticebus sp.) | Active |
Emma Hankinson | Megafauna Extinction on our watch: Conserving Sumatra’s last remaining elephant populations and their tropical forests | Active |
Sophie Manson | Quantifying the ecosystem services provided by vertebrates within an agroforest environment in Java, Indonesia | Active |
Thais Morcatty | A multilateral approach to tackling wildlife trade in South America: people, ecology and conservation Supervisors | Active |
Sam Hyde Roberts | Behavioural ecology, adaptation and conservation of the Anosy mouse lemur (Microcebus tanosi) in the littoral forests of Sainte Luce, southeastern Madagascar | Active |
Angelina Wilson | Primate Factoids: Efficacy of visual literature in teaching young children about ecology and conservation | 2024 |
Dr Lucy Vigne | The rhino horn and ivory trade: 1980–2020 | 2021 |
Dr Penthai Siriwat | ‘Wildlife Trade in the Digital Age: The role of the Internet in monitoring the trade in wild plants and animals in Thailand | 2020 |
Dr Miguel de Guinea Luengo | Navigating in Rainforests: Movement patterns in a neotropical primate the Black Howler Monkey. | 2020 |
Dr Jaima Smith | An examination and assessment of current conservation practices for Javan gibbons (Hylobates moloch) in West Java, Indonesia | 2019 |
Dr Daniel Bergin | Wildlife Trade in Morocco: Conservation, Laws and Welfare | 2019 |
Dr Marco Campera | Ecological flexibilty and conservation of Fleurette's sportive lemur, Lepilemur fleureatae, in the lowland rainforest of Ampasy, Tsitongambarika Protected Area | 2018 |
Dr Stephanie Poindexter | Navigating the Night: Spatial Cognition. Locomotor and ranging behaviour in Nycticebus species | 2018 |
Research
My research programme focuses on assessing the impact of human-induced disturbances (logging, fire, fragmentation, wildlife trade) on vertebrates, with primates as one of the model groups. I am furthermore interested in biogeography, hotspot analysis and conservation area selection, and phylogeny and DNA-barcoding.
Centres and institutes
Groups
- Sustainable Agroforestry
- Nocturnal Primate Research Group (NPRG)
- Oxford Wildlife Trade Research Group
Projects
- Sustainable non-timber forest products production and consumption in Indonesia
Publications
Journal articles
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Chavez J, Nijman V, Sukmadewi DKT, Sadnyana MD, Manson S, Campera M, 'Impact of Farm Management on Soil Fertility in Agroforestry Systems in Bali, Indonesia'
Sustainability 16 (18) (2024)
ISSN: 2071-1050 eISSN: 2071-1050AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARExpansion and intensification of agricultural land in the tropics increasingly raises environmental concerns and questions about sustainability of production systems. A key parameter to consider when assessing the sustainability of production systems is soil fertility, and of particular interest are macronutrients, pH, electrical conductivity, and microbial communities. To understand which environmental factors influence soil fertility, we studied the abovementioned key parameters in two agroforestry systems (rustic and polyculture) in Bali, Indonesia. Via Generalized Linear Models, we found that agroforestry system, canopy cover, crop richness, tree richness, and yields had differing effects on topsoil (0–5 cm) and subsoil (10–15 cm) properties, including C:N ratios, conductivity, K, organic C, P, and total microbes. We found a higher C:N ratio in topsoil (p = 0.027), higher organic carbon content in topsoil (p = 0.009) and subsoil (p
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Garber PA, Estrada A, Shanee S, Svensson MS, Arregoitia LV, Nijman V, Shanee N, Gouveia SF, Nekaris A, Chaudhary A, Bicca-Marques JC, Fris Hansen M, 'Global wildlife trade and trafficking contribute to the world’s nonhuman primate conservation crisis'
Frontiers in Conservation Science 5 (2024)
eISSN: 2673-611XAbstractPublished hereA growing global human population, habitat conversion, and the indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources have created unsustainable demands on nature, resulting in widespread biodiversity loss. Primates, which represent the third most specious Order of mammals, are facing an extinction crisis. Currently, 69% of primate species are listed by the IUCN as threatened (Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered) and 94% have declining populations. Here, we examine two primary threats to primate population persistence, namely the commercialized hunting and capturing of wild primates and their body parts for food, traditional medicine, pets, and use in biomedical research. Both the legal wildlife trade and illegal wildlife trafficking represent multibillion-dollar industries that contribute to primate population decline, a reduction in genetic diversity, and local extirpation. Trade and trafficking also can lead to the emergence of infectious diseases, increasing biosecurity risks to humans. Between 2015 and 2021, CITES reported 337,511 live primates representing at least 99 species were legally traded, with 6.5% sourced directly from the wild. The recent indictment of Cambodian officials for allegedly laundering wild-caught long-tailed macaques into the U.S. by labelling them as captive-bred, highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability. Comprehensive data on the illegal trafficking of primates are extremely difficult to obtain. However, between 2009 and 2017, primates accounted for 20% of all seizures of illegally traded mammals in the air transport sector. International wildlife trafficking is dominated by criminal networks, corruption, and driven by the demands of Frontiers in Conservation Science wealthy consumers. In addition, the internet has expanded international opportunities to connect buyers and sellers of wild-caught primates and their body parts. Despite explicit bans on selling endangered primates, social media sites continue to do so. Moreover, data on the global food security index (GFSI) indicate that as the international demand for wild live primates, their meat, and other body parts has continued to increase, the majority of people in primate range nations have remained food insecure. Given that almost 70% of primate species are negatively impacted by hunting and trapping, we offer a set of recommendations to reduce the trade and trafficking of wild primates.
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Nijman V, Abdullah A, Ardiansyah A, Campera M, Chavez J, Dewi T, Hankinson E, Hedger K, Imron MA, Manson S, Morcatty TQ, Payuse INAD, Rapone BC, Shepherd CR, Siriwat P, Svensson MS, Nekaris KAI , 'Trade in Prevost’s squirrels: legality, risk for introduction and disease transmission'
European Journal of Wildlife Research 70 (2024)
ISSN: 1612-4642 eISSN: 1439-0574AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARquirrels traded for pets or consumption have the potential to be vectors for zoonotic disease transmission and to establish themselves as invasive species. Callosciurus spp. (Greek for beautiful squirrel) are popular in the pet trade due to their medium size and many colour variants, though several feral populations have established themselves in various parts of the world and these wild-caught individuals can carry and spread infectious diseases. Here, we investigate the live trade in Prevost’s squirrels (C. prevosti) in Indonesia where they are naturally found on the islands of Sumatra, Bangka and Borneo. Between 2016 and 2024, we recorded 284 Prevost’s squirrels for sale, viz., 115 in the physical markets and 169 online. We detected the species for sale in Sumatra (13 individuals), Bangka (7) and Borneo (3), i.e. within their natural range, but also on Java (242) and Bali (4). The mean asking price per individual was US$63, and younger individuals commanded higher prices than older ones. Asking prices were not higher in cities further away from the species’ native range nor in cities with higher purchasing power. All individuals were wild-caught, and with a domestic quota of five individuals allowed to be traded as pets per year (45 over the study period) most of this trade is illegal under Indonesian law. This is distinctly different from trade in Prevost’s squirrels in for instance Europe or the USA where legally captive-bred individuals are offered for sale. In Indonesia the illegal trade happens in the open and despite the risk of the spread of zoonotic diseases wherever it is traded there appears to be little incentive on the side of the authorities to curb this trade. Their widespread availability on Java and Bali risks the accidental or deliberate introduction on these two islands. Better coordination is needed between the Indonesian authorities, online sales sites, pet traders and consumers to stop the sale of illegally obtained Prevost’s squirrels to limit the risk of them becoming invasive species or contributing to the spread of emerging infectious diseases.
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Campera M, Chavez J, Humber C, Jain V, Cioci H, Aulia F, Alua KA, Prawerti DAD, Ali SRR, Swastika IW, Dusak PGBJ, Priatama IPA, Jones AK, Bulbert MW, Putra NGM, Kuntayuni, Sukmadewi DKT, Nijman V, Setiawan IM, Manson S, 'Impact of Cropland Management on Invertebrate Richness and Abundance in Agroforestry Systems in Bali, Indonesia'
Land 13 (4) (2024)
ISSN: 2073-445X eISSN: 2073-445XAbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARThe intensive management of cropland refers to a reduction in habitat complexity (i.e., shade tree cover, tree species richness, crop species richness) to gain more profits. This usually entails a decrease in biodiversity, but agroforestry systems have been shown to provide a solution to the need for profits while maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services. Invertebrates are important bioindicators since they are not just affected by a decrease in habitat complexity; they are also key for the maintenance of ecosystems given their ecological roles. We aimed to understand how agricultural intensification impacted invertebrate abundance and richness in an agroforestry system in Bali, Indonesia. We set up 53 × 25 m2 plots and collected data via pitfall and pan traps. We linked those data to vegetation data (canopy cover, tree species richness, crop species richness), habitat type (rustic vs. polyculture), and productivity. Overall, we found that the abundance and richness of invertebrate taxa were positively influenced by increasing canopy cover and crop and tree species richness. This supports the habitat heterogeneity hypothesis, which indicates that increased habitat complexity promotes higher invertebrate species richness and abundance. The abundance and richness of certain invertebrate taxa, including agents of biocontrol, were shown to increase in plots with higher yields, thus solidifying the important role of invertebrate communities in the provision of ecosystem services. Harvesting crops from complex agroforestry systems ensures a sustainable income for local communities as well as habitats for invertebrates.
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Nijman V, Adbullah A, Adinda E, Ardiansyah A, Campera M, Chavez J, Dewi T, Hedger K, Imron MA, Shepherd CR, Sukmadewi DKT, Wirdateti W, Nekaris KAI, 'Indonesia's sustainable development goals in relation to curbing and monitoring the illegal wildlife trade'
Sustainable Development [online first] (2024)
ISSN: 0968-0802 eISSN: 1099-1719AbstractPublished hereIndonesia has committed to implement the sustainable development goals (SDG) by 2030 including the ending trafficking of protected species and addressing the illegal wildlife demand and supply. As such, there is a need for long-term data on wild animal trade and its contribution to the wider economy. We initiated a long-term monitoring programme of live civet trade in wildlife markets (120 surveys, 2010–2023). Civets are traded to be kept as exotic pets and to produce civet coffee and are a proxy for other high-profile wildlife. We recorded 2289 civets of six species, including ones with strict regulations in place. Despite the trade being illegal, and contra to Indonesia's commitments as part of the SDG to curb this trade, it remained remarkably stable over time (numbers, species, prices). As such, Indonesia is not meeting its SDG targets that are related to curbing illegal wildlife trade and illicit financial flows.
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Abdullah A, Ardiansyah A, Balestri M, Campera M, Chavez J, Dewi T, Fourage A, Hankinson EL, Hedger K, Leupen B, Manson S, Morcatty TQ, Nekaris KAI, Nijman V, Pereyra PER, Sintya E, Svensson MS, Xie M, 'Parrot Trade and the Potential Risk of Psittacosis as a Zoonotic Disease in Indonesian Bird Markets'
Birds 5 (1) (2024) pp.137-154
ISSN: 2673-6004 eISSN: 2673-6004AbstractPublished hereWildlife trade, both legal and illegal, is increasingly recognized as a key factor in the rise of emerging viral infectious diseases, and this is especially apparent in Asia, where large numbers of wildlife are openly offered for sale in bird markets. We here focus on the risk of Psittacosis becoming a zoonotic disease in the wildlife markets of Java and Bali, Indonesia. Psittacosis is particularly prevalent in parrots (hence the name), and the trade in parrots was instrumental in the Great Parrot Fever Pandemic in 1929/1930. Between 2014 and 2023, we conducted 176 surveys of 14 bird markets, during which we recorded 4446 largely wild-caught parrots for sale. On average, each market had nine genera on offer, and the diversity of genera increased with the increasing presence of parrots (up to 16 genera). For most of the bird markets during each survey, parrots from different genera and originating from different parts of the world, were offered for sale alongside each other. Genera offered for sale together did not cluster into natural (geographic) groups. We found no temporal difference in the sale of parrots. We conclude that the omnipresence of wild-caught parrots from various geographic regions in large numbers within the same bird markets increases the risk that psittacosis is present and that this poses a real risk for the zoonotic spread of avian chlamydiosis to humans.
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Timothy M. Eppley, Kim E. Reuter, Timothy M. Sefczek, Jen Tinsman, Luca Santini, Selwyn Hoeks, Seheno Andriantsaralaza, Sam Shanee, Anthony Di Fiore, Joanna M. Setchell, Karen B. Strier, Peter A. Abanyam, Aini Hasanah Abd Mutalib, Ekwoge Abwe, Tanvir Ahmed, Marc Ancrenaz, Raphali R. Andriantsimanarilafy, Andie Ang, Filippo Aureli, Louise Barrett, Jacinta C. Beehner, Marcela E. Benítez, Bruna M. Bezerra, Júlio César Bicca-Marques, Dominique Bikaba, Robert Bitariho, Christophe Boesch, Laura M. Bolt, Ramesh Boonratana, Thomas M. Butynski, Gustavo R. Canale, Susana Carvalho, Colin A. Chapman, Dilip Chetry, Susan M. Cheyne, Marina Cords, Fanny M. Cornejo, Liliana Cortés-Ortiz, Camille N. Z. Coudrat, Margaret C. Crofoot, Drew T. Cronin, Alvine Dadjo, S. Chrystelle Dakpogan, Emmanuel Danquah, Tim R. B. Davenport, Yvonne A. de Jong, Stella de la Torre, Andrea Dempsey, Judeline C. Dimalibot, Rainer Dolch, Giuseppe Donati, Alejandro Estrada, Rassina A. Farassi, Peter J. Fashing, Eduardo Fernandez-Duque, Maria J. Ferreira da Silva, Julia Fischer, César F. Flores-Negrón, Barbara Fruth, Terence Fuh Neba, Lief Erikson Gamalo, Jörg U. Ganzhorn, Paul A. Garber, Smitha D. Gnanaolivu, Mary Katherine Gonder, Sery Ernest Gonedelé Bi, Benoit Goossens, Marcelo Gordo, Juan M. Guayasamin, Diana C. Guzmán-Caro, Andrew R. Halloran, Jessica A. Hartel, Eckhard W. Heymann, Russell A. Hill, Kimberley J. Hockings, Gottfried Hohmann, Naven Hon, Mariano G. Houngbédji, Michael A. Huffman, Rachel A. Ikemeh, Inaoyom Imong, Mitchell T. Irwin, Patrícia Izar, Leandro Jerusalinsky, Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Beth A. Kaplin, Peter M. Kappeler, Stanislaus M. Kivai, Cheryl D. Knott, Intanon Kolasartsanee, Kathelijne Koops, Martin M. Kowalewski, Deo Kujirakwinja, Ajith Kumar, Quyet K. Le, Rebecca J. Lewis, Aung Ko Lin, Andrés Link, Luz I. Loría, Menladi M. Lormie, Edward E. Louis Jr., Ngwe Lwin, Fiona Maisels, Suchinda Malaivijitnond, Lesley Marisa, Gráinne M. McCabe, W. Scott McGraw, Addisu Mekonnen, Pedro G. Méndez-Carvajal, Tânia Minhós, David M. Montgomery, Citlalli Morelos-Juárez, Bethan J. Morgan, David Morgan, Amancio Motove Etingüe, Papa Ibnou Ndiaye, K. Anne-Isola Nekaris, Nga Nguyen, Vincent Nijman, Radar Nishuli, Marilyn A. Norconk, Luciana I. Oklander, Rahayu Oktaviani, Julia Ostner, Emily Otali, Susan E. Perry, Eduardo J. Pinel Ramos, Leila M. Porter, Jill D. Pruetz, Anne E. Pusey, Helder L. Queiroz, Mónica A. Ramírez, Guy Hermas Randriatahina, Hoby Rasoanaivo, Jonah Ratsimbazafy, Joelisoa Ratsirarson, Josia Razafindramanana, Onja H. Razafindratsima, Vernon Reynolds, Rizaldi Rizaldi, Martha M. Robbins, Melissa E. Rodríguez, Marleny Rosales-Meda, Crickette M. Sanz, Dipto Sarkar, Anne Savage, Amy L. Schreier, Oliver Schülke, Gabriel H. Segniagbeto, Juan Carlos Serio-Silva, Arif Setiawan, John Seyjagat, Felipe E. Silva, Elizabeth M. Sinclair, Rebecca L. Smith, Denise Spaan, Fiona A. Stewart, Shirley C. Strum, Martin Surbeck, Magdalena S. Svensson, Mauricio Talebi, Luc Roscelin Tédonzong, Bernardo Urbani, João Valsecchi, Natalie Vasey, Erin R. Vogel, Robert B. Wallace, Janette Wallis, Siân Waters, Roman M. Wittig, Richard W. Wrangham, Patricia C. Wright, Russell A. Mittermeier , 'Tropical field stations yield high conservation return on investment'
Conservation Letters 17 (2) (2024) pp. e13007-
ISSN: 1755-263X eISSN: 1755-263XAbstractPublished hereConservation funding is currently limited; cost-effective conservation solutions are essential. We suggest that the thousands of field stations worldwide can play key roles at the frontline of biodiversity conservation and have high intrinsic value. We assessed field stations’ conservation return on investment and explored the impact of COVID-19. We surveyed leaders of field stations across tropical regions that host primate research; 157 field stations in 56 countries responded. Respondents reported improved habitat quality and reduced hunting rates at over 80% of field stations and lower operational costs per km2 than protected areas, yet half of those surveyed have less funding now than in 2019. Spatial analyses support field station presence as reducing deforestation. These “earth observatories” provide a high return on investment; we advocate for increased support of field station programs and for governments to support their vital conservation efforts by investing accordingly
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Eppley TM, Reuter KE, Sefczek TM,..... Svensson MS....et al.
, 'Tropical field stations yield high conservation return on investment'
Conservation Letters Early View (2024)
ISSN: 1755-263X eISSN: 1755-263XAbstractPublished hereConservation funding is currently limited; cost-effective conservation solutions are essential.We suggest that the thousands of field stations worldwide can play key roles at the frontline of biodiversity conservation and have high intrinsic value.We assessed field stations’ conservation return on investment and explored the impact of COVID-19. We surveyed leaders of field stations across tropical regions that host primate research; 157 field stations in 56 countries responded. Respondents reported improved habitat quality and reduced hunting rates at over 80% of field stations and lower operational costs per km2 than protected areas, yet half of those surveyed have less funding now than in 2019. Spatial analyses support field station presence as reducing deforestation. These “earth observatories” provide a high return on investment; we advocate for increased support of field station programs and for governments to support their vital conservation efforts by investing accordingly.
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Manson S, Nekaris KAI, Nijman V, Campera M, 'Effect of shade on biodiversity within coffee farms: A meta-analysis'
Science of the Total Environment 914 (2024)
ISSN: 0048-9697 eISSN: 1879-1026AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARAligning crop production with conservation initiatives has long been a topic of debate, with agricultural intensification threatening biodiversity across the globe. Shade-grown coffee allows farmers to preserve biodiversity by providing viable habitat, but its conservation value remains unclear. In this meta-analysis, we screened existing literature using the PRISMA protocol to compare the effect of three shade intensities on species diversity and individual abundance: sun, low shade (LS) and high shade (HS). Furthermore, we examine differences between taxa, within taxa and between regions to establish which species benefit most from shade and whether these benefits vary dependent on geographical location. Out of 1889 studies, we included 69 studies in the analysis, and performed random-effects meta-analyses and meta-regressions. Overall, we found that species diversity was significantly higher in HS when compared to sun and LS, and species diversity in LS tended to be higher than in sun. In each treatment, the species diversity of birds was higher in the higher shade treatment, i.e., HS and LS. In addition, mammal and epiphyte species diversity was higher in HS when compared to LS. Similarly, studies from Latin America showed significantly higher species diversity and abundance in shaded farms when compared to sun farms. Studies conducted in Africa detailed the opposite relationship, with abundance being significantly higher in less shaded systems, highlighting that land-use strategies must be region-specific. Moving forward, strategies to conserve biodiversity within coffee farms should: 1) account for region-specific variables; 2) end further encroachment; 3) maintain connectivity; and 4) optimise yield through prioritising faunal and floral diversity.
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Chavez J, Payuse I, Kuntayuni, Campera M, Nijman V, 'Tourism, international wildlife trade and the (in)effectiveness of CITES'
Environmental Conservation 51 (2023) pp.64-70
ISSN: 0376-8929 eISSN: 1469-4387Published here Open Access on RADAR -
Woolloff A, Svensson MS, Jabbar S, Ang A, Nijman V, 'Population viability analysis of the population of Raffles’ banded langurs Presbytis femoralis in Singapore'
Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 71 (2023) pp.542-552
ISSN: 0217-2445 eISSN: 2345-7600AbstractPublished herePopulation viability analyses (PVAs) have become a useful tool in wildlife conservation because of their
ability to assess the relative impact of threats on populations and identify the most effective management scenarios for endangered species. The Raffles’ banded langur (Presbytis femoralis) is classified as Critically Endangered, with populations occurring in Peninsular Malaysia and the island of Singapore. In Singapore, as of 2021, 68 individuals remain, up from approximately 40 in 2010. A key goal listed in a recent species action plan was to increase the population size. In this study, a PVA was conducted to model the integrated effects of deterministic and stochastic factors on estimated growth trajectories. VORTEX software was used to model the relative impact of threats (habitat loss and low genetic diversity) and management scenarios (increased habitat connectivity, translocation of conspecifics from Malaysia) on population growth rates within a 50-year period. Our modelled results estimated the probability of extinction to be 0% in every scenario and the baseline predicted a population of 244 individuals by 2071 with current population growth rates. The impacts of inbreeding on the population were low, with minimal variation from the baseline scenario. The primary constraint to future population growth is habitat availability, with the population having the potential to reach carrying capacity within the next 40–50 years even if improved habitat connectivity allows increased access to neighbouring forest fragments. With this study, we provide further support for the top management priorities of habitat protection and connectivity identified in the species action plan. There is an urgent need to identify other suitable habitats for the species within Singapore to support future population expansion towards numbers consistent with long-term demographic and genetic viability, with the positive impact of translocations likely to be minimal unless carrying capacity can be increased. With populations of most primate species decreasing and cities playing an increasingly crucial role as a refuge for remaining wildlife populations, this study also demonstrates the potential for populations to recover with effective management, with population growth in the Singapore Raffles’ banded langur population demonstrated in all threat scenarios modelled. Conservationists can utilise the strategies employed in Singapore to safeguard similar primate populations in fragmented habitats. -
Nijman N, Morcatty TQ, El Bizri HR, Al-Razi H, Ang A, Ardiansyah A, Atoussi S, Bergin D, Bell S, Braga-Pereira F, Campera M, Das N, Ennes Silva F, Feddema K, Foreman G, Fourage A, Gnanaolivu SD, Friis Hansen M, Račevska E, Rapone BC, Regmi GR, Shepherd CR, Shukhova S, Siriwat P, Smith JH, Tabar SAMM, Tavares AS, Weldon AV, Wilson A, Yamaguchi N, Zhang M, Svensson MS, Nekaris K.A.I., 'Global online trade in primates for pets'
Environmental Development 48 (2023)
ISSN: 2211-4645 eISSN: 2211-4653AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARThe trade in primates as pets is a global enterprise and as access to the Internet has increased, so too has the trade of live primates online. While quantifying primate trade in physical markets is relatively straightforward, limited insights have been made into trade via the Internet. Here we followed a three-pronged approach to estimate the prevalence and ease of purchasing primates online in countries with different socioeconomic characteristics. We first conducted a literature review, in which we found that Malaysia, Thailand, the USA, Ukraine, South Africa, and Russia stood out in terms of the number of primate individuals being offered for sale as pets in the online trade. Then, we assessed the perceived ease of purchasing pet primates online in 77 countries, for which we found a positive relationship with the Internet Penetration Rate, total human population and Human Development Index, but not to Gross Domestic Product per capita or corruption levels of the countries. Using these results, we then predicted the levels of online primate trade in countries for which we did not have first-hand data. From this we created a global map of prevalence of primate trade online. Finally, we analysed price data of the two primate taxa most consistently offered for sale, marmosets and capuchins. We found that prices increased with the ease of purchasing primates online and the Gross Domestic Product per capita. This overview provides insight into the nature and intricacies of the online primate pet trade and advocates for increased trade regulation and monitoring in both primate range and non-range countries where trade has been substantially reported.
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Praill LC, Eppley TM, Shanee S, Cunneyworth PMK, Abra FD, Allgas N, Al-Razi H, Campera M, Cheyne SM, Collinson W, Donati G, Linden B, Manson S, Maria M, Morcatty TQ, Nekaris KAI, Oklander LI, Nijman V, Svensson MS., 'Road Infrastructure and Primate Conservation: Introducing the Global Primate Roadkill Database'
Animals 13 (10) (2023)
ISSN: 2076-2615 eISSN: 2076-2615AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARAs road infrastructure networks rapidly expand globally, especially in the tropics, previously continuous habitats are being fragmented, resulting in more frequent wildlife–vehicle collisions (WVC). Primates are widespread throughout many sub-/tropical countries, and as their habitats are fragmented, they are increasingly at risk of WVC. We created the Global Primate Roadkill Database (GPRD), the largest available standardized database of primate roadkill incidents. We obtained data from published papers, un-published and citizen science databases, anecdotal reports, news reports, and social media posts. Here, we describe the collection methods for the GPRD and present the most up-to-date version of the database in full. For each primate roadkill incident, we recorded the species killed, the exact location, and the year and month the roadkill was observed. At the time of publication, the GPRD includes 2862 individual primate roadkill records from 41 countries. As primates range in more than twice as many countries, the absence of data from these countries is not necessarily indicative of a lack of primate vehicular collisions. Given the value of these data for addressing both local and global research questions, we encourage conservationists and citizen scientists to contribute to the GPRD so that, together, we can better understand the impact road infrastructure has on primates and evaluate measures which may help mitigate risk-prone areas or species.
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Svensson MS, Nijman V, Shepherd CR, 'Insights into the primate trade into the European Union and the United Kingdom'
European Journal of Wildlife Research 69 (3) (2023)
ISSN: 1612-4642 eISSN: 1439-0574AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARIllegal and/or unsustainable trade is a major obstacle to effective primate conservation. The wildlife trade in the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) is significant, but for many species, such as primates, the trade is poorly understood and sparsely reported. All EU countries are Party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES); all primates are listed on Appendix I or II of CITES and are included on Annex A or B of Regulation (EC) No 338/97. We here combine data from several databases (CITES, UN Comtrade, TRAFFIC WiTIS) and seizure reports, to provide a narrative of the trade in primates into and within Europe. The legal import of live primates (2002–2021) amounted to 218,000–238,000 individuals (valued at US$ 869 million), with France, the UK, and Spain as the main importers and Mauritius, Vietnam, and China as the main exporters. Over 21,000 primate parts (trophies, skulls, bodies) were imported mainly from African countries, and UN Comtrade data suggests that ~ 600 tonnes of primate meat was imported mainly from Asia. The vast majority of live primates are either captive-born or captive-bred, and this proportion has increased over time. Reports of the illegal primate trade are far from complete, but the illegal trade of specific species or primate meat can have negative impacts of wild populations of already imperiled species. Stronger policies and more effective enforcement in consumer countries, such as the EU, would also aid in, and garner support for, better protecting primates in primate range states.
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Al-Razi H, Campera M, Hasan S, Marjan M, Nijman V, Nekaris KA-I., 'Influence of Agricultural Expansion and Human Disturbance on the Encounter Rates of Nocturnal Mammals in Tropical Hill Forests in Bangladesh'
Ecologies 4 (1) (2023) pp.195-208
eISSN: 2673-4133AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARAgricultural expansion has had a detrimental effect on tropical forests and the animal communities that depend on them. Agroforestry systems, however, with their more complex tree and plant communities, have been shown to be important habitats for a range of globally threatened species, including nocturnal animals. Here, we present novel data on the encounter rates of seven species of nocturnal mammals in relation to agroforestry systems within four national parks and associated plantations in Bangladesh to examine if encounter rates were influenced by the human population density, presence of plantations, and human access as represented by a Human Influence Index of anthropogenic disturbance. We walked 70.3 km of transects with only semi-natural forest, 26.9 km of transects with semi-natural forest and gardens, and 21.7 km of transects with semi-natural forest and monocultures over 55 nights from 2017–2019. Of the seven species of nocturnal mammals we detected, all were present in Satachari National Park, whereas six occurred in Lawachara National Park, Rajkandi Forest Range, and Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary. Within these national parks, three species (Bengal slow loris, large Indian civet, particolored flying squirrel) were more frequently recorded in areas with human disturbance, especially agroforestry plantations. With declining forest cover in Bangladesh, we highlight here the potential of agroforestry systems as emerging important habitats for these species. We encourage long-term studies of these lesser-studied taxa to understand fully the capacity of agroforestry systems in order to support their long-term conservation.
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Nijman V, Nekaris KAI, Shepherd CR, Vigne L, Ardiansyah A, Imron MA, Ni Q, Hedger K, Campera M, Morcatty TQ, 'Potential Mammalian Vector-Borne Diseases in Live and Wet Markets in Indonesia and Myanmar'
Microbiology Research 14 (1) (2023) pp.116-131
ISSN: 2036-7481AbstractPublished hereVector-borne diseases spread from wild animals and their associated ectoparasites to humans and domesticated animals. Wildlife markets are recognized as important areas where this transfer can take place. We assessed the potential for spreading vector-borne diseases in two live and wet markets in Myanmar (Mong La, on the Myanmar-China border) and Indonesia (Sukahaji in Bandung on the island of Java) by making an inventory of all live and freshly killed wild mammals for sale. For eight mammal families, we quantified the number of animals on offer, and we used a heatmap cluster analysis to map vector-borne diseases that these families may carry. In Myanmar, we observed large numbers of wild pigs and deer (potentially carrying West Nile and various encephalitis viruses) whereas in Indonesia we observed Old World fruit bats (potentially carrying Chikungunya and encephalitis viruses) and squirrels (potentially carrying West Nile and encephalitis viruses). The trade in Indonesia was dominated by live mammals offered for sale as pets, and only Old World fruit bats and squirrels traded for traditional Asian medicine were killed in the markets. The trade in Myanmar was more geared towards wild meat (e.g., wild pigs, deer, primates) and traditional Asian medicine (squirrels). The combined risks of vector-borne diseases spreading from traded animals to human health highlight the need for an integrated approach protecting public health, economic interests and biodiversity.
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Campera M, Balestri M, Phelps M, Besnard F, Mauguiere J, Rakotoarimanana F, Nijman V, Nekaris KAI, Donati G, 'Depth of Edge Influence in a Madagascar Lowland Rainforest and Its Effects on Lemurs’ Abundance'
Land 12 (1) (2022)
ISSN: 2073-445X eISSN: 2073-445XAbstractPublished here Open Access on RADAREdge effects result from interactions between adjacent habitats, which can modify abiotic and biotic conditions and produce various negative effects on biodiversity. Given the high degree of forest fragmentation in Madagascar, understanding lemur responses to edges is a conservation priority. We aim to determine the depth of edge influence in a continuous low-land rainforest of south-eastern Madagascar and identify the response of six lemur species. We surveyed lemur abundance along nine 1 km transects from May 2015 to July 2016 totaling 112.2 km of survey effort during the day and 88.5 km at night. We characterized the habitat structure via 33 plots centered along the line transects. We used Generalized Additive Models and Generalized Linear Models to test the effect of distance from the forest edge on vegetation parameters and animal encounter rates. Edge effect on the vegetation structure can be detected up to around 100 m in terms of tree diversity and density. We found a negative edge response for Madame Fleurette’s sportive lemurs (Lepilemur fleuretae) and collared brown lemurs (Eulemur collaris), and a positive edge response for Anosy mouse lemurs (Microcebus tanosi), Southern bamboo lemurs (Hapalemur meridionalis) and Southern woolly lemurs (Avahi meridionalis). Since around half of the forested areas in Madagascar are within 100 m of forest edge, taking into account edge effect is vital when producing estimates of population sizes and informing conservation management.
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Morcatty TQ, Pereyra PER, Ardiansyah A, Imron MA, Hedger K, Campera M, Nekaris KA-I, Nijman V, 'Risk of Viral Infectious Diseases from Live Bats, Primates, Rodents and Carnivores for Sale in Indonesian Wildlife Markets'
Viruses 14 (12) (2022)
ISSN: 1999-4915 eISSN: 1999-4915AbstractPublished hereSoutheast Asia is considered a global hotspot of emerging zoonotic diseases. There, wildlife is commonly traded under poor sanitary conditions in open markets; these markets have been considered ‘the perfect storm’ for zoonotic disease transmission. We assessed the potential of wildlife trade in spreading viral diseases by quantifying the number of wild animals of four mammalian orders (Rodentia, Chiroptera, Carnivora and Primates) on sale in 14 Indonesian wildlife markets and identifying zoonotic viruses potentially hosted by these animals. We constructed a network analysis to visualize the animals that are traded alongside each other that may carry similar viruses. We recorded 6725 wild animals of at least 15 species on sale. Cities and markets with larger human population and number of stalls, respectively, offered more individuals for sale. Eight out of 15 animal taxa recorded are hosts of 17 zoonotic virus species, nine of which can infect more than one species as a host. The network analysis showed that long-tailed macaque has the greatest potential for spreading viral diseases, since it is simultaneously the most traded species, sold in 13/14 markets, and a potential host for nine viruses. It is traded alongside pig-tailed macaques in three markets, with which it shares six viruses in common (Cowpox, Dengue, Hepatitis E, Herpes B, Simian foamy, and Simian retrovirus type D). Short-nosed fruit bats and large flying foxes are potential hosts of Nipah virus and are also sold in large quantities in 10/14 markets. This study highlights the need for better surveillance and sanitary conditions to avoid the negative health impacts of unregulated wildlife markets.
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Bersacola E, Hill CM, Nijman V, Hockings KJ, 'Examining primate community occurrence patterns in agroforest landscapes using arboreal and terrestrial camera traps'
Landscape Ecology 37 (12) (2022) pp.3103-3121
ISSN: 0921-2973 eISSN: 1572-9761AbstractPublished hereContext.
Forest-agricultural mosaics are now considered critical for biodiversity. Within these landscapes, the type of land use surrounding remnant forests influences the ability of arboreal non-flying wildlife to travel, disperse and ultimately survive, making arboreal species disproportionally impacted from habitat change. To inform land management strategies we must first understand how wildlife, including arboreal taxa, respond to heterogeneous landscapes.Objectives.
Here, we examine the occurrence patterns of four arboreal and three semi-terrestrial primate species in response to agroforest landscape characteristics in southern Guinea-Bissau, West Africa.Methods.
We combine results from arboreal and terrestrial camera traps across Cantanhez National Park (1067 km2). We fit occupancy models using anthropogenic and environmental covariates generated via remote sensing and in-situ vegetation surveys.Results.
Arboreal camera traps (N = 38 locations, 1922 camera trap days) detected all seven primate species, terrestrial camera traps (N = 62 locations, 3113 camera trap days) detected five. Arboreal red colobus (Piliocolobus badius) and semi-terrestrial Guinea baboon (Papio papio) were the only species not detected at all outside forest blocks. Occupancy of semi-terrestrial chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) increased nearer villages, whereas that of arboreal king colobus (Colobus polykomos) and Demidoff's galago (Galagoides demidoff) decreased. Our models also suggest that semi-arboreal Campbell's monkeys (Cercopithecus campbelli) increase arboreality nearer villages.Conclusions.
We demonstrate heterogeneous spatial responses amongst primates across the agroforest landscape. The lack of distinct patterns between groups (arboreal vs. semi-terrestrial primates) is likely due to species-specific human-induced anti-predator strategies and hunting preferences. Our results highlight the contribution of arboreal camera traps to community-based landscape-scale studies in anthropogenic environments. -
Nekaris KAI, Balestri M, El Bizri HR, Dewi T, Hedger K, Morcatty TQ, Nijman V, Weldon AV, Campera M, 'From International to Local: Promoting Local Volunteer Tourism to Guarantee the Persistence of Wildlife Conservation Projects in the Post-COVID-19 Era'
COVID 2 (9) (2022) pp.1287-1302
ISSN: 2673-8112 eISSN: 2673-8112AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARVolunteer tourists, often foreigners, collect essential data in wildlife conservation projects worldwide. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, international tourism activities reduced drastically, forcing many conservation projects to shut down. Using a nine-year (2013–2021) case study in Indonesia, we examine how local and foreign tourists construct the meaning of their volunteer experiences in the light of COVID-19. We aim to highlight the potential benefits of local volunteer tourism to face the travel limitations posed by COVID-19, and to show an example of how conservation projects can overcome the challenges of the current and potential future pandemics. We recruited 117 volunteers (49 Indonesians, 68 foreign; 73 females, 44 males; mean age: 24.2 ± SD 4.7) that collected 50.8% of the total amount of data collected by the project over the same period. Of the 117 volunteers, 81 of them (38 Indonesians, 43 foreigners) filled in a feedback form at the end of their stay. Via logistic regressions, we found that Indonesian volunteers declared more positive feedback on the logistics at the research station (p = 0.047). Via Bayesian structural equation models, we found that Indonesian volunteers reported significantly more frequently than foreign volunteers that they learned new skills (89% Credible Interval = 0.017–0.351) and that they gained personal wisdom, growth and maturity (89% Credible Interval = 0.891–1.003) from the volunteer experience. The volunteer program evolved from being 100% foreign volunteers in 2013 to 100% Indonesian volunteers by 2020 at the peak of the pandemic, which helped maintain the continuity of the research and conservation activities. We presented the positive implications of shifting towards local volunteer tourists in a long-term conservation project. We suggest that promoting local volunteer tourism through training new generations of nationals in conservation projects is key to guarantee the persistence of such initiatives in the post-COVID-19 Era.
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Fourage A, Shepherd C, Campera M, Nekaris KAI, Nijman V, 'It's a sign: Animal welfare and zoo type are predictors of animal identification signage usage and quality at zoo exhibits'
Zoo Biology 42 (2) (2022) pp.283-295
ISSN: 0733-3188 eISSN: 1098-2361AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARConservation education programs are listed as priority actions for almost every threatened species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. Zoos play an important role in delivering such programs, yet evidence of zoo education in many non-western countries is limited. Here, we evaluate animal identification signage prevalence and quality at zoo exhibits and investigate whether animal welfare, zoo type (accredited, government, and private), admission fee, zoo size, and proximity to urban centers are influencing factors. We used hornbills (Bucerotidae) as a model taxon, surveyed hornbill signage, and conducted welfare assessments of hornbill exhibits. We developed scoring frameworks and applied content analysis to analyze signage quality. Our results show that out of 18 zoos that displayed hornbills, 15 had hornbill signage. However, of the 106 hornbill exhibits in these zoos, 33% had no signage. We also found that signage presence or absence at individual zoos and signage quality is strongly correlated with animal welfare quality. Zoo type is a key factor in predicting signage and welfare quality, with accredited zoos scoring highest for both signage and welfare, followed by government and private zoos. Private zoos charged higher admission than other zoo types, and zoo size and proximity to urban centers did not influence signage or welfare scores. Overall, we conclude that in our study, signage usage and quality are inadequate, highlighting the importance of compliance with robust zoo standards to improve education and welfare within zoos to support global conservation goals.
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Manson S, Campera M, Hedger K, Ahmad N, Adinda E, Nijman V, Budiadi B, Imron MA, Lukmandaru G, Nekaris KAI, 'The effectiveness of a biopesticide in the reduction of coffee berry borers in coffee plants'
Crop Protection 161 (2022)
ISSN: 0261-2194 eISSN: 0261-2194AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARContext
Crop pest outbreaks are expected to become more frequent and unpredictable due to climate change, posing risks to ecosystem health and farmers’ livelihoods. At the same time, there is growing evidence that chemical pesticides can persist in the landscape and contribute to land degradation. The use of natural pesticides in place of chemical pesticides is hoped to manage pest outbreaks while also restoring pollinator populations and improving the quality of arable land. During the 1970s, many countries committed to promoting and legislating Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies (encouraging natural and holistic approaches to pest management), often including using natural pesticides, known as biopesticides.
Objective
We assessed the effectiveness of a biopesticide on coffee berry borer (CBB; Hypothenemus hampei) presence in 57 small-holder coffee home gardens in West Java, Indonesia across three years.
Methods
Prior to the application of the biopesticide, we randomly chose ten coffee plants from each field and recorded the proportion of healthy berries per plant (berries without pest infestation) as a control. In April 2020, we distributed the biopesticide in each of the 57 coffee home gardens and repeated the above experiment. The biopesticide was redistributed in October 2020 and April 2021. We repeated the experiment for the last time in April 2021.
Results and conclusions
We found that CBB presence significantly decreased, with an inverse relationship between distance to natural forest and CBB presence and a positive relationship between shade cover and CBB presence. We also interviewed farmers in April 2021 to investigate their perception of the effectiveness of the biopesticide and 87% of farmers thought it was more effective than conventional pesticides.
Significance
We contribute to the growing literature on the effectiveness of natural pesticides through assessing farmers’ perceptions of these methods and providing empirical evidence for their effectiveness in remedying CBB infestation. We hope that this study will empower farmers to make conscious land-use choices and provide government authorities with evidence to support increased accessibility to biopesticides.
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Svensson MS, Morcatty T, Nijman V, Shepherd CR, 'The next exotic pet to go viral: Is social media causing an increase in the demand of owning bushbabies as pets?'
Hystrix, the Italian Journal of Mammalogy 33 (1) (2022) pp.51-57
ISSN: 0394-1914 eISSN: 1825-5272AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARSocial media is known to influence consumers’ attitudes and to increase demand for wild animals
as pets, when depicted online. We investigate the online presence of the nocturnal primates gala-
gos, on TikTok and Instagram, and its influence on followers’ attitudes and desire to keep galagos
as pets. We monitored activity June – December 2020 and conducted sentiment analysis on 21976
comments. We assessed trends in Google searches and estimated the international trade of live
galagos using CITES reports. Post views increased up to 472% within the study period. Posts were
mostly from Japan, Thailand, and Russia, with comments in 43 different languages. Of the com-
ments, 95% were positive, e.g., “cute” and “I want one”. Google searches of the term “galago pet”
increased over time, as did the number of live galagos exported. Southeast Asia is having a boom
in exotic pet trade. Viral videos of other nocturnal primates previously led to increased demand for
pets, and we hope our findings provide data to guide policy and conservation intervention -
Gnanaolivu SD, Campera M, Nekaris KAI, Nijman V, Satish R, Babu S, Singh M, 'Medicine, black magic and supernatural beings: Cultural rituals as a significant threat to slender lorises in India'
People and Nature 4 (4) (2022) pp.1007-1019
ISSN: 2575-8314 eISSN: 2575-8314AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADAR1. Trade of wildlife for use in traditional medicines, rituals, magical spells and cul-tural practices occurs globally and has been studied mostly in Africa and Asia.
2. The grey slender loris Loris lydekkerianus is used for both medicinal and ritual purposes, but little information is available on how the user is meant to extract their medicinal properties, or the potential impact these practices have on the species' populations.
3. From 2014– 2021, we used open- ended interviews with 293 informants in three slender loris range states in Southern India to collect qualitative information on peo-ple's beliefs regarding the use of slender lorises in traditional medicine, black magic rituals and other cultural practices. To understand this further, we analysed data on 139 live slender loris rescues from three rescue and rehabilitation centres and one government organization in Bengaluru, India collected over an 18- year period.
4. We found that 116/139 live individuals had been involved in black magic rituals, including piercing, or burning the body and the eyes. These ritual practices occurred more often to female slender lorises and during the new moon. Data from 293 inter-views revealed that astrologers regularly use live lorises for fortune- telling or for ward-ing off evil. Slender loris body parts are used to make traditional folk medicine, develop black magic potions that bring people harm, hypnotize people or to thwart evil.
5. Habitat loss and anthropogenic pressures, coupled with the existing slender loris trade for cultural practices, are a cause for grave concern. Numerous deep- rooted superstitious beliefs and rituals continue to thrive in modern India, and this is potentially one of the major threats to India's already imperilled slender loris population. More research into the prevalence of loris use for black magic is needed to assess the impact on species sustainability.
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Campera M, Budiadi B, Bušina T, Fathoni BH, Dermody J, Nijman V, Imron MA, Nekaris KAI, 'Abundance and richness of invertebrates in shade‑grown versus sun‑exposed coffee home gardens in Indonesia'
Agroforestry Systems 96 (2022) pp.829-841
ISSN: 0167-4366 eISSN: 1572-9680AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARComplex agroforestry systems are suggested as a possible solution to reduce the effects of deforestation in the tropics while enhancing the livelihoods of local human populations. Coffee (Coffea spp.) is one of the most important commodity crops in the world that can easily be cultivated in complex agroforestry systems. Coffee agroforestry systems usually sustain higher biodiversity levels than sun-exposed fields while keeping similar levels of productivity considering the several benefits of growing coffee under a complex system. We aim to explore the richness and abundance of invertebrates in coffee home gardens in West Java, Indonesia by comparing 14 sun-exposed and 14 shade-grown gardens. We collected data in March/April 2019 via pitfall traps, pan traps, and beating tray in each field. We ran generalised linear models to assess whether the number of species and the number of individuals of insects differed between sun-exposed vs. shade-grown coffee gardens, and tested associations between main taxa. Overall, there was no difference in the richness (sun-exposed: 19.86 ± SE1.19; shade-grown: 19.71 ± SE1.19; Z-value = 0.12, p value = 0.904) and abundance (sun-exposed: 141.93 ± SE 3.18; shade-grown: 139.93 ± SE3.16; Z-value = 0.35, p value = 0.706) of invertebrates in coffee gardens, although taxa specific differences were present. Sun-exposed fields had a higher abundance of invertebrates considered as pests (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae, Ectobiidae; Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Lycidae and Tenebrionidae; Diptera: Anisolabididae, Drosophilidae and Sarcophagidae). Camponotus spp. were the most dominant ants in shade-grown gardens while Dolichoderus spp. and Myrmicaria spp. were more abundant in sun-exposed gardens. Despite the fact that sun-exposed coffee fields registered higher abundance of invertebrate pests than shade-grown coffee fields, the richness of invertebrates did not substantially vary between sun-exposed and shade-grown coffee, suggesting that the matrix of gardens offers advanced ecosystem services. It is important to keep the complexity of agroforestry systems that provide key habitats for biodiversity.
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Nijman V, Morcatty TQ, Feddema K, Campera M, Nekaris KAI, 'Disentangling the Legal and Illegal Wildlife Trade–Insights from Indonesian Wildlife Market Surveys'
Animals 12 (5) (2022)
ISSN: 2076-2615 eISSN: 2076-2615AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARIt is challenging to disentangle the legal and illegal aspects of wild-caught animals that are traded in wildlife markets or online, and this may diminish the value of conducting wildlife trade surveys. We present empirical studies on the trade in birds (ducks, owls, songbirds, non-passerines) in Indonesia (2005 to 2021). Based on visits to wildlife markets, wholesale traders, and monitoring of an Instagram account, we examine if five specific pieces of legislation (domestic and international) are adhered to: (1) protected species, (2) harvest quota, (3) welfare, (4) provincial transport restrictions, and (5) illegal import of CITES-listed species. Our five distinctly different case studies showed that in each case, certain rules and regulations were adhered to, whilst others were violated to varying degrees. When trade involved non-protected species, there was frequently a lack of harvest quotas or trade occurred above these allocated quotas. Basic welfare provisions were regularly and habitually violated. Visiting wildlife markets and recording first-hand what is openly offered for sale is a highly reliable, verifiable, and valuable method of data collection that can give insight in numerous aspects of the animal trade. Our research provides support for recognising the urgency for the government to take appropriate action to curb all the illegal aspects of the bird trade in Indonesia.
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Manson S, Nekaris KAI, Hedger K, Balestri M, Ahmad N, Adinda E, Budiadi B, Imron MA, Nijman V, Campera M, 'Flower Visitation Time and Number of Visitor Species Are Reduced by the Use of Agrochemicals in Coffee Home Gardens'
Agronomy 12 (2) (2022)
eISSN: 2073-4395AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARPollination services, from both wild and managed populations of insect pollinators, have degraded as a result of agricultural intensification. Whilst 75% of economically important crops depend on insect pollinators for cultivation, 40% of insect pollinator species are threatened with extinction. Pollination services must be preserved if there is to be enough food for a global population whose demand is expected to double, if not triple, by 2050. Pollinator diversity and pollinator efficiency have been found to increase as a result of wildlife-friendly farming practices (i.e., natural chemicals and fertilizers and agroforestry). We evaluated the presence of insect pollinators in 42 coffee home gardens in West Java, Indonesia. Via generalized linear mixed models, we found that number of visitor species (β = 0.418 ± SE 0.194, p = 0.031) and visitation time (β = 0.845 ± SE 0.308, p = 0.006) decreased as farms were more intensely managed, (i.e., used chemical pesticides), compared to fields using organic practices. As knowledge of pollination services is widespread amongst smallholder farmers in Indonesia and beyond due to the long-held tradition of beekeeping, these results will add to their existing knowledge and empower farmers to enhance resources for pollinator species through agroforestry and natural pest management. Although we found significant differences in pollination services provided in intensely managed and wildlife-friendly farms, chemical use can affect farms far beyond a particular area of production. Therefore, pollinator conservation must be applied at a landscape level and involve all stakeholders, including farmers, when making effective policies.
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Molyneaux A, Hankinson E, Kaban M, Svensson MS, Cheyne SM, Nijman V, 'Primate Selfies and Anthropozoonotic Diseases: Lack of Rule Compliance and Poor Risk Perception Threatens Orangutans'
Folia Primatologica 92 (2021) pp.296-305
ISSN: 0015-5713 eISSN: 1421-9980AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADAROur understanding of the transmission of anthropozoonotic diseases between humans and non-human primates, particularly great apes due to their close genetic relationship with humans, highlights a serious potential threat to the survival of these species. This is particularly the case at tourism sites where risk of disease transmission is increased. We focus on the interaction between tourists and the Critically Endangered Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) at Bukit Lawang in the Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia, before and after the park was closed due to the threat of COVID-19 in April 2020. Through analysis of posts on Instagram we determine the extent of compliance by visitors with the rule to keep a minimum distance of 10 m from orangutans and assess the positional behaviours of the orangutans. Of the 2,229 photographs we assessed between November 2019 and July 2020, 279 depicted one or more orangutans. Forty-two of these contained both a human and an orangutan, and of these all showed inappropriate behaviours (direct contact, feeding orangutans, close proximity
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Hyde Roberts S, Rossizela RJ, Longosoa TH, Strang K, Chmurova L, Nijman V, Donati G, 'Population Dynamics of Nocturnal Lemurs in Littoral Forest Fragments: The Importance of Long-Term Monitoring'
International Journal of Primatology 42 (2021) pp.833-858
ISSN: 0164-0291 eISSN: 1573-8604AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARHabitat loss and fragmentation pose a significant threat to many primate species worldwide, yet community level responses are complex and nuanced. Despite repeated calls from primatologists and the wider conservation community to increase monitoring initiatives that assess long-term population dynamics, such studies remain rare. Here we summarise results from a longitudinal study set in the littoral forests of southeast Madagascar. Littoral forests are a useful model for monitoring lemur population dynamics, as they are relatively well-studied and their highly fragmented nature enables the effect of forest size and anthropogenic impacts to be examined. This study focuses on three Endangered nocturnal lemur species – Avahi meridionalis, Cheirogaleus thomasi and Microcebus tanosi – across three forest fragments of different size and with different usage histories. Between 2011 and 2018, we walked 285km of line transect and recorded 1,968 lemur observations. Based on Distance Sampling analysis our results indicate that nocturnal lemurs respond to forest patch size and to levels of forest degradation in species-specific ways. The largest species, A. meridionalis, declined in density and encounter rate over time across the three study forests. C. thomasi populations appeared stable in all three fragments, with densities increasing in the most degraded forest. M. tanosi encounter rates were extremely low across all study fragments but were lowest in the most heavily degraded forest fragment. Our results emphasise the importance of localised pressures and species-specific responses on population dynamics. Monitoring population trends can provide an early warning signal of species loss and species-specific responses can inform crucial intervention strategies.
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Nijman V, Campera M, Imron MA, Ardiansyah A, Langgeng A, Dewi T, Hedger K, Hendrik R, Nekaris KA-I, 'The Role of the Songbird Trade as an Anthropogenic Vector in the Spread of Invasive Non-Native Mynas in Indonesia'
Life 11 (8) (2021)
ISSN: 2075-1729 eISSN: 2075-1729AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARThe wildlife trade has facilitated the introduction of invasive non-native species, which may compete with native species for resources and alter ecosystems. Some of these species have great potential to become invasive if released or escaped from captivity. Here we studied the pet trade in a group of open countryside birds, the mynas (Acridotheres spp.) in Indonesia, and identified the areas that are at high risk of facing the establishment of these species. Mynas are among the most invasive birds in Southeast Asia. Once established in a new area, they are almost impossible to eradicate and can have strong negative impacts on the ecosystem. Preventing their introduction is therefore essential. Yet, invasive non-native mynas continue to be traded openly. We present data on the trade in seven species of mynas on Java, Bali and Lombok, with three species being native to parts of one or two of these islands, but not to the remainder, and four that are non-native to the region. From 2016 to 2021 we conducted 255 surveys of 30 animal markets. We recorded over 6000 mynas that were offered for sale outside their native range. Areas most at risk because of their high prevalence in specific animal markets, are Greater Jakarta, eastern Java, Bali and Lombok. The number of invasive non-native mynas recorded was positively related to the size of the animal market. Indonesia is signatory to several international agreements (CBD, ASEAN) that have policies and guidelines to prevent the introduction of invasive non-native species, but compliancy is weak. Annually hundreds and possibly thousands of invasive non-native mynas are released by Indonesian conservation authorities in regions that are outside their native range. Effective management of, and regulation of trade in, potential invasive non-native birds in Indonesia falls short and inadvertently greatly aids both their introduction and establishment.
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Campera M, Hedger K, Birot H, Manson S, Balestri M, Budiadi B, Imron MA, Nijman V, Nekaris KAI, 'Does the Presence of Shade Trees and Distance to the Forest Affect Detection Rates of Terrestrial Vertebrates in Coffee Home Gardens?'
Sustainability 13 (15) (2021)
ISSN: 2071-1050 eISSN: 2071-1050AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARComplex agroforestry systems can host similar biodiversity levels to adjacent continuous forests and can offer important ecosystem services for wildlife. Species inhabiting adjacent forests, as well as species that prefer agroforestry systems, can benefit from this habitat matrix. It is necessary, however, to understand the species-specific adaptability to such a complex matrix. Indonesia is a biodiversity hotspot and hosts many endemic species that are threatened with extinction. Its human population relies heavily on agriculture, meaning that finding a balance between crop productivity and biodiversity is key for the long-term sustainability of local communities and wildlife. We aim to determine the influence of the presence of shade trees and distance to the forest on the detection rates of wildlife in coffee home gardens. In West Java, Indonesia, we monitored 23 gardens between April 2018 and March 2021 via camera traps, totalling 3856 days of monitoring in shade-grown and 3338 days in sun-exposed gardens. We also collected data in the nearby montane rainforest, totalling 1183 days of monitoring. We used Generalized Additive Models to estimate the influence of shade cover and distance to the forest on the detection rates of wildlife. The Sunda leopard cat Prionailurus javanensis was found more frequently in shade-grown gardens and used both the forest and agroforest matrix. Wild boars Sus scrofa mostly occurred in gardens adjacent to the forest, while barred buttonquails Turnix suscitator were associated with gardens far (>1 km) from the forest. Several species (civets Viverricula indica and Paradoxus musangus javanicus, Horsfield’s treeshrew Tupaia javanica, Javan ferret badger Melogale orientalis, Javan mongoose Herpestes javanicus) were not influenced by shade cover and distance to the forest, suggesting they are well adapted to the agroforestry system. Still, species of high conservation importance, such as Javan leopard Panthera pardus melas, Sunda porcupine Hystrix javanica, and grizzled langur Presbytis comata, were present in the forest but not in the agroforest, suggesting that the replacement of the forest by the agroforestry matrix is still detrimental. Nevertheless, it is important to maintain the complexity of the agroforestry system and connectivity with the neighbouring continuous forest to favour the long-term sustainability of this environment and the conservation of endemic species.
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Schowe D, Svensson MS, Siriwat P, Jose-Domínguez JM, Fourage A, Malaivijitnond S, Nijman V, 'Assessing the welfare of coconut-harvesting macaques in Thailand'
Applied Animal Behaviour Science 242 (2021)
ISSN: 0168-1591AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARPig-tailed macaques are used by coconut farmers in Southeast Asia to harvest coconuts. We assessed the welfare of northern pig-tailed macaques Macaca leonina involved in coconut harvesting in southern Thailand. We interviewed 89 coconut farmers in three provinces focusing on quantifying basic demographics of this trade, i.e., species, where the macaques were sourced, diet, sex, and age. Independent from the interviews, we assessed the welfare of 158 working macaques through direct observations using the ‘five domains’ criteria. Based on our scoring system, the mean welfare score of 4.8 out of the maximum 12 points indicates a need for improvement. Overall, we found good agreement between the interviews data and the welfare assessments. The most important individual welfare modifications required for working macaques to obtain a good level of welfare that benefits both the farmers and macaques include: providing access to conspecifics, adding opportunities to hide from stressors, and increasing the freedom of movement. This study highlights the individual welfare concerns and necessity of legislative changes regarding working macaques and other working animals of wild origins.
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Campera M, Balestri M, Besnard F, Phelps M, Rakotoarimanana F, Nijman V, Nekaris KAI, Ganzhorn JU, Donati G
, 'The Influence of Seasonal Availability of Young Leaves on Dietary Niche Separation in Two Ecologically Similar Folivorous Lemurs'
Folia Primatologica 92 (3) (2021) pp.139-150
ISSN: 0015-5713 eISSN: 1421-9980AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARTraditional socio-ecological models consider that folivorous primates experience limited feeding competition due to the low quality, high abundance, and even distribution of leaves. Evidence from several folivorous species that experience similar constraints to frugivores does not support this hypothesis. The sympatric lemur genera Avahi (Indriidae) and Lepilemur (Lepilemuridae) are good models to understand how food availability constrains folivores since they are both nocturnal, folivorous, and have a comparable body mass. Here we investigate how two nocturnal folivorous primates, Avahi meridionalis and Lepilemur fleuretae, living in the lowland rain forest of Tsitongambarika, South-East Madagascar, partition their dietary niche and are influenced by seasonality of young leaves. To account for food availability, we collected annual phenological data on 769 trees from 200 species. We also collected behavioural data on 5 individuals per lemur species from August 2015 to July 2016 via continuous focal sampling. We found the phenological profile to be seasonal with peaks of leaf flushing, flowering, and fruiting occurring in the austral summer. The two species showed limited dietary overlap (37% rich period, 6% lean period), and A. meridionalis showed higher feeding time and longer daily distances travelled during the rich period. L. fleuretae showed a dietary shift during the lean period, relying more on mature leaves (73.3% during the lean period, 13.5% during the rich period) but maintaining similar activity levels between seasons. The time spent feeding on food items by A. meridionalis was positively correlated with the nitrogen content and negatively correlated with polyphenols in food items during the rich period. We highlighted a clear effect of the seasonality of young leaves on the diet, nutritional content, activity patterns, and daily distances travelled by two folivorous species, which can be linked to nutrient balancing and time-minimising versus energy-maximising strategies.
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Campera M, Balestri M, Manson M, Hedger K, Ahmad N, Nijman V, Budiadi B, Imron MA, Nekaris KAI, 'Shade trees and agrochemical use affect butterfly assemblages in coffee home gardens'
Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 319 (2021)
ISSN: 0167-8809AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARAgroforestry systems have been recognised as a possible refuge for biodiversity especially when bordering intact landscapes. The intensification of crop management to increase yields is usually associated with a reduction of shade trees and heavy use of chemicals, typically correlated with a decrease in biodiversity. The relationship between intensity of crop management and biodiversity, however, is not clear-cut and is dependent on environmental and geographical differences. We assessed the influence of different shade cover, shade tree richness, richness of other crops, distance from the forest, and use of chemicals on the diversity, richness and abundance of butterflies, a bioindicator in coffee home gardens. We collected data in 42 coffee home gardens in West Java, Indonesia, via Pollard transects, totalling 15.1 km (July-August 2019 and July-August 2020). We found 54 species of butterflies in the gardens. Via Generalised Additive Mixed Models, we found that the use of chemicals negatively influenced the abundance (p = 0.001) and richness (p = 0.039) of butterflies, while shade tree richness positively influenced the abundance (p
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Nijman V, Campera M, Ardiansyah A, Balestri M, Bizri HRE, Budiadi B, Dewi T, Hedger K, Hendrik R, Imron MA, Langgeng A, Morcatty TQ, Weldon AV, Nekaris KAI, 'Large-Scale Trade in a Songbird That Is Extinct in the Wild'
Diversity 13 (6) (2021)
ISSN: 1424-2818 eISSN: 1424-2818AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARIndonesia is at the epicenter of the Asian Songbird Crisis, i.e., the recognition that the cage bird trade has a devastating impact on numerous imperiled bird species in Asia. The Javan pied starling Gracupica jalla, only in the last five years recognized as distinct from the pied starlings of mainland Southeast Asia, has been declared extinct the wild in 2021. Up until the 1980s, it used to be one of the most common open countryside birds on the islands of Java and Bali, Indonesia. From the early 2000s onwards, the species is commercially bred to meet the demand from the domestic cagebird trade. We conducted 280 market surveys in 25 bird markets in Java and Bali between April 2014 and March 2020, with 15 markets being surveyed at least six times. We recorded 24,358 Javan pied starlings, making it one of the most commonly observed birds in the markets. We established that, conservatively, around 40% of the birds in the market were sold within one week and used this to estimate that at a minimum ~80,000 Javan pied starlings are sold in the bird markets on Java and Bali. The latter represents a monetary value of USD5.2 million. We showed that prices were low in the 1980s, when all birds were sourced from the wild. It became more varied and differentiated in the 2000s when a combination of now expensive wild-caught and cheaper captive-bred birds were offered for sale, and prices stabilized in the 2010s when most, if not all birds were commercially captive-bred. Javan pied starlings are not protected under Indonesian law, and there are no linked-up conservation efforts in place to re-establish a wild population on the islands, although small-scale releases do take place.
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Nijman V, Smith JH, Foreman G, Campera M, Feddema K, Nekaris KAI, 'Monitoring the Trade of Legally Protected Wildlife on Facebook and Instagram Illustrated by the Advertising and Sale of Apes in Indonesia'
Diversity 13 (6) (2021)
ISSN: 1424-2818 eISSN: 1424-2818AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARApes continue to be trafficked to meet the demand for pets or zoos. Indonesia, the most diverse country in terms of ape species, has been implicated in the global trade in gibbons, orangutans and, to a lesser degree, chimpanzees. Recently trade has shifted to online platforms, a trend that may have been amplified by the Covid-19 pandemic and partial lockdowns. We assessed the availability of legally protected apes for sale on Facebook and Instagram over two 16-months periods (2017–2018 and 2020–2021). Despite Facebook and Instagram explicitly banning the sale of endangered animals, and Facebook not allowing the sale of live animals, we found 106 gibbons, 17 orangutans and four chimpanzees for sale on five Facebook pages and 19 Instagram accounts. All orangutans and chimpanzees and 70% of the gibbons were infants or juveniles. We did not record any obvious responses of vendors to the Covid-19 pandemic. Facebook and Instagram accounts were linked (similar names, cross-referencing each other and announcing new accounts on existing ones), names were altered (e.g., “petshop” to “pethsop”) and new vendors emerged for short periods. Facebook and Instagram’s policy of not allowing the sale of live and/or endangered wildlife on their platforms is not effectively implemented in Indonesia.
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Weldon A, Campera M, Zhang X, Ni Q, Zhu WW, Nijman V, Nekaris KAI
, 'Perceptions of animal welfare and exotic pet ownership in China'
Animal Welfare Journal 30 (2) (2021) pp.169-178
ISSN: 0962-7286AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARChina plays a critical role in global biodiversity conservation, as both a biodiversity hotspot and for its role in international and domestic animal trade. Efforts to promote wildlife conservation have sparked interest in the attitudes held by Chinese citizens towards animals. Using a questionnaire, we sought to investigate the attitudes of 317 Chinese nationals across provincial-level administrative units regarding their uses of animals, their perceived emotional capacities and views on exotic pets. We reduced the variables related to perceived uses of animals via Principal Component Analysis and ran Generalised Linear Models and Structural Equation Modelling to test relationships between questionnaire-derived variables. Perceptions of animals were divided into two Kellert categories — Utilitarian and Humanistic uses — and 97% of participants believed in animals’ capacities to have and express emotions. We found few interactions, with exotic pets, ie playing with or taking photographs, but the acceptability of owning an exotic pet influenced the likelihood of purchasing one. A belief that animals express emotions encouraged people to look for them as pets but thinking that pets make people happy made exotic pet ownership less acceptable. The shift in attitudes to include humanistic perceptions of animals, a belief in animals as emotive beings and understanding of terminology changed from the previous utilitarian views of pre-reform China, suggesting a readiness to embrace further conservation efforts in China. This deeper understanding of Chinese attitudes towards animals and drivers of the exotic pet trade within China may enable conservation efforts to better target future campaigns.
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Svensson MS, Morcatty TQ, Nijman V, Shepherd CR, 'Shedding light on the trade in nocturnal galagos'
Primate Conservation 35 (2021)
ISSN: 0898-6207 eISSN: 2162-4232AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARPrimates are traded yearly in the tens of thousands for reasons such as biomedical research, as trophies and pets, for consumption and to be used in traditional medicine. In many cases, this trade is illegal, unsustainable and considered a major impediment to primate conservation. Diurnal primates make up the vast majority of this trade, but recent studies have found that the trade in nocturnal primates is more common than previously thought, and among them are the galagos. There are currently 19 galagos recognized but there is still a dearth of research on these species and subspecies. The purpose of our study was to provide a more comprehensive picture of the trade in galagos within and across their African range countries, to help determine whether it is illegal or its sustainability needs to be assessed, and to provide baseline data and management recommendations to better regulate this trade, including strengthening policy, enforcement and conservation interventions. We gathered information on trade and use of galagos using an online questionnaire (May–August 2020), and on country-specific legislation relating to wildlife trade, hunting and legal protection of galagos, and looked at each range country’s Corruption Perception Index score to gain an understanding of the obstacles in the way of effective law enforcement. We received 140 responses to our online questionnaire, from 31 of the 39 galago range countries. Respondents from 16 of these countries reported on first-hand observations of galagos being traded or used. Out of these, 36% reported seeing galagos sold or used for consumption, 33% as pets and 25% had observed them sold or used for traditional practices (including medical and magical purposes and for witchcraft). Most reports came from West Africa followed by Central Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa. We found that the number of reports on galagos being traded was higher in countries with higher numbers of galago species. Countries with more restrictive legislation experienced a higher number of reports of trade. Galagos observed in the pet trade was more common in East Africa, whilst reports of them in the bushmeat trade were more common in Central and West Africa. Galagos observed in the trade for traditional practices was by far most common from West Africa. We found that all galago range countries have some level of legal protection for some or all of their native galago species. It is evident that use and trade of galagos occurs throughout their range, albeit localized to certain areas. We urge galago range countries to adequately protect all species and to ensure legal trade is effectively regulated. Range countries that prohibit the use and trade in galagos must ensure legislation is adequately enforced. Further research into the drivers behind the use and trade of galagos should be initiated in countries with high levels of use and trade to further inform conservation and policy actions and to catalyze enforcement actions against poaching and illegal trade.
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Van Hamme G, Svensson MS, Morcatty TQ, Nekaris KAI, Nijman V, 'Keep your distance: Using Instagram posts to evaluate the risk of anthroponotic disease transmission in gorilla ecotourism'
People and Nature 3 (2) (2021) pp.325-334-334
ISSN: 2575-8314 eISSN: 2575-8314AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADAR1. Mountain gorilla Gorilla beringei beringei trekking is a substantial source of revenue for the conservation of this threatened primate and its habitat. Trekking, however, may pose a threat of human-to-gorilla disease transmission that could have disastrous effects on wild gorillas.
2. We used 858 photographs posted on Instagram in 2013–2019 to analyse the proximity of tourists visiting mountain gorillas in the wild. We classified photographs of the encounters according to the distance between the closest gorilla and human, the age class of the gorilla, the trekking location and presence of a surgical face mask on the tourist. We ran a generalised linear mixed model to test whether these variables influenced the distance between the human and the wild gorillas in the photographs, and to test whether these distances have changed over time.
3. Most sampled photographs (86%) showed tourists within a critical 4 m of the gorillas, with 25 incidents of physical contact between a tourist and a gorilla, and only 3% at the recommended distance of 7 m or more. We only were able to record face mask use in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where these were present in 65% of uploaded photos.
4. Tourists and immature gorillas tended to get closer to each other than tourists and adult gorillas, and this is more pronounced in female tourists than male tourists. The mean distance between human and wild gorillas decreased by ~1 m between 2013 and 2019.
5. The results indicate that existing rules are not enforced and raise attention to this unsustainable aspect of mountain gorilla trekking as it is practiced today. These ever-growing tourist attractions in the range countries pose risks of disease transmission in both directions between tourists and wildlife. The popularity of photograph-based social media may stimulate closer contacts and influence people into risky behaviours.
6. We advocate the establishment and reinforcement of regulations relating to the distance between animals and tourists in any in situ wildlife ecotourism context,as well as campaigns to raise awareness regarding the risks of anthroponosis, and fines applied in case of non-compliance.
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Campera M, Budiadi B, Adinda E, Ahmad N, Balestri M, Hedger K, Imron MA, Manson S, Nijman V, Nekaris K, 'Fostering a Wildlife-Friendly Program for Sustainable Coffee Farming: The Case of Small-Holder Farmers in Indonesia'
Land 10 (2) (2021)
ISSN: 2073-445X eISSN: 2073-445XAbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARThere is an urgent need for a global transition to sustainable and wildlife-friendly farming systems that provide social and economic equity and protect ecosystem services on which agriculture depends. Java is home to 60% of Indonesia’s population and harbors many endemic species; thus, managing agriculture alongside human well-being and biodiversity is vital. Within a community of ~400 coffee farmers in the province of West Java, we assessed the steps to develop a wildlife-friendly program until reaching certification between February 2019 and October 2020. We adopted an adaptive management approach that included developing common objectives through a process of stakeholder consultation and co-learning. We firstly investigated via interviews the expectations and the issues encountered by 25 farmers who converted to organic production in 2016. Their main expectations were an increase in income and an increase in coffee quality, while they had issues mainly in finding high quality fertilizers, reducing pests, and increasing productivity. We used this information to establish a problem-solving plan for the transition to community-wide wildlife-friendly practices. As part of the adaptive evaluation, we assessed the quality of coffee plantations before and after the implementation of coproduced actions. The quality of coffee significantly improved after our interventions to reduce the coffee berry borer, especially in the fields that started as inorganic and converted to organic. We uncovered additional issues to meet the standards for certification, including banning hunting and trapping activities and increasing coffee quality for international export. We describe the coproduced actions (agroforestry, conservation education, local law, organic alternatives) and phases of the program and discuss the potential barriers. We provide novel evidence of adaptive management framework successfully used to implement management actions and reach shared goals.
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Morcatty T, Feddema K, Nekaris KAI, Nijman V
, 'Online trade in wildlife and the lack of response to COVID-19'
Environmental Research 193 (2020)
ISSN: 0013-9351 eISSN: 0013-9351AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARWildlife trade has been widely discussed as a likely origin of the COVID-19 pandemic. It remains unclear how the main actors in the wildlife trade chain responded to these discussions and to the campaigns advocating wildlife trade bans. We analyzed the content of ~20,000 posts on 41 Facebook groups devoted to wild pet trade and ran a breakpoint and a content analysis to assess when and how the COVID-19 pandemic was incorporated into the discourse within trade communities. Only 0.44% of advertisements mentioned COVID-19, mostly after WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic. No traders discussed the role of trade in spreading diseases; instead, posts stimulated the trade in wild species during lockdown. COVID-19 potentially offers persuasive arguments for reducing wildlife trade and consumption. This effect was not demonstrated by on-the-ground actors involved in this market. Bans in wildlife trade will not be sufficient and additional strategies are clearly needed.
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Nekaris KAI, Campera M, Nijman V, Birot H, Rode-Margono EJ, Fry BG, Weldon A, Wirdateti W, Imron MA, 'Slow lorises use venom as a weapon in intraspecific competition'
Current Biology 30 (20) (2020) pp.R1252-R1253
ISSN: 0960-9822AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARAnimals have evolved an array of spectacular weapons, including antlers, forceps, proboscises, stingers, tusks and horns [ 1 ]. Weapons can be present in males and females of species needing to defend critical limiting resources, including food (rhinoceros beetles, Trypoxylus) and territories (fang blennies, Meiacanthus) [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. Chemicals, including sprays, ointments and injected venoms, are another defence system used by animals. As with morphological weapons, venom can serve multiple purposes, including to facilitate feeding, in predation, and in defence when attacked [ 4 ]. Although rare, several taxa use venom for agonistic intraspecific competition (e.g. ghost shrimp, Caprella spp.; sea anemones, Actinia equina; cone snails, Conidae; male platypus, Ornithorhynchus anatinus) [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Another group of venomous mammals are the nocturnal slow lorises ( Nycticebus) [ 7 ]. Slow loris bites often result in dramatic diagnostic wounds characterised by necrotic gashes to the head and extremities. Although these bites are the major cause of death of lorises in captivity, the function of this aggressive behaviour has never been studied in the wild [ 7 ]. Here, through an 8-year study of wounding patterns, territorial behaviour, and agonistic encounters of a wild population of Javan slow lorises ( Nycticebus javanicus), we provide strong evidence that venom is used differentially by both sexes to defend territories and mates.
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Tavares AS, Mayor P, Loureiro LF, Gilmore MP, Perez-Peña P, Bowler M, Lemos LP, Svensson MS, Nekaris KAI, Nijman V, Valsecchi J, Queiroz Morcatty T., 'Widespread use of traditional techniques by local people for hunting the yellow-footed tortoise (Chelonoidis denticulatus) across the Amazon'
Journal of Ethnobiology 40 (2) (2020) pp.268-280
ISSN: 2162-4496 eISSN: 0278-0771AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARUnderstanding the repertoire of hunting techniques used by traditional peoples in tropical forests is crucial for recognizing the role of traditional knowledge in hunting activities, as well as assessing the impact of harvests on game species. We describe the hunting techniques used across Amazonia by Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples for hunting yellow-footed tortoises (Chelonoidis denticulatus), one of the most consumed species in the biome. We interviewed 178 local people in 25 communities living in seven study areas in the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon. We used a Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) and Analysis of Similarity (ANOSIM) to compare the hunting techniques between ethnic groups and the ages of the interviewees. Four different techniques were reported: (1) trapping with bait (46%; n = 122); (2) hunting with dogs (35%; n = 92); (3) active searching (14 %; n = 37); and (4) visiting fruiting trees (5%; n = 14). Trapping with bait was alleged to be the most cost-effective technique by 67% of the interviewees. Among the baits used, 93% involved the use of wild species as rotten meat. Hunting with dogs was also frequently cited and involved eight different methods of training. The hunting techniques recorded were not significantly different among ethnic groups or generations. The consonance among the technique repertoire likely reflects a shared knowledge still in use across different cultural groups. There is a potential for applying the hunting techniques to large scale community-based monitoring and management programs, but the impact on additional species affected, such as species intentionally captured to be used as bait, should be considered. Local assessments and community-based management plans that incorporate traditional ecological knowledge are recommended to guarantee the maintenance of livelihoods and ensure the species' conservation in Amazonia.
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Morcatty T, Bausch Macedo JC, Nekaris KAI, Ni Q, Durigan C, Svensson MS, Nijman V, 'Illegal trade in wild cats and its link to Chinese‐led development in Central and South America'
Conservation Biology 34 (6) (2020) pp.1525-1535
ISSN: 0888-8892 eISSN: 1523-1739AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARSeizures of hundreds of jaguar heads and canines in Central and South America from 2014 to 2018 resulted in worldwide media coverage suggesting that wildlife traffickers are trading jaguar body parts as substitutes for tiger parts to satisfy the demand for traditional Asian medicine. We compiled a data set of >1000 seized wild cats (jaguar [Panthera onca], puma [Puma concolor], and ocelot [Leopardus pardalis]) from 19 Central and South American countries and China. We ran generalized additive mixed models to detect trends in wild-cat seizures from 2012 to 2018 and assess the effects of socioeconomic factors of source countries and between those countries and China on the number of wild cats seized. Jaguar seizures increased over time, and most of the seized jaguar pieces were canines (1991 of 2117). Around 34% (32 of 93) of the jaguar-part seizure reports were linked with China, and these seizures contained 14-fold more individuals than those intended for domestic markets. Source countries with relatively high levels of corruption and Chinese private investment and low income per capita had 10-50 times more jaguar seizures than the remaining sampled countries. The number of Chinese residents in Central and South America was not significantly related to the number of jaguars seized. No socioeconomic factors influenced the seizures of puma and ocelots. Legal market chains may provide structure for the illegal chain; thus, the influx of illegal jaguar products is potentially a side effect of the economic partnership between Central and South American countries and China. Poverty and high levels of corruption in the source countries may motivate local people to engage in illegal activities and contribute to the growth of this trade. Supply-side interventions to curb this threat to Neotropical wild cats may include improved training for officials and promotion of governance and the value of protecting these animals to local people.
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El Bizri HR, Morcatty TQ, Valsecchi J, Mayor P, Ribeiro JE, Vasconcelos Neto CF, Oliveira JS, Furtado KM, Ferreira UC, Miranda CF, Silva CH, Nijman V, and Fa JF, 'Urban wild meat consumption and trade in central Amazonia'
Conservation Biology 34 (2) (2019) pp.438-448
ISSN: 0888-8892 eISSN: 1523-1739AbstractPublished hereThe switch from hunting wild meat for home consumption to supplying more lucrative city markets in Amazonia can adversely affect some game species. Despite this, information on the amounts of wild meat eaten in Amazonian cities is still limited. We estimated wild meat consumption rates in 5 cities in the State of Amazonas in Brazil through 1046 door‐to‐door household interviews conducted from 2004 to 2012. With these data, we modeled the relationship between wild meat use and a selection of socioeconomic indices. We then scaled up our model to determine the amounts of wild meat likely to be consumed annually in the 62 urban centers in central Amazonia. A total of 80.3% of all interviewees reported consuming wild meat during an average of 29.3 (CI 11.6) days per year. Most wild meat was reported as bought in local markets (80.1%) or hunted by a family member (14.9%). Twenty‐one taxa were cited as consumed, mostly mammals (71.6%), followed by reptiles (23.2%) and then birds (5.2%). The declared frequency of wild meat consumption was positively correlated with the proportion of rural population as well as with the per capita gross domestic product of the municipality (administrative divisions) where the cities were seated. We estimated that as much as 10,691 t of wild meat might be consumed annually in the 62 urban centers within central Amazonia, the equivalent of 6.49 kg per person per year. In monetary terms, this amounts to US$21.72 per person per year or US$35.1 million overall, the latter figure is comparable to fish and timber production in the region. Given this magnitude of wild meat trade in central Amazonia, it is fundamental to integrate this activity into the formal economy and actively develop policies that allow the trade of more resilient taxa and restrict trade in species sensitive to hunting.
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Svensson MS, Butynski TM, de Jong YA, Bearder SK, Schneiderová I, Nijman V, 'Low Geographic and Subspecific Variation in the Loud Call of the Widespread and Phenotypically Cryptic Northern Lesser Galago (Galago senegalensis) Suggests Taxonomic Uniformity'
Folia Primatologica 90 (5) (2019) pp.300-318
ISSN: 0015-5713 eISSN: 1421-9980AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARLike other nocturnal primates, many species of galago (Galagidae) are phenotypically cryptic, making their taxonomic status difficult to resolve. Recent taxonomic work has disentangled some of the confusion. This has resulted in an increase in the number of recognised galago species. The most widespread galago species, and indeed the most widespread nocturnal primate, is the northern lesser galago (Galago senegalensis) whose geographic range stretches >7,000 km across Africa. Based on morphology, 4 subspecies are currently recognised: G. s. senegalensis, G. s. braccatus, G. s. sotikae and G. s. dunni. We explore geographic and subspecific acoustic variation in G. senegalensis, testing three hypotheses: isolation by distance, genetic basis, and isolation by barrier. There is statistical support for isolation by distance for 2 of 4 call parameters (fundamental frequency and unit length). Geographic distance explains a moderate amount of the acoustic variation. Discriminant function analysis provides some degree of separation of geographic regions and subspecies, but the percentage of misdesignation is high. Despite having (putative) parapatric geographic ranges, the most pronounced acoustic differences are between G. s. senegalensis and G. s. dunni. The findings suggest that the Eastern Rift Valley and Niger River are significant barriers for G. senegalensis. The acoustic structures of the loud calls of 121 individuals from 28 widespread sites are not significantly different. Although this makes it unlikely that additional unrecognised species occur within G. senegalensis at the sites sampled, vast areas of the geographic range remain unsampled. We show that wide-ranging species do not necessarily exhibit large amounts of variation in their vocal repertoire. This pattern may also be present in nocturnal primates with smaller geographic ranges.
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Padfield, Hansen, Davies, Ehrensperger, Slade, Evers, Papargyropoulou, Bessou, Abdullah, Page, Ancrenaz, Aplin, Dzulkafli, Barclay, Chellaiah, Choudhary, Conway, Cook, Copeland, Campos-Arceiz, Deere, Drew, Gilvear, Gray, Haller, Hood, Huat, Huynh, Kangayatkarasu, Koh, Kolandai, Lim, Yeong, Lucey, Luke, Mitchell, Montefrio, Mullin, Nainar, Nekaris, Nijman, Nunes, Nurhidayu, O'Reilly, Puan, Ruppert, Salim, Schouten, Tallontire, Smith, Tao, Tham, Varkkey, Wadey, Yule, Azhar, Sayok, Vairappan, Bicknell and Struebig, 'Co-producing a Research Agenda for Sustainable Palm Oil'
Science Advances 2 (2019)
ISSN: 2375-2548AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARThe rise of palm oil as the world’s most consumed vegetable oil has coincided with exponential growth in palm oil research activity. Bibliometric analysis of research outputs reveals a distinct imbalance in the type of research being undertaken, notably a disproportionate focus on biofuel and engineering topics. Recognizing the expansion of oil palm agriculture across the tropics and the increasing awareness of environmental, social, and economic impacts, we seek to reorientate the existing research agenda toward one that addresses the most fundamental and urgent questions defined by the palm oil stakeholder community. Following consultation with 659 stakeholders from 38 countries, including palm oil growers, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and researchers, the highest priority research questions were identified within 13 themes. The resulting 279 questions, including 26 ranked as top priority, reveal a diversity of environmental and social research challenges facing the industry, ranging from the ecological and ecosystem impacts of production, to the livelihoods of plantation workers and smallholder communities. Analysis of the knowledge type produced from these questions underscores a clear need for fundamental science programmes, and studies that involve the consultation of non-academic stakeholders to develop “transformative” solutions to the oil palm sector. Stakeholders were most aligned in their choice of priority questions across the themes of policy and certification related themes, and differed the most in environmental feedback, technology and smallholder related themes. Our recommendations include improved regional academic leadership and coordination, greater engagement with private and public stakeholders in Africa, and Central and South America, and enhanced collaborative efforts with researchers in the major consuming countries of India and China.
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Coleman JL, Ascher JS, Bickford D, Buchori D, Cabanban A, Chisholm RA, Chong KY, Christie P, Clements GR, dela Cruz TEE, Dresslerh W, Edwards DP, Francis CM, Friess DA, Giam X, Gibson L, Huang D, Hughes AC, Jaafar Z, Jain A, Koh LP, Kudavidanage EP, Lee BPY-H, Lee J, Lee TM, Leggett M, Leimona B, Linkie M, Luskin M, Lynam A, Meijaard E, Nijman V, Olsson A, Page S, Parolin P, Peh KS-H, Posa MR, Prescott GW, Rahman af A, Ramchunder SJ, Rao M, Reed J, Richards DR, Slade EM, Steinmetz R, Tan PY, Taylor D, Todd PA, Vo ST, Webb EL, Ziegler AD, Carrasco LR, 'Top 100 research questions for biodiversity conservation in Southeast Asia'
Biological Conservation 234 (2019) pp.211-220
ISSN: 0006-3207 eISSN: 1873-2917AbstractPublished hereSoutheast (SE) Asia holds high regional biodiversity and endemism levels but is also one of the world's most threatened regions. Local, regional and global threats could have severe consequences for the future survival of many species and the provision of ecosystem services.
In the face of myriad pressing environmental problems, we carried out a research prioritisation exercise involving 64 experts whose research relates to conservation biology and sustainability in SE Asia. Experts proposed the most pressing research questions which, if answered, would advance the goals of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development in SE Asia. We received a total of 333 questions through three rounds of elicitation, ranked them (by votes) following a workshop and grouped them into themes.
The top 100 questions depict SE Asia as a region where strong pressures on biodiversity interact in complex and poorly understood ways. They point to a lack of information about multiple facets of the environment, while exposing the many threats to biodiversity and human wellbeing. The themes that emerged indicate the need to evaluate specific drivers of biodiversity loss (wildlife harvesting, agricultural expansion, climate change, infrastructure development, pollution) and even to identify which species and habitats are most at risk. They also suggest the need to study the effectiveness of practice-based solutions (protected areas, ecological restoration), the human dimension (social interventions, organisational systems and processes and, the impacts of biodiversity loss and conservation interventions on people). Finally, they highlight gaps in fundamental knowledge of ecosystem function. These 100 questions should help prioritise and coordinate research, conservation, education and outreach activities and the distribution of scarce conservation resources in SE Asia.
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Campera M, Balestri M, Chimienti M, Nijman V, Nekaris KAI, Donati G, 'Temporal niche separation between the two ecologically similar nocturnal primates Avahi meridionalis and Lepilemur fleuretae'
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 73 (2019)
ISSN: 0340-5443 eISSN: 1432-0762AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARTime is considered a resource in limited supply, and temporal niche separation is one of the most common strategies that allow ecologically similar species to live in sympatry. Mechanisms of temporal niche separation are understudied especially in cryptic animals due to logistical problems in gathering adequate data. Using high-frequency accelerometers attached to radio-collars, we investigated whether the ecologically similar lemurs Avahi meridionalis and Lepilemur fleuretae in the lowland rainforest of Tsitongambarika, south-eastern Madagascar, show temporal niche separation. Accelerometers stored data with a frequency of 1 Hz for a total of 71 days on three individuals of A. meridionalis and three individuals of L. fleuretae. We extrapolated motor activity patterns via the unsupervised learning algorithm expectation maximisation and validated the results with systematic behavioural observations. Avahi meridionalis showed peaks of activity at twilights with low but consistent activity during the day, while L. fleuretae exhibited more activity in the central hours of the night. Both lemur species had their activity pattern entrained by photoperiodic variations. The pair-living A. meridionalis was found to be lunarphilic while the solitary-living L. fleuretae was lunarphobic. We suggest that these activity differences were advantageous to minimise feeding competition, as an anti-predator strategy, and/or for dietary-related benefits. These findings demonstrate a fine-tuned temporal partitioning in sympatric, ecologically similar lemur species and support the idea that an activity spread over the 24-h, defined here as cathemerality sensu lato, is more common than previously thought in lemurs.
Significance statement
Ecologically similar species may exhibit temporal niche partitioning and separate their peaks of activity when co-occurring in an area. We show for the first time that the mainly nocturnal genus Avahi can exhibit high crepuscular activity with low but consistent bouts of activity (up to 44.6% of daily activity) during the day. We defined this activity as cathemerality sensu lato as opposed to the cathemerality sensu stricto observed in Eulemur sp. We suggest that this flexible activity may be advantageous for the species to minimise feeding competition and predatory pressure, and/or to provide dietary-related benefits. This finding in the secondary nocturnal genus Avahi supports the idea that activity patterns in lemurs are graded and traditional categorisations are inadequate.
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Nijman V, Smith JH, Kanda RK, 'Phylogeography, Population Genetics, and Conservation of Javan Gibbons (Hylobates moloch)'
International Journal of Primatology 40 (2) (2019) pp.156-161
ISSN: 0164-0291 eISSN: 1573-8604Published here -
Nijman V, Nekaris A, Imron MA, 'Asian songbird crisis also affects unprotected species'
Oryx: The International Journal of Conservation 53 (1) (2019) pp.13-
ISSN: 0030-6053 eISSN: 1365-3008Published here Open Access on RADAR -
Nekaris KAI, Weldon A, Imron MA, Maynard KQ, Nijman V, Poindexter SA, Morcatty TQ., 'Venom in Furs: Facial Masks as Aposematic Signals in a Venomous Mammal'
Toxins 11 (2) (2019)
ISSN: 2072-6651 eISSN: 2072-6651AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARThe function of colouration in animals includes concealment, communication and signaling, such as the use of aposematism as a warning signal. Aposematism is unusual in mammals, and exceptions help us to understand its ecology and evolution. The Javan slow loris is a highly territorial venomous mammal that has a distinctive facial mask and monochromatic vision. To help understand if they use aposematism to advertise their venom to conspecifics or predators with different visual systems, we studied a population in Java, Indonesia. Using ImageJ, we selected colours from the facial masks of 58 individuals, converted RBG colours into monochromatic, dichromatic and trichromatic modes, and created a contrast index. During 290 captures, we recorded venom secretion and aggressiveness. Using Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling and generalised additive models for location, scale and shape, we found that young slow lorises differ significantly from adults, being both more contrasting and more aggressive, with aggressive animals showing fewer wounds. We suggest aposematic facial masks serve multiple purposes in slow lorises based on age. Change in colouration through development may play a role in intraspecific competition, and advertise toxicity or aggressiveness to competitors and/or predators in juveniles. Aposematic signals combined with intraspecific competition may provide clues to new venomous taxa among mammals.
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Svensson MS, Nekaris KAI, Bearder SK, Bettridge C, Butynski T, Cheyne SM, Das N, de Jong Y, Luhrs AM, Luncz L, Maddock ST, Perkin A, Pimley E, Poindexter SA, Reinhardt KD, Spaan D, Stark DJ, Starr CR, Nijman V, 'Sleep patterns, daytime predation and the evolution of diurnal sleep site selection in lorisiforms'
American Journal of Physical Anthropology 166 (3) (2018) pp.563-577
ISSN: 0002-9483 eISSN: 1096-8644AbstractObjectives: Synthesize information on sleep patterns, sleep site use, and daytime predation at sleep sites in lorisiforms of Asia and Africa (ten genera, 36 species), and infer patterns of evolution of sleep site selection. Materials and methods: We conducted fieldwork in twelve African and six Asian countries, collecting data on sleep sites, timing of sleep and predation during daytime. We obtained additional information from literature and through correspondence. Using a phylogenetic approach, we establish ancestral states of sleep site selection in lorisiforms and trace their evolution. Results: The ancestral lorisiform was a fur-clinger and used dense tangles and branches/forks as sleep sites. Use of tree holes and nests as sleep sites emerged ~22 Mya (range 17-26 Mya) in Africa, and use of bamboo emerged ~11 (7-14) Mya in Asia and later in Africa. Nests are commonly used by Galagoides, Paragalago, Galago and Otolemur, tree holes by Galago, Paragalago, Sciurocheirus and Perodicticus, tangles by Nycticebus, Loris, Galagoides, Galago, Euoticus, Otolemur, Perodicticus and Arctocebus, and all but Sciurocheirus and Otolemur additionally sleep on branches/forks. Daytime predation may affect sleep site selection and sleep patterns in some species of Nycticebus, Galago, Galagoides, Otolemur and Perodicticus. Most lorisiforms enter their sleep sites around sunrise and leave around sunset; several are active during twilight or, briefly, during daytime. Conclusion: Variations in sleep behavior, sleep patterns and vulnerability to daytime predation provide a window into the variation that was present in sleep in early primates. Overall, lorisiforms use the daytime for sleeping and no species can be classified as cathemeral or polycyclic.Published here Open Access on RADAR -
Poindexter SA, Reinhardt KD, Nijman V, Nekaris KAI, 'Slow lorises (Nycticebus spp.) display evidence of handedness in the wild and in captivity'
Laterality: Asymmetries of Brain, Behaviour, and Cognition 23 (6) (2018) pp.705-721
ISSN: 1357-650X eISSN: 1464-0678AbstractIt has been suggested that strepsirrhines (lemurs, lorises, and galagos) retain the more primitive left hand preference, whilst monkeys and apes more regularly display a right hand preference at the individual-level. We looked to address questions of laterality in the slow loris (Nycticebus spp.) using spontaneous observations of seven wild individuals, unimanual tests in six captive individuals, and photos of 44 individuals in a bilateral posture assessing handedness at the individual- and group-level. During the unimanual reach task, we found at the individual-level, only four slow lorises showed a hand use bias (R: 3, L:1), Handedness index (HI) ranged from -0.57-1.00. In the wild unimanual grasp task we found at the individual-level two individual showed a right-hand bias, the HI ranged from -0.19-0.70. The bilateral venom pose showed a trend toward a right hand dominant grip in those photographed in captivity, but an ambiguous difference in wild individuals. There are many environmental constraints in captivity that wild animals do not face, thus data collected in wild settings are more representative of their natural state. The presence of right-handedness in these species suggest that there is a need to re-evaluate the evolution of handedness in primates.Published here Open Access on RADAR -
Campera M, Phelps M, Besnard F, Balestri M, Eppley TM, Nijman V, Donati G, 'Does forest management and researchers’ presence reduce hunting and forest exploitation by local communities in Tsitongambarika, south-east Madagascar?'
Oryx: The International Journal of Conservation 53 (4) (2017) pp.677-686
ISSN: 0030-6053 eISSN: 1365-3008AbstractHunting of wildlife is one of the major threats to biodiversity. For effective conservation programmes in countries where hunting and shifting agriculture are the main sources of subsistence, forest management should aim to reduce hunting pressure and forest exploitation. The presence of researchers has been promoted as one of the main ways to mitigate anthropogenic pressures on wildlife populations. Our aim was to test whether local management and the establishment of a research station had a role in decreasing forest exploitation by local people living adjacent to a recently protected area in south-east Madagascar. We interviewed local people from nine villages at various distances from the recently established research station of Ampasy, in the northernmost portion of the Tsitongambarika Protected Area, to explore how people use the forest, with a particular focus on hunting. We also performed transect surveys to estimate snare and lemur encounter rates before local forest management began, at the establishment of the research station, and 1 year after. The impact of local communities on the forest seems to have decreased since the beginning of forest management, with a further decrease since the establishment of the research station. Participants from villages not involved in the local management were more reluctant to declare their illegal activities. We conclude that a combination of local management and related activities (e.g. installation of a research station) can assist in temporarily reducing forest exploitation by local communities; however, community needs and conservation plans should be integrated to maintain long-term benefits.Published here Open Access on RADAR -
Donati G, Santini L, Eppley TM, Arrigo-Nelson SJ, Balestri M, Boinski S, Bollen A, Bridgeman LL, Campera M, Carrai V, Chalise MK, Derby Lewis A, Hohmann G, Kinnaird MF, Koenig A, Kowalewski M, Lahann P, McLennan MR, Nekaris AKI, Nijman V, Norscia I, Ostner J, Polowinsky SY, Schülke O, Schwitzer C, Stevenson PR, Talebi MG, Tan C, Tomaschewski I, Vogel ER, Wright PC, Ganzhorn JU, 'Low levels of fruit nitrogen as drivers for the evolution of Madagascar’s primate communities'
Scientific Reports 7 (2017)
ISSN: 2045-2322AbstractThe uneven representation of frugivorous mammals and birds across tropical regions – high in the New World, low in Madagascar and intermediate in Africa and Asia – represents a long-standing enigma in ecology. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain these differences but the ultimate drivers remain unclear. Here, we tested the idea that fruits in Madagascar contain insufficient nitrogen to meet primate metabolic requirements, thus constraining the evolution of frugivory. We performed a global analysis of nitrogen in fruits consumed by primates, as collated from 79 studies. Our results showed that average frugivory among lemur communities was lower compared to New World and Asian-African primate communities. Fruits in Madagascar contain lower average nitrogen than those in the New World and Old World. Nitrogen content in the overall diets of primate species did not differ significantly between major taxonomic radiations. There is no relationship between fruit protein and the degree of frugivory among primates either globally or within regions, with the exception of Madagascar. This suggests that low protein availability in fruits influences current lemur communities to select for protein from other sources, whereas in the New World and Old World other factors are more significant in shaping primate communities.Published here Open Access on RADAR -
Nekaris KAI, McCabe S, Spaan D, Ali MI, Nijman V, 'A novel application of cultural consensus models to evaluate conservation education programs'
Conservation Biology 31 (2017)
ISSN: 0888-8892 eISSN: 1523-1739AbstractConservation professionals recognize the need to evaluate education initiatives with a flexiblePublished here Open Access on RADAR
approach that is culturally appropriate. Cultural-consensus theory (CCT) provides a
framework for measuring the extent to which beliefs are communally held and has long been
applied by social scientists. In a conservation-education context, we applied CCT and used
free lists (i.e., a list of items on a topic stated in order of cultural importance) and domain
analysis (analysis of how free lists go together within a cultural group) to evaluate a
conservation education program in which we used a children’s picture book to increase
knowledge about and empathy for a critically endangered mammal, the Javan slow loris
(Nycticebus javanicus). We extracted free lists of keywords generated by students (n=580 in
18 schools) from essays they wrote before and after the education program. In 2 classroom
sessions conducted approximately 18 weeks apart, we asked students to write an essay about
their knowledge of the target species and then presented a book and several activities about
slow loris ecology. Prior to the second session, we asked students to write a second essay. We
generated free lists from both essays, quantified salience of terms used, and conducted
minimal residuals factor analysis to determine presence of cultural domains surrounding slow
lorises in each session. Students increased their use of words accurately associated with slow
loris ecology and conservation from 43% in initial essays to 76% in final essays . Domain
coherence increased from 22% to 47% across schools. Fifteen factors contributed to the
domain slow loris. Between the first and second essays, factors that showed the greatest
change were feeding ecology and slow loris as a forest protector, which increased 7-fold, and
the humancentric factor, which decreased 5-fold. As demonstrated by knowledge retention
and creation of unique stories and conservation opinions, children achieved all six levels of
Bloom’s taxonomy of learning domains. Free from the constraints of questionnaires and
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
3
surveys, CCT methods provide a promising avenue to evaluate conservation education
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Nijman V, Nekaris KAI, 'The Harry Potter effect: The rise in trade of owls as pets in Java and Bali, Indonesia'
Global Ecology and Conservation 11 (2017) pp.84-94
ISSN: 2351-9894AbstractHundreds of species of wild-caught birds are offered for sale in the bird markets of Java and Bali, Indonesia, to meet the demand for the largely-domestic pet and songbird trade. In the past, owls were offered only in very small numbers in these bird markets but since the release of the Harry Potter series in Indonesia in the early 2000s their popularity as pets has increased. Whereas in the past owls were collective known as Burung Hantu (“Ghost birds”), in the bird markets they are now commonly referred to as Burung Harry Potter (“Harry Potter birds”). We made a retrospective quantitative assessment of the abundance of owls in the bird markets (1979–2010) and conducted 109 surveys in 20 bird markets in 2012–2016 to quantify owls in trade. In the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s owls were rarely recorded in Indonesia's bird markets, typically one or two and up to five per survey, and frequently no owls were recorded at all. The trade was largely confined to small scops owls. In the late 2000s more species were offered for sale, including barn and bay owls, and larger owl species such as wood-owls, eagle-owls and fish-owls; typically 10 + owls were observed per survey. In recent years, the number of owl species increased even more, and on average we recorded 17 owls per survey, yielding a total of 1810 owls, and in >90% of the surveys owls were present. In the larger bird markets in Jakarta and Bandung typically 30 to 60 owls are on offer of up to 8 species at a time. The number of owls as a proportion of all birds in the markets increased from <0.06% prior to 2002 to >0.43% post 2008, suggesting a delayed Harry Potter effect. Over this period, common species have become cheaper and less common ones have become more expensive. The owls are largely, if not exclusively, wild-caught and are sold into the domestic pet market. The release of Harry Potter films and novels in Indonesia coincided with the rise of the Internet and social media and, with some delay, the emergence of pet owl interest groups on Java and Bali, thus preventing us to demonstrate a causal Harry Potter effect on the owl trade. The overall popularity of owls as pets in Indonesia has risen to such an extent that it may imperil the conservation of some of the less abundant species. Inclusion of owls on Indonesia's protected species list, alongside all diurnal raptors, may be a first step to mitigate the negative effects of this emerging trend.Published here Open Access on RADAR -
Gray TNE, Marx N, Khem V, Lague D, Nijman V, Gauntlett S, 'Holistic management of live animals confiscated from illegal wildlife trade'
Journal of Applied Ecology 54 (3) (2017) pp.726-730
ISSN: 0021-8901 eISSN: 1365-2664AbstractPractitioner's PerspectivePublished here Open Access on RADAR -
Nekaris KAI, Poindexter S, Reinhardt KD, Sigaud M, Cabana F, Wirdateti W, Nijman V, 'Coexistence between Javan Slow Lorises (Nycticebus javanicus) and Humans in a Dynamic Agroforestry Landscape in West Java, Indonesia'
International Journal of Primatology 38 (2) (2017) pp.303-320
ISSN: 0164-0291AbstractIn a world increasingly dominated by human demand for agricultural products, we need to understand wildlife’s ability to survive in agricultural environments. We studied the interaction between humans and Javan slow lorises (Nycticebus javanicus) in Cipaganti, Java, Indonesia. After its introduction in 2013, chayote (Sechium edule), a gourd grown on bamboo lattice frames, became an important cash crop. To evaluate people’s use of this crop and to measure the effect of this increase on slow loris behavior, home ranges, and sleep sites, we conducted interviews with local farmers and analysed the above variables in relation to chayote expansion between 2011 and 2015. Interviews with farmers in 2011, 2013, and 2015 confirm the importance of chayote and of bamboo and slow lorises in their agricultural practices. In 2015 chayote frames covered 12% of land in Cipaganti, occupying 4% of slow loris home ranges, which marginally yet insignificantly increased in size with the increase in chayote. Slow lorises are arboreal and the bamboo frames increased connectivity within their ranges. Of the sleep sites we monitored from 2013 to 2016, 24 had disappeared, and 201 continued to be used by the slow lorises and processed by local people. The fast growth rate of bamboo, and the recognition of the value of bamboo by farmers, allow persistence of slow loris sleep sites. Overall introduction of chayote did not result in conflict between farmers and slow lorises, and once constructed the chayote bamboo frames proved to be beneficial for slow lorises.Published here Open Access on RADAR -
Nijman V, Bergin D, 'Reptiles traded in markets for medicinal purposes in contemporary Morocco'
Contributions to Zoology 86 (1) (2017) pp.39-50
ISSN: 1383-4517AbstractReptiles are traded globally for medicinal purposes. Historic qualitative accounts of reptiles used as medicine in Morocco are numerous, but contemporary quantitative data are rare. In 2013-2014, we surveyed 49 wildlife markets in 20 towns throughout Morocco, plus the Spanish exclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. We recorded 1,586 specimens of at least nine species for sale in 14 of the Moroccan markets with a combined value of about US $100,000. The most prominent markets were those in Marrakesh, Meknes, Casablanca, and Fez, with the former two cites trading equal quantities of dried and live specimens and the latter two trading mainly dried specimens. Common species were the Mediterranean chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) with 720 specimens (506 dried, 214 alive) and the Bell’s Dabb lizard (Uromastyx acanthinura) with 428 specimens (247 dried, 181 alive), both traded in 10 markets, and spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca; 57 carapaces), for sale in eight cities. Over 200 African rock python (Python sebae) skins were identified and may have been illicitly imported from other parts of Africa. The turnover of Mediterranean chameleon and Bell’s Dabb lizard specimens after four weeks as measured by repeat surveys was 66% for both species, resulting in an estimated annual turnover of 1,520 chameleons (range 921–2,303) and 775 lizards (range 364–1,174). Despite legal protection and regulations locally within Morocco and internationally through CITES, reptiles are commonly and openly traded for medicinal purposes throughout Morocco. However, traders are not forthcoming in conveying the legal status of these species and restrictions on trade to potential buyers. Increased enforcement of existing wildlife protection legislation is needed to prevent this exploitation from the illegal wildlife trade that could negatively impacts imperiled species.Published here Open Access on RADAR -
Svensson MS, Bersacola E, Mills MSL, Munds RA, Nijman V, Perkin A, Masters JC, Couette S, Nekaris KAI, Bearder SK, 'A giant among dwarfs: a new species of galago (Primates: Galagidae) from Angola'
American Journal of Physical Anthropology 163 (1) (2017) pp.30-43
ISSN: 0002-9483 eISSN: 1096-8644AbstractObjectives. Based on vocalization recordings of an unknown galago species, our main objectives were to compare morphology and call structure with known closely-related taxa and describe a new species of galago.Published here Open Access on RADAR
Materials and methods. We conducted field surveys in three forest habitats along the escarpment region in western Angola (Kumbira Forest, Bimbe Area, and Northern Scarp Forest), and examined galago specimens from museums worldwide. We digitized and analyzed calls using Avisoft SASLab Pro software. We also compared museum specimens from Angola with other Galago and Galagoides specimens, and conducted comparative analyses (ANOVA and between group principle component analysis) based on a set of twelve linear measurements of skulls and teeth.
Results. We describe the new species to which we give the name Angolan dwarf galago, Galagoides kumbirensis sp. nov. The new species has a loud and characteristic crescendo call, used by other Galagoides spp. (sensu stricto) in West Africa to attract companions and repel rivals. However, this call shows species-typical differences from its closest relatives. Galagoides kumbirensis sp. nov. is also distinguished by differences in the skull morphology, pelage color and facial markings, as well as a larger body size, similar to that of Galago moholi, which is not known to be sympatric.
Conclusion. This discovery points to the importance of Angolan forests as refuges for endemic biodiversity. These forests are under severe threat from overexploitation, and there is an urgent need to establish conservation measures and designate protected areas. -
Fuller G, Nijman V, Wirdateti, Nekaris KAI, 'Do chemical cues in the venom of slow lorises repel avian predators?'
Emu - Austral Ornithology 116 (4) (2017) pp.435-439
ISSN: 0158-4197 eISSN: 1448-5540AbstractRaptors are confirmed predators of Asian slow lorises (Nycticebus spp.), the only primates with a toxic bite. A possible function of this venom is to protect against predators. Slow lorises release volatile chemicals when threatened, thus potentially communicating their venomous status towards predators. Crested Serpent-eagles (Spilornis cheela) and Changeable Hawk-eagles (Nisaetus cirrhatus) are known to prey on venomous snakes and small mammals and are potential predators of slow lorises. We tested the anti-predator potential of slow loris venom by presenting pieces of chicken combined with swabs of Greater Slow Loris (Nycticebus coucang) venom to 10 Changeable Hawk-eagles and 5 Crested Serpent-eagles. The eagles showed few behavioural responses in reaction to slow loris venom, examining swabs with venom or control scents equally. Both eagle species did show higher rates of face-rubbing behaviour following consumption of foods paired with venom compared with control scents. Our data suggest that slow loris venom does not function to repel avian predators, but may have an anti-predator defence function. While the eagles are not repelled by the smell of slow lorises, contact with their venom causes discomfort, potentially limiting the palatability of slow lorises to eagles.Published here Open Access on RADAR -
Svensson M S, Shanee S, Shanee N, Bannister FB, Cervera L, Donati G, Huck M, Jerusalinsky L, Juarez CP, Maldonado AM, Martinez Molinedo J, Méndez-Carvajal PG, Molina Argandoña MA, Mollo Vino A D, Nekaris KAI, Peck M, Rey-Goyeneche J, Spaan D, Nijman V, 'Disappearing in the night: an overview on trade and legislation of night monkeys in South and Central America'
Folia Primatologica 87 (5) (2017) pp.332-348
ISSN: 0015-5713 eISSN: 1421-9980AbstractThe international trade in night monkeys (Aotus spp.), found throughout Central and South America, has been regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since 1975. We present a quantitative analysis of this trade from all 9 range countries, over 4 decades, and compare domestic legislation to CITES regulations. Night monkeys were exported from 8 of the 9 habitat countries, totalling 5,968 live individuals and 7,098 specimens, with trade of live individuals declining over time. In terms of species, the most commonly traded was Aotus nancymaae (present in Brazil, Colombia, Peru) followed by A. vociferans (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru) and A. zonalis (Colombia, Panama). There was no significant correlation between levels of trade and species' geographic range size or the number of countries in which a species occurs. Five countries have legislation that meets CITES requirements for implementation, whereas the other 4 countries' legislation showed deficiencies. Research conducted in Colombia, Peru, and Brazil suggests significant cross-border trade not captured in official international trade registers. Although international trade has diminished, current trends suggest that populations of rarer species may be under unsustainable pressure. Further research is needed to quantify real trade numbers occurring between habitat countries.Published here Open Access on RADAR -
Estrada A, Garber P A, Rylands A B, Roos C, Fernandez-Duque E, Di Fiore A , Nekaris K A-I, Nijman V, Heymann E W , Lambert J E, Rovero F, Barelli C, Setchell J M, Gillespie T R, Mittermeier R A, Verde Arregoitia L, de Guinea M, Gouveia S, Dobrovolski R, Shanee S, Shanee N, Boyle S A, Fuentes A, MacKinnon K C, Amato K R, Meyer A L S, Wich S, Sussman R W, Pan R, Kone I, Li B, 'Impending extinction crisis of the world’s primates: Why primates matter'
Science Advances 3 (1) (2017)
ISSN: 2375-2548AbstractNon-human primates, our closest biological relatives, play important roles in the livelihoods, cultures and religions of many societies, and offer unique insights into human evolution, biology, behavior and the threat of emerging diseases. They are an essential component of tropical biodiversity, contributing to forest regeneration and ecosystem health. The most recent compilation of primate taxonomy lists 504 species, 197 subspecies and 79 genera distributed in the Neotropics, mainland Africa, Madagascar and Asia. Alarmingly, ~60% of primate species are now threatened with extinction as a result of unsustainable human activities, including illegal hunting and those resulting in extensive land-cover changes: industry driven agricultural production, deforestation, livestock and cattle ranching, oil and gas drilling, mining, dam building, climate change, and poor governance. Although drivers of primate decline vary by region, it is clear that decreasing the per capita demand of industrialized nations, lowering human birth rates and population growth, improving health, reducing poverty and gender biases in education, developing sustainable land-use initiatives, and preserving traditional livelihoods in primate range countries are all part of a comprehensive solution. Despite the existing threats to primate survival, we are adamant that primate conservation is not yet a lost cause. We still have the opportunity to reduce the human impact to primates and their habitats, but that demands raising greater local, regional and global public awareness of the plight of the world’s primates and the costs of their loss to ecosystem health, human culture and ultimately human survival.Open Access on RADAR -
Nijman V, Htun OO, Shwe NM, 'Assessing the illegal bear trade in Myanmar through conversations with poachers: topology, perceptions, and trade links to China'
Human Dimensions of Wildlife 22 (2) (2017) pp.172-182
ISSN: 1087-1209 eISSN: 1533-158XAbstractMyanmar is home to Asiatic black bears and sun bears. We gained insight into their hunting and trade in and out of Myanmar through conversations with 40 self-declared bear poachers. All respondents were male who killed or caught typically one to three bears a year, mostly by setting snares. There was a preference for Asiatic black bear. The perception was that bears were less abundant now than five years ago, but it was not more arduous to obtain one. Most poachers (75%) would consume the less valuable parts and sell the remainder, whereas others trapped only to sell. Preferred tradable parts were gall bladder, meat, and paws. Chinese were mentioned as playing key roles (ordering, buying, selling) in the trade. Instead of focusing on poachers that infrequently trap bears, we recommend that the authorities should focus on disrupting the trade networks and markets. Better cooperation with neighboring countries, especially China, is needed to stem to flow of bear parts from Myanmar.Published here Open Access on RADAR -
Auliya M, Altherr S, Ariano-Sanchez D, Baard EH, Brown C, Brown RM, Cantu JC, Gentile G, Gildenhuys P, Henningheim E, Hintzmann J, Kanari K, Krvavac M, Lettink M, Lippert J, Luiselli L, Nilson G, Nguyen TO, Nijman V, Parham JF, Pasachnik SA, Pedrono M, Rauhaus A, Rueda Córdova D, Sanchez ME, Schepp U, van Schingen M, Schneeweiss N, Segniagbeto GH, Somaweera R, Sy EY, Türkozan O, Vinke S, Vinke T, Vyas R, Williamson S, Ziegler T., 'Trade in live reptiles, its impact on wild populations, and the role of the European market'
Biological Conservation 204 (2016)
ISSN: 0006-3207AbstractOf the 10,272 currently recognized reptile species, the trade of fewer than 8% are regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the European Wildlife Trade Regulations (EWTR). However, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List has assessed 45% of the world's reptile species and determined that at least 1390 species are threatened by “biological resource use”. Of these, 355 species are intentionally targeted by collectors, including 194 non-CITES-listed species. Herein we review the global reptile pet trade, its impacts, and its contribution to the over-harvesting of species and populations, in light of current international law. Findings are based on an examination of relevant professional observations, online sources, and literature (e.g., applicable policies, taxonomy [reptile database], trade statistics [EUROSTAT], and conservation status [IUCN Red List]). Case studies are presented from the following countries and regions: Australia, Central America, China, Galapagos Islands (Ecuador), Germany, Europe, India, Indonesia (Kalimantan), Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Madagascar, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Western Africa, and Western Asia. The European Union (EU) plays a major role in reptile trade. Between 2004 and 2014 (the period under study), the EU member states officially reported the import of 20,788,747 live reptiles. This review suggests that illegal trade activities involve species regulated under CITES, as well as species that are not CITES-regulated but nationally protected in their country of origin and often openly offered for sale in the EU. Further, these case studies demonstrate that regulations and enforcement in several countries are inadequate to prevent the overexploitation of species and to halt illegal trade activities.Published here Open Access on RADAR -
Moyes CL, Shearer FM, Huang Z, Wiebe A, Gibson HS, Nijman V, Mohd-Azlan J, Brodie JF, Malaivijitnond S, Linkie M, Samejima H, O’Brien TG, Trainor CR, Hamada Y, Giordano AJ, Kinnaird MF, Elyazar IRF, Sinka ME, Vythilingam I, Bangs MJ, Pigott DM, Weiss DJ, Golding NJ, Hay SI, 'Predicting the geographical distributions of the macaque hosts and mosquito vectors of Plasmodium knowlesi malaria in forested and non-forested areas'
Parasites and Vectors 9 (242) (2016)
ISSN: 1756-3305AbstractBackgroundPublished here Open Access on RADARPlasmodium knowlesi is a zoonotic pathogen, transmitted among macaques and to humans by anopheline mosquitoes. Information on P. knowlesi malaria is lacking in most regions so the first step to understand the geographical distribution of disease risk is to define the distributions of the reservoir and vector species.
Methods
We used macaque and mosquito species presence data, background data that captured sampling bias in the presence data, a boosted regression tree model and environmental datasets, including annual data for land classes, to predict the distributions of each vector and host species. We then compared the predicted distribution of each species with cover of each land class.
Results
Fine-scale distribution maps were generated for three macaque host species (Macaca fascicularis, M. nemestrina and M. leonina) and two mosquito vector complexes (the Dirus Complex and the Leucosphyrus Complex). The Leucosphyrus Complex was predicted to occur in areas with disturbed, but not intact, forest cover (> 60 % tree cover) whereas the Dirus Complex was predicted to occur in areas with 10–100 % tree cover as well as vegetation mosaics and cropland. Of the macaque species, M. nemestrina was mainly predicted to occur in forested areas whereas M. fascicularis was predicted to occur in vegetation mosaics, cropland, wetland and urban areas in addition to forested areas.
Conclusions
The predicted M. fascicularis distribution encompassed a wide range of habitats where humans are found. This is of most significance in the northern part of its range where members of the Dirus Complex are the main P. knowlesi vectors because these mosquitoes were also predicted to occur in a wider range of habitats. Our results support the hypothesis that conversion of intact forest into disturbed forest (for example plantations or timber concessions), or the creation of vegetation mosaics, will increase the probability that members of the Leucosphyrus Complex occur at these locations, as well as bringing humans into these areas. An explicit analysis of disease risk itself using infection data is required to explore this further. The species distributions generated here can now be included in future analyses of P. knowlesi infection risk.
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Nijman V, Zhang M, Shepherd CR, 'Pangolin trade in the Mong La wildlife market and the role of Myanmar in the smuggling of pangolins into China'
Global Ecology and Conservation 5 (2016) pp.118-126
ISSN: 2351-9894AbstractWe report on the illegal trade in live pangolins, their meat, and their scales in the Special Development Zone of Mong La, Shan State, Myanmar, on the border with China, and present an analysis of the role of Myanmar in the trade of pangolins into China. Mong La caters exclusively for the Chinese market and is best described as a Chinese enclave in Myanmar. We surveyed the morning market, wildlife trophy shops and wild meat restaurants during four visits in 2006, 2009, 2013–2014, and 2015. We observed 42 bags of scales, 32 whole skins, 16 foetuses or pangolin parts in wine, and 27 whole pangolins for sale. Our observations suggest Mong La has emerged as a significant hub of the pangolin trade. The origin of the pangolins is unclear but it seems to comprise a mixture of pangolins from Myanmar and neighbouring countries, and potentially African countries. Myanmar, on the basis of its geographic position, size and weak government, has emerged as an important transit country for the smuggling of pangolins to China. Data from 29 seizures from Myanmar and 23 from neighbouring countries (Thailand, India, China) implicating Myanmar as a source of pangolins or as a transit point for pangolins sourced in other countries, in the period 2010–2014, illustrate the magnitude of this trade. Combined these seizures amount to 4339 kg of scales and 518 whole pangolins, with a retail value in Myanmar of US$3.09 million. Trade in pangolins, their parts of their derivatives is illegal in Myanmar and CITES II listing with a zero-quota preclude international trade in them. We urge the Myanmar government to liaise with regional authorities to curb the trade in pangolins and recommend that the Myanmar and Chinese CITES authorities in particular come together urgently as to resolve the illicit trade of pangolins and their parts across their borders.Published here Open Access on RADAR -
Nijman V, Spaan D, Nekaris KAI, 'Large-scale trade in legally protected marine mollusc shells from Java and Bali, Indonesia'
PLoS ONE 10 (12) (2015)
ISSN: 1932-6203AbstractBackgroundPublished here Open Access on RADARTropical marine molluscs are traded globally. Larger species with slow life histories are under threat from over-exploitation. We report on the trade in protected marine mollusc shells in and from Java and Bali, Indonesia. Since 1987 twelve species of marine molluscs are protected under Indonesian law to shield them from overexploitation. Despite this protection they are traded openly in large volumes.
Methodology/Principal Findings
We collected data on species composition, origins, volumes and prices at two large open markets (2013), collected data from wholesale traders (2013), and compiled seizure data by the Indonesian authorities (2008–2013). All twelve protected species were observed in trade. Smaller species were traded for <USD1.00 whereas prices of larger species were USD15.00–40.00 with clear price-size relationships. Some shells were collected locally in Java and Bali, but the trade involves networks stretching hundreds of kilometres throughout Indonesia. Wholesale traders offer protected marine mollusc shells for the export market by the container or by the metric ton. Data from 20 confiscated shipments show an on-going trade in these molluscs. Over 42,000 shells were seized over a 5-year period, with a retail value of USD700,000 within Indonesia; horned helmet (Cassis cornuta) (>32,000 shells valued at USD500,000), chambered nautilus (Nautilus pompilius) (>3,000 shells, USD60,000) and giant clams (Tridacna spp.) (>2,000 shells, USD45,000) were traded in largest volumes. Two-thirds of this trade was destined for international markets, including in the USA and Asia-Pacific region.
Conclusions/Significance
We demonstrated that the trade in protected marine mollusc shells in Indonesia is not controlled nor monitored, that it involves large volumes, and that networks of shell collectors, traders, middlemen and exporters span the globe. This impedes protection of these species on the ground and calls into question the effectiveness of protected species management in Indonesia; solutions are unlikely to be found only in Indonesia and must involve the cooperation of importing countries.
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Nijman V, Spaan D, Rode-Margono EJ, Wirdateti, Nekaris KAI, 'Changes in the primate trade in Indonesian wildlife markets over a 25-year period: fewer apes and langurs, more macaques and slow lorises'
American Journal of Primatology 79 (11) (2015)
ISSN: 0275-2565AbstractIndonesia has amongst the highest primate species richness, and many species are included on the country's protected species list, partially to prevent over-exploitation. Nevertheless traders continue to sell primates in open wildlife markets especially on the islands of Java and Bali. We surveyed 13 wildlife markets in 2012–2014 and combined our results with previous surveys from 1990–2009 into a 122-survey dataset with 2,424 records of 17 species. These data showed that the diversity of species in trade decreased over time, shifting from rare rainforest-dwelling primates traded alongside more widespread species that are not confined to forest to the latter type only. In the 1990s and early 2000s orangutans, gibbons and langurs were commonly traded alongside macaques and slow lorises but in the last decade macaques and slow lorises comprised the bulk of the trade. In 2012–2014 we monitored six wildlife markets in Jakarta, Bandung and Garut (all on Java), and Denpasar (Bali). During 51 surveys we recorded 1,272 primates of eight species. Traders offered long-tailed macaque (total 1,007 individuals) and three species of slow loris (228 individuals) in five of the six markets, whereas they traded ebony langurs (18 individuals), and pig-tailed macaques (14 individuals) mostly in Jakarta. Pramuka and Jatinegara markets, both in Jakarta, stood out as important hubs for the primate trade, with a clear shift in importance over time from the former to the latter. Slow lorises, orangutans, gibbons and some langurs are protected under Indonesian law, which prohibits all trade in them; of these protected species, only the slow lorises remained common in trade throughout the 25-year period. Trade in non-protected macaques and langurs is subject to strict regulations—which market traders did not follow—making all the market trade in primates that we observed illegal. Trade poses a substantial threat to Indonesian primates, and without enforcement, the sheer volume of trade may mean that species of Least Concern or Near Threatened may rapidly decline.Published here Open Access on RADAR -
Svensson MS, Ingram DJ, Nekaris KAI, Nijman V, 'Trade and ethnozoological use of African lorisiforms in the last 20 years'
Hystrix, the Italian Journal of Mammalogy 26 (2) (2015) pp.153-161
ISSN: 0394-1914 eISSN: 1825-5272AbstractTrade in primates is considered a major impediment to primate conservation globally. The bushmeat trade in West and Central Africa is considered largely unsustainable and represents one of the main threats to biodiversity. Furthermore, the use of primates in traditional practices and medicine includes a third of the African primate species. Little is known about the trade in the African mainland lorisiforms; pottos, angwantibos and galagos. Aiming to fill this knowledge gap we created an online survey, conducted a literature review, and analyzed CITES trade records, focusing on the last two decades. We obtained 188 questionnaire responses from researchers and people working in 31 different countries in sub-Saharan Africa. We found a total of 33 publications reporting on trade in African lorisiforms, and CITES records indicate that almost 2000 lorisiforms were traded internationally from African range countries. Fifty-three percent of respondents provided meaningful details about aspects of the trade in African lorisiforms from 50% of the range countries. Galagos were reported by respondents in larger numbers than pottos and angwantibos, and mainly occurred in the pet trade. Pottos were the most frequently mentioned taxon in the literature, when all trade types were combined. Across all of the sources (online survey, literature and CITES database), trade in pottos and angwantibos was reported from 12 countries, and galagos from 23 countries. Trade was reported to occur mainly within rural settings (64%), potentially indicating that demand is not high enough to fuel long distance trading. However, as seen in the Asian lorisiforms, once quantitative studies were conducted, the threat that trade posed became alarmingly apparent and is now considered a major impediment to their conservation. Our insight into the trade of African lorisiforms should be followed up with concerted studies, with an emphasis on quantifying trade to the species level.Published here -
Nijman V, Shepherd CR, 'Trade in tigers and other wild cats in Mong La and Tachilek, Myanmar – a tale of two border towns'
Biological Conservation 182 (2014) pp.1-7
ISSN: 0006-3207AbstractTrade in large cats (Panthera and Neofelis species), and indeed other wild cats, is a clear impediment to their conservation. Myanmar is an important country for cat conservation, both because of the presence of significant populations of threatened species but equally as it is positioned strategically between China, Thailand and India. Here we analyse data from large cat skins and other cat parts observed openly for sale at two border towns in Myanmar. Data from Tachilek on the Myanmar–Thailand border (19 surveys, 1991–2013) and Mong La on the Myanmar–China border (7 surveys, 2001–2014) show that the most common species in trade was the clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa (482 individuals; observed in 22/24 surveys), followed by leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis (458 individuals; 11/12 surveys), leopard Panthera pardus (344; 22/24 surveys), tiger P. tigris (207 individuals; 21/24 surveys) and Asiatic golden cat Catopuma temmincki (135 individuals; 10/12 surveys). Volumes of skins held no relationship with the number of other cat parts (e.g. skull, claws and canines) in trade. The number of small cat skins observed was positively related to the number of large cat skins. There were no indications that leopards or clouded leopards were used as replacement for tigers. While the number of shops selling cat parts increased in Mong La from 6 in 2006 to 21 in 2014 there was no associated temporal increase in trade, whereas the number of shops decreased from 35 in 2000 to 6 in 2013 in Tachilek and this coincided with a decrease in available cat parts. These data show that in the last decades the trade of cat parts from Myanmar into Thailand has diminished and reaffirms the role of China in the trade of cats out of Myanmar.Published here -
Bersacola E, Svensson MS, Bearder SK, Mills M, Nijman V, 'Hunted in Angola: Surveying the Bushmeat Trade'
SWARA 2014 (Jan/March) (2014) pp.31-36
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Svensson MS, Bersacola E, Bearder SK, Nijman V, Mills M, 'Open sale of elephant ivory in Luanda, Angola'
Oryx: The International Journal of Conservation 48 (1) (2014) pp.13-14
ISSN: 0030-6053 eISSN: 1365-3008Published here -
Nijman V, Shepherd CR, 'Emergence of Mong La on the Myanmar-China border as a global hub for the international trade in ivory and elephant parts'
Biological Conservation 179 (2014) pp.17-22
ISSN: 0006-3207AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARWe report on the illegal trade in ivory and elephant parts in the Special Development Zone of Mong La, Shan State, Myanmar, on the border with China. Mong La caters exclusively for the Chinese market and is best described as a Chinese enclave in Myanmar. We surveyed the morning market, shops and hotels in Feb 2006, Feb 2009 and Dec 2013-Jan 2014. Trade in body parts primarily concerned dried elephant skin (4 pieces in 2006, 278 in 2009 and 1,238 in 2013-2014), and to a lesser extent molars and bones. We found 3,494 pieces of carved ivory (none in 2006, 200 in 2009 and 3,294 in 2013-2014) and 49 whole tusks (all in 2013-2014) openly for sale, suggesting Mong La has recently emerged as a significant hub of the ivory trade. The origin of the ivory may constitute a combination of Asian elephant ivory from Myanmar and African ivory imported via China. According to local sources the carving was done by Chinese craftsmen, in Mong La as well as across the border in China, and was largely, if not exclusively, intended for the internal Chinese market. Based on asking prices of the most commonly offered items the retail value of the ivory on display in Mong La during the 2013-2014 survey totals an estimated US$1.2 million. Trade in elephant parts and elephant ivory is illegal in Myanmar and CITES I listing of elephants preclude international trade in them. Mong La is governed largely autonomously by an overlord and policed by an Eastern Shan State army. We urge both the Myanmar and Chinese governments to liaise with the Mong La rulers to curb the trade in ivory (and other high profile species), and recommend that the Myanmar and Chinese CITES authorities come together urgently as to resolve the illicit trade of ivory and elephant parts across their borders.
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Nijman V, Nekaris KA, 'Traditions, taboos and trade in slow lorises in Sundanese communities in southern Java, Indonesia'
Endangered Species Research 25 (1) (2014) pp.79-88
ISSN: 1863-5407AbstractPublished hereFor endangered species management it is imperative that there is a shared understanding of the different beliefs, opinions and factual knowledge about different aspects of the conservation programme. To allow this to be taken into account, detailed assessments need to be made of these views, how they differ between individuals, and crucially, what beliefs and views are shared. These assessments require tools from both the natural and the social sciences. Here we focus on the beliefs, opinions and knowledge about Javan slow lorises in 12 Sundanese communities of West Java, Indonesia. Javan slow lorises are small, nocturnal, venomous primates that are threatened by habitat loss and over-exploitation for the illegal pet trade. Based on detailed interviews with 79 informants, and using cluster and cultural domain analyses, we identify and document five different topics, i.e. Trade and exploitation, Taboos against disturbing or capturing, Venomous primates, Blood myths and Mystical powers. The most salient topics were factual (activity pattern, habitat use) and the taboo on collecting or disturbing slow lorises. In communities where there were strong traditions, taboos and beliefs in place, slow lorises were found in seemingly unlikely habitats, in or adjacent to the villages; where these were absent slow lorises were less known to the communities and the slow lorises were either less abundant or absent. We conclude that it is imperative that any management programme or species action plan implemented in West Java has to take into account the traditions, beliefs and taboos regarding slow lorises.
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Neilson E, Nijman V, Nekaris KAI, 'Conservation Assessments of Arboreal Mammals in Difficult Terrain: Occupancy Modeling of Pileated Gibbons (Hylobates Pileatus)'
International Journal of Primatology 34 (2013) pp.823-835
ISSN: 0164-0291 eISSN: 1573-8604AbstractPublished hereLong-term monitoring programs, wildlife surveys, and other research involving species population assessment require reliable data on population status. Given the logistically challenging nature of some species’ habitats and cryptic behaviors, collecting these data can prove to be a considerable barrier. We used detection/nondetection data from pileated gibbons (Hylobates pileatus) in the Cardamom Mountains of southwest Cambodia to estimate their population occupancy and detectability. We modeled occupancy using elevation, tree height, tree density, tree diversity, and disturbance covariates. Modeling demonstrated that 83% of the sites are occupied by Hylobates pileatus and that the detectability of the species varies positively with elevation. No clear relationship between habitat quality covariates and occupancy of Hylobates pileatus emerged. Effort analysis based on model estimates demonstrated that at high elevations, less than half the number of site visits is needed to attain the same detectability estimate precision as across all elevations. We suggest that human activities at low elevations, which affect forest composition, are the central factors impacting the detectability and occupancy of Hylobates pileatus. Longer sampling durations and/or a higher number of site visits, especially at lower elevations, increase precision of the occupancy estimator for the least effort. For effective future monitoring and research for this and similar species, using this relatively simple method, applied with repeat site visits, would allow a longitudinal comparison of detection at sites in difficult terrain.
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Akers AA, Islam MA, Nijman V, 'Habitat Characterization of Western Hoolock Gibbons Hoolock Hoolock By Examining Home Range Microhabitat Use'
Primates 54 (2013) pp.341-348
ISSN: 0032-8332 eISSN: 1610-7365AbstractPublished hereConserving a species depends on an understanding of its habitat requirements. Primatologists often characterize the habitat requirements of primates using macroscale population-based approaches relying on correlations between habitat attributes and population abundances between sites with varying levels of disturbance. This approach only works for species spread between several populations. The populations of some primates do not fulfill these criteria, forcing researchers to rely on individual-based (microscale) rather than population-based approaches for habitat characterization. We examined the reliability of using micro-scale habitat characterizations by studying the microhabitat preferences of a group of wild western hoolock gibbons (Hoolock hoolock) in order to compare our results to the habitat preferences of western hoolock gibbons identified during a macroscale study of populations across Bangladesh. We used stepwise discriminant analysis to differentiate between the areas of low, medium, and high usage based on microhabitat characteristics (tree species availability, altitude, canopy connection, distance from forest edge, and levels of human disturbance). The gibbons used interior forest habitat with low food tree availability most frequently for sleeping and socializing, and used edge habitat containing high food tree availability for medium periods for feeding. These results indicate that the gibbons prefer interior forest but are frequently forced to visit the forest edge to feed. Therefore, the optimal habitat would be interior forest away from human disturbance with high sleeping-tree and feeding-tree availability. These habitat preferences are consistent with the habitat attributes of Bangladesh's largest remaining western hoolock gibbon populations, which live in areas containing low agricultural encroachment and high food-tree availability. Microhabitat use studies can be used to characterize the habitat requirements of a species, but should include multiple scales of analysis wherever possible. -
Nijman V, Nekaris KAI, 'Loud Calls, Startle Behaviour, Social Organisation and Predator Avoidance in Arboreal Langurs (cercopithecidae: Presbytis)'
Folia Primatologica 83 (2013) pp.274-287
ISSN: 0015-5713 eISSN: 1421-9980AbstractPublished hereLinking predator avoidance and social organisation predicts that large groups are favoured under heavy predation pressure but that small, inconspicuous groups may do equally well by avoiding detection altogether. We explored the relationships between antipredator behaviour (vocalisation, concealment, fleeing), detectability (colouration, group size) and social organisation in arboreal langurs. Three clear antipredation conditions emerged: (1) exemplified by Presbytis melalophos--brightly-coloured species (red, yellow) with contrasting colours, living in large unimale-multifemale groups (>10 individuals), that vocalised frequently and that flee loudly through the canopy; (2) exemplified by P. comata--greyish species (some contrasting colours), living in intermediate, unimale-multifemale or 1-male-1-female groups (approx. 7 individuals), that vocalise infrequently and that flee through the middle forest layers; (3) exemplified by P. frontata--dull-coloured species without contrast, living in small unimale-multifemale or 1-male-1-female groups (<5 individuals), that may freeze upon detection, and that may vocalise mainly during the night. Crypsis as an antipredator strategy is restricted to taxa that occur in 1-male-1-female groups. This wide range of antipredator strategies within a monophyletic taxon living in the same general area with a similar suite of predators facing similar predator pressures appears to be unique among the order Primates. -
Nekaris KA-I, Campbell N, Coggins TG, Rode EJ, Nijman V, 'Tickled to Death: Analysing Public Perceptions of ‘Cute’ Videos of Threatened Species (Slow Lorises – Nycticebus spp.) on Web 2.0 Sites'
PLoS ONE 8 (7) (2013)
ISSN: 1932-6203AbstractPublished hereBackground
The internet is gaining importance in global wildlife trade and changing perceptions of threatened species. There is little data available to examine the impact that popular Web 2.0 sites play on public perceptions of threatened species. YouTube videos portraying wildlife allow us to quantify these perceptions.
Methodology/Principal Findings
Focussing on a group of threatened and globally protected primates, slow lorises, we quantify public attitudes towards wildlife conservation by analysing 12,411 comments and associated data posted on a viral YouTube video ‘tickling slow loris’ over a 33-months period. In the initial months a quarter of commentators indicated wanting a loris as a pet, but as facts about their conservation and ecology became more prevalent this dropped significantly. Endorsements, where people were directed to the site by celebrities, resulted mostly in numerous neutral responses with few links to conservation or awareness. Two conservation-related events, linked to Wikipedia and the airing of a television documentary, led to an increase in awareness, and ultimately to the removal of the analysed video.
Conclusions/Significance
Slow loris videos that have gone viral have introduced these primates to a large cross-section of society that would not normally come into contact with them. Analyses of webometric data posted on the internet allow us quickly to gauge societal sentiments. We showed a clear temporal change in some views expressed but without an apparent increase in knowledge about the conservation plight of the species, or the illegal nature of slow loris trade. Celebrity endorsement of videos showing protected wildlife increases visits to such sites, but does not educate about conservation issues. The strong desire of commentators to express their want for one as a pet demonstrates the need for Web 2.0 sites to provide a mechanism via which illegal animal material can be identified and policed.
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Aliabadian M, Kaboli M, Förschler M I, Nijman V, Chamani A, Tillier A, Prodon R, Pasquet E, Ericson P G P, Zuccon D, 'Convergent evolution of morphological and ecological traits in the open-habitat chat complex (Aves, Muscicapidae: Saxicolinae)'
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 65 (3) (2012) pp.35-45
ISSN: 1055-7903AbstractPublished hereOpen-habitat chats (genera Myrmecocichla, Cercomela, Oenanthe and relative) are a morphologically and ecologically cohesive group of genera with unclear phylogenetic relationships. They are distributed mostly in open, arid and/or rocky habitats of Africa and Eurasia. Here, we present the most comprehensive molecular phylogenetic analysis of this group to date, with a complete taxon sampling at the species level. The analysis, based on a multilocus dataset including three mitochondrial and three nuclear loci, allows us to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships and test the traditional generic limits. All genera are non-monophyletic, suggesting extensive convergence on similar plumage patterns in unrelated species. While the colour pattern appear to be a poor predictor of the phylogenetic relationships, some of the ecological and behavioural traits agree relatively well with the major clades. Following our results, we also propose a revised generic classification for the whole group.
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Aliabadian M, Kaboli M, Forschler MI, Nijman V, Chamani A, Tillier A, Prodon R, Pasquet E, Ericson PGP, Zuccon D, 'Erratum to: Convergent Evolution of Morphological and Ecological Traits in the Open-habitat Chat Complex (aves, Muscicapidae: Saxicolinae) (vol 65, Pg 35, 2012)'
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 65 (2012) pp.1017-1019
ISSN: 1055-7903 eISSN: 1095-9513AbstractPublished hereIn our paper about the phylogeny of the open-habitat chat complex inadvertently the GenBank accession numbers of all newly generated sequences presented in Table 1 were left out. We here provide a corrected version of this Table. We would like to apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused to the readers of the journal.
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Nijman V, Shepherd CR, Mumpuni, Sanders KL, 'Over-exploitation and Illegal Trade of Reptiles in Indonesia'
Herpetological Journal 22 (2012) pp.83-89
ISSN: 0268-0130AbstractWe report on the commercial trade in three reptile species harvested for different purposes in western Indonesia (Sumatra,
Java, Kalimantan) for international markets: (1) Tokay geckos, Gekko gecko, traded for medicinal uses, (2) Javan filesnakes,
Acrochordus javanicus, harvested for skins, and (3) Asiatic softshell turtles, Amyda cartilaginea, harvested for meat; each
species is also exploited for the pet trade, but to a lesser extent. All three species are harvested from wild populations. None
of these species are protected by Indonesian law, but there is a national harvest and export quota system in place to prevent
overexploitation. For each species, we collected data from catchers, middlemen and exporters on harvest volumes, catching
locales, turn-over and prices, and compared these figures with the quota allocated by the Indonesian authorities. The trade in
G. gecko from Central and East Java (3 traders, 2006) amounts to around 1.2 million individuals annually, greatly exceeding
the national quota of 50,000 G. gecko for the entire year and representing a monetary value for exporters of around one
million USD / year. The annual trade in A. javanicus (in five cities in East and South Kalimantan, and North Sumatra, Riau
(central Sumatra) and South Sumatra, 2005–6) was estimated at around 300,000 individuals from Kalimantan and 30,000
from Sumatra, exceeding the national quota of 200,000 individuals / year and representing a monetary value for exporters of
at least three million USD / year. The trade in A. cartilaginea was monitored in three cities in North Sumatra and Riau in 1999:
200–450,000 individuals were traded in 1998 and 1999, greatly exceeding the national quota of 10,000, with a monetary
value for exporters in excess of ten million USD / year. We conclude that implementation of wildlife trade regulations by
and large are not abided by many reptile traders and are not sufficiently enforced by the Indonesian authorities. We further
note that the quota-setting process rarely involves non-detriment findings based on reliable biological information. In order
for reptile trade to be sustainable in Indonesia, it is paramount that non-detriment findings are undertaken and existing
regulations are sufficiently enforced.
We report on the commercial trade in three reptile species harvested for different purposes in western Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan) for international markets: (1) Tokay geckos, Gekko gecko, traded for medicinal uses, (2) Javan filesnakes,
Acrochordus javanicus, harvested for skins, and (3) Asiatic softshell turtles, Amyda cartilaginea, harvested for meat; each species is also exploited for the pet trade, but to a lesser extent. All three species are harvested from wild populations. None
of these species are protected by Indonesian law, but there is a national harvest and export quota system in place to prevent overexploitation. For each species, we collected data from catchers, middlemen and exporters on harvest volumes, catching
locales, turn-over and prices, and compared these figures with the quota allocated by the Indonesian authorities. The trade in G. gecko from Central and East Java (3 traders, 2006) amounts to around 1.2 million individuals annually, greatly exceeding
the national quota of 50,000 G. gecko for the entire year and representing a monetary value for exporters of around one million USD / year. The annual trade in A. javanicus (in five cities in East and South Kalimantan, and North Sumatra, Riau
(central Sumatra) and South Sumatra, 2005–6) was estimated at around 300,000 individuals from Kalimantan and 30,000 from Sumatra, exceeding the national quota of 200,000 individuals / year and representing a monetary value for exporters of
at least three million USD / year. The trade in A. cartilaginea was monitored in three cities in North Sumatra and Riau in 1999: 200–450,000 individuals were traded in 1998 and 1999, greatly exceeding the national quota of 10,000, with a monetary value for exporters in excess of ten million USD / year. We conclude that implementation of wildlife trade regulations by and large are not abided by many reptile traders and are not sufficiently enforced by the Indonesian authorities. We further note that the quota-setting process rarely involves non-detriment findings based on reliable biological information. In order for reptile trade to be sustainable in Indonesia, it is paramount that non-detriment findings are undertaken and existing regulations are sufficiently enforced.
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Nijman V, 'Purple-faced Langurs in Human-modified Environments Feeding on Cultivated Fruits: a Comment to Dela (2007, 2012)'
International Journal of Primatology 33 (2012) pp.743-748
ISSN: 0164-0291 eISSN: 1573-8604AbstractPublished hereRecently Dela (International Journal of Primatology, 28 (2007): 607–626; International Journal ofPrimatology, 33 (2012): 40–72) published her study from the mid-1980s on the diet of purple-faced langurs Trachypithecus (Semnopithecus) vetulus in village gardens and rubber plantations. Unlike studies from the 1970s that reported the species, like other colobines, to be largely folivorous with few ripe fruits eaten, Dela found them to be largely frugivorous. The frequent feeding on ripe fruits challenges the paradigm that colobine digestive adaptations restrict the use of ripe fleshy fruits. No reference was made to any other post-1970s study on the species. Here I provide a concise overview of more than a dozen studies conducted in the 1990s and 2000s that show that 1) other populations live in similar human-modified environments showing feeding adaptations as reported by Dela, 2) these populations rely largely on cultivated crops and feed heavily on fruits, 3) living in these situations introduces them to additional threats. Especially in western Sri Lanka little natural habitat remains and deforestation has led the langurs to exchange the forest jungle for the urban jungle, with power lines, fences, walls, and roofs being used instead of trees. The main fruits that provide a staple for langurs in these areas are jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), banana (Musaspp.), and mango (Mangifera indica); studies in undisturbed habitats and indeed Dela’s own study suggest the heavy use of human-edible fruits by langurs may not necessarily indicate preferential selection of these food sources. Living in human-modified environments makes the langurs more prone to infection with gastrointestinal parasites, and may lead to death by electrocution or being killed by guard dogs. The large degree of agreement between studies suggest that feeding on ripe fruits from cultivars is not unique to Dela’s two study groups and shows that some langur groups are able to survive for extended periods on uncolobine-like diets when they cannot access their preferred foods.
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Nijman V, Heuts BA, 'Aggression and Dominance in Cichlids in Resident-intruder Tests: the Role of Environmental Enrichment'
Neotropical Ichthyology 9 (2011) pp.543-545
ISSN: 1679-6225 eISSN: 1982-0224 -
Nekaris K, Nijman V, Godfrey L, 'Anthropology: follow field primatologists'
Nature 471 (488) (2011)
ISSN: 0028-0836AbstractField primatologists search the archaeological record of tool-using primates to gain insight into their cultures and traditions. Similarly, researchers of primate communication have set up a linguistic framework to investigate its intricacies in the context of the evolution of human language and music.Published here -
Nijman V, Booij J, Flikweert M, Aliabadian M, de Freitas JA, Vonk R, Prins TG, 'Habitat Use of Raptors in Response to Anthropogenic Land Use on Bonaire and Curacao, Netherlands Antilles'
Caribbean Journal of Science 45 (2011) pp.25-29
ISSN: 0008-6452 -
Nijman V, Nekaris K, Donati G, Bruford M, Fa J, 'Primate conservation: measuring and mitigating trade in primates'
Endangered Species Research 13 (2) (2011) pp.159-161
ISSN: 1863-5407AbstractPublished hereTrade in primates is seen as a significant impediment to their conservation. Primates are traded both domestically and internationally, in order to supply, amongst others, biomedical industries and pharmaceutical markets, the entertainment business, or pet markets. Primate meat is consumed globally, whereas body parts are used as ingredients in traditional medicine or sold as curios. All international trade in primates is regulated through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), to which all but 2 primate range countries are signatory. The last 15 years has seen a linear increase in the export of live primates (each year 3500 more individuals are exported), with China being, numerically, the largest exporter. While the trade in live primates worldwide involves tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of individuals a year, the trade in dead primates involves millions of animals a year. We introduce here a series of studies dealing with various aspects of the primate trade. We hope that these studies will urge others to quantify the extent of trade in primates alive and dead in both domestic and international contexts, allowing us to find ways to mitigate the consequences of this trade to the conservation of primates.
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Fam SD, Nijman V, 'Spizaetus Hawk-eagles As Predators of Arboreal Colobines'
Primates 52 (2011) pp.105-110
ISSN: 0032-8332 eISSN: 1610-7365Published here -
Nijman V, 'The Importance of Small Wetlands for the Conservation of the Endemic Caribbean Coot Fulica Caribaea'
Caribbean Journal of Science 46 (2011) pp.112-115
ISSN: 0008-6452 -
Nijman V, Shepherd C R, 'The role of Thailand in the international trade in CITES-listed live reptiles and amphibians'
PLoS ONE 6 (3) (2011) pp.17825-
ISSN: 1932-6203AbstractPublished hereBackground International wildlife trade is one of the leading threats to biodiversity conservation. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is the most important initiative to monitor and regulate the international trade of wildlife but its credibility is dependent on the quality of the trade data. We report on the performance of CITES reporting by focussing on the commercial trade in non-native reptiles and amphibians into Thailand as to illustrate trends, species composition and numbers of wild-caught vs. captive-bred specimens. Methodology/Principal Findings Based on data in the WCMC-CITES trade database, we establish that a total of 75,594 individuals of 169 species of reptiles and amphibians (including 27 globally threatened species) were imported into Thailand in 1990-2007. The majority of individuals (59,895, 79%) were listed as captive-bred and a smaller number (15,699, 21%) as wild-caught. In the 1990s small numbers of individuals of a few species were imported into Thailand, but in 2003 both volumes and species diversity increased rapidly. The proportion of captive-bred animals differed greatly between years (from 0 to >80%). Wild-caught individuals were mainly sourced from African countries, and captive-bred individuals from Asian countries (including from non-CITES Parties). There were significant discrepancies between exports and imports. Thailand reports the import of >10,000 individuals (51 species) originating from Kazakhstan, but Kazakhstan reports no exports of these species. Similar discrepancies, involving smaller numbers (>100 individuals of 9 species), can be seen in the import of reptiles into Thailand via Macao. Conclusion/Significance While there has been an increase in imports of amphibian and reptiles into Thailand, erratic patterns in proportions of captive-bred specimens and volumes suggests either capricious markets or errors in reporting. Large discrepancies with respect to origin point to misreporting or possible violations of the rules and intentions of CITES.
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Nijman V, 'An overview of the international wildlife trade from Southeast Asia'
Biodiversity and Conservation 19 (4) (2010) pp.1101-1114
ISSN: 0960-3115 eISSN: 1572-9710AbstractWildlife trade is the very heart of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development providing an income for some of the least economically affluent people and it generates considerable revenue nationally. In Asia the unsustainable trade in wildlife has been identified as one of the main conservation challenges. Internationally, wildlife trade is regulated through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES) to which all Southeast Asian nations are signatory. I obtained data on international trade in CITES-listed animals in the period 1998-2007. In all >35 million animals (0.3 million butterflies; 16.0 million seahorses; 0.1 million other fish; 17.4 million reptiles; 0.4 million mammals; 1.0 million birds) were exported in this period, 30 million (~300 species) of them being wild-caught. In addition 18 million pieces and 2 million kg of live corals were exported. Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and China are the major exporters of wild-caught animals and the European Union and Japan are the most significant importers. Over this period exports in birds significantly decreased, trade in the other taxa either increased or remained stable. For all taxa but butterflies the vast majority of individuals represent wild-caught individuals. Records of illegal or undeclared international trade are scant but can be significantly larger than levels of official exports. It is concluded that there is an urgent need for better assessments of what levels of exploitation are sustainable (including exploring appropriate proxies for Non Detriment Findings), for initiatives to make regulatory mechanisms more effective (including the introduction of minimum mandatory standards and monitoring selected wildlife trade hubs), and for better licensing and registration. Funding for at least some of these initiatives can be obtained by imposing small levies on exports of CITES-listed wildlife.Published here -
Phelps J, Webb E L, Bickford D, Nijman V, Sodhi N S, 'Boosting CITES'
Science 330 (6012) (2010) pp.1752-1753
ISSN: 0036-8075 eISSN: 1095-9203AbstractPublished hereInternational wildlife trade remains a leading threat to biodiversity conservation and is a common vector for infectious diseases and invasive species that also affect agriculture, livestock, and public health. With 175 member countries, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) is the most important global initiative to monitor and regulate international trade of plants and animals. CITES regulates trade of nearly 34,000 species and has reduced threats associated with overharvest of imperiled species for international trade. Credible biological and trade data are core to informing decisions and garnering political will and consensus among CITES parties. This does not preclude party bargaining, as occurred during the March 2010 Conference of Parties (CoP) debate over bluefin tuna. Nevertheless, CITES decisions are also frequently hindered by a lack of basic data. We highlight CITES limitations and describe potential solutions related to systematic data collection, rigorous data analysis, flexible research methods, and peer review.
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Nijman V, Nekaris K, 'Checkerboard patterns, interspecific competition, and extinction: Lessons from distribution patterns of tarsiers (tarsius) and slow lorises (nycticebus) in insular southeast asia'
International Journal of Primatology 31 (6) (2010) pp.1147-1160
ISSN: 0164-0291 eISSN: 1573-8604AbstractPublished hereTarsiers (Tarsius) and slow lorises (Nycticebus) are the only extant nocturnal primates occurring in Southeast Asia. Harcourt (1999) hypothesized that in insular Southeast Asia, slow lorises and tarsiers showed a checkerboard distribution on 12 small (<12,000 km2) islands, i.e., only one or the other occurs, and attributed this to extreme levels of competition between these 2 largely faunivorous primates. Further, he predicted slow lorises were able to persist on smaller islands than tarsiers. We re-evaluated these findings using an expanded dataset including 49 islands where tarsiers or slow lorises occur. Tarsiers and slow lorises live on islands of similar size (median size of ca. 300-900 km2), and both taxa inhabit an equal proportion of small, medium, and large islands. On small islands within their area of sympatry tarsiers occur on 1 island, slow lorises on 8, both genera on 3, and we can assume they have become extinct from 11 small islands since the Last Glacial Maximum. Sizes of islands where tarsiers or slow lorises have become extinct do not differ from islands where they are still extant. We show that slow lorises occur on more islands in insular Southeast Asia than perhaps previously assumed, but these islands are not smaller on average than islands where tarsiers occur. A checkerboard distribution between these taxa is not evident. More studies are needed at the macroecological level to assess the importance of biogeographic history in explaining their present-day distribution patterns.
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Meijaard E, Welsh A, Ancrenaz M, Nijman V, Wich S A, Marshall A J, 'Declining orangutan encounter rates from Wallace to the present suggest the species was once more abundant'
PLoS ONE 5 (8) (2010) pp.e12042-
ISSN: 1932-6203AbstractPublished hereBackground Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) currently occur at low densities and seeing a wild one is a rare event. Compared to present low encounter rates of orangutans, it is striking how many orangutan each day historic collectors like Alfred Russel Wallace were able to shoot continuously over weeks or even months. Does that indicate that some 150 years ago encounter rates with orangutans, or their densities, were higher than now? Methodology/Principal Findings We test this hypothesis by quantifying encounter rates obtained from hunting accounts, museum collections, and recent field studies, and analysing whether there is a declining trend over time. Logistic regression analyses of our data support such a decline on Borneo between the mid-19th century and the present. Even when controlled for variation in the size of survey and hunting teams and the durations of expeditions, mean daily encounter rates appear to have declined about 6-fold in areas with little or no forest disturbance. Conclusions/Significance This finding has potential consequences for our understanding of orangutans, because it suggests that Bornean orangutans once occurred at higher densities. We explore potential explanations-”habitat loss and degradation, hunting, and disease-”and conclude that hunting fits the observed patterns best. This suggests that hunting has been underestimated as a key causal factor of orangutan density and distribution, and that species population declines have been more severe than previously estimated based on habitat loss only. Our findings may require us to rethink the biology of orangutans, with much of our ecological understanding possibly being based on field studies of animals living at lower densities than they did historically. Our approach of quantifying species encounter rates from historic data demonstrates that this method can yield valuable information about the ecology and population density of species in the past, providing new insight into species' conservation needs.
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Nijman V, Nekaris K, 'Effects of deforestation on attitudes and levels of tolerance towards commensal primates (Cercopithecidae) in Sri Lanka'
International Journal of Pest Management 56 (2) (2010) pp.153-158
ISSN: 0967-0874 eISSN: 1366-5863AbstractAttitudes of people to wildlife, particularly to animals that live in close proximity to them, are an important element of conservation efforts and management. Attitudes may vary according to age and levels of conflict. We assessed the influence of proximity of forest on the attitudes of people towards two commensal primates, the purple-faced langur and the toque macaque. Data were collected in Sri Lanka by interviews in three villages where there is no continuous forest remaining and in three villages with adjacent forest. We found high levels of tolerance towards commensal primates, but significantly higher levels of negative perceptions in villages where forest was no longer present. Perceptions were not related to age or sex. The total disappearance of forest, with primates being dependent on fruit crops and living permanently on the village grounds, inevitably leads to conflict. These changing views have important management implications. Animals surviving in a human-dominated landscape may become more common, and the experiences in Sri Lanka may provide insight into what the future holds for other sites.Published here -
Nekaris K, Shepherd C, Starr C, Nijman V, 'Exploring cultural drivers for wildlife trade via an ethnoprimatological approach: a case study of slender and slow lorises (Loris and Nycticebus) in South and Southeast Asia'
American Journal of Primatology 72 (10) (2010) pp.877-886
ISSN: 0275-2565 eISSN: 1098-2345AbstractIllegal and unsustainable trade in wildlife is a major conservation challenge. For Asian primates, economic and cultural traditions, and increased forest access mean that trade may have become detrimental for certain species. Slow and slender lorises (Nycticebus and Loris) are primates particularly prevalent in trade, determined until now by focused counts of lorises in regional markets. Here, we use international trade statistics and a participant-observer approach to assess culturally specific drivers for trade in lorises in South and Southeast Asia, to provide a broader context to help mitigate this practice. Analysis of international records for the last 30 years revealed that live animal trade was more prevalent than trade in body parts (slow lorises, 86.4%; slender lorises, 91.4%), with Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand the largest exporters. We then examine drivers of international and domestic trade based on long-term data from 1994-2009 in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and Indonesia. We show that slender lorises are important in Sri Lankan folklore, but their use as pets and for traditional medicine is rare. Trade in Bengal slow and pygmy lorises in Cambodia for use in traditional medicines, a practice with deeply historical roots, is widespread. Despite its own set of myths about the magical and curative properties of lorises, trade in Javan, Bornean, and greater slow lorises in Indonesia is largely for pets. Conservation practices in Asia are often generalized and linked with the region's major religions and economies. We show here that, in the case of wildlife trade, culturally specific patterns are evident among different ethnic groups, even within a country. Revealing such patterns is the foundation for developing conservation management plans for each species. We suggest some participatory methods for each country that may aid in this process.Published here -
Hodgkiss S, Thetford E, Waitt CD, Nijman V, 'Female Reproductive Parameters in the Javan Gibbon (hylobates Moloch)'
Zoo Biology 29 (2010) pp.449-456
ISSN: 0733-3188 eISSN: 1098-2361Published here -
Nijman V, Aliabadian M, 'Performance of distance-based DNA barcoding in the molecular identification of Primates'
Comptes Rendus Biologies 333 (1) (2010) pp.11-16
ISSN: 1631-0691AbstractPublished hereFor comparative primatology proper recognition of basal taxa (i.e. species) is indispensable, and in this the choice of a suitable gene with high phylogenetic resolution is crucial. For the goals of species identification in animals, the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) has been introduced as standard marker. Making use of the difference in intra- and interspecific genetic variation - the DNA barcoding gap - cox1 can be used as a fast and accurate marker for the identification of animal species. For the Order Primates we compare the performance of cox1 (166 sequences; 50 nominal species) in species-identification with that of two other mitochondrial markers, 16S ribosomal RNA (412 sequences, 92 species) and cytochrome b (cob: 547 sequences, 72 species). A wide gap exist between intra- and interspecific divergences for both cox1 and cob genes whereas this gap is less apparent for 16S, indicating that rRNAgenes are less suitable for species delimitation in DNA barcoding. For those species where multiple sequences are available there are significant differences in the intraspecific genetic distances between different mitochondrial markers, without, however, showing a consistent pattern. We conclude that cox1 allows accurate differentiation of species and as such DNA barcoding may have an important role to play in comparative primatology.
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Nijman V, Nekaris K, 'Testing a model for predicting primate crop-raiding using crop- and farm-specific risk values'
Applied Animal Behaviour Science 127 (41002) (2010) pp.125-129
ISSN: 0168-1591AbstractCrop-raiding by primates is increasingly known to cause conflict between humans and primates, and due to their opportunism, adaptability, intelligence and manipulative abilities, primates can be significant agricultural pests. Levels of crop-raiding are dependent on time of year, crop type, size and location of the farm, and primate species involved, making it difficult for farmers to predict susceptibility to crop-raiding accurately. We use a simple method for calculating the likelihood of crop damage by primates using crop susceptibility to predict the frequency of crop damage for individual farms. The method relies on calculating incidence rates of crop-raiding for individual crops using pooled data from all farms in the sample, and summing these rates as to reach a farm's risk value (RV) to primate crop-raiding. From 273 farms in southwestern Sri Lanka data were collected on crop-raiding by two species of primate, the arboreal folivorous purple-faced langur and the terrestrial frugivorous toque macaque. Data from 93 farms were used to calculate crop-raiding incidence rates for seven commonly grown crops, and we tested the applicability of the model using the remainder of the dataset. Incidence rates of raiding for crops differed for the two species of primate, albeit not in a uniform manner. Farms appear to be more susceptible to crop-raiding by langurs than by macaques, with higher RVs for langurs than for macaques: this is not related to the behaviour of the farmer as for both species four-fifth of the farmers that experience crop-raiding actively chase primates away. Our model using RVs works well for predicting crop-raiding in langurs as crop-raided farms have significantly higher RVs. It works less well for macaques, which may be related to their terrestriallity allowing them to range over larger areas and raid farms opportunistically.Published here -
Nijman V, Shepherd C, 'The role of Asia in the global trade in CITES II-listed poison arrow frogs: hopping from Kazakhstan to Lebanon to Thailand and beyond'
Biodiversity and Conservation (2010)
ISSN: 0960-3115 eISSN: 1572-9710AbstractPublished hereWe report on the international trade in South American poison arrow frogs (Dendrobatidae) in the period 2004-2008, and focus on the role of Asian countries. All species of dendrobatid frogs are included in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), regulating all commercial trade in these species. Based on data compiled in the WCMC CITES database, we establish that[63,000 dendrobatid frogs (of 32 species) were traded internationally. For 21 species the majority of individuals were reported as captive-bred. A quarter to a fifth of the commercial trade in dendrobatid frogs in terms of volume is destined for Asian markets (mainly Japan, Thailand and Taiwan, Province of China). Kazakhstan, the main supplier for the Thai market, is reported as a source country for 16 species, all captivebred. We found large discrepancies between the reported export of dendrobatid frogs from Kazakhstan-”none-”and imports reported by Thailand as coming from Kazakhstan ([2,500 individuals). A significant part of the trade flow goes via Lebanon, a non-CITES Party. We urge the CITES Management Authorities of the countries involved to investigate the trade in dendrobatid frogs to ensure it does not violate the rules and intentions of CITES.
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Rood E, Ganie A A, Nijman V, 'Using presence-only modelling to predict Asian elephant habitat use in a tropical forest landscape: implications for conservation'
Diversity and Distributions 16 (6) (2010) pp.975-984
ISSN: 1366-9516AbstractPublished hereAim: Asian elephants, Elephas maximus, are threatened throughout their range by a combination of logging, large scale forest conversion and conflict with humans. We investigate which environmental factors, both biotic and abiotic, constrain the current distribution of elephants. A spatially explicit habitat model is constructed to find core areas for conservation and to assess current threats. Location: Ulu Masen Ecosystem in the province of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. Methods: A stratified survey was conducted at 12 sites (300 transects) to establish the presence of elephants. Presence records formed the basis to model potential habitat use. Ecological niche factor analysis (ENFA) is used to describe their niche and to identify key factors shaping elephant distribution. An initial niche model was constructed to describe elephant niche structure, and a second model focused on identifying core areas only. To assess the threat of habitat encroachment, overlap between the elephants' optimal niche and the occurrence of forest encroachment is computed. Results: Elephants were recorded throughout the study area from sea level to 1600 m a.s.l. The results show that the elephant niche and consequently habitat use markedly deviates from the available environment. Elephant presence was positively related to forest cover and vegetation productivity, and elephants were largely confined to valleys. A spatially explicit model showed that elephants mainly utilize forest edges. Forest encroachment occurs throughout the elephants range and was found within 80% of the elephants' ecological niche. Main conclusions: In contrast to general opinion, elephant distribution proved to be weakly constrained by altitude, possibly because of movement routes running through mountainous areas. Elephants were often found to occupy habitat patches in and near human-dominated areas. This pattern is believed to reflect the displacement of elephants from their former habitat.
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Hamard M, Cheyne S, Nijman V, 'Vegetation correlates of gibbon density in the peat-swamp forest of the Sabangau catchment, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia'
American Journal of Primatology 71 (7) (2010) pp.1-10
ISSN: 0275-2565 eISSN: 1098-2345AbstractPublished hereUnderstanding the complex relationship between primates and their habitats is essential for effective conservation plans. Peat-swamp forest has recently been recognized as an important habitat for the Southern Bornean gibbon (Hylobates albibarbis), but information is scarce on the factors that link gibbon density to characteristics of this unique ecosystem. Our aims in this study were firstly to estimate gibbon density in different forest subtypes in a newly protected, secondary peat-swamp forest in the Sabangau Catchment, Indonesia, and secondly to identify which vegetation characteristics correlate with gibbon density. Data collection was conducted in a 37.1 km2 area, using auditory sampling methods and vegetation speed plotting. Gibbon densities varied between survey sites from 1.39 to 3.92 groups/km2. Canopy cover, tree height, density of large trees and food availability were significantly correlated with gibbon density, identifying the preservation of tall trees and good canopy cover as a conservation priority for the gibbon population in the Sabangau forest. This survey indicates that selective logging, which specifically targets large trees and disrupts canopy cover, is likely to have adverse effects on gibbon populations in peat-swamp forests, and calls for greater protection of these little studied ecosystems.
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Nijman V, Aliabadian M, Roselaar CS, 'Wild Hybrids of Lesser White-fronted Goose (anser Erythropus) X Greater White-fronted Goose (a. Albifrons) (aves: Anseriformes) From the European Migratory Flyway'
A Journal of Comparative Zoology 248 (2010) pp.265-271
ISSN: 0044-5231Published here -
Nijman V, Shepherd CR, van Balen S, 'Declaration of the Javan Hawk Eagle Spizaetus Bartelsi As Indonesias National Rare Animal Impedes Conservation of the Species'
Oryx: The International Journal of Conservation 43 (2009) pp.122-128
ISSN: 0030-6053 eISSN: 1365-3008Published here -
Thorn J S, Smith D, Nijman V, Nekaris K A I, 'Ecological niche modelling as a technique for assessing threats and setting conservation priorities for Asian slow lorises (Primates: Nycticebus)'
Diversity and Distributions 15 (2) (2009) pp.289-298
ISSN: 1366-9516AbstractPublished hereAim: Data on geographical ranges are essential when defining the conservation status of a species, and in evaluating levels of human disturbance. Where locality data are deficient, presence-only ecological niche modelling (ENM) can provide insights into a species' potential distribution, and can aid in conservation planning. Presence-only ENM is especially important for rare, cryptic and nocturnal species, where absence is difficult to define. Here we applied ENM to carry out an anthropogenic risk assessment and set conservation priorities for three threatened species of Asian slow loris (Primates: Nycticebus). Location: Borneo, Java and Sumatra, Southeast Asia. Methods: Distribution models were built using maximum entropy (MaxEnt) ENM. We input 20 environmental variables comprising temperature, precipitation and altitude, along with species locality data. We clipped predicted distributions to forest cover and altitudinal data to generate remnant distributions. These were then applied to protected area (PA) and human land-use data, using specific criteria to define low-, medium- or high-risk areas. These data were analysed to pinpoint priority study sites, suitable reintroduction zones and protected area extensions. Results: A jackknife validation method indicated highly significant models for all three species with small sample sizes (n = 10 to 23 occurrences). The distribution models represented high habitat suitability within each species' geographical range. High-risk areas were most prevalent for the Javan slow loris (Nycticebus javanicus) on Java, with the highest proportion of low-risk areas for the Bornean slow loris (N. menagensis) on Borneo. Eighteen PA extensions and 23 priority survey sites were identified across the study region. Main conclusions: Discriminating areas of high habitat suitability lays the foundations for planning field studies and conservation initiatives. This study highlights potential reintroduction zones that will minimize anthropogenic threats to animals that are released. These data reiterate the conclusion of previous research, showing MaxEnt is a viable technique for modelling species distributions with small sample sizes.
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Nekaris K, Llano Sanchez K, Thorn J, Winarti I, Nijman V, 'Javan Slow Loris (Nycticebus Javanicas)'
Primate Conservation (2009) pp.21-22
ISSN: 0898-6207 eISSN: 2162-4232AbstractPublished here -
Aliabadian A, Kaboli M, Nijman V, Vences M, 'Molecular identification of birds: performance of distance-based DNA barcoding in three genes to delimit parapatric species'
PLoS ONE 4 (1) (2009) pp.e4119-
ISSN: 1932-6203AbstractBackground: DNA barcoding based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene (cox1 or COI) has been successful in species identification across a wide array of taxa but in some cases failed to delimit the species boundaries of closely allied allopatric species or of hybridising sister species. Methodology/Principal Findings: In this study we extend the sample size of prior studies in birds for cox1 (2776 sequences, 756 species) and target especially species that are known to occur parapatrically, and/or are known to hybridise, on a Holarctic scale. In order to obtain a larger set of taxa (altogether 2719 species), we include also DNA sequences of two other mitochondrial genes: cytochrome b (cob) (4614 sequences, 2087 species) and 16S (708 sequences, 498 species). Our results confirm the existence of a wide gap between intra- and interspecies divergences for both cox1 and cob, and indicate that distance-based DNA barcoding provides sufficient information to identify and delineate bird species in 98% of all possible pairwise comparisons. This DNA barcoding gap was not statistically influenced by the number of individuals sequenced per species. However, most of the hybridising parapatric species pairs have average divergences intermediate between intraspecific and interspecific distances for both cox1 and cob. Conclusions/Significance: DNA barcoding, if used as a tool for species discovery, would thus fail to identify hybridising parapatric species pairs. However, most of them can probably still assigned to known species by character-based approaches, although development of complementary nuclear markers will be necessary to account for mitochondrial introgression in hybridising species.Published here -
Nijman V, Martinez C, Shepherd C, 'Saved from trade: donated and confiscated gibbons in zoos and rescue centres in Indonesia'
Endangered Species Research 9 (2) (2009) pp.151-157
ISSN: 1863-5407AbstractPublished hereWe present data on ~600 gibbons in 22 zoos and 9 wildlife rescue centres and reintroduction centres in western Indonesia based on surveys conducted from 2003 to 2008. All gibbon species are protected by Indonesian law and cannot legally be kept as pets. Gibbons rarely breed successfully in Indonesian zoos, and the vast majority of animals present in these collections originate from the illegal wildlife trade, having been donated to the zoos by the public or brought in by Indonesian authorities after being confiscated from dealers or private owners. Gibbons in rescue and rehabilitation centres also derive largely from donations or confiscations. The surveys provide insight into the volume and species composition of gibbons in trade. All 7 species of gibbon that occur naturally in Indonesia were observed, with the highest numbers (130 ind.) being for the siamang Symphalangus syndactylus. About 100 ind. each for Bornean and Sumatran agile gibbons Hylobates albibarbis and H. agilis, Javan gibbon H. moloch and Müller" s gibbon H. muelleri were present, but only a handful of white-handed H. lar and Kloss" gibbons H. klossi. No gibbons that do not occur in Indonesia were recorded. Numbers of the different species in trade appear to be positively related to their numbers in the wild. Trade in Sumatra and Borneo appears to be confined to species naturally occurring there, but all species are traded on Java. About twice as many gibbons were taken in by the respective institutions following confiscations by the Indonesian authorities compared to gibbons received as donations by the public. However, prosecution of offenders is rare, and given the large scale of the gibbon trade, we urge the Indonesian authorities to increase efforts to enforce wildlife protection laws.
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Maldonado A, Nijman V, Bearder S, 'Trade in night monkeys Aotus spp. in the Brazil'Colombia'Peru tri-border area: international wildlife trade regulations are ineffectively enforced'
Endangered Species Research 9 (2) (2009) pp.143-149
ISSN: 1863-5407AbstractPublished hereThis study describes significant levels of trade in 2 or possibly 3 species of night monkeys (Aotus nancymaae, A. vociferans and A. nigriceps) from the Brazil-Colombia-Peru tri-border area. All 3 countries are Party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and there is no documented trade in night monkeys among these 3 countries in the CITES trade database. However, interviews with 43 traders/collectors in 11 communities in the 3 countries suggest that for the period 2007-2008, ca. 4000 night monkeys were traded, representing a monetary value of over USD 100000 for the traders and intermediaries. The interviewees indicated that the animals were sold to a biomedical laboratory in the tri-border area on the Colombian side of the border. The international nature of the trade and the large volume of night monkeys being traded indicate a violation of, and a failure to adhere to, international trade regulations. In order to conserve these important species, we suggest cooperative action from environmental and conservation authorities and the respective CITES Management Authorities in Colombia, Peru and Brazil to curb the trade, and urge the Colombian authorities to investigate the illegal importation of night monkeys by a biomedical laboratory in the border area.
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Gomes LGL, Oostra V, Nijman V, Cleef AM, Kappelle M, 'Tolerance of Frugivorous Birds to Habitat Disturbance in a Tropical Cloud Forest'
Biological Conservation 141 (3) (2008) pp.860-871
ISSN: 0006-3207 eISSN: 1873-2917Published here -
Nekaris K, Nijman V, 'Attention for Sri Lanken monkey paints a bleak picture yet gives a glimmer of hope'
Oryx: The International Journal of Conservation 42 (2008) pp.487-488
ISSN: 0030-6053 eISSN: 1365-3008AbstractPublished here -
Nijman V, Vonk R, 'Blurring the Picture: Introductions, Invasions, Extinctions - Biogeography in a Global World'
Contributions to Zoology 77 (2008) pp.67-70
ISSN: 1383-4517 -
Nekaris K A I, Blackman G, Nijman V, 'Conservation implications of low encounter rates of five nocturnal primate species (Nycticebus spp.) in Asia'
Biodiversity and Conservation 17 (4) (2008) pp.733-747
ISSN: 0960-3115 eISSN: 1572-9710AbstractFive species of slow lorises were once considered to comprise a single strongly polymorphic species, Nycticebus coucang, ranging throughout South and Southeast Asia. The cryptic nature of these nocturnal primates has led to a lack of understanding of their distribution patterns and abundance. In short surveys, often few if any lorises are detected, meaning that the few available density estimates are from long-term studies. Based on new research in Sebangau National Park, Borneo, and compilation of survey data from other areas, we provide the first comparative abundance estimates for all five slow loris species: N. coucang occurred in significantly higher abundances (median encounter rate 0.80/km: n = 15), than N. bengalensis (0.26/km; n = 12), or N. javanicus (0.11/km: n = 2), N. menagensis (0.02/km: n = 3), and N. pygmaeus (0.13/km: n = 4). Abundance estimates in Sebangau (0.19/km) did not increase with increasing survey effort, but for all species and studies combined, study duration was positively correlated with abundance estimates. We did not find a relation between abundance and body mass, nor between abundance and latitude. Long-term studies are more likely to be conducted at sites where the species of interest is particularly plentiful. The data suggest that slow lorises occur at low abundances throughout much of their range, and some in larger social groups than previously assumed. We recommend taking into account the species" heterogeneous distribution (potentially requiring larger survey effort), their social structure, the use of red lights as opposed to white lights whilst surveying, and to make use of their vocalisations when surveying slow lorises.Published here -
Vonk R, Nijman V, 'Contributions to Zoology, the Journal - Diversity in Research Topics and Changes Over the Last 27 Years'
Contributions to Zoology 76 (2008) pp.281-283
ISSN: 1383-4517 -
Hulsman H, Vonk R, Aliabadian M, Debrot AO, Nijman V, 'Effect of Introduced Species and Habitat Alteration on the Occurrence and Distribution of Euryhaline Fishes in Fresh- and Brackish-water Habitats on Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao (south Caribbean)'
Contributions to Zoology 77 (2008) pp.45-51
ISSN: 1383-4517 -
Nijman V, 'Effects of Vocal Behaviour on Abundance Estimates of Rainforest Galliforms'
Acta Ornithologica 42 (2008) pp.186-190
ISSN: 0001-6454 eISSN: 1734-8471 -
Oostra V, Gomes LGL, Nijman V, 'Implications of Deforestation for the Abundance of Restricted-range Bird Species in a Costa Rican Cloud-forest'
Bird Conservation International 18 (2008) pp.11-19
ISSN: 0959-2709 eISSN: 1474-0001Published here -
Aliabadian M, Sluys R, Roselaar CS, Nijman V, 'Species Diversity and Endemism: Testing the Mid-domain Effect on Species Richness Patterns of Songbirds in the Palearctic Region'
Contributions to Zoology 77 (2008) pp.99-108
ISSN: 1383-4517 -
Parker L, Nijman V, Nekaris K, 'When there is no forest left: fragmentation, local extinction, and small population sizes in the Sri Lankan western purple-faced langur'
Endangered Species Research 5 (1) (2008) pp.29-36
ISSN: 1863-5407AbstractThe western purple-faced langur Trachypithecus vetulus nestor is a Critically Endangered primate endemic to Sri Lanka according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Its population decline is inferred mainly due to vast habitat loss. Few recent data are available regarding its distribution or abundance. The aim of our study was to assess the conservation status of T. v. nestor throughout its known historical range by establishing presence/absence and correlating these data with semi-structured interviews determining human perceptions and threats. Twenty-six sites were investigated, with presence of T. v. nestor being confirmed at 11 and indicated through questionnaires only at 2 additional sites. The present distribution of T. v. nestor is severely fragmented both locally and regionally. More than half of the populations comprised 1 or 2 groupsonly and, being isolated in a matrix of urban landscapes, are close to unviable. Conflicts between local people and T. v. nestor were identified at such sites, where reports of troops crop-raiding gardensand plantations were associated with negative perceptions. Consequences for crop-raiding langurs ranged from shouting to (infrequently) shooting and killing by dogs. Negative views towards T.v. nestor were significantly related to the length of time they spent in anthropogenic landscapes, while more positive views were significantly associated with the length of time T. v. nestor spent in forested areas. Evidence of local extinctions means that the remaining, yet increasingly fragmented habitat of the highly arboreal T. v. nestor is critical for survival. Intervention to manage this human-wildlife conflict is vital. An integrated approach using international and local conservation authorities is highly recommended.Published here -
Nijman V, Meijaard E, 'Zoogeography of Primates in Insular Southeast Asia: Species-area Relationships and the Effects of Taxonomy'
Contributions to Zoology 77 (2008) pp.117-126
ISSN: 1383-4517 -
Nekaris K, Nijman V, 'CITES Proposal Highlights Rarity of Asian Nocturnal Primates (Lorisidae: Nycticebus )'
Folia Primatologica 78 (2007) pp.211-214
ISSN: 0015-5713 eISSN: 1421-9980AbstractPublished here
Books
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Nijman V, An assessment of trade in gibbons and orang-utans in Sumatra, Indonesia. A TRAFFIC Southeast Asia report, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia (2009)
ISBN: 9789833393244AbstractThis report presents an assessment of the trade in gibbons and orang-utans in Sumatra, Indonesia, including the islands off Sumatra's west coast (most notably, the Mentawai Islands). Until recently Sumatra and its off-lying islands harboured one of the largest expanses of lowland evergreen rainforest in Southeast Asia. Most of the lowland forests are gone and the forest that remains is largely in the hills and mountains, running along the western part of the island, with the largest expanse of forests being in the Leuser Ecosystem, and adjacent Ulu Masen forest to the north. Commercial timber extraction, small-scale logging (legal and illegal), conversion of forest to palm oil or wood-pulp plantations, and forest fires - along with the concurrent increase in access to formerly remote areas - are increasingly threatening the integrity of the remaining forests, thus putting the survival of its inhabitants at stake. -
Nijman V, Shepherd C R, Wildlife trade from ASEAN to the EU: Issues with the trade in captive-bred reptiles from Indonesia, Traffic Europe (2009)
ISBN: 9789833393299AbstractThis report examines the trade in reptiles exported to the EU that are declared as captive-bred and the numbers of reptiles that breeding facilities in Indonesia are actually producing, or have the capacity to produce. -
Shepherd C R, Nijman V, An overview of the regulation of the freshwater turtle and tortoise pet trade in Jakarta, Indonesia (Tinjauan terhadap peraturan perdagangan kura-kura air tawar sebagai satwa peliharaan di Jakarta, Indonesia) , TRAFFIC Southeast Asia (2008)
ISBN: 9789833393084AbstractIn an attempt to gain a greater insight into the drivers behind wildlife trade and to increase our understanding of how to regulate this trade, this survey provides an overview of the management and control of wildlife harvesting in Indonesia. TRAFFIC Southeast Asia report. -
Shepherd C R, Nijman V, Pet freshwater turtle and tortoise trade in Chatuchak Market, Bangkok, Thailand, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia (2008)
ISBN: 9789833393077AbstractTrade in wildlife is extensive in Asia, including a large number of species specifically traded live to supply the demand for pets. In an attempt to gain a greater insight into the drivers behind wildlife trade and to increase our understanding of how to regulate this trade, this survey provides an overview of the management and control of wildlife harvesting in Indonesia. Within Indonesia all commercial trade in wild animals is subject to a quota system, with no harvest or (domestic or international) trade allowed in any species without an allocated quota. Wildlife trade, whether legal or not, is performed openly; in general, regulatory law enforcement regarding wildlife protection and trade management is less than optimal. -
Shepherd C R, Nijman V, The wild cat trade in Myanmar, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia (2008)
ISBN: 9833393152AbstractA total of 1,320 wild cat parts, representing an absolute minimum of 1158 individual animals were observed during 12 surveys carried out in Myanmar (formerly Burma) between 1991 and 2006. These parts represented all eight species of wild cats found in Myanmar. -
Nijman V, Hanging in the balance: An assessment of trade in orang-utans and gibbons on Kalimantan, Indonesia , TRAFFIC Southeast Asia (2005)
ISBN: 9789833393039AbstractThis report presents an assessment of the trade in gibbons and orang-utans in Kalimantan, which is part of Indonesia's territory on the island of Borneo.
Conference papers
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Spaan D, Morelos-Juarez C, Peck M, Nijman V, 'Factors Affecting the Presence of the Critically Endangered Brown-headed Spider Monkey (Ateles Fusciceps Fusciceps) in NW Ecuador'
Folia Primatologica 84 (2013) pp.322-322
ISSN: 0015-5713 eISSN: 1421-9980AbstractPublished hereEcuador has the highest rates of deforestation and population density in South America.
Land conversion for agriculture has led to an 80% loss of habitat of the Critically Endangered
Ecuadorian brown-headed spider monkey (Ateles fusciceps fusciceps) . The lowlands and cloud forests of NW Ecuador, a biodiversity hotspot, are the last refuges of this species. The cooperative Tesoro Escondido harbours one of last healthy populations of A. f. fusciceps . This study aims to identify factors that affect the presence of A. f. fusciceps in Tesoro Escondido. Census’ were carried out on 2 pre-existing trails, recording subgroup size and composition. Additionally, for each trail, data on tree density, tree height, altitude, canopy connectivity and climate were collected every 200 m. Data were collected with the help of parabiologists. The population at Tesoro Escondido was dominated by females, potentially due to Tesoro being located in a core area of the home range. Furthermore, spider monkey density was affected by tree density and altitude. These results indicate that primary forest at low altitude should be marked as areas of conservation priority for A. f. fusciceps . Future conservation action should focus on providing alternative livelihoods in areas where logging for land conversion is prominent.
Reviews
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Prins TG, Reuter JH, Debrot AO, Wattel J, Nijman V, review of Checklist of the Birds of Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire, South Caribbean
Ardea -Wageningen- 97 (2009) pp.137-262
ISSN: 0373-2266
Other publications
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Wenborn M, Collinson R, Nijman V, Svensson MS, 'Highland elephants keeping a low profile in Namibia', (2022)
Open Access on RADAR -
Thew H, Graves C, Reay D, Smith S, Petersen K, Bomberg E, Boxley S, Causley J, Congreve A, Cross I, Dunk R, Dunlop L, Facer K, Gamage K, Greenhalgh C, Greig A, Kiamba L, Kinakh V, Kioupi V, Klapper R, Kurul E, Lee M, Marshall-Cook J, McGivern A, Mork J, Nijman V, O'Brien J, Preist C, Price E, Samangooei M, Schrodt F, Sharmina M, Toney J, Walsh C, Walsh T, Wood R, Wood P, Worsfold N, 'Mainstreaming Climate Change Education in UK Higher Education Institutions', (2021)
AbstractPublished here Open Access on RADARKey messages
• Mainstreaming Climate Change Education (CCE) across all learning and operational activities enables Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to better serve their core purpose of preparing learners for their roles in work and wider society, now and in the future.
• Student and employer demand for climate change education is growing, not just in specialist subjects but across all degree pathways.
• The attitudes, mindsets, values and behaviours that graduates need to engage with climate change include the ability to deal with complexity, work collaboratively across sectors and disciplines and address challenging ethical questions.
• The complexity of the climate crisis means all disciplines have a role to play in delivering education for the net-zero transition. Embedding interdisciplinarity is crucial to ensuring that our response to climate change makes use of all of the expertise HEIs have to offer and promotes knowledge exchange and integration for students and staff.
• Student-centered CCE, including peer-to-peer learning, is a powerful tool for facilitating an inclusive and empowering learning experience, and developing graduates as change agents for the climate and ecological crisis.
• HEIs should develop learning outcomes for CCE that include understanding the scale, urgency, causes, consequences and solutions of climate change; how social norms and practices are driving
the climate crisis; and the ability to identify routes to direct involvement in solutions via every discipline.
• Pedagogical approaches to teaching CCE should enable learners to engage with, and respond to, climate change as a “real-world” problem, such as through experiential learning.
• Further recommendations for the HEI sector include developing a strategy for aligning CCE teaching provision with governance structures; partnering with industry, government and third sector organisations to enable context-specific CCE; and working with trade unions and accreditation bodies to enable curriculum reform. -
Svensson MS, Bersacola E, Nijman V, Mills M, Munds R, Perkin A, Bearder SK, 'Angola Dwarf Galago (Galagoides kumbirensis). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020', (2020)
Published here -
Bergin D, Nijman V, 'Potential benefits of impending Moroccan wildlife trade laws, a case study in carnivore skins', (2016)
AbstractLetter to the editorPublished here Open Access on RADAR -
Nijman V, Nekaris KAI, 'Assessing Conflict Between Humans and Commensal Non-human Primates in Sri Lanka Following An Ethnoprimatological Approach', (2013)
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Nekaris KAI, Pambudi JAA, Ahmad RD, Susanto D, Raharjo B, Nijman V, 'Densities, Distribution and Detectability of a Small Nocturnal Primate (javan Slow Loris Nycticebus Javanicus) in a Montane Rainforest', (2013)
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Nijman V, Pambudi JA, Achmed D, Nekaris KA, 'Densities, Distribution and Detectability of a Small Nocturnal Primate (Javan Slow Loris Nycticebus Javanicus) in a Montane Rainforest', (2013)
AbstractNocturnal mammals can be challenging to survey and, especially for many species
that live in dense forest habitats, limited information is available on densities and distributions. We surveyed the endemic Javan slow loris Nycticebus javanicus in the montane forests of Mount Gede Pangrango, West Java, Indonesia. Surveys were conducted on 23 transects (260 h covering some 93 km) walking at variable speeds between 200 and 800 m h−1. Densities on individual transects varied from 0 to 52 ind. km−2, with an overall density of 15.6 ind. km−2 (95% CI 9.7 to 25.2 ind. km−2). Encounter rates per kilometre were strongly influenced by the speed at which transects were walked, with fewer lorises detected at higher speeds. This effect was absent when considering encounter rates per hour. Detectability and behavior of Javan slow lorises were not affected by the amount of lunar light and, in contrast to studies of some of their congeners, we found no evidence of lunar phobia or lunar philia. Our study shows that slow lorises are not homogeneously distributed in their montane habitat and occur at intermediate densities. However, encounter rates did not differ between disturbed and primary forest. Analysis of data from multiple surveys of lorisforms, including this one, reveals no statistically significant relationship between survey effort or the speed at which transects are walked and estimated densities, but speed is positively correlated with encounter rates.
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Lehtinen J, Nekaris KAL, Nijman V, Coudrat C, Wirdateti, 'Distribution of the Javan Slow Loris (Nycticebus Javanicus): Assessing the Presence in East Java, Indonesia', (2013)
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Robbins TGE, Nijman V, 'DNA Mini-barcodes as a Tool for Primate Applied Diagnostics and Species Identification.', (2013)
AbstractIncreasingly identification of primate samples relies on molecular techniques. DNA barcoding, focussing on the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, gains popularity as a universal species-identifier. Problems with conventional DNA barcoding include degradation in archival specimens and processed material (food products) and samples stored in DNA-unfriendly preservatives (formalin), preventing the recovery of PCR fragments >200 bp. Mini-barcodes may resolve these problems. We test the validity of mini-barcodes as a way of identifying (archaic) human and non-human primates, based on 540 sequences of 87 species deposited in GenBank. A 648 bp section was selected and a series of mini-barcodes (108 to 324 bp) were generated. Neighbour-joining trees were compiled for each mini-barcode, relying on bootstrap values to assess accuracy of species identification. The full sequence provided unambiguous support (bootstrap values ≥99%) for 68 (78.2%) species. Efficiency of mini-barcodes reached a maximum of 96.8% (mean 96±1.11%) for the 324 bp barcodes, 84.8% (mean 80.6±3.41%) for the 162 bp barcodes, and 78.8% (mean 67%±6.54%) for the 108 bp barcodes. Problem taxa, which did not provide unambiguous identification for any length of barcode, included those that frequently hybridise in nature, those close in evolutionary terms and those who have seen recent taxonomic change. The terminal 3’ end performed marginally better than the proximal 5’ end. We conclude that mini-barcodes in the order of 160-300 bp can be effective in identifying primates, especially when focussing on the terminal end. Mini-barcodes provide a feasible option for DNA barcode analysis of museum samples and applied diagnostics.
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Munds RA, Nekaris KAI, Nijman V, Goossens B, 'Living Together in the Night: Abundance and Habitat Use of Sympatric and Allopatric Populations of Slow Lorises and Tarsiers (Nycticebus and Tarsius).', (2013)
AbstractPublished hereThroughout much of Asia slow lorises (Nycticebus) and tarsiers (Tarsius) live allopatrically but on several islands they occur in sympatry. As habitats dwindle, competition for resources may increase within the area of sympatry. An understanding of how they are coping with competition is necessary for conservation measures. To address this we gathered data on the abundances and vertical strata preferences of slow loris and tarsier species from the literature. We predict sympatric species will favour different heights from congeners. Allopatric species will have lower abundances compared to sympatric species. In addition, we studied tarsiers and lorises in sympatry in Sabah, Borneo. We estimated abundances of Bornean lorises (Nycticebus menagensis) and Western tarsiers (Tarsius bancanus borneanus) and investigated habitat use. Through the literature review we found lorises do not vary in densities, whether allopatric or sympatric. Abundances of sympatric and allopatric tarsiers were significant (sympatric: 3-27 individuals/km2, allopatric: 57-268 individuals/ km2). Vertical strata use of sympatric and allopatric tarsier populations was not significant, but was for sympatric and allopatric loris populations (p=0.036). On a small scale estimated densities of Bornean lorsies were 5.105 slow lorises/km² and 3.646 individuals/km² for Western tarsiers. Slow lorises favoured the upper and middle level of the forest (10-30 m) and tarsiers the lower levels (<5 m). In our analysis of vegetation plots we found that tree heights and diameter at breast height preferences differed between genera. Results indicate sympatric genera are able to share their nocturnal environment due to niche separation.
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Nijman V, Nekaris KAI, Bickford DP, 'Asian Medicine: Small Species at Risk', (2012)
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Nijman V, 'Call for Clear Policy on Deceased Authors', (2012)
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Nijman V, Shepherd CR, 'China's Role in Trade in Ivory and Elephant Parts From Lao Pdr', (2012)
Published here -
Loffeld TAC, Todd A, Nijman V, 'Data Collection on Habituated Gorillas By Guides of the Primate Habituation Programme, Central African Republic: the Effectiveness of Guide Refresher Training', (2012)
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Nijman V, Nekaris KAI, 'Diurnal Eagles As Predators of Primates in Asia', (2012)
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Svensson MS, Nijman V, Nekaris KAI, 'In Situ and Ex Situ Conservation of African Pottos and Angwantibos: Where Are We and Where Do We Need to Go?', (2012)
AbstractPublished hereDespite a large geographic distribution, the African nocturnal perodicticines, pottos (Perodicticus) and angwantibos (Arctocebus ) remain amongst the least studied primate taxa. Only two one-year field studies have been conducted on pottos, with only circumstantial data onangwantibos, coming from field data on shot animals. Through a meta-analysis, based on published literature and unpublished reports, we here review recent skeletal and genetic evidence that point to five species, and indicate far more diversity: Perodicticus potto, P. Ibeanus, P. edwardsi, Arctocebus aureus, A. calabarensis. Pelage colour, dorsal markings and tail characteristics (for pottos) supplement the genetic data that suggest these comprise distinct taxa. Arctocebus ranges from Nigeria and Cameroon in the north to Gabon and Congo in the south, whilst Perodicticus is more widespread, having a combined distribution that encompasses a large portion of central and western Africa. Despite this large range, only nine surveys with any substantial effort have been published in the last twenty years from only five range countries; two re-ported new taxa (P. p. stockleyi and P. p. juju). Although not included in abundance counts,pottos frequently appear in bushmeat reports throughout their range, suggesting this is a realthreat to this cryptic, easy-to-catch primate. Despite an almost complete dearth of knowledgeabout these taxa, all perodicticine taxa are listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Least Concern, with, contradictorily, only the reasonably studied P. p. stockleyi as Data Deficient. The situation of these primates is mirrored in zoos. No Arctocebus are kept in European zoos, with only 17 Perodicticus in ISIS institutions. Their taxonomy is uncertain, breeding rates are poor and infant mortality is high. Clearly the perodictines offer an open frontier for both in situ and ex situ studies. We certainly do not have the data to assess their conservation status yet.
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Parker A, Martinez CY, Nijman V, 'Tarsier Tourism in the Philippines', (2012)
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Nekaris KAI, Nijman V, Godfrey LR, 'Anthropology: Follow Field Primatologists', (2011)
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Bickford D, Phelps J, Webb EL, Nijman V, Sodhi NS, 'Boosting Cites Through Research Response', (2011)
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Roatch N, Munds RA, Ali R, Nijman V, Nekaris KAI, Goossens B, 'Bornean Loris and Tarsier (nycticebus Menagensis and Tarsius Bancanus Borneanus) Abundance and Micro-habitat Divergences in a Degraded Forest in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo', (2011)
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Nijman V, Shepherd CR, 'Open Trade in Kaisers Spotted Newt in South-east Asia', (2011)
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Nijman V, Nekaris K, 'Monogamy, Polyspecific Associations and Group Sizes in Relation to Environmental Variation in Grizzled Langurs (presbytis Comata)', (2009)
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Nijman V, Nekaris KAI, 'Alarm Calls, Startle Behaviour and Predator Avoidance in Six Congeneric Arboreal Primates (cercopithecidae : Presbytis)', (2008)
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Nijman V, van Balen S, 'New Hope for Possibly Not Yet Extinct Javan Bird', (2008)
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Nekaris KAI, Nijman V, 'Survey on the Abundance and Conservation of Sumatran Slow Lorises (nycticebus Coucang Hilleri) in Aceh, Northern Sumatra', (2008)
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Marshall AJ, Nijman V, Cheyne S, 'Hylobates albibarbis.',
Published here
Further details
Education
- PhD – Primate Conservation, University of Amsterdam
- MSc – Behavioural Ecology, Manchester Metropolitan University
- MSc – Ecology, Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Amsterdam
- BSc – Biology, University of Amsterdam