Copyright (c) 2009 All rights reserved. http://works.bepress.com/philip_nyhus Recent documents in Philip J. Nyhus en-us Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:08:38 PDT 3600 http://works.bepress.com/philip_nyhus/18 http://works.bepress.com/philip_nyhus/18 Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:51:52 PDT Crop raiding by wild elephants is one of the most significant sources of park-people conflict in Sumatra, Indonesia. The distribution, impact and conservation implications of elephant crop-raiding in 13 villages that border Way Kambas National Park in southern Sumatra were studied for 18 months. The data are based on rapid village and field assessments, data logs maintained by village observers and a quantitative household survey. Elephants raided crops year-round at a mean rate of 0.53 elephants per day for the entire study area. The frequency of crop raiding was related to vegetation type along the park border, the size and presence of rivers, and the distance to the park's Elephant Training Center (ETC), which houses about 150 captive elephants. Wild elephants damaged at least 450,000 sq m of corn, rice, cassava, beans and other annual crops, and close to 900 coconut, banana and other perennial trees in the area surveyed. Elephants killed or injured 24 people over a 12-year period in villages near the park. Villagers try to reduce elephant damage by guarding fields, digging trenches between the park and their fields, and modifying their cropping patterns. Elephant-human conflict decreases the probability of support from local people for conservation efforts. We suggest methods to improve the effectiveness of existing elephant trenches, the need to consider electric fences, external support to affected villages, and compensation to villagers for any damage caused. Philip J. Nyhus 2. Human-wildlife conflict http://works.bepress.com/philip_nyhus/17 http://works.bepress.com/philip_nyhus/17 Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:43:06 PDT We describe results of a multi-year effort to strengthen consideration of the human dimension into endangered species risk assessments and to strengthen research capacity to understand biodiversity risk assessment in the context of coupled human-natural systems. A core group of social and biological scientists have worked with a network of more than 50 individuals from four countries to develop a conceptual framework illustrating how human-mediated processes influence biological systems and to develop tools to gather, translate, and incorporate these data into existing simulation models. A central theme of our research focused on (1) the difficulties often encountered in identifying and securing diverse bodies of expertise and information that is necessary to adequately address complex species conservation issues; and (2) the development of quantitative simulation modeling tools that could explicitly link these datasets as a way to gain deeper insight into these issues. To address these important challenges, we promote a "meta-modeling" approach where computational links are constructed between discipline-specific models already in existence. In this approach, each model can function as a powerful stand-alone program, but interaction between applications is achieved by passing data structures describing the state of the system between programs. As one example of this concept, an integrated meta-model of wildlife disease and population biology is described. A goal of this effort is to improve science-based capabilities for decision making by scientists, natural resource managers, and policy makers addressing environmental problems in general, and focusing on biodiversity risk assessment in particular. Philip J. Nyhus 3. Conservation http://works.bepress.com/philip_nyhus/16 http://works.bepress.com/philip_nyhus/16 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 19:31:59 PDT The second edition of Tigers of the World explores tiger biology, ecology, conservation, management, and the science and technology that make this possible. In 1988, when the first edition was published, tiger conservation was still in its infancy, and 2 decades later there has been a revolution not only in what is known, but how information about tigers is obtained and disseminated. In the fast changing world of conservation, there is a great need to summarize the vast and current state-of-the-art, to put this into historical perspective, and to speculate in what yet remains to be done.Tigers of the World, second edition fulfills this need by bringing together in a unique way the world's leading tiger experts into one volume. Despite the challenges ahead, there are bright spots in this story and lessons aplenty not only for tiger specialists but large carnivore specialists, conservation biologists, wildlife managers, natural resource policymakers, and most importantly the caring public. Philip J. Nyhus 1. Tigers http://works.bepress.com/philip_nyhus/15 http://works.bepress.com/philip_nyhus/15 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 19:26:45 PDT Philip J. Nyhus 2. Human-wildlife conflict http://works.bepress.com/philip_nyhus/14 http://works.bepress.com/philip_nyhus/14 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 19:21:10 PDT Philip J. Nyhus 5. Student research projects http://works.bepress.com/philip_nyhus/13 http://works.bepress.com/philip_nyhus/13 Fri, 06 Mar 2009 18:30:41 PST Philip J. Nyhus 5. Student research projects http://works.bepress.com/philip_nyhus/12 http://works.bepress.com/philip_nyhus/12 Fri, 06 Mar 2009 18:23:18 PST Philip J. Nyhus 5. Student research projects http://works.bepress.com/philip_nyhus/11 http://works.bepress.com/philip_nyhus/11 Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:31:32 PST Biologists have made considerable progress in developing realistic simulation models to predict extinction risks for threatened species. Social scientists have to date had a more limited role in these efforts. This limited involvement comes despite the growing acknowledgment by population biologists and simulation modelers that this additional input is necessary for these models to accurately reflect the impact of humans and human-dominated landscapes on wildlife populations. We argue that collaborations among social and biological scientists can provide unparalleled opportunities to develop new conceptual and simulation tools for biodiversity risk assessment. One challenge is that while the value of interdisciplinary research is widely recognized, interdisciplinary teamwork is dif®cult to achieve. We suggest strategies to strengthen such cross-disciplinary collaboration, including efforts to link diverse models and to build networks of researchers who have not historically collaborated.Weconclude with questions intended to guide further discussions about how to integrate social science information into biodiversity risk assessments in the future. Philip J. Nyhus 3. Conservation http://works.bepress.com/philip_nyhus/10 http://works.bepress.com/philip_nyhus/10 Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:23:30 PST The risks associated with tiger attacks on people in the wild are well documented. There may currently be more tigers in captivity than in the wild, but relatively little is known about the risks of injury or death associated with owning and managing captive tigers and other large carnivores. The purpose of this study was to conduct a global assessment of attacks by captive tigers on people, with particular emphasis on cases in the United States. Our analysis of 30 international media sources and additional documents uncovered 59 unique incidents in 1998-2001 in which people were reportedly injured or killed by captive tigers. In the United States, seven people were reportedly killed and at least 27 were injured - a rate of 1.75 fatal attacks and at least nine nonfatal attacks per year. All but one fatal attack in the United States occurred in situations where tigers were privately owned or held in private facilities. Forty-two percent of the victims were classified as visitors, and almost one-quarter of the victims were under the age of 20. These results suggest that the victims underestimated the dangers posed by direct contact with these animals. In this work we review current legislation regarding captive ownership of tigers and other large exotic animals, and contradict claims by those who support private ownership of tigers and other large felids that the risks associated with owning and viewing these animals are insignificant. We conclude that the growing number of people who own tigers and other large exotic animals is cause for concern because of the danger to the animals, the handlers, and the public. The problem of private ownership of dangerous exotic animals has broad implications for tiger and large-carnivore conservation, public health, and animal welfare. We support the regulation of private ownership of dangerous exotic animals, and encourage scientific analysis of this contentious issue. Zoo Biol 22:573-586, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Philip J. Nyhus 1. Tigers 2. Human-wildlife conflict http://works.bepress.com/philip_nyhus/9 http://works.bepress.com/philip_nyhus/9 Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:19:25 PST The value of traditional ecological knowledge for biodiversity research and conservation is widely recognized. The value of wildlife knowledge provided by recent migrants is less clear. Photographs of 10 mammal species were shown to 622 individuals in communities near Way Kambas National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia, to assess wildlife knowledge among recent migrants and to identify socio-economic variables that can be used to identify more knowledgeable informants. Knowledge scores were categorized by taxonomic family, genus and species. Large, charismatic and abundant animals were identified more frequently than smaller and more secretive animals. Higher knowledge scores were significantly associated with males, higher educational attainment and past experience with these animals. Number of years respondents had lived in the area and respondent age were also good predictors of higher scores. The characteristics of animals that were likely to be identified more accurately were assessed. Generic terms used to describe animals can confound individual responses. Biodiversity research, conservation and education programmes frequently rely on 'local' knowledge to inform management and policy. This information can be a valuable addition to field-based efforts to identify the distribution and abundance of rare endangered species. With more and more migrants living near the world's wildlife protected areas, care must be taken to understand how human demographic shifts may affect such studies. Philip J. Nyhus 3. Conservation