International Journal of Zoology

Urban areas may affect the richness of avian species. The abundance and diversity of urban landscapes offer breeding habitats and nesting resources for urban-adapted species. In our study, we investigated the breeding birds in urban landscapes of Fez’s historical city (Morocco). We used line-transects to search for nests of breeding species, populations, and habitats counting breeding sites and predicting factors (foraging, nesting resources, and urbanization). Furthermore, four habitats counting green gardens, old city walls, urban farms, and urban forests were prospected to search for nests of breeding birds. Among 13 breeding species including 12 resident-breeders, and one breeding migrant, a total of 109 nests were documented. Five species counting Turdus merula, Sylvia atricapilla, Spilopelia senegalensis, Columba livia, and Coloeus monedula were encountered in green gardens; four species counting Athene noctua, Sturnus unicolor, Passer domesticus, and Tachymarptis melba were observed in old city walls. Falco tinnunculus, Fringilla coelebs, and Accipiter nisus occurred in urban forests; and Streptopelia decaocto in urban farms. The recorded nests were divided between cavities (50 nests) and trees (59 nests). In green spaces, nests were distributed among Olea europaea (17), Citrus aurantium (15), Bambusa vulgaris (11), and Eucalyptus globulus (7). In contrast, Olea oleaster and Cupressus sp. hosted only tree nests each, while Populus sp. and Washingtonia filifera hosted only one nest each. Most nests were recorded in habitats rich in nesting trees and close to water sources. On the contrary, the number of nests decreased as the surface and distance of the habitat to the urban center increased. Our data revealed the diversity, habitat use, and nesting substrates of urban breeding bird communities in Morocco and the Southern slope of the Western Palearctic. Future urban plans must integrate measures to provide suitable breeding resources such as cavities of old walls and a high diversity of urban green spaces for birds to enhance their breeding performances, thus promoting the well-being of the population via increasing biodiversity.

For proper conservation measures and to elucidate coexistence mechanism of sympatric herbivore, we assessed the temporal foraging and ranging patterns of the Axis axis (spotted deer) and feral and/or semi domesticated Bubalus bubalis (buffalos) in the Nijhum Dweep National Park (NDNP) of Bangladesh. We have collected the data by day long scan sampling method for 12 months. We found that spotted deer and buffalos, respectively, spent 50.34% and 36.41% of their total day time in foraging. To avoid clash with the larger sized buffalos in the grazing ground, the spotted deer choose a slightly different time for grazing. At least three foraging peaks were found for spotted deer, whereas, buffalos showed two foraging peaks in a day. More importantly, spotted deer relied more on browsing for their food collection although they are natural gazer, whereas, buffalos relied more on their natural grazing habit for food collection. Spotted deer spent most of their time inside the forest and forest edges, whereas, buffalos mostly spent their time in the open grazing grounds. The range of total distance moved (TDM) per day for spotted deer and buffalos was 1.56 to 2.67 km and 1.02 to 3.30 km, respectively. The total area ranged (TAR) per day were 0.23 km² to 0.8 km² for spotted deer and 0.03 km² to 0.35 km² for buffalos. Although, these two parameters varied seasonally for both species, only in case of TAR of spotted deer the variation was statistically significant (). We conclude that because of the presence of a larger sympatric herbivore, the spotted deer did some alterations in their temporal foraging and ranging pattern (TFRP) to survive in the small island which has very limited resources for their existence and survival.

This study aimed to evaluate the spatial microdistribution and temporal microdistribution of the North African subspecies of the globally threatened Turtle Doves in Morocco. From the end of February to early September, we monitored the migration dates, counting arrival and departure dates, and breeding chronology, to clarify if the breeding season is divided into sub-breeding phases or not. Equally, the spatial distribution of nests following potential breeding phases was surveyed weekly in Beni Mellal province following a map of a selected orange orchard. Doves arrived in Beni Mellal in the third week of March and left in mid-October, according to the results. The first nests occurred in the second week of April, followed by the first eggs in the third week of April and the first chicks in the first week of May. PCA analysis showed that the nesting and laying stages were achieved principally during the last two weeks of April and the first three weeks of May, the hatching stage between the fourth week of May and the second week of July, and fledging between the fourth week of July and the first week of September. Further, the breeding season was divided into two phases: the first breeding phase, from the first week of April to the first week of June, and the second phase, between the second week of June and the second week of August. The DCA analysis and orchard-created map indicated that the first wave of breeders colonized the marginal trees located on the orchard sides, surrounded by foraging cereals and legumes, and the second breeding-phase nests were constructed in flocks next to the nests of the first breeding phase. According to this strategy, the first breeders prospect the orchard and select nesting trees near foraging resources, while the second breeders’ wave colonizes trees near successfully used prospector sites. These findings are of great importance for comparative investigations and habitat-scale conservation management.

Postural change intermittently between upright and head down in giraffes standing at a height of 4.5 meters is of physiological significance. The length of a giraffe’s neck denotes the flow of blood against the force of gravity, to supply the brain over a 2 m distance. The force of gravity also affects the flow of blood toward the brain, with a posture change from erect to ground level. How do these changes in stance not result in fainting when the head is raised and brain damage when the head is lowered? Giraffe has an advanced interconnection of the common carotid artery and the vertebral artery. The connection is located at the midpoint of the atlas, as indicated by means of computerized tomography and dissection. Duplex ultrasound with Doppler waveform examination showed the unidirectional movement of blood with movement from the vertebral artery into the common carotid artery when the head is erect. The direction of flow allows the provision of blood to the maxillary artery that feeds the rostral epidural rete that supplies to the brain. The flow direction in the carotid-vertebral connection changes when blood moves in the direction of the head along with the force of gravity, when the head is lowered. The rerouting of blood to move from the common carotid into the vertebral artery prevents brain damage. We have confirmed, by utilizing a CT scan, Doppler sonar, and dissection of latex-filled arteries, the existence and blood flow direction within the anastomotic artery associated with variation in posture in the giraffe.

Data on avifaunal diversity and distribution are vital to enhance and inform conservation efforts. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore the diversity, distribution, and relative abundance of bird species in the Derbe Libanos Monastery Forest. The data were collected from December 2019 to September 2020, covering both the wet and dry seasons. Natural forest, plantation, cliff forest, and settlement were identified as an important habitat for the birds using a stratified random sampling design based on vegetation composition and characteristics. Point counts were employed to identify and record birds in the four habitat types. During the study, 61 avian species belonging to 13 orders and 31 families were identified. The highest diversity (H′ = 3.43) and evenness (E = 0.96) were observed in the summer season in natural forests. The difference in abundance of bird species was statistically significant between observed and expected counts of each species in different habitats (χ² = 629.97, df = 60, and ). Recognizing that the monastery forest has a large number of bird species, enhanced avian monitoring and forest reintegration opportunities should be prioritized for conservation.

There is a lack of knowledge on the European bison (Bison bonasus L. 1758) foraging behavior that is essential to develop an appropriate feeding strategy for each specific situation (captive or wild). Utilization of faecal markers may allow us to fill this gap, accommodating animal welfare and intensive labour issues that are major limitations of traditional techniques. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of n-alkane markers (C₂₅ to C₃₃) to estimate diet composition, feed intake its digestibility on three captive maleBison bonasus fed on known amounts of straw, and a beeswax labelled concentrate feed. Feeds and faecal samples were taken daily during 10 days. Prior to calculations, faecal concentrations were corrected for incomplete faecal recovery (FR). Results indicated that 4–5 days were sufficient for these markers to reach a steady concentration in bison faeces. Accurate estimates of diet composition and feed intake were obtained not differing from known values. Results suggest that faecal recovery of n-alkanes in bison are incomplete and tend to increase with carbon-chain length. Apparent dry-matter digestibility (DMDap) estimates were affected by the n-alkane (C₂₇, C₂₉,C₃₁, and C₃₃) used in the calculations. Estimates of DMDap obtained with application of FR corrections were 6.3% higher than those without correction. Results indicate that feeding a known amount of beeswax labelled supplement can be successfully used to estimate composition, feed intake, and its digestibility, requiring the application of n-alkane FR data.