Don’t forget the little guys: improving monitoring efforts for African small carnivores

Small carnivores are ecologically important species and key indicators of environmental change. However, for many of these species, we lack robust information on their conservation status, geographic distribution, and tolerance to anthropogenic threats. In this post, researchers from Nelson Mandela University share their experience with an emerging camera trapping method aimed at improving monitoring efforts for African small carnivores. For a wide array of species, … Continue reading Don’t forget the little guys: improving monitoring efforts for African small carnivores

AER | ESEAugust 19, 2025Leave a comment

Monitoring and methods, Research summaries

Let’s get to know mesocarnivores: Estimating abundance with camera traps

Jamie McKaughan describes his team’s latest research testing the use of distance sampling with camera traps as a way to establish meaningful density estimates of mesocarnivores in South Africa. Frederick Forsyth’s novel, ‘The Day of the Jackal’, is a gripping political thriller that tells the story of a highly skilled assassin tasked with killing the French President. But have you ever wondered why the author … Continue reading Let’s get to know mesocarnivores: Estimating abundance with camera traps

AER | ESEJune 13, 2023June 1, 2023Leave a comment

Human-wildlife interactions, Monitoring and methods, Practitioners, Research summaries

Repatriating solitary felids: the case for seeking homes for conflict-borne leopards in southern Africa

Photo © Vasti Botha Translocating large carnivores to reduce human-wildlife conflict have historically failed, but recent improvements in satellite technology have enabled better monitoring and success. In their latest research, Power et al. report on the outcomes of repatriating 16 leopards across a South African province. Leopards need little introduction. These large felids are ubiquitous across Africa and large parts of Asia. However, being so … Continue reading Repatriating solitary felids: the case for seeking homes for conflict-borne leopards in southern Africa

AER | ESEMarch 2, 2021January 11, 2022Leave a comment

Journal covers

Cover stories: Cheetah chase

Egil Dröge shares the high-energy story behind issue 55:6’s cover photo. See more of how the day unfolded in this gallery. I followed this female cheetah that day on her hunt. She would frequently use the small termite mounts to take the advantage of the elevation to scan the tall grass for prey. At some point, while she was walking through the tall grass, she … Continue reading Cover stories: Cheetah chase