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Silver-backed chevrotain specimen from 1990 and photographs of silver-backed chevrotain obtained during this study a, The silver-backed chevrotain specimen obtained from Gia Lai province that was described by Kuznetsov and Borissenko¹³. This specimen was collected in 1990 and was the last-known documented record for the species. Distinctive physical attributes include a two-toned pelage, lack of transverse throat stripe, and white-tipped grizzled hair on the posterior of the body. b, Camera-trap photographs of silver-backed chevrotain from this study.
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In an age of mass extinctions, confirming the survival of lost species provides rare second chances for biodiversity conservation. The silver-backed chevrotain Tragulus versicolor, a diminutive species of ungulate known only from Vietnam, has been lost to science for almost three decades. Here, we provide evidence that the silver-backed chevrotain...
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... The senior author (QHV) first learned of the name of this chevrotain species, 'cheo cheo ', in 1979, in a children's storybook published in Vietnamese, titled Animals of the Central Highlands Forests (Lương 1986), before the junior author had been born. However, it took this senior author exactly 40 years to see an image of the cheo cheo in the wild for the first time through an article in Nature Ecology and Evolution (Nguyen et al. 2019). At that time, he was conducting a study at the request of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to develop a collaborative program with Vietnamese businesses serving the cause of environmental protection and ecosystem conservation (Vuong et al. 2021). ...
... Two separate camera-trapping events were conducted to capture the images of the cheo cheo in 2019 (Nguyen et al. 2019). In the first period, they interviewed the locals in three Vietnamese provinces: Ninh Thuan, Khanh Hoa, and Phu Yen. ...
... So, the market and demand for consuming chevrotains exist, posing significant threats to the existence of the rediscovered species (Công 2012;Tuấn 2018). As also noted by Nguyen et al. (2019), 'all of the interviewees noted that chevrotain populations have declined precipitously in recent years as a result of intensive hunting pressure'. Even though international organisations, local governments, conservationists, and scientists quickly collaborated to devise conservation strategies and plans (Anh 2019), many challenges have arisen because the species is not listed as endangered, precious, and rare wildlife prioritised for protection. ...
The rediscovery of the silver-backed chevrotain (Tragulus versicolor), an endemic species to Vietnam, in 2019 – after almost 30 years of being lost to science – is a remarkable outcome for conservation. Since its rediscovery, there has been significant concern for the conservation of the species due to hunting for wild meat, a practice deeply rooted in Vietnamese culture. Conservation plans face multiple obstacles as the species has not yet been listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to the lack of data. Given the limited effectiveness of current conservation measures, we propose that local actions, community cooperation, and empathetic values can help conserve the silver-backed chevrotain through integrating modern technologies (e.g. the Internet, crowdfunding platforms, social media, AI, etc.) with citizen and community science. Communicating conservation information to the community, especially children, must stimulate their thinking and imagination about nature, develop their curiosity and desire to protect wildlife, and eventually build conservation and eco-surplus core values in their mindsets. To successfully awaken human values within the community and incorporate them into conservation endeavours, messages referring to ‘mouse-deer’, ‘chevrotain’, or the scientific name T. versicolor are largely ineffective as they fail to engender feelings of familiarity. Therefore, we suggest calling the mouse-deer ‘cheo cheo’, a local name that can create familiarity and closeness, awaken the environmental conscience, and stimulate thinking and imagination. All these factors encourage conservationists, scientists, and the government to support conservation and the community in building a conservation and eco-surplus culture.
... During the last decade, the expansion of oil palm plantations in Southern Thailand has led to encroachment on protected forests, contributing to local extinction [79,80]. This can safeguard many forest species, such as the greater mouse-deer, in fragmented forest areas and promote the re-establishment of populations, although large vertebrates are susceptible to habitat fragmentation [16,[81][82][83][84]. Tropical forests will become the last refuge of many species on the brink of extinction. ...
Developing successful conservation programs for genetically depleted species is challenging. Survival and adaptive potential are related to genetic and habitat factors; therefore, conservation programs are designed to minimize risks associated with inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity. The greater mouse-deer (Tragulus napu) is a true forest species that contributes to seed distribution dynamics in forests. However, with continuous demographic decline over the last century in the wild, only captive populations of the greater mouse-deer remain on the Thai mainland. A restoration program initiated 20 years ago has increased their population to more than 100 individuals but maintaining high genetic diversity in a small captive population is crucial for successful recovery. Microsatellite genotyping and mitochondrial D-loop and SRY gene sequence analyses were performed to examine the genetic diversity and population structure in 123 greater mouse-deer (64 females and 59 males). Highly reduced effective captive population size with trends of inbreeding were observed. No historical bottleneck was observed. These conditions have reduced their reproductive fitness and ability to adapt to environmental change, increasing the risk of population decline and eventual extinction. Demographic analyses suggested a recent captive population expansion due to effective animal welfare and reproduction. The results also suggested that population size at equilibrium is the main factor of allelic diversity (number of alleles). Large habitat carrying capacity, representing each fixed captive population size can support the genetic diversity of greater mouse-deer. We also identified suitable habitat areas for reintroduction and long-term in situ conservation of greater mouse-deer using maximum entropy modeling. Based on the environmental variables, species distribution modeling for greater mouse-deer indicated lowland tropical forest regions in the Khlong Saeng-Khao Sok forest complexes as most suitable and requiring urgent habitat improvement. These findings highlight the relevance of careful genetic monitoring and habitat suitability for the long-term conservation of greater mouse-deer and enhance the success of future conservation plans.
... Those that were perceived as high risk included the white-faced plover, Gongshan muntjac (Muntiacus gongshanensis), silver-backed chevrotain (Tragulus versicolor), Williamson's chevrotain (Tragulus williamsoni), and the leaf muntjac (Muntiacus putaoensis). These Cetartiodactyla species are herbivorous ground foragers and are all recent discoveries to science being described from only a small number of specimens (Kloss, 1916;Ma et al., 1990;Amato et al., 1999) and a recent rediscovery in 2018 of the silver-backed chevrotain (Nguyen et al., 2019). Although the primary threats to these Cetartiodacyla species is habitat degradation and poaching Meijaard et al., 2017;Nguyen et al., 2019) any additional pressures from domestic dogs could halt their recovery. ...
... These Cetartiodactyla species are herbivorous ground foragers and are all recent discoveries to science being described from only a small number of specimens (Kloss, 1916;Ma et al., 1990;Amato et al., 1999) and a recent rediscovery in 2018 of the silver-backed chevrotain (Nguyen et al., 2019). Although the primary threats to these Cetartiodacyla species is habitat degradation and poaching Meijaard et al., 2017;Nguyen et al., 2019) any additional pressures from domestic dogs could halt their recovery. Doherty et al. (2017) found that only 30 species across Southeast Asia had domestic dogs listed as a threat by the IUCN Red List. ...
The global population of domestic dogs is estimated at 900 million, making them the world’s most abundant carnivore. Southeast Asia is considered extremely vulnerable to wildlife declines linked to free-ranging dogs, yet few studies report specific cases of dog-wildlife interactions in this region. To overcome this lack of data, the perceived risk to bird and mammal species from free-ranging domestic dogs was modelled using Bayesian
networks considering the life history traits of each individual species. The spatial distribution of perceived risk across Southeast Asia was then modelled using a Bayesian network incorporating landscape and demographic characteristics. The number of species considered as high perceived risk in the region was over five times that previously reported. Overall, 11% of bird species and 10% of mammal species were classified as at high perceived risk from free-ranging domestic dogs and eight of these species were listed as Critically Endangered or Endangered by the IUCN Redlist. Furthermore, 50% of mainland Southeast Asia was predicted to be of high perceived risk from free-ranging domestic dogs with only 9% of the region considered as low perceived risk. When empirical data is lacking on IUCN Redlist assessments, incorporation of single threat models can provide missing information critical for accurate evaluation. It is recommended that species are re-evaluated considering domestic dogs as a threat and that this study be used as a template to assist in the development of species action plans and to define key areas where dog management needs to be considered. Management practices should be culturally appropriate and overall promote responsible pet ownership.
... Habitat fragmentation is associated with increasing poaching and logging, and it adversely affects behavioral patterns of animal species, reproduction, and survival of animals (Azlan, 2006;Chaves et al., 2019;Laurance & Arrea, 2017;Ngoprasert et al., 2007). Across its range, wild populations of chevrotain or mouse-deer are declining because of habitat fragmentation, habitat destruction for timber extraction, and poaching (Adila et al., 2017;Heydon & Bulloh, 1997;Jamhuri et al., 2018;Nguyen et al., 2019;Tee et al., 2018). Chevrotain species inhabit primary and secondary lowland rainforests and, in all parts of their range, are hunted for food (Azhar et al., 2014;Luskin et al., 2014). ...
... The mouse-deer populations have been threatened by extensive land clearing and poaching across their known habitat (Azhar et al., 2013;Petersen et al., 2020). Nguyen et al. (2019) suggest that snares laid by hunters have pushed the species to the brink of extinction in ...
Due to rapid urbanization, logging, and agricultural expansion, forest fragmentation is negatively affecting native wildlife populations throughout the tropics. This study examined the effects of landscape and habitat characteristics on the lesser mouse-deer, Tragulus kanchil, populations in Peninsular Malaysia. We conducted camera-trap survey at 315 sampling points located within 8 forest reserves. An assessment of site-level and landscape variables was conducted at each sampling point. Our study provides critical ecological information for managing and conserving understudied populations of T. kanchil. We found that the detection of T. kanchil was attributed to forest fragmentation in which forest patches had four times greater detection of T. kanchil than continuous forest. The detection of T. kanchil was nearly three times higher in peat swamp forest compared to lowland dipterocarp forests. Surprisingly, the detection of T. kanchil was higher in logged forests (logging ceased at least 30 years ago) than unlogged forests. The detection of T. kanchil increased with the presence of trees, particularly those with DBH of 5 cm to 45 cm, canopy cover, number of saplings and palms, number of dead fallen trees, and distance from nearest roads. However, detection decreased with a greater number of trees with DBH greater than 45 cm and higher elevations, and greater detections where creeping bamboo was abundant. We recommend that conservation stakeholders take the necessary steps (e.g., eradicating poaching, habitat degradation, and further deforestation) to support the conservation of mouse-deer species and its natural habitats.
... g Kimbrough (2020). h Nguyen et al. (2019). i Anonymous (2008) and Sithirith (2015). ...
Humans have treated the earth harshly. Degradation of extant ecosystems leaves little chance that they might function as they have in the past. Putting back the pieces and restoring what once existed is no longer possible even with re-wildling—an effect analogous to the Humpty Dumpty parable. However, we do have conservation successes after concerted efforts related to habitat protection, species and ecosystem restoration, and planning. While the changes to Earth's biosphere are grave, necessitating immediate and exhaustive action, our Humpty Dumpty world reassembles with progressive conservation victories at all regional scales from local to global which should lead to a modicum of optimism rather than despair. We suggest that to be truly effective our work as academic scientists must be more than publishing in scholarly journals. At the least, this should include changes in how success is measured in science and how university tenure is awarded.
... This can help to evaluate animal's role in ecosystems and to optimize the conservation programs aimed at reducing the negative effect of human activities and preventing population decrease or species extinction (Caravaggi et al. 2017). Unusual animal behaviour can often be discovered or a species that was believed to be extinct can reappear on camera trap photo (for example, Nguyen et al. 2019), especially when the geographic range of the species is hard to reach. With recent technological advances, modern cameras can now be deployed in the most extreme environments, including rainforests (Bowler et al. 2016), deserts (Tichon et al. 2016), underwater (Williams et al. 2014), and polar regions (Jones et al. 2018). ...
Camera trapping is widely used in different ecological studies and is particularly important for remote locations and extreme environments. However, the application of camera traps in Arctic regions remains very limited. One of the challenges is the formation of hoar on the lens of cameras. In this article, we propose a solution to address this problem by changing the camera parameters and its position in order to optimize the camera trap for long-term subnivean deployment in the Canadian Arctic. Preliminary field tests show that this approach allows tracking lemmings in the frozen environment without natural light or external electrical power supply, where the direct observations are impossible for the most part of the year. We obtained the first videos of lemmings under the snow during the Arctic winter. Extending the observational network of the newly designed camera traps will help to better understand lemming population dynamics. The demonstrated approach is also promising for other polar applications.
... This can help to evaluate animal's role in ecosystems and to optimize the conservation programs aimed at reducing the negative effect of human activities and preventing population decrease or species extinction (Caravaggi et al. 2017). Unusual animal behaviour can often be discovered or a species that was believed to be extinct can reappear on camera trap photo (for example, Nguyen et al. 2019), especially when the geographic range of the species is hard to reach. With recent technological advances, modern cameras can now be deployed in the most extreme environments, including rainforests (Bowler et al. 2016), deserts (Tichon et al. 2016), underwater (Williams et al. 2014), and polar regions (Jones et al. 2018). ...
Subnivean life is an important part of the Arctic ecosystem but it has been little explored. Long, harsh winters in addition to remoteness have made direct studies in these hardly accessible areas very expensive and extremely difficult. To tackle this problem, a low-power autonomous camera system (called ArcÇav) is developed for monitoring small mammals beneath the snow in the Canadian Arctic. ArcÇav is composed of several components, including a digital camera, a single board computer, a microcontroller board, and a motion detection sensor. A limited energy source, very cold temperatures, darkness, and a very long recording period (several months) are major challenges that ArcÇav is designed to deal with. The performance of the developed system is evaluated in a real situation in the High Arctic. The field results show that ArcÇav can function well for an extended period of time on a battery at very low temperatures during the arctic winters. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that life under snow has been filmed by a camera trap in the Arctic during winter. ArcÇav equips ecologists with a new means to explore and study subnivean life remotely. These observations can provide a foundation to answer some of questions that have puzzled animal ecologists for decades.
... While there is a prevailing demand for wildlife for various uses, Gray et al. (2017) argue that indiscriminate hunting in the region persists primarily to satisfy demand for meat from wild animals (hereafter 'wild meat'). Vietnam is one of the countries where wildlife has been gravely affected by unsustainable offtake and where demand for wild meat has been highlighted as a key driver (MacMillan & Nguyen, 2013;Nguyen et al., 2019;Sandalj et al., 2016;Shairp et al., 2016). In Vietnam, poor law enforcement fails to deter poaching and trafficking, while pervasive demand for wildlife continues to drive illegal exploitation (Duckworth et al., 2012;Gray et al., 2017;MacMillan & Nguyen, 2013). ...
Overexploitation for consumption of meat from wild animals in urban centres currently threatens numerous species across the globe. Indiscriminate offtake to satisfy demand for wild meat affects a range of wildlife of conservation concern in Vietnam. It is essential to understand the consumption of wild meat in Vietnam in order to ensure it is not detrimental to wild species.
We apply the principles of target audience segmentation to a sample of 384 respondents who had consumed wild meat in the previous year in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. We carried out a cluster analysis to divide wild meat consumers into subgroups considering demographic, behavioural and psychographic variables.
We found three consumer groups: Classic Consumers (older, less educated), Up‐and‐coming Professionals (younger, wealthier, more educated) and Students. Compared to Students, Classic Consumers and Up‐and‐coming Professionals were significantly more likely to have paid for their meal at wild meat restaurants and to have ordered a combination of wild meat and other types of food rather than other types of food only.
Classic Consumers match previous characterisations of wild meat consumers, but the other two groups should also be considered in demand reduction campaigns. As Students appear to have limited influence on restaurant/food choices in certain social contexts and less propensity to eat wild meat, Up‐and‐coming Professionals may be an important target group.
A wide variety of species are consumed in wild meat restaurants. Some, such as pangolins, are of conservation concern and were consumed by 5% of our respondents. This is potentially an unsustainable level of consumption.
Our study showcases an audience segmentation approach to understanding wildlife consumers and provides insights for behavioural interventions and further research to curtail demand for wild meat in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam where it is of conservation concern.
A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
... Camera traps are the standard tool for assessing population status of many terrestrial mammals, describing species distributions, and confirming the presence of some of the rarest terrestrial species (e.g. [1,2]). Camera traps log detections of all species that trigger the sensors, including rare detections of previously unknown species (e.g. ...
... Camera traps log detections of all species that trigger the sensors, including rare detections of previously unknown species (e.g. [2]). It has been assumed that species that overlap in their geographic ranges and are considered sympatric in some areas can be effectively detected under survey designs that do not necessarily take into consideration mark-recapture or occupancy modelling tend to be data hungry and so may be unsuitable for use with sparse 'by-catch' data, leaving only RAIs for making weak inferences about the population. ...
Population assessments of wide-ranging, cryptic, terrestrial mammals rely on camera trap surveys. While camera trapping is a powerful method of detecting presence, it is difficult distinguishing rarity from low detection rate. The margay (Leopardus wiedii) is an example of a species considered rare based on its low detection rates across its range. Although margays have a wide distribution, detection rates with camera traps are universally low; consequently, the species is listed as Near Threatened. Our 12-year camera trap study of margays in protected broadleaf forest in Belize suggests that while margays have low detection rate, they do not seem to be rare, rather that they are difficult to detect with camera traps. We detected a maximum of 187 individuals, all with few or no recaptures over the years (mean = 2.0 captures/individual ± SD 2.1), with two-thirds of individuals detected only once. The few individuals that were recaptured across years exhibited long tenures up to 9 years and were at least 10 years old at their final detection. We detected multiple individuals of both sexes at the same locations during the same survey, suggesting overlapping ranges with non-exclusive territories, providing further evidence of a high-density population. By studying the sparse annual datasets across multiple years, we found evidence of an abundant margay population in the forest of the Cockscomb Basin, which might have been deemed low density and rare, if studied in the short term. We encourage more long-term camera trap studies to assess population status of semi-arboreal carnivore species that have hitherto been considered rare based on low detection rates.
... These biases leave many parts of the world poorly sampled, and specifically, we are often unsure of total species richness and the number and identity of threatened species in these parts of the world. This fundamental lack of understanding of which species exist where is highlighted by modern day 'rediscoveries' (e.g., Nguyen et al., 2019;Scheffers et al., 2011). ...
Despite impressive growth in global biodiversity data, knowledge about the occurrence of species in many parts of the world remains incomplete because of major gaps in the underlying data. This can lead to ill-informed conservation decisions. The collective effort of citizen scientists can generate a great deal of data quickly, but how might we prioritize the powerful — but finite — effort? We argue that instead of simply filling empty spots on the map based solely on where biodiversity information is incomplete, near-term threats to the integrity or persistence of biodiversity assemblages could also be incorporated to prioritize citizen science sampling. Here we develop a quantitative framework illustrating how citizen science sampling and initiatives can be prioritized when simultaneously considering both the completeness of biodiversity sampling and the risk of habitat conversion.
We illustrate this framework for birds using global citizen science data from the eBird platform and a
global model of the risk of habitat conversion. We find that regions in Africa and southeast Asia would rank as the
highest priorities for new and expanded citizen science initiatives. Our framework provides a mechanism to
quantify where new biodiversity data are most urgently needed, ultimately helping to improve environmental
decision-making. We anticipate this framework can be used in the future at a suite of relevant planning scales,
ranging from local to regional to global.
