Jacopo Cerri

University of Sassari | UNISS · Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria

Multiple studies assessed the collision risk of different vulture species with wind turbines. However, they relied on different sources of wind turbine data, and the effect of this data heterogeneity, on the estimated collision risk and the comparability of these assessments, has not been investigated. We used GPS and accelerometer data, collected...

In the Anthropocene, recognising nature’s role in human well-being is pivotal for biodiversity conservation. Despite their significance, knowledge gaps persist regarding ecosystem services, even for well-studied species like vultures. Our study focuses on the Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus in Sardinia, Italy, exploring their cultural and regulating se...

Reconciling wind energy development with biodiversity conservation requires accurate maps. As the coordinates of wind turbines are often not publicly available, many conservationists use datasets curated by research groups or volunteers, whose accuracy is unclear. We used satellite images to assess the accuracy of three of these datasets, at portra...

This study aims to evaluate the spatial overlap between the historical breeding sites of the Bearded Vulture with the locations of both existing and potential wind farms. Breeding sites were also overlapped with Natura 2000 sites, which were considered as potentially safe release sites, as wind farm development is forbidden in these areas, while su...

Translocations are fundamental for the conservation of large raptors, including Old-World vultures. Different release methods are usually assessed by comparing the movement patterns and survival of released individuals. However, these approaches fail to capture important aspects related to the gregarious behaviour of many vulture species. We compar...

Although many studies highlighted the potential of COVID-19 to reshape existing models of wildlife management, empirical research on this topic has been scarce, particularly in Europe. We investigated the potential of COVID-19 pandemic to accelerate the ongoing decline in an aging population of recreational hunters in Italy. Namely, we modelled spa...

Many large carnivores have broad geographical ranges, encompassing ecosystems with a different prey base. Our understanding of their diet could therefore be biased by the spatial concentration of dietary studies into few areas. We propose a protocol to divide the geographical range of large carnivores, into areas that are homogeneous with respect t...

Quantifying attitudes towards invasive alien species (IAS) is fundamental to understanding the extent to which conservation scientists agree and can collaborate in their management. We tested the IAS Management Attitude scale (IMA), a shortened version of the Pest Management Attitude Scale, originally invented to quantify attitudes towards pests in...

Invasive mosquitoes are an emerging public health issue, as many species are competent vectors for pathogens. We assessed how multiple environmental and socio-economic factors affected the engagement of municipalities in Italy ( n = 7679) in actions against Aedes albopictus , an invasive mosquito affecting human health and well-being, between 2000...

The conservation of Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus), the most abundant and widespread vulture in Europe, has been the focus of two LIFE project in Sardinia, that foresaw, among other actions, the release of individuals to increase population size. Within the project LIFE Under Griffon Wings (2015-2020), out of 76 Griffon Vultures that have been relea...

Although many studies highlighted the potential of COVID-19 to reshape existing models of wildlife management, empirical research on this topic has been scarce, particularly in Europe. We investigated the potential of COVID-19 pandemic to accelerate the ongoing decline in an aging population of recreational hunters in Italy. Namely, we modeled spat...

ENG: Wind energy is an emerging challenge for biodiversity conservation, due to its impacts on habitats and species. Therefore, effective mitigation and zonation policies require accurate maps of operating wind turbines. However, the current pace of wind energy development raises doubts on how fast existing maps can become obsolete. We used freely...

Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus is the most threatened bird species in Italy with only 8 - 13 breeding pairs in 2023 distributed in only three regions of Southern Italy. For the first time a pair successfully bred in 2019 in Sardinia. AIM To describe the first documented breeding of Egyptian Vulture in Sardinia and to understand which temp...

The Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus, a medium-sized scavenging bird, is the most-threatened bird species in Italy, with only 10–12 breeding pairs in 2019 distributed in three regions of Southern Italy. With this study, we aim to describe the first documented breeding of Egyptian vulture in Sardinia and to understand which temporal and enviro...

Second-generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (ARs) can be critical for carnivores, due to their widespread use and impacts. However, although many studies explored the impacts of ARs on small and mesocarnivores, none assessed the extent to which they could contaminate large carnivores in anthropized landscapes. We filled this gap by exploring spati...

Quantifying attitudes towards invasive alien species (IAS) is fundamental to understand the extent to which conservation scientists agree and can collaborate in their management. We tested the Pest Management Scale (PMS), originally invented to quantify attitudes towards invasive alien mammals in New Zealand, as a tool to quantify broader attitudes...

Behavioural responses are particularly important to quantify species-specific habitat influences on natural selection. Mountains, with their wide range of habitats, can be regarded as a valuable context where the environmental conditions influence animal behaviour. We studied the inter-specific variation in the escape tendency and the mobility beha...

Quantifying attitudes towards invasive alien species (IAS) is fundamental to understand the extent to which conservation scientists agree and can collaborate in their management. We tested the Pest Management Scale (PMS), originally invented to quantify attitudes towards invasive alien mammals in New Zealand, as a tool to quantify broader attitudes...

During the project LIFE Under Griffon Wings (2014-2020) 37 farm feeding stations (FFS) were activated to mitigate the food shortage for Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus) (GF); the livestock reared in the 37 farms amounted to 2,897 cattle and 13,368 sheep/goats. Between 2017 and 2021 a total of 160 cattle and 421 goat/sheep were provisioned in the FFS...

Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) populations occur on Mediterranean islands, where wind energy is developing fast. As griffons are subjected to collisions with wind turbines while foraging, it is necessary to understand which factors affect their movements to minimize the potential impact of wind farms. We assessed habitat use of 37 griffons (n. GPS l...

Wind energy is developing on Mediterranean islands, where endangered populations of Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) occur. As griffons are subjected to collisions with wind turbines while foraging, it is necessary to understand which factors affect their movements, to minimize the potential impact of wind farms.We assessed habitat use by 37 griffons...

Second-generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (ARs) can be particularly critical for large carnivores, due to their widespread use and time-delayed impacts on their populations. While many studies explored the impacts of ARs on small and mesocarnivores, no study explored the extent to which they could contaminate large carnivores in anthropized land...

The gray wolf (Canis lupus) expanded its distribution in Europe over the last few decades. To better understand the extent to which wolves could re-occupy their historical range, it is important to test if anthropization can affect their fitness-related traits. After having accounted for ecologically relevant confounders, we assessed how anthropiza...

Although several studies have focused on the influence of moonlight on deer–vehicle collisions, findings have been inconsistent. This may be due to neglect of the effects of cloud cover, a major impediment to moon illumination and circannual variation in both deer and human activity. We assessed how median cloud cover interacted with the illuminate...

Conservation translocations involving vultures rely either on soft or hard release strategies. To investigate whether these strategies affect home range stability and survival, we compared the spatial behavior and mortality of 38 Griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) released in Sardinia. Griffons were released after no acclimatization, or after 3 (short)...

Animal species living in highly seasonal environments developed different strategies to cope with the periodical drastic change of environmental conditions. Hibernating mammals survive the winter season by reducing their activity and metabolism, and by centring their activities during the favourable season. Thus, the demography of these species dep...

Although several studies have focused on the influence of moonlight over deer-vehicle collisions, findings have been inconsistent. This may be due to neglecting the effects of cloud cover, a major impediment to moon illumination, and circannual variation in both deer and human activity.We modeled how median cloud cover interacted with the illuminat...

Bertolino, S., Brown, D.E., Cerri, J., Koprowski, J.L. (2022). Eastern Cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus (J.A. Allen, 1890). In: Hackländer, K., Zachos, F.E. (eds) Handbook of the Mammals of Europe. Handbook of the Mammals of Europe. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65038-8_14-1

The Mediterranean basin is among those areas of the world most affected by the introduction of Non-Indigenous Species (NIS). NIS are a growing driver of change for terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, but their management and presence evaluation within the decision-making process,is often constrained by the lack of spatially-explicit information, su...

Citizen Science (CS) has gained increased recognition over the last two decades. This turn is occurring in strong connection with the profound transformations that have affected science over the last few decades, leading towards a new social model of science characterised by greater openness to society regarding research content actors involved, re...

Invasive alien species could generate a multitude of impacts towards native species. The introduction and spread of Vespa velutina in Europe is raising concern for the conservation of insect’s biodiversity, including wasps due to predation, competition or a combination of these two mechanisms. Nevertheless, most evidence for negative effects on oth...

Over the last few decades, Oral Rabies Vaccinations (ORV) has eliminated sylvatic rabies from most of Central and Western Europe. Despite this success, they will probably be needed in the near future, due to the expansion of native and invasive reservoirs. It is unclear if they still work, at this time when many countries have an abundant wild boar...

The Asian yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina) has been invading Italy since 2013, and it was subjected to management programs to counter its spread and raise awareness about its impacts. We administered a questionnaire to a sample of 358 beekeepers in Italy, asking them about their sources of information on V. velutina and their perception of its...

Usutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne virus belonging to the family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus. Natural transmission cycle of USUV involves mosquitoes and birds, so humans and other mammals are considered incidental hosts. In this study, USUV infection was diagnosed in all wild blackbirds, collected from July to September 2018 in a wildlife re...

English - The gray wolf (Canis lupus) expanded its distribution in Europe over the last few decades. To better understand the extent to which wolves could re-occupy their historical range, nowadays including anthropized landscapes, it is important to test if and how anthropization can affect fitness-related traits in this species. We modeled how an...

Usutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne virus belonging to the family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus. Natural transmission cycle of USUV involves mosquitoes and birds, so humans and other mammals are considered incidental hosts. In this study, USUV infection was diagnosed in all wild blackbirds, collected from July to September 2018 in a wildlife re...

Collisions with vehicles are a major cause of wildlife mortality. During the COVID‐19 pandemic, many countries enforced lockdowns that reduced vehicular traffic and consequently wildlife‐vehicle collisions. However, no study has yet explored how traffic‐related mortality declined across multiple species of wildlife, leaving doubts about the species...

Blacklists of invasive alien species (IAS) are a popular tool for managing and preventing biological invasions. Moreover, blacklists also have the potential to make the general public more curious about biological invasions, usually by benefiting from media coverage and providing accessible examples of IAS. We have tested if the implementation of t...

Invasive mosquitoes are an emerging ecological and sanitary issue. Many factors have been suggested as drivers or barriers to their control, still no study quantified their influence over mosquito management by local authorities, nor their interplay with local economic conditions.We assessed how multiple environmental, sanitary, and socio-economic...

Plastics are extremely useful, but their mismanagement has affected the environment and our health. Rethinking the development and use of plastics is central to the circular economy paradigm, to provide less harmful options for the environment. Thus, more types of plastic packaging are available, but each reflects diverse circular economy strategie...

Over the last 40 years the gray wolf (Canis lupus) re-colonized its historical range in Italy increasing human-predator interactions. However, temporal and spatial trends in wolf mortality, including direct and indirect persecution, were never summarized. This study aims to fill this gap by focusing on the situation of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna re...

Over the last 40 years the gray wolf (Canis lupus) re-colonized its historical range in Italy increasing human-predator interactions. However, temporal and spatial trends in wolf mortality, including direct and indirect persecution, were never summarized. This study aims to fill this gap by focusing on the situation of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna re...

Collisions with vehicles are a major anthropogenic cause of mortality for wildlife, with conservation and evolutionary implications. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries worldwide enforced lockdowns which importantly reduced traffic, and therefore had unprecedented consequences for global wildlife populations. We modeled how the two lockdow...

Marine recreational fisheries are an integral part of Mediterranean and Black Sea coastal life and are commonly practiced throughout the region. However, despite their ubiquity and potential socio-economic contribution, recreational fisheries are a data-poor sector. Data collection programmes to monitor their impact are limited and can vary widely...

SARS-­CoV-­2, the virus that caused the COVID-­19 pandemic, is genomically similar to a SARS-­like beta-­ coronavirus found in Asian rhinolophid bats. This evolutionary relationship impressed the global media, which then em phasised bats as key actors in the spillover that resulted in the pandemic. In this study, we highlight changes in the traditi...

Further information on the Mincio Park and the “Valli del Mincio” Special Protection Area are reported. In the collection of photos inserted is possible to visualize both domestic and wild mammalian predators present in the study site, signs left by rabbits and red foxes (e.g., diggings, fox scats), predation events on rabbits by foxes, visitor-rab...

This document provides a reproducible example on how survey data were analysed. The study included the administration of questionnaires to visitors of the Mincio regional Park, either as paper-and-pencil or as online questionnaires

Complete questionnaire in English language

Where introduced, the European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus is considered among the most destructive and invasive species. To date, research focused mostly on populations of wild rabbit, whereas little is known on feral domestic rabbit populations. In this work, we reported the establishment of two self-sustaining populations of feral rabbits in It...

Compensation programs are an important tool for mitigating conflicts between farmers and large predators. However, they present significant weaknesses and faults. For years, the EU has been prioritizing programs for the prevention of damage caused by large carnivores, rather than compensation programs, introducing compulsory compensation for the pu...

In this work a mathematical model is built in order to validate on theoretical grounds field study results on a three-species system made of two prey, of which one is native and another one invasive, together with a native predator. Specifically, our results mathematically describe the negative effect on the native European hare after the introduct...

Conservationists measuring noncompliance with measures limiting the exploitation of natural resources often ask sensitive questions. However, respondents may distort their answers due to the risk of sanctions, taboos or social norms. Specialized Questioning Techniques (SQTs) can encourage honest answering through protecting re-spondent's privacy by...

Invasive species are a growing driver of change across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems but spatially-explicit information is seldom available for supporting management actions and decision making. Here we conceived and tested a new participatory method to map the distribution of three invasive species (Callinectes sapidus, Procambarus clarkii an...

The Asian yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina) has been invading Italy since 2013, and it was subjected to management projects aimed at counteracting its spread and raising awareness about its impacts.In autumn 2019, we administered an on-line questionnaire to a convenience sample of 358 beekeepers in Italy. The questionnaire asked them about thei...

Alien species invasion could lead to the replacement of native species with similar ecological requirements. Vespa velutina is an invasive hornet recently established in Europe, that is raising concern due to the associated economic and ecological impacts toward managed and wild pollinators besides to the potential competition and replacement of na...

Socioeconomic changes characterizing the last 70 years changed human-wildlife relationships and diminished activities such as recreational hunting. However, little research has tested whether the same changes also increased other behaviors, such as volunteering for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that focus on protecting animals. We modeled t...

Aquatic Invasive species (AIS) are a growing driver of change across marine and freshwater ecosystems but spatially-explicit information is seldom available for supporting management actions and decision making. Here we conceived and tested a new participatory method to map the distribution of three invasive species (Callinectes sapidus, Procambaru...