Richard P. Reading

Butterfly Pavilion · Research & Conservation

As wildlife becomes more isolated in human-dominated and rapidly changing environments, species conservation requires investment in landscape connectivity. Identifying stepping stones (discrete areas of suitable habitat that facilitate the movement of dispersing individuals) can help meet connectivity goals. We report the occurrence of the snow leo...

The Mongolian marmot (Marmota sibirica) is a relatively large-bodied, social rodent that lives in colonies across the Mongolian steppes and adjacent parts of China and Russia. Marmots serve as ecosystem engineers that display multiple functions on the steppe environments they inhabit. Mongolian marmots experienced a 75% decline across Mongolia in t...

Mongolian marmots (Marmota sibirica) live in colonies that consist of numerous burrows and are considered ecosystem engineers. Although once a common steppe species, marmots are now endangered due to overharvesting, which has led to concerns over the impacts of their loss on other species. The decline of marmots likely affected other species given...

The endangered Cape Vulture (Gyps coprotheres), a southern African endemic, breeds on precipitous cliffs in various habitats. Some colonies of this cliff-nesting species are found in the southeast (Mannyelanong Hill) and east (Tswapong Hills and adjacent complexes) of Botswana. Of six breeding sites studied in the Tswapong Hills complex from 1992 t...

The Lake Titicaca frog is endangered due to threats such as water pollution, introduced species, and overharversting for markets, where people consume them as frog juice. This study, conducted June to November 2012, aimed to determinate the bacteria microflora living on the skin of frogs confiscated from the La Parada market, Lima, Peru, and housed...

The Mongolian marmot (Marmota sibirica) is a relatively large-bodied, social rodent that lives in colonies across the Mongolian steppes and parts of China and Russia. Marmots serve as ecosystem engineers that display multiple functions on the steppe environments they inhabit. Mongolian marmots experienced a >75% decline across Mongolia in the 1990s...

Stock raiding lions translocated in Botswana

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We studied the dietary patterns of African wild dog in Vumbura and Linyanti –Selinda regions, in northern Botswana. We estimated the densities of potential wild dog prey ungulate using Distance sampling techniques. Scat analysis and direct observations of wild dog kills were used to analyze the dietary characteristics. Pianka and Levin's indices we...

Activity patterns provide insight into the overall relationship between a species and its environment. Despite declines in populations of argali and some attention on ecological questions, limited information exists on argali behavior. We measured diurnal activity budgets of argali for 12 months by recording behavior (i.e., foraging, bedding, stand...

We initiated a project to study the ecology of P. apollo and the more common congener P. nomion, which is sympatric in Mongolia. One of our primary goals was to gather data on P. apollo and P. nomion butterfly habitat associations, including especially larval host plant species. We conducted our work in the boreal taiga forests of the Khentey Mount...

We present biometrical data assembled from a combined total of 37 complete and partially cleaned skulls and feathered heads for the two putative subspecies of Hooded Vulture Necrosyrtes monachus monachus and N. m. pileatus (which Mundy et al. (1992) credibly argue should be N. m. carunculatus). We report on mostly insignificant variation in measure...

African White-backed Vultures were recently uplisted to ‘Critically Endangered’ by IUCN due to declines across their range. Poisoning is widely accepted as the major reason for these declines. Botswana supports a high number of this species (breeding pairs > c.1,200), but as yet no published information exists on their breeding success in the count...

We studied the ectoparasitics of breeding Lesser Kestrels (Falco naumanni) in Mongolia. We captured 20 adult, one fledgling, and 11 nestling Lesser Kestrels and examined them for ectoparasites in Ikh Nart Nature Reserve, a semi-desert region of Mongolia. We examined 11 nestlings multiple times throughout the nestling period to count carnid flies (C...

We report on differential movement of adult and juvenile cinereous vultures (Aegypius monachus) in the northeast Asia. Adult vultures remain in Mongolia throughout the year, whereas many juvenile vultures migrate from their breeding grounds in Mongolia to wintering grounds in the Republic of Korea (South Korea). We trapped adult and juvenile Cinere...

We examined the breeding success of Lesser Kestrels Falco naumanni in Ikh Nart Nature Reserve, a semi-desert zone in southeast Mongolian. We found that the mean number of nests per colony was 7.4. Lesser Kestrels laid eggs between 24 May and 2 June each year. Mean clutch size was 4.0±0.7 SE, with a mean incubation period of 28±2 SE days. We recorde...

Determining habitat characteristics and quality is important for conservation planning for threatened species of butterflies. We determined the vegetation in two Apollo butterfly habitat types and recorded the species richness and abundance of vascular plants in 12 randomly chosen plots within our study site in the “Baruun Burkh” Mountains of the K...

The Mongolian Marmot Marmota sibirica is a large (6–8 kg) colonial rodent that lives in the grasslands, semi-desert and forest steppe of northern Asia. Historically the most abundant and widely distributed marmot in Mongolia, it was formerly common throughout much of the east and north-east of the country, inhabiting nearly level steppe and arid st...

Debate remains whether energy maximization or time minimization strategies best explain foraging in ungulates. It has also been hypothesized that the capacity of an animal to dissipate body heat regulates animal activity. We investigated these hypotheses while measuring the daily activity of desert argali (Ovis ammon (Linnaeus,1758)) for 12 months...

In normal sexual size dimorphism, males generally possess larger body sizes than females in vertebrates, especially birds, mammals and some reptiles. However, the majority of birds of prey from the orders Falconiformes and Strigiformes have reversed sexual dimorphism (RSD) in body size (i.e., females larger than males). Several hypotheses have been...

Remote sensing has grown exponentially in the last 20 years, enabling scientists to study ecological phenomena with methods previously unavailable. Freely available satellite imagery in fi ner resolutions has increased, making it possible and more economical to analyze and monitor the Earth's ecosystems. Software and on-line platforms make it easie...

Hooded Vulture Necrosyrtes monachus populations have declined dramatically in recent years, but we know little about their ecology. We radio-tagged four vultures in northern Botswana to gather data on animal movement and home-range patterns. Hooded Vultures were primarily sedentary at night. Hooded Vultures moved similar distances and speeds during...

Whilst food availability influences space use by animals, how fluctuating resources influence the location of home ranges and space use patterns is little understood. In this study, we first determined the home range of brown hyaenas (Parahyaena brunnea) living inside, and adjacent to, the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Botswana. We then examined...

Studying flea community structure on wild carnivores is important for identifying flea vectors for potential infectious diseases and providing information needed to design programs for human and wildlife health. We collected ectoparasites from 4 species of meso-carnivores in an arid Desert-steppe ecosystem of Mongolia. We captured four meso-carnivo...

Removal of apex predators can drive ecological regime shifts owing to compensatory positive and negative population level responses by organisms at lower trophic levels. Despite evidence that apex predators can influence ecosystems though multiple ecological pathways, most studies investigating apex predators’ effects on ecosystems have considered...

Across Africa, many raptor species, especially vultures, are in steep decline. Botswana is regionally important for numerous raptor species including vultures, but recent population trends of raptors within this country are totally unknown. In 2015-2016 we repeated road transects for raptors across northern Botswana that were first conducted in 199...

Power feeding in tarantulas is often practised by hobbyist keepers, but the results of this feeding regimen have not been well documented. To determine the effects of power feeding on growth rates, we separated two groups (A and B) of newly hatched Honduran Curly Hair tarantula (Brachypelma albopilosum Valerio, 1980) spiderlings and fed individuals...

In Mongolia, both the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and corsac fox (Vulpes corsac) occupy broad sympatric ranges, but despite their expansive ranges, few published details of the craniometry of either species exist in Mongolia and other parts of northern and central Asia. To determine the morphological differences between two species of foxes, we tested...

Conservationists increasingly use translocations, especially given global climate change. We define different types of translocations, provide an overview of the factors influencing success, and discuss how we believe conservationists will use translocations in the future. Experience gleaned from past efforts has obviated the importance of holistic...

The level of ecological degradation currently occurring across most habitats and ecosystems has seriously decreased biodiversity on our planet. The damage is human-caused, and it has altered fundamental ecological processes that maintain the structure and function of whole ecosystems. Restoration must consider many concepts, such as resilience, pat...

Spatially-explicit wildlife habitat models, such as a Habitat Suitability Index Model (HSIM) are increasingly used to understand a species home range, resource use, and optimal environmental conditions needed for survival and viability. An HSIM compares different environmental variables, such as vegetation, slope, and aspect to determine optimal ha...

The Lesser Kestrel is recognized as Least-Concern in IUCN Red-List, since 2011. All available its diet studies were conducted in its European and partial African breeding and non-breeding range. In particularly, this small falcon is little known in Asian population. Our study can be considered as first study for its central Asian breeding populatio...

Cultural ecosystem services, such as the enjoyment and satisfaction of viewing a species in the wild, are often underrepresented in conservation planning. Understanding the spatial distribution of wildlife-related services can inform management, which is especially important for declining species. We examined how natural and human features of a lan...

Understanding how animals move through a landscape can reveal corridors or narrow paths of movement that connect discrete parts of a landscape. Identifying corridors can be important for planning conservation activities, especially for threatened species. We synthesized information on the ranging behavior and distribution of argali sheep to quantif...

Habitat fragmentation caused by anthropogenic activities alters the distribution, abundance, and diversity of wildlife species worldwide. As one example, Siberian marmots have experienced a >75% decline across Mongolia since the 1990s due to human harvests. Burrowing mammals are keystone; ecosystem engineers in many communities because burrowing ca...

In arid regions of the developing world, pastoralists and livestock commonly inhabit protected areas, resulting in human–wildlife conflict. Conflict is inextricably linked to the ecological processes shaping relationships between pastoralists and native herbivores and carnivores. To elucidate relationships underpinning human–wildlife conflict, we s...

Understanding the factors influencing survival of ungulate neonates facilitates successful management programs, particularly as they relate to population dynamics and adaptive species management. However, kid survival of near threatened Siberian ibex (Capra sibirica) remains poorly understood. During 2005-2013, we captured and collared 21 ibex kids...

Habitat fragmentation caused by anthropogenic activities alters the distribution, abundance and diversity of wildlife species worldwide. As one example, Siberian marmots have experienced a >75% decline across Mongolia since the 1990s due to human harvests. Burrowing mammals are keystone; ecosystem engineers in many communities because burrowing can...

Protected areas represent the most effective form of biodiversity conservation; however, many remain poorly managed and some exist only on paper without management – called “paper parks”. We describe our collective efforts to transform Ikh Nart Nature Reserve (Ikh Nart) in Mongolia from a paper park into a model protected area. Resource constraints...

The Lake Titicaca frog (Telmatobius culeus) is critically endangered, primarily from overexploitation. However, additional threats, such as chytrid fungus ( Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis ), are poorly studied. We found moderate levels of chytrid infection using quantitative PCR. Our results enhance our understanding of chytrid tolerance to high pH...

The Peruvian Andes are the home of 27 species of frogs of the genus Telmatobius, many of which are critically endangered. Illegal trade of adult frogs for purported medical properties likely represents the major threat facing these species. This activity, besides reducing their populations, may contribute to the dissemination of the fungus Batracho...

Community-based conservation approaches that keep people on landscapes increasingly complement preservationist models of reserves without people. Evaluations of community conservation have shown that economic incentives and socioeconomics primarily drive people’s attitudes and perceptions. Work at Mongolia’s Ikh Nart Nature Reserve demonstrates how...

Use of glues and acrylics to attach radiotransmitters to small mammals may pose a threat to the animals and researchers by generating heat and adhering to skin. We tested the feasibility of attaching radiotransmitters on 2 hedgehog species (Daurian [Mesechinus dauuricus] and long-eared [Hemiechinus auritus]) in Mongolia using a restorative dental c...

Raptor research often requires identifying individuals. Researchers place patagial tags on raptors to facilitate such identification. Researchers in southern African use two main types of patagial tags: hard plastic ear tags originally designed for cattle and soft vinyl tags. We deployed both types of tags on vultures in Botswana. Based on our obse...

Apex predators can impact smaller predators via lethal effects that occur through direct killing, and non-lethal effects that arise when fear-induced behavioural and physiological changes reduce the fitness of smaller predators. A general outcome of asymmetrical competition between co-existing predator species is that larger predators tend to suppr...

Since 2009, we have been determining blood lead levels (BLLs) for Eurasian black vulture (EbVs, Aegypius monachus) in Mongolia. Since EbVs migrated from Mongolia to the Republic (R.) of Korea in 2012, we started comparing BLLs from Mongolia to Korean birds [Mongolia; mean=2.72±0.09 μg/dL standard error (SE), n=181, R. of Korea; mean=6.68±0.58 μg/dL...

Large carnivore diets are difficult to quantify in most open vast natural systems. African wild dog diets in northern Botswana have not been well studied in recent history. We studied the dietary patterns of African wild dog in Vumbura and Linyanti –Selinda regions, in northern Botswana. We estimated the densities of potential wild dog prey ungulat...

We studied the dietary patterns of African wild dog in Vumbura and Linyanti –Selinda regions, in northern Botswana. We estimated the densities of potential wild dog prey ungulate using Distance sampling techniques. Scat analysis and direct observations of wild dog kills were used to analyze the dietary characteristics. Pianka and Levin's indices we...

VAST (1.57 MILLION SQUARE KILOMETERS), sparsely populated (approximately 2.7 million people), and relatively poor (mean income per capita in 2013 = $3,770), Mongolia faces the daunting task of protecting its natural heritage in the face of rapid natural resource extraction efforts by multinational corporations that are promising quick prosperity. F...

Raptor research often requires identifying individuals. Researchers place patagial tags on raptors to facilitate such identification. Researchers in southern African use two main types of patagial tags: hard plastic ear tags originally designed for cattle and soft vinyl tags. We deployed both types of tags on vultures in Botswana. Based on our obse...

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) occurs widely throughout the northern hemisphere, but few models exist to describe the species’ distribution, especially in Asia where populations are thought to be declining in part due to habitat loss and conversion. We used an occupancy modeling approach to evaluate how landscape factors influence red fox distribution...

The disruption of animal movements is known to affect wildlife populations, particularly large bodied, free-ranging mammals that require large geographic ranges to survive. Corridors commonly connect fragmented wildlife populations and their habitats, yet identifying corridors rarely uses data on habitat selection and movements of target species. N...

Animal migration, one of the most fascinating of all behaviors, links ecosystems and has profound ecological consequences over very large scales. Ungulatemigrations are among the most imperiled ecological phenomena in the world

Gray wolves (Canis lupus) are a top predator in northern Asian ecosystems and often perceived as a threat to livestock. As a result, wolves are heavily persecuted and populations have declined throughout much of the region. Understanding the dynamics of wolf-livestock conflict is important for developing conservation actions that benefit wolves and...

Department of Zoology, School of Biology and Biotechnology, National University of Mongolia, University Avenue-1, Ulaanbaatar,Mongolia†Mongolia Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Amar Street-3, “Internom” Bookstore Building, 3rd Floor, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia‡Ochir-WWF Mongolia Program, Amar Street-4, P.O. Box 115, PO-20A, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia§...

Wild Bactrian camels (Camela ferus) are listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and only persist in some of the most remote locations in northern China and southern Mongolia. Although the species has been recognized as an umbrella species for the fragile central Asian desert ecosystem and has bee...

Working as a veterinarian in remote field locations can be physically and intellectually challenging. A collaborative multi-disciplinary approach is often required for successful data collection. Technologies and methodologies frequently need to be modified to work in these harsh field environments. This article will describe a collaboration in sou...

Reintroduction attempts have faced low, albeit improving, success rates, especially for threatened and endangered species reintroduced from captivity to the wild. This is not only a concern for conservation, as the low success of reintroduction also implies an animal welfare issue for the individuals concerned. Success rates are particularly low fo...

The Siberian marmot is a large, endangered rodent and often considered a keystone species because of its perceived effects on steppe ecosystems. However, few studies have examined the effects of marmots on other species. We examined the influence of marmots on toad-headed agama occupancy probability in an arid steppe region of Mongolia. We modeled...

Spatially-explicit wildlife habitat models are increasingly used to study optimal habitat for species of conservation focus. A ruggedness layer, that summarises aspect and slope, provides a useful tool for analyses conducted in a Geographic Information System (GIS), such as developing a habitat suitability index model to measure species habitat use...

Changes in red fox home range size in relation to environmental and intrinsic factors were studied using radio-telemetry during 2006–2008 in Ikh Nart Nature Reserve, southeastern Mongolia. We captured a total of 12 red foxes (8 females and 4 males) and fi tted them with VHF radio-collars. Marked animals were tracked up to fi ve times a week to esti...