We compared the occurrence of the red fox and the stone marten in Warsaw during three periods (1976–1978, 2005–2008, 2015–2021) using snow tracking. GLM models showed that the frequency of occurrence of tracks of these two species on transects increased over time and was explained by habitat type and distance from the city centre. The frequency of fox tracks was higher in more-natural habitats located far from the city centre, while the stone marten was recorded in a wider range of habitats from the first period and it colonised all habitat types in the subsequent periods. No relationship between the occurrence of the red fox and the stone marten was recorded.

Dispersal is a process that can lead to rapid changes in traits at range edges. We investigated the responses of dispersal and morphological traits to simulated spatial sorting into disperser and non-disperser red flour beetles in laboratory dispersal systems over seven generations. We found sex-specific effects of spatial sorting on dispersal, where males diverged rapidly and more strongly than females, and dispersers of both sexes became smaller and narrower, likely due to the biomechanics of climbing that was favoured during dispersal.

This Thomas Henry Huxley Review by P. Monaghan and E. R. Ivimey-Cook provides a new perspective on the evolution of a post reproductive life stage in females. We posit that the curtailment of female fertility is a cost of the high level of quality control of oocyte mitochondria required in endothermic species with exceptionally energy expensive brains.

To investigate animals' plastic responses to temporal variations of disturbance, we modelled the behaviour-specific resource selection of 15 wild boars GPS-tracked between 2017 and 2019 in a tourist area in Italy characterized by high seasonal variability of human presence. By means of activity sensor data, we differentiated between two behavioural states with different ecological needs: resting (safe shelter) and activity (food intake). We investigated the variability of selection/avoidance of infrastructures and beaches, across seasons and behavioural states, expecting resource selection patterns to follow the seasonal touristic flow. As expected, the selection for infrastructure and avoidance of beaches peaked in summer (maximum human presence) and was negligible in winter (least human presence), showing that a variable human presence elicits intra-individual plastic responses in animal populations. Our results suggest the behavioural flexibility of wild boars as a key factor enabling them to rapidly colonize human-dominated environments.

This study uses spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) modelling of camera trap data from the Ruaha-Rungwa landscape to present the first spatially explicit population density estimates for spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) from Tanzania. Spotted hyaena population densities varied from 3.55 ± 0.72 to 10.80 ± 1.08 adults and sub-adults per 100 km² and were generally positively correlated with densities of lion and leopard. Our study provides some of the first insights into an under-studied species in an under-researched part of its range and suggests that spotted hyaena may be less resilient to human pressures than widely thought. Photo credit: Charlotte Searle.

In this study we tested the relationship between environmental and biogeographical variables and richness of amphibians, birds, mammals, reptiles, and all tetrapods, globally, and across biogeographical realms, using the most up-to-date richness dataset. We found taxonomic and spatial variations, but about a common theme. Precipitation is largely the most influential predictor with the exception of the Nearctic (and the Palearctic to some extent) and reptiles. Elevational range is usually less important than climate, but it is highly influential in the Indomalaya realm.

Chlamyphorus truncatus, the smallest armadillo exhibits unique integumentary features, including a flexible carapace composed of osteoderms and cornified scales. The histomorphological analysis of its skin, with and without osteoderms, reveals distinctive characteristics, such as a specialized skin under the dorsal shield and adaptable arrangements of hairs in pelvic buckler osteoderms, suggesting biomechanical adaptations for tunneling through sandy soils. The skin without osteoderms shares convergent traits with other subterranean mammals highlighting the complex interplay of regressive and progressive adaptations in subterranean mammalian evolution.

Greater honeyguide birds are known to lead people to bees' nests, and it has been repeatedly stated that honeyguides similarly guide honey badgers. Here, we review the evidence that honey badgers and honeyguides cooperate to access bees' nests, drawing from the published literature, from our own observations whilst studying both species, and by conducting 394 interviews with honey-hunters in 11 communities across nine African countries. The results of this complementary approach suggest that, although substantial uncertainty remains, the most likely scenario is that the interaction does occur but is highly localized or extremely difficult to observe, or both.

This Thomas Henry Huxley Review by P. Monaghan and E. R. Ivimey-Cook provides a new perspective on the evolution of a post reproductive life stage in females. We posit that the curtailment of female fertility is a cost of the high level of quality control of oocyte mitochondria required in endothermic species with exceptionally energy expensive brains.

In this study we tested the relationship between environmental and biogeographical variables and richness of amphibians, birds, mammals, reptiles, and all tetrapods, globally, and across biogeographical realms, using the most up-to-date richness dataset. We found taxonomic and spatial variations, but about a common theme. Precipitation is largely the most influential predictor with the exception of the Nearctic (and the Palearctic to some extent) and reptiles. Elevational range is usually less important than climate, but it is highly influential in the Indomalaya realm.

In this study, we use the urodele Salamandra salamandra as a study model to apply an analytical approach for extracting and quantifying colour proportions and patterns variation, using the recently developed R packages patternize and recolorize, to accurately describe and compare colour distribution at both taxonomic and habitat levels. Our results demonstrated that this methodological workflow effectively detects differences in colour patterns at both levels, confirming its utility from systematics to eco-evolutionary studies. Our results also revealed an increased prevalence of melanistic colouration and a less homogeneous colour pattern within urban settings, contributing to the limited number of studies about amphibian colouration in anthropic habitats.

Focal observations of nine white rhinos were undertaken within 2 months immediately before and after a dehorning event in Botswana. Activity budgets and behaviour did not change significantly, except for locomotion in females and vocalization rates in males. Females might have avoided the vehicle in anticipation of a new immobilization procedure and therefore locomoted more. Males seemed to have vocalized more before dehorning because two females were about to give birth, and we provide an explanation for this interesting behaviour. Effects of the dehorning itself seemed to be weak and short-lived.

Using an experimental evolution approach, we observed the evolution of higher intensity mate guarding behavior in the decorated cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus) in one of the four male-biased selection lines, but in none of the female-biased lines; previous work has revealed that the males in this specific line also produce less manipulative food gifts, suggesting the existence of alternative mating strategies. Additionally, we provide a possible mechanism through which more intense mate guarding could increase male fitness.

By utilizing GPS telemetry to locate feeding sites (i.e., locations where wolves kill their prey or scavenge from prey carcasses), we documented the feeding behavior of wolves inhabiting a historical stronghold in central Italy, where they have long coexisted with humans. We detected feeding activity in 18.1% of the investigated GPS clusters (n = 454), each used for an average of 2.4 days and revisited about 3 times. Pack members (≥3 wolves) spent relatively more time at feeding sites, especially those featuring large prey, and visited them more frequently compared to solitary floaters and newly established breeding pairs. Although wolves used feeding sites mostly during the night, nocturnality decreased with increasing distance to roads but not to settlements. Time of cluster formation, number of visits, and mean slope best predict the presence of a feeding site at a GPS cluster.

This study examined changes in faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations in nine species across three feeding classes (ruminants, hindgut fermenters and carnivores) over a 7-day period to improve the accuracy of stress monitoring. Our findings revealed feeding class-specific patterns, with herbivores showing a consistent decrease in fGCM levels from 6 to 48 h post-defaecation, while carnivores displayed variable changes based on species. The results emphasize the need for species-specific guidelines for sampling timing and encourage further research on factors affecting fGCM measurements, such as sample mass, sex and drying methods.

The most abundant and widespread of Australia's rock-rats shows marked genetic diversity, with the Great Sandy Desert marking a long-standing genetic dichotomy between populations in the monsoonal and arid biomes. Genetically depauperate relictual island populations formed from 10 ky bp are divergent but nonetheless align with mainland cognates, and short-term contemporary episodic rainfall events foster local genetic differences during ‘boom-bust’ cycles. This genetic variation has relevance to the conservation of the four other species in the genus, three of which are listed as threatened taxa.

Investigations on resource use by predators are important for understanding the mechanisms of biological coexistence. To clarify the coexistence mechanisms of terrestrial snakes, we assessed the niche partitioning patterns of snakes on Sado Island, a Japanese island rich in snake species, from the perspectives of spatiotemporal and dietary resources. Our results provided empirical evidence that niche partitioning in all three major resources (temporal, spatial, and diet) allows for the coexistence of multiple snake species on the island.

The iconic ‘class sketch’ from the 1960s satirical series ‘The Frost Report’ illustrates the longstanding and deep cultural importance of social class in the UK. In this perspective, a diverse authorship team aim to raise awareness of low socioeconomic status (‘working class’) backgrounds in academia. The article discusses the challenges faced and offers suggestions for ensuring that equality, diversity, and inclusivity initiatives include social class among the characteristics considered.