{"title":"From popularity to preservation: large carnivore potential for ecosystem conservation","authors":"Stijn Verschueren, Hans Bauer, Bogdan Cristescu, Herwig Leirs, Carolina Torres‐Uribe, Laurie Marker","doi":"10.1111/mam.12365","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<jats:list> <jats:list-item>Conservation efforts are challenged by lack of funding and ambiguity in strategic prioritisation. Flagship species generate public attention but may not adequately represent and protect biodiversity. Integrating species‐centric approaches with area‐based strategies may refine conservation outcomes and could improve achievements towards biodiversity targets.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item>We present this case for a globally appealing flagship species, the cheetah (<jats:italic>Acinonyx jubatus</jats:italic>).</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item>We identified research trends and gaps, and estimated the biodiversity value associated with cheetah occurrence throughout its free‐ranging distribution.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item>Although the existing body of literature encompasses insights from diverse interdisciplinary approaches, current knowledge is mostly derived from a limited number of localised study areas, whereas most populations are understudied. Cheetahs inhabit more than half of Africa's ecoregions and their contemporary occurrence coincides with areas valuable for biodiversity conservation, in particular, closer to the equator where ecoregions are poorly protected and human footprint is high.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item>Cheetah conservation efforts could yield substantial biodiversity benefits, particularly outside protected areas, thereby complementing current area protection networks. Growing pressures on remaining habitat will require adaptive conservation strategies; hence, it becomes imperative to embrace a more inclusive and comprehensive approach to the protection of cheetahs, a flagship species for drylands and landscapes shared with humans.</jats:list-item> </jats:list>","PeriodicalId":49893,"journal":{"name":"Mammal Review","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.3000,"publicationDate":"2024-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Mammal Review","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1111/mam.12365","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ECOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Conservation efforts are challenged by lack of funding and ambiguity in strategic prioritisation. Flagship species generate public attention but may not adequately represent and protect biodiversity. Integrating species‐centric approaches with area‐based strategies may refine conservation outcomes and could improve achievements towards biodiversity targets.We present this case for a globally appealing flagship species, the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus).We identified research trends and gaps, and estimated the biodiversity value associated with cheetah occurrence throughout its free‐ranging distribution.Although the existing body of literature encompasses insights from diverse interdisciplinary approaches, current knowledge is mostly derived from a limited number of localised study areas, whereas most populations are understudied. Cheetahs inhabit more than half of Africa's ecoregions and their contemporary occurrence coincides with areas valuable for biodiversity conservation, in particular, closer to the equator where ecoregions are poorly protected and human footprint is high.Cheetah conservation efforts could yield substantial biodiversity benefits, particularly outside protected areas, thereby complementing current area protection networks. Growing pressures on remaining habitat will require adaptive conservation strategies; hence, it becomes imperative to embrace a more inclusive and comprehensive approach to the protection of cheetahs, a flagship species for drylands and landscapes shared with humans.
期刊介绍:
Mammal Review is the official scientific periodical of the Mammal Society, and covers all aspects of mammalian biology and ecology, including behavioural ecology, biogeography, conservation, ecology, ethology, evolution, genetics, human ecology, management, morphology, and taxonomy. We publish Reviews drawing together information from various sources in the public domain for a new synthesis or analysis of mammalian biology; Predictive Reviews using quantitative models to provide insights into mammalian biology; Perspectives presenting original views on any aspect of mammalian biology; Comments in response to papers published in Mammal Review; and Short Communications describing new findings or methods in mammalian biology.