Asia's Wolves and Synergies With Big Cats
ABSTRACT In Asia, carnivore conservation is often focused on charismatic big cats. Opportunities to conserve the entire carnivore guild are frequently overlooked by channeling conservation and mitigation efforts into single‐species conservation. We synthesize experiences across Asia to explore these...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Conservation Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.13094 |
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| author | Geraldine Werhahn Claudio Augugliaro Muhammad Kabir Lauren M. Hennelly Madhu Chetri Hadi Al Hikmani Alireza Mohammadi Yadvendradev V. Jhala David W. Macdonald Mohammad S. Farhadinia |
| author_facet | Geraldine Werhahn Claudio Augugliaro Muhammad Kabir Lauren M. Hennelly Madhu Chetri Hadi Al Hikmani Alireza Mohammadi Yadvendradev V. Jhala David W. Macdonald Mohammad S. Farhadinia |
| author_sort | Geraldine Werhahn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT In Asia, carnivore conservation is often focused on charismatic big cats. Opportunities to conserve the entire carnivore guild are frequently overlooked by channeling conservation and mitigation efforts into single‐species conservation. We synthesize experiences across Asia to explore these challenges and propose mitigations to maximize conservation benefits for the entire carnivore guild. Seven challenges for wolves (Canis lupus) in Asia are highlighted: wolves (1) have been neglected over decades of single‐species conservation, (2) receive less cultural appreciation in many regions, (3) are subject to lax legislation and law enforcement, (4) are often blamed disproportionately for livestock depredation, (5) are often considered more abundant than they are, (6), receive disproportionately little attention from the scientific and conservation communities relative to their ecological importance, and (7) are threatened ecologically and genetically by increasing feral dog populations. As a result, the status of wolves across Asia is poorly documented, there is an enhanced risk of losing significant evolutionary lineages, and it detracts from research and conservation opportunities to preserve the entire carnivore guild. We propose various remedies, such as widening the scope of existing conservation programs, building awareness and knowledge of communities and law enforcement agencies, and more research to inform conservation and legislation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9ab4149db94e4c09bc8e71cc6a3b23c8 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1755-263X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Conservation Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-9ab4149db94e4c09bc8e71cc6a3b23c82025-08-20T02:28:50ZengWileyConservation Letters1755-263X2025-03-01182n/an/a10.1111/conl.13094Asia's Wolves and Synergies With Big CatsGeraldine Werhahn0Claudio Augugliaro1Muhammad Kabir2Lauren M. Hennelly3Madhu Chetri4Hadi Al Hikmani5Alireza Mohammadi6Yadvendradev V. Jhala7David W. Macdonald8Mohammad S. Farhadinia9Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of BiologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUKDepartment of Ecology and EvolutionUniversity of LausanneLausanneSwitzerlandWildlife Ecology Lab, Department of Forestry and Wildlife ManagementThe University of HaripurHaripur PakistanSection for Evolutionary Hologenomics, Globe InstituteUniversity of Copenhagen DenmarkNational Trust for Nature ConservationLalitpurNepalThe Royal Commission for AlUlaRiyadhSaudi ArabiaDepartment of Environmental Science and Engineering, Faculty of Natural ResourcesUniversity of JiroftJiroftIranIndian National Science Academy's Senior Scientist at NCBSBangaloreIndiaWildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of BiologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUKDurrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Natural SciencesUniversity of KentKent UKABSTRACT In Asia, carnivore conservation is often focused on charismatic big cats. Opportunities to conserve the entire carnivore guild are frequently overlooked by channeling conservation and mitigation efforts into single‐species conservation. We synthesize experiences across Asia to explore these challenges and propose mitigations to maximize conservation benefits for the entire carnivore guild. Seven challenges for wolves (Canis lupus) in Asia are highlighted: wolves (1) have been neglected over decades of single‐species conservation, (2) receive less cultural appreciation in many regions, (3) are subject to lax legislation and law enforcement, (4) are often blamed disproportionately for livestock depredation, (5) are often considered more abundant than they are, (6), receive disproportionately little attention from the scientific and conservation communities relative to their ecological importance, and (7) are threatened ecologically and genetically by increasing feral dog populations. As a result, the status of wolves across Asia is poorly documented, there is an enhanced risk of losing significant evolutionary lineages, and it detracts from research and conservation opportunities to preserve the entire carnivore guild. We propose various remedies, such as widening the scope of existing conservation programs, building awareness and knowledge of communities and law enforcement agencies, and more research to inform conservation and legislation.https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.13094Asian wildlife conservationAsian wolf lineagesbig cat conservationCanidaecarnivore guild conservationFelidae |
| spellingShingle | Geraldine Werhahn Claudio Augugliaro Muhammad Kabir Lauren M. Hennelly Madhu Chetri Hadi Al Hikmani Alireza Mohammadi Yadvendradev V. Jhala David W. Macdonald Mohammad S. Farhadinia Asia's Wolves and Synergies With Big Cats Conservation Letters Asian wildlife conservation Asian wolf lineages big cat conservation Canidae carnivore guild conservation Felidae |
| title | Asia's Wolves and Synergies With Big Cats |
| title_full | Asia's Wolves and Synergies With Big Cats |
| title_fullStr | Asia's Wolves and Synergies With Big Cats |
| title_full_unstemmed | Asia's Wolves and Synergies With Big Cats |
| title_short | Asia's Wolves and Synergies With Big Cats |
| title_sort | asia s wolves and synergies with big cats |
| topic | Asian wildlife conservation Asian wolf lineages big cat conservation Canidae carnivore guild conservation Felidae |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.13094 |
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