The Kitulo Plateau of southern Tanzania is a lava plateau covering 273 sq km at an altitude of over 2500 m. The vegetation is predominately grassland with more than 350 taxa of vascular plants, of which nearly 5 per cent are of restricted distribution. Although the plateau is extensive, much of it is now cultivated. Digital analysis of satellite images showed that at least 24 per cent of the plateau was bare soil, modified grassland or cultivation between 1973 and 1989. The botanical importance of the plateau and increase in cultivation make a strong case for the establishment of a nature reserve to protect its rare and threatened plants.

Field studies at distant sites in Brazilian Amazonia have brought to light two new species of primate, the black-headed marmoset Callithrix nigriceps and the Ka'apor capuchin Cebus kaapori. Little is known about either species, although both appear to have small geographical ranges in regions with relatively high human densities and where habitat-degrading activities, such as logging and mining, have been intensifying over the past two decades. These discoveries highlight the uncertain nature of our understanding of primate diversity in what is probably the biologically richest nation on earth. They also underline the urgent need for more detailed information from many areas, especially southern Amazonia, where habitat destruction is increasing.

The saiga antelope is exploited principally for its horn. Two major factors will influence the manager's decision about the best sustainable hunting strategy for the saiga: the climatic unpredictability of the region in which it lives and the effects of highly selective hunting for males on the population dynamics of the species. This paper discusses these factors and assesses the prospects for sustainable management of the saiga.

The Madagascar radiated tortoise, already beset by habitat destruction and human exploitation, suffered another blow when many individuals died as a result of a road improvement scheme in the heart of their range. When the authors of this paper reported the problem the Malagasy government authorities acted swiftly to modify the road to prevent tortoises being trapped there in the future.

Sabah is faced with a problem of small groups of orang-utans isolated from their parent populations in fragments of secondary forest, mainly on oil-palm plantations. The Wildlife Department has recently captured 84 such animals in three locations and translocated most of them to Tabin Wildlife Reserve, which already has a low-density population of orang-utans. The majority of animals were captured by drug immobilization, using a 5:1 ketamine/xylazine mixture at a mean dosage of 8.47 mg/kg body weight (range 3.76–22.64 mg/kg). This proved an effective and safe method. Others, mainly immatures, were captured manually. Few injuries or other problems were encountered. The cost of the rescue operations was $US175 per animal. A satisfactory way of monitoring the released orangutans is under development.

About 3000 elephants live in the Laikipia/Sambnru region of northern Kenya – the largest remaining population outside the country's formal protected areas. The elephants occasionally kill or injure people, damage the crops of small-scale farmers, drive cattle away from water sources and cause a range of other problems for the human population. As a result, a number of elephants have been shot for control purposes in recent years and others have died as a result of poisoning, snares or spearing. The author examines the conflict between elephants and humans in areas of differing land use and makes suggestions for resolving at least some of the problems.

The Magombera Forest in Tanzania contains the most viable population of the endangered Uhehe red colobus monkey, three other primates, and rare and endemic plants and animals. In 1980 almost half of the Magombera Forest Reserve was surrendered for settlement in exchange for the southern part being incorporated into the Selous Game Reserve. Due to an oversight, the southern part was not legally annexed into the Selous and now the Kilombero Sugar Company has claimed a portion of it. The forest is currently in good condition and offers the best opportunity to conserve the Uhehe red colobus. The author recommends a number of measures to save the forest and its wildlife and to ensure that the needs of the local people are met.

The brown howler monkey Alouatta fusca once had a wide geographical distribution throughout a large part of the Atlantic forest in Brazil. Today only 5 per cent of these forests remain and the species is endangered. Howler monkeys can thrive in small forest fragments but they are more vulnerable to hunting, disease, and predation in these habitats than in undisturbed forests. Brown howler monkeys are important seed dispersers of several plant species, particularly in isolated forest fragments where specialized frugivores are absent. In protected areas without large predators howlers can reach high densities and the management of these populations is necessary to avoid inbreeding.

Biological studies in Guinea have been very patchy, leaving much of the country almost unsurveyed. In 1992 the Fauna and Flora Preservation Society funded a 10-day field visit to Kounounkan, a relict forest at the northern edge of the Upper Guinea Forest Block. The survey found a variety of habitats and high biodiversity, including two vulnerable and one endangered species. Hunting pressure appears to be low and the site is very well suited for the development of further conservation initiatives.

Kutai National Park in East Kalimantan was originally established as a game reserve in 1936 and became a national park in 1982. The park's lowland forests have suffered from logging, agricultural encroachment and extensive fires during the prolonged dry season in 1982 and 1983. During the 1980s a new coal mine opened at Sangatta to exploit rich coal deposits along the northern boundary of the park. The new mine could have been the ‘last straw’ for Kutai. Instead, industrial development has provided a new and exciting opportunity to strengthen park protection and management.

Despite being officially listed as endangered in Nigeria, pangolins are still hunted in Ogun State, where deforestation has fragmented and reduced their forest habitat. To investigate pangolin status in the state, the authors interviewed hunters, forest workers and market traders selling wild animals or their parts for medicinal use. The authors also counted pangolins stocked by market traders during weekly visits to markets in six towns/villages. Only one of Nigeria's three pangolin species, Manis tricuspis, was encountered frequently. Hunters' reports and evidence of forest destruction suggest that even this species is becoming rare. An estimate of extinction-susceptibility shows that pangolins are at fairly high risk. Creation of sanctuaries for pangolins and other important sympatric vertebrates in forest relicts in south-west Nigeria and the establishment of semicaptive pangolin populations are advocated.

The authors carried out the first field survey for otters in Lithuania, which demonstrated that the species is still widespread. With otters now rare or absent in much of western Europe, conservation strategies for the animal and its habitats in remaining eastern European strongholds must be developed.

A community-based conservation scheme on the upper catchment of the Kairezi River, eastern Zimbabwe, has been based on financial returns from trout fishing. Despite consistent stocking, trout catches have been declining, which undermines the justification for conservation. Fishery managers believed that Cape clawless otters Aonyx capensis preyed on trout and competed with them for food. An analysis of otter and trout diets in 1993 indicated that this was not the case and the otter was not the cause of the lack of trout. The future of the scheme and the conservation of otters in the catchment are more likely to be threatened by poaching and uncontrolled agricultural activities.

Between 1988 and 1993 six periods of field study were undertaken to investigate the environmental impact of the construction of a main irrigation canal and other works in the proposed extension of Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve and to recommend protective measures. Suklaphanta is administered by His Majesty's Government of Nepal through the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. Special emphasis was placed upon the barasingha Cervus duvauceli population because it is the largest remaining group of this endangered deer species in the world. This paper presents recommendations for the management of the barasingha and its habitat.

The marsh deer Blastocerus dichotomus is one of the largest mammals in South America. It is classified as vulnerable by IUCN (1990) and is listed on Appendix I to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES). Very little field-work has been done to ascertain its status and current distribution and the survey described here is the first attempt to census the marsh deer numbers in the Iberd Natural Reserve, the Argentine stronghold of the species. The survey found only 1100 individuals with a smaller percentage of yearlings than would be expected in a healthy population. Hunting, competition with domestic stock for grazing and transmission of diseases from cattle may be combining to limit population growth and further research is needed to form the basis of a mangement plan for the species.

Five species of sea turtles are known from Madagascar's coastal waters. Fishermen on the western and south-western coasts take green turtle Chelonia mydas, loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta and olive ridley Lepidochelys olivacea for their meat. The hawksbill turtle Eretmochelys imbricata is taken mainly for its shell and for making stuffed specimens while the leatherback Dermochelys coriacea is seldom caught. Anecdotal evidence of fishermen and dealers in turtle products, measurement of captured animals and personal observations of the authors all point to declines in numbers and average size for green and hawksbill turtles, coupled with marked declines in nesting rates for these and the olive ridley.

Surveys of the amphibians (Order: Anura) of Ranomafana National Park, a midaltitude rainforest in central-eastern Madagascar, and nearby areas of disturbed habitats were carried out in two seasons (December 1991 and August 1992). A total of 40 frog species was recorded. In undisturbed areas many strictly terrestrial species were present, most of them belonging to the endemic family Mantellidae. These species showed changes in abundance between August and December, probably due to temperature variation. In contrast, most of the species found in altered habitats were arboreal or semiarboreal. These are ‘ecologically opportunistic’ species, not so sensitive to habitat variations and able to reproduce whenever conditions are favourable. These species were equally abundant in December and August and they appear to be able to live in a more varied habitat patchwork. To preserve the diversity and abundance of amphibians, nature reserves should retain a central core of primary forest to ensure the survival of the more specialized species, surrounded by a buffer zone of degraded vegetation to sustain the presence of more adaptable frog species.

One of India's five major populations of elephants lives in north-west India, where 90 per cent of the total 750 elephants occur in Rajaji and Corbett National Parks and adjacent reserve forests. This 3000-sq-km habitat is also home to many other endangered species. While the 520-sq-km core area of Corbett National Park is free from human impact, the rest of the range is subject to increasing pressures, both from the pastoral Gujjar community within the forests and villagers outside. The elephant habitat has been fragmented by hydrological development work and human-elephant conflict is increasing. The authors recommend measures that need to be implemented to ensure that the elephants and other wildlife of the area are conserved.

The hog deer Axis porcinus was believed to be extinct in Sri Lanka until a recent preliminary survey revealed a single remaining population in a 35-sq-km area of the south-western coastal belt. The authors describe the results of their 3-month study, outline potential threats to the survival of the population and discuss possible conservation measures.