To date, the Sulawesi palm civet Macrogalidia musschenbroekii, a viverrid endemic to the eastern Indonesian island of Sulawesi, was thought to be confined to North and Central Sulawesi. During a 14-month survey throughout south-east Sulawesi, new observations were made of the civet through camera-trapping in south-east Sulawesi forests: at Rawa Aopa National Park, Tanjung Peropa Wildlife Reserve, and Mangolo Recreation Forest, thereby extending the species' range significantly. This paper describes these sightings, and summarizes information on its status and distribution.

The genuine mahoganies (Swietenia spp., Meliaceae) are the most valuable timber species in Latin America. Only one species, bigleaf mahogany S. macrophylla, is still traded. Because of concerns regarding logging it is regulated under Appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). We analyze implementation of CITES regulations by the USA, which is the major importer, comparing CITES statistics with data from US Customs to determine if shipments entering the USA have proper CITES documentation. Based on summary data for 1997–1999 (the most recent available), US Customs reports substantially more mahogany imports than CITES, although >90% of imports were accompanied by the proper CITES documents. The discrepancies resulted from (1) changes in shipment volume made after permits were issued, (2) data transcription and unit conversion errors, (3) mistaken inclusion of other species in Customs data, and (4) imports that might or might not have been accompanied by the appropriate CITES documents. The analysis demonstrates that the USA is properly implementing CITES requirements. However, mahogany may be smuggled under different species names. Furthermore, the numerous credible reports of widespread illegal mahogany logging suggest that a substantial proportion of US imports might have been obtained in a manner inconsistent with the domestic laws of the exporting countries. Thus illegally obtained mahogany might have been ‘legalized’ through the CITES process, with Appendix III providing a veneer of legality to what is otherwise illegal wood.

The Makgadikgadi Salt Pans in Botswana are one of the most important breeding sites in southern Africa for lesser flamingos Phoeniconaias minor and greater flamingos Phoenicopterus ruber roseus. Much of flamingo migration behaviour is unknown and there has been speculation on the pattern of flamingo movements to and from Makgadikgadi and their dispersal throughout southern Africa. We carried out the first satellite tracking of flamingos in southern Africa to find out where lesser and greater flamingos go after leaving Makgadikgadi. In July 2001 five lesser and three greater flamingos were tagged. Following migration from the pans, one of the greater flamingos flew west to the coast of Namibia, the other south to a small wetland in South Africa. The lesser flamingos moved south-east from Makgadikgadi to South Africa and Mozambique. Movement by both species was nocturnal. This work shows that flamingos migrate from all over southern Africa to Makgadikgadi to breed. It also shows that, during the non-breeding season, movement is widely dispersed and nomadic among a network of wetlands around the subcontinent. Small wetlands, often unrecognized as important for conservation, provide valuable feeding sites and migration staging posts along flamingo migration routes. This highlights the need for the conservation of the network of small wetlands around southern Africa, which are often under threat from anthropogenic activities, to protect two high profile bird species in decline.

Populations of European polecat Mustela putorius have suffered a significant decline over the last few decades, although this trend may be reversing in some regions. In Mediterranean areas, which are generally at the edge of the species' range, there is little information on the distribution and conservation requirements of this species. This study analyses the relationship between habitat types and polecat distribution in the Valencia region of eastern Spain. Validated responses to questionnaires sent to naturalists, forestry agents, hunters and other groups likely to have seen polecats were used to record the presence of polecats in 10 * 10 km squares. Polecats were recorded only in areas of low human population density located at high altitudes, in contrast to the more well-studied populations of polecats elsewhere in Europe, where the species is associated more with human-modified environments. Montane pine forests appear to be the preferred habitat type for polecats in eastern Spain, and their absence from the extensive areas of low-lying scrubland, which are produced by a continuous history of fire disturbance, may be due to the relatively low diversity and abundance of potential prey in this habitat.

Following the well documented extinctions of many species of endemic tree snail (family Partulidae) throughout French Polynesia, field surveys were undertaken on four islands in the Society archipelago to provide up to date information for the international conservation programme for this group of invertebrates. These surveys have confirmed the loss of all species of Partula in the wild on the Society Islands other than Tahiti. Thirty-three species have been lost from Raiatea, thereby eliminating one of the most outstanding examples of island evolutionary radiation. On Huahine the disappearance of P. varia and P. rosea, used for making lei (shell jewellery), had an economic and social effect on the local community: many of the women of the villages lost their livelihoods, and the artisan's association folded. The seven species of Partula on Moorea were extinct in the wild by the mid 1980s, terminating almost 100 years of biological research. It now seems that the remnant populations of Samoana attenuata discovered only 5 years ago are the only species of partulid still surviving beyond Tahiti on the Society Island group. The mixed species populations in the Te Pari area of Tahiti-Iti are still extant, but the predatory snail Euglandina rosea has now spread to the last valley on the Peninsula that did not have previous evidence of predator activity. On Tahiti-Nui populations of partulid, without the predator, were found near the crest of Mount Tahiti above Orofero Valley. Partulidae are clearly a highly threatened family of invertebrates, and in need of the most intense conservation focus.

The onager Equus hemionus onager, a wild ass endemic to Iran, is categorized as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Its biology and conservation requirements are poorly documented. We report our observations, made in 1997 and 2000, on the behaviour and ecology of the two remaining populations, located in the Touran Protected Area and the Bahram-e-Goor Reserve. Recent population counts by the Department of Environment of Iran (471 in the Protected Area and 96 in the Reserve) are markedly lower than the estimate of 600–770 made in the 1970s in the Touran Protected Area. We observed social interactions between stallions and mares outside the breeding season that contrasts with the known social structure of this subspecies. Poaching, competition with domestic animals, removal of shrubs for domestic use, and land conversion have been identified as the main threats to the two remaining onager populations. In addition, geographical isolation could cause the loss of genetic variability in these two relatively small populations, and also makes them more susceptible to the potential effects of stochastic events such as drought or disease. Public awareness, appropriate protection, and scientific studies must be urgently supported by both national and international organizations in order to prevent the extinction of these two apparently dwindling populations of onager.

Surface fires have recently become a widespread pantropical phenomenon that could trigger revolutionary changes in the structure and functioning of tropical forests and result in a catastrophic impoverishment of the vertebrate fauna. Here we describe the short- and medium-term responses of bird and mammal assemblages to an unprecedented wildfire that scorched the understorey of 1,100 km2 of forest in the Arapiuns-Maró river basin of central Brazilian Amazonia. Fire-induced mortality in the aftermath of this burn was high for a wide range of plant and animal populations monitored. This included an average of 36% of all large trees in eight quarter-hectare plots sampled in burnt forest, which dramatically altered the post-burn understorey light environment. The Arapiuns wildfire also resulted in significant socioeconomic costs to local forest dwellers, namely crop losses and the decimation of many forest resources, including key game vertebrate species pursued by subsistence hunters, vines and woody lianas, and many fruit species. The conservation prospects of the vertebrate fauna in fire-prone Amazonian forests are discussed with respect to the increasingly more frequent and severe El Niño-mediated dry seasons.

Habitat-use by Steller's sea eagle Haliaeetus pelagicus, categorized as Vulnerable on the 2002 IUCN Red List, was studied using satellite-tracking. This migratory species breeds in eastern Russia and mostly overwinters in Hokkaido, Japan, and the southern Kuzíl islands. Locations of eagles were classified as being river, sea, lake, or other habitat. In autumn, eagles mainly used river habitats, probably because of the availability of abundant post-spawn dead salmon. In winter about one third of eagles continued to be located on rivers, with others on sea coasts and lake sides. During the spring migration and breeding season habitat use by adult eagles probably reflected the variety of habitats in which breeding occurs. At that time, sub-adult eagles were located mainly on the sea coast, probably in places where food supply was sufficient and there were few territorial eagles. In Hokkaido 35% of overwintering eagles used mountain areas for at least some time. It is known that eagles using mountain areas in Japan in winter scavenge upon the carcasses of sika deer Cervus nippon killed by hunters, and are thus exposed to possible lead poisoning. The satellite tracking highlights the importance of several habitats within the range of this species, changes in which could affect its conservation status.

Bones were obtained from the temporary camp of raffia palm fibre harvesters in the Parc National d'Ankarafantsika in north-western Madagascar. Based on the context of their deposition, knife-cut marks, and burn marks these animals were consumed for food. The minimum number of individuals (MNI) of wild animals represented in the sample was 49, and included turtles (MNI = 5), birds (MNI = 4), tenrecs (MNI = 4), Carnivora (MNI = 2), lemurs (MNI = 32), and bush pigs (MNI = 2). The majority of these animals are protected by Malagasy law and are endemic to the island.