What Works in Conservation 2021
| , , ,15. Terrestrial mammal conservation
15.1 Threat: Residential and commercial development
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Beneficial
Use collar-mounted devices to reduce predation by domestic animals
1Five studies evaluated the effects on mammals of using collar-mounted devices to reduce predation by domestic animals. Three studies were in the UK, one was in Australia and one was in the USA.
2COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)
3POPULATION RESPONSE (5 STUDIES)
4Survival (5 studies): Five replicated studies (including four randomized, controlled studies), in the UK, Australia and the USA, found that bells, a sonic device, and a neoprene flap (which inhibits pouncing) mounted on collars, and a brightly coloured and patterned collar all reduced the rate at which cats predated and returned home with mammals. In one of these studies, an effect was only found in autumn, and not in spring.
5BEHAVIOUR (0 STUDIES)
6Assessment: beneficial (effectiveness 63 %; certainty 70 %; harms 0 %).
https://www.conservationevidence.com/actions/2332
Likely to be beneficial
Keep cats indoors or in outside runs to reduce predation of wild mammals
7One study evaluated the effects on potential prey mammals of keeping cats indoors or in outside runs. This study was in the UK.
8COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)
9POPULATION RESPONSE (1 STUDY)
10Survival (1 study): One replicated study in the UK found that keeping domestic cats indoors at night reduced the number of dead or injured mammals that were brought home.
11BEHAVIOUR (0 STUDIES)
12Assessment: likely to be beneficial (effectiveness 60 %; certainty 45 %; harms 0 %).
https://www.conservationevidence.com/actions/2326
Prevent mammals accessing potential wildlife food sources or denning sites to reduce nuisance behaviour and human-wildlife conflict
13Two studies evaluated the effects of preventing mammals accessing potential wildlife food sources or denning sites to reduce nuisance behaviour and human-wildlife conflict. One study was in the USA and one was in Switzerland. COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)
14POPULATION RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)
15BEHAVIOUR (0 STUDIES)
16OTHER (2 STUDIES)
17Human-wildlife conflict (2 studies): A replicated, controlled study in the USA found that electric shock devices prevented American black bears from accessing or damaging bird feeders. A before-and-after study in Switzerland found that electric fencing excluded stone martens from a building.
18Assessment: likely to be beneficial (effectiveness 80 %; certainty 60 %; harms 0 %).
https://www.conservationevidence.com/actions/2346
Scare or otherwise deter mammals from human-occupied areas to reduce human-wildlife conflict
19Ten studies evaluated the effects of scaring or otherwise deterring mammals from residential areas to reduce human-wildlife conflict. Six studies were in the USA, three were in Canada and one was in Tanzania.
20COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)
21POPULATION RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)
22BEHAVIOUR (0 STUDIES)
23OTHER (10 STUDIES)
24Human-wildlife conflict (10 studies): Two of four studies (including one randomized and controlled study) in the USA, found that a range of noise and pain deterrents did not prevent black bears from returning to urban areas or other human-occupied sites. The other two studies found that such actions did deter them from seeking food at human-occupied sites. Two of three studies, in the USA and Canada, found that chasing nuisance black bears with dogs and chasing elk with people or dogs caused them to stay away longer or remain further from human occupied areas. The other study found that attempts to scare coyotes did not cause them to avoid human occupied areas. A before-and-after study in Canada found that an electric fence prevented polar bear entry to a compound. A study in Canada found that chemical and acoustic repellents did not deter polar bears from baits in most cases. A replicated study in Tanzania found that drones caused African savanna elephants to quickly leave residential areas.
25Assessment: likely to be beneficial (effectiveness 50 %; certainty 70 %; harms 0 %).
https://www.conservationevidence.com/actions/2347
Unknown effectiveness
Install underpasses beneath ski runs
26One study evaluated the effects on mammals of installing underpasses beneath ski runs. This study was in Australia.
27COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)
28POPULATION RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)
29BEHAVIOUR (1 STUDY)
30Use (1 study): A replicated study in Australia found that boulder-filled crossings beneath ski slopes were used by seven small mammal species.
31Assessment: unknown effectiveness (effectiveness 50 %; certainty 30 %; harms 0 %).
https://www.conservationevidence.com/actions/2355
Issue enforcement notices to deter use of non bear-proof garbage dumpsters to reduce human-wildlife conflict
32One study evaluated the effects of issuing enforcement notices to deter use of non bear-proof garbage dumpsters to reduce human-wildlife conflict. This study was in the USA.
33COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)
34POPULATION RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)
35BEHAVIOUR (0 STUDIES)
36OTHER (1 STUDY)
37Human-wildlife conflict (1 study): A replicated, controlled, before-and-after study in the USA found that issuing enforcement notices requiring appropriate dumpster use did not reduce garbage accessibility to black bears.
38Assessment: unknown effectiveness (effectiveness 10 %; certainty 30 %; harms 0 %).
https://www.conservationevidence.com/actions/2345
Provide diversionary feeding for mammals to reduce nuisance behaviour and human-wildlife conflict
39Three studies evaluated the effects of providing diversionary feeding for mammals to reduce nuisance behaviour and human-wildlife conflict. Two studies were in the USA and one was in Slovenia.
40COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)
41POPULATION RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)
42BEHAVIOUR (1 STUDY)
43Uptake (1 study): A site comparison study in Slovenia found that 22-63 % of the estimated annual energy content of the diet of brown bears comprised provided diversionary food.
44OTHER (2 STUDIES)
45Human-wildlife conflict (2 studies): Two before-and-after studies (one also a site comparison) in the USA found that diversionary feeding reduced nuisance behaviour by black bears.
46Assessment: unknown effectiveness (effectiveness 60 %; certainty 20 %; harms 0 %).
https://www.conservationevidence.com/actions/2323
Provide woody debris in ski run area
47One study evaluated the effects on mammals of providing woody debris in ski run areas. This study was in the USA.
48COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)
49POPULATION RESPONSE (1 STUDY)
50Abundance (1 study): A controlled study in the USA found that placing woody debris on ski slopes did not affect overall small mammal abundance and had mixed effects on individual species abundances.
51BEHAVIOUR (0 STUDIES)
52Assessment: unknown effectiveness (effectiveness 27 %; certainty 27 %; harms 0 %).
https://www.conservationevidence.com/actions/2356
Retain wildlife corridors in residential areas
53One study evaluated the effects on mammals of retaining wildlife corridors in residential areas. This study was in Botswana.
54COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)
55POPULATION RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)
56BEHAVIOUR (1 STUDY)
57Use (1 study): A replicated study in Botswana found that retained wildlife corridors in residential areas were used by 19 mammal species, including African elephants.
58Assessment: unknown effectiveness (effectiveness 61 %; certainty 30 %; harms 0 %).
https://www.conservationevidence.com/actions/2354
Likely to be ineffective or harmful
Translocate problem mammals away from residential areas (e.g. habituated bears) to reduce human-wildlife conflict
59Eleven studies evaluated the effects of translocating problem mammals (such as bears) away from residential areas to reduce human-wildlife conflict. Six studies were in the USA, two were in Canada, one was Russia, one was in India and one was in Romania.
60COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)
61POPULATION RESPONSE (6 STUDIES)
62Survival (6 studies): A controlled study in the USA found that grizzly bears translocated away from conflict situations had lower survival rates than did non-translocated bears. A replicated study study in the USA found that fewer than half of black bears translocated from conflict situations survived after one year. Two of three studies (two controlled), in the USA, found that after translocation away from urban sites, white-tailed deer survival was lower than that of non-translocated deer. The third study found that short-term survival was lower but long-term survival was higher than that of non-translocated deer. A study in Russia found that most Amur tigers translocated after attacking dogs or people did not survive for a year after release.
63BEHAVIOUR (0 STUDIES)
64OTHER (6 STUDIES)
65Human-wildlife conflict (6 studies): Five studies (including one controlled and two replicated studies), in the USA and Canada, of brown/grizzly or black bears translocated away from residential areas or human-related facilities, found that at least some returned to their original capture location and/or continued to cause nuisance. In two of the studies, most returned to their capture area and one black bear returned six times following translocation. A before-and-after study in India found that leopards translocated away from human-dominated areas, attacked more humans and livestock than before-translocation. A controlled study in Romania found that translocated brown bears occurred less frequently inside high potential conflict areas than outside, the opposite to bears that had not been translocated.
66Assessment: likely to be ineffective or harmful (effectiveness 31 %; certainty 60 %; harms 50 %).
https://www.conservationevidence.com/actions/2336
No evidence found (no assessment)
67We have captured no evidence for the following interventions:
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Keep dogs indoors or in outside enclosures to reduce threats to wild mammals
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Keep domestic cats and dogs well-fed to reduce predation of wild mammals
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Protect mammals close to development areas (e.g. by fencing).
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