Spatial genetic structure of European wild boar, with inferences on late-Pleistocene and Holocene demographic history.

European wildlife has been subjected to intensifying levels of anthropogenic impact throughout the Holocene, yet the main genetic partitioning of many species is thought to still reflect the late-Pleistocene glacial refugia. We analyzed 26,342 nuclear SNPs of 464 wild boar (Sus scrofa) across the European continent to infer demographic history and reassess the genetic consequences of natural and anthropogenic forces. We found that population fragmentation, inbreeding and recent hybridization with domestic pigs have caused the spatial genetic structure to be heterogeneous at the local scale.

COVID-19 related travel restrictions prevented numerous wildlife deaths on roads: A comparative analysis of results from 11 countries.

Millions of wild animals are killed annually on roads worldwide. During spring 2020, the volume of road traffic was reduced globally as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. We gathered data on wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC) from Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Israel, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and for Scotland and England within the United Kingdom.

Vocal phenotype of male rutting roars and genetic markers delineate East European red deer (Cervus elaphus) from Central and West European populations.

This study investigates a population of red deer Cervus elaphus, founded by 10 individuals introduced in the nineteenth century from Germany to the Voronezh region of the European part of Southern Russia and then developed without further introductions. We characterize for the first time the vocal phenotype of the Voronezh red deer male rutting calls in comparison with similar data on the Pannonian (native Central European) and Iberian (native West European) red deer obtained by the authors during preceding studies. In addition, we provide for the first time the genetic data on Pannonian red deer.

Wild boar populations up, numbers of hunters down? A review of trends and implications for Europe.

Across Europe, wild boar numbers increased in the 1960s-1970s but stabilised in the 1980s; recent evidence suggests that the numbers and impact of wild boar has grown steadily since the 1980s. As hunting is the main cause of mortality for this species, we reviewed wild boar hunting bags and hunter population trends in 18 European countries from 1982 to 2012. Hunting statistics and numbers of hunters were used as indicators of animal numbers and hunting pressure.

The sequence and phylogenesis of the ?-globin genes of Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia), goat (Capra hircus), European mouflon (Ovis aries musimon) and Cyprus mouflon (Ovis aries ophion).

In order to investigate the polymorphism of ?-globin chain of hemoglobin amongst caprines, the linked (I)? and (II)? globin genes of Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia), goat (Capra hircus), European mouflon (Ovis aries musimon), and Cyprus mouflon (Ovis aries ophion) were completely sequenced, including the 5? and 3? untranslated regions. European and Cyprus mouflons, which do not show polymorphic ? globin chains, had almost identical ? globin genes, whereas Barbary sheep exhibit two different chains encoded by two nonallelic genes. Four different ? genes were observed and sequenced in goat, validating previous observations of the existence of allelic and nonallelic polymorphism.

Structure and function of sheep hemoglobin Chios: A novel allele at the HBBB locus with two Lys-->Arg substitutions at positions beta66(E10) and beta144(HC1).

A novel hemoglobin variant was observed in pure sheep (Ovis aries) breeds of the island of Chios (Greece), Egypt and Hungary. This silent variant was identified by gel electrophoresis and RP-HPLC of dissociated globin chains. Two Arg for Lys substitutions were detected, by means of MALDI TOF electrospray mass spectrometric analysis for the intact globins, at positions beta66(E10) and beta144(HC1) of a globin chain having the sequence of the beta(B) chain.