Annika Weigold

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) affects both humans and a wide range of mammalian species globally. Between July 2022 and January 2023, fifteen blood samples were collected from twelve different animal species during veterinary examinations, as well as for health control at Wilhelma Zoo, Germany. These samples were later analyzed for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The serum analysis from two gorillas indicated the presence of antibodies specific to the nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV-2, suggesting previous infection. These gorillas were sampled in August and September 2022, during which time they exhibited symptoms such as apathy, anorexia, vomiting, and moderate diarrhea—symptoms not typically associated with COVID-19. Given that several periods of other unusual signs have been observed in the gorillas kept in Wilhelma Zoo since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it remains uncertain whether these symptoms were directly related to SARS-CoV-2 infection or if these gorillas underwent clinically inapparent infection before. Nonetheless, this study underscores the importance of ongoing animal screening in zoos to better understand the spread of SARS-CoV-2 among different animal species.

Human–wildlife conflicts occur worldwide. Although many nonlethal mitigation solutions are available, they rarely use the behavioral ecology of the conflict species to derive effective and long-lasting solutions. Here, we use a long-term study with 106 GPS-collared free-ranging cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) to demonstrate how new insights into the socio-spatial organization of this species provide the key for such a solution. GPS-collared territory holders marked and defended communication hubs (CHs) in the core area of their territories. The CHs/territories were distributed in a regular pattern across the landscape such that they were not contiguous with each other but separated by a surrounding matrix. They were kept in this way by successive territory holders, thus maintaining this overdispersed distribution. The CHs were also visited by nonterritorial cheetah males and females for information exchange, thus forming hotspots of cheetah activity and presence. We hypothesized that the CHs pose an increased predation risk to young calves for cattle farmers in Namibia. In an experimental approach, farmers shifted cattle herds away from the CHs during the calving season. This drastically reduced their calf losses by cheetahs because cheetahs did not follow the herds but instead preyed on naturally occurring local wildlife prey in the CHs. This implies that in the cheetah system, there are “problem areas,” the CHs, rather than “problem individuals.” The incorporation of the behavioral ecology of conflict species opens promising areas to search for solutions in other conflict species with nonhomogenous space use. Significance The cheetah is a prominent example for human–carnivore conflicts and mitigation challenges. Its global population suffered a substantial decline throughout its range. Here, we present an in-depth and new understanding of the socio-spatial organization of the cheetah. We show that cheetahs maintain a network of communication hubs distributed in a regular pattern across the landscape, not contiguous with each other and separated by a surrounding matrix. Cheetahs spend a substantial amount of their time in these hubs, resulting in high local cheetah activity, which represents a high local predation risk for livestock. Implementing this knowledge, farmers were able to reduce livestock losses by 86%.