Dibru-Saikhowa Sanctuary protects 340 sq km of the floodplains of the Brahmaputra and Lohit rivers in eastern Assam state, north-eastern India. It provides habitat for several threatened species, including Asian elephant and tiger. The sanctuary suffers from several problems, however, including illegal tree felling, the scarcity of safe, high ground for animals during the annual floods and insufficient staff and resources. The author makes recommendations for improving the conservation value of the sanctuary.

The importance of wildlife as a source of meat, as well as tourist revenue, is the most telling argument for its protection in Nigeria, where bushmeat is highly valued. Many species have been seriously overhunted, but populations could be built up again. The creation of a wildlife division in the Forestry Department last year was a major step in the right direction and 29 new reserves are planned. Animal numbers are increasing noticeably in the two major existing reserves, Yankari and Borgu.

Data are presented on the changes in distribution and abundance of the Mongolian saiga Saiga tatarica mongolica in the last few decades, based on an analysis of the literature and the authors' field observations. The subspecies has suffered a considerable decline in its range because of hunting and competition with domesticated stock. In 1997 a survey was made of almost all the known range, which consists of two disjunct areas and covers a total of 2200 sq km. A total of 609 animals was recorded and analysis of the census results suggests that c. 1300 saiga remain in total. The authors recommend strengthening the nature reserve established in 1993 in the Shargyn Gobi, and creating several sanctuaries outside this area, where Mongolian saiga from the main remaining population could be reintroduced. These measures would enhance prospects for the survival of this endemic subspecies of the semideserts of western Mongolia.

We assessed local knowledge of and attitudes towards a large, endemic bovid, the Bhutan takin Budorcas whitei, within its seasonal range in Jigme Dorji National Park, Bhutan. Using semi-structured questionnaires, data were collected in March 2015 from interviews with 169 park residents. A conditional inference tree analysis was used to explore associations between demography, locality, and secondary response variables through questions relating to respondents’ knowledge of the takin's status as a protected species, a Vulnerable species, and as the national animal. Most respondents knew the takin was Bhutan's national animal, and of those, a significantly high proportion also knew of its protected status. Significantly more respondents residing in the species’ summer, rather than winter, range were aware of the takin's Vulnerable status. Most respondents expressed positive feelings towards the takin and supported its protection. This strong positive attitude, in conjunction with awareness-raising efforts, could be valuable for promoting the takin as a montane flagship species.

To those unaware of the position in the Gold Coast the first reaction to the above report is probably one of satisfaction that a game department has at last been established and that work has started, but a careful examination of the report raises a number of doubts as to the value of the work that has been done. It is perhaps worth while commenting on the Report in the light of personal knowledge, and after detailed discussion with other officers interested in game, who know the areas concerned.

The Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus, categorized as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, comprises 600–700 individuals in the eastern Mediterranean Sea and eastern Atlantic Ocean. Habitat degradation is a severe threat to the species. In 2016 and 2017, coastline surveys were conducted in Gökova Bay, south-west Turkey, to identify suitable monk seal habitat. A significant factor hindering recovery of the monk seal population of this Turkish coast and the nearby Greek islands is the limited number of marine caves suitable for resting and/or pupping. We identified four caves as possible monk seal resting and pupping caves. An additional cave with all essential features for seal usage except a ledge was also identified. An artificial ledge was built in this cave in July 2019 and seal usage was monitored by camera trap until September 2020. A total of 405 camera-trap events were analysed to examine presence of any monk seals on the ledge, and to understand the purpose (resting and/or pupping), frequency of use, sex and age group of any individuals using the cave. One juvenile used the cave four times for resting (420 minutes in total), predominantly nocturnally. This is the first construction of a dry ledge in a cave of this kind for monk seals. The camera recordings suggest this approach could provide habitat for this species in areas where there is insufficient dry protected area on land.

Invasive alien species can have widespread negative effects on native biodiversity. We investigated the prospects of engaging hunters in large-scale collaborative efforts to control non-native mink Neovison vison populations in Norway. We invited members of the Norwegian Association of Hunters and Anglers to complete an online questionnaire to ascertain their support for conservation and their level of effort to remove mink, in the context of hunting motivations and bounty payments. The general interest in mink control programmes was low but participants perceived the mink to be of conservation concern. Bounty payments influenced mink catches, with hunters who received payments catching a mean of 4.70 more individuals per hunter than those who did not receive payments (P < 0.001). Mink hunters who preferred to hunt alone and had no preference for hunting locally reportedly caught on average 1.87 more mink per hunter than those who preferred to hunt in company (P < 0.001). The majority of hunters preferred government-led programmes (47%), and investment in bounty programmes (52%) was their main recommendation to improve mink hunting. Hunters can be a valuable component of a mink removal task force and could decrease the likelihood of recolonization of mink in the buffer areas of core conservation target areas.

The steppe marmot of European Russia has suffered from hunting pressure and agricultural development in the past. Now it is regaining its former range by colonizing abandoned farming areas and this process is being helped by reintroduction programmes. Once secure these marmots show considerable potential for increase and could form the basis for a useful and substantial harvest in the future.

This survey of the status of the three gorilla races was made in 1974. Part One, below, covers the western lowland race, and Part Two, to be published in the next Oryx, will discuss eastern lowland and volcano gorillas.

In the article ‘New Attitudes in Nigeria’, by John Henshaw and Gilbert S. Child (Oryx 11, 4: 275–283) there are some errors which I should like to correct, although lack of information on the distribution of many species makes it difficult to be precise.

Zaïre is one of the foremost African countries in thefieldof wildlife conservation, with large areas of wild country still almost untouched, a magnificent range of wildlife, large well managed national parks, and the will and intention to conserve and extend these, as President Mobutu Sese Seko has made clear. This year conservationists from all over the world will be able to see a little of how this vast country is conserving its wildlife when they meet there for the IUCN General Assembly. In this article the former Director General of Zaïre's Institut National pour la Conservation de la Nature, who has worked there as a biologist since 1948, surveys the main wildlife areas. A second article, in the next Oryx, will describe the status of the major mammals.

After a somewhat perilous landing on Gough Island, south of Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic, the author was able to confirm the remarkable comeback of the fur seals there, once heavily exploited but now numbering over a hundred thousand.

In 1994 the authors made two rapid assessments of wildlife in the remote Namcha Barwa region, south-eastern Tibet, China. They conducted interviews, examined and recorded trophies in the possession of local Menba, Luoba and Kangba Tibetans and made opportunistic field observations. Despite the extensive forests in this extremely remote region, wildlife populations appeared to be low except in inaccessible areas along county borders. Frequent reports of tiger predation on cattle, horses and mules in glaciated valleys on the south slope of the Himalayas may indicate a shortage of natural prey. Uncontrolled hunting, human population growth and expedient economic development threaten the survival of large mammals in the region.

The authors visited the Azores in September 1986 to investigate the status of the archipelago's natural forests and the rare endemic trees they contain. They carried out intensive investigation only on the island of Pico, although they also worked on Terceira and Sao Miguel. These three are the only islands on which moderately large areas of forest are believed to remain.

There is at present no national park in any part of peninsular Arabia. The FPS therefore welcomed the chance to help Dr Harrison and Major Gallagher formulate their plans for a park in Oman to help save the Arabian tahr and also pioneer the idea of national parks in the Arab world. The FPS approached the Omani authorities, who readily agreed to allow Major Gallagher to make the preliminary survey, and the Society is also sponsoring the proposed scientific expedition in April 1975 described in this article. Michael Gallagher's photograph above was taken in the area.

Propithecus verreauxi is currently divided into three or four subspecies. Decken's sifaka, P. v. deckeni, and the crowned sifaka, P. v. coronatus, are believed to be synonymous by some authors, while others regard them as separate subspecies. The results of a survey on an isolated melanistic population of Decken's sifaka, known from museum specimens collected in Ambararatabe, as well as the results of additional surveys carried out within the ranges of P. v. deckeni and P. v. coronatus are presented. A detailed description and photographs of the melanistic variant are provided. The data are employed to argue the case for recognition of the subspecific status of the endangered P. v. coronatus. The consistency of sightings of P. v. coronatus to the east of the river Mahavavy and to the west of the river Betsiboka, and sightings of P. v. deckeni to the west of the Mahavavy indicate clear separation of the two subspecies in the lower reaches of two rivers. Clarification of the status of the enigmatic museum specimens from Ambararatabe, representing a melanisticform rather than hybridization of P. v. deckeni and P. v. coronatus, lends further support to this argument.