We report the first large-scale palaeoproteomics research on eastern and southern African zooarchaeological samples, thereby refining our understanding of early caprine (sheep and goat) pastoralism ...in Africa. Assessing caprine introductions is a complicated task because of their skeletal similarity to endemic wild bovid species and the sparse and fragmentary state of relevant archaeological remains. Palaeoproteomics has previously proved effective in clarifying species attributions in African zooarchaeological materials, but few comparative protein sequences of wild bovid species have been available. Using newly generated type I collagen sequences for wild species, as well as previously published sequences, we assess species attributions for elements originally identified as caprine or 'unidentifiable bovid' from 17 eastern and southern African sites that span seven millennia. We identified over 70% of the archaeological remains and the direct radiocarbon dating of domesticate specimens allows refinement of the chronology of caprine presence in both African regions. These results thus confirm earlier occurrences in eastern Africa and the systematic association of domesticated caprines with wild bovids at all archaeological sites. The combined biomolecular approach highlights repeatability and accuracy of the methods for conclusive contribution in species attribution of archaeological remains in dry African environments.
Summary The common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus L. 1758) is an allochtonous game species of great importance to the hunting sector in Serbia. Growing concerns over a decline in its population raise ...issues about the proper management and hunting of common pheasants. As this research tends to identify the importance of common pheasants to Serbian hunters, the present study is based on a mixed research model combining traditional analyses with social studies on Serbian hunters. The data utilized have been collected from the annual management plans of 272 hunting grounds across Serbia and the interviews with 377 hunters. The results obtained suggest that there are significant differences between the analyzed variables in the management plans examined, which indicates that the pheasant hunting management in Serbia is not harmonized. However, the social studies conducted identify the common pheasant as the most hunted and popular game species with Serbian hunters. Accordingly, the common pheasant hunting and management in Serbia has to be improved in order to meet the hunters’ expectations and ensure their satisfaction.
Science writer Carl Zimmer offers this perspective: “If you were to stack one virus on top of another, you’d create a tower that would stretch beyond the moon, beyond the sun, beyond Alpha Centauri, ...out past the edge of the Milky Way, past neighboring galaxies, to reach a height of 200 million light years.” Orion was a hunter in Greek mythology, and the constellation Burchfield painted happens to be a focal point in the hunt for exoplanets, some of which may have conditions favorable for viruses and by association the potential for extraterrestrial life. Orion constellation: facts about the hunter cited 2019 Dec 2 https://www.space.com/16659-constellation-orion.html Byron Breedlove Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
African swine fever (ASF) has massively spread in recent years and threatens the global pig industry. ASF has been present in Latvia since 2014. Hunters play a major role in the implementation of ...measures to control ASF and in passive disease surveillance. The probability to detect an ASF-positive wild boar is much higher in animals found dead than in hunted animals. Thus, the willingness and the motivation of hunters to support passive surveillance is of utmost importance. Using participatory methods, this study aimed to assess the acceptability of control measures for ASF in wild boar among hunters. In addition, new approaches to increase hunters’ motivation to report wild boar found dead were investigated.
A total of ten focus group discussions with hunters from different regions in Latvia were conducted. To assess the quantity and quality of contacts between hunters and stakeholders involved in the control of ASF, relation diagrams were used. Using ranking tools, the trust of the participants in stakeholders to implement control measures successfully was evaluated. Defined control measures were presented to the hunters and their acceptability investigated. An impact diagram and a list of defined motivation options for passive surveillance were offered to identify new ways to increase the willingness of hunters to support passive surveillance actively.
A satisfactory and regular relationship was identified between the hunters, the Food and Veterinary Service (FVS) and the State Forest Service (SFS). The hunters’ trust in these authorities was high. Although there is no vaccine against ASF, hunters were convinced of the potential of vaccination in controlling ASF. However, building fences was considered as useless and ineffective. To increase the willingness of hunters to support passive surveillance, reducing the infection pressure in the forests was regarded as most motivating. Furthermore, hunters would appreciate a decrease in their costs and workload.
The study provides new insight into the concerns and experiences of hunters. Including their views and expectations in the further design and implementation of control and surveillance activities may help to improve current efforts to control ASF in wild boar populations. Although representing the perceptions of Latvian hunters, the main conclusions may be adaptable to adjust ASF control and surveillance in other countries.
The world is on fire, and European archaeologists are starting to feel the heat. With the war in the Ukraine, the rise of polarizing politics and global authoritarianism, and the climate emergency ...pushing us closer to the tipping point of planetary destruction, we cannot help but to feel deeply affected. In the face of these challenges, we want to act, but what we do as archaeologists can sometimes seem trivial and insignificant. Even worse, a critical examination of our disciplinary history can lead us to conclude that we are complicit in the injustices and even partially responsible for the current situation.
In the 16th century, the Calusa, a fisher-gatherer-hunter society, were the most politically complex polity in Florida, and the archaeological site of Mound Key was their capital. Based on historic ...documents, the ruling elite at Mound Key controlled surplus production and distribution. The question remains exactly how such surplus pooling occurred and when such traditions were elaborated on and reflected in the built environment. Our work focuses on the “watercourts” and associated areas at Mound Key. These subrectangular constructions of shell and other sediments around centralized inundated areas have been variously interpreted. Here, we detail when these enclosures were constructed and their engineering and function. We argue that these structures were for large surplus capture and storage of aquatic resources that were controlled and managed by corporate groups.
The study aims to identify the awareness level of Hunters related to making environmental mistakes in the Dukan lake - Sulaimaniyah Governorate. The study comminuted included all 177 respondents in ...the study area and the study sample included 62 respondents who randomly selected 35% of the study comminuted as well as the questionnaire by interview was used as a tool to collect the data then the questionnaire was shown to specialists in agricultural extension and fish breeders to achieve content validity. The data was collected and analyzed statistically by used statistical tools and SPSS version22. As well as the results showed that % 82.25 of respondents were aware related to making environmental mistakes in general within medium tends to low. Also, the awareness level of respondents related to fields of making mistakes that caused water pollution came the first rank in terms of relative importance with means of 30.11 degrees. Then comes Soil pollution with means of 19.88 degrees. Finally, Air pollution comes in the last rank with means of 19.45 degrees. Additionally, the results show that there is a correlation between the awareness level of respondents related to making environmental mistakes in the Dukan lake - Sulaimaniyah Governorate in general and variables: Age and Duration of fishing experience While there is no correlation between the awareness level of respondents related to making environmental mistakes in general and each of variables: Areas Used in fishing, Participation in training courses and Exposure to informational sources.
Within the European Union, different legal requirements must be applied in relation to the circumstances in which wild boar meat is supplied for human consumption. The present study performed from ...October to December 2019 in the Campania region aimed to monitor microbial contamination on 36 wild boar carcasses eviscerated in premises registered according to the EU Regulation 852/04 (19 animals) and hunters' private houses (17 animals). From each carcass, four areas (ham, back, jowl, and belly), were swabbed using cellulose sponges and analysed for the enumeration of mesophilic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae and E. coli using the respective culture ISO methods. Real-time PCR was used for the detection of Salmonella spp., Yersinia enterocolitica, Campylobacter spp., and pathogenic E. coli. The presence of pathogenic bacteria was also evaluated in 36 meat samples to better understand the public health risks related to its consumption. Additionally, the presence of Y. enterocolitica was assessed on 36 tonsil samples since, in swine, this pathogen is frequently isolated in this organ. According to the limits settled by the EU Regulation 2073/2005 for pork, carcasses collected from registered premises resulted in more satisfactory mesophilic counts (<4.0 log10 CFU/cm2) than carcasses collected from non-registered premises (Registered premises = 7 carcasses, 36.8% vs Hunters' private houses = 3 carcasses, 17.7%). However, the satisfactory Enterobacteriaceae counts (<2.0 log10 CFU/cm2) were similar at registered and non-registered premises (Registered premises = 3 carcasses, 15.8% vs Hunters' private houses = 3 carcasses, 17.7%). Of the four investigated areas, the jowl and belly showed the highest level of contamination, however the observed differences were not significant (p > 0.05). The overall percentage of wild boars positive per at least one of the enteric pathogens tested was 79.0% (15 out of 19 animals) in registered premises and 82.4% (14 out of 17 animals) in private houses. Pathogenic E. coli was detected in 27 carcasses (75.0%), suggesting that wild boar could play a role as reservoir host and that the meat can cause public health concerns. In conclusion, in the present study an overall high bacterial level was observed on wild boar carcasses, and therefore the need for better slaughter hygiene was demonstrated. Based on the data, the meat resulting from private domestic slaughter may be of lower hygienic quality. The absence of a significant difference observed in the present study may be due to limited sample size and therefore further research should be performed.
•Jowl and Belly showed the highest level of contamination.•Ambient temperature during hunting impacted significantly on E. coli counts.•Pathogenic bacteria were observed on Twentynine carcasses.•Carcasses sampled from registered premises had lower counts.•Meat resulting from private slaughter may be of lower hygienic quality.
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