A 13-landmark morphometric system was used for 617 specimens to investigate the hypothesis of species differentiation among Cobitis keyvani, Cobitis faridpaki and an unknown Cobitis sp. population from the River Babolrud in the southern Caspian Sea basin. Univariate analysis of variance showed significant differences among the means of the three groups for 41 out of 78 standardized morphometric measurements. In discriminant function analysis, the overall assignment of individuals into their original groups was 58.0 %. The proportions of individuals correctly classified into their original groups were 58.1 %, 64.7 % and 44.1 % for Cobitis sp., C. faridpaki and C. keyvani, respectively. Principal component analysis (PCA) and canonical variates analysis (CVA) confirmed the significant difference among these populations (λ de Wilks = 0.42, P = 0). The CVA scatter plot showed 617 specimens grouped into three distinct areas with some overlap. Clustering based on Euclidean distances among the groups of centroids using an UPGMA indicated segregation of the three populations into two distinct clusters: Cobitis sp. and C. faridpaki in one group and C. keyani in other group. Also the unknown population of spined loach from the River Babolrud was recognized as C. faridpaki and the river as a new habitat for the species.

Fragments of idle fields in urbanized zones may attract threatened bird species to nest, but, at the same time, may be favoured by generalist nest predators attracted by food resources abundant in urban areas. Only few studies have analysed effects of nest predation risk in suburban habitat fragments while considering the character of the surrounding landscape. We used artificial nests to examine possible effects of patch size and edge distance, extent of surrounding urbanization, habitat composition and heterogeneity on nest predation risk to ground-nesting birds in idle fields within suburban areas. Nest predation risk varied regardless of patch size. Edge effect appeared only combined with the proportion of particular habitat types in the surrounding landscape. Character of surrounding landscape was strongly influential. In particular, predation risk was positively correlated with proportions of unstable disturbed sites nearby but negatively correlated with proportions of adjacent meadows and forests. From the standpoint of nature conservation and effective support to bird diversity in suburban areas, we highlight the importance of diverse nature-like stands such as meadows or forest fragments.

Ecotourism and off-road recreational disturbances can be threats to wildlife inhabiting protected areas. Here we investigate flight response patterns in blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) inhabiting the Ningxia Helan Mountain National Nature Reserve, China. We found that flight initiation distance (distance at which animals begun fleeing a slowly approaching human) and final flight distance (distance at which the blue sheep stopped fleeing) varied across the reserve and was a function of the level of tourism in each focal area. In areas of heavy ecotourism, blue sheep allowed humans to approach closer, fled at a slower speed and did not flee as far compared to sheep inhabiting areas with less intense ecotourism. Flight initiation distance did not vary seasonally but final flight distance did. There was no group size effect on the flight responses. Both flight initiation distance and final flight distance were negatively correlated with the number of daily tourists, and positively correlated with the distance to anthropogenic constructions such as houses and roads. Blue sheep appear to have remained in areas with large anthropogenic disturbances because of abundant water, and have habituated to the presence of tourists in areas of heavy ecotourism. Moderate ecotourism may not cause blue sheep population decline.

For the understanding of shrew communities, their coexistence and competition, the knowledge of diet partitioning among sympatric shrew species is crucial. In this study, the trophic niches of three coexisting Sorex species: S. alpinus, S. araneus and S. minutus were compared for the first time. Shrews were taken from a montane forest habitat in northern Slovenia (NS). A little known species, S. alpinus, fed mostly on Insecta (50 %) and Lumbricidae (25 %), as well as Lithobiomorpha, Araneae and Opiliones. Its diet differed significantly from the diet of S. araneus and S. minutus. On the other hand, a nearly-perfect trophic niche overlap was found for S. araneus and S. minutus suggesting their great hindrance of competition for food. For comparison, S. araneus from a montane forest habitat in southern Slovenia (SS) was considered. Sorex araneus from SS fed on 15 taxa, while the shrew diets in NS habitat were half as diverse. In contrast to previous studies, the nearly-perfect overlap of trophic niches in S. araneus-S. minutus indicates that in montane forest habitat, otherwise highly competitive shrews can share trophic niches.

The craniometrical analysis of population diversity of the Balkan chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica) from Bulgaria was carried out using 14 skull parameters and 65 adult individuals, originating from the main occurrence areas in the country — Stara Planina, Rhodope, Rila and Pirin Mountains. The data showed a high degree of sexual dimorphism of the skull. The univariate and multivariate statistical assessment of the skull features of Bulgarian chamois, performed separately by gender, demonstrated a high degree of phenotypic craniological similarity between the specimens of the same gender from the four main populations in Bulgaria; it also supported the hypothesis that the present segregation of Bulgarian chamois into the four main mountains characterized by distinctive orographic features did not give rise to measurable levels of their craniometric differentiation.

The common hamster (Cricetus cricetus L.) is supposed to be an abundant species in Eastern Europe including Ukraine. However, the current data on hamster's occurrence in Ukraine from 1990 till nowadays show that the species became rare. The common hamster can be found in the West, North-East Ukraine and the Crimean peninsula. The species have declined in the forest-steppe zone and became extinct in most part of the steppe zone. Its actual distribution range has thus been strongly reduced. One of the possible causes of this decline is the habitat loss due to changes in agricultural management.

Research in freshwater ecology has traditionally focused on water courses or large still waters. However, ponds support proportionately high levels of biodiversity relative to other inland waters in Europe, and foraging by Eurasian otter Lutra lutra (L., 1758) could have considerable impacts on species composition in these small water bodies. The aim of the present study was to analyse otter spraints around ponds during two contrasting seasons (winter and spring) in north Norfolk (eastern England), where both otter and ponds are of particular conservation concern. Spraint density, prey diversity and the consumption of river-associated species were higher in spring than winter. In both seasons, birds were the most important prey category as ingested biomass. European eel Anguilla anguilla (L., 1758) and amphibians, specifically common frog Rana temporaria L., 1758 and common toad Bufo bufo (L., 1758), were more consumed in spring, whereas northern pike Esox lucius L., 1758 and tench Tinca tinca (L., 1758) were taken in winter. Non-native common carp Cyprinus carpio L., 1758 was important in both seasons, whereas threatened native crucian carp Carassius carassius (L., 1758) was a minor prey item. Massive kills of common toad, which involved a new handling technique for predation on this species, were observed mainly in spring. The study demonstrated otters to display great plasticity in foraging behaviour and contributes to the understanding of otter predatory pressure on pond biodiversity, with implications for landscape management.

The food composition of the brown bear diet was studied on the basis of 215 excrement samples, which were collected in 2008–2010 in the area of the Eastern Carpathians (Poloniny National Park). The seasonal changes in food composition reflected the supply of the environment, which is nowadays influenced by human activities. This situation resulted in a stronger adaptation of bear to anthropogenic food sources of plant origin compared to historical data from the Carpathians. We identified diagnostic groups and food components consumed by bears in individual seasons of the evaluated period. In spring, crops provided by hunters were found to be the diagnostic group; and corn, silage, rape, bark and wood were diagnostic components. In summer, invertebrates were the diagnostic group; and ants, cherries and grass were the diagnostic components. In autumn, fruit were the diagnostic group; and apples, pears, blackberries, plums and acorns were the diagnostic components. In winter, hard mast and crops provided by hunters were diagnostic groups; and beechnuts, sunflower, rape, wheat, corn and corn silage were diagnostic components. From the nutritional point of view, crops provided by hunters dominated in spring and summer, and hard mast dominated in autumn and winter.

In this note we describe for the first time the inner structure of bezoars found in the stomach of a free-living crested porcupine. These foreign bodies were composed by three concentric layers made up of vegetal matter. The presence of nettle trichomes in the central core, probably due to an accidental ingestion, may have determined the development of these foreign bodies.

Habitat preferences of nine adult raccoon dogs were investigated during different seasons using compositional analysis after Aebischer et al. (1993). The study area (33 km²) with its mosaic landscape of forest and farmland was located in Southern Brandenburg in eastern Germany (13°56′ E, 51°37′ N). For analysis eight habitat categories were distinguished. Grassland and coniferous woods were favoured both within 95 % fixed-kernel (K95) and within core areas (K50). Grassland offered food at most times of the year and particularly after harvesting of fields. Abandoned badger dens located in coniferous woods within K50 were used by raccoon dogs all year round whereas they apparently avoided anthropogenic structures. Other habitat categories were used randomly and we detected no seasonal differences in relative usage. Such heterogeneous agricultural landscapes dominate the central and western European landscape. Furthermore, short winters and low density of top predators provide beneficial living conditions for raccoon dogs. Its flexibility in habitat use, omnivorous diet and ability to disperse over long distances facilitate a further expansion of the raccoon dog in western and southern Europe.