Lucia Liu Severinghaus

Dog Keeping in Taiwan: Its Contribution to the Problem of Free-Roaming Dogs

This study conducted a quantitative ethnographic analysis of the influence of demographic factors and early experience (childhood exposure to dogs) on Taiwanese dog-keeping practices and behavior. A telephone survey of a randomly selected sample of 2,001 Taiwan residents determined their dog ownership histories, current patterns of dog ownership and disposal, and other dog-related activities. The results suggest that low rates of neutering, easy availability of low- or no-cost puppies, a tendency to allow owned dogs free access to the outdoors, unrealistic expectations of dog ownership, canine behavioral problems, and religious and cultural taboos against euthanasia and shelter relinquishment have contributed to the recent increase in the numbers of free-roaming dogs in Taiwan. Logistic regression analyses determined that a relatively small number of demographic and experiential variables predicted dog ownership and disposal patterns. The most important of these was childhood experience of living with household dogs. In light of these findings, future efforts to reduce the stray dog problem should focus on enforcing registration fees, particularly for unsterilized animals; low-cost neutering schemes; and educational programs designed to promote neutering, improve knowledge of canine behavior and behavior problems, and develop more realistic expectations and attitudes toward dog ownership. Marked Taiwanese resistance to canine euthanasia and shelter relinquishment suggests a need for alternative methods of managing the existing free-roaming dog population.

Prayer animal release in Taiwan

Abstract In east Asia, people believe that one can accrue merits by freeing captive animals into the wild as a form of prayer to the gods. This practice is called “prayer animal release.” When organized by temples, normally a large number of animals are involved and are referred to as “ceremonial animal releases”. Prayer animals are supplied by pet stores which obtain them from dealers or trappers. Both local and exotic species may be released. The scope and ecological impact of animal releases, especially when involving exotic species, have not been carefully monitored before. In Taiwan, we conducted a questionnaire survey in Taipei and found that 29.5% of the people of all religions participate in prayer animal releases. Women with lower education, who are financially well-off and who believe that released animals can survive in the wild, are most likely to participate in ceremonial animal releases. Ceremonial animal release is also practiced in Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Korea. Education programs targeted at specific social groups are needed to reduce the extent of ceremonial animal releases. Proper regulation of international wild animal trade is also needed to curtail the spread of exotic animals in Taiwan and other countries in the region.

Silk stealing by Argyrodes lanyuensis (Araneae: Theridiidae): a unique form of kleptoparasitism.

In this study we used field surveys and experiments to investigate silk stealing, a unique form of kleptoparasitism. We studied the role that silk stealing plays in the interactions between a kleptoparasitic spider Argyrodes lanyuensis and its giant wood spider host Nephila maculata by testing: (1) if silk stealing generates any cost to the hosts; (2) if the amount of web lost to kleptoparasites varies with the size of the host; and (3) how prey stealing by A. lanyuensis affects N. maculata. Compared with uninvaded webs, N. maculata webs invaded by A. lanyuensis suffered an average orb reduction of 21%. There was a significant negative correlation between the percentage web reduction and body length of N. maculata, indicating that the impact of silk stealing was greater on younger hosts. No significant correlation was found between the number of A. lanyuensis on orbs and orb loss, but there was a significant negative relationship between percentage orb loss and silk diameter of N. maculata. These results suggest that the finer silk of smaller hosts may be at least partially responsible for their higher percentage orb loss. While prey stealing by other Argyrodes species greatly affects the foraging gain of hosts, A. lanyuensis did not seem to affect N. maculata. This was because the host took larger prey than the kleptoparasite did, and less than 3% of the hosts biomass intake came from prey that A. lanyuensis would steal. Copyright 1998 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.

The Reproductive Behaviour and Mate Choice of the Fiddler Crab (Uca Lactea Lactea) in Mid-Taiwan

This study took place between July 1985 and April 1986. Uca lactea lactea has a semi-lunar reproductive cycle. It was most active after spring tide when the ground was wet. The peak of mating frequency usually occurred two days after spring tide, but could be delayed by unsuitable weather conditions. The prominent display equipment, the major cheliped, and the conspicuous lateral waving as courtship behaviour were not essential to a males mating success, while stroking at a females burrow entrance was. Males which were persistent at stroking and courting one female at a time mated more times. Both sexes tended to mate with several partners. Copulations occurred between individuals occupying burrows near each other, but not necessarily adjacent to each other. Courting males were frequently interrupted by other males. Those who could chase away the intruders often succeeded in copulating. Male body size seems important in determining whether intruders can be expelled successfully. Burrow changes took place frequently and were usually initiated by larger individuals. Burrow changes may be an individuals effort at relocating to a better site for more successful mating. Nevertheless, males of different carapace sizes did not differ in the number of successful matings.

Microsatellite loci from Lanyu scops owl (Otus elegans botelensis) and their cross-species application in four species of strigidae

We developed six new microsatellite markers containing tetranucleotide repeat motifs (GATA/CTAT) for Lanyu scops owl (Otus elegans botelensis) from an enriched partial library. All these loci are polymorphic and conform to Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. We cross-species tested these and 12 other microsatellite primer pairs previously developed from O. elegans on four other species of owls (O. lettia, O. spilocephalus, O. scops, and Ninox scutulata). Results showed that the degree of polymorphism decreased with increasing phylogenetic distance to O. elegans. Most loci (66.7, 83.3, and 100%) were polymorphic in the three Otus owls but only five (27.8%) were polymorphic in N. scutulata. These microsatellites should be very useful genetic markers in studying the mating system, population genetics, and conservation of other little studied Old World Otus owls.

Disentangling site and mate fidelity in a monogamous population under strong nest site competition

Site and mate fidelity are important aspects of animal mating systems and have implications for animal population structures. In birds, they are often related to the age, breeding experience, prior residence, pair duration or breeding performance of individuals. These variables are often correlated, and site and mate fidelity may also be associated with each other. Most previous studies focused on either site fidelity or mate fidelity, and the relationship between them remains to be explored. In this study, we used path analysis to examine the correlates of site and mate fidelity of Lanyu scops owls, Otus elegans botelensis, and to investigate the relationship between site and mate fidelity. Site fidelity of female owls was related to previous breeding success, following a ‘win-stay, lose-switch’ model. Site fidelity of male owls increased with both previous breeding success and years of prior residence. Mate fidelity was related to female site fidelity and pair duration. Although mate fidelity was higher after successful breeding attempts, it was a result of the breeding success-dependent site fidelity of the owls. Many studies used the positive correlation between previous breeding success and mate fidelity to support the better option hypothesis or the incompatibility hypothesis of divorce. Our study identified the most likely causal pathway for the complex site and mate fidelity pattern in the Lanyu scops owl, and demonstrated that it is important to identify the underlying driving forces to avoid erroneous conclusions.

The effect of rice field fragmentation on wintering waterbirds at the landscape level

Landscape structure is a potentially crucial factor that affects the distribution of waterbirds in wetlands. Our study aims to find the relationship between the waterbird community in the rice fields and the landscape. We surveyed wintering waterbirds in rice field habitats in Yilan, Taiwan, and examined the relationships between landscape variables and waterbird community structure, species richness, and total abundance. Percentage of open water areas adjacent to the sample plot was the most influential variable for the waterbird community. Percentage of rice fields adjacent to the sample plot was crucial to the abundance of two regionally important species. Yet this variable was spatially structured and its effect on the waterbird community needs further investigation. The other variables, including the largest patch index for rice field, the number of rice field patches, and the percentage of developed areas, were less important to the waterbird community as they were each associated with the abundance of only a few species. Different species responded differently to certain landscape factors, possibly due to their habits and habitat preferences. Some species responded differently to the same landscape factor under different spatial extents. We discuss the conservation implications of these results.

Sex Identification of Owls (Family Strigidae) Using Oligonucleotide Microarrays

Molecular sexing of the diversified avian family Strigidae is difficult. Sex identification using the intron length difference between W and Z chromosomal CHD1 genes, as visualized by agarose gel electrophoreses, often produces ambiguous results. Here we describe a simple method for sexing a variety of Strigidae species using oligonucleotide microarrays, on which several sex-specific probes operated complementarily or in concert. The sex of 8 owl species was identified clearly on the microarrays through sequence recognition. This sequence-directed method can be easily applied to a wider range of Strigidae species.

Microsatellites for the hoopoes (Upupa epops) and their application to the parentage analysis

We isolated and characterized nine polymorphic microsatellite loci from a partial genomic library enriched for tetranucleotide repeats in the hoopoe (Upupa epops). A panel of up to 34 adult individuals with unknown relationship was used to characterize polymorphism of these loci. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 5 to 11 and the observed heterozygosity of each locus ranged from 0.250 to 0.853. Only one locus deviated from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, with the excess of homozygote. By using five of the nine loci, we conducted paternity analysis on a population of hoopoe on Kinmen Island. The probability of false parent exclusion is 0.984 for the set of loci. In 20 clutches containing parents and juveniles, only one young was sired by extra-pair copulation. In addition to paternity analysis, these microsatellite markers should be useful in population studies for this widely distributed species.

Monitoring the Population of the Endangered Lanyu Scops Owl (Otus elegans botolensis)

The Lanyu scops owl is an endangered species found only on Lanyu Island off Taiwan. There were no studies of this species prior to this project. Triangulation of owl vocalizations was used as the primary method of population census between 198S and 1988. Banding and sighting records provided supplementary population data. Since 1989, tape-recorded play-back has been used to stimulate responses of owls during population censuses. The population of the Lanyu scops owl appears to have been stable though still vulnerable through the last five years. Owls inhabiting peripheral areas lack the social interactions of those in the core areas. It is still unknown whether social interactions are significant to the survival of the species. An effort was made to monitor the productivity and mortality of the species, as well as the dispersal and movement pattern of the young and the adults. Many aspects of their movement patterns are only partially known. The survival of the two sexes appears to be different, which may reflect differential pressures imposed by their social system. Habitat destruction and human persecution are the two main external pressures on the species. Human disturbance is especially high at the peripheral sites, resulting in those breeding pairs contributing no young to the population.