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From Cities to Ranches: Assessing Public Support for Jaguar (Panthera Onca) Conservation and Livestock Predation in Colombia
Get PDFJaguars are among the most emblematic large carnivores worldwide. Nonetheless, the species has declined by 25% in less than 25 years and their range has been reduced by 55%, approximately, primarily due to habitat loss from increasing agricultural development, retaliatory killings from human-jaguar conflict, and overhunting of their natural prey. Given the anthropogenic nature of these threats, developing effective coexistence strategies and public support for jaguar conservation are increasingly urgent for the continued persistence of this species. I conducted a scoping review to assess trends and gaps in the existing peer-reviewed literature, grey literature, and news articles related to human-jaguar conflict. Of the 422 publications identified through our search, 192 met the inclusion criteria and were categorized based on four identified themes and one subtheme: 1) human dimensions of conflict, 1.1) jaguar killings, 2) attacks on domestic animals, 3) attacks on humans, and 4) management. The primary remaining gaps include management assessment, policy enforcement, interdisciplinary research, and inclusion of a wider range of stakeholders. To assess public support for jaguar conservation among Colombian urban residents and zoo visitors, I surveyed Bogota residents at public city parks and social media followers and visitors of Barranquilla, Cali, and Medellín Zoos between 2020 and 2024 (n=888). My results suggest high levels of support towards jaguar conservation among Colombia’s urban residents and zoo visitors, highlighting the need to leverage urban support via tangible inputs (e.g., donations, volunteering, advocacy) to further promote Colombia’s conservation efforts. To better understand public support for jaguar conservation in the context of conservation marketing, I applied the Theory of Consumption Values, a consumer behavior framework, to address jaguar conservation as a product and to determine the influence of five values on Colombians’ willingness to “buy into” (i.e., support) jaguar conservation. Regression analyses revealed that functional, emotional, and conditional values, and a greater level of concern for the protection of jaguars were the main factors influencing whether Colombian’s “buy into” jaguar conservation. Thus, future jaguar conservation efforts can encourage pro-jaguar conservation behaviors by effectively conveying such values. Finally, to assess the impact of jaguar and puma predation on livestock in Colombia and the effectiveness of predation mitigation methods (PMMs), I analzed the data collected by Panthera Colombia’s Human-Felid Coexistence Project between 2013 and 2022 (n=606 predation records). Generalized Linear Mixed Models showed that, for both jaguar and pumas, the cost of a predation event was higher closer to forest, and human settlements, and farther from roads and the ranch’s main house. The likelihood of a predation attack occuring after PMM implementation was significantly low overall, but increased during the wet season, farther from water sources and protected areas. Overall, I conclude that the strong willingness to support jaguar conservation among Colombians and the demonstrated effectiveness of PMMs in my study show promise for leveraging pro-conservation behaviors (e.g., donations, volunteering, advocacy) and that coexistence is possible, providing hope for the long-term conservation of jaguars
Homomesies and Toggleability Spaces
Get PDFWe study the homomesy phenomenon under the rowmotion operator acting on order ideals of posets. We provide details for the extensions of several results in the literature concerning homomesies of toggleability statistics from finite to infinite orbits, which allows us to obtain homomesies for piecewise-linear and birational rowmotion, even in the case of infinite orbits. Integral to this is a novel generalization of a result in the literature, which relaxes the conditions needed to lift a statistic.
We completely describe the order ideal (resp. antichain) toggleability space for general fences: the space of statistics which are linear combinations of order ideal (antichain) indicator functions and equal to a constant plus a linear combination of toggleability statistics. This allows us to strengthen some homomesies under rowmotion on fences proven by Elizalde et al. and prove some new homomesy results for combinatorial, piecewise-linear, and birational rowmotion, as well as their rank-permuted versions.
Additionally, we completely describe both toggleability spaces for posets whose ideals correspond to Motzkin paths, yielding new homomesy results for combinatorial, piecewise-linear, and birational rowmotion, as well as their rank-permuted versions. We prove other homomesy and orbit structure results by interpreting rowmotion as an action on sequences called whirling
Factors Influencing Swift Fox Reintroduction Success to Fort Belknap Reservation, Montana
Get PDFReintroductions are an important conservation tool for reestablishing wildlife populations, and studying the factors influencing reintroduction outcomes is important to improving success rates over time. Swift fox are a small canid native to the short- and mixed grass prairies of western North America that have experienced severe population declines due to habitat loss and poisoning in the late 1800s. While swift fox now occupy approximately 40% of their historic range, reintroduction to northern Montana may promote the species’ long-term persistence, encourage connectivity in an existing range gap, and return species to areas where it is culturally significant. We studied the translocation of swift foxes from four locations in Colorado and Wyoming to the Fort Belknap Reservation, which is a sovereign nation and homelands to the Aaniiih and Nakoda tribes in Montana. Using GPS collars fitted to each translocated fox, we found that most foxes (76%) settled into a stable home range, and the habitats where they settled were similar among all foxes. Specifically, they selected flat areas dominated by grass with soil suitable for burrowing, and areas that were also suitable for black-tailed prairie dogs. We also studied the reintroduced population of swift foxes by placing a large array of baited camera stations where we recorded images and collected their scats, which allowed for genetic analysis of their diet and population size. I found that while swift fox diets were largely similar to coyotes and between groups that had been translocated. However, swift fox born at Fort Belknap had a more distinct diet relative to their coyote competitors. We estimated population size from DNA in swift fox scat, and found that the overall population density was similar to what has been estimated in other parts of swift fox range and that reproduction had taken place. Our results showing that foxes from different source locations did not vary in their post-release habitat selection or diet enforce the message of the final chapter, in which models of swift fox future distribution show the potential for range expansion and swift foxes’ ability to tolerate a range of habitat conditions. Altogether, this research demonstrates that swift fox are an adaptable canid for which reintroduction efforts can be successful. Importantly, we attribute the apparent success of this conservation effort to the stewardship of tribal lands on the Fort Belknap Reservation and to the science-based release protocols established by past research on swift fox reintroductions
Item 3: Service-Learning as Civic Engagement Project
Get PDFStudents will participate in an intercultural service-learning project as a form of civic engagement in collaboration with immigrant and refugee-serving organizations by volunteering with a partner organization weekly or biweekly throughout the semester. Students will write civic engagement reflections on their experiences
Syllabus: Participación Cívica en/para Puerto Rico
No full text¡Bienvenidos al curso Participación Cívica en/para Puerto Rico! En esta clase, los estudiantes¡Bienvenidos al curso Participación Cívica en/para Puerto Rico! En esta clase, los estudiantesaprenderán sobre el estado sociocultural, político, económico y ambiental actual de PuertoRico, contextualizándolo dentro de su historia como colonia española primero y territorioestadounidense después. Se explorarán algunos momentos históricos clave que han moldeadoa Puerto Rico, y su impacto duradero. Los estudiantes aprenderán los mecanismos que lospuertorriqueños en las islas tienen para interactuar con el gobierno de los EE. UU., así como lasformas de participación cívica dentro de la isla. Al finalizar este curso, los estudiantes tendránuna comprensión profunda de Puerto Rico y sus lecciones para el resto del mundo, y estaránaprenderán sobre el estado sociocultural, político, económico y ambiental actual de Puerto Rico, contextualizándolo dentro de su historia como colonia española primero y territorio estadounidense después. Se explorarán algunos momentos históricos clave que han moldeado a Puerto Rico, y su impacto duradero. Los estudiantes aprenderán los mecanismos que los puertorriqueños en las islas tienen para interactuar con el gobierno de los EE. UU., así como las formas de participación cívica dentro de la isla. Al finalizar este curso, los estudiantes tendrán una comprensión profunda de Puerto Rico y sus lecciones para el resto del mundo, y estarán capacitados para tomar acción cívica en nombre del archipiélag
Item 3: Activity 2: Civic Skills: Design Your Own Learning
Get PDFThis two-part activity helps students identify important civic skills for democratic participation and then use backward design principles to create their own experiential learning plan for developing a specific civic skill. Students learn how to intentionally design learning experiences that build their capacity for effective civic engagement
Item 5: Assignment 1: Pathways to Public Service Presentation
Get PDFThis assignment asks students to research a local organization addressing a social issue of their choice, analyze which of the six Pathways to Public Service are represented in the organization\u27s work, and identify alternative pathways through other organizations addressing the same issue. Students prepare a 5-minute presentation that demonstrates their understanding of diverse approaches to civic engagement and creates opportunities for their own civic participation
Item 2: Assignment 1: Polarization, Identity, and Democratic Voice
No full textThis capstone assignment invites students to critically analyze the 2024 US election cycle using civic and policy lenses. Students examine voting outcomes, campaign strategies, demographic shifts, and broader public engagement trends. They submit recommendations for political parties and policymakers based on historical patterns, political behavior research, and public opinion data. Students may choose their output format (e.g., essay, infographic, podcast) and optionally use generative AI, accompanied by a structured AI Use & Reflection Report. The assignment is designed to integrate civic reasoning, historical context, and action-oriented political learning
Item 7: Activity 2: Civic Engagement Warm-Up Discussion: \u3ci\u3eHow Do You Show Up in Civic Life?\u3c/i\u3e
No full textThis low-stakes discussion activity introduces students to the broad and inclusive concept of civic engagement. Before analyzing legal frameworks, case studies, or public policy, students begin with a personal lens. This activity helps them activate prior knowledge, identify with civic values, and recognize that engagement comes in many forms. It works well in the first 1–2 weeks of a course and is adaptable for online, hybrid, or in-person settings
Item 1: Syllabus: Civic Leadership: Theories and Action
No full textCivic leadership involves students learning key skills to foster collaboration across differences, embracing complex decision-making in dialogue with others, and valuing pragmatic solutions that advance the common good. This class answers questions such as: “What are the essential traits, key skills and mindsets of a civic leader?” “How do history, legal frameworks, and socioeconomic theories shape the way civic leaders should approach solving wicked issues?” “How might civic leaders harness technology and design thinking to improve civic life?” “What are models of civic engagement that work and how can civic leaders implement them in real communities?” “How can James Madison’s legacy, mixed as it is, guide civic leaders?