Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Primates: Hide food in containers (including boxes and bags) Two before-and-after studies in the USA and Ireland found that the addition of browse to food in boxes, baskets or tubes increased activity levels and foraging behaviours in lemurs and gibbons. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1316https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1316Wed, 12 Oct 2016 14:28:15 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Primates: Present food frozen in ice Two replicated and before-and-after studies in the USA and Ireland, found that when food was presented in ice, feeding time increased and inactivity decreased.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1321https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1321Wed, 12 Oct 2016 15:05:37 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Primates: Maximise both horizontal and vertical food presentation locations One controlled study in the UK and Madagascar found that when food was hung in trees in an outdoor enclosure, less time was spent feeding on food in the indoor enclosure. One replicated, before-and-after study in the UK reported that monkeys spent longer feeding in bowls positioned at the top of an enclosure than in bowls positioned on the floor.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1328https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1328Thu, 13 Oct 2016 08:22:00 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Primates: Formulate diet to reflect nutritional composition of wild foods (including removal of domestic fruits) One before-and-after study in the USA found that replacing milk with fruit juice in gorilla diets led to a decrease in regurgitation and reingestion. One replicated, before-and-after study in the UK found that when lemurs were fed a fruit-free diet aggression and self-directed behaviour were lower.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1329https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1329Thu, 13 Oct 2016 08:27:19 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Primates: Change the number of feeds per day Two before-and-after studies in Japan and the USA found that when the number of feeds per day were increased the amount of time spent feeding increased in chimpanzees, but hair eating also increased in baboons.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1337https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1337Thu, 13 Oct 2016 08:44:38 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Primates: Change feeding times One replicated, controlled study in the USA found that when chimpanzees were fed on unpredictable schedules inactivity decreased.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1338https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1338Thu, 13 Oct 2016 08:46:57 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Primates: Feed individuals in social groups One replicated, controlled study in the USA reported that an enrichment task took less time to complete when monkeys were in social groups than when feeding alone. One before-and-after study in Italy found that in the presence of their groupmates monkeys ate more unfamiliar foods during the first encounter.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1343https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1343Thu, 13 Oct 2016 08:56:07 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Amphibians: Identify and breed a similar species to refine husbandry techniques prior to working with target species Two small, replicated interlinked studies in Brazil found that working with a less-threatened surrogate species of frog first to establish husbandry interventions promoted successful breeding of a critically endangered species of frog. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1862https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1862Thu, 18 Jan 2018 16:03:54 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Amphibians: Vary enclosure temperature to simulate seasonal changes in the wild One small, replicated study in Italy found that one of six females bred following a drop in temperature from 20-24 to 17°C, and filling of an egg laying pond. One replicated, before-and-after study in Australia that provided a pre-breeding cooling period, alongside allowing females to gain weight before the breeding period, separating sexes during the non-breeding period, providing mate choice for females and playing recorded mating calls, increased breeding success. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1864https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1864Thu, 18 Jan 2018 16:32:22 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Amphibians: Vary quality or quantity (UV% or gradients) of enclosure lighting to simulate seasonal changes in the wild One replicated study in the UK found that there was no difference in clutch size between frogs given an ultraviolet (UV) boost compared with those who only received background levels. However, frogs given the UV boost had a significantly greater fungal load than frogs that were not UV-boosted. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1865https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1865Fri, 19 Jan 2018 08:49:28 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Amphibians: Provide artificial aquifers for species which breed in upwelling springs One small study in the USA found that salamanders bred in an aquarium fitted with an artificial aquifer. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1871https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1871Fri, 19 Jan 2018 09:07:16 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Amphibians: Vary artificial rainfall to simulate seasonal changes in the wild Two replicated, before-and-after studies in Germany and Austria found that simulating a wet and dry season, as well as being moved to an enclosure with more egg laying sites and flowing water in Austria, stimulated breeding and egg deposition. In Germany, no toadlets survived past 142 days old. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1872https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1872Fri, 19 Jan 2018 10:13:30 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Amphibians: Provide multiple egg laying sites within an enclosure One replicated study in Australia found that frogs only bred once moved into an indoor enclosure which had various types of organic substrate, allowed temporary flooding, and enabled sex ratios to be manipulated along with playing recorded mating calls. One small, replicated, before-and-after study in Fiji found that adding rotting logs and hollow bamboo pipes to an enclosure, as well as a variety of substrates, promoted egg laying in frogs. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1873https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1873Fri, 19 Jan 2018 10:21:58 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Amphibians: Provide natural substrate for species which do not breed in water (e.g. burrowing/tunnel breeders) Two replicated studies in Australia and Fiji found that adding a variety of substrates to an enclosure, as well as rotting logs and hollow bamboo pipes in one case, promoted egg laying in frogs. The Australian study also temporarily flooded enclosures, manipulated sex ratios and played recorded mating calls. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1874https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1874Fri, 19 Jan 2018 10:30:30 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Amphibians: Provide particular plants as breeding areas or egg laying sites One small, controlled study in the USA found that salamanders bred in an aquarium heavily planted with java moss and swamp-weed. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1875https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1875Fri, 19 Jan 2018 10:31:52 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Amphibians: Manipulate sex ratio within the enclosure One replicated study in Australia found that frogs only bred once sex ratios were manipulated, along with playing recorded mating calls and moving frogs into an indoor enclosure which allowed temporary flooding, and had various types of organic substrate. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1879https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1879Fri, 19 Jan 2018 11:00:23 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Amphibians: Separate sexes in non-breeding periods One replicated, before-and-after study in Australia found that clutch size of frogs increased when sexes were separated in the non-breeding periods, alongside providing female mate choice, playing recorded mating calls and allowing females to increase in weight before breeding. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1880https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1880Fri, 19 Jan 2018 11:08:49 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Amphibians: Supplement diets with carotenoids (including for colouration) One study in the USA found that adding carotenoids to fruit flies fed to frogs reduced the number of clutches, but increased the number of tadpoles and successful metamorphs. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1887https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1887Fri, 19 Jan 2018 14:21:27 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Amphibians: Increase caloric intake of females in preparation for breeding One replicated, before-and-after study in Australia found that clutch size of frogs increased when females increased in weight before breeding, as well as having mate choice, recorded mating calls, and sexes being separated in the non-breeding periods. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1888https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1888Fri, 19 Jan 2018 14:36:09 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Amphibians: Manipulate larval density within the enclosure A replicated study in the USA found that reducing larval density of spotted salamanders increased larval survival and body mass. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1894https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1894Fri, 19 Jan 2018 15:05:40 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Carnivores: Supplement meat-based diets with prebiotic plant material to facilitate digestion One replicated, before-and-after study in India found that providing Jerusalem artichoke as a supplement increased two types of gut microbiota, faecal scores and faecal moisture content in leopards. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1905https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1905Wed, 24 Jan 2018 10:37:54 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Carnivores: Allocate fast days One replicated, before-and-after study in the UK found that large felids fed once every three days paced more frequently on non-feeding days. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1906https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1906Wed, 24 Jan 2018 10:38:37 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Carnivores: Supplement meat-based diet with amino acids One replicated, before-and-after study in the USA found that supplementing an animal-protein diet with taurine, increased plasma taurine levels in maned wolves. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1908https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1908Wed, 24 Jan 2018 10:40:59 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Carnivores: Change location of food around enclosure One replicated, before-and-after study in Ireland found that altering the location of food decreased pacing behaviours in cheetahs. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1918https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1918Wed, 24 Jan 2018 10:51:27 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Carnivores: Provide live invertebrate prey, including in feeding devices One replicated study in the USA found that provision of live prey increased explorative behaviours in fennec foxes compared to other types of enrichment. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1926https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1926Wed, 24 Jan 2018 12:19:57 +0000
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What Works in Conservation

What Works in Conservation provides expert assessments of the effectiveness of actions, based on summarised evidence, in synopses. Subjects covered so far include amphibians, birds, mammals, forests, peatland and control of freshwater invasive species. More are in progress.

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