

Head to the Brazilian Pantanal, a natural region encompassing the world's largest flooded grasslands, and lend your zoo management expertise to an inspiring animal sanctuary. As well as the eight amazing additions that make up this animal-focussed pack, the Wetlands Animal Pack also features an all-new challenge scenario. These highly requested animals comprise of seven habitat species and one exhibit amphibian, and include the adorable capybara, distinctive platypus, and powerful water buffalo. Occupancy of some species such as the song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) and the swamp sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) differed according to whether the wetland was an ACEP site located on private land or a reference site located on public land, indicating a potential difference in wetlands in West Virginia based on where the wetland is located within the landscape.Where there is water, there is life! Discover the richness of the wetlands with the Planet Zoo: Wetlands Animal Pack and embrace eight diverse new species. Nine Passereillidae species were detected across the wetland sites, and were associated with wetland size and the vegetative structure of the sites. Our results indicate that Anatidae species did not typically use the ACEP wetland sites, in part due to the small size and isolation of the sites. Our specific objectives were to study the influence habitat associations and interspecific interactions had on Passereillidae and Anatidae occupancy of ACEP wetland sites during the winters of 18. By studying the avian occupancy, richness and abundance at these sites and a set of reference sites located on public land, we evaluated the ACEP wetland sites functional ability as avian habitat and determined the effectiveness of current conservation practices.

In West Virginia, there are 24 wetland conservation easements established through ACEP. Often, avian use of a site is an indication of the functional ability of its ecosystem services.

Wetlands established or restored on private land through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) can act as important wintering habitat for a myriad of avian species. James Anderson - West Virginia University Division of Forestry and Natural Resources Wildlife and Fisheries ResourcesĪBSTRACT.
