Illegal wildlife trade is gaining prominence as a threat to biodiversity, but addressing it remains challenging. To help inform proactive policy responses in the face of uncertainty, in 2018 we conducted a horizon scan of significant emerging issues. We built upon existing iterative horizon scanning methods, using an open and global participatory approach to evaluate and rank issues from a diverse range of sources. Prioritized issues related to three themes: developments in biological, information, and financial technologies; changing trends in demand and information; and socioeconomic, geopolitical shifts and influences. The issues covered areas ranging from changing demographic and economic factors to innovations in technology and communications that affect illegal wildlife trade markets globally; the top three issues related to China, illustrating its vital role in tackling emerging threats. This analysis can support national governments, international bodies, researchers, and nongovernmental organizations as they develop strategies for addressing the illegal wildlife trade.

The six limestone langur taxa of Southeast Asia inhabit the rugged limestone karst mountains, although the reason for their current restriction to this habitat is unclear. From August 2007 to July 2008, I collected data on the diet and feeding behavior of the critically endangered Delacour's langur (Trachypithecus delacouri) in Van Long Nature Reserve, Vietnam. I used these data to evaluate the hypothesis that limestone langurs are found on karst habitat because they depend on endemic limestone plants. Feeding accounted for 29% of the langurs' activity budget. Young leaves dominated the diet monthly, seasonally, and annually. The annual diet consists of nearly 79% foliage with almost 60% young leaves. Despite a distinct wet and dry season, over the study period, seasonal variation in plant part consumption was slight. Fruit and seeds were a small contribution to the diet. Delacour's langurs ate 42 of 145 available species, and they concentrated on a subset of this number. Five plant species comprised more than 60% of the diet and 16 species comprised more than 93%. More than half of the diet came from climbers. Delacour's langurs are among the most highly folivorous of studied colobines and, along with the closely related T. leucocephalus of southern China, the most folivorous of the Asian langurs. Whether high folivory is owing to a lack of available fruits and seeds in limestone habitats is unknown. What is certain, however, is that the plant species most important in the Delacour's langurs' diet at VLNR, throughout the study, were not plants endemic to limestone. Feeding dependence alone, therefore, cannot explain the current distribution of limestone langurs on karst habitat.

Recent studies at the Endangered Primate Rescue Center (EPRC) in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam's Cuc Phuong National Park by Byron et al. ([2002] Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. [Suppl.] 34:51) and Covert and Byron ([2002] Caring for Primates) revealed unexpected locomotor and postural behaviors in the red-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix nemaeus). This paper further elucidates the question of red-shanked douc suspensory behavior, and provides initial positional behavior data for two other rare Asian colobines, by comparing the ontogenetic positional behavior of red-shanked douc langurs, Delacour's langurs (Trachypithecus delacouri), and Hatinh langurs (Trachypithecus hatinhensis) at the EPRC. Two hundred and seven hours of positional behavior data were collected, with approximately equal amounts of data on each species, and equal amounts on adults and those less than 18 months in age. All young animals were more active than adults, used a wider repertoire of locomotor behaviors, and expressed suspensory behaviors more frequently than did the adults. Young animals also "invented" one new locomotor and two new postural behaviors. These differences are due to both play and explorative behavior, as well as to the youths' changing musculoskeletal systems. The number of positional behaviors utilized by the adults of these species is quite similar to one another (23-32), as is that utilized by the young (51-56). Douc langurs in both age categories used suspensory behaviors more frequently than did Delacour's and Hatinh langurs. Because the uniformity of enclosures offers a control, the results of this study generate hypotheses regarding adaptive radiations and niche partitioning in wild populations.

Information on positional behavior can help elucidate relationships between a species' morphology, behavior, and environment. Delacour's langurs (Trachypithecus delacouri) are similar to other colobines in body mass and intermembral index, yet inhabit a limestone karst environment. From August 2007 to July 2008, we collected 372 h of positional behavior and substrate use data from 8 groups of Trachypithecus delacouri in Van Long Nature Reserve, Vietnam to address questions about how the distinct-and potentially dangerous-features of karst influence colobine positional behavior. Results show that Trachypithecus delacouri is predominantly quadrupedal (66%). However, they exhibit differences that set them apart from many other colobines. Nearly 80% of locomotor and postural behaviors were performed on rocks. Leaping was remarkably infrequent, representing only 6% of overall locomotion. They leapt 3 times more frequently on trees (13%) than on rocks (4%) and more frequently used trees as a landing substrate than rocks (38% vs. 23%), both significant differences. We argue that rock (and cliff) travel is altogether different from terrestrial and arboreal travel and propose using the term petrous to indicate the substrate and incorporate the implications of its precise sharpness and verticality that lead to the complexities and risk of locomotion on rock surfaces. Trachypithecus delacouri does not show specific adaptations for limestone karst. Instead they appear to be a behaviorally flexible species and, owing to the generalized locomotor capabilities that characterize cercopithecids, capable of locomoting through and living in the limestone rock environment to which they have relatively recently been restricted.

Illegal wildlife trade is gaining prominence as a threat to biodiversity, but addressing it remains challenging. To help inform proactive policy responses in the face of uncertainty, in 2018 we conducted a horizon scan of significant emerging issues. We built upon existing iterative horizon scanning methods, using an open and global participatory approach to evaluate and rank issues from a diverse range of sources. Prioritised issues related to three themes: developments in biological, information and financial technologies; changing trends in demand and information; and socio-economic and geopolitical shifts and influences. The issues covered areas ranging from changing demographic and economic factors to innovations in technology and communications that affect IWT markets globally; the top three issues related to China, illustrating its vital role in tackling emerging threats. This analysis can support national governments, international bodies, researchers and non-governmental organisations as they develop strategies for addressing the illegal wildlife trade.

Objective This study’s objective is to differentiate possible ADHD syndromes on the basis of symptom trajectories, prognosis, and associated clinical features in a high-risk cohort. Method Latent class analysis of inattentive (IA) and hyperactive–impulsive (HI) symptoms in 387 non-disabled members of a regional low birthweight/preterm birth cohort who were evaluated for ADHD at 6, 9, and 16 years. Adolescent functional outcomes and other clinical features were examined across the classes. Results Three latent classes were identified: unaffected (modest IA and HI symptom prevalences at six, remitting by nine), school age limited (relatively high IA and HI symptom prevalences at six and nine, declining by 16), and persistent inattentive (high IA and HI prevalences at six and nine, with high IA levels persisting to 16). The persistent inattentive class was distinctively associated with poor functioning, motor problems, other psychiatric disorders, and social difficulties as indexed by a positive screen for autism spectrum disorder at 16. Conclusion These findings differentiate a potential persistent inattentive syndrome relevant to ADHD evaluation and treatment.

No abstract

Vietnam is home to a considerable diversity of primates: Indeed, five of the world's top 25 most endangered primate species are found within Vietnam. To understand and ultimately address Vietnam's conservation crisis, the complex interplay of history, demography, economics, international relations, and culture must be analyzed within Vietnam's specific context. Conducting a holistic analysis with the example of hunting represents how seemingly disparate factors such as the U.S. war, increased tourism and globalization, population density, and cultural traditions converge to significantly impact wildlife.