Biodiversity of tropical grasslands and savannas (tropical grassy biomes, TGBs) remains poorly documented compared with tropical forests.

We monitored native forest regeneration over 11 y in a eucalyptus plantation and compared it with the neighbouring primary forest. For the plantation forest, we hypothesized that species richness, density, basal area and densities of old-growth species would increase over time, and compared to the primary forest, plantation forest would have higher species richness and density, but lower densities of old-growth species. In 2016, we repeated the protocol of a study that sampled the plantation forest in 2005, with thirty 10 × 10-m plots and enumerating trees (≥10 cm diameter), saplings (>1 to <10 cm diameter) and seedlings (<1 cm diameter). In the plantation forest, for trees, the species richness, density of gap, bird-dispersed and mammal-dispersed species increased by 67%, 156%, 116% and 238% respectively; whereas for saplings, density of gap, bird-dispersed and small-seeded species declined by 45.2%, 51% and 18.2% respectively over time; and seedling densities did not change across functional groups. Stand basal area increased by 80.1% in the plantation forest. The primary forest had 446% greater density of closed-canopy trees compared with plantation forest. Contrary to our prediction, the plantation forest did not accumulate significant densities of old-growth species over time, probably due to demographic filters that prevent them from attaining maturity.

Biodiversity targets, under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, prioritize both conservation area and their effectiveness. The effective management of protected areas (PAs) depends greatly on law enforcement resources, which is often tasked to rangers. We addressed economic aspects of law enforcement by rangers working in terrestrial landscapes across Asia. Accordingly, we used ranger numbers and payment rates to derive continentalscale estimates. Ranger density has decreased by 2.4-fold since the 1990s, increasing the median from 10.9 to 26.4 km 2 of PAs per ranger. Rangers were generally paid more than the minimum wage (median ratio = 1.9) and the typical salaries in agriculture, forestry, and fishing sector (median ratio = 1.2). Annual spending on ranger salaries varied widely among countries, with a median of annual US71 km −2 of PA. Nearly 208,000 rangers patrolling Asian PAs provide an invaluable opportunity to develop ranger-based monitoring plans for evaluating the conservation performance. As decision-makers frequently seek an optimum number of law enforcement staff, our study provides a continental baseline median of 46.3 km 2 PA per ranger. Our findings also provide a baseline for countries to improve their ranger-based law enforcement which is critical for their Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets.

Brown Mongoose Herpestes fuscus is crepuscular in habit and rarely encountered.  Information on its natural history and ecology is limited and consequently its conservation requirements are not well understood.  We report observations of a Brown Mongoose feeding on a Nilgiri Langur Semnopithecus johnii carcass in the Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, southern India.  A camera trap was deployed over the Nilgiri Langur carcass over 10 nights during which, the mongoose visited the carcass on eight nights.  Based on the images captured, the mongoose behaviour was broadly categorized as vigilance, feeding, walking and grooming.  The mongoose was most active between 03.30–06.00 h and 19.00–00.00 h. Additionally, we report observations of a pair of Brown Mongoose foraging, and an incident of road mortality.  These observations will add to the limited current understanding of the species, necessary for assessing its conservation status and identifying interventions.