Threatened Mammals With Alien Populations: Distribution, Causes, and Conservation

ABSTRACT Many alien species are safe in their native ranges, but some are threatened. This creates a conundrum for conservation and invasion science. We analyzed the distributions, introduction pathways, threats, and conservation strategies of threatened mammals with alien populations globally. We r...

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Main Authors: Lisa Tedeschi, Bernd Lenzner, Anna Schertler, Dino Biancolini, Franz Essl, Carlo Rondinini
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-01-01
Series:Conservation Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.13069
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author Lisa Tedeschi
Bernd Lenzner
Anna Schertler
Dino Biancolini
Franz Essl
Carlo Rondinini
author_facet Lisa Tedeschi
Bernd Lenzner
Anna Schertler
Dino Biancolini
Franz Essl
Carlo Rondinini
author_sort Lisa Tedeschi
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Many alien species are safe in their native ranges, but some are threatened. This creates a conundrum for conservation and invasion science. We analyzed the distributions, introduction pathways, threats, and conservation strategies of threatened mammals with alien populations globally. We reassessed their hypothetical IUCN Red List category including the alien part of the range. Among 230 alien mammals, 36 are threatened in their native range, either critically endangered (17%), endangered (25%), or vulnerable (58%). These species were mainly introduced for hunting and exchanged within Asia, with introduced ranges concentrated in south‐eastern Asia and eastern Australia. They face multiple threats, particularly from biological resource use. Conservation strategies are mainly related to species management. Including alien populations in the assessments reduces extinction risk of 22% of the species. Although some of these alien populations may have conservation value, conservation managers should carefully consider them on a case‐by‐case basis to avoid negative impacts on biodiversity.
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spelling doaj-art-0950bf08e0604ce6bd62df110c7e5de72025-08-20T02:45:37ZengWileyConservation Letters1755-263X2025-01-01181n/an/a10.1111/conl.13069Threatened Mammals With Alien Populations: Distribution, Causes, and ConservationLisa Tedeschi0Bernd Lenzner1Anna Schertler2Dino Biancolini3Franz Essl4Carlo Rondinini5Division of BioInvasions, Global Change & Macroecology, Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research University of Vienna Vienna AustriaDivision of BioInvasions, Global Change & Macroecology, Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research University of Vienna Vienna AustriaDivision of BioInvasions, Global Change & Macroecology, Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research University of Vienna Vienna AustriaGlobal Mammal Assessment Programme, Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin” Sapienza University of Rome Rome ItalyDivision of BioInvasions, Global Change & Macroecology, Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research University of Vienna Vienna AustriaGlobal Mammal Assessment Programme, Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin” Sapienza University of Rome Rome ItalyABSTRACT Many alien species are safe in their native ranges, but some are threatened. This creates a conundrum for conservation and invasion science. We analyzed the distributions, introduction pathways, threats, and conservation strategies of threatened mammals with alien populations globally. We reassessed their hypothetical IUCN Red List category including the alien part of the range. Among 230 alien mammals, 36 are threatened in their native range, either critically endangered (17%), endangered (25%), or vulnerable (58%). These species were mainly introduced for hunting and exchanged within Asia, with introduced ranges concentrated in south‐eastern Asia and eastern Australia. They face multiple threats, particularly from biological resource use. Conservation strategies are mainly related to species management. Including alien populations in the assessments reduces extinction risk of 22% of the species. Although some of these alien populations may have conservation value, conservation managers should carefully consider them on a case‐by‐case basis to avoid negative impacts on biodiversity.https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.13069alien rangebiological invasionsconservationinvasive alien speciesmammalsRed List
spellingShingle Lisa Tedeschi
Bernd Lenzner
Anna Schertler
Dino Biancolini
Franz Essl
Carlo Rondinini
Threatened Mammals With Alien Populations: Distribution, Causes, and Conservation
Conservation Letters
alien range
biological invasions
conservation
invasive alien species
mammals
Red List
title Threatened Mammals With Alien Populations: Distribution, Causes, and Conservation
title_full Threatened Mammals With Alien Populations: Distribution, Causes, and Conservation
title_fullStr Threatened Mammals With Alien Populations: Distribution, Causes, and Conservation
title_full_unstemmed Threatened Mammals With Alien Populations: Distribution, Causes, and Conservation
title_short Threatened Mammals With Alien Populations: Distribution, Causes, and Conservation
title_sort threatened mammals with alien populations distribution causes and conservation
topic alien range
biological invasions
conservation
invasive alien species
mammals
Red List
url https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.13069
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AT berndlenzner threatenedmammalswithalienpopulationsdistributioncausesandconservation
AT annaschertler threatenedmammalswithalienpopulationsdistributioncausesandconservation
AT dinobiancolini threatenedmammalswithalienpopulationsdistributioncausesandconservation
AT franzessl threatenedmammalswithalienpopulationsdistributioncausesandconservation
AT carlorondinini threatenedmammalswithalienpopulationsdistributioncausesandconservation