Mammals are threatened worldwide, with ~26% of all species being included in the IUCN threatened categories. This overall pattern is primarily associated with habitat loss or degradation, and human persecution for terrestrial mammals, and pollution, open net fishing, climate change, and prey depletion for marine mammals. Mammals play a key role in maintaining ecosystems functionality and resilience, and therefore information on their distribution is crucial to delineate and support conservation actions. MAMMALS IN PORTUGAL is a publicly available data set compiling unpublished georeferenced occurrence records of 92 terrestrial, volant, and marine mammals in mainland Portugal and archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira that includes 105,026 data entries between 1873 and 2021 (72% of the data occurring in 2000 and 2021). The methods used to collect the data were: live observations/captures (43%), sign surveys (35%), camera trapping (16%), bioacoustics surveys (4%) and radiotracking, and inquiries that represent less than 1% of the records. The data set includes 13 types of records: (1) burrows | soil mounds | tunnel, (2) capture, (3) colony, (4) dead animal | hair | skulls | jaws, (5) genetic confirmation, (6) inquiries, (7) observation of live animal (8), observation in shelters, (9) photo trapping | video, (10) predators diet | pellets | pine cones/nuts, (11) scat | track | ditch, (12) telemetry and (13) vocalization | echolocation. The spatial uncertainty of most records ranges between 0 and 100 m (76%). Rodentia (n =31,573) has the highest number of records followed by Chiroptera (n = 18,857), Carnivora (n = 18,594), Lagomorpha (n = 17,496), Cetartiodactyla (n = 11,568) and Eulipotyphla (n = 7008). The data set includes records of species classified by the IUCN as threatened (e.g., Oryctolagus cuniculus [n = 12,159], Monachus monachus [n = 1,512], and Lynx pardinus [n = 197]). We believe that this data set may stimulate the publication of other European countries data sets that would certainly contribute to ecology and conservation‐related research, and therefore assisting on the development of more accurate and tailored conservation management strategies for each species. There are no copyright restrictions; please cite this data paper when the data are used in publications.

South Africa’s decentralized approach to conservation entails that wildlife outside formally protected areas inhabit complex multi-use landscapes, where private wildlife business (ecotourism and/or hunting) co-exist in a human-dominated landscape matrix. Under decentralized conservation, wildlife is perceived to benefit from increased amount of available habitat, however it is crucial to understand how distinct management priorities and associated landscape modifications impact noncharismatic taxa, such as small mammals. We conducted extensive ink-tracking-tunnel surveys to estimate heterogeneity in rodent distribution and investigate the effect of different environmental factors on abundance patterns of two size-based rodent groups (small- and medium-sized species), across three adjacent management contexts in NE KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a private ecotourism game reserve, mixed farms and traditional communal areas (consisting of small clusters of houses interspersed with grazing areas and seminatural vegetation). Our hypotheses were formulated regarding the (1) area typology, (2) vegetation structure, (3) ungulate pressure and (4) human disturbance. Using a boosted-regression-tree approach, we found considerable differences between rodent groups’ abundance and distribution, and the underlying environmental factors. The mean relative abundance of medium-sized species did not differ across the three management contexts, but small species mean relative abundance was higher in the game reserves, confirming an influence of the area typology on their abundance. Variation in rodent relative abundance was negatively correlated with human disturbance and ungulate presence. Rodent abundance seems to be influenced by environmental gradients that are directly linked to varying management priorities across land uses, meaning that these communities might not benefit uniformly by the increased amount of habitat promoted by the commercial wildlife industry.

The timber industry has increased considerably in recent decades to meet human needs for wood. In Portugal, Eucalyptus plantations are the most common use of forested land, presenting the largest coverage of Eucalyptus globulus in Europe. Although it is established that this landscape can affect biodiversity patterns, it is not clear what its role in shaping small mammals’ body condition is. Here, we tested the effect of Eucalyptus plantations on small mammals’ body condition, together with vegetation structure, weather, predators/competitors’ abundance, and parasites’ prevalence, using the Scaled Mass Index (SMI) as a surrogate. Capture of small mammals took place in 11 study areas in central Portugal from 2019 to 2022. The drivers’ influence was tested using structural equation models (SEM). The response of body condition to Eucalyptus is species-specific, with Crocidura russula displaying better individual condition in native habitats (i.e., there was an indirect negative effect of Eucalyptus plantations). The overall model suggested that deer abundance, precipitation, and forest integrity promoted higher body condition levels, while wild boar abundance had an adverse effect. The management of these plantations must ensure the integrity of the remnants of native patches and control of highly abundant competitors (e.g., wild boar) to maintain a healthy and functional small mammal community.

Sarcoptic mange, a widespread and highly contagious disease caused by Sarcoptes scabiei mites, affects a wide range of mammals, including the red fox ( Vulpes vulpes ). Being a zoonosis, mange can be considered a potential public health issue, of conservation relevance, as many wildlife species are susceptible to mite infection, with impacts on individuals’ fitness and populations’ viability. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and investigate the factors associated with the occurrence of sarcoptic mange compatible lesions in red fox populations in Portugal. Using camera trap datasets and a Generalized Linear Mixed Effects Models (GLMM) approach, we inspected images of foxes for probable signs of mange and tested hypotheses related to ecological and environmental drivers of disease occurrence: climate conditions, land use composition and structure, host community abundance, soil composition, and altitude. Our results showed that 2.9% ( N = 75) of examined photos had mange-compatible lesions. Annual mean precipitation, as well as primary productivity (NDVI), and wild mammal diversity (Shannon-Wiener index) were significantly associated with mange occurrence. We hypothesise that areas with higher precipitation promote higher survival of mites outside their hosts, while higher productivity and diversity of mammals promote direct and indirect opportunities for mite transmission. Altitude exhibited a negative correlation with disease occurrence, suggesting that higher altitude regions, with lower abundance/diversity of mammals, provide less suitable conditions for mite transmission. Our study highlights the complex interactions between environmental and biotic variables and their effect on mange dynamics, providing insightful new data that can inform monitoring and wildlife conservation strategies, thereby enhancing ecosystem resilience.