https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:4478 A LEAP Forward in Wildlife Conservation: A Standardized Framework to Determine Mortality Causes in Large GPS-Tagged Birds Panter, Connor T. Connor T. Panter Nebel, Carina Carina Nebel Raab, Maximilian Maximilian Raab Strauss, Verena Verena Strauss Freytag, Clara Clara Freytag Wojta, Manuel Manuel Wojta Böing, Hannah Hannah Böing Hacker, Patrick Patrick Hacker Raab, Rainhard Rainhard Raab Windt, Jendrik Jendrik Windt Posautz, Annika Annika Posautz University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Kuebber-Heiss, Anna Anna Kuebber-Heiss 0000-0001-6096-3835 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Scherler, Patrick Patrick Scherler Grüebler, Martin U. Martin U. Grüebler Kormann, Urs G Urs G Kormann Kolbe, Martin Martin Kolbe Millon, Alexandre Alexandre Millon de la Puente, Javier Javier de la Puente Viñuela, Javier Javier Viñuela Orr-Ewing, Duncan Duncan Orr-Ewing Krone, Oliver Oliver Krone Langgemach, Torsten Torsten Langgemach Åkesson, Susanne Susanne Åkesson Mattsson, Brady Brady Mattsson Sumasgutner, Petra Petra Sumasgutner Alcántara de la Fuente, Manuel Manuel Alcántara de la Fuente Alvarez, Ernesto Ernesto Alvarez Arizaga, Juan Juan Arizaga Bach Pagès, Albert Albert Bach Pagès Bermejo, Ana Ana Bermejo Ceccolini, Guido Guido Ceccolini Chakarov, Nayden Nayden Chakarov Derpmann-Hagenström, Peter Peter Derpmann-Hagenström Dostál, Marek Marek Dostál Fabian, Gerd Gerd Fabian Fiedler, Wolfgang Wolfgang Fiedler Galán, Manuel Manuel Galán Ganier, Clément Clément Ganier Gärtner, Andreas Andreas Gärtner Glesener, Liza Liza Glesener Godino, Alfonso Alfonso Godino Guziová, Zuzana Zuzana Guziová Haraszthy, László; László; Haraszthy Karlsson, Caka Caka Karlsson Klein, Katharina Katharina Klein Literák, Ivan Ivan Literák Lorenzini, Nicolas Nicolas Lorenzini Löwold, Manuela Manuela Löwold Lüning, Christopher Christopher Lüning Maderič, Boris Boris Maderič Makoň, Karel Karel Makoň Mammen, Kerstin Kerstin Mammen Mammen, Ubbo Ubbo Mammen Marczak, Torsten Torsten Marczak Matušík, Hynek Hynek Matušík Mionnet, Aymeric Aymeric Mionnet Morollón, Sara Sara Morollón Mráz, Jakub Jakub Mráz Nachtigall, Winfried Winfried Nachtigall Nicolai, Bernd Bernd Nicolai Olalde Fernández, Marta Marta Olalde Fernández Ottensmann, Meinolf Meinolf Ottensmann Palacios González, María Jesús María Jesús Palacios González Paquet, Jean-Yves Jean-Yves Paquet Pečeňák, Vladimír Vladimír Pečeňák Peške, Lubomír Lubomír Peške Pfeiffer, Thomas Thomas Pfeiffer Pudwill, Robert Robert Pudwill Rak, Dušan Dušan Rak Rapp, Tim Maximilian Tim Maximilian Rapp Resetaritz, Alexander Alexander Resetaritz van Rijn, Stef Stef van Rijn Riols, Romain Romain Riols Rodríguez, Arturo Arturo Rodríguez Scholze, Luisa Luisa Scholze Schulte, Laura Laura Schulte de Seynes, Aurélie Aurélie de Seynes Škrábal, Jan Jan Škrábal Spakovszky, Péter Péter Spakovszky Steinborn, Eike Eike Steinborn Svetlík, Ján Ján Svetlík Talhoet, Samuel Samuel Talhoet Vaczi, Miklós Miklós Vaczi Verdier, Anne-Gaelle Anne-Gaelle Verdier Vermouzek, Zdenĕk Zdenĕk Vermouzek Villanúa Inglada, Inglada, Diego Inglada, Diego Villanúa Inglada Westphal, Jörg Jörg Westphal Raab, Rainer Rainer Raab Wiley journal article open access eng Anthropogenic activities threaten many wildlife populations by increasing mortality rates, making it crucial to identify the locations and causes of mortality to inform conservation actions. Technological advancements, such as GPS satellite tracking, enable precise recording of wildlife movements. High-resolution data from such devices can facilitate rapid carcass recovery and provide insights into the mortality causes of tagged individuals. Obtaining required information to determine these causes is complex, and standardized approaches can overcome these limitations. In this study, we introduce the LIFE EUROKITE Assessment Protocol (LEAP), a framework for determining the timing, locations, and causes of mortality in GPS-tagged birds. LEAP is a multifaceted approach that integrates: (1) GPS tracking data, (2) evidence from the mortality location (site investigation), and (3) necropsy results to derive the mortality cause and a corresponding certainty score. We supplement the detailed description of LEAP with case studies assessing its effectiveness. Using 329 deceased GPS-tagged red kites (Milvus milvus) we compared conditions of the carcasses processed using LEAP with 145 opportunistically collected raptor carcasses. We also show that LEAP improves carcass condition and therefore allows for higher quality necropsy results. Additionally, we assessed how availability among sources of information (tracking, site investigation and necropsy) influences the quality of mortality assessments. Applying LEAP with all data sources provided the highest quality assessments in 64% of cases. Some 35% of cases were of high quality without necropsy, instead drawing evidence only from tracking data and site investigations. Predation related mortality was less prevalent (11%) when relying on necropsy compared to cases without necropsy (36%), while poisoning showed the opposite trend. Furthermore, we provide guidelines and empirical examples of mortality assessments. Our standardized LEAP approach ensures the best use of all available information regarding mortality events in GPS-tagged birds and advances wildlife mortality research as a valuable tool for conservationists and wildlife managers. Bird Crime Cause of Death GPS Tracking Human-Wildlife Conflict Population Monitoring Survival Analysis Wildlife Conservation http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/api/object/o:4478/download 10.1002/ece3.70975 https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:605 application/pdf Ecology and Evolution issn:2045-7758 VoR Ecology and Evolution 15 4 17.97 MB 2025