Instructions for Authors
Comprehensive guidelines for preparing your wildlife research manuscript.
Prepare Your Submission
Wildlife follows established standards for scientific publishing to ensure clarity, reproducibility, and impact of published wildlife research. Please review these guidelines carefully before preparing your manuscript for submission.
Manuscript Types
Original Research
Novel findings from field studies, laboratory experiments, or analytical investigations advancing wildlife science. Typically 4,000-8,000 words excluding references. Must include clear methodology, results, and discussion of conservation implications.
Review Articles
Comprehensive reviews synthesizing current knowledge on significant wildlife topics. Typically 6,000-10,000 words. Should identify knowledge gaps, evaluate evidence quality, and propose future research directions for the field.
Short Communications
Brief reports of significant findings warranting rapid publication. Maximum 2,500 words with limited figures and tables. Suitable for preliminary findings, novel observations, or time-sensitive conservation reports.
Methods Papers
Novel methodological approaches for wildlife monitoring, population assessment, or conservation interventions. Must demonstrate clear advantages over existing methods with validation data.
Manuscript Structure
Title Page
- Concise, descriptive title (max 20 words)
- All author names and affiliations
- Corresponding author contact details
- ORCID identifiers for all authors
- Running head (max 50 characters)
- Word count and figure/table count
Abstract
- Maximum 300 words
- Structured format: Background, Methods, Results, Conclusions
- No citations or undefined abbreviations
- 5-8 keywords below abstract
- Species common and scientific names
Main Text
- Introduction with clear objectives
- Materials and Methods (reproducible detail)
- Results (data presentation)
- Discussion (interpretation)
- Conclusions (key findings)
Back Matter
- Acknowledgments
- Author contributions (CRediT)
- Funding sources
- Conflicts of interest statement
- Data availability statement
- Ethics approval statement
Formatting Requirements
Text Formatting
- Microsoft Word or LaTeX format
- Double-spaced throughout
- 12-point Times New Roman font
- Continuous line numbering
- Page numbers on all pages
- 2.5 cm margins all sides
References
- Author-date citation style
- Alphabetical reference list
- DOIs required for all published works
- Recent and relevant citations
- Avoid excessive self-citation
- Include accessed dates for URLs
Figures
- Minimum 300 dpi resolution
- TIFF, PNG, or EPS format
- Separate files from main text
- Clear legends for all figures
- Colorblind-friendly palettes
- Scale bars for all images
Tables
- Editable format (not images)
- Clear descriptive column headers
- Footnotes for abbreviations
- Referenced in text order
- SI units throughout
- Appropriate significant figures
Species Nomenclature
Use common names with scientific names in parentheses at first mention. Follow established taxonomic authorities for scientific nomenclature. For taxa undergoing revision, indicate which classification system is followed. Provide voucher specimen information where applicable for taxonomic studies.
Statistical Requirements
Describe all statistical methods with sufficient detail for reproducibility. Report exact p-values where possible rather than inequality statements. Include effect sizes and confidence intervals alongside significance tests. Specify software versions used for all analyses. For complex models, include model selection criteria and validation procedures.
Ethical Requirements
All research involving animals must comply with institutional ethical guidelines and applicable national and international regulations. Authors must provide ethics committee approval details including protocol numbers and committee names. Field research should document collection permits and minimize animal disturbance through appropriate protocols.
Studies involving wildlife capture, handling, or marking must describe methods to minimize stress and injury. Report any animal mortalities or adverse events. For endangered species, justify the necessity of invasive procedures and demonstrate that benefits outweigh potential impacts. Location data for sensitive species may require aggregation to prevent exploitation.
Data Availability: Authors must include a Data Availability Statement describing how underlying research data can be accessed. We encourage deposition in public repositories such as Dryad, Figshare, GBIF, or Movebank. Provide accession numbers or DOIs for deposited data.
Supplementary Materials
Supplementary materials may include additional figures, tables, datasets, video files, or extended methodological details. All supplementary materials undergo peer review. Label files clearly with figure/table numbers prefixed with S (e.g., Figure S1, Table S1). Provide legends within the supplementary file or as a separate document.
Submission Checklist
Before Submitting
- All authors approved final version
- Manuscript follows formatting guidelines
- Figures are high resolution
- References complete with DOIs
- Cover letter prepared
- Ethical approvals documented
- Data deposited with accession numbers
Required Documents
- Main manuscript file (Word/LaTeX)
- Cover letter to Editor
- Figure files (separate high-res)
- Supplementary materials
- Author disclosure forms
- Ethics approval documentation
- Permit numbers if applicable
Language and Style
Manuscripts should be written in clear, concise English. Authors whose first language is not English are encouraged to have manuscripts reviewed by a native speaker or use professional editing services before submission. Avoid jargon and define technical terms at first use. Use active voice where appropriate to improve clarity and readability.
Follow scientific writing conventions including objective tone, precise terminology, and logical organization. Avoid speculation beyond what the data support. Clearly distinguish between observations and interpretations in results and discussion sections. Conservation recommendations should be evidence-based and explicitly connected to study findings.
Revision Guidelines
Authors receiving revision requests should address all reviewer and editor comments systematically. Prepare a point-by-point response document indicating how each comment was addressed or providing justification for any unchanged aspects. Track changes in the revised manuscript to facilitate re-review. Submit revisions within the deadline specified in the decision letter.
Ready to Submit?
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