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Wang S, Fei P, Wu Z, Luo Z, Wu Y, Sun N, Wang Y, Zi S, Gao L, Du B. Adult tiger beetles Cicindela gemmata modify their foraging strategy in different hunting contexts. INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 30:1749-1758. [PMID: 36880563 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Predator-prey interaction has long been an interesting item in the research of animal behaviors. Given that live prey can damage their predators, predators must trade foraging efficiency for safety while hunting, but the extent of this trade-off is not yet clear. Tiger beetles display diversity in their diets and hunting strategies, and hence, they become an ideal system to address how self-security affects foraging efficiency. We addressed this question in captive adult tiger beetles Cicindela gemmata. By offering several types of arthropod and plant foods, we confirmed that C. gemmata is carnivorous. We found that C. gemmata hunt by either ambushing or chasing their prey, and that they switch between strategies based on differences in the number of prey, the prey status and encounter rate, and the number of predators. Ambushing success increased with the number of prey but decreased with prey encounter rate. Chasing success decreased as prey body size and encounter rate increased. Foraging Cicindela gemmata often gave up an attack when it was nonfatal. This active giving up of hunting may be a consequence of a trade-off between foraging efficiency and self-security. Therefore, it is an adaptive response to the risk of injury when hunting for larger live prey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shumin Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Panshuai Fei
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zifeng Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zeyi Luo
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yichen Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ningning Sun
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yujie Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Shumei Zi
- College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lifang Gao
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Bo Du
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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McGowan NE, Marks NJ, Maule AG, Schmidt-Küntzel A, Marker LL, Scantlebury DM. Categorising cheetah behaviour using tri-axial accelerometer data loggers: a comparison of model resolution and data logger performance. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:7. [PMID: 35123592 PMCID: PMC8818224 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00305-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Extinction is one of the greatest threats to the living world, endangering organisms globally, advancing conservation to the forefront of species research. To maximise the efficacy of conservation efforts, understanding the ecological, physiological, and behavioural requirements of vulnerable species is vital. Technological advances, particularly in remote sensing, enable researchers to continuously monitor movement and behaviours of multiple individuals simultaneously with minimal human intervention. Cheetahs, Acinonyx jubatus, constitute a "vulnerable" species for which only coarse behaviours have been elucidated. The aims of this study were to use animal-attached accelerometers to (1) determine fine-scale behaviours in cheetahs, (2) compare the performances of different devices in behaviour categorisation, and (3) provide a behavioural categorisation framework. METHODS Two different accelerometer devices (CEFAS, frequency: 30 Hz, maximum capacity: ~ 2 g; GCDC, frequency: 50 Hz, maximum capacity: ~ 8 g) were mounted onto collars, fitted to five individual captive cheetahs. The cheetahs chased a lure around a track, during which time their behaviours were videoed. Accelerometer data were temporally aligned with corresponding video footage and labelled with one of 17 behaviours. Six separate random forest models were run (three per device type) to determine the categorisation accuracy for behaviours at a fine, medium, and coarse resolution. RESULTS Fine- and medium-scale models had an overall categorisation accuracy of 83-86% and 84-88% respectively. Non-locomotory behaviours were best categorised on both loggers with GCDC outperforming CEFAS devices overall. On a coarse scale, both devices performed well when categorising activity (86.9% (CEFAS) vs. 89.3% (GCDC) accuracy) and inactivity (95.5% (CEFAS) vs. 95.0% (GCDC) accuracy). This study defined cheetah behaviour beyond three categories and accurately determined stalking behaviours by remote sensing. We also show that device specification and configuration may affect categorisation accuracy, so we recommend deploying several different loggers simultaneously on the same individual. CONCLUSION The results of this study will be useful in determining wild cheetah behaviour. The methods used here allowed broad-scale (active/inactive) as well as fine-scale (e.g. stalking) behaviours to be categorised remotely. These findings and methodological approaches will be useful in monitoring the behaviour of wild cheetahs and other species of conservation interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha E McGowan
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Nikki J Marks
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Aaron G Maule
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | | | - Laurie L Marker
- Cheetah Conservation Fund, PO Box 1755, Otjiwarongo, Namibia
| | - David M Scantlebury
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK.
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Fernández Moya S, Iglesias Pastrana C, Marín Navas C, Ruíz Aguilera MJ, Delgado Bermejo JV, Navas González FJ. The Winner Takes it All: Risk Factors and Bayesian Modelling of the Probability of Success in Escaping from Big Cat Predation. Animals (Basel) 2021; 12:ani12010051. [PMID: 35011157 PMCID: PMC8749502 DOI: 10.3390/ani12010051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Predation is a complex behavioural interaction that is conditioned by biotic and abiotic factors. In their struggle for survival, the agents participating in the hunt interaction adapt their strategies seeking an opposite interest which leads to the same outcome, success in surviving. Predator/prey interaction data was obtained from on-line posted videos. The examination of records suggested that the species and age range of the predator, its status at the end of the hunt, the time elapsed between the sighting of its prey and the physical contact with it, the species of the prey and the relief of the land were determined success of escape of the prey in case of attack. The present study sheds light on the multietiological nature of predatory abilities and the strategies to fend off anti-predation strategies of the prey in big cats. The theoretical and empirical contents derived from this work will allow the design of environmental enrichment programs in captivity to be substantially improved by providing preys and enough space for them to express big cats predating strategies. The extrapolation of these results to domestic contexts may enable approaching selection strategies from two perspectives, with the aim to boost predating ability of domestic felids for pest control or to enhance defence in domestic ruminant prey from big cats. Abstract The individuals engaged in predation interactions modify their adaptation strategies to improve their efficiency to reach success in the fight for survival. This success is linked to either capturing prey (predator) or escaping (prey). Based on the graphic material available on digital platforms both of public and private access, this research aimed to evaluate the influence of those animal- and environment-dependent factors affecting the probability of successful escape of prey species in case of attack by big cats. Bayesian predictive analysis was performed to evaluate the outcomes derived from such factor combinations on the probability of successful escape. Predator species, age, status at the end of the hunting act, time lapse between first attention towards potential prey and first physical contact, prey species and the relief of the terrain, significantly conditioned (p < 0.05) escape success. Social cooperation in hunting may be more important in certain settings and for certain prey species than others. The most parsimonious model explained 36.5% of the variability in escaping success. These results can be useful to design translatable selective strategies not only seeking to boost predation abilities of domestic felids for pest control, but also, biological antipredator defence in potential domestic prey of big cats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Fernández Moya
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Córdoba, 14014 Cordoba, Spain; (S.F.M.); (C.I.P.); (C.M.N.); (J.V.D.B.)
| | - Carlos Iglesias Pastrana
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Córdoba, 14014 Cordoba, Spain; (S.F.M.); (C.I.P.); (C.M.N.); (J.V.D.B.)
| | - Carmen Marín Navas
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Córdoba, 14014 Cordoba, Spain; (S.F.M.); (C.I.P.); (C.M.N.); (J.V.D.B.)
| | | | - Juan Vicente Delgado Bermejo
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Córdoba, 14014 Cordoba, Spain; (S.F.M.); (C.I.P.); (C.M.N.); (J.V.D.B.)
| | - Francisco Javier Navas González
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Córdoba, 14014 Cordoba, Spain; (S.F.M.); (C.I.P.); (C.M.N.); (J.V.D.B.)
- Department of Agriculture and Ecological Husbandry, Area of Agriculture and Environment, Andalusian Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA), Alameda del Obispo, 14004 Cordoba, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-638-5350-46 (ext. 621262)
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Palmer MS, Packer C. Reactive anti-predator behavioral strategy shaped by predator characteristics. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0256147. [PMID: 34407141 PMCID: PMC8372962 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Large mammalian herbivores use a diverse array of strategies to survive predator encounters including flight, grouping, vigilance, warning signals, and fitness indicators. While anti-predator strategies appear to be driven by specific predator traits, no prior studies have rigorously evaluated whether predator hunting characteristics predict reactive anti-predator responses. We experimentally investigated behavioral decisions made by free-ranging impala, wildebeest, and zebra during encounters with model predators with different functional traits. We hypothesized that the choice of response would be driven by a predator’s hunting style (i.e., ambush vs. coursing) while the intensity at which the behavior was performed would correlate with predator traits that contribute to the prey’s relative risk (i.e., each predator’s prey preference, prey-specific capture success, and local predator density). We found that the choice and intensity of anti-predator behaviors were both shaped by hunting style and relative risk factors. All prey species directed longer periods of vigilance towards predators with higher capture success. The decision to flee was the only behavior choice driven by predator characteristics (capture success and hunting style) while intensity of vigilance, frequency of alarm-calling, and flight latency were modulated based on predator hunting strategy and relative risk level. Impala regulated only the intensity of their behaviors, while zebra and wildebeest changed both type and intensity of response based on predator traits. Zebra and impala reacted to multiple components of predation threat, while wildebeest responded solely to capture success. Overall, our findings suggest that certain behaviors potentially facilitate survival under specific contexts and that prey responses may reflect the perceived level of predation risk, suggesting that adaptive functions to reactive anti-predator behaviors may reflect potential trade-offs to their use. The strong influence of prey species identity and social and environmental context suggest that these factors may interact with predator traits to determine the optimal response to immediate predation threat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith S. Palmer
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Craig Packer
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
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Thuo D, Broekhuis F, Furlan E, Bertola LD, Kamau J, Gleeson DM. An insight into the prey spectra and livestock predation by cheetahs in Kenya using faecal DNA metabarcoding. ZOOLOGY 2020; 143:125853. [PMID: 33157508 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2020.125853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Dietary composition is a fundamental part of animal ecology and an important component of population dynamics. Therefore, obtaining accurate information on what an animal consumes is important for conservation planning, especially for wild large carnivores that exist in human-dominated landscapes where they are prone to direct conflicts with local people. We used faecal DNA metabarcoding to identify the vertebrate taxa commonly predated on by cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) with an emphasis on domestic taxa and determine the drivers of livestock predation by cheetahs residing in the Maasai Mara and Amboseli ecosystems which are important population strongholds in southern Kenya. From 84 cheetah faeces that we analysed, a total of 14 prey taxa were identified, including birds, wild and domestic mammals. The livestock taxa identified in cheetah faeces occurred at moderate frequency (12.8%) and the results showed that livestock predation was influenced neither by the sex of the cheetah nor by season. In general, our study shows that cheetahs prey on a diverse range of prey taxa including birds, wild ungulates of various sizes and occasionally on domestic animals, and that the faecal DNA metabarcoding approach represents a valuable complement to traditional dietary analysis methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Thuo
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, ACT, 2617, Australia; Kenya Wildlife Trust, P.O. Box 86-00502, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Femke Broekhuis
- Kenya Wildlife Trust, P.O. Box 86-00502, Nairobi, Kenya; Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney, OX13 5QL, United Kingdom
| | - Elise Furlan
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, ACT, 2617, Australia
| | - Laura D Bertola
- Department of Biology, City College of New York, 160 Convent Ave., New York, NY, 10031, USA; Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, City College of New York, 160 Convent Ave., New York, NY, 10031, USA
| | - Joseph Kamau
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Nairobi, P.O Box 30197-00100, Nairobi, Kenya; Molecular Biology Laboratory, Institute of Primate Research, P.O. Box 24481-00502, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Dianne M Gleeson
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, ACT, 2617, Australia
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De Bari B, Kondepudi DK, Kay BA, Dixon JA. Collective Dissipative Structures, Force Flow Reciprocity, and the Foundations of Perception–Action Mutuality. ECOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/10407413.2020.1820337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin De Bari
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut
- Center for the Ecological Study of Perception and Action, University of Connecticut
| | - Dilip K. Kondepudi
- Center for the Ecological Study of Perception and Action, University of Connecticut
- Department of Chemistry, Wake Forest University
| | - Bruce A. Kay
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut
- Center for the Ecological Study of Perception and Action, University of Connecticut
| | - James A. Dixon
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut
- Center for the Ecological Study of Perception and Action, University of Connecticut
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Tagwireyi P, Wenga T, Ndaimani H, Mpakairi KS. Environmental Correlates of Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) Space-Use in a Savanna Landscape. AFRICAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2020. [DOI: 10.3957/056.050.0157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Paradzayi Tagwireyi
- Geo-information and Earth Observation Centre, Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP167, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Terence Wenga
- Geo-information and Earth Observation Centre, Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP167, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Henry Ndaimani
- Geo-information and Earth Observation Centre, Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP167, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Kudzai Shaun Mpakairi
- Geo-information and Earth Observation Centre, Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP167, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
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Naha D, Chaudhary P, Sonker G, Sathyakumar S. Effectiveness of non-lethal predator deterrents to reduce livestock losses to leopard attacks within a multiple-use landscape of the Himalayan region. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9544. [PMID: 32775051 PMCID: PMC7384438 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Lethal measures are widely adopted by local communities and governments to manage human-wildlife conflicts. Such measures lead to large scale decline of carnivore populations globally with trophic cascades on ecosystems and questionable impacts on human-wildlife conflicts. Mitigating human-carnivore conflicts through non-lethal measures will protect endangered predators and secure livelihoods. However, information on the effectiveness of such measures are extremely limited and hence cannot be applied in developing scientific evidence. Further to develop human-carnivore coexistence models, it is important for local community members, biologists and wildlife managers to actively participate in conservation programs. We evaluated the response of a non-lethal visual deterrent (i.e. fox lights) to deter leopard attacks on livestock within a multiple-use landscape of western Himalaya through community engagement. We monitored 16 experimental sites and 17 control sites within 27 villages and recorded data on livestock depredation by leopards between April 2018 to April 2019. A multivariate analysis was conducted to determine the influence of landscape predictors and animal husbandry practices on livestock depredation by leopards within the vicinity of human settlements. We found that visual deterrents discouraged common leopards to predate on livestock (cows and goats). We also demonstrated that community based conservation initiatives are successful in mitigating human-carnivore conflicts within large semi-natural landscapes. We suggest developing site specific coexistence strategies and adopting non-lethal measures to safeguard carnivores, livestock and humans within shared landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipanjan Naha
- Department of Endangered Species Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Pooja Chaudhary
- Department of Endangered Species Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Gaurav Sonker
- Department of Endangered Species Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Sambandam Sathyakumar
- Department of Endangered Species Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
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Body Size and Bite Force of Stray and Feral Cats-Are Bigger or Older Cats Taking the Largest or More Difficult-to-Handle Prey? Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10040707. [PMID: 32316555 PMCID: PMC7222765 DOI: 10.3390/ani10040707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
As carnivorans rely heavily on their head and jaws for prey capture and handling, skull morphology and bite force can therefore reflect their ability to take larger or more difficult-to-handle prey. For 568 feral and stray cats (Felis catus), we recorded their demographics (sex and age), source location (feral or stray) and morphological measures (body mass, body condition); we estimated potential bite force from skull measurements for n = 268 of these cats, and quantified diet composition from stomach contents for n = 358. We compared skull measurements to estimate their bite force and determine how it varied with sex, age, body mass, body condition. Body mass had the strongest influence of bite force. In our sample, males were 36.2% heavier and had 20.0% greater estimated bite force (206.2 ± 44.7 Newtons, n = 168) than females (171.9 ± 29.3 Newtons, n = 120). However, cat age was the strongest predictor of the size of prey that they had taken, with older cats taking larger prey. The predictive power of this relationship was poor though (r2 < 0.038, p < 0.003), because even small cats ate large prey and some of the largest cats ate small prey, such as invertebrates. Cats are opportunistic, generalist carnivores taking a broad range of prey. Their ability to handle larger prey increases as the cats grow, increasing their jaw strength, and improving their hunting skills, but even the smallest cats in our sample had tackled and consumed large and potentially 'dangerous' prey that would likely have put up a defence.
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HETEM RS, MITCHELL D, DE WITT BA, FICK LG, MALONEY SK, MEYER LCR, FULLER A. Body temperature, activity patterns and hunting in free-living cheetah: biologging reveals new insights. Integr Zool 2019; 14:30-47. [DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robyn S. HETEM
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Sciences; University of the Witwatersrand; Johannesburg South Africa
- Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences; University of the Witwatersrand Medical School; Parktown Johannesburg South Africa
| | - Duncan MITCHELL
- Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences; University of the Witwatersrand Medical School; Parktown Johannesburg South Africa
- School of Human Sciences; University of Western Australia; Perth Australia
| | - Brenda A. DE WITT
- Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences; University of the Witwatersrand Medical School; Parktown Johannesburg South Africa
| | - Linda G. FICK
- Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences; University of the Witwatersrand Medical School; Parktown Johannesburg South Africa
| | - Shane K. MALONEY
- Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences; University of the Witwatersrand Medical School; Parktown Johannesburg South Africa
- School of Human Sciences; University of Western Australia; Perth Australia
| | - Leith C. R. MEYER
- Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences; University of the Witwatersrand Medical School; Parktown Johannesburg South Africa
- Department of Paraclinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Science; University of Pretoria; South Africa
| | - Andrea FULLER
- Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences; University of the Witwatersrand Medical School; Parktown Johannesburg South Africa
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Costelloe BR, Rubenstein DI. Temporal structuring of vigilance behaviour by female Thomson's gazelles with hidden fawns. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Hilborn A, Pettorelli N, Caro T, Kelly MJ, Laurenson MK, Durant SM. Cheetahs modify their prey handling behavior depending on risks from top predators. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2481-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Blecha KA, Boone RB, Alldredge MW. Hunger mediates apex predator's risk avoidance response in wildland-urban interface. J Anim Ecol 2018; 87:609-622. [PMID: 29380374 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2016] [Accepted: 12/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Conflicts between large mammalian predators and humans present a challenge to conservation efforts, as these events drive human attitudes and policies concerning predator species. Unfortunately, generalities portrayed in many empirical carnivore landscape selection studies do not provide an explanation for a predator's occasional use of residential development preceding a carnivore-human conflict event. In some cases, predators may perceive residential development as a risk-reward trade-off. We examine whether state-dependent mortality risk-sensitive foraging can explain an apex carnivore's (Puma concolor) occasional utilization of residential areas. We assess whether puma balance the risk and rewards in a system characterized by a gradient of housing densities ranging from wildland to suburban. Puma GPS location data, characterized as hunting and feeding locations, were used to assess landscape variables governing hunting success and hunting site selection. Hunting site selection behaviour was then analysed conditional on indicators of hunger state. Residential development provided a high energetic reward to puma based on increases in prey availability and hunting success rates associated with increased housing density. Despite a higher energetic reward, hunting site selection analysis indicated that pumas generally avoided residential development, a landscape type attributed with higher puma mortality risk. However, when a puma experienced periods of extended hunger, risk avoidance behaviour towards housing waned. This study demonstrates that an apex carnivore faces a trade-off between acquiring energetic rewards and avoiding risks associated with human housing. Periods of hunger can help explain an apex predator's occasional use of developed landscapes and thus the rare conflicts in the wildland-urban interface. Apex carnivore movement behaviours in relation to human conflicts are best understood as a three-player community-level interaction incorporating wild prey distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin A Blecha
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Randall B Boone
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability and the Natural Resources Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Mathew W Alldredge
- Mammals Research Section, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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Krzyszczyk E, Patterson EM, Stanton MA, Mann J. The transition to independence: sex differences in social and behavioural development of wild bottlenose dolphins. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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15
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Herbivores employ a suite of antipredator behaviours to minimize risk from ambush and cursorial predators. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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16
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Lin HT, Leonardo A. Heuristic Rules Underlying Dragonfly Prey Selection and Interception. Curr Biol 2017; 27:1124-1137. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2016] [Revised: 02/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Lehman CP, Rota CT, Rumble MA, Millspaugh JJ. Characteristics of successful puma kill sites of elk in the Black Hills, South Dakota. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chadwick P. Lehman
- C. P. Lehman , South Dakota Dept of Game, Fish, and Parks, Custer State Park, Custer, SD 57730, USA
| | - Christopher T. Rota
- C. T. Rota, School of Natural Resources, Wildlife and Fisheries Resources Program, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Mark A. Rumble
- M. A. Rumble, U.S. Forest Service-Retired, current address: Silt, CO, USA
| | - Joshua J. Millspaugh
- J. J. Millspaugh, School of Natural Resources, Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
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18
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Broekhuis F, Irungu O. Role reversal: record of cheetah ( Acinonyx jubatus) kleptoparasitizing a kill from a spotted hyaena ( Crocuta crocuta). Afr J Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Femke Broekhuis
- Mara Cheetah Project; Kenya Wildlife Trust; PO Box 86 00502 Nairobi Kenya
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit; Department of Zoology; University of Oxford; Recanati-Kaplan Centre; Tubney House Abingdon Road Tubney, Oxfordshire OX13 5QL UK
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Bissett C, Parker DM, Bernard RT, Perry TW. Management-Induced Niche Shift? The Activity of Cheetahs in the Presence of Lions. AFRICAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2015. [DOI: 10.3957/056.045.0197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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Miller JRB, Jhala YV, Jena J, Schmitz OJ. Landscape-scale accessibility of livestock to tigers: implications of spatial grain for modeling predation risk to mitigate human-carnivore conflict. Ecol Evol 2015; 5:1354-67. [PMID: 25859339 PMCID: PMC4377277 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2014] [Revised: 01/26/2015] [Accepted: 01/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Innovative conservation tools are greatly needed to reduce livelihood losses and wildlife declines resulting from human–carnivore conflict. Spatial risk modeling is an emerging method for assessing the spatial patterns of predator–prey interactions, with applications for mitigating carnivore attacks on livestock. Large carnivores that ambush prey attack and kill over small areas, requiring models at fine spatial grains to predict livestock depredation hot spots. To detect the best resolution for predicting where carnivores access livestock, we examined the spatial attributes associated with livestock killed by tigers in Kanha Tiger Reserve, India, using risk models generated at 20, 100, and 200-m spatial grains. We analyzed land-use, human presence, and vegetation structure variables at 138 kill sites and 439 random sites to identify key landscape attributes where livestock were vulnerable to tigers. Land-use and human presence variables contributed strongly to predation risk models, with most variables showing high relative importance (≥0.85) at all spatial grains. The risk of a tiger killing livestock increased near dense forests and near the boundary of the park core zone where human presence is restricted. Risk was nonlinearly related to human infrastructure and open vegetation, with the greatest risk occurring 1.2 km from roads, 1.1 km from villages, and 8.0 km from scrubland. Kill sites were characterized by denser, patchier, and more complex vegetation with lower visibility than random sites. Risk maps revealed high-risk hot spots inside of the core zone boundary and in several patches in the human-dominated buffer zone. Validation against known kills revealed predictive accuracy for only the 20 m model, the resolution best representing the kill stage of hunting for large carnivores that ambush prey, like the tiger. Results demonstrate that risk models developed at fine spatial grains can offer accurate guidance on landscape attributes livestock should avoid to minimize human–carnivore conflict.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer R B Miller
- School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, Yale University New Haven, Connecticut, 06511 ; Wildlife Institute of India Dehradun, Uttarakhand, 248001, India
| | | | - Jyotirmay Jena
- Satpuda Maikal Landscape Programme, WWF-India Mandla, Madhya Pradesh, 481661, India
| | - Oswald J Schmitz
- School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, Yale University New Haven, Connecticut, 06511
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21
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Pilfold NW, Derocher AE, Stirling I, Richardson E. Multi-temporal factors influence predation for polar bears in a changing climate. OIKOS 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.02000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrew E. Derocher
- Dept of Biological Sciences; Univ. of Alberta; Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Ian Stirling
- Dept of Biological Sciences; Univ. of Alberta; Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9 Canada
- Wildlife Research Division; Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada; Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Evan Richardson
- Wildlife Research Division; Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada; Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9 Canada
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22
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Scantlebury DM, Mills MGL, Wilson RP, Wilson JW, Mills MEJ, Durant SM, Bennett NC, Bradford P, Marks NJ, Speakman JR. Flexible energetics of cheetah hunting strategies provide resistance against kleptoparasitism. Science 2014; 346:79-81. [DOI: 10.1126/science.1256424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Population viability is driven by individual survival, which in turn depends on individuals balancing energy budgets. As carnivores may function close to maximum sustained power outputs, decreased food availability or increased activity may render some populations energetically vulnerable. Prey theft may compromise energetic budgets of mesopredators, such as cheetahs and wild dogs, which are susceptible to competition from larger carnivores. We show that daily energy expenditure (DEE) of cheetahs was similar to size-based predictions and positively related to distance traveled. Theft at 25% only requires cheetahs to hunt for an extra 1.1 hour per day, increasing DEE by just 12%. Therefore, not all mesopredators are energetically constrained by direct competition. Other factors that increase DEE, such as those that increase travel, may be more important for population viability.
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Broekhuis F, Grünewälder S, McNutt JW, Macdonald DW. Optimal hunting conditions drive circalunar behavior of a diurnal carnivore. Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Bro-Jørgensen J. EVOLUTION OF SPRINT SPEED IN AFRICAN SAVANNAH HERBIVORES IN RELATION TO PREDATION. Evolution 2013; 67:3371-6. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.12233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2013] [Accepted: 08/05/2013] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Bro-Jørgensen
- Mammalian Behaviour & Evolution Group; Department of Evolution; Ecology & Behaviour, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus; Neston CH64 7TE United Kingdom
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Wilson JW, Mills MGL, Wilson RP, Peters G, Mills MEJ, Speakman JR, Durant SM, Bennett NC, Marks NJ, Scantlebury M. Cheetahs, Acinonyx jubatus, balance turn capacity with pace when chasing prey. Biol Lett 2013; 9:20130620. [PMID: 24004493 PMCID: PMC3971710 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2013.0620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Predator–prey interactions are fundamental in the evolution and structure of ecological communities. Our understanding, however, of the strategies used in pursuit and evasion remains limited. Here, we report on the hunting dynamics of the world's fastest land animal, the cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus. Using miniaturized data loggers, we recorded fine-scale movement, speed and acceleration of free-ranging cheetahs to measure how hunting dynamics relate to chasing different sized prey. Cheetahs attained hunting speeds of up to 18.94 m s−1 and accelerated up to 7.5 m s−2 with greatest angular velocities achieved during the terminal phase of the hunt. The interplay between forward and lateral acceleration during chases showed that the total forces involved in speed changes and turning were approximately constant over time but varied with prey type. Thus, rather than a simple maximum speed chase, cheetahs first accelerate to decrease the distance to their prey, before reducing speed 5–8 s from the end of the hunt, so as to facilitate rapid turns to match prey escape tactics, varying the precise strategy according to prey species. Predator and prey thus pit a fine balance of speed against manoeuvring capability in a race for survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- John W Wilson
- Department of Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
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Hetem RS, Mitchell D, de Witt BA, Fick LG, Meyer LCR, Maloney SK, Fuller A. Cheetah do not abandon hunts because they overheat. Biol Lett 2013; 9:20130472. [PMID: 23883578 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2013.0472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hunting cheetah reportedly store metabolic heat during the chase and abandon chases because they overheat. Using biologging to remotely measure the body temperature (every minute) and locomotor activity (every 5 min) of four free-living cheetah, hunting spontaneously, we found that cheetah abandoned hunts, but not because they overheated. Body temperature averaged 38.4°C when the chase was terminated. Storage of metabolic heat did not compromise hunts. The increase in body temperature following a successful hunt was double that of an unsuccessful hunt (1.3°C ± 0.2°C versus 0.5°C ± 0.1°C), even though the level of activity during the hunts was similar. We propose that the increase in body temperature following a successful hunt is a stress hyperthermia, rather than an exercise-induced hyperthermia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn S Hetem
- Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand Medical School, Parktown 2193, South Africa.
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Morice S, Pincebourde S, Darboux F, Kaiser W, Casas J. Predator-prey pursuit-evasion games in structurally complex environments. Integr Comp Biol 2013; 53:767-79. [PMID: 23720527 DOI: 10.1093/icb/ict061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Pursuit and evasion behaviors in many predator-prey encounters occur in a geometrically structured environment. The physical structures in the environment impose strong constraints on the perception and behavioral responses of both antagonists. Nevertheless, no experimental or theoretical study has tackled the issue of quantifying the role of the habitat's architecture on the joint trajectories during a predator-prey encounter. In this study, we report the influence of microtopography of forest leaf litter on the pursuit-evasion trajectories of wolf spiders Pardosa sp. attacking the wood cricket Nemobius sylvestris. Fourteen intact leaf litter samples of 1 m × 0.5 m were extracted from an oak-beech forest floor in summer and winter, with later samples having the most recently fallen leaves. Elevation was mapped at a spatial resolution of 0.5 mm using a laser scanner. Litter structuring patterns were identified by height transects and experimental semi-variograms. Detailed analysis of all visible leaf-fragments of one sample enabled us to relate the observed statistical patterns to the underlying geometry of individual elements. Video recording of pursuit-evasion sequences in arenas with flat paper or leaf litter enabled us to estimate attack and fleeing distances as a function of substrate. The compaction index, the length of contiguous flat surfaces, and the experimental variograms showed that the leaf litter was smoother in summer than in winter. Thus, weathering as well as biotic activities compacted and flattened the litter over time. We found good agreement between the size of the structuring unit of leaf litter and the distance over which attack and escape behaviors both were initiated (both ∼3 cm). There was a four-fold topographical effect on pursuit-escape sequences; compared with a flat surface, leaf litter (1) greatly reduced the likelihood of launching a pursuit, (2) reduced pursuit and escape distances by half, (3) put prey and predator on par in terms of pursuit and escape distances, and (4) reduced the likelihood of secondary pursuits, after initial escape of the prey, to nearly zero. Thus, geometry of the habitat strongly modulates the rules of pursuit-evasion in predator-prey interactions in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvie Morice
- *Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, CNRS UMR 7261, Université François Rabelais, 37200 Tours, France; INRA, UR0272, UR Science du sol, Centre de recherche Val de Loire, CS 40001, F-45075 Orléans Cedex 2, France
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