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Goldenberg SZ, Parker JM, Chege SM, Greggor AL, Hunt M, Lamberski N, Leigh KA, Nollens HH, Ruppert KA, Thouless C, Wittemyer G, Owen MA. Revisiting the 4 R’s: Improving post-release outcomes for rescued mammalian wildlife by fostering behavioral competence during rehabilitation. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2022.910358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Rescue, rehabilitation, and release (‘rescue-rehab-release’) of wildlife is an increasingly widespread practice across ecosystems, largely driven by habitat loss, wildlife exploitation and a changing climate. Despite this, its conservation value has not been realized, in part due to the scarcity of what has been termed “the 4th R”, research. Similar to conservation breeding and headstarting, rescue and rehabilitation entails close association of humans and the wildlife in their care over impressionable and extended periods. However, unlike these interventions, rescue and rehabilitation require an initial, and sometimes sustained, focus on crisis management and veterinary needs which can impede the development of natural behaviors and promote habituation to humans, both of which can compromise post-release survival and recruitment. In this perspective, we discuss the pathways toward, and implications of, behavioral incompetence and highlight opportunities for testable interventions to curtail negative outcomes post-release, without compromising the health or welfare of rescued individuals. We propose that practitioners ‘switch gears’ from triage to fostering behavioral competence as early in the rehabilitation process as is possible, and that research be implemented in order to develop an evidence-base for best practices that can be shared amongst practitioners. We focus on four mammalian species to illustrate specific contexts and considerations for fostering behavioral competence by building on research in the conservation translocation literature. Finally, we discuss a way forward that calls for greater cross-pollination among translocation scenarios involving extended time under human care during developmentally sensitive periods.
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Worku EA, Atickem A, Bro-Jørgensen J, Bekele A, Evangelista P, Stenseth NC. Human activities increase vigilance, movement and home range size of the endangered mountain nyala (Tragelaphus buxtoni) at the cost of foraging and resting. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
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Ardente NC, Ferreguetti ÁC, Gettinger D, Leal P, Martins-Hatano F, Banhos A, Bergallo HG. Habitat use by two sympatric species of short-tailed opossums (Didelphidae: Monodelphis) in an area in eastern Amazonia. J Mammal 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyab047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Two short-tailed opossum species, Monodelphis glirina and M. touan, occur in sympatry in an area of eastern Amazonia. Habitat structure and resource availability may influence habitat use and, consequently, species distribution, detectability, occupancy, and abundance. We evaluated occupancy and detectability of the species M. glirina and M. touan in the Carajás National Forest to answer the following questions: (1) Do both species occur in canga and forest habitats? (2) Do detectability and occupancy of M. touan and M. glirina differ in areas of canga and forest? (3) Does the presence of one species affect the detection of the other? We undertook surveys at 50 sampling sites (26 in canga and 24 in forest habitat). In addition, we developed co-occurrence models to test the relationships between occupancy and detection of M. touan in the presence or absence of M. glirina. We captured 693 individuals of M. glirina (587 in canga and 106 in forest) and 112 of M. touan (only one individual captured in canga). Occupancy by M. glirina was positively influenced by superficial rock cover and litter depth, while detectability was negatively influenced by canopy cover. Occupancy by M. touan was influenced positively by canopy cover, number of fallen trunks on the ground, and litter depth (Ψ = 0.315). Data from forest sites where M. touan and M. glirina occurred more often corroborated our third hypothesis, that detectability of M. touan is low when M. glirina is present. Our results highlight the existence of habitat preference by the two species of Monodelphis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natália C Ardente
- Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcântara Gomes, Laboratório de Ecologia de Mamíferos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20559-900, Brazil
| | - Átilla C Ferreguetti
- Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcântara Gomes, Laboratório de Ecologia de Mamíferos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20559-900, Brazil
| | - Donald Gettinger
- Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, W529 Nebraska Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588-0514, USA
| | - Pricila Leal
- Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia Biologia, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Belém, PA 66.077-830, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Martins-Hatano
- Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia Biologia, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Belém, PA 66.077-830, Brazil
| | - Aureo Banhos
- Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Departamento de Biologia, Campus Alegre, Alegre, ES 29.500-000, Brazil
| | - Helena G Bergallo
- Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcântara Gomes, Laboratório de Ecologia de Mamíferos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20559-900, Brazil
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Becker JA, Hutchinson MC, Potter AB, Park S, Guyton JA, Abernathy K, Americo VF, Conceiçāo A, Kartzinel TR, Kuziel L, Leonard NE, Lorenzi E, Martins NC, Pansu J, Scott WL, Stahl MK, Torrens KR, Stalmans ME, Long RA, Pringle RM. Ecological and behavioral mechanisms of density‐dependent habitat expansion in a recovering African ungulate population. ECOL MONOGR 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Justine A. Becker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey 08544 USA
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, 82072, USA
| | - Matthew C. Hutchinson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey 08544 USA
| | - Arjun B. Potter
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey 08544 USA
| | - Shinkyu Park
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Princeton University Princeton New Jersey 08544 USA
| | - Jennifer A. Guyton
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey 08544 USA
| | - Kyler Abernathy
- Exploration Technology Lab National Geographic Society Washington D.C. 20036 USA
| | - Victor F. Americo
- Department of Scientific Services Parque Nacional da Gorongosa Sofala Mozambique
| | - Anagledis Conceiçāo
- Department of Scientific Services Parque Nacional da Gorongosa Sofala Mozambique
| | - Tyler R. Kartzinel
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Brown University Providence Rhode Island 02912 USA
- Institute at Brown for Environment and Society Brown University Providence Rhode Island 02912 USA
| | - Luca Kuziel
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey 08544 USA
| | - Naomi E. Leonard
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Princeton University Princeton New Jersey 08544 USA
| | - Eli Lorenzi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Maryland College Park Maryland 20742 USA
| | - Nuno C. Martins
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Maryland College Park Maryland 20742 USA
| | - Johan Pansu
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey 08544 USA
- Station Biologique de Roscoff UMR 7144 CNRS‐Sorbonne Université Roscoff France
- CSIRO Ocean & Atmosphere Lucas Heights New South Wales Australia
| | - William L. Scott
- Department of Mechanical Engineering Bucknell University Lewisburg Pennsylvania 17837 USA
| | - Maria K. Stahl
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey 08544 USA
| | - Kai R. Torrens
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey 08544 USA
| | - Marc E. Stalmans
- Department of Scientific Services Parque Nacional da Gorongosa Sofala Mozambique
| | - Ryan A. Long
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences University of Idaho Moscow Idaho 83844 USA
| | - Robert M. Pringle
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey 08544 USA
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5
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Wood SA, Robinson PW, Costa DP, Beltran RS. Accuracy and precision of citizen scientist animal counts from drone imagery. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0244040. [PMID: 33617554 PMCID: PMC7899343 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Repeated counts of animal abundance can reveal changes in local ecosystem health and inform conservation strategies. Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), also known as drones, are commonly used to photograph animals in remote locations; however, counting animals in images is a laborious task. Crowd-sourcing can reduce the time required to conduct these censuses considerably, but must first be validated against expert counts to measure sources of error. Our objectives were to assess the accuracy and precision of citizen science counts and make recommendations for future citizen science projects. We uploaded drone imagery from Año Nuevo Island (California, USA) to a curated Zooniverse website that instructed citizen scientists to count seals and sea lions. Across 212 days, over 1,500 volunteers counted animals in 90,000 photographs. We quantified the error associated with several descriptive statistics to extract a single citizen science count per photograph from the 15 repeat counts and then compared the resulting citizen science counts to expert counts. Although proportional error was relatively low (9% for sea lions and 5% for seals during the breeding seasons) and improved with repeat sampling, the 12+ volunteers required to reduce error was prohibitively slow, taking on average 6 weeks to estimate animals from a single drone flight covering 25 acres, despite strong public outreach efforts. The single best algorithm was ‘Median without the lowest two values’, demonstrating that citizen scientists tended to under-estimate the number of animals present. Citizen scientists accurately counted adult seals, but accuracy was lower when sea lions were present during the summer and could be confused for seals. We underscore the importance of validation efforts and careful project design for researchers hoping to combine citizen science with imagery from drones, occupied aircraft, and/or remote cameras.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Wood
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Patrick W Robinson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Daniel P Costa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America.,Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Roxanne S Beltran
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
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SANCHEZ FRANCISCO. MAMÍFEROS URBANOS COLOMBIANOS: UNA REVISIÓN DE LO QUE SABEMOS Y LO QUE NOS FALTA. ACTA BIOLÓGICA COLOMBIANA 2021. [DOI: 10.15446/abc.v26n2.82858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Los ecosistemas urbanos están entre los ambientes que más rápido crecen en el planeta debido al incremento de la población humana, y es necesaria información que permita tomar decisiones para el manejo y conservación de su biodiversidad. Por ello se revisaron las publicaciones sobre mamíferos urbanos colombianos y se analizaron cuatro aspectos: 1) la relación entre el número de publicaciones y el año, 2) la representación del conocimiento por regiones naturales y departamentos, 3) la relación entre el número de publicaciones y la población humana por departamento, y 4) la representación de los temas y órdenes de mamíferos estudiados en las diferentes regiones naturales. El número de publicaciones sobre los mamíferos urbanos se ha incrementado exponencialmente con el tiempo, pero estas no están distribuidas uniformemente entre las regiones naturales y departamentos. El número de publicaciones se incrementó con la población humana en los departamentos. Sin embargo, en algunos departamentos existe un número de publicaciones mayor al esperado, mientras que en otros están por debajo de las expectativas. Hay limitada información sobre las respuestas ecológicas de los mamíferos a la urbanización, su posibilidad de transmitir enfermedades, la composición de especies en la mayoría de las áreas urbanas y el efecto de la urbanización sobre la diversidad. Se sugiere aprovechar espacios como los campus universitarios e indicadores comportamentales de bajo costo para hacer experimentación y ayudar a desarrollar estrategias que permitan la coexistencia de humanos y mamíferos silvestres en y alrededor de las ciudades.
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Patch use and site selection by a rock hyrax ( Procavia capensis) in a human-dominated landscape in the West Bank of Palestine. MAMMALIA 2020. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2019-0147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Populations of rock hyraxes (Procavia capensis) increasingly occur in urbanizing areas of the Palestinian West Bank, and throughout the Middle East, in part due to construction methods that create rock piles that shelter hyraxes. We quantified activity densities of the hyraxes, environmental variables, and plant cover at four sites that differ in urbanization. The highest numbers occurred in the most urban site and peaked in June and October, with hyraxes traveling farther distances from their dens late in the season (October). Sites with higher activity densities of hyraxes had higher vapor pressures, signifying more mesic conditions. Thus, urbanization aids the expansion of hyraxes.
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Shuai L, Zhou Y, Yang Y, Xue Q, Xie Z, Zhang F. Ecological factors affecting flight initiation distance in Daurian ground squirrels (
Spermophilus dauricus
). Ethology 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ling‐Ying Shuai
- School of Life Sciences Huaibei Normal University Huaibei China
| | - Yang Zhou
- School of Life Sciences Huaibei Normal University Huaibei China
| | - Yu‐Xia Yang
- School of Life Sciences Huaibei Normal University Huaibei China
| | - Qi‐Qian Xue
- School of Life Sciences Huaibei Normal University Huaibei China
| | - Zi‐Yang Xie
- School of Life Sciences Huaibei Normal University Huaibei China
| | - Fu‐Shun Zhang
- Grassland Research Institute Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Hohhot China
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Bernal-Páez C, Sánchez F. Harvest rates and foraging strategy of Carollia perspicillata (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in an artificial food patch. Behav Processes 2018; 157:396-401. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2018.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2017] [Revised: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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10
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Le Borgne H, Dupuch A, Fortin D. Ecological processes determining the distribution dynamics of vole populations during forest succession. Oecologia 2018; 188:721-732. [PMID: 30244315 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4261-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The size and distribution of animal populations may vary drastically over time following a disturbance event. While both competition and predation can control the size of animal populations, changes in the relative importance of these two density-dependent processes remain poorly documented during ecological succession. Here, we combined habitat selection and optimal foraging theory to identify the processes that can explain the increase in red-backed voles (Myodes gapperi) during post-logging forest succession in boreal ecosystems. Specifically, we assessed the extent to which changes in intra- and interspecific competition and in predation risk can explain variation in abundance and distribution of voles during post-harvest forest succession. We estimated the abundances of the red-backed vole and of its main competitor, the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), in adjacent pairs of logged (5-66 years old) forest stands and uncut stands (> 120 years old). We found that voles increased their preference for uncut stands with increasing conspecific density. Foraging experiments revealed that in early-seral forest stands, voles increased their feeding effort in the presence of deer mice, particularly in safer food patches. This behaviour is expected from foraging theory when interspecific competitors increase predation risk. Apparent competition would thus limit the density of red-backed voles, and changes in the relative strength of this process during forest succession would control patterns of distribution and abundance of the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hélène Le Borgne
- Chaire de Recherche Industrielle CRSNG, Université Laval en Sylviculture et Faune. Département de Biologie, Pavillon Alexandre-Vachon, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
- Institut des Sciences de la Forêt Tempérée, Université du Québec en Outaouais, 58 Rue Principale, Ripon, QC, J0V 1V0, Canada.
| | - Angélique Dupuch
- Chaire de Recherche Industrielle CRSNG, Université Laval en Sylviculture et Faune. Département de Biologie, Pavillon Alexandre-Vachon, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
- Institut des Sciences de la Forêt Tempérée, Université du Québec en Outaouais, 58 Rue Principale, Ripon, QC, J0V 1V0, Canada
| | - Daniel Fortin
- Chaire de Recherche Industrielle CRSNG, Université Laval en Sylviculture et Faune. Département de Biologie, Pavillon Alexandre-Vachon, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
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11
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Lemieux Lefebvre S, Landry-Cuerrier M, Humphries M. Identifying the critical habitat of Canadian vertebrate species at risk. CAN J ZOOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2016-0304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Identification of critical habitat is central to major conservation laws protecting endangered species in North America and around the world. Yet the actual ecological research that is required to identify which habitats are critical to the survival or recovery of species is rarely discussed and poorly documented. Here we quantitatively assess the information and methods used to identify critical habitat in the recovery strategies of 53 vertebrates at risk in Canada. Of the critical habitat identifications assessed, 17% were based on habitat occupancy information, 28% on habitat characteristics and (or) functions, and 40% assessed habitat suitability by linking functional use and biophysical characteristics. However, only 15% of the recovery strategies we evaluated examined relationships between habitat and population viability, abundance, individual fitness, or survival. Furthermore, the breadth of evidence used to assess critical habitats was weaker among long-lived taxa and did not improve over time. Hence, although any approach used to identify critical habitat is likely to be a step in the right direction in minimally protecting and maintaining habitats supporting critical life-cycle processes, there is a persistent gap between the widely recognized importance of critical habitat and our ability to quantitatively link habitats to population trends and individual fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Lemieux Lefebvre
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore Road, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore Road, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - M. Landry-Cuerrier
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore Road, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore Road, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - M.M. Humphries
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore Road, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore Road, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
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Tarjuelo R, Traba J, Morales MB, Morris DW. Isodars unveil asymmetric effects on habitat use caused by competition between two endangered species. OIKOS 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.03366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Tarjuelo
- Dept of Ecology; Univ. Autónoma de Madrid; C/Darwin, 2 ES-28049 Madrid Spain
| | - Juan Traba
- Dept of Ecology; Univ. Autónoma de Madrid; C/Darwin, 2 ES-28049 Madrid Spain
| | - Manuel B. Morales
- Dept of Ecology; Univ. Autónoma de Madrid; C/Darwin, 2 ES-28049 Madrid Spain
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Sah P, Nussear KE, Esque TC, Aiello CM, Hudson PJ, Bansal S. Inferring social structure and its drivers from refuge use in the desert tortoise, a relatively solitary species. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2136-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Hollings T, McCallum H, Kreger K, Mooney N, Jones M. Relaxation of risk-sensitive behaviour of prey following disease-induced decline of an apex predator, the Tasmanian devil. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 282:rspb.2015.0124. [PMID: 26085584 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.0124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Apex predators structure ecosystems through lethal and non-lethal interactions with prey, and their global decline is causing loss of ecological function. Behavioural changes of prey are some of the most rapid responses to predator decline and may act as an early indicator of cascading effects. The Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), an apex predator, is undergoing progressive and extensive population decline, of more than 90% in long-diseased areas, caused by a novel disease. Time since local disease outbreak correlates with devil population declines and thus predation risk. We used hair traps and giving-up densities (GUDs) in food patches to test whether a major prey species of devils, the arboreal common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), is responsive to the changing risk of predation when they forage on the ground. Possums spend more time on the ground, discover food patches faster and forage more to a lower GUD with increasing years since disease outbreak and greater devil population decline. Loss of top-down effects of devils with respect to predation risk was evident at 90% devil population decline, with possum behaviour indistinguishable from a devil-free island. Alternative predators may help to maintain risk-sensitive anti-predator behaviours in possums while devil populations remain low.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracey Hollings
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia 7001 School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3010
| | - Hamish McCallum
- Griffith School of Environment, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia 4111
| | - Kaely Kreger
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia 7001
| | - Nick Mooney
- Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia 7001
| | - Menna Jones
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia 7001
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15
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Hollings T, Jones M, Mooney N, McCallum H. Disease-induced decline of an apex predator drives invasive dominated states and threatens biodiversity. Ecology 2016; 97:394-405. [DOI: 10.1890/15-0204.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tracey Hollings
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Tasmania; Hobart Tasmania 7001 Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis; School of Biosciences; University of Melbourne; Melbourne Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Menna Jones
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Tasmania; Hobart Tasmania 7001 Australia
| | - Nick Mooney
- Independent consultant; Richmond Tasmania 7025 Australia
| | - Hamish McCallum
- Griffith School of Environment; Griffith University; Nathan Queensland 4111 Australia
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16
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Stears K, Shrader AM. Increases in food availability can tempt oribi antelope into taking greater risks at both large and small spatial scales. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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17
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Foraging and habitat use of eastern cottontails (Sylvilagus floridanus) in an urban landscape. Urban Ecosyst 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-015-0463-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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18
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Fancourt BA, Hawkins CE, Cameron EZ, Jones ME, Nicol SC. Devil declines and catastrophic cascades: is mesopredator release of feral cats inhibiting recovery of the eastern quoll? PLoS One 2015; 10:e0119303. [PMID: 25760348 PMCID: PMC4356622 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0119303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2014] [Accepted: 01/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus) is a medium-sized Australian marsupial carnivore that has recently undergone a rapid and severe population decline over the 10 years to 2009, with no sign of recovery. This decline has been linked to a period of unfavourable weather, but subsequent improved weather conditions have not been matched by quoll recovery. A recent study suggested another mechanism: that declines in Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) populations, due to the spread of the fatal Devil Facial Tumour Disease, have released feral cats (Felis catus) from competitive suppression, with eastern quoll declines linked to a subsequent increase in cat sightings. Yet current evidence of intraguild suppression among devils, cats and quolls is scant and equivocal. We therefore assessed the influences of top-down effects on abundance and activity patterns among devils, feral cats and eastern quolls. Between 2011 and 2013, we monitored four carnivore populations using longitudinal trapping and camera surveys, and performed camera surveys at 12 additional sites throughout the eastern quoll's range. We did not find evidence of a negative relationship between devil and cat abundance, nor of higher cat abundance in areas where devil populations had declined the longest. Cats did not appear to avoid devils spatially; however, there was evidence of temporal separation of cat and devil activity, with reduced separation and increasing nocturnal activity observed in areas where devils had declined the longest. Cats and quolls used the same areas, and there was no evidence that cat and quoll abundances were negatively related. Temporal overlap in observed cat and quoll activity was higher in summer than in winter, but this seasonal difference was unrelated to devil declines. We suggest that cats did not cause the recent quoll decline, but that predation of juvenile quolls by cats could be inhibiting low density quoll populations from recovering their former abundance through a 'predator pit' effect following weather-induced decline. Predation intensity could increase further should cats become increasingly nocturnal in response to devil declines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bronwyn A. Fancourt
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Clare E. Hawkins
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Elissa Z. Cameron
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Menna E. Jones
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Stewart C. Nicol
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
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Nekaris KAI, Arnell AP, Svensson MS. Selecting a Conservation Surrogate Species for Small Fragmented Habitats Using Ecological Niche Modelling. Animals (Basel) 2015; 5:27-40. [PMID: 26479135 PMCID: PMC4494338 DOI: 10.3390/ani5010027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2014] [Accepted: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Flagship species are traditionally large, charismatic animals used to rally conservation efforts. Accepted flagship definitions suggest they need only fulfil a strategic role, unlike umbrella species that are used to shelter cohabitant taxa. The criteria used to select both flagship and umbrella species may not stand up in the face of dramatic forest loss, where remaining fragments may only contain species that do not suit either set of criteria. The Cinderella species concept covers aesthetically pleasing and overlooked species that fulfil the criteria of flagships or umbrellas. Such species are also more likely to occur in fragmented habitats. We tested Cinderella criteria on mammals in the fragmented forests of the Sri Lankan Wet Zone. We selected taxa that fulfilled both strategic and ecological roles. We created a shortlist of ten species, and from a survey of local perceptions highlighted two finalists. We tested these for umbrella characteristics against the original shortlist, utilizing Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) modelling, and analysed distribution overlap using ArcGIS. The criteria highlighted Loris tardigradus tardigradus and Prionailurus viverrinus as finalists, with the former having highest flagship potential. We suggest Cinderella species can be effective conservation surrogates especially in habitats where traditional flagship species have been extirpated.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Anne-Isola Nekaris
- Nocturnal Primate Research Group, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK.
| | - Andrew P Arnell
- Nocturnal Primate Research Group, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK.
| | - Magdalena S Svensson
- Nocturnal Primate Research Group, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK.
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20
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Foraging in space and time structure an African small mammal community. Oecologia 2014; 175:521-35. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-014-2926-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2013] [Accepted: 03/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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21
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Viviant M, Monestiez P, Guinet C. Can we predict foraging success in a marine predator from dive patterns only? Validation with prey capture attempt data. PLoS One 2014; 9:e88503. [PMID: 24603534 PMCID: PMC3945944 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2012] [Accepted: 01/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Predicting how climatic variations will affect marine predator populations relies on our ability to assess foraging success, but evaluating foraging success in a marine predator at sea is particularly difficult. Dive metrics are commonly available for marine mammals, diving birds and some species of fish. Bottom duration or dive duration are usually used as proxies for foraging success. However, few studies have tried to validate these assumptions and identify the set of behavioral variables that best predict foraging success at a given time scale. The objective of this study was to assess if foraging success in Antarctic fur seals could be accurately predicted from dive parameters only, at different temporal scales. For this study, 11 individuals were equipped with either Hall sensors or accelerometers to record dive profiles and detect mouth-opening events, which were considered prey capture attempts. The number of prey capture attempts was best predicted by descent and ascent rates at the dive scale; bottom duration and descent rates at 30-min, 1-h, and 2-h scales; and ascent rates and maximum dive depths at the all-night scale. Model performances increased with temporal scales, but rank and sign of the factors varied according to the time scale considered, suggesting that behavioral adjustment in response to prey distribution could occur at certain scales only. The models predicted the foraging intensity of new individuals with good accuracy despite high inter-individual differences. Dive metrics that predict foraging success depend on the species and the scale considered, as verified by the literature and this study. The methodology used in our study is easy to implement, enables an assessment of model performance, and could be applied to any other marine predator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgane Viviant
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Pascal Monestiez
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Unité de Biostatistique et Processus Spatiaux, Domaine St Paul, Site Agroparc, Avignon, France
| | - Christophe Guinet
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Villiers en Bois, France
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22
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Hollings T, Jones M, Mooney N, McCallum H. Trophic cascades following the disease-induced decline of an apex predator, the Tasmanian devil. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2014; 28:63-75. [PMID: 24024987 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2012] [Accepted: 05/06/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
As apex predators disappear worldwide, there is escalating evidence of their importance in maintaining the integrity and diversity of the ecosystems they inhabit. The largest extant marsupial carnivore, the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) is threatened with extinction from a transmissible cancer, devil facial tumor disease (DFTD). The disease, first observed in 1996, has led to apparent population declines in excess of 95% in some areas and has spread to more than 80% of their range. We analyzed a long-term Tasmania-wide data set derived from wildlife spotlighting surveys to assess the effects of DFTD-induced devil decline on populations of other mammals and to examine the relative strength of top-down and bottom-up control of mesopredators between 2 regions with different environmental conditions. Collection of the data began >10 years before DFTD was first observed. A decrease in devil populations was immediate across diseased regions following DFTD arrival, and there has been no indication of population recovery. Feral cats (Felis catus) increased in areas where the disease was present the longest, and feral cat occurrence was significantly and negatively associated with devils. The smallest mesopredator, the eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus), declined rapidly following DFTD arrival. This result suggests the species was indirectly protected by devils through the suppression of larger predators. Rainfall deficiency was also a significant predictor of their decline. Environmental variables determined the relative importance of top-down control in the population regulation of mesopredators. In landscapes of low rainfall and relatively higher proportions of agriculture and human settlement, top-down forces were dampened and bottom-up forces had the most effect on mesopredators. For herbivore prey species, there was evidence of population differences after DFTD arrival, but undetected environmental factors had greater effects. The unique opportunity to assess population changes over extensive temporal and spatial scales following apex predator loss further demonstrated their role in structuring ecosystems and of productivity in determining the strength of top-down control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracey Hollings
- University of Tasmania, School of Zoology, Private Bag 5, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia
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23
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Tende T, Hansson B, Ottosson U, Åkesson M, Bensch S. Individual identification and genetic variation of lions (Panthera leo) from two protected areas in Nigeria. PLoS One 2014; 9:e84288. [PMID: 24427283 PMCID: PMC3888380 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2013] [Accepted: 11/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
This survey was conducted in two protected areas in Nigeria to genetically identify individual lions and to determine the genetic variation within and between the populations. We used faecal sample DNA, a non-invasive alternative to the risky and laborious task of taking samples directly from the animals, often preceded by catching and immobilization. Data collection in Yankari Game Reserve (YGR) spanned through a period of five years (2008 -2012), whereas data in Kainji Lake National Park (KLNP) was gathered for a period of three years (2009, 2010 and 2012). We identified a minimum of eight individuals (2 males, 3 females, 3 unknown) from YGR and a minimum of ten individuals (7 males, 3 females) from KLNP. The two populations were found to be genetically distinct as shown by the relatively high fixation index (FST = 0.17) with each population exhibiting signs of inbreeding (YGR FIS = 0.49, KLNP FIS = 0.38). The genetic differentiation between the Yankari and Kainji lions is assumed to result from large spatial geographic distance and physical barriers reducing gene flow between these two remaining wild lion populations in Nigeria. To mitigate the probable inbreeding depression in the lion populations within Nigeria it might be important to transfer lions between parks or reserves or to reintroduce lions from the zoos back to the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talatu Tende
- A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Bengt Hansson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ulf Ottosson
- A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
| | - Mikael Åkesson
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
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Effects of habitat, group-size, sex-age class and seasonal variation on the behavioural responses of the mountain nyala (Tragelaphus buxtoni) in Munessa, Ethiopia. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2013. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467413000710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:Activity patterns of animals are generally influenced by many factors. We hypothesized that the behavioural responses (i.e. activity time-budget allocated to vigilance, feeding and moving) of mountain nyala (Tragelaphus buxtoni) should vary with habitat type, season, group-size and sex-age class. We randomly established a total of 12 permanent walking transects with the aid of a GPS device across three major habitat types used by the mountain nyala (i.e. four transects in each habitat). Following each transect, we conducted focal-animal observations to quantify the time-budget allocated to vigilance, feeding and moving. A total of 119 and 116 focal-animals were assessed in the wet and dry season respectively. Moreover, along each transect, seven habitat variables were collected in systematically laid 109 circular plots each with a 5-m radius (i.e. 31, 41 and 37 plots in the cleared vegetation, plantation and natural forest respectively) in the wet and dry season. We developed behavioural models by correlating the time-budget (i.e. proportion of time vigilance, feeding and moving) of the focal-animals in accordance with habitat variables, group-size and sex-age class. In the wet season, mountain nyala devoted most of their time to vigilance, but they allocated the largest proportion of their time to moving in the dry season. Vigilance differed among the three habitats and was highest in the cleared vegetation during the dry season. Contrary to expectations, adult males were more vigilant than both adult females and sub-adults during the dry season. The behavioural models based on time-budget help to predict how the mountain nyala perceive their environment and trade-off between food acquisition and safety in the wet and dry season. The study also improves our understanding of the adaptive behavioural ecology of the endangered mountain nyala.
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Abu Baker MA, Brown JS. Foraging and habitat use of common duikers,Sylvicapra grimmia, in a heterogeneous environment within the Soutpansberg, South Africa. Afr J Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad A. Abu Baker
- Biology Department; Gustavus Adolphus College; 800 West College Avenue Saint Peter MN 56082 U.S.A
| | - Joel S. Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Illinois at Chicago; 845 West Taylor Street Chicago IL 60607 U.S.A
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Wildermuth RP, Anadón JD, Gerber LR. Monitoring behavior: assessing population status with rapid behavioral assessment. Conserv Lett 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-263x.2012.00298.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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Tadesse SA, Kotler BP. Impact of tourism on Nubian Ibex (Capra nubiana) revealed through assessment of behavioral indicators. Behav Ecol 2012. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ars110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Bilodeau E, Simon JC, Guay JF, Turgeon J, Cloutier C. Does variation in host plant association and symbiont infection of pea aphid populations induce genetic and behaviour differentiation of its main parasitoid, Aphidius ervi? Evol Ecol 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-012-9577-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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McQuinn IH, Lesage V, Carrier D, Larrivée G, Samson Y, Chartrand S, Michaud R, Theriault J. A threatened beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) population in the traffic lane: vessel-generated noise characteristics of the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park, Canada. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2011; 130:3661-3673. [PMID: 22225023 DOI: 10.1121/1.3658449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The threatened resident beluga population of the St. Lawrence Estuary shares the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park with significant anthropogenic noise sources, including marine commercial traffic and a well-established, vessel-based whale-watching industry. Frequency-dependent (FD) weighting was used to approximate beluga hearing sensitivity to determine how noise exposure varied in time and space at six sites of high beluga summer residency. The relative contribution of each source to acoustic habitat degradation was estimated by measuring noise levels throughout the summer and noise signatures of typical vessel classes with respect to traffic volume and sound propagation characteristics. Rigid-hulled inflatable boats were the dominant noise source with respect to estimated beluga hearing sensitivity in the studied habitats due to their high occurrence and proximity, high correlation with site-specific FD-weighted sound levels, and the dominance of mid-frequencies (0.3-23 kHz) in their noise signatures. Median C-weighted sound pressure level (SPL(RMS)) had a range of 19 dB re 1 μPa between the noisiest and quietest sites. Broadband SPL(RMS) exceeded 120 dB re 1 μPa 8-32% of the time depending on the site. Impacts of these noise levels on St. Lawrence beluga will depend on exposure recurrence and individual responsiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian H McQuinn
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 850, Route de la Mer, Mont-Joli, Québec G5H 3Z4, Canada.
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Ordiz A, Støen OG, Delibes M, Swenson JE. Predators or prey? Spatio-temporal discrimination of human-derived risk by brown bears. Oecologia 2011; 166:59-67. [PMID: 21298447 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-011-1920-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2009] [Accepted: 01/12/2011] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Prey usually adjust anti-predator behavior to subtle variations in perceived risk. However, it is not clear whether adult large carnivores that are virtually free of natural predation adjust their behavior to subtle variations in human-derived risk, even when living in human-dominated landscapes. As a model, we studied resting-site selection by a large carnivore, the brown bear (Ursus arctos), under different spatial and temporal levels of human activity. We quantified horizontal and canopy cover at 440 bear beds and 439 random sites at different distances from human settlements, seasons, and times of the day. We hypothesized that beds would be more concealed than random sites and that beds would be more concealed in relation to human-derived risk. Although human densities in Scandinavia are the lowest within bear ranges in Western Europe, we found an effect of human activity; bears chose beds with higher horizontal and canopy cover during the day (0700-1900 hours), especially when resting closer to human settlements, than at night (2200-0600 hours). In summer/fall (the berry season), with more intensive and dispersed human activity, including hunting, bears rested further from human settlements during the day than in spring (pre-berry season). Additionally, day beds in the summer/fall were the most concealed. Large carnivores often avoid humans at a landscape scale, but total avoidance in human-dominated areas is not possible. Apparently, bears adjust their behavior to avoid human encounters, which resembles the way prey avoid their predators. Bears responded to fine-scale variations in human-derived risk, both on a seasonal and a daily basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Ordiz
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
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Abu Baker MA, Brown JS. Islands of fear: effects of wooded patches on habitat suitability of the striped mouse in a South African grassland. Funct Ecol 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2010.01757.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Ale SB, Brown JS. Prey Behavior Leads to Predator: A Case Study of the Himalayan Tahr and the Snow Leopard in Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) National Park, Nepal. Isr J Ecol Evol 2009. [DOI: 10.1560/ijee.55.4.315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Rare, elusive predators offer few sightings, hindering research with small sample sizes and lack of experimentation. While predators may be elusive, their prey are more readily observed. Prey respond to the presence of a predator, and these fear responses may have population- and community-level consequences. Anti-predator behaviors, such as vigilance, allow us to sidestep the difficulty of direct field studies of large predators by studying them indirectly. Here we used a behavioral indicator, the vigilance behavior of the Himalayan tahr, the snow leopard's main local prey, to reveal the distribution and habitat use of snow leopards in the Mt. Everest region of Nepal. We combined techniques of conventional field biology with concepts of foraging theory to study prey behavior in order to obtain insights into the predator's ecology. The Himalayan tahr's vigilance behavior correlates with the distribution of snow leopard signs. Tahr actually led us to six sightings of snow leopards. We conclude that behavioral indicators provided by prey offer a valuable tool for studying and monitoring stealthy and rare carnivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Som B. Ale
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois—Chicago
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota
| | - Joel S. Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois—Chicago
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