Niche partitioning by sympatric civets in the Himalayan foothills of Pakistan

Niche overlap between sympatric species can indicate the extent of interspecific competition. Sympatric competing species can exhibit spatial, temporal, and dietary adjustments to reduce competition. We investigated spatial, temporal, and dietary niche overlap of sympatric Asian palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) and small Indian civet ( Viverricula indica), in and around Pir Lasura National Park, Pakistan. We used remote cameras to determine the frequency and timing of detections to estimate spatial and temporal overlap, and prey remains from scats to estimate dietary overlap. We collected scat samples of Asian palm civet (n = 108) and small Indian civet (n = 44) for dietary analysis. We found low spatial (O_ij = 0.32) and temporal (Δ = 0.39) overlap, but high dietary niche overlap (0.9) between these two civet species. Both civet species were detected at only 11 camera sites and small Indian civets were detected most frequently during 2:00-5:00 h and 8:00-10:00 h, whereas Asian palm civets detections were greatest during 20:00-2:00 h. The overall niche breadth of Asian palm civet was slightly narrower (L = 9.69, Lst = 0.31) than that of the small Indian civet (L = 10, Lst = 0.52). We identified 27 dietary items (15 plant, 12 animal) from scats of Asian palm civet including Himalayan pear (Pyrus pashia; 27%), Indian gerbil (Tatera indica; 10%), Rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta; 4%), and insects (5%). Scat analysis of small Indian civets revealed 17 prey items (eight plant, nine animal) including Himalayan pear (24%), domestic poultry (15%), Indian gerbil (11%), and house mouse (Mus musculus; 5%). Both civet species consumed fruits of cultivated orchard species. Spatial and temporal partitioning of landscapes containing diverse foods appears to facilitate coexistence between Asian palm civets and small Indian civets.

Jackal in hide: detection dogs show first success in the quest for golden jackal (Canis aureus) scats

Golden jackal (Canis aureus) monitoring in central Europe generates more interest and becomes increasingly important with the species’ appearance in areas where it was previously unestablished. For genetic monitoring of golden jackals via scat collection, the distinction of jackal scats from those of related species such as the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is crucial: if done incorrectly, it can falsify diet studies or inflate costs of DNA analyses. In this study, we tested the potential benefits of using domestic dogs to specifically find jackal scats. We used trained scat detection dogs to locate and identify golden jackal scats in an area of dense shrubland, with the species’ presence previously confirmed via bioacoustic monitoring. On a total of 133 km of transects covering at least two golden jackal groups, two human-dog teams found 34 putative golden jackal scats. A total of 26 of these were successfully genetically analysed, of which 19 were attributed to 13 individual golden jackals, an accuracy rate of 73%. Our results show that detection dogs can successfully differentiate golden jackal scats from other species. This tool can be applied to detect golden jackal presence and establish more reliable estimates of group number and size than previously determined through bioacoustic stimulation. By combining both methods, questions about family structures and kinship, seasonal differences in habitat use and territory sizes can be answered. The regular use of detection dogs can present an efficient method to monitor golden jackals on a long-term basis and to learn more about their behaviour and population dynamics.

Phylogenetic status and diet of red fox (Vulpes vulpes griffithii) inhabiting Ayubia National Park, Pakistan

Abstract The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a medium-sized carnivore that occurs in different regions of Pakistan, however, still lacks scientific data on its ecology and distribution. The current study investigated the phylogenetic status and diet of the red fox (V.v. griffithii) occurring in Ayubia National Park, Pakistan. Through camera trapping and molecular analysis, we confirmed the occurrence of red fox in the study area. Based on mitochondrial cytochrome B (304 bp) and limited sampling, nearly all red foxes of Ayubia National Park and surrounding Himalayan ranges fall within Holarctic maternal lineage, whereas red foxes found in plains of Pakistan are part of the basal Palearctic maternal lineage. Using 32 scats, we found that red fox diet comprises of 80% animal-based prey species (both wild and domestic) and 19% plant matter. The wild animal prey species included Cape hare (Lepus capensis) and flying squirrel (Pteromyini sp.), which constituted 17% and 15% of diet, respectively. Red foxes infrequently consumed House mouse (Mus musculus), Himalayan Palm civet (Paguma larvata) and sheep (Ovis aries), each comprising around 6% to 9% of red fox diet. The fox species also scavenged on domestic donkey opportunistically. Based on our sampling, our study suggests that the red fox (V.v. griffithii) that occurs in Ayubia National Park and across the lesser Himalayan ranges belongs to Holarctic maternal lineage. The study also highlights consumption of plant seeds by red foxes, indicating it may play an important ecological role in seed dispersal in Ayubia National Park.