Jaguars (Panthera onca) and pumas (Puma concolor) coexist throughout the Neotropics. Using camera trapping in four Brazilian biomes, we compare the daily activity patterns of the jaguar and puma, and their relationships with their main prey species. We used a kernel density method to quantify daily activity patterns and to investigate overlap between these predators and their main prey. Both cats showed intensive nocturnal and crepuscular activity (0.69 and 0.14 kernel density, respectively, for jaguars; 0.68 and 0.19 kernel density, respectively, for pumas). Only in the Pantanal did we observe a pattern of concentrated diurnal activity for both species. We found little temporal segregation between jaguars and pumas, as they showed similar activity patterns with high coefficients of overlapping (average ∆1 = 0.86; SE = 0.15). We also observed a significant overlap between the activity patterns of the predators and their main prey species, suggesting that both predators adjust their activity to reduce their foraging energy expenditure. Our findings suggest that temporal partitioning is probably not a generalized mechanism of coexistence between jaguars and pumas; instead, the partitioning of habitat/space use and food resources may play a larger role in mediating top predator coexistence. Knowledge about these behavior aspects is crucial to elucidating the factors that enable coexistence of jaguars and pumas. Furthermore, an understanding of their respective activity periods is relevant to management and associated research efforts.

Camera trapping has been widely used to study different aspects of animal ecology, increasing scientific knowledge and helping in conservation initiatives. Recently, some studies demonstrated the use of this technique to study temporal predator-prey interactions, most of which focused on large felids. In this study, we investigate the activity patterns of the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis)-a medium-sized neotropical cat -and its known potential prey in the Brazilian Pantanal using photographs taken by camera traps. We tested for seasonal differences in activity patterns, and assessed the patterns of temporal overlap between this felid and three known potential prey: the Brazilian rabbit (Sylvilagus brasiliensis), Azara's agouti (Dasyprocta azarae), and Paraguayan punaré (Thrichomys pachyurus). We estimated activity patterns using kernel density and measured the overlap between estimated paired distributions using a coefficient of overlap, hypothesizing that activity patterns would change between the rainy and dry season, and that overlap would be higher with rodents since they comprise the bulk of the ocelot's diet in the Pantanal and elsewhere. Azara's agouti and the Paraguayan punaré were the only species that presented significant changes in their activity patterns between seasons. Contrary to our hypothesis, there was low coincidence of activity patterns between ocelots and Azara's agouti for both seasons, but temporal overlap between ocelots and Paraguayan punarés was high with no significant difference, at least in the dry season. Overall, temporal overlap between ocelots and Brazilian rabbits was high, with no significant differences. In general, our results suggest that ocelots may tailor their activity to that of some of their potential prey to increase the probability of encounters. The results provide the first insight into temporal interactions involving ocelots and their potential prey in the Brazilian Pantanal.

Jaguar and puma are the largest cats in the American continent. Competition between both species is expected due to similarities in diet and habitat use. The objective of this study was to test whether temporal separation exists between these two species and to analyze whether their activity patterns coincide with those of some of their potential prey. We used data from camera trapping to estimate activity patterns and measure the overlap between activity distributions using kernel density. The activity of jaguars and pumas overlapped extensively and followed those of some of their potential prey, suggesting a potential for competition.

Coexistence, as a concept and as a management goal and practice, has attracted increasing attention from researchers, managers and decision-makers dedicated to understanding and improving human-wildlife interactions. Although it still lacks a universally agreed definition, coexistence has increasingly been associated with a broad spectrum of human-wildlife interactions, including positive interactions, transcending a conservation focus on endangered wildlife, and involving explicitly considerations of power, equity and justice. In a growingly complex and interconnected human-dominated world, the key to turning human-wildlife interactions into large-scale coexistence is thorough planning. We present an approach for evidence-based, structured, and participatory decision-making in planning for human-wildlife coexistence. More specifically, we propose (i) a conceptual framework for describing the situation and setting the goals, (ii) a process for examining the causes of the situation and creating a theory of change, and (iii) a model for transdisciplinary research and collaboration integrating researchers, decision-makers and residents along with the interests of wildlife. To illustrate the approach, we report on the workshop considering the Jaguars of Iguaçu, a conservation project whose strategy includes the improvement of the relationship between ranchers and jaguars outside Iguaçu National Park, Brazil.

Although primarily arboreal, the capuchin monkey (Sapajus cay) descends to the ground for several reasons. We used terrestrial records obtained by camera-trapping surveys to investigate seasonality in the terrestriality of capuchin monkeys, reasons to descend to the ground, and periods of the day when terrestriality was more pronounced. We carried out the study in the Urucum Massif, Brazilian Pantanal. We obtained data from 2 camera-trapping surveys carried out in the dry and rainy seasons. Terrestrial behaviours were categorized, and terrestrial activity patterns were described using a kernel density approach. We observed a seasonal effect on the frequency of terrestrial behaviours of capuchin monkeys, who used the ground more during the dry season. We identified 6 different types of terrestrial behaviour, but travelling (33.3%), foraging (23.3%), and drinking water (23.3%) were the most frequently observed. All records occurred during the day, with 2 peaks in terrestrial activity. Seasonal terrestriality was mainly linked to ecological needs during periods of scarce food and water.

Although known globally for its biodiversity, only around 5% of the Brazilian Pantanal is protected. The Network for Protection and Conservation of Amolar Mountain Ridge is an informal initiative that legally protects over 2000 km 2 of the Pantanal biome. Several camera-trapping surveys were carried out at Amolar Mountain Ridge from August 2011 to September 2013 in order to increase our knowledge of the species occurrence and its ecological requirements. The aims of this study were : 1) to inventory the carnivore species occurring within this network of protected areas; 2) to describe their activity patterns and 3) to discuss threats for those species' conservation in the region. We used the Kernel density method to describe the species' activity patterns. We obtained 764 records (from 12703 camera-days) of eight carnivores, including endangered species in Brazil, such as the jaguar (Panthera onca), puma (Puma concolor), and ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), that were among the most frequently recorded by camera traps. The other species detected were the South America coati (Nasua nasua), the tayra (Eira barbara), the crab-eating raccoon (Procyon cancrivorus) and the jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi). We provided information on activity patterns of the jaguar and puma, which exhibited cathemeral activity patterns, on the ocelot and crab-eating fox, which were mostly nocturnal, and on the Southern coati and jaguarundi, which were diurnal. Scansorial and species that occur naturally in low densities as the tayra and the crab-eating raccoon were difficult to be detected with the used camera trapping setting. However, due to the natural characteristics of the study area, camera trapping is among the most appropriate tools for providing data about carnivores and their prey. This information is essential to delineate conservation plans for Amolar Mountain Ridge.

Food habits of yellow armadillos have been reported to include mainly plant material and invertebrates. Although predation on medium vertebrates is unexpected, yellow armadillos present strategies to subjugate medium vertebrates. Here, we report events of predation upon domestic chickens by yellow armadillos in the Brazilian Pantanal. We installed 20 Tomahawk traps, each baited with one live chicken to capture felines and, throughout 15 days of trapping, we captured two yellow armadillos. Both killed the chickens and ate most of them. These events represent a new uppermost limit of prey size for yellow armadillos.

RESUMO: Os padrões de atividade podem ser um componente importante na partição de nicho entre espécies simpátricas, especialmente quando essas espécies têm hábitos semelhantes. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar os padrões de atividade, a influência da sazonalidade na atividade e testar a partição temporal de nicho entre duas espécies simpátricas de cervídeos no Maciço do Urucum, Mato Grosso do Sul: o veado-mateiro (Mazama americana) e o veado-catingueiro (Mazama gouazoubira). Amostragens por armadilhagem fotográfica foram realizadas entre novembro de 2012 e julho de 2016 em diferentes estações do ano. Para testar a influência da sazonalidade na atividade dos dois cervídeos e a partição de nicho temporal, utilizou-se o método de densidade kernel para dados circulares. O teste de homogeneidade de duas amostras de Watson foi usado para verificar diferenças nos padrões de atividade de ambas as espécies. Com um esforço amostral de 2.968 dias-câmera, foram obtidos 153 registros de cervídeos. O veado-mateiro (N = 60) apresentou tendência a ser noturno, enquanto o veado-catingueiro (N = 93) foi catemeral. Não observamos influência significativa da sazonalidade nos padrões de atividade de ambas as espécies de Mazama, que em geral mantiveram os mesmos padrões de atividade durante a estação chuvosa e seca, especialmente M. americana. O coeficiente de sobreposição entre as duas espécies foi Δ 1 = 0,75 (0,60 -0,78), e os padrões de atividade foram considerados significativamente diferentes (U 2 = 0,4308, p <0,001). Além disso, nossos dados sugerem competição entre M. americana (maior porte) e M. gouazoubira (menor porte), que responde ao aumento da atividade da espécie maior. Portanto, concluímos que a dimensão temporal é um elemento importante envolvido na coexistência entre essas duas espécies em nossa área de estudo. Palavras-chave: armadilha fotográfica; particionamento de nicho; Pantanal. Rucco et al. | 441 Oecol. Aust. 23(3): 440-450, 2019 ACTIVITY PATTERNS OF TWO SYMPATRIC CERVIDS (Mazama americana and Mazama gouazoubira)AT MACIÇO DO URUCUM, CORUMBÁ, MS. The activity patterns may be an important component in the resource partitioning among sympatric species, especially when these species have similar habits. The objective of this study was to investigate the activity patterns, the influence of seasonality on activity, and to test temporal niche partitioning between two sympatric species of cervids in the Maciço do Urucum, Mato Grosso do Sul: the red brocket deer (Mazama americana) and the gray brocket deer (M. gouazoubira). Camera trapping surveys were carried out between November 2012 to July 2016 in different seasons. In order to test the influence of seasonality on the activity of deer and temporal niche partition, the kernel density method for circular data was used. Watson's two-sample test of homogeneity was used to verify differences in the activity patterns of both species. With a sample effort of 2,968 camera-days, a total of 153 records of cervids were obtained. The red brocket deer (N = 60) showed a ten...