Observations on the mating behavior of the eastern lowland olingo Bassaricyon alleni (Carnivora: Procyonidae) in the Peruvian Amazon

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The behavior of wild olingos is poorly known. From May-Jul 2015, I surveyed nocturnal mammals in southeast Peru and recorded the behavior of olingos. Multiple olingos were observed in close proximity on four occasions: two occasions in which multiple olingos were feeding on the inflorescences of a Parkia pendula tree; an adult and immature olingo traveling together; and a pair of olingos copulating. The copulation lasted at least 142 minutes, and was characterized by the male biting the hind neck and back of the female, constant female vocalizations, and rapid head turning by the female toward the male. Olingos and kinkajous were similarly abundant. These observations offer insight into the behavior of the wild olingo.

Slow learning of feeding skills in a nocturnal extractive forager

“…Many nocturnal species, including those that consume difficult diets, have been described as solitary foragers, where learning by co-feeding may be minimal (Soderquist & Lill, 1995;Mueller & Thalman, 2000). However, multiple nocturnal taxa, whose diet primarily or in part comprises tree exudates, animal prey and nectar, feed in small groups (Ball, Adams & Goldingay, 2010;Williams, 2016;Nakabayashi, 2015;Kays & Gittleman, 2001). These difficult foods may require complex foraging behaviours including morphological competence to gouge and knowledge of feeding sites (Forsythe & Ford, 2011;Lührs, 2009;Day, Coe, Kendal & Laland, 2003), handling to remove toxic hairs or avoid being stung or bitten (Charles-Dominique, 1977;Thornton & Clutton-Brock, 2011) and sensitive handling to not damage the flower (Nekaris, 2014;Parachnowitsch & Kessler, 2010).…”