Activity Patterns of the Culpeo Fox (Lycalopex Culpaeus Magellanica) in a Non-Hunting Area of Northwestern Patagonia, Argentina

Monteverde, Martín; Piudo, Luciana

doi:10.3106/041.036.0301

Cited by 14 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…From this point of view, an effect of predator control on the activity pattern of the target species could be expected. For example, in areas where predators are removed, canids decrease their activity, especially during the daytime period (Kitchen et al ., ; Rasmussen & Macdonald, ; but see Monteverde & Piudo, ). In this line, red fox in our study decreased even more its activity during daytime (Table ; Fig.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 73%

Drivers of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) daily activity: prey availability, human disturbance or habitat structure?

et al. 2015

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Daily activity patterns in mammals depend on food availability, reproductive stage, habitat selection, intraspecific interactions and predation risk, among other factors. Some mammals exhibit behavioral plasticity in activity patterns, which allows them to adapt to environmental changes. A good example of this can be found in the red fox Vulpes vulpes. This species is adapted to living in highly humanized environments, where it is often culled because it may affect human interests (e.g. through the consumption of game species or livestock). We assessed the potential main drivers of the daily activity patterns of the red fox in 12 Iberian Mediterranean areas through the use of camera traps. Among drivers, we considered main prey availability (European wild rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus), degree of human disturbance (e.g. distance to human settlements, and intensity of predator control) and habitat structure. Our results revealed a predominantly crepuscular and nocturnal activity of foxes with local variations. Although overall fox activity increased with rabbit availability, the temporal overlap with prey activity was on average low, because foxes increased activity when rabbits decreased theirs (twilight-night). Red fox activity rhythms seemed to be determined by human presence where human disturbance is high. In addition, diurnal activity decreased in areas with higher levels of human disturbance (closer to human settlements and high predator control intensity) and increased in dense habitats. Our study shows that daily activity patterns of highly adaptable species are determined by several interacting drivers, resulting in complex behavioral patterns. This suggests that further ecological studies should consider different factors simultaneously for a better understanding of daily activity patterns of wildlife in different landscapes.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 73%

Drivers of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) daily activity: prey availability, human disturbance or habitat structure?

et al. 2015

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“…The assumption that culpeo foxes are more nocturnal when influenced by human disturbance, such as hunting, appears to have little support; culpeo foxes' activity is better explained by the activity of its prey (e.g. nocturnal rodents; Monteverde & Piudo ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patterns of coexistence between two mesocarnivores in northern Patagonia in the presence of invasive hares and anthropogenic disturbance

Gantchoff

Belant

2015

Austral Ecology

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We analysed coexistence patterns between two mesocarnivores, Geoffroy's cat (Leopardus geoffroyi: Felidae) and culpeo fox (Pseudalopex culpaeus: Canidae), in northern Patagonia, Argentina. We examined spatial distribution influenced by land cover, anthropogenic disturbance and invasive hare presence, and analysed temporal activity patterns and dietary composition. If competitive exclusion accounts for carnivore coexistence in this system, we predicted segregation would occur in one or more of these aspects as a mechanism for coexistence. We performed camera trapping in Nahuel Huapi National Park, Using camera detections, we analysed spatial patterns with co-occupancy modelling and temporal patterns by fitting kernel density estimates and measuring overlap. We performed a dietary meta-analysis using available literature and performed a discriminant function analysis of diet categories between species. We observed high spatial and temporal overlap between Geoffroy's cats and culpeo foxes. We found no evidence of segregation in relation to land cover occupancy, anthropogenic disturbance, invasive hare occurrence or activity patterns. Though both species consumed predominantly small and medium mammals, Geoffroy's cats consumed more birds, reptiles and amphibians, and culpeo foxes consumed more large mammals, carrion and plant material; coexistence between these two carnivores in this Patagonian protected area appears to be facilitated by diet segregation.

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“…The same nocturnal activity patterns were also observed in other areas of Argentina (Walker et al 2007, Tellaeche et al 2014). While moon light did not seem to affect the activity of the culpeo (Lucherini et al 2009), peaks of activity have been recorded at different times of the night (Monteverde & Piudo 2011). More nocturnal activity has also been reported in males than in females (Salvatori et al 1999).…”

Section: Activity Patternsmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…The species also occupies the coastal forests of Nothofagus in the subantarctic region (Gomez et al 2010, Monteverde & Piudo 2011. Some individuals have been found in rain forests at low altitudes (Jiménez et al 2008, Ordóñez-Delgado et al 2018, although several authors suggest that culpeos would occupy adjacent areas truly (MINAN 2011).…”

Section: Habitatmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecology of the Culpeo (Lycalopex culpaeus): A Review of Knowledge and Current Gaps

Guntiñas¹,

Lozano²,

Cisneros³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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A deep review of the existing literature on the culpeo ecology is carried out, using scientific articles, book chapters and web resources. For information published before 1988, the synthesis made by a previous report was used. For subsequent information, bibliographic searches were carried out through the main servers, considering all of the generic names used to define the species so far. From this update, new general patterns on ecology, behavior and conservation concerns about culpeos are described. Gaps in current knowledge have been identified and new lines of research are proposed.Most of the studies focused on diet, conflicts with the species in livestock areas, and on the use of space and habitat. We found an incomplete, poor justification for all of the proposed subspecies and their supposed geographical distribution, as well as a scarcity of studies on genetic issues, population dynamics and conservation concerns. It is remarkable that vast regions in South America holding culpeos lacked basic information on the species.Diet studies describe a marked trend towards resources selection at the local level, which supports the view of the culpeo as a facultative trophic specialist. In addition, it has been confirmed that in the high Andes the culpeo is also a top predator that may regulate carnivorous communities, as well as that in arid environments culpeos can act as important seed dispersers. The assessment of the conservation status of the species differs among regions, although there is no sufficient information to reach clear conclusions in most cases. Even so, in Ecuador and Colombia the species has been listed as ‘Vulnerable’. Direct persecution and habitat alteration are considered to be the most important threats that the species is facing in many countries, although other risk factors such as climate change could also have serious consequences for the canid at the global scale.

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Activity Patterns of the Culpeo Fox (Lycalopex Culpaeus Magellanica) in a Non-Hunting Area of Northwestern Patagonia, Argentina

Cited by 14 publications

References 16 publications

Drivers of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) daily activity: prey availability, human disturbance or habitat structure?

Drivers of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) daily activity: prey availability, human disturbance or habitat structure?

Patterns of coexistence between two mesocarnivores in northern Patagonia in the presence of invasive hares and anthropogenic disturbance

Ecology of the Culpeo (<em>Lycalopex</em> <em>culpaeus</em>): A Review of Knowledge and Current Gaps

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