An integrated dietary assessment increases feeding event detection in an urban carnivore

Leighton, Gabriella R. M.; Bishop, Jacqueline M.; O’Riain, M. Justin; Broadfield, Joleen; Meröndun, Justin; Avery, Graham; Avery, D. Margaret; Serieys, Laurel E. K.

doi:10.1007/s11252-020-00946-y

Cited by 21 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 90 publications

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“…We analyzed movement-explicit habitat selection using step-selection functions (SSFs [54]). To ensure we used only movement relocations, we ltered consecutive GPS-locations to have ≥50-meter step lengths (for both 3-hour and 20-min x intervals) because, for both x intervals, a 50-meter step length was the validated criteria for classifying GPS-clusters that formed when caracals in our study area were explicitly engaged in feeding or resting [44].…”

Section: Movement-explicit Step Selection Functionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Within the urban interface, we predicted that the relative importance of ELEVATION would diminish substantially. WATER.DIST within the urban interface may be linked with increased opportunity to nd urban-associated prey (e.g., Egyptian geese, Alopochen aegyptiaca [44]). Finally, we considered a split potential for COAST.DIST because we predicted that caracals would avoid coastline closely bordered by residential or commercial development.…”

Section: Movement-explicit Step Selection Functionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Beyond utilizing human-modi ed areas to a greater degree (urban matrix and vineyards), subadults avoided the coastline, which may be further evidence of avoiding con ict with adults. In the Peninsular section of our study area, most of the available land is bordered by coastline which offers caracals access to abundant seabird prey [44]. Adults from both subpopulations selected for the coast, particularly at night (Fig.…”

Section: Movement Explicit Habitat-selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Adults from both subpopulations selected for the coast, particularly at night (Fig. 5), where (wildland adults especially) regularly hunt coastal seabirds [44]. We did not capture subadults in the wildland-dominated region and thus are unsure whether this trend holds in the wildland-dominated region.…”

Section: Movement Explicit Habitat-selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[43]). Recent studies con rm the persistence of caracals in large protected areas adjacent to urban areas [44,45], small reserves surrounded by urban development [46], and within heavily modi ed residential estates [47], which may act as an ecological trap where they are exposed to pathogens [48] and poisons [45]. These studies point to both risks and rewards to life on the urban edge for caracals.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

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Exposure to Anthropogenic Activities and Age Class Mediate Movement-Explicit Habitat Selection of A Mesocarnivore in A Human-Dominated Landscape

Serieys

Bishop

Rogan

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Background: Wildlife populations are increasingly challenged by human activities that disrupt landscape connectivity and animal movement, and thus population dynamics and persistence. Yet modified habitats may provide resource subsidies for generalist species resulting in increased selection of disturbed areas. Understanding how species adjust their space use and activity in human-modified landscapes is increasingly critical to conserving wildlife populations globally. Methods: To test three competing hypotheses explaining spatiotemporal responses to human activity, we GPS-collared 26 individual adults and subadults from three contiguous subpopulations in wildland and urban-dominated regions. We investigated coarse (3 hour)- and fine (20 minute)- scale movement-explicit habitat selection using step selection functions and tested for increased nocturnality of caracals (Caracal caracal) in a human-dominated landscape in South Africa. Results: Caracals in a wildland-dominated landscape were on average > 8.0 km from the urban-natural boundary and strongly selected for proximity to the coastline. Caracals in the urban-dominated landscape were on average <500 m from the urban-natural boundary, yet strongly avoided areas within the urban matrix itself while selecting for close proximity to the urban-natural boundary. Caracals avoided vegetative cover in the wildland-dominated region but selected for vegetative cover in the urban-dominated region, likely to conceal themselves from detection by humans. Selection responses for vineyards, freshwater, the coast, and burned areas was dependent on age class, diel period, and whether individuals were in close proximity to urban areas. Caracals inhabiting the urban-dominated region did not shift their temporal activity patterns to avoid contact with humans, but they selected for closer proximity to urban areas at night, suggesting they seek spatial refugia during the day. Conclusions: Behavioral plasticity whereby individuals seek out spatial, but not temporal refugia, appears to promote the coexistence of this generalist carnivore in a human-dominated landscape. Both age class and degree of exposure to anthropogenic activities influence habitat selection, while some individuals have learned to successfully exploit the riskiest areas at night. These data are essential to our understanding of what is viable wildlife habitat in this rapidly urbanizing landscape and provide opportunities to guide land acquisition and conservation guidelines by local management agencies.

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Section: Movement-explicit Step Selection Functionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Movement-explicit Step Selection Functionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Movement Explicit Habitat-selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Movement Explicit Habitat-selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

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Exposure to Anthropogenic Activities and Age Class Mediate Movement-Explicit Habitat Selection of A Mesocarnivore in A Human-Dominated Landscape

Serieys

Bishop

Rogan

et al. 2021

Preprint

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A review of caracal and jungle cat diets across their geographical ranges during 1842–2021

Parchizadeh

Schooler

Adibi

et al. 2023

Ecology and Evolution

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Co‐occurring carnivore species that are phylogenetically related or of similar size, morphology, and ecological needs often reduce competition by partitioning shared resources through temporal, spatial, and dietary niche segregation via behavioral adaptations. Caracals (Caracal caracal) and jungle cats (Felis chaus) co‐occur in portions of their geographical ranges and are expected to display resource segregation in these ranges. We compiled scat, stomach content, and prey remains found data from published and unpublished sources to summarize information on the diets of caracals and jungle cats across their geographical ranges during 1842–2021. We obtained 63 sources from 26 countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa, in which caracal diet included 151 species while jungle cat diet included 61 species. We found that caracals and jungle cats did not exhibit dietary niche partitioning and had greater dietary similarities in areas of range overlap. We also found that caracals consumed more diverse prey species including prey with greater average body mass compared to jungle cats. Our results suggest that greater prey diversity in areas of range overlap, caracal predation on wide range of prey, and opportunistic feeding behavior that facilitates consumption of more diverse prey species compared to jungle cats, may facilitate co‐occurrence between these two felid species.

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Medium and large mammal conservation in the City of Cape Town: factors influencing species richness in urban nature reserves

2020

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An integrated dietary assessment increases feeding event detection in an urban carnivore

Cited by 21 publications

References 90 publications

Exposure to Anthropogenic Activities and Age Class Mediate Movement-Explicit Habitat Selection of A Mesocarnivore in A Human-Dominated Landscape

Exposure to Anthropogenic Activities and Age Class Mediate Movement-Explicit Habitat Selection of A Mesocarnivore in A Human-Dominated Landscape

A review of caracal and jungle cat diets across their geographical ranges during 1842–2021

Medium and large mammal conservation in the City of Cape Town: factors influencing species richness in urban nature reserves

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