Characteristics of banded mongoose (Mungos mungo) den sites across the human-wildlife interface in Northern Botswana

Urban landscapes increase dispersal, gene flow, and pathogen transmission potential in banded mongoose (Mungos mungo) in northern Botswana

“…Mongoose troops living in these anthropogenic landscapes had smaller home ranges in the dry season and concentrated space use around buildings and human refuse (Laver & Alexander, 2018). Urban areas also appeared to relax territorial behaviors, with den sharing occurring among troops living in these land areas (Nichols & Alexander, 2019).…”

Behavior - Landscape Interactions May Create Super-Spreader Environments: Vigilance-Olfactory Interactions Across Land Type and Disease Transmission Potential in the Banded Mongoose

“…These species may contribute to improved vigilance where heterospecific alarms are utilized by banded mongooses (Mueller and Manser, 2008). Riparian forests are often intact in this region, providing mature, closed canopies (Nichols and Alexander, 2019) that enhance protection from aerial predators. Manicured and expansive lawns without woody vegetation or buildings may also provide greater line-ofsight for predator detection.…”

“…In these environments, food waste can be found across seasons in lodge garbage sites, camp sites, and kitchen facilities. Increased concentration of troops around these human-associated resources (Laver and Alexander, 2018;Nichols and Alexander, 2019) may result in more encounters with neighboring troops, where troop vigilance and territorial defense is associated with increased scent marking and inspection (Rood, 1975;Müller and Manser, 2007). Banded mongoose troops respond more aggressively to known neighboring troops than unknown troops, which is likely related to greater perceived competition for resources as well as breeding opportunities (Müller and Manser, 2007).…”

“…Each den site was characterized by land-use category: (1) lodge areas (commercial hotel and their grounds, including landscaped areas that were watered daily, guest rooms, kitchens, and staff housing), (2) residential areas, including private homes and local village residential plots, (3) urban areas, such as the hospital and shopping areas, (4) undeveloped areas not within a protected area, but still susceptible to some human or vehicle traffic, and (5) the national park, which was the protected area of Chobe National Park. At each den site the dominate habitat was identified [Capparis tomentosa shrub, gallery forest (riparian), Chobe River sandbank, degraded riparian forest, shrub savanna, and teak woodland] as previously described (Nichols and Alexander, 2019). Troop count data were visually obtained through radio tracking activities and the troop number was assumed to be constant from the last count obtained where the troop number could not be obtained for a particular den night.…”

Anthropogenic landscapes increase Campylobacter jejuni infections in urbanizing banded mongoose (Mungos mungo): A one health approach

“…Banded mongooses are also highly social and behaviors, such as allogrooming, anogenital inspection, and scent marking with feces, in association with olfactory communication behaviors, may also increase microbial exposure and transmission within mongoose social networks [61]. Den sharing by multiple troops can also occur in urban and lodge environments [62]. Differentiation in infection status and species by behavior and ecological niche have been observed in bird species, with bird species that foraged at ground level having higher Campylobacter prevalence than aerial or arboreal species [63].…”