First evidence of non-parental male infanticide in the endangered Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus).

López, Guillermo; López-Parra, Marcos; Fernández, Laura; Ruiz, Gema; Gil‐Sánchez, José María; Simón, Miguel Ángel

doi:10.2461/wbp.lynx.5

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…Some life‐history traits of the Iberian lynx match the assumptions of this model: (i) breeding females are territorial; (ii) offspring‐rearing space is limited as kittens are protected in dens; and (iii) kittens and juveniles are susceptible to infanticide by either males or females (López et al . ). On the other hand, kinship could also be behind the few cases of relatively high spatial overlap we observed (Rogers ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Revisiting food‐based models of territoriality in solitary predators

López‐Bao

Rodrı́guez

Delibes

et al. 2014

Journal of Animal Ecology

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Summary 1.Food availability is considered a major factor determining spacing behaviour in territorial species, especially for females. Theoretically, spatial overlap (considered the opposite of territoriality) and food availability are related in a nonlinear manner (hypothesized inverted-U function), with high overlap levels at the extremes of a food availability gradient and low overlap at intermediate levels of this gradient. Similar patterns are expected for encounter frequencies owing to its expected correlation with spatial overlap. However, these predictions have rarely been tested in highly structured social systems on a broad gradient of food availability, which implicitly requires experimental manipulation. 2. We test these predictions in a solitary, territorial and trophic specialist, the Iberian lynx Lynx pardinus, taking advantage of a three-decade data set of spatial behaviour in different scenarios of food availability (i.e. rabbit density). 3. In contrast with expectations, home range overlap among resident females was low (median overlap index = 0Á08, range 0-0Á57) and core area overlap was nearly nil (median overlap index = 0, range 0-0Á22) throughout the entire gradient of prey availability. Furthermore, spatial associations between pairs of females were negligible regardless marked variation in prey availability. Therefore, we did not find support for a model of flexible lynx territoriality driven by food availability. 4. Our results suggest that the exclusive use of space in the Iberian lynx was not related to food. Lack of influence of prey availability on lynx territoriality may be adaptive to cope with the consequences of frequent drought-induced periods of prey scarcity or other disturbance typically affecting wild rabbit populations in Mediterranean environments. Thus, lynx would adopt an obstinate strategy of territoriality that consists in defending exclusive areas across a broad range of resource availability ensuring an exclusive access to the minimum amount of prey necessary for survival and eventually reproduction even during periods of prey scarcity. However, we found signs that territoriality was influenced by lynx density in a nonlinear fashion. Our results suggest the occurrence of population regulation through territoriality in this species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Revisiting food‐based models of territoriality in solitary predators

López‐Bao

Rodrı́guez

Delibes

et al. 2014

Journal of Animal Ecology

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“…Although not yet observed in bobcats, infanticide has been observed in many felid species, including lynx ( Lynx spp.) [ 68 , 69 ]. Additionally, black bears and coyotes are well-documented fawn predators [ 70 – 74 ], and eastern coyotes can be more abundant in open areas, including the types of pasture found in our study area [ 75 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex-specific effects of reproductive season on bobcat space use, movement, and resource selection in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia

et al. 2020

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Across taxa, sex-specific demands vary temporally in accordance with reproductive investments. In solitary carnivores, females must provision and protect young independently while meeting increased energetic demands. Males seek to monopolize access to females by maintaining large territories and defending them from other males. For many species, it is poorly understood how these demands relate to broad-scale animal movements. To investigate predictions surrounding the reproductive strategies of solitary carnivores and effects of local conditions on bobcat (Lynx rufus) spatial ecology, we examined the effects of sex and reproductive season on home range size, movement rate, and resource selection of bobcats in the central Appalachian Mountains. Male seasonal home ranges were approximately 3 times larger than those of females (33.9 ± 2.6 vs. 12.1 ± 2.4 km 2 , x±SE), and male movement rates were 1.4 times greater than females (212.6 ± 3.6 vs. 155 ± 8.2 m/hr), likely reflecting male efforts to maximize access to females. Both sexes appear to maintain relatively stable seasonal home ranges despite temporally varying reproductive investments, instead adjusting movements within home ranges. Males increased movements during the dispersal period, potentially reflecting increased territoriality prior to breeding. Females increased movements during the kitten-rearing period, when foraging more intensively, and frequently returning to den sites. Both sexes selected home ranges at higher elevations. However, females selected deciduous forest and avoided fields, whereas males selected fields and avoided deciduous forest, perhaps explained by male pressure to access multiple females across several mountain ridges and higher risk tolerance. Seasonal changes in home range selection likely reflect changes in home range shape. Increased female avoidance of fields during kitten rearing may indicate female avoidance of presumably resource rich, yet risky, fields at the time when kittens are most vulnerable. Our results indicate that while reproductive chronology influences the spatial ecology of solitary carnivores, effects may be constrained by territoriality.

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The evolution of infanticide by females in mammals

Lukas¹,

Huchard²

2018

Preprint

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In most mammalian species, females regularly interact with kin, and it may thus be difficult to understand the evolution of some aggressive and harmful competitive behaviour among females, such as infanticide. Here, we investigate the evolutionary determinants of infanticide by females by combining a quantitative analysis of the taxonomic distribution of infanticide with a qualitative synthesis of the circumstances of infanticidal attacks in published reports.Our results show that female infanticide is widespread across mammals and varies in relation to social organization and life-history, being more frequent where females breed in groups and have intense bouts of high reproductive output. Specifically, female infanticide occurs where the proximity of conspecific offspring directly threatens the killer's reproductive success by limiting access to critical resources for her dependent progeny, including food, shelters, care or a social position. In contrast, infanticide is not immediately modulated by the degree of kinship among females, and females occasionally sacrifice closely related juveniles.Our findings suggest that the potential direct fitness rewards of gaining access to reproductive resources have a stronger influence on the expression of female aggression than the indirect fitness costs of competing against kin.

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First evidence of non-parental male infanticide in the endangered Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus).

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

Revisiting food‐based models of territoriality in solitary predators

Revisiting food‐based models of territoriality in solitary predators

Sex-specific effects of reproductive season on bobcat space use, movement, and resource selection in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia

The evolution of infanticide by females in mammals

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