Spatial and temporal overlap of caracal and serval in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Abstract

Understanding activity and habitat use are important for identifying mechanisms facilitating species co‐occurrence. We studied habitat use and activity patterns of caracals (Caracal caracal) and servals (Leptailurus serval), primarily nocturnal, mid‐sized felids that prey extensively on small mammals and co‐occur in portions of sub‐Saharan Africa. Spatial and temporal patterns of segregation were investigated in a 1,085‐km2 area of Serengeti National Park, Tanzania from 2010–2012. We used occupancy analysis to quantify habitat use and kernel density estimators and Mardia–Watson–Wheleer tests to analyse activity patterns. We found evidence for habitat divergence but high temporal overlap between species. Servals selected for grassland and avoided shrubland and wooded grassland. In contrast, the findings showed that caracals avoided grassland and woodland–shrubland; however, 73% of caracals were detected in wooded grassland. Overall, caracals and servals co‐occurred independently, Species Interaction Factor, (phi = 1). This indicates that differential use of habitats in part facilitated coexistence of caracals and servals. Proper management of the declining grasslands including other habitats are recommended to facilitate continued coexistence. Additional studies, including feeding ecology, would be important to further understand mechanisms facilitating coexistence between caracals and servals.

Habitat structure and the presence of large carnivores shape the site use of an understudied small carnivore: caracal ecology in a miombo woodland

“…In addition, sites further away from permanent water were more likely to be occupied by caracal. Our findings support those of Ramesh et al (2017a) and Mwampeta et al (2020) in that caracal habitat use is not reliant on areas close to permanent water. Caracal can often persist in arid conditions and utilising sites further away from permanent water could be a strategy to reduce competition with other mediumsized carnivores, such as serval (Leptailurus serval), that are more reliant on permanent water and compete for similar prey (Mwampeta et al 2020).…”

“…Our findings support those of Ramesh et al (2017a) and Mwampeta et al (2020) in that caracal habitat use is not reliant on areas close to permanent water. Caracal can often persist in arid conditions and utilising sites further away from permanent water could be a strategy to reduce competition with other mediumsized carnivores, such as serval (Leptailurus serval), that are more reliant on permanent water and compete for similar prey (Mwampeta et al 2020). Our results suggest that caracal display habitat-specific preferences in miombo woodlands and may exhibit more specialised habitat requirements in areas where apex carnivores are present.…”

“…Caracal site use increased in areas with higher grass cover, with this positive association likely a result of the caracal's ambush technique for catching prey (Avenant and Nel 2002). Previous studies have indicated that caracal are habitat generalists (Avenant and Nel 2002), although Mwampeta et al (2020) found that caracal preferred wooded grassland areas in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. Sites with higher grass cover in KNP could provide caracal with increased hunting opportunities for important prey, such as rodents and hares (Avenant and Nel 1998;Jansen et al 2019), whilst also offering refuge from larger carnivores and dense cover for resting sites.…”

“…Covariates used in the occupancy modelling framework that we predicted would influence caracal detection probability (p) and site use (Ψ). A description of how these data were sourced and justification for their inclusion in occupancy models are presented a A capture event was considered independent when there was at least 30 min between captures of the same species unless the animals captured could be confidently Caracal require sufficient vegetation cover for ambushing prey and exhibit a preference for wooded grassland (Avenant and Nel 1998;Mwampeta et al 2020). We reasoned that grass cover was a more indicative metric for vegetative cover than forest cover and would provide caracal with increased hunting opportunities Model selection resulted in three models with strong support (ΔAIC < 2; Table 2).…”

Effect of sex, age, and reproductive status on daily activity levels and activity patterns in jaguars (Panthera onca)

“…Carnivores often have to adjust their activity pattern to that of their prey, often seeking periods of the highest vulnerability of prey (Curio 1976;Linkie and Ridout 2011;Yang et al 2018;Nagy-Reis et al 2019;Rasphone et al 2020) and to human activity, avoiding people by adjusting their movements in time and space (Theuerkauf et al 2003). Information on activity levels and activity patterns may be important to understand distribution of energy expenditures, niche overlaps, hunting strategies, predator-prey relations, or other aspects of animal ecology (Powell et al 1985;Zub et al 2009Zub et al , 2013Kemna et al 2020;Mwampeta et al 2020;Rasphone et al 2020).…”