Temporal partitioning and spatiotemporal avoidance among large carnivores in a human-impacted African landscape

Abstract

Africa is home to some of the world’s most functionally diverse guilds of large carnivores. However, they are increasingly under threat from anthropogenic pressures that may exacerbate already intense intra-guild competition. Understanding the coexistence mechanisms employed by these species in human-impacted landscapes could help shed light on some of the more subtle ways in which humans may impact wildlife populations, and inform multi-species conservation planning. We used camera trap data from Tanzania’s Ruaha-Rungwa landscape to explore temporal and spatiotemporal associations between members of an intact East African large carnivore guild, and determine how these varied across gradients of anthropogenic impact and protection. All large carnivores except African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) exhibited predominantly nocturnal road-travel behaviour. Leopard (Panthera pardus) appeared to employ minor temporal avoidance of lion (Panthera leo) in all sites except those where human impacts were highest, suggesting that leopard may have been freed up from avoidance of lion in areas where the dominant competitor was less abundant, or that the need for leopard to avoid humans outweighed the need to avoid sympatric competitors. Lion appeared to modify their activity patterns to avoid humans in the most impacted areas. We also found evidence of avoidance and attraction among large carnivores: lion and spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) followed leopard; leopard avoided lion; spotted hyaena followed lion; and lion avoided spotted hyaena. Our findings suggest that large carnivores in Ruaha-Rungwa employ fine-scale partitioning mechanisms to facilitate coexistence with both sympatric species and humans, and that growing human pressures may interfere with these behaviours.

Do anthropogenic sources of food increase livestock predation in the area surrounding Ruaha National Park?

“…We found that households closer to RNP were more likely to report cattle predation than those farther from the park (Table 1). This is in line with the findings of camera-trap studies indicating higher lion densities within RNP than in the MBOMIPA WMA and that lions rarely occur in the WMA away from the RNP/WMA boundary (Abade et al 2020, Searle et al 2021a. People living close to RNP view lions as a major threat to cattle (Dickman et al 2014), which are an important financial asset and a component of social prestige (Loibooki et al 2000).…”

“…Generally, lion, leopard and spotted hyena densities are higher in Acacia-Commiphora than Brachystegia habitats, and in Acacia-Commiphora habitats these carnivores occur at higher densities within RNP than the MBOMIPA WMA (Searle et al 2021a). Leopards and spotted hyenas occur throughout the MBOMIPA WMA, whereas lions occur predominantly close to the national park/WMA boundary (Searle et al 2021a).…”

“…Livestock predators in the area include spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), lion (Panthera leo), leopard (Panthera pardus), silver-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) and African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) (Dickman et al 2014). Generally, lion, leopard and spotted hyena densities are higher in Acacia-Commiphora than Brachystegia habitats, and in Acacia-Commiphora habitats these carnivores occur at higher densities within RNP than the MBOMIPA WMA (Searle et al 2021a). Leopards and spotted hyenas occur throughout the MBOMIPA WMA, whereas lions occur predominantly close to the national park/WMA boundary (Searle et al 2021a).…”

“…Livestock predators such as lions, leopards and spotted hyenas (hereafter termed 'hyenas') differ in their adaptability to anthropogenic habitats (Kolowski & Holekamp 2009, Abade et al 2018, Mkonyi et al 2018, Searle et al 2021a, 2021b. The greater importance of crop production in Area 2 than Area 1 (see the 'Results' section) suggests Area 2 was a more cultivated landscape than Area 1 and thus should be generally less suitable for wild carnivores than Area 1.…”

“…The carnivore species that regularly forage close to villages in different size categories may also differ. Lions generally avoid areas with high human disturbance, but this is not necessarily the case for hyenas, silver-backed jackals or leopards (Kolowski & Holekamp 2009, Abade et al 2018, Mkonyi et al 2018, Searle et al 2021a, 2021b.…”