Resource use by unexploited sympatric bobcats and coyotes in Oregon

Unexploited populations of bobcats (Felis rufus) and coyotes (Canis latrans) were studied in the Elliott State Forest, Douglas and Coos counties, Oregon, from September 1981 to July 1982. A total of 633 radio locations of six bobcats and five coyotes were used to determine home ranges, activity, and habitat-use patterns. Twenty-five prey items were identified in bobcat and coyote scats. Diets of the two species were similar (overlap values were greater than 0.92 for all seasons). Mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa) remains occurred in over 70% of the scats from both species. Home ranges for radio-collared animals averaged 14 km2 for male coyotes, 12 km2 for female coyotes, 11 km2 for one male bobcat, and 2 km2 for female bobcats. Bobcat and coyote home ranges overlapped in time as well as space. Radio-collared bobcats were detected on occasion within the same clear-cut sites concurrently with radio-collared coyotes, and daily activity patterns were nearly identical between the two predators. Bobcats and coyotes used open areas during nightly hunting activities and retired to forested areas during the day. Coyotes used grassy, more open clearings whereas bobcats favored brushy sites.

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Spatial dynamics and activity patterns of the fosa Cryptoprocta ferox in Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar: carnivores navigating a human-influenced landscape

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s0030605319000498 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 54 (6) ◽

pp. 837-846

Author(s):

Eileen Wyza ◽

Luke Dollar ◽

Leon Pierrot Rahajanirina ◽

Viorel Popescu ◽

Nancy J. Stevens

Keyword(s):

National Park ◽

Activity Patterns ◽

Spatial Dynamics ◽

Space Use ◽

Home Range Size ◽

Home Ranges ◽

Gps Collars ◽

Use Patterns ◽

Cryptoprocta Ferox ◽

Human Habitation

AbstractThe Vulnerable fosa Cryptoprocta ferox is the largest native carnivore in Madagascar, fulfilling a unique ecological niche in the island's remaining forests. Negative interactions with humans threaten the long-term viability of most remaining fosa populations across Madagascar. Threats to the fosa include habitat loss and persecution by humans resulting from perceived predation on domestic animals. We used GPS collars to record space use and activity patterns of five fosas in Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar, during the dry seasons of 2016 and 2017. The results, with up to 2,110 recorded locations per individual, indicated fosas’ home ranges and movements were not limited to the forest, and all collared individuals used networks of habitat patches and corridors to navigate deforested areas. The fosas studied in Ankarafantsika National Park had significantly larger home ranges than those reported in previous studies in other protected areas. They were rarely found within village boundaries and appeared to avoid areas of human habitation, suggesting that during the study period livestock was not a significant component of the fosas’ diet in this Park. Our results suggest that fosas have some flexibility that enables them to adapt to living near deforested and human-dominated areas by altering their space-use patterns, but they are compensating by increasing their home range size.

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The Effects of Forestry Site Preparation on Mountain Beaver Demographics and Associated Damage to Tree Seedlings

Western Journal of Applied Forestry ◽

10.1093/wjaf/25.3.127 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 25 (3) ◽

pp. 127-135

Author(s):

Wendy Arjo

Keyword(s):

Pacific Northwest ◽

Management Practices ◽

Site Preparation ◽

Home Ranges ◽

Tree Seedlings ◽

Animal Damage ◽

The Pacific ◽

Mountain Beaver ◽

Aplodontia Rufa ◽

Species Specific

Abstract Timber resources are a vital part of the economy in the Pacific Northwest, yet reforestation efforts are often hampered by animal damage. Understanding the factors that influence seedling damage can assist managers in implementing appropriate techniques to reduce species-specific damage. I radio-collared and monitored mountain beavers (Aplodontia rufa) from preharvest to seedling planting to determine the impacts of forest management practices on demographics. In addition, I monitored Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) seedlings on 28 plots on two harvest units (Vesta and Schoolhouse) to determine the effects of chemical site preparation on mountain beaver foraging and subsequent seedling damage. Mountain beaver densities differed between silvicultural treatments (F3,39 = 3.58, P < 0.02), although reproductive success did not (χ2 = 0.14, df = 1, P = 0.70). Larger mountain beaver home ranges were documented in the mature timber compared with those following harvest. Home ranges were also larger in the chemical site preparation portion of the unit (mean = 3.37 ± 0.9 ha) than in the nontreated portion of the unit (mean = 0.82 ± 0.17 ha) on Vesta. Herbicide treatment did not promote seedling damage on either unit. Vegetation does not appear to be the only factor influencing mountain beaver movements and seedling damage. Availability of water is very important for mountain beavers and may also influence their foraging choice, as well as contributing to their increased movements in mature timber (reduced groundwater) versus clearcut areas. Understanding the effects of vegetation on population demographics and subsequent seedling damage may allow for initiating a nonlethal management method using alternative forage.

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Mountain beaver home ranges, habitat use, and population dynamics in Washington

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z07-007 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 85 (3) ◽

pp. 328-337 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

W.M. Arjo ◽

R.E. Huenefeld ◽

D.L. Nolte

Keyword(s):

Population Density ◽

Habitat Use ◽

Woody Debris ◽

Habitat Characteristics ◽

Home Ranges ◽

Limited Information ◽

Managed Forest ◽

Forest Sites ◽

Mountain Beaver ◽

Aplodontia Rufa

The mountain beaver ( Aplodontia rufa (Rafinesque, 1817)), endemic to western North America, is the only extant member of the family Aplodontidae. Limited information on movements and habitat use throughout the species’ range is available. We radio-collared 41 mountain beavers to determine home ranges, dispersal, habitat use, and population densities on two managed forest sites in coastal Washington. Both sites were recently harvested for timber. The Donovan site (16.6 ha) was treated with herbicide before seedling planting and the Sylvia site (8.9 ha) was not treated. Mountain beaver home ranges (Donovan: 4.18 ± 0.81 ha; Sylvia: 1.39 ± 0.4 ha) were greater than previously reported in the literature (0.02–0.2 ha). Home ranges (P = 0.009) and core use areas (P = 0.05) on the herbicide-treated Donovan site were larger than those observed on the untreated Sylvia site. Mountain beaver population density declined from 2002 (n = 16) to 2003 (n = 8) on the Donovan site, and reinvasion onto the site after removal trapping was low (n = 7). Population density more than doubled on the Sylvia site from 2002 (n = 21) to 2003 (n = 55), and reinvasion was greater (n = 27) than observed at Donovan. In addition, we documented habitat characteristics centered at 9 Donovan and 10 Sylvia nest locations. Sites were similar in most habitat characteristics, but the Sylvia site had more herbaceous forbs, stumps, and woody debris. Our findings suggest that mountain beaver populations and home ranges are affected by availability of forage, such as herbaceous forbs, after herbicide treatment, as well as by availability of woody cover.

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Is reintroduction a tool for the conservation of the jaguar Panthera onca? A case study in the Brazilian Pantanal

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s0030605320000460 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-5

Author(s):

Rose Lilian Gasparini-Morato ◽

Leonardo Sartorello ◽

Lilian Rampim ◽

Carlos Eduardo Fragoso ◽

Joares Adenilson May ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Daily Activity ◽

Activity Patterns ◽

Native Vegetation ◽

Home Ranges ◽

Panthera Onca ◽

Species Survival ◽

Movement Parameters ◽

Brazilian Pantanal ◽

Daily Activity Patterns

Abstract To evaluate the feasibility of reintroduction as a tool for conservation of the jaguar Panthera onca, we adapted the IUCN soft release protocol to reintroduce two jaguars in the southern Pantanal, Brazil. After being kept at rescue centres for 13 months, the jaguars were moved to a 1-ha enclosure with native vegetation on a 53,000 ha ranch in the Pantanal, where hunting is not allowed and prey is abundant. In the enclosure, the animals were fed with meat, dead animals (roadkill) and then, progressively, live wild prey. After 11 months, the jaguars were fitted with collars equipped with GPS/VHF (recording one location per hour) and accelerometers, and released in the same area. The animals established residence near the enclosure, with home ranges, movement parameters, daily activity patterns and prey consumption similar to that recorded in previous studies. Social interaction and reproduction indicated the reintroduction was successful, and that it can be a tool for the species' survival in areas where the jaguar population is in decline.

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From hunters to nature observers: a record of 53 years of diver attitudes towards sharks and rays and marine protected areas

Marine and Freshwater Research ◽

10.1071/mf10142 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 62 (6) ◽

pp. 755 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Sally Whatmough ◽

Ingrid Van Putten ◽

Andrew Chin

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

Marine Protected Areas ◽

Resource Use ◽

Scientific Data ◽

Attitudinal Change ◽

Use Patterns ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Economic Information ◽

Perceptions And Attitudes ◽

Conservation Awareness

Human values, perceptions, attitudes and interactions with the natural environment have been found to change over time, with social and economic information used to inform management decisions and actions. Content analysis is applied here to a 53-year long collection of the popular dive magazine, SportDiving, to identify recreational divers’ experiences with regard to sharks and rays, the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and marine protected areas (MPAs). This analysis suggests there has been a diversification of diver activities with the emergence of passive-observational activities such as SCUBA diving. Attitudes towards sharks and rays have changed significantly, with recreational divers changing from a group that could be described as adventure-seeking hunters to a group that can be described as nature-appreciating observers, suggesting an increase in conservation awareness. The GBR continues to be a highly regarded dive destination, with divers perceiving positive effects of protection within MPAs. However, declines in the abundance of large fish and sharks and rays were occasionally reported throughout the 53 year period. Collectively, these types of data can show changes in resource-use patterns, perceptions and attitudes and provide information that supplements scientific monitoring data. These data may be valuable where scientific data is scarce, historical records difficult to obtain, and where attitudinal change can significantly affect future resource use.

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Modeling Community-Scale Natural Resource Use in a Transboundary Southern African Landscape: Integrating Remote Sensing and Participatory Mapping

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs13040631 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 631

Author(s):

Kyle D. Woodward ◽

Narcisa G. Pricope ◽

Forrest R. Stevens ◽

Andrea E. Gaughan ◽

Nicholas E. Kolarik ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Remote Sensing ◽

Land Use ◽

Resource Use ◽

Training Data ◽

Systems Science ◽

Participatory Mapping ◽

Land Use Patterns ◽

Modeling Framework ◽

Use Patterns ◽

Human Habitation

Remote sensing analyses focused on non-timber forest product (NTFP) collection and grazing are current research priorities of land systems science. However, mapping these particular land use patterns in rural heterogeneous landscapes is challenging because their potential signatures on the landscape cannot be positively identified without fine-scale land use data for validation. Using field-mapped resource areas and household survey data from participatory mapping research, we combined various Landsat-derived indices with ancillary data associated with human habitation to model the intensity of grazing and NTFP collection activities at 100-m spatial resolution. The study area is situated centrally within a transboundary southern African landscape that encompasses community-based organization (CBO) areas across three countries. We conducted four iterations of pixel-based random forest models, modifying the variable set to determine which of the covariates are most informative, using the best fit predictions to summarize and compare resource use intensity by resource type and across communities. Pixels within georeferenced, field-mapped resource areas were used as training data. All models had overall accuracies above 60% but those using proxies for human habitation were more robust, with overall accuracies above 90%. The contribution of Landsat data as utilized in our modeling framework was negligible, and further research must be conducted to extract greater value from Landsat or other optical remote sensing platforms to map these land use patterns at moderate resolution. We conclude that similar population proxy covariates should be included in future studies attempting to characterize communal resource use when traditional spectral signatures do not adequately capture resource use intensity alone. This study provides insights into modeling resource use activity when leveraging both remotely sensed data and proxies for human habitation in heterogeneous, spectrally mixed rural land areas.

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Characterizing People’s Daily Activity Patterns in the Urban Environment: A Mobility Network Approach with Geographic Context-Aware Twitter Data

Annals of the American Association of Geographers ◽

10.1080/24694452.2020.1867498 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-21

Author(s):

Junjun Yin ◽

Guangqing Chi

Keyword(s):

Urban Environment ◽

Daily Activity ◽

Activity Patterns ◽

Context Aware ◽

Network Approach ◽

Geographic Context ◽

Twitter Data ◽

People’S Daily ◽

People's Daily ◽

Daily Activity Patterns

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Movement patterns of feral predators in an arid environment – implications for control through poison baiting

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr08098 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 36 (5) ◽

pp. 422 ◽

Cited By ~ 64

Author(s):

K. E. Moseby ◽

J. Stott ◽

H. Crisp

Keyword(s):

Home Range ◽

Sand Dunes ◽

Activity Patterns ◽

Movement Patterns ◽

Home Range Size ◽

Range Size ◽

Home Ranges ◽

Feral Cats ◽

Poison Baiting ◽

Specific Variation

Control of introduced predators is critical to both protection and successful reintroduction of threatened prey species. Efficiency of control is improved if it takes into account habitat use, home range and the activity patterns of the predator. These characteristics were studied in feral cats (Felis catus) and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in arid South Australia, and results are used to suggest improvements in control methods. In addition, mortality and movement patterns of cats before and after a poison-baiting event were compared. Thirteen cats and four foxes were successfully fitted with GPS data-logger radio-collars and tracked 4-hourly for several months. High intra-specific variation in cat home-range size was recorded, with 95% minimum convex polygon (MCP) home ranges varying from 0.5 km2 to 132 km2. Cat home-range size was not significantly different from that of foxes, nor was there a significant difference related to sex or age. Cats preferred habitat types that support thicker vegetation cover, including creeklines and sand dunes, whereas foxes preferred sand dunes. Cats used temporary focal points (areas used intensively over short time periods and then vacated) for periods of up to 2 weeks and continually moved throughout their home range. Aerial baiting at a density of 10 baits per km2 was ineffective for cats because similar high mortality rates were recorded for cats in both baited and unbaited areas. Mortality was highest in young male cats. Long-range movements of up to 45 km in 2 days were recorded in male feral cats and movement into the baited zone occurred within 2 days of baiting. Movement patterns of radio-collared animals and inferred bait detection distances were used to suggest optimum baiting densities of ~30 baits per km2 for feral cats and 5 per km2 for foxes. Feral cats exhibited much higher intra-specific variation in activity patterns and home-range size than did foxes, rendering them a potentially difficult species to control by a single method. Control of cats and foxes in arid Australia should target habitats with thick vegetation cover and aerial baiting should ideally occur over areas of several thousand square kilometres because of large home ranges and long-range movements increasing the chance of fast reinvasion. The use of temporary focal points suggested that it may take several days or even weeks for a cat to encounter a fixed trap site within their home range, whereas foxes should encounter them more quickly as they move further each day although they have a similar home-range size. Because of high intra-specific variability in activity patterns and home-range size, control of feral cats in inland Australia may be best achieved through a combination of control techniques.

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The home-range concept: are traditional estimators still relevant with modern telemetry technology?

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2010.0093 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 365 (1550) ◽

pp. 2221-2231 ◽

Cited By ~ 268

Author(s):

John G. Kie ◽

Jason Matthiopoulos ◽

John Fieberg ◽

Roger A. Powell ◽

Francesca Cagnacci ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Home Range ◽

New Technologies ◽

Animal Movement ◽

Space Use ◽

Ease Of Use ◽

Home Ranges ◽

Data Intensive ◽

Use Patterns ◽

Location Data ◽

Utilization Distributions

Recent advances in animal tracking and telemetry technology have allowed the collection of location data at an ever-increasing rate and accuracy, and these advances have been accompanied by the development of new methods of data analysis for portraying space use, home ranges and utilization distributions. New statistical approaches include data-intensive techniques such as kriging and nonlinear generalized regression models for habitat use. In addition, mechanistic home-range models, derived from models of animal movement behaviour, promise to offer new insights into how home ranges emerge as the result of specific patterns of movements by individuals in response to their environment. Traditional methods such as kernel density estimators are likely to remain popular because of their ease of use. Large datasets make it possible to apply these methods over relatively short periods of time such as weeks or months, and these estimates may be analysed using mixed effects models, offering another approach to studying temporal variation in space-use patterns. Although new technologies open new avenues in ecological research, our knowledge of why animals use space in the ways we observe will only advance by researchers using these new technologies and asking new and innovative questions about the empirical patterns they observe.

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