Behavioral response of wild mammals to pre-existing and artificial latrines of raccoon dogs in northeastern Japan

Mammalia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Koharu Yoshida ◽  
Masayuki U. Saito
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Behavior ◽  
Behavioral Response ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Raccoon Dog ◽  
Wild Mammals ◽  
Feeding Sites ◽  
Northeastern Japan ◽  
Behavior Types ◽  
Raccoon Dogs

Abstract In this study, we reveal the behavior of raccoon dogs and other mammals on two types of latrines: already-existing latrines in the field and artificial latrines created from the feces of a captive individual. From September to November 2019, we used camera traps at already-known (eight sites), and artificial latrines (four sites), and recorded the mammalian species that visited, their behavior types, and the duration of time spent at the latrines. Our camera traps detected eight species visits, including raccoon dogs, masked palm civets, and rodents (Muridae). In raccoon dogs, sniffing, urination, defecation, and passing were observed, and the numbers of defecation and passing occurrences were significantly higher in the already-existing latrines. The duration time of the raccoon dogs was significantly longer at the artificial latrine; however, the time decreased as days elapsed. Masked palm civets frequently visited the artificial latrines, where the number of rubbings was significantly higher. The Muridae did not differ in their proportion of foraging behavior between the two latrine types, indicating that both were used as feeding sites without distinction. The results of this study indicate that raccoon dog latrines affect not only raccoon dogs but also other mammals.

scholarly journals The Neurotransmitters Involved in Drosophila Alcohol-Induced Behaviors

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maggie M. Chvilicek ◽  
Iris Titos ◽  
Adrian Rothenfluh
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Behavioral Response ◽  
Recent Progress ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Behavioral Repertoire ◽  
Significant Research ◽  
Alcohol Response

Alcohol is a widely used and abused substance with numerous negative consequences for human health and safety. Historically, alcohol's widespread, non-specific neurobiological effects have made it a challenge to study in humans. Therefore, model organisms are a critical tool for unraveling the mechanisms of alcohol action and subsequent effects on behavior. Drosophila melanogaster is genetically tractable and displays a vast behavioral repertoire, making it a particularly good candidate for examining the neurobiology of alcohol responses. In addition to being experimentally amenable, Drosophila have high face and mechanistic validity: their alcohol-related behaviors are remarkably consistent with humans and other mammalian species, and they share numerous conserved neurotransmitters and signaling pathways. Flies have a long history in alcohol research, which has been enhanced in recent years by the development of tools that allow for manipulating individual Drosophila neurotransmitters. Through advancements such as the GAL4/UAS system and CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis, investigation of specific neurotransmitters in small subsets of neurons has become ever more achievable. In this review, we describe recent progress in understanding the contribution of seven neurotransmitters to fly behavior, focusing on their roles in alcohol response: dopamine, octopamine, tyramine, serotonin, glutamate, GABA, and acetylcholine. We chose these small-molecule neurotransmitters due to their conservation in mammals and their importance for behavior. While neurotransmitters like dopamine and octopamine have received significant research emphasis regarding their contributions to behavior, others, like glutamate, GABA, and acetylcholine, remain relatively unexplored. Here, we summarize recent genetic and behavioral findings concerning these seven neurotransmitters and their roles in the behavioral response to alcohol, highlighting the fitness of the fly as a model for human alcohol use.

scholarly journals Testing the habituation assumption underlying models of parasitoid foraging behavior

PeerJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e3097 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul K. Abram ◽  
Antonino Cusumano ◽  
Katrina Abram ◽  
Stefano Colazza ◽  
Ezio Peri
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Behavior ◽  
Time Allocation ◽  
Behavioral Response ◽  
Behavioral Responses ◽  
Protein Synthesis Inhibitor ◽  
Partial Recovery ◽  
Behavioral Strategies ◽  
Atpase Inhibitor ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Training Interval

BackgroundHabituation, a form of non-associative learning, has several well-defined characteristics that apply to a wide range of physiological and behavioral responses in many organisms. In classic patch time allocation models, habituation is considered to be a major mechanistic component of parasitoid behavioral strategies. However, parasitoid behavioral responses to host cues have not previously been tested for the known, specific characteristics of habituation.MethodsIn the laboratory, we tested whether the foraging behavior of the egg parasitoidTrissolcus basalisshows specific characteristics of habituation in response to consecutive encounters with patches of host (Nezara viridula) chemical contact cues (footprints), in particular: (i) a training interval-dependent decline in response intensity, and (ii) a training interval-dependent recovery of the response.ResultsAs would be expected of a habituated response, wasps trained at higher frequencies decreased their behavioral response to host footprints more quickly and to a greater degree than those trained at low frequencies, and subsequently showed a more rapid, although partial, recovery of their behavioral response to host footprints. This putative habituation learning could not be blocked by cold anesthesia, ingestion of an ATPase inhibitor, or ingestion of a protein synthesis inhibitor.DiscussionOur study provides support for the assumption that diminishing responses of parasitoids to chemical indicators of host presence constitutes habituation as opposed to sensory fatigue, and provides a preliminary basis for exploring the underlying mechanisms.

scholarly journals Ecological and Behavioral Drivers of Supplemental Feeding Use by Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus in a Peri-Urban Context

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2088
Author(s):  
Federico Ossi ◽  
Nathan Ranc ◽  
Paul Moorcroft ◽  
Priscilla Bonanni ◽  
Francesca Cagnacci
Keyword(s):  
Roe Deer ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
Capreolus Capreolus ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Circular Statistics ◽  
Supplemental Feeding ◽  
Urban Context ◽  
Feeding Site ◽  
Feeding Sites ◽  
Use Of Resources

Winter supplemental feeding of ungulates potentially alters their use of resources and ecological interactions, yet relatively little is known about the patterns of feeding sites use by target populations. We used camera traps to continuously monitor winter and spring feeding site use in a roe deer population living in a peri-urban area in Northern Italy. We combined circular statistics with generalized additive and linear mixed models to analyze the diel and seasonal pattern of roe deer visits to feeding sites, and the behavioral drivers influencing visit duration. Roe deer visits peaked at dawn and dusk, and decreased from winter to spring when vegetation regrows and temperature increases. Roe deer mostly visited feeding sites solitarily; when this was not the case, they stayed longer at the site, especially when conspecifics were eating, but maintained a bimodal diel pattern of visits. These results support an opportunistic use of feeding sites, following seasonal cycles and the roe deer circadian clock. Yet, the attractiveness of these artificial resources has the potential to alter intra-specific relationships, as competition for their use induces gatherings and may extend the contact time between individuals, with potential behavioral and epidemiological consequences.

scholarly journals The Presence of Rabies Virus-Neutralizing Antibody in Wild Boars (Sus scrofa), a Non-Target Bait Vaccine Animal in Korea

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 90
Author(s):  
Ha-Hyun Kim ◽  
Dong-Kun Yang ◽  
Ja-Young Wang ◽  
Dong-Jun An
Keyword(s):  
Sus Scrofa ◽  
Antibody Formation ◽  
Neutralizing Antibody ◽  
Nyctereutes Procyonoides ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
Raccoon Dog ◽  
Oral Vaccination ◽  
Wild Boars ◽  
Target Animal ◽  
Raccoon Dogs

Oral vaccination with bait is an effective method to prevent rabies in wildlife, but non-target wild animals may also ingest the bait vaccine. In Korea, the target animal of the rabies bait vaccine is the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides). Bait vaccines have been distributed in Korea for 20 years; although wild raccoon dogs have been tested for antibodies, rabies antibodies have never been investigated in non-target wild animals. Therefore, this study investigated rabies antibody formation in wild boars (Sus scrofa), which is likely the main competitor for the bait vaccine in Korea. In bait areas, 20 of 109 wild boars (18.3%) were seropositive, and 39 of 470 wild boars (8.3%) in non-bait areas were also seropositive. These results provide insights regarding bait uptake or vaccination in non-target wild boars.

scholarly journals Molecular detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in wild carnivores in north-eastern Poland

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomasz Szewczyk ◽  
Joanna Werszko ◽  
Anna W. Myczka ◽  
Zdzisław Laskowski ◽  
Grzegorz Karbowiak
Keyword(s):  
Anaplasma Phagocytophilum ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Molecular Methods ◽  
Nyctereutes Procyonoides ◽  
Raccoon Dog ◽  
Wild Carnivores ◽  
Blood Sucking ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Raccoon Dogs

Abstract Background Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an obligate parasitic intracellular bacterium. It is the causative agent of granulocytic anaplasmosis, with effects on human and animal health. In Europe, the pathogen is mainly transmitted among a wide range of vertebrate hosts by blood-sucking arthropods. The aim of this study was to determine the presence of A. phagocytophilum in wild carnivores, viz raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides), badgers (Meles meles), foxes (Vulpes vulpes), martens (Martes sp.) and European polecats (Mustela putorius), using molecular methods. Methods In the present study, 174 spleen samples were collected from adult, wild carnivores hunted in the years 2013–2016. A short fragment (383 bp) of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene partial sequence was used as a marker to identify A. phagocytophilum in spleen samples collected from carnivores using nested PCR. Results The prevalence of A. phagocytophilum in wild carnivores was 31.61% (55/174). Seven sequences of A. phagocytophilum were generated from two raccoon dogs, two badgers, one marten, one red fox and one European polecat. Six identical nucleotide sequences were obtained from one raccoon dog, two badgers, one marten, one red fox and one European polecat (A. phagocytophilum sequences 1: MH328205–MH328209, MH328211), and these were identical to many A. phagocytophilum sequences in the GenBank database (100% similarity). The second sequence (A. phagocytophilum sequence 2: MH328210) obtained from the raccoon dog shared 99.74% identity with A. phagocytophilum sequence 1. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first study to use molecular methods to determine the presence of A. phagocytophilum in wild carnivores, viz raccoon dog, badger, marten and European polecat, in Poland. The detected A. phagocytophilum sequences (1 and 2) were closely related with those of A. phagocytophilum occurring in a wide range of wild and domestic animals and vectors.

scholarly journals Analysis of Genetic Variability in Farmed and Wild Populations of Raccoon Dog (Nyctereutes Procyonoides) Using Microsatellite Sequences

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 889-901 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kornel Kasperek ◽  
Beata Horecka ◽  
Andrzej Jakubczak ◽  
Brygida Ślaska ◽  
Magdalena Gryzińska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Genetic Variability ◽  
Microsatellite Loci ◽  
Nyctereutes Procyonoides ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
Raccoon Dog ◽  
Wild Populations ◽  
Kaliningrad Region ◽  
Raccoon Dogs

Abstract The aim of this study was to detect possible differences between farmed and wild-living raccoon dogs. Analysis of polymorphism in 15 microsatellite sequences led to the conclusion that raccoon dogs raised on Polish farms and wild raccoon dogs living in Poland are two genetically distinct groups of animals. Wild Polish raccoon dogs are genetically more similar to the population of wild animals from the Kaliningrad Region than to farmed animals. The analysis of microsatellite loci showed clear genetic differences between farmed and wild-living populations of raccoon dog, despite only 50 years of isolation of the two groups of animals. The farmed population was characterized by higher genetic variation than the wild-living population. On the basis of the analyses three microsatellite loci (INU014, Ren13J22 and Ren41D20) were proposed for determination of the origin of animals that have escaped from farms.

scholarly journals Multiple methods increase detection of large and medium-sized mammals: working with volunteers in south-eastern Oman

Oryx ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 290-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo Mazzolli ◽  
Taiana Haag ◽  
Beatriz G. Lippert ◽  
Eduardo Eizirik ◽  
Matthias L.A. Hammer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Camera Traps ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Grid Cells ◽  
Multiple Methods ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Wild Mammals ◽  
Molecular Scatology ◽  
Sign Surveys ◽  
Procavia Capensis ◽  
Hyaena Hyaena

AbstractWe compared the effectiveness of various methods for surveying medium and large wild mammals in southern Oman. Working with volunteers recruited by Biosphere Expeditions, wildlife professionals and local rangers, we used direct observation, camera traps, sign surveys (tracks and/or dung) and molecular scatology to study 66 sampling units of 2 × 2 km (grid cells) in an area of 32 × 36 km during a 4-week period in February–March 2011. Sixteen mammal species were recorded, and the largest numbers of species were recorded by sign surveys and camera traps (both n = 9); sign surveys, direct sightings and DNA scatology recorded species across the largest number of grid cells. For species with a sample size large enough for comparison (i.e. detected in ≥ 8 grid cells), DNA scatology proved most effective for detecting caracal Caracal caracal, signs for hyaena Hyaena hyaena, ibex Capra nubiana, porcupine Hystrix indica and hyrax Procavia capensis, and signs and direct sightings for mountain gazelle Gazella gazella. Clustering, in which records from multiple methods are either adjacent or overlapping, was highest (≥ 76%) for the wolf Canis lupus, porcupine, ibex and gazelle. Our results indicate the best methods to detect and record the distributions of individual species in the study area, and demonstrate the advantage of using multiple methods to reduce the risk of false absences or partial detections. Our findings also highlight the potential of clustering as a means of cross-checking results of observations that are skill-dependent, which is particularly useful when employing a large workforce.

scholarly journals Hunter-gatherers in context: Mammal community composition in a northern Tanzania landscape used by Hadza foragers and Datoga pastoralists

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Wood ◽  
Riccardo S. Millar ◽  
Nicholas Wright ◽  
Joshua Baumgartner ◽  
Hannah Holmquist ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Sampling Effort ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Hunter Gatherers ◽  
Wild Mammals ◽  
Northern Tanzania ◽  
Mammal Community ◽  
Species Specific

In many regions of sub Saharan Africa large mammals occur in human-dominated areas, yet their community composition and species-specific densities have rarely been described in areas occupied by traditional hunter-gatherers and pastoralists. Surveys of mammal populations in such areas provide important measures of biodiversity and provide ecological context for understanding hunting practices. Using a sampling grid centered on a Hadza hunter-gatherer camp and covering 36 km² of semi-arid savannah in northern Tanzania, we assessed mammals using camera traps (n = 19 stations) for c. 5 months (2,182 trap nights). In the study area (Tli’ika in the Hadza language), we recorded 36 wild mammal species, resembling a near complete mammal community. Rarefaction curves suggest that sampling effort was sufficient to capture mammal species richness. Species-specific densities were estimated using a random encounter model and site- and species’ body mass- specific estimates of the area sampled at each camera; confidence intervals were estimated using bootstrapping. Point estimates of densities varied by c. four orders of magnitude, from 0.003 ind./km² (African wild dog) to 27.5 ind./km² (Kirk’s dik dik). Densities of livestock (cattle, donkey, sheep and goat) were high, particularly when estimated using directly observed herd sizes. Cumulative biomass density of herbivorous livestock species exceeded that of all wild mammals by a factor of 3.3-38.7. We compare our study’s data to camera trap rates recorded in a fully protected area of northern Tanzania with similar precipitation (Lake Manyara National Park), revealing that abundance indices of most wildlife species in Tli’ika were much lower. We discuss how these data inform studies of Hadza hunting and models of hunter-gatherer foraging ecology and diet.

scholarly journals Determinación de los orígenes geográficos de los mamíferos silvestres decomisados por la Secretaría Distrital del Ambiente (SDA) en Bogotá (Colombia) mediante análisis moleculares durante 2017-2018

2020 ◽  
pp. 111-136
Author(s):  
Manuel Ruiz-García ◽  
Norberto Leguizamón ◽  
Aurita Bello ◽  
Myreya Pinedo-Castro ◽  
Juan Manuel Ortega ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Geographic Area ◽  
Cebus Apella ◽  
Primate Species ◽  
Saimiri Sciureus ◽  
Wild Mammals ◽  
Cebus Albifrons ◽  
Colombian Amazon ◽  
Surrounding Areas

Resumen En un país megadiverso, como Colombia, el nivel de tráfico ilegal de fauna es elevado. Una vez que esa fauna es decomisada es importante volverla a reintroducir en los lugares geográficos de donde proviene (en el supuesto caso que esa fauna esté en las condiciones óptimas para ser liberada). Durante 2017-2018, la Secretaría Distrital del Ambiente (SDA) decomisó 172 especímenes de mamíferos silvestres en la ciudad de Bogotá (Colombia). Estos mamíferos pertenecieron a cinco órdenes (Primates, Rodentia, Carnivora, Didelphimorpha, y Xenarthra) y representaron 28 especies diferentes. El objetivo fundamental de este trabajo es mostrar la utilización de un conjunto de genes mitocondriales y nucleares (dependiendo de las especies) para determinar los orígenes geográficos de cada uno de esos especímenes. Aquí se muestran esos orígenes, lo que permite visualizar de qué áreas del país se produce mayoritariamente tráfico ilegal de mamíferos silvestres que llega a Bogotá, aunque en algunos casos no se pudo determinar el origen exacto de algunos especímenes. Cuatro especies de mamíferos, tres primates y una ardilla, (Cebus albifrons, Saimiri sciureus, Sciurus granatensis, y Cebus apella) representaron el 70 % de los ejemplares de mamíferos decomisados en Bogotá durante 2017-2018. La primera especie de primate y la ardilla procedieron mayoritariamente del norte del país (Costa Atlántica, Antioquia, y Santanderes), mientras que las otras dos especies de primates procedieron primordialmente de los Llanos Orientales y zona amazónica cercana a los Llanos. Adicionalmente, un segundo objetivo, más colateral, es la discusión de algunas cuestiones sistemáticas de los taxones decomisados. Abstra ct In a megadiverse country, such as Colombia is, the level of illegal fauna traffic is high. Once this fauna is confiscated, it is relevant to reintroduce it to the precise wild geographic area where was extracted (in the case that this fauna is in optimal condition to be released). During 2017-2018, the Secretaría Distrital del Ambiente (SDA) seized 172 specimens of wild mammals in the city of Bogotá (Colombia). These mammals belonged to five orders (Primates, Rodentia, Carnivora, Didelphimorpha, and Xenarthra) and represented 28 different species. The first and main objective is to show how a set of mitochondrial and nuclear genes (depending on each species) could help to determine the geographical origins of each one of these specimens. We herein show these origins, which allows us to know from what country’s area the illegal fauna is coming to Bogotá, although in some cases we did not identify the precise origin of some specimens. Four mammalian species, three primates and one squirrel, (Cebus albifrons, Saimiri sciureus, Sciurus granatensis, and Cebus apella) represented 70 % of the mammalian specimens seized in Bogotá during 2017-2018. The first primate and the squirrel species were mainly originated from the northern area of the country (Atlantic coast, Antioquia, and Santanderes), meanwhile the other two primate species were primarily from the Eastern Llanos and surrounding areas from the northern Colombian Amazon. Additionally, a second, more collateral, objective is the discussion of some systematical questions of these taxa seized.

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