scholarly journals Spatial and temporal activity patterns of Golden takin (Budorcas taxicolor bedfordi) recorded by camera trapping

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e10353
Author(s):  
Jia Li ◽  
Yadong Xue ◽  
Yu Zhang ◽  
Wei Dong ◽  
Guoyu Shan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Capture Rate ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Camera Trapping ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Conservation Action ◽  
Activity Intensity ◽  
Budorcas Taxicolor ◽  
Golden Takin ◽  
Utilization Distributions

Understanding animals’ migration, distribution and activity patterns is vital for the development of effective conservation action plans; however, such data for many species are lacking. In this study, we used camera trapping to document the spatial and temporal activity patterns of golden takins (Budorcas taxicolor bedfordi) in Changqing National Nature Reserve in the Qinling mountains, China, from April 2014 to October 2017. Our study obtained 3,323 independent detections (from a total of 12,351 detections) during a total camera trapping effort of 93,606 effective camera trap days at 573 sites. Results showed that: (1) the golden takin’s utilization distributions showed seasonal variation, with larger utilization distributions during spring and autumn compared to summer and winter; (2) the species was recorded at the highest elevations in July, and lowest elevations in December, with the species moving to higher-elevations in summer, lower-elevations in spring and autumn; (3) during all four seasons, golden takins showed bimodal activity peaks at dawn and dusk, with activity intensity higher in the second peak than the first, and overall low levels of activity recorded from 20:00–06:00; and (4) there were two annual activity peaks, the first being in April and the second in November, with camera capture rate during these two months higher than in other months, and activity levels in spring and autumn higher than in summer and winter. This study is the first application of camera traps to assess the spatial and temporal activity patterns of golden takins at a population level. Our findings suggest that the proposed national park should be designed to include golden takin habitat and that ongoing consistent monitoring efforts will be crucial to mitigating novel and ongoing threats to the species.

How to snap your cat: optimum lures and their placement for attracting mammalian predators in arid Australia

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Read ◽  
A. J. Bengsen ◽  
P. D. Meek ◽  
K. E. Moseby
Keyword(s):  
Arid Zone ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Capture Rate ◽  
Camera Trap ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Monitoring And Control ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Behavioural Responses ◽  
Visitation Rates ◽  
And Control

Context Automatically activated cameras (camera traps) and automated poison-delivery devices are increasingly being used to monitor and manage predators such as felids and canids. Maximising visitation rates to sentry positions enhances the efficacy of feral-predator management, especially for feral cats, which are typically less attracted to food-based lures than canids. Aims The influence of camera-trap placement and lures were investigated to determine optimal monitoring and control strategies for feral cats and other predators in two regions of semi-arid South Australia. Methods We compared autumn and winter capture rates, activity patterns and behaviours of cats, foxes and dingoes at different landscape elements and with different lures in three independent 6 km × 3 km grids of 18 camera-trap sites. Key results Neither visual, olfactory or audio lures increased recorded visitation rates by any predators, although an audio and a scent-based lure both elicited behavioural responses in predators. Cameras set on roads yielded an eight times greater capture rate for dingoes than did off-road cameras. Roads and resource points also yielded highest captures of cats and foxes. All predators were less nocturnal in winter than in autumn and fox detections at the Immarna site peaked in months when dingo and cat activity were lowest. Conclusions Monitoring and management programs for cats and other predators in arid Australia should focus on roads and resource points where predator activity is highest. Olfactory and auditory lures can elicit behavioural responses that render cats more susceptible to passive monitoring and control techniques. Dingo activity appeared to be inversely related to fox but not cat activity during our monitoring period. Implications Optimised management of feral cats in the Australian arid zone would benefit from site- and season-specific lure trials.

scholarly journals Quantifying daily activity patterns of the spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) using camera trap data from a stronghold population in south-eastern New South Wales

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie K. Courtney Jones ◽  
Katarina M. Mikac
Keyword(s):  
Daily Activity ◽  
New South ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Camera Trap ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Daily Activity Patterns

Activity levels of spotted-tailed quolls were investigated using camera traps over 12 months. There were 33 independent camera trap photos with 17 individual quolls identified. Latency to initial detection was 40 days. Quolls were nocturnal/crepuscular, spending 35% of the day they were detected active. Highest activity levels were recorded in summer.

Estimating macropod grazing density and defining activity patterns using camera-trap image analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (8) ◽  
pp. 706 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen R. Morgan ◽  
Guy Ballard ◽  
Peter J. S. Fleming ◽  
Nick Reid ◽  
Remy Van der Ven ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vegetation Change ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Time Lapse ◽  
Camera Trap ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Camera Trapping ◽  
Absolute Abundance ◽  
Deposition Rates ◽  
Pellet Counts ◽  
Density Methods

Context When measuring grazing impacts of vertebrates, the density of animals and time spent foraging are important. Traditionally, dung pellet counts are used to index macropod grazing density, and a direct relationship between herbivore density and foraging impact is assumed. However, rarely are pellet deposition rates measured or compared with camera-trap indices. Aims The aims were to pilot an efficient and reliable camera-trapping method for monitoring macropod grazing density and activity patterns, and to contrast pellet counts with macropod counts from camera trapping, for estimating macropod grazing density. Methods Camera traps were deployed on stratified plots in a fenced enclosure containing a captive macropod population and the experiment was repeated in the same season in the following year after population reduction. Camera-based macropod counts were compared with pellet counts and pellet deposition rates were estimated using both datasets. Macropod frequency was estimated, activity patterns developed, and the variability between resting and grazing plots and the two estimates of macropod density was investigated. Key Results Camera-trap grazing density indices initially correlated well with pellet count indices (r2=0.86), but were less reliable between years. Site stratification enabled a significant relationship to be identified between camera-trap counts and pellet counts in grazing plots. Camera-trap indices were consistent for estimating grazing density in both surveys but were not useful for estimating absolute abundance in this study. Conclusions Camera trapping was efficient and reliable for estimating macropod activity patterns. Although significant, the relationship between pellet count indices and macropod grazing density based on camera-trapping indices was not strong; this was due to variability in macropod pellet deposition rates over different years. Time-lapse camera imagery has potential for simultaneously assessing herbivore foraging activity budgets with grazing densities and vegetation change. Further work is required to refine the use of camera-trapping indices for estimation of absolute abundance. Implications Time-lapse camera trapping and site-stratified sampling allow concurrent assessment of grazing density and grazing behaviour at plot and landscape scale.

scholarly journals Activity Rhythms of Coexisting Red Serow and Chinese Serow at Mt. Gaoligong as Identified by Camera Traps

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1071 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yixin Chen ◽  
Zhishu Xiao ◽  
Long Zhang ◽  
Xinwen Wang ◽  
Ming Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Daily Activity ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Infrared Camera ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Activity Rhythms ◽  
And Behavior

Surveying the activity rhythms of sympatric herbivorous mammals is essential for understanding their niche ecology, especially for how they partition resources and their mechanisms of coexistence. Over a five-year period, we conducted infrared camera-trapping to monitor the activity rhythms of coexisting red serow (Capricornis rubidus) and Chinese serow (C. milneedwardsii milneedwardsii) in the remote mountainous region of Pianma, Mt. Gaoligong, Yunnan, China. Cameras captured images of red serow and Chinese serow on 157 and 179 occasions, respectively. We used circular kernel density models to analyze daily activity rhythms and how temporal variations in activity ensure their co-existence. Although their overall activity levels and patterns were similar, temporal activity and behavior partitioning among the two species occurred during the wet season. Compared with Chinese serows, red serows exhibited less variable daily activity levels, patterns, as well as feeding and vigilance behaviors between seasons. When the two species occasionally ranged together, red serows tended to alter their activity pattern while Chinese serows significantly increased their activity level. Red serow and Chinese serow are exploitative competitors but coexist by altering their daily activity rhythms when in contact and changing activity patterns during the wet season, enabling their coexistence.

scholarly journals Habitat Selection and Activity Patterns of Japanese Serows and Sika Deer with Currently Sympatric Distributions

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3398
Author(s):  
Yoshikazu Seki ◽  
Shin-ichi Hayama
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Selection ◽  
Sika Deer ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Capture Rate ◽  
Cervus Nippon ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Distribution Range ◽  
Distribution Ranges ◽  
Japanese Serow ◽  
Species Specific

The Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus) and sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Japan are usually allopatric. However, a recent expansion in the distribution range of sika deer, combined with an increase in abundance, has resulted in an overlap of the distribution ranges of the two species. We examined the habitat selection and activity patterns of Japanese serows and sika deer using camera traps placed at 83 sites within a 210 km2 study area, where the distribution range of these two species has recently overlapped. Although both species were photographed throughout the study area, we observed a low spatial overlap between them. The Japanese serows selected steep slopes, and the sika deer selected areas far away from human settlements. In addition, the Japanese serows and sika deer exhibited temporal partitioning with diurnal and crepuscular activity patterns, respectively. The observed partitioning could be explained by differences in their species-specific habitat selections, rather than competition, because the photographic capture rate of the Japanese serows was not affected by that of the sika deer and vice versa. These partitioning behaviors are likely to reduce the rate of encounters between the two ungulates, which enables their coexistence considering the sika deer density remains low.

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