Animals can adapt their activity patterns throughout the circadian cycle. Prey may use moonlight as a predation risk cue and allocate their activity to lower risk periods. Here, we assessed moon ...transit influence on the activity allocation of nocturnal mammalian prey, in the presence of a predator (pumas, Puma concolor), during different moon phases, through camera trapping in Central Amazon. Thirty camera traps were installed 2 km apart from each other in each of our three study sites. Prey record distributions were assessed across the moon cycle, and their daily activity patterns were described in each moon phase. The record distributions of pacas (Cuniculus paca) (N = 262) and armadillos (Dasypus sp.) (N = 244) were concentrated in darker nights, contrasting with red brocket deer (Mazama americana) (N = 123) and pumas (N = 31), whose records were evenly distributed through the moon cycle. Yet, every prey was found to avoid the brighter times of the night regardless of the moon phase. These findings suggest prey can shift the temporal distribution of their activities under different moon phases when predators are present, perhaps in response to predation risk variations.
Iberian lynx (
Lynx pardinus
) reintroductions are part of this species’ conservation program to ensure its re-establishment and survival in areas of historical presence. Release protocols include ...hard-release, directly in the field, and soft-release, allowing reintroduced animals to acclimatize to the new environment site, which may lead to higher survival and reproductive rates. During soft-release reintroductions in Extremadura (Spain), we recorded individual and social behaviors of four released Iberian lynxes in a 1.5-ha enclosure, divided into three longitudinal strips to simplify behavioral data collection: zone 1, or releasing area, containing an additional feeding point; zone 2, or central zone, with rocks and natural rabbit refuges; and zone 3, or the farthest zone from the releasing area, of abundant arboreal vegetation. Our results showed that “pacing”, “lying” and “patrolling” were the most common behaviors observed in the four lynxes. Social interactions such as “approach”, and “lordosis” were the most common and indicated significant differences between individuals. Concerning sexes, males exhibited the behavior “showing indifference,” unlike females that never presented it. Data collected revealed that the lynx had a preference for zone 3 of the enclosure. Pre-release behavior monitoring is critical I n Iberian lynx soft-release reintroductions in order to ensure their acclimatization to the new site, identify their survival skills and allow their establishment in the reintroduction areas.
PDF
