IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Dias, D.d.M. | |
| Anthropic influence on the probability of occupation of carnivorous mammals and the interspecific relationships between predators and their prey in the Brazilian Caatinga | |
| 2018 Full Book | |
The habitat loss and modification, directly or indirectly related to human activities, represent a serious threat to mammal populations around the world. The situation in Caatinga is no different. Characterized by low humidity rates for most of the year, this semi-arid biome is exposed to high anthropogenic impact rates, such as extensive livestock farming, hunting, introduction of exotic species and the continuous expansion of wind farms in preserved areas. In this regard, carnivorous mammals, one of the most vulnerable animals to landscape modifications, are widely threatened. Land use can also induce behavioral adaptations in wild species and this might have implications for interspecific relationships. Predators use space in a way that maximizes their foraging success. They occupy locations where the prey is most prevalent or vulnerable. However, small carnivores also have to deal with conflicting demands between adjusting their activities according to the occurrence of prey and avoiding agonistic encounters with larger predators. In this study we use camera traps to evaluate the occupancy probability of carnivores in relation to distances to settlements, wind farms and watercourses in a priority area for the conservation of biodiversity in the Caatinga. Similarly, we explore how the occurrence of domestic dogs, hunters and cattle affect the occupancy probability of wild carnivores. We also investigate whether the occurrence of prey and dominant competitors, such as the ocelot _Leopardus pardalis_, and top predators (puma _Puma concolor _and jaguar _Panthera onca_) influence the distribution, detection and daily activity patterns of two small neotropical felids, the northern tiger cat (_Leopardus tigrinus_) and the jaguarundi (_Puma yagouaroundi_). |
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