IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library
   

 

View printer friendly
de Oliveira, T.G.; Kasper, C.B.; Garcia Soares, J.B.; Mazim, F.D.; Schneider, A.
Small Neotropical Felids Ecology in Fragmented Agricultural Landscapes of Southern Brazil
2007  Conference Proceeding

Studies of Neotropical felids are still incipient, especially those on radio-telemetry and density for the smaller species. Since July 2005 we've been monitoring specimens of little spotted cat, margay, jaguarundi, and Geoffroy's cat through radio-telemetry and camera-trapping in two areas of strong agricultural activities in southern Brazil. The 11 animals captured were fitted with radiocollars and tracked by conventional telemetry. Camera trapping efforts used 3 - 5 cameras simultaneously. Analyses were made using the software LOAS and Animal Movement (telemetry), and CAPTURE (camera-trapping). Here we present a preliminary assessment on home range, activity patterns, habitat use, and density estimates for these species. Home range estimates varied from 2 to 35 km2, were smaller for the female little spotted cat and larger for the male jaguarundis. Data were indicative of a strong association of small felids to fragments of native forest cover, especially for margay and little spotted cat, as >90% of their locations were in such habitats. Geoffroy's cat, on the other hand made extensive use of open areas, including crop fields. Density estimates in disturbed but ocelot free environments varied between 0.12 and 0.35 animals/km2.

PDF files are only accessible to Friends of the Cat Group. Joining Friends of the Cat Group gives you unlimited access and downloads in the Cat SG Library for one year, and allows you to receive our newsletter Cat News (2 regular issues per year plus special issues). More information how to join here

 

(c) IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group ( IUCN - The World Conservation Union)