Neo-tropical felid activity patterns in relation to potential prey and intra-guild competitors in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

Abstract

Predator behaviours influence, and are influenced by, prey and competitor behaviours. Jaguars (Panthera onca), pumas (Puma concolor) and ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) coexist throughout their geographic range as the three largest predators in a multi-predator community across diverse environments. This study tested for non-random segregation and overlap in the activity patterns of these felids and their shared prey in the southern buffer zone of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, in southern Mexico, using camera traps during February to August 2019. We detected little temporal segregation between the nocturnal activities of jaguars, pumas, and ocelots, although pumas were more active closer to dawn. Jaguars had low activity overlap with species likely to be common prey, whereas ocelots had high overlap with their potential prey. Pumas displayed finer-scale similarities in activity with species likely to be common prey. In an understudied area of conservation importance, this study shows that temporal segregation is an unlikely mechanism of coexistence. Further research should incorporate spatio-temporal avoidance and dietary differences to improve our understanding of the mechanisms that drive coexistence between generalist species in a diverse assemblage of threatened felids.

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ORCID for Cristina Argudin Violante: orcid.org/0000-0003-4295-2600

ORCID for C. Patrick Doncaster: orcid.org/0000-0001-9406-0693

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