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Patterns of spatiotemporal activity of an alien lagomorph inferred through camera-trapping

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Abstract

Assessing wildlife activity rhythms is crucial to design effective management programmes for invasive alien species. Among the most widespread alien mammals in Italy, the Eastern cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus has been introduced from North America for hunting purposes and it is now very common in the Northern and Central regions. In this study, we conducted a camera-trapping survey to determine seasonal patterns of activity rhythms of this small lagomorph in Northern Italy, as well as the overlap of temporal rhythms with its main mammal predators. Eastern cottontails were mostly crepuscular and nocturnal throughout the year. Inter-seasonal overlaps of activity patterns were always lower than 75%, as activity of the Eastern cottontail was linked to photoperiod. The bimodal activity, with significant peaks at dawn and dusk, may represent an adaptation of this species to limit encounters with nocturnal predators, i.e. red foxes Vulpes vulpes and stray cats Felis catus in our study area. Although activity increased during the first hours of daylight during the mating season, the temperature seems to be not correlated to cottontail activity. Cottontails responded to the increased predation risk on bright moonlight nights, when red foxes and stray cats were most active, by significantly reducing their activity in the full moon throughout the year and in every single season. Conversely, spatial overlap between cottontails and predators was high. We suggest that individual counts and direct removal methods (i.e. firearms or trapping) for this alien lagomorph should be carried out at dawn or at dusk, when the probability to spot active cottontails is the highest.

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Acknowledgements

Authors would like to thank Prof. Adriano Martinoli, who allowed us to carry out this study. Edoardo Basset (University of Birmingham) kindly revised the first version of our manuscript and carried out a professional language polishing. Two anonymous reviewers kindly took the time to improve our first draft with useful comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environment Analysis and Management Unit–Guido Tosi Research Group-Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, University of Insubria, Via J.H. Dunant 3 –, 21100, Varese, Italy

    Mattia Panzeri & Francesco Bisi

  2. CREA-Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification (CREA-DC), Via di Lanciola 12/A –, Cascine del Riccio, 50125, (Firenze), Italy

    Giuseppe Mazza

  3. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche–Istituto di Ricerca sugli Ecosistemi Terrestri, Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, (Florence), Italy

    Emiliano Mori

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  1. Mattia Panzeri
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  2. Giuseppe Mazza
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  4. Emiliano Mori
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Correspondence to Emiliano Mori.

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Panzeri, M., Mazza, G., Bisi, F. et al. Patterns of spatiotemporal activity of an alien lagomorph inferred through camera-trapping. Mamm Res 66, 281–288 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-021-00557-8

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