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Effect of humans and pumas on the temporal activity of ocelots in protected areas of Atlantic Forest

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Abstract

Temporal segregation may be one of the most effective mechanism adopted by a subordinate species to reduce competition with a dominant species. We hypothesized temporal segregation by ocelots as the main strategy of reducing direct contact with pumas and humans in Atlantic Forest protected areas. Through a standardized camera trap protocol, we measured the degree of activity overlap between ocelots and pumas and between ocelots and humans using circular statistics. Additionally, we investigated predictor variables that may influence the temporal activity of ocelots. Ocelots and pumas showed nocturnal and cathemeral activity, respectively, whereas humans were diurnal. Although the coefficient of overlap between the activity of ocelots and pumas was high (ˆΔ1 =0.74), the Mardia-Watson-Wheeler test showed significant dissimilarities between their daily distributions of records (W = 5.86; d.f. = 2; P = 0.05). The coefficient of overlap between the activity of ocelots and humans was low (ˆΔ4 = 0.32) as also revealed by the Mardia-Watson-Wheeler test (W=179.51; d.f. = 2; P<0.001). Ocelots enhanced their nocturnal activity in sites where occupancy probability of pumas was high and either in sites with more pasture or near human settlements. Our finding suggests that temporal segregation may be one mechanism adopted by ocelots to allow its coexistence with pumas and humans in Atlantic Forest remnants. However, it is unknown whether temporal segregation per se will be enough to guarantee long-term persistence of ocelots in the current degraded scenario of the Atlantic Forest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antonio Carlos, no. 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil

    Rodrigo Lima Massara, Ana Maria de Oliveira Paschoal & Marcela de Frias Barreto

  2. Instituto SerraDiCal de Pesquisa e Conservação, Rua José Hemetério deAndrade, no. 570, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30493-180, Brazil

    Rodrigo Lima Massara & Ana Maria de Oliveira Paschoal

  3. Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1474, USA

    Larissa Lynn Bailey & Paul Francis Doherty Jr.

  4. Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes, no. 3900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14040-901, Brazil

    Adriano Garcia Chiarello

  5. Laboratório de Ecológia e Conservação, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Avenida Antônio Carlos, no. 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil

    Rodrigo Lima Massara

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  1. Rodrigo Lima Massara
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  2. Ana Maria de Oliveira Paschoal
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Massara, R.L., de Oliveira Paschoal, A.M., Bailey, L.L. et al. Effect of humans and pumas on the temporal activity of ocelots in protected areas of Atlantic Forest. Mamm Biol 92, 86–93 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mambio.2018.04.009

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