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Species Richness and Habitat Use of Small Carnivores in the Arusha National Park (Tanzania)

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Abstract

The carnivore community of Arusha National Park, Tanzania, was monitored using live trapping and diurnal and nocturnal visual counts and recording of tracks and signs along line transects. Nine carnivore species were recorded. Hyena (Crocuta crocuta), the most common large species, leopard (Panthera pardus) and African civet (Civettictis civetta) were detected along line transects, while the smaller species were counted and/or captured. Mungos mungo, Galerella sanguinea, and Genetta maculata were the most prevalent at transect counts, while G. sanguinea, Bdeogale crassicauda, and G. maculata were most frequently captured. Ichneumia albicauda and Ictonyx striatus were captured at only a single site. Carnivores selected natural habitat types, multilayered forest, open shrubs and herbaceous savannah, and were absent, or tended to avoid disturbed (man-made) habitats. Species of which sufficient data were gathered seemed to behave as habitat generalists (C. crocuta, G. sanguinea, G. maculata, M. mungo and I. striatus). The need for more detailed studies on small carnivore ecology and the importance of smaller protected areas for their conservation are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento “Ambiente-Salute-Sicurezza”, Università degli Studi dell’Insubria, Via J.H. Dunant 3, I-21100, Varese, Italy

    Adriano Martinoli, Damiano Preatoni, Luc A. Wauters & Guido Tosi

  2. Istituto Oikos ong onlus, Via Crescenzago, 1, I-20100, Milano, Italy

    Valeria Galanti & Paola Codipietro

  3. Tanzania National Parks, TANAPA Veterinary Unit c/o Tarangire National Park Head Quarter Office, United Kingdom

    Morris Kilewo

  4. Biodiversity and Ecological Processes Group, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Park Place, P.O. Box 915, Cardiff CF10 3TL, Wales, United Kingdom

    Carlos A. R. Fernandes

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  1. Adriano Martinoli
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  2. Damiano Preatoni
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  4. Paola Codipietro
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  7. Luc A. Wauters
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  8. Guido Tosi
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Correspondence to Adriano Martinoli.

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Martinoli, A., Preatoni, D., Galanti, V. et al. Species Richness and Habitat Use of Small Carnivores in the Arusha National Park (Tanzania). Biodivers Conserv 15, 1729–1744 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-004-5020-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-004-5020-2

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