Observations on the behaviour and ecology of the Common Wombat Vombatus ursinus in northeast Tasmania.

1993 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
R.J. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Social Role ◽  
Mating Behaviour ◽  
Scent Marking ◽  
Average Density ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Faecal Pellets ◽  
Common Wombat ◽  
The Common

Aspects of the behaviour and ecology of Vombatus ursinus were studied in largely cleared agricultural land in a coastal area in northeast Tasmania. The average density of V. ursinus was 20 individuals.km-2 over the whole study area but around 60.km-2 in an intensively studied section. Burrows were concentrated in areas of sandy soil where a dense cover of native vegetation had been maintained. Only short, shallow burrows were present in areas of dolerite, probably because of the difficulty of digging. Home-ranges of different individuals overlapped. Wombats were not active continually through the night and varied in time of emergence from their burrow and the time spent above ground. Often more than one burrow was used on the same night, with more than one individual making use of a burrow, but usually not at the same time. Disputes over the use of burrows occurred. Individuals frequently sniffed around burrows and investigated for the presence of occupants. Males may use this as a strategy for finding females in oestrus. Mating behaviour was observed once. Wombats are solitary and actively avoid the presence of others. Odour in faecal pellets and from scent marking probably plays an important social role by providing information on the individuals sharing a home-range and the occurrence of strangers. Dominant animals may be intolerant of the presence of certain individuals within their home-range.

Vigilance in a solitary marsupial, the common wombat (Vombatus ursinus)

2009 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 363 ◽  
Author(s):  
François-René Favreau ◽  
Peter J. Jarman ◽  
Anne W. Goldizen ◽  
Anne-Laure Dubot ◽  
Stéphane Sourice ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Prey Species ◽  
Wild Population ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
Foraging Activity ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Common Wombat ◽  
The Common ◽  
First Time ◽  
Solitary Species

We studied vigilance activity in a wild population of the common wombat (Vombatus ursinus), a large, solitary, burrow-using, marsupial prey species in which individuals tolerate the presence of conspecifics within their home range. For the first time, we report postures and rates of vigilance in common wombats; our results show a limited repertoire of vigilant postures and low overall rates of vigilance. Because few studies of birds and mammals that have reported the effect of distance to conspecifics on the vigilance of focal animals have considered solitary prey species, we tested this effect in wombats. Our results show that a model including distance to cover and distance to the nearest conspecific, but not time of day, best explained the variation in the proportion of time that focal individuals spent in vigilance. Individual vigilance decreased when distance to cover increased. Vigilance of wombats increased when there was a conspecific within a radius of 70 m of the focal individual. In addition, we tested whether pairs of nearby wombats scanned independently of one another, coordinated their activity in non-overlapping bouts of vigilance or synchronised their bouts of vigilance. Wombats in close proximity exhibited independent bouts of individual vigilant and foraging activity. Thus, in this solitary species, our results support the assumption that individuals scan independently of each other.

Home Range of the Common Wallaroo, Macropus-Robustus-Erubescens, in Far Western New South Wales

1990 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 659 ◽  
Author(s):  
TF Clancy ◽  
DB Croft
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Space Use ◽  
Bivariate Normal Distribution ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Radio Transmitters ◽  
The Common

Aspects of the home range and space-use patterns of the common wallaroo or euro (Macropus robustus erubescens) were studied over a three year period in arid New South Wales. Thirty-five adults (19 males and 16 females) were captured and fitted with radio-transmitters and their movements followed. The home ranges of the majority of animals were significantly different from that of a bivariate normal distribution, indicating a heterogeneity of space use. Home ranges were small and essentially stable over time. There were significant differences between the sexes in all parameters of home range measured due to differences in ecological and social requirements. Males had significantly larger weekly home ranges in winter than females (77.2 +/- 47.5 ha and 30.5 +/- 16.5 ha, respectively) but in summer home ranges were similar (30.2 +/- 20.4 ha and 27.6 +/- 15.0 ha). On a yearly basis males ranged over an area approximately three times the size of that used by females. Yearly home-range size in males was positively correlated with body size when conditions were poor.

Scent deposition by cheek rubbing in the alpine marmot (Marmota marmota) in the French Alps

1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (11) ◽  
pp. 2065-2071 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Claude Bel ◽  
Christelle Porteret ◽  
Jacques Coulon
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Central Area ◽  
Scent Marking ◽  
Field Tests ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Scent Marks ◽  
Territorial Defence ◽  
Marmota Marmota ◽  
Marking Behaviour ◽  
Alpine Marmot

The aim of this fieldwork was to provide information about the function of scent-marking behaviour in the alpine marmot (Marmota marmota). Twenty-three identified animals were observed on their home range during the season of activity, from May to September, during which the probability and rate of cheek rubbing decreased significantly. Cheek rubbing was performed more by resident adults than by 2-year-olds or yearlings. The resident adult pairs made "marking tours" during which numerous successive bouts of scent marking occurred throughout most of the home range. Scent marks were not evenly distributed within home ranges. Principal and, if present, accessory burrow systems were saturated with scent deposits, the boundaries being marked significantly more than the central area. We tested the reactions of marmots to strange odours by presenting them with two glass tubes, one clean (control) and the other covered with marks deposited by marmots belonging to other groups. The results showed that residents tended to mark the experimental tubes more frequently, or at least more intensively, than the control ones. In the alpine marmot, cheek rubbing appears to be a multipurpose activity. It is used to advertise the occupancy of burrows and, as predicted by Gosling, scent marks were also laid down where the risk of intrusion was greatest, i.e., at the boundaries, so that intruders could detect them more readily. The results of field tests support another of Gosling's predictions, that residents will tend to overmark any mark deposited by a strange animal inside their territory. Thus, in the alpine marmot, cheek rubbing can play a role in territorial defence.

Socio-spatial organization and spatial ecology

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.G.L. Mills ◽  
M.E.J. Mills
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Spatial Ecology ◽  
Spatial Organization ◽  
Scent Marking ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Dispersal Distance ◽  
Range Size ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Large Home Range ◽  
Core Areas

Home ranges of males (1204 km2) and females (1510 km2) were similar. Female home range size was positively related to the dispersion of prey and generally, but not exclusively, they displayed home range fidelity. Overlap between female home ranges was extensive, although they rarely met up. Male home ranges overlapped extensively and there was no difference in size between coalition and single males. Males overcame the problem of scent marking a large home range by concentrating scent marks in core areas. Generally female cheetah home range size is affected by resource productivity, although where prey are migratory, or in fenced reserves where movements are constricted, and areas where disturbance is severe, this may be different. Southern Kalahari males apparently need large home ranges to increase the likelihood of locating wide-ranging and sporadically receptive females. Mean dispersal distance for subadult males (96 km) was further than for females (39 km).

Home-range size in juveniles of the temperate reef fish, the common triplefin (Forsterygion lapillum)

2016 ◽  
Vol 67 (10) ◽  
pp. 1589 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul J. Mensink ◽  
Jeffrey S. Shima
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Home Range ◽  
Reef Fish ◽  
Linear Mixed Model ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Range Size ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Adult Density ◽  
Individual Fitness ◽  
The Common

An organism’s home range dictates the spatial scale on which important processes occur (e.g. competition and predation) and directly affects the relationship between individual fitness and local habitat quality. Many reef fish species have very restricted home ranges after settlement and, here, we quantify home-range size in juveniles of a widespread and abundant reef fish in New Zealand, the common triplefin (Forsterygion lapillum). We conducted visual observations on 49 juveniles (mean size=35-mm total length) within the Wellington harbour, New Zealand. Home ranges were extremely small, 0.053m2±0.029 (mean±s.d.) and were unaffected by adult density, body size or substrate composition. A regression tree indicated that home-range size sharply decreased ~4.5 juvenilesm–2 and a linear mixed model confirmed that home-range sizes in high-density areas (>4.5 juvenilesm–2) were significantly smaller (34%) than those in low-density areas (after accounting for a significant effect of fish movement on our home-range estimates). Our results suggest that conspecific density may have negative and non-linear effects on home-range size, which could shape the spatial distribution of juveniles within a population, as well as influence individual fitness across local density gradients.

Feral Cats (Felis Catus L.) On New Zealand Farmland. I. Home Range.

1991 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 741 ◽  
Author(s):  
NPE Langham ◽  
RER Porter
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Home Range ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Average Density ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Dominant Male ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Consistent Change

The movements of a population of feral cats (Felis catus) were monitored on New Zealand farmland over three years by means of radiotelemetry. The number of resident males on the 5.2-km2 study area varied from 5 to 9, averaging 1.34 per km2, compared with 10-13 females, averaging 2.19 per km2. The average density over three years was 3.47 cats per km2. The nocturnal home range was significantly larger than the diurnal home range in both sexes. Adult female's home ranges overlapped considerably; adult males tended to occupy exclusive home ranges or territories with little overlap, but including those of several females. Adult males and females that used barns as den sites were mainly nocturnal and had larger home ranges than females denning in vegetation. Females showed no consistent change in home-range size with season, although those breeding in barns had larger home ranges in summer. Adult males had larger territories in summer and winter. Dispersing subadult males had a similar home range to adult males. Death or disappearance of a dominant male allcwed new males to occupy the vacated territory. Two subadults were tracked by day until they became adult and acquired territories within the study area.

scholarly journals Different stress from parasites and mate choice in two female morphs of the blue-tailed damselfly

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erica Subrero ◽  
Irene Pellegrino ◽  
Marco Cucco
Keyword(s):  
Mating Behaviour ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Similar Frequency ◽  
Male Preference ◽  
Ischnura Elegans ◽  
Emergence Success ◽  
The Common ◽  
Nw Italy ◽  
Whole Life Cycle ◽  
Pairing Behaviour

AbstractIn Odonates, female colour polymorphism is common and implies the presence of two or more female types with different colours and behaviours. To explain this phenomenon, several hypotheses have been proposed that consider morph frequency, population density, the presence of parasites, and mating behaviour. We studied the blue-tailed damselfly Ischnura elegans, a species with a blue androchrome morph and two gynochrome morphs (the common green infuscans, and the rare orange rufescens-obsoleta). The size of adult males and females, the presence of parasites, and pairing behaviour between males and the three female morphs was assessed in field conditions throughout the reproductive season in NW Italy. Moreover, growth and emergence success of larvae produced by the different morphs was analyzed in standardized conditions. In the field, males showed a preference for the gynochrome infuscans females, despite a similar frequency of androchrome females. In test conditions, male preference for the infuscans females was also observed. Paired males and paired androchrome females were larger than unpaired individuals, while there were no differences in size between paired and unpaired infuscans females. Males and androchrome females were more parasitized than infuscans females. The survival and emergence success of larvae produced by androchrome females was higher than those of offspring produced by the infuscans females. Our results suggest that a higher survival of progeny at the larval stage could counterbalance the higher parasitism and the lower pairing success of andromorph adult females and highlight the importance of considering the whole life-cycle in polymorphism studies.

scholarly journals Impact of natural salt lick on the home range of Panthera tigris at the Royal Belum Rainforest, Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan Andrew Lazarus ◽  
Azlan Che-Amat ◽  
Muhammad Muzammil Abdul Halim Shah ◽  
Azwan Hamdan ◽  
Hasliza Abu Hassim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Prey Availability ◽  
Nutritional Ecology ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Panthera Tigris ◽  
Health Maintenance ◽  
Salt Lick ◽  
Save Energy ◽  
Salt Licks

AbstractNatural salt lick (sira) is a strategic localisation for ecological wildlife assemblage to exhibit geophagy which may act as a population dynamic buffer of prey and predators. Undoubtedly, many agree that geophagy at natural licks is linked to nutritional ecology, health and assembly places facilitating social interaction of its users. Overall, natural salt licks not only save energy of obtaining nutrient leading to health maintenance but also forms the basis of population persistence. The Royal Belum Rainforest, Malaysia (Royal Belum) is a typical tropical rainforest in Malaysia rich in wildlife which are mainly concentrated around the natural salt lick. Since this is one of the most stable fauna ecology forest in Malaysia, it is timely to assess its impact on the Malayan tiger (Panthera tigris) home range dynamics. The three-potential home ranges of the Malayan tiger in this rainforest were selected based on animal trails or foot prints surrounding the salt lick viz (e.g. Sira Kuak and Sira Batu; Sira Rambai and Sira Buluh and Sira Papan) as well as previous sightings of a Malayan tiger in the area, whose movement is dependent on the density and distribution of prey. Camera traps were placed at potential animal trails surrounding the salt lick to capture any encountered wildlife species within the area of the camera placements. Results showed that all home ranges of Malayan tiger were of no significance for large bodied prey availability such as sambar deer (Rusa unicolor), and smaller prey such as muntjacs (Muntiacus muntjac) and wild boar (Sus scrofa). Interestingly, all home range harbour the Malayan tiger as the only sole predator. The non-significance of prey availability at each home range is attributed to the decline of the Malayan tiger in the rainforest since tigers are dependant on the movement of its preferred prey surrounding natural salt licks. Thus, the information from this study offers fundamental knowledge on the importance of prey-predator interaction at salt lick which will help in designing strategy in rewilding or rehabilitation programs of the Malayan tiger at the Royal Belum Rainforest.

The spatial dynamics of White-browed Babbler groups in a fragmented agricultural landscape

2002 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter G. Cale
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Breeding Season ◽  
Group Dynamics ◽  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Breeding Site ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Effective Population ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Group Movements

White-browed Babbler Pomatostomus superciliosus groups occupying linear strips of vegetation had breeding territories that were smaller in area and had longer linear dimensions than those occupying patches. A group's non-breeding home range was larger than its breeding territory. Groups occupying linear/patch home ranges expanded the linear extent and area of their home ranges more than those within other home range configurations. Some groups moved during the non-breeding season and this was more likely to occur if the group occupied a remnant with a low abundance of invertebrates during summer. Some groups that moved returned prior to the next breeding season, but the majority were never seen again. New groups moved into the study sites and established in vacant home ranges. This suggests that those groups that left the study sites may have established new home ranges elsewhere. Breeding site fidelity was lower in groups that had failed in previous breeding attempts. Therefore, group movements were influenced by the feeding and breeding quality of the habitat. However, the configuration of the local population also influenced group movements with those groups on the edge of a local population being more likely to move than those in the interior. New groups were formed by two processes; group dispersal, where groups generally filled a vacant home range, and group budding, which involved the splitting of a large group. Group dispersal maintained group densities while group budding increased the density of groups in a local population. These two processes were common, producing localized fluctuations in the density of groups. Since babbler groups contain only one breeding pair, changes in group density represent changes in effective population size. Therefore, group dynamics may be important to the persistence of local populations of White-browed Babblers, especially in landscapes that have suffered from habitat loss and fragmentation.

Methods of scent marking in the domestic cat

1994 ◽  
Vol 72 (6) ◽  
pp. 1093-1099 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilary N. Feldman
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Scent Marking ◽  
Domestic Cat ◽  
Tree Bark ◽  
Scent Mark ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Felis Silvestris ◽  
Felis Silvestris Catus ◽  
The Face ◽  
Visual Mark

Carnivores use various scent-marking methods. Semi-feral domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) were observed to use the same means as their wild counterparts. Adult males performed most urine spray marking. Cats scratched tree bark, producing a visual mark, and probably used trees both as markers and for claw sharpening. Most scratching trees were located along frequently used paths rather than along territorial boundaries or scattered randomly throughout a home range. Bark consistency affected the tree species that were scratched, with soft bark preferred. Although deposition of faeces and urine was recorded, there was no clear evidence for their use as territorial markers; cats primarily eliminated away from the core area of the home range. Most faeces were buried, although exposed deposits were also observed. Cats also rubbed against objects, probably using glandular secretions from the face and tail areas to scent mark. Males rubbed objects more than females, and males scent marked more. Individual males may use different means of scent marking. Scent marking in this study supports the idea that cats do not defend territories, instead patrolling and reinforcing marks throughout a looser home range. The suggestion has been made that different forms of marking may serve separate signalling functions.

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