The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which mongooses Herpestes javanicus in the Caribbean National Forest use areas of high human use, and to compare space use patterns in these areas to those in areas of low human use. It was expected that the abundance of anthropogenic food in areas of high human use would lead to (1) higher population densities; (2) smaller home ranges; (3) more extensive range overlap and reduced territorial behaviour, than areas of low use. During the dry season, 14 mongooses were radio-collared and tracked in each of two areas: an area of high human use and an area of low human use. Six of these mongooses, one in an area of low human use and five in an area of high human use, were also tracked during the wet season. In both seasons, mongooses in the area of high human use used picnic areas more than expected based on availability. In the dry season, mongooses in the area of high human use had smaller home ranges than those in the area of low human use. Ranges overlapped extensively in both areas, and slightly more so in the area of low human use. However, individuals avoided each other spatially within the shared area of their ranges, and core home ranges overlapped little. In the wet (breeding) season, home-range size and overlap increased more for males than for females. Such differences in behaviour and population dynamics in these two areas have implications for rabies transmission rates and management throughout the forest.

No abstract

Critically Endangered Puerto Rican parrots Amazona vittata are one of the rarest birds in the world. Several exotic mammal species capable of preying on Puerto Rican parrots cohabit the Caribbean National Forest with the only wild population of these parrots. We used tracking plates, monitoring blocks and trapping to index black rats, small Indian mongooses and feral cats in parrot habitat and in public-use areas in the same habitat type. We had high trap success for black rats at all sites (42% of all sites combined), among the highest reported in the world. Rat response to monitoring (nontoxic bait) blocks was universally high, regardless of ground or tree placement. Mongooses were present at all sites, with a greater proportion of plates tracked within the forest than at public-use sites. Cats were present at all forest sites and one of the public-use sites. Presence of the three species did not appear to be linked to human disturbance. Because only 30–40 Puerto Rican parrots survive in the wild, with as few as three pairs nesting in 2002, we concluded that the abundance and pervasiveness of exotic mammalian predators poses a greater threat to the parrots than has been generally acknowledged. This is evidenced by mammalian predation during recent parrot breeding seasons, including six fledglings taken by mongooses and one nest failure from rats during 2000–2003.

No abstract

Radio telemetry has greatly advanced the understanding of wild animal ecology. Telemetry studies must ensure that placement of transmitters does not influence the health and behavior of study animals. Here, 10 American badgers (Taxidea taxus) were implanted with beeswax-coated abdominal radio transmitters under general anesthesia and tracked for an average of 14 mo. Behavior and movements of all badgers indicated successful short-term recovery from implantation; however, three mortalities were observed between 5 mo and 15 mo after capture. Cause of death could not be determined for two badgers due to decomposition of the carcasses. A third badger that was recovered in good postmortem condition died from sepsis secondary to a transmitter-related omental torsion. This study indicates that there is some risk associated with abdominally implanted radio transmitters in badgers. Future studies involving implanted transmitters in mammals should focus on identifying safe and effective telemetry devices that do not affect the health of study animals. American badger, omental adhesion, peritoneal implant, telemetry, Taxidea taxus.