Arboreal aperitifs: Space use and activity of a major songbird nest predator in a tropical Thailand forest

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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Animal movement can impact human–wildlife conflict by influencing encounter and detection rates. We assess the movement and space use of the highly venomous and medically important Malayan krait (Bungarus candidus) on a suburban university campus. We radio-tracked 14 kraits for an average of 114 days (min: 19, max: 218), during which we located individuals an average of 106 times (min: 21, max: 229) each. Most individuals displayed some level of attraction to buildings (n = 10) and natural areas (n = 12); we identified a similar unambiguous pattern of attraction to buildings and natural areas at the population level (of our sample). Snakes remained in shelter sites for long durations (max: 94 days) and revisited sites on average every 15.45 days. Over 50% of locations were within human settlements and 37.1% were associated with buildings. We found generally seasonal patterns of activity, with higher activity in wet seasons, and lower activity in the hot season. These results show frequent proximity between Malayan kraits and humans at the university; thereby, suggesting a near constant potential for human-wildlife conflict. Despite the fact that no snakebites from this species occurred at the university during our study period, substantial education and awareness training should be considered to ensure continued coexistence on campus.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Malayan kraits (Bungarus candidus) show affinity to anthropogenic structures in a human dominated landscape

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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“…The wet season may present abundant resources, influencing movement patterns (Wasko and Sasa, 2012; Doherty and Driscoll, 2018). Prey availability can influence snake movement and activity in the temperate (Sperry, Ward and Weatherhead, 2013) and the tropics (Christian et al, 2007; D’souza et al, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Malayan kraits (Bungarus candidus) show affinity to anthropogenic structures in a human dominated landscape

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Animal movement can impact human-wildlife conflict through a variety of features: increased movement can lead to greater chance of encounter, remaining still can lead to greater or lesser detection, and activity can modulate their impact on humans. Here we assess the movement and space use of the highly venomous and medically important Malayan krait (Bungarus candidus) on a suburban university campus. We radio-tracked 14 kraits for an average of 114 days (min: 19, max: 218), with an average of 106 fixes (min: 21, max: 229). We assessed movement pathways and activity with dynamic Brownian Bridge Movement models, evaluated patterns of revisitation to identify site fidelity, and determined whether individuals selected for particular land-use types with Integrated Step Selection Functions. Most individuals displayed some level of attraction to buildings (n = 10) and natural areas (n = 12); we identified a similar unambiguous pattern of attraction to buildings and natural areas at the population level (of our sample). Snakes remained in shelter sites for long periods of time (max = 94 days) and revisited sites on average every 15.45 days. Over 50% of fixes were within human settlements and 37.1% were associated with buildings. We found generally seasonal patterns of activity, with higher activity in wet seasons (when classes are typically in session on campus), and lower activity in the hot season (when there are a number of short breaks causing students to leave campus). These results show frequent proximity between Malayan kraits and humans at Suranaree University of Technology, Thailand; thereby, suggesting a near constant potential for human-wildlife conflict. Despite the fact that no snakebites from this species occurred at the university during our study period, substantial education and awareness training should be considered to raise awareness to ensure continued coexistence on campus.

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Malayan kraits (Bungarus candidus) show affinity to anthropogenic structures in a human dominated landscape

et al. 2021