Experimental examination of behavioural interactions between free-ranging wild and domestic canids

Vanak, Abi Tamim; Thaker, Maria; Gompper, Matthew E.

doi:10.1007/s00265-009-0845-z

Cited by 61 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…2). This effect of dogs at the landscape level further supports the hypothesis that dogs are an interference competitor, especially since they are an important cause of Indian fox mortality (Vanak 2008) and are directly avoided by foxes at food sources (Vanak, Thaker & Gompper 2009).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

“…However, unlike coyotes and kit foxes, Indian foxes and dogs in this study area do not compete for the same food resources, as foxes are dependent on rodents, invertebrates and native, uncultivated fruit, whereas dogs subsist on human‐derived food (Vanak & Gompper 2009a). Despite this, Indian foxes avoid provisioned food in the presence of dogs (Vanak, Thaker & Gompper 2009). Thus, the presence of dogs may be precluding foxes from foraging in agricultural lands, where rodent abundances are higher than in natural areas (Table 1).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Interference competition at the landscape level: the effect of free‐ranging dogs on a native mesocarnivore

Vanak¹,

Gompper

2010

Journal of Applied Ecology

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148

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Summary1. Free-ranging domestic dogs are the world's most common carnivore and can negatively interact with native wildlife at multiple levels. Yet the intraguild competitive effects of dogs on the distribution and habitat use of native carnivores are poorly known, especially in areas of conservation concern. 2. We examined the spatial distribution of sympatric populations of radiocollared Indian foxes and free-ranging dogs to determine if Indian foxes alter their habitat use in the presence of dogs. We tested the effects of landcover type, primary prey abundance (rodents) and the presence of dogs as predictors of Indian fox spatial distribution in a threatened grassland habitat in central India. 3. By counting rodent burrows, we determined that the relative abundance of rodents was higher in fallow land and agricultural land compared to natural grasslands. From radiotelemetry data, we determined that the presence of dogs was closely linked to human-modified habitats, such as agricultural land and human settlements. 4. Top ranked models, based on Akaike's Information Criterion corrected for small sample size, indicated that the negative effects of the presence of dogs and agricultural land, and the positive effects of the presence of grassland and fallow land habitats were the strongest predictors of Indian fox spatial distribution. Thus, the use of the landscape by Indian foxes was determined not only by habitat type, but also by the presence of a mid-sized carnivore, the dog. 5. Synthesis and applications. Our results show that the presence of domestic dogs on the periphery of natural habitats can interfere with the spatial distribution of a sympatric carnivore. Vaccination and sterilization programmes, aimed at reducing population sizes and pathogen prevalence, do not restrict the free-ranging behaviour of dogs. Therefore, in areas of conservation value, control of free-ranging dogs would be required to fully mitigate the deleterious effects of dogs on native carnivores and other wildlife.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interference competition at the landscape level: the effect of free‐ranging dogs on a native mesocarnivore

Vanak¹,

Gompper

2010

Journal of Applied Ecology

Self Cite

148

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“…Previous works investigating the response of foxes to alternative risk cues have yielded varying results. Observations of red (Scheinin et al 2006) and Indian foxes, Vulpes bengalensis (Vanak et al 2009) only showed significant reductions in food bait take in response to direct predator presence (golden jackal, Canis aureus and domestic dog Canis lupus familiaris , respectively), but not to olfactory risk cues (urine, or scat and urine, respectively).Observations were short and scents fresh so it could be concluded that foxes did not respond to these particular risk cues and only responded to immediate threats, or that foxes in these studies were bigger risk takers than in our study. However, these studies did not follow a GUD framework so responses to scent may have reflected experimental setup more than fox behaviour.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Foxes alter their behaviour in response to the presence of larger carnivores, habitat features and hazardous objects (Berger-Tal et al 2009; Hall et al 2013; Vanak et al 2009). This suggests they are capable of assessing and responding to environmental risk cues.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fear, foraging and olfaction: how mesopredators avoid costly interactions with apex predators

et al. 2018

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Where direct killing is rare and niche overlap low, sympatric carnivores may appear to coexist without conflict. Interference interactions, harassment and injury from larger carnivores may still pose a risk to smaller mesopredators. Foraging theory suggests that animals should adjust their behaviour accordingly to optimise foraging efficiency and overall fitness, trading off harvest rate with costs to fitness. The foraging behaviour of red foxes, Vulpes vulpes, was studied with automated cameras and a repeated measures giving-up density (GUD) experiment where olfactory risk cues were manipulated. In Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia, red foxes increased GUDs by 34% and quitting harvest rates by 29% in response to wolf urine. In addition to leaving more food behind, foxes also responded to wolf urine by spending less time visiting food patches each day and altering their behaviour in order to compensate for the increased risk when foraging from patches. Thus, red foxes utilised olfaction to assess risk and experienced foraging costs due to the presence of a cue from gray wolves, Canis lupus. This study identifies behavioural mechanisms which may enable competing predators to coexist, and highlights the potential for additional ecosystem service pathways arising from the behaviour of large carnivores. Given the vulnerability of large carnivores to anthropogenic disturbance, a growing human population and intensifying resource consumption, it becomes increasingly important to understand ecological processes so that land can be managed appropriately.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s00442-018-4133-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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“…Odours are an important means via which carnivores communicate with conspecifics, locate prey and 'eavesdrop' on other species (Vanak et al 2009;Gorman and Trowbridge 1989). In canids, odours present in urine, faeces and other bodily secretions are used to transmit information about the sex, and social and reproductive status of conspecifics (Fawcett et al 2013;Gese and Ruff 1997;Rothman and Mech 1979).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interference competition: odours of an apex predator and conspecifics influence resource acquisition by red foxes

2015

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Apex predators can impact smaller predators via lethal effects that occur through direct killing, and non-lethal effects that arise when fear-induced behavioural and physiological changes reduce the fitness of smaller predators. A general outcome of asymmetrical competition between co-existing predator species is that larger predators tend to suppress the abundances of smaller predators. Here, we investigate interference effects that an apex predator, the dingo (Canis dingo), has on the acquisition of food and water by the smaller red fox (Vulpes vulpes), by exposing free-ranging foxes to the odour of dingoes and conspecifics in an arid environment. Using giving-up densities we show that foxes foraged more apprehensively at predator-odour treatments than unscented controls, but their food intake did not differ between dingo- and fox-odour treatments. Using video analysis of fox behaviour at experimental water stations we show that foxes spent more time engaged in exploration behaviour at stations scented with fox odour and spent more time drinking at water stations scented with dingo odour. Our results provide support for the idea that dingo odour exerts a stronger interference effect on foxes than conspecific odour, but suggest that the odours of both larger dingoes and unfamiliar conspecifics curtailed foxes' acquisition of food resources.

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Experimental examination of behavioural interactions between free-ranging wild and domestic canids

Cited by 61 publications

References 45 publications

Interference competition at the landscape level: the effect of free‐ranging dogs on a native mesocarnivore

Interference competition at the landscape level: the effect of free‐ranging dogs on a native mesocarnivore

Fear, foraging and olfaction: how mesopredators avoid costly interactions with apex predators

Interference competition: odours of an apex predator and conspecifics influence resource acquisition by red foxes

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