Spatial and temporal activity patterns of ocelots Leopardus pardalis in lowland forest of eastern Ecuador

Abstract

Ocelots ( Leopardus pardalis ) are common in lowland forests of Amazonia. We used camera traps to document the occurrence and activity of ocelots at a site in eastern Ecuador during 2005–2012 (15,058 trap-days). We accumulated 384 independent images of 16 males (147 images), 19 females (234 images), and 3 not assigned to individual or sex. Individuals varied in number of images (1 to > 50), number of camera locations (1–8), and number of months from first to last image (1–85). Photographic rate varied across years, from 15.3 to 29.9/1,000 trap-days in 2006 and 2010, respectively. Males and females were primarily active at night and showed similar hourly patterns of activity. Up to 3 individual males and 4 individual females were recorded at different camera locations each year. Resident males typically were photographed at more locations (mean of 4.1) than females (mean of 3.2). Results indicate that multiple ocelots, of both sexes, may be found within a relatively small (~650 ha) area of lowland forest in eastern Ecuador and emphasize the importance of the region for conservation of ocelots and other species. Los ocelotes ( Leopardus pardalis ) son felinos comunes en los bosques de tierras bajas de la Amazonía. Utilizamos cámaras trampa para documentar la ocurrencia y actividad de ocelotes en un sitio en el Este de Ecuador durante 2005–2012 (15.058 días-trampa). Acumulamos 384 imágenes independientes de 16 machos (147 fotografías), 19 hembras (234 fotografías), y tres a los que no se les asignó individuo o sexo. Los individuos variaron en número de imágenes (1 a > 50), número de locaciones de las cámaras (1 a 8) y en el número de meses desde la primera hasta la última imagen (1 a 85). La tasa de captura fotográfica varió a través de los años, de 15,3 a 29,9 / 1.000 días-trampa en 2006 y 2010, respectivamente. Machos y hembras fueron activos principalmente durante la noche y mostraron patrones similares de actividad por hora. Hasta tres individuos machos y cuatro individuos hembras fueron registrados en diferentes locaciones cada año. Machos residentes fueron fotografiados en más lugares (media de 4,1) que hembras (media de 3,2). Los resultados indican que varios ocelotes, de ambos sexos, pueden encontrarse dentro de un área relativamente pequeña (~ 650 ha) de bosques de tierras bajas en el Este de Ecuador y enfatizan en la importancia de la región para la conservación de ocelotes y otras especies.

Mammalian Diversity and Matses Ethnomammalogy in Amazonian Peru Part 2: Xenarthra, Carnivora, Perissodactyla, Artiodactyla, and Sirenia

“…NO. 417 nivorous diet supplemented by invertebrates and browse (Kiltie, 1981(Kiltie, , 1982Kiltie and Terborgh, 1983;Byers, 1985;Bodmer, 1989;Tobler et al, 2009;Blake et al, 2012). Matses observations confirm the fondness of this species for the very hard, golf-ball-size nuts of Astro caryum spp., the coconutlike endosperm of which is an important trophic resource otherwise accessible only to capuchin monkeys (Terborgh, 1983;Voss and Fleck, 2011), white-lipped peccaries (Kiltie, 1982;see below), and rodents (Emmons, 1997;Voss and Fleck, in prep.).…”

“…However, the Matses' failure to distinguish these sympatric cervids in other ecobehavioral respects is hard to reconcile with published evidence that gray brockets are primarily diurnal and do not visit mineral licks, whereas red brockets are often active at night and commonly visit mineral licks (Tobler et al, 2009;Blake et al, 2012Blake et al, , 2013.…”

The private life of echidnas: using accelerometry and GPS to examine field biomechanics and assess the ecological impact of a widespread, semi-fossorial monotreme

“…For example, the Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) is active for only 127±13 min day −1 (Lim and Ng, 2008). Camera trap data suggest that the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) is active during only 7 h of the day, less than for other mammals from a similar location (rodents, lagomorphs, ungulates and carnivores; Blake et al, 2012). These short active periods presumably relate to the low-energy lifestyle of myrmecophagous mammals (Cooper and Withers, 2002;McNab, 1984).…”

Hunters´ landscape accessibility and daily activity of ungulates in Yasuní Biosphere Reserve, Ecuador

“…In the Netropics, daily activity patterns of ungulates have been described in several works (e. g., Carrillo et al 2002;Noss et al 2003;Gómez et al 2005;Rivero et al 2005;Tobler et al 2009;Oliveira-Santos et al 2010;Harmsen et al 2011;Blake et al 2012); however, the effect of human actions in this aspect of animal behavior has been little studied (e. g., Di Bitetti et al 2008). Previous studies indicate that hunting affects the daily activity of wild pigs Sus scrofa in Germany (Keuling et al 2008).…”