Communication hubs of an asocial cat are the source of a human - carnivore conflict and key to its solution

Joerg Melzheimer (Author), Sonja K. Heinrich (Author), Bernd Wasiolka (Author), Rebekka Mueller (Author), Susanne Thalwitzer (Author), Ivan Palmegiani (Author), Annika Weigold (Author), Ruben Portas (Author), Ralf Roeder (Author), Miha Krofel (Author), Heribert Hofer (Author), Bettina Wachter (Author)

Abstract

Human%wildlife conflicts occur worldwide. Although many nonlethal mitigation solutions are available, they rarely use the behavioral ecology of the conflict species to derive effective and long-lasting solutions. Here, we use a long-term study with 106 GPS-collared free-ranging cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) to demonstrate how new insights into the socio-spatial organization of this species provide the key for such a solution. GPS-collared territory holders marked and defended communication hubs (CHs) in the core area of their territories. The CHs/territories were distributed in a regular pattern across the landscape such that they were not contiguous with each other but separated by a surrounding matrix. They were kept in this way by successive territory holders, thus maintaining this overdispersed distribution. The CHs were also visited by nonterritorial cheetah males and females for information exchange, thus forming hotspots of cheetah activity and presence. We hypothesized that the CHs pose an increased predation risk to young calves for cattle farmers in Namibia. In an experimental approach, farmers shifted cattle herds away from the CHs during the calving season. This drastically reduced their calf losses by cheetahs because cheetahs did not follow the herds but instead preyed on naturally occurring local wildlife prey in the CHs. This implies that in the cheetah system, there are %problem areas,% the CHs, rather than %problem individuals.% The incorporation of the behavioral ecology of conflict species opens promising areas to search for solutions in other conflict species with nonhomogenous space use.

Keywords

gepard;ekologija gibanja;znotrajvrstne interakcije;znotrajvrstna komunikacija;konflikti;cheetah;movement ecology;intraspecific communication;human-wildlife conflict;

Data

Language:	English
Year of publishing:	2020
Typology:	1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization:	UL BF - Biotechnical Faculty
UDC:	591
COBISS:	43724035
ISSN:	0027-8424
Views:	402
Downloads:	343
Average score:	0 (0 votes)
Metadata:

Other data

Secondary language:	Slovenian
Secondary keywords:	gepard;ekologija gibanja;znotrajvrstne interakcije;znotrajvrstna komunikacija;konflikti;
Type (COBISS):	Article
Pages:	str. 33325-33333
Volume:	ǂVol. ǂ117
Issue:	ǂiss. ǂ52
Chronology:	2020
DOI:	10.1073/pnas.2002487117
ID:	12345761