Anthropogenic activities and age class mediate carnivore habitat selection in a human-dominated landscape

Laurel E K Serieys; Jacqueline M Bishop; Matthew S Rogan; Justine A Smith; Justin P Suraci; M Justin O'Riain; Christopher C Wilmers

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2023.107050

Anthropogenic activities and age class mediate carnivore habitat selection in a human-dominated landscape

iScience. 2023 Jun 7;26(7):107050. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107050. eCollection 2023 Jul 21.

Authors

Laurel E K Serieys^{1

2

3

4}, Jacqueline M Bishop¹, Matthew S Rogan^{1

5}, Justine A Smith⁶, Justin P Suraci^{2

7}, M Justin O'Riain¹, Christopher C Wilmers²

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa.
² Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA.
³ Panthera, New York, NY 10018, USA.
⁴ Cape Leopard Trust, Cape Town 7966, South Africa.
⁵ Natural State, Nanyuki, Kenya.
⁶ Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
⁷ Conservation Science Partners, Inc. Truckee, CA 96161, USA.

Abstract

Human activities increasingly challenge wild animal populations by disrupting ecological connectivity and population persistence. Yet, human-modified habitats can provide resources, resulting in selection of disturbed areas by generalist species. To investigate spatial and temporal responses of a generalist carnivore to human disturbance, we investigated habitat selection and diel activity patterns in caracals (Caracal caracal). We GPS-collared 25 adults and subadults in urban and wildland-dominated subregions in Cape Town, South Africa. Selection responses for landscape variables were dependent on subregion, animal age class, and diel period. Contrary to expectations, caracals did not become more nocturnal in urban areas. Caracals increased their selection for proximity to urban areas as the proportion of urban area increased. Differences in habitat selection between urban and wildland caracals suggest that individuals of this generalist species exhibit high behavioral flexibility in response to anthropogenic disturbances that emerge as a function of habitat context.

Keywords: Animal species; Human Geography; Zoology.