Cats under cover: Habitat models indicate a high dependency on woodlands by Atlantic Forest felids

Four Neotropical small and medium felids—the ocelot, jaguarundi, margay, and southern tiger cat—have overlapping geographic distributions in the endangered Atlantic Forest. Local studies show that these felids avoid areas with high human impact, but the three smaller ones use human‐modified areas more frequently than do ocelots. To understand how landscape changes affect the habitat distribution of these four felids in the Atlantic Forest of Argentina, we used maximum entropy models to analyze the effect of environmental and anthropogenic factors. We estimated niche breadth and overlap among these felids. The conversion of the native forest to land uses without trees was the most important variable that determined the habitat distribution of the four species. For all four species, the optimal habitat covered about 1/3 of the study area and corresponds mainly to the native forest areas. Nearly 50% of these areas had some level of protection. The niche width was higher for the small felids than for ocelots. Niche overlap was high for all species pairs, but higher among the small felids and lower for each of these with the ocelot. The four felids were negatively affected by native forest loss, with ocelots being more sensitive than the smaller felids. The conversion of unprotected forest areas to other types of land uses would imply a greater habitat loss for these felids. The protection of current remnants of Atlantic Forest in Argentina is important for the long‐term conservation of the four felids. Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.     

Parasitism of three attelabid weevils by Bracon (Uncobracon) apoderi Watanabe (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Kyushu,Japan

The larval parasitoid Bracon (Uncobracon) apoderi Watanabe (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is reported from Kyushu for the first time. Two host weevils, Phymatapoderus latipennis and Paroplapoderus pardalis (Coleoptera: Attelabidae), are newly recorded. Bracon apoderi parasitized three attelabid species, including Apoderus balteatus, but did not parasitize Cycnotrachelus roelofsi even though it is a dominant attelabid species in the study site. In addition, B. apoderi mainly parasitized suspended cradles rather than cut‐off cradles.     

How Small is too Small? Camera Trap Survey Areas and Density Estimates for Ocelots in the Bolivian Chaco

Studies on carnivores, which are generally difficult to observe directly because they are elusive and nocturnal, are carried out through indirect methods, e.g. , camera trapping and radiotracking. The first method has been used to estimate population densities of species that can be differentiated as individuals using unique pelage patterns. However, the use of capture–recapture methodology has raised doubts regarding the estimation of the sampling area around the camera traps, which is obtained using maximum distances traveled by individuals photographed at two or more different locations. In this paper, the results from camera traps are compared with a radiotracking study carried out simultaneously with ocelots ( Leopardus pardalis ) to confirm whether maximum distances observed in camera traps coincide with ranging patterns determined from radio telemetry, and in turn whether the sampling areas estimated from camera traps are appropriate for estimating density. Mean maximum distance moved was 2880 m according to camera trap records during a 60-d survey period while, with radiotracking, the maximum distance moved was 3176 m during the same period. The difference is not significant, and the sampling areas estimated with camera traps to assess ocelot density are reliable. However, if the area covered by cameras is reduced to less than three to four times average home range for the target species, then density estimates from camera trapping are exaggerated because of the reduced observed distances and the fact that multiple individuals can overlap in relatively small areas.     

SURVIVAL AND SOURCES OF MORTALITY IN OCELOTS

Abstract: Survival and cause-specific mortality estimates are needed to develop effective conservation strategies for the endangered ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) in the United States. We radiomonitored 80 ocelots (36 F, 44 M) from 1983 to 2002 and analyzed survival and cause-specific mortality rates. Pooled estimates of annual survival rates differed between resident (Ŝ = 0.87) and transient (Ŝ = 0.57) ocelots (P = 0.02); therefore, survival and cause-specific mortality analyses were partitioned for resident and transient ocelots. Sex-specific annual survival was similar between resident ocelots (M = 0.92, F = 0.83, P = 0.16) and transient ocelots (M = 0.53, F = 0.63, P = 0.75). Most mortalities were from human (e.g., ocelot-vehicle collisions; M = 45%) and natural (e.g., animal attack, disease; M = 35%) sources. Transient ocelots had higher natural mortality rates (disease, intraspecific mortality; M = 0.26) than resident ocelots (M = 0.04, P = 0.03). Other sources of mortality did not differ (P ≥ 0.10) between resident or transient ocelots or male and female resident or transient ocelots (P ≥ 0.08). Human population expansion within the Lower Rio Grande Valley of southern Texas, USA, will increase transportation-related problems and decrease the quantity of ocelot habitat, leading to increased ocelot-vehicle collisions and possibly cause more transient behavior, thus significantly lowering ocelot survival. Research and development of ocelot road underpasses should be conducted to mitigate ocelot-vehicle collisions.     

Hammondia pardalis sp. n. (Sarcocystidae) from the Ocelot, Felis pardalis, and Experimental Infection of Other Felines

Synopsis.
Hammondia pardals sp. n. (Eimeriorina: Sarcocystidae) from Panama Canal Zone is described as an obligate heteroxenous coccidian, with felids as the final host and laboratory mice as the experimental intermediate host. Ovoid oocysts. measuring 40.8 (36–46) × 28.5 (25–35) m. are shed unsporulated. Oocysts were infective only for the intermediate host. the laboratory mouse, Mus musculus , and the intracellular cysts were infective only for felids. Attempted passage of tissue cysts from mouse to mouse was unsuccessful.
Mice fed 5 × 10⁴ sporulated oocysts were found to harbor small intracellular cysts, 13–16 × 10–15 m, in the mesenteric lymph nodes, lungs, and intestinal submucosa 15 days postinfection. The meronts in these early cysts were stubby and measured 3 × 6 m. The prepatent period in the felids was 5 to 8 days and the patent period 5–13 days. Experimental infections of definitive hosts were successful with 6/6 domestic laboratory-reared kittens, Felis catus ; 5/5 ocelots, F. pardalis ; and 1/1 jaguarundi, F. yagouaroundi. None of the exposed raccoons, Procyon lotor , shed oocysts.     

Factors influencing ocelot occupancy in Brazilian Atlantic Forest reserves

Over 80% of Atlantic Forest remnants are <50 ha and protected areas are embedded in a matrix dominated by human activities, undermining the long‐term persistence of carnivores. The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is an opportunistic species, but little is known about its tolerance to habitat alterations and the influence of other species on its occupancy in Atlantic Forest remnants. We used camera traps to assess ocelot occupancy in protected areas of Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil. We found a positive correlation between the occupancy of ocelots and top predators (jaguars, Panthera onca, and pumas, Puma concolor), and a weaker negative effect between the number of domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) detected and ocelot occupancy. Ocelot detection was higher at sites with more eucalyptus, suggesting that ocelots frequently use these areas. Better‐protected areas surrounded by permeable matrices may be critical to the persistence of ocelots in the fragmented Atlantic Forest.     

Body size development of captive and free‐ranging Leopard tortoises (Geochelone pardalis)

The growth and weight development of Leopard tortoise hatchings (Geochelone pardalis) kept at the Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP), Qatar, was observed for more than four years, and compared to data in literature for free‐ranging animals on body weight or carapace measurements. The results document a distinctively faster growth in the captive animals. Indications for the same phenomenon in other tortoise species (Galapagos giant tortoises, G. nigra; Spur‐thighed tortoises, Testudo graeca; Desert tortoises, Gopherus agassizi) were found in the literature. The cause of the high growth rate most likely is the constant provision with highly digestible food of low fiber content. Increased growth rates are suspected to have negative consequences such as obesity, high mortality, gastrointestinal illnesses, renal diseases, “pyramiding,” fibrous osteodystrophy or metabolic bone disease. The apparently widespread occurrence of high growth rates in intensively managed tortoises underlines how easily ectothermic animals can be oversupplemented with nutrients. Zoo Biol 29:517–525, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Food habits of the ocelot,Leopardus pardalis,in two areas in southeast Brazil

The objective of this study was to compare the diet of the ocelot at two sites in southeastern Brazil: the small (957 ha), isolated Caratinga Biological Station (CBS), Minas Gerais and the large (>44,000 ha) contiguous area, comprised of the Vale do Rio Doce Natural Reserve (VRDNR) and the Sooretama Biological Reserve (SBR). We collected 60 scats in CBS from January 1997 to July 2000. Small rodents, small marsupials and primates were the most important items in terms of frequency of occurrence. In terms of biomass consumed, the brown howler monkey (Alouatta guariba) was the most important item. In the VRDNR/SBR we collected 77 scats from April 1995 to September 1996 and from January 1999 to September 2000. The main food items were armadillo (Dasypus sp.), small rodents, teju (Tupinambis merianae), and small marsupials. In VRDNR/SBR the ocelot had a more diverse diet, probably reflecting the diversity of prey species found in this area. The occurrence of ocelots in CBS indicates the adaptive flexibility of this felid to forests fragments, probably facilitated by the high biomass of potential prey – in this case, the primate Alouatta guariba.     

Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) Predation on Agouti (Dasyprocta punctata)1

We collected details on the predation of four agoutis (Dasyprocta punctata) by ocelots (Leopardus pardalis). All kills were made outside of the typical agouti activity period (<0500 h). Agoutis were captured from behind and killed with a bite through the back of the skull. The kill sites for two female agoutis were significantly closer to their den sites than expected, while kill sites for two males were not. All carcasses were completely covered by leaves during the day and were fed on during night hours. Predation by ocelots can be a significant cause of mortality for agoutis at Barro Colorado Island (BCI).