Camera traps reveal an apparent mutualism between a common mesocarnivore and an endangered ungulate |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Ecology, 310 Lewis Hall, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA;2. Zambian Carnivore Programme, P.O. Box 90, Mfuwe, Eastern Province, Zambia;3. Intitutionen for Vilt, Fisk och Miljö, Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet, Skogsmarksgrand, Umeå 90183, Sweden;4. Wildlife Conservation and Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Oxford University, Oxfordshire OX13 5QL, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;5. School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona,1064 East Lowell Street, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA;6. Alaska Center for Conservation Science, University of Alaska Anchorage, Beatrice McDonald Hall, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA;1. School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Rd., Victoria V8W 2Y2, BC, Canada;2. Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society - Northern Alberta Chapter, PO Box 52031, Edmonton T6G 2T5, AB, Canada;3. Alberta Environment and Parks, Parks Division, Kananaskis Region, Suite 201, 800 Railway Avenue, Canmore T1W 1P1, AB, Canada;1. Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois, 1816 S. Oak Street, Champaign, IL 61820, USA;2. Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA;3. School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand |
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| Abstract: | Camera traps are commonly used to study mammal ecology and they occasionally capture previously undocumented species interactions. The key deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium) is an endangered endemic subspecies of the Florida Keys, where it exists with few predators. We obtained a camera trap sequence of 80 photos in which a key deer interacted with two northern raccoons (Procyon lotor). One of the raccoons groomed the deer’s face for ∼1 min. This interaction is peculiar and appears mutualistic because the deer was not concerned and willingly remained still throughout the physical contact. Although mutualistic relationships between deer and birds are common, we are unaware of any previously documented mesocarnivore-deer mutualisms. Key deer have evolved in the absence of mammalian predators and we hypothesize that they exhibit reduced vigilance or concern when encountering other species because of predator naivety. Key deer and raccoons are commonly associated with humans and urbanization and an alternative hypothesis is that the interactions are a consequence of heightened deer density, causing a greater probability of sustained interactions with the common mesocarnivores. |
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| Keywords: | Camera trap Deer Mutualism Raccoon Species interactions Vigilance |
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