Jaguarundi Occupancy And Sympatry On The Isthmus Of Panama
Date
2022-05
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Though jaguarundis (Puma yagouaroundi) are considered a species of “Least
Concern” in conservation planning, the data dictating this status is incredibly limited
because few observational studies of the felid exist. In Panama, expanding the
knowledge base of jaguarundi behavior and distribution is essential to conservation
efforts as the country continues to experience forest loss through the conversion of
habitat to agriculture and ranches. With a decrease in habitat availability, discerning
the interactions and resource partitioning of sympatric felids, including the jaguar,
puma, ocelot, and margay, is important. In this study, I used presence-only data, from
camera traps deployed in the Mamoní Valley Preserve of Panama, in a maximum
entropy framework to predict jaguarundi occurrence. I included habitat and sympatric
felid distributions as covariates in my models to evaluate their relative importance to
jaguarundi distribution. Using model coefficients, I assessed where jaguarundis are
likely to cooccur with jaguars, pumas, ocelots, and margays. To provide context for
this cooccurrence, I used metadata from the camera traps to determine the jaguarundi’s
temporal activity overlap with the four sympatric felids and conducted a literature
review to understand potential dietary and morphological distinctions between the
felids. Of the habitat covariates tested for contribution to predicted jaguarundi
presence, slope, pasture within ten km2, pasture within 100 m2, mixed secondary forest
and plantation within 100 m2, river distance, and mixed secondary forest and
plantation within ten km2 were influential. Also, of the sympatric felid distributions,
only that of the ocelot affected modelled jaguarundi occurrence, and this relationship
was positive. Jaguarundis had a likelihood of coexisting with all felid species at the
0.5 threshold in 20% or more of the study area. The data and literature suggested that
sympatry was possible because of morphological and dietary distinctions between the
jaguarundi and both the jaguar and puma, and temporal and dietary segregation
between the jaguarundi and both the ocelot and margay.
Description
Keywords
Jaguarundis, Conservation, Habitat