Volume 69, Issue 1

Occurrence of harvest mouse breeding nests in relation to reed-bed structure was studied in 2000-2001. This study took place in midfield marsh patches and drainage ditches in an intensively used farmland of western Poland. A total of 88 nests was found. 98% of them were attached to reed stems at a mean height of 48 (± 41 SD) cm. Harvest mice favoured reed-beds with low, thin and sparse stalks, with a high ratio of Carex /grass. Areas with a high density of herbaceous vegetation were avoided as nest sites.

Two adult male dholes Cuon alpinus belonging to 2 different packs were radio collared and tracked between March 2000 and October 2002 in Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand. Dholes occupied cumulative ranges (95% minimum convex polygon) of 12.0 km 2 ( n = 39) and 49.5 km 2 ( n = 62), traveled an average of 2,214 m each day ( n = 27, ± 2,422 m, range 25-9,469), and were primarily active during diurnal and crepuscular periods ( n = 927 activity readings, 46% active). Dhole diet using scat analysis ( n = 172) and identification of carcasses ( n = 14) consisted only of ungulates. Dhole range primarily included forested habitat, although some individuals also were observed hunting in grasslands.

We monitored echolocation calls to measure the flight and foraging activity of European bats at twenty-four locations in the Palatinate Forest, Germany. Bats' flight activities correlated with their foraging activities at different sites. The distribution of bat foraging sites may be patchy even in a continuous forest habitat. Pipistrelle bats changed some of their foraging patches during the summer-season, most probably due to temporal differences of the resource densities at those patches. Daubenton's bats in contrast showed steadily high activities at two investigated forest lakes. The feeding buzz rate declined during five hours of nightly bat foraging. The nocturnal bat activity did not change significantly during this time, with the exception of few patches. Food resources as well as additional factors, like acoustical landmarks that enable orienting of echolocating bats, and habitat features that allow special foraging strategies should influence the quality of patches and their use by bats. The use of one, or of different foraging patches during the year, may depend on the seasonal constancy or variability of resources, on the degree of isolation of a patch type, and on the species specific foraging strategy.

Attempts have been made to reintroduce elk ( Cervus elaphus ) in Ontario, Canada, since the early 1900's. These efforts are on-going and current plans are to establish viable elk populations in 6 pre-selected restoration sites in Ontario. Significant populations of white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) exist in close proximity to some of the proposed restoration sites. Therefore a decision was made to assess the potential impact of restoring elk in white-tailed deer wintering areas in Ontario, prior to the release of elk. The primary concerns regarding white-tailed deer/elk competition are transmission of the meningeal worm ( Parelaphostrongylus tenuis ) from white-tailed deer to elk and the winter carrying capacity of habitat where the restoration is to occur. A review of existing data revealed that significant winter concentrations of white-tailed deer do exist in the vicinity of the Haliburton Highlands elk release site in southern Ontario. However, that proposed release site is at least 10 km from white-tailed deer wintering areas and restrictive winters occur infrequently in that area. A review of the literature, as well as interviews with Provincial and State biologists and elk managers revealed that although there was anecdotal evidence of competition between elk and white-tailed deer in a few jurisdictions, there was neither quantitative nor qualitative data to support or refute those claims. However, as snow depths increase and elk switch to browse dominated diets, there is potential for white-tailed deer/elk competition for resources if sharing the same winter range, especially during severe winters. The chances that elk and white-tailed deer will share the same winter range will depend on where the released elk decide to settle for the winter, which may be influenced by availability of unused winter habitat and the quality of the available habitat. Therefore, elk will not be released directly into traditional white-tailed deer wintering areas in Ontario. A comprehensive research and monitoring program will be mandatory for future elk releases in Ontario.

We studied dietary intakes and time budgets in two desert gerbillids, Psammomys obesus , a diurnal herbivore, and Meriones crassus , a nocturnal granivore. P. obesus was offered fresh leaves of Atriplex halimus while M. crassus was offered millet seeds and Atriplex halimus , mainly as a source of water. We predicted that the (1) nocturnal rodent will feed mainly at night and the diurnal rodent mainly during the day; and (2) the herbivore consuming a relatively low energy diet will spend more time feeding than the granivore consuming a relatively high energy diet. The latter prediction was confirmed in that P. obesus spent more time feeding than M. crassus . Number of feeding sessions in M. crassus was the same as in P. obesus but each feeding session was shorter. However, the former prediction was only partially confirmed. Feeding during the dark phase was significantly longer than the light phase in the nocturnal M. crassus , as predicted; but feeding did not differ between diel phases in the diurnal P. obesus . The large amount of forage required by P. obesus necessitated consumption throughout the light and dark phases at the same rates of intake.

We present new cytogenetic, morphometric, and sperm morphology data of eight populations belonging to the C. pundti complex from Southern Córdoba and Eastern La Pampa Provinces in Argentina. The diploid numbers ranged from 2n = 44 to 2n = 50, and C- bands revealed a pattern of centromeric and pericentromeric heterochromatin. Comparisons of G-banded karyotypes revealed that the 2n = 44 (Holmberg, Santa Catalina, Sampacho), 2n = 46 (Realicó), 2n = 48 (El Guanaco, Guatraché), 2n = 46-48 (Vicuña Mackenna), and 2n = 50 (Puente Olmos) karyotypes, are closely related. In addition, these karyotypes show a high degree of homology (95%) with C. talarum talarum , despite the fact that five chromosomal rearrangements differentiate both taxa. Discriminant Function Analysis of morphometric data allows to distinguish three clusters: i) the C. mendocinus species group, ii) C. t. talarum , and iii) populations of the C. pundti complex proposed herein. The close phylogenetic relationship between C. talarum and the C. pundti complex, which undoubtedly belong to the same evolutionary lineage, is well supported by two different kinds of evidence: the extensive chromosomal homology and the same symmetric type of sperm. The morphological and chromosomal differences show that these two forms have diverged recently.