Volume 84, Issue 4

The American black bear ( Ursus americanus ) has very plastic activity patterns that maximize its ability to adapt to changing environments. Hibernation length is positively correlated with latitude, where northern populations remain in hibernation for up to 5 months during the winter; however, the species may not hibernate at all in its southern range. Several studies have focused on the description of the species’ ecology from specific locations; however, the macroecological perspective of the seasonal activity in black bears has not been explored. Using ecological niche models and temporal climate transfers, we tested for a correlation between the 971 monthly activity records we obtained for this species within its whole distribution and monthly climatic conditions. We observed that there was a high degree of geographic overlap among the monthly potential transferred areas and the monthly presence locality records. Thus, we suggest that climate is one of the main factors affecting the cycles of activity of this species and explains its hibernation patterns.

Lagidium viscacia is considered as a fragile species with patchy distribution, a strict habitat specialist and an obligatory diet specialist. The Southern Andean Precordillera constitutes an interesting environment to analyze the species’ presence across the altitudinal gradient. Diet selection and habitat use were studied in the summit plateau, characterized by rigorous conditions and vegetation representative of the Southern Puna. Pellet groups were counted in transects perpendicular to rock formations, and diet and vegetation were seasonally analyzed using microhistological analysis and point-quadrat transects. Vizcachas were strictly associated with rock formations at middle and high altitudes, with higher occurrence on the mountain summit where grasslands surrounded the rock formations. Vizcachas avoided shrubs associated with rock formations and preferred grasses on sandy soils. Phenological changes slightly affected the selective diet that involves a considerable search effort and risky feeding activity. Puna grasslands constituted attractive feeding places where L. viscacia ’s activity decreased with distance from rock shelters as expected for a central-place forager. Habitat partitioning allows coexistence with Ctenomys mendocinus , despite the high dietary overlap between these central-place species. The high mobility and broad diet of Lama guanicoe reduce the competition risk. Lepus europaeus preferred shrubs and forbs, determining a discrete dietary overlap with vizcachas.

Investigation of home ranges, sex ratio and recruitment of the multimammate rat ( Mastomys natalensis ) in semi-arid areas of Tanzania was conducted in maize and fallow fields using the capture-mark-release (CMR) technique. The aim of this study was to generate useful data for the management of M. natalensis . The relative home range size of M. natalensis was significantly higher during the wet [544 m 2  ± 25 standard error (SE)] than during the dry (447 m 2  ± 18 SE) season, in males (521 m 2  ± 23 SE) than in females (450 m 2  ± 17 SE) and in adults (576 m 2  ± 34 SE) than in juveniles (459 m 2  ± 16 SE). However, there were no significant differences between habitats. Sex ratio was not significantly different (p = 0.44) between habitats. Recruitment was significantly higher (p = 0.000) in maize fields (mean = 0.43) than in fallow land (mean = 0.32) and differed significantly over time (p < 0.0001) with the highest recruitment recorded from April to July and the lowest from October to December. Management strategies should focus on managing rodents inhabiting maize fields using methods that affect their recruitment in order to reduce the population increase of M. natalensis .

A 2.5-year study was conducted to understand the fitness of Mastomys natalensis in an agroecosystem in relationship with environmental predictors. The study was conducted in Mayuge district, in the Lake Victoria Crescent zone in Eastern Uganda. Fitness was measured in terms of survival, maturation and capture probability and estimated using multi-event capture-recapture models. Survival rates were higher after high rainfall in the previous month and increased with increasing population density of the animals. Maturation rate, on the other hand, showed no significant association with any predictor variables, while capture probability was significantly associated with sex of the animals, with higher capture probability for males. The results demonstrate that the fitness of M. natalensis in an agroecosystem is dependent on rainfall, sex and current population density. The aforementioned results were associated with increasing vegetation which provides cover for animal nesting and abundant food for the animals during rainfall periods and thus increased survival, high mobility in males in search for mates thus exposing animals to high chances of being captured and increased prey saturation at high population density resulting in high animal survival. These results have important implications for the timing of management strategies, i.e. control efforts should be enforced during the rainfall seasons to prevent high population buildup in the succeeding seasons.

We tested the effectiveness of thermal imaging cameras (TICs; model FLIR E60) for finding hedgehogs Erinaceus europaeus (Linnaeus, 1758) while carrying out volunteer spotlighting surveys in parkland habitats in Central London. Systematic and standardised surveys were carried out in The Regent’s Park, London in spring and autumn from 2016 to 2018. Night-time surveys were carried out in seven designated zones within the park by groups of 4–6 volunteers, three (occasionally four) with bright torches and one with a TIC. Hedgehogs were detected on 316 occasions; 166 using TICs, 133 using torches, 11 by sound and six unassisted. Hedgehogs were detected at significantly greater distances with TICs [mean = 30 m, standard deviation (SD) = 22.8 m, n = 166] than with torches (mean = 12 m, SD = 11.2 m, n = 133). We conclude that TICs operated by volunteers were particularly effective at detecting hedgehogs in our parkland surveys and using TICs to supplement torches in spotlighting surveys should be tested in other places, especially where there is a considerable amount of open habitat.

Live-trapping of rodents is facilitated by their thigmotaxis (i.e. the tendency to walk along linear structures of the habitat). However, in open habitats, such as meadows and prairies, where linear structures (e.g. rocks and fallen branches) are generally absent and where densities are likely to be low, capturing rodents is often very demanding or ineffective. This applies especially to semifossorial small mammals. Therefore, we developed a technique to increase the capture success of these rodents in Alpine meadows. We applied a box in Tetrapak ® with the perforated floor at the opening of Sherman traps. Semifossorial voles ( Microtus spp.), leaving their burrows, would remain in a confined status, in the dark within the Tetrapak ® , being forced to enter the trap or to go back in the tunnel. Sherman traps modified with Tetrapak ® were positioned immediately upon active burrows, alternating with the same number of unmodified traps. Then, we compared the number of captures with and without this modification. Two trapping sessions were carried out, for 3 days/site each, in eight sites (totally 2784 trap-days). Overall, 55 semifossorial voles were trapped; 41 (74.6%) were caught in modified traps, showing that they increase the capture success of semifossorial voles in Alpine meadows.

This note is the only information on food of this species. Food from the stomach was examined using a binocular dissecting microscope. Results from this analysis indicate that the food of this species is similar to that of other zapodids, consisting of several different food items, rather than to the finely ground green vegetation eaten by microtine rodents.

Rhinolophus malayanus has been found in several countries in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, and Myanmar. In 2015, we found three small Rhinolophus bats in Mengla County, Yunnan, China. Results of morphological and molecular examinations identified them as R. malayanus . This is the first record of existence of R. malayanus in China. This study advanced our knowledge of bat distribution and provided important information for further studies of various aspects of R. malayanus in China.

The mammals of Paraguay are still poorly known. We report a new genus for the country, Abrawayaomys , a spiny cricetid rodent endemic for the Interior Atlantic Forest. This record extends the distribution of the genus approximately 100 km, and west of the Paraná River. This addition increases the number of mammals in Paraguay to 184 and verifies that rodents are the most diverse group of mammals in the country. We outline identifying morphological characters of Abrawayaomys and elaborate on the significance of this finding for conservation and biogeography in the region.

We reported the first record of Davian behaviour (necrophilia) in the Eurasian badger Meles meles (L., 1758) in northern Italy. A male badger was observed in a camera-trap survey courting and trying to copulate with a probably road-killed female, in February. The dead female was a sexually mature, adult individual; the male was probably a young mature individual. Social behaviour of this carnivore may have evolved to guarantee the access to females only to the dominant male. Usually, female badgers passively receive mating by excited males. This behaviour may have enticed the young male to start courtship and copulation with the road-killed female.

Based on two adult specimens collected in the Río León (Azuay, Ecuador), we describe a new highland species of a small crab-eating rat of the genus Ichthyomys Thomas (Rodentia, Cricetidae, Ichthyomyini). It is distinguishable from Ichthyomys hydrobates (Winge, 1891), the species phenetically closest to it, by its smaller size, bicolored tail (unicolored in I. hydrobates ), broad and heavily fringed hindfoot (narrower and moderately fringed in I. hydrobates ), and several craniodental traits (e.g. rostrum short broad; nasals anteriorly truncated; interorbital region narrow; supraorbital margins smoothly rounded; supraorbital foramina small, zygomatic plate very narrow; incisors opisthodont; length of M3 half that of M2). The new species occurs in the western Andes in southern Ecuador and is allopatric with Ichthyomys stolzmanni Thomas, 1893, which also has a bicolored tail but is larger. The new species brings the number of Ecuadorean Ichthyomys to four, Ecuador thus becoming the country with the greatest diversity of Ichthyomyini (four genera and eight species).

Kondana soft-furred rat is a critically endangered (CR) species, known from a single locality – Sinhgad in the northern Western Ghats, India. However, the taxonomic status of this species is uncertain due to its close resemblance to the widely distributed soft-furred field rat Millardia meltada , which has serious implications on the conservation status of Millardia kondana . In this study, we assessed the current taxonomic status of M. kondana through an integrative approach combining morphological, molecular and environmental niche modeling analyses. We collected morphological data from the specimens around Sinhgad as well as preserved specimens in the museum. Both morphological and two-dimensional (2D) morphometrical analyses showed a significant difference between M. kondana and M. meltada . Molecular phylogeny based on cytochrome b gene revealed a sister relationship between M. kondana and M. meltada , and both species form distinct well-supported monophyletic clades. Niche modeling also predicted niche segregation between the two species: M. kondana preferred areas with a high elevation and precipitation seasonality while M. meltada favored regions with a low elevation and precipitation. We confirmed that M. kondana is taxonomically distinct from M. meltada , and based on our estimates of its occurrence and occupancy, M. kondana continues to be treated as CR until further detailed investigations.

A unique record of the desert shrew in Zacatecas, Mexico, is known and has been collected since 1897 in the locality “El Plateado” within the municipality of El Plateado de Joaquin Amaro, Zacatecas. On October 2016, two specimens were collected from the municipality of Susticacán, Zacatecas, Mexico. A morphological identification and phylogenetic analysis based on partial sequences of cytochrome b oxidase of mitochondrial DNA ( mt DNA) were implemented. Morphology and the phylogenetic trees that were recovered by using maximum-likelihood (ML) confirmed the identity of these specimens as Notiosorex crawfordi . This is the second record for the species in Zacatecas, Mexico, after 121 years.