Antipredator responses toward cat fur in wild brown rats tested in a semi-natural environment

• DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab038
• Publication Date: 2021-03-29T19:10:50Z
• Authors: Miguel A Bedoya-P...; Anna Le; Iain S McGregor; Mathew S Crowther
• Keywords: Olfactory cues

Abstract Sensitivity to predator-related cues and performance of antipredator behaviors are universal among prey species. Rodents exhibit a diverse suite that have been examined in both field laboratory studies. However, the results from not always translated field. While studies consistently indicate strong fear-inducing effects cat fur/skin odors, it is unclear whether this occurs with wild rats. To address issue, we tested responses brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) predatory (domestic fur) nonpredatory (common brushtail possum odor semi-natural experimental paradigm. Rats were housed open air enclosures containing two feeding stations. Following several nights acclimatization, stations paired fur, or no fur. spent less time at station was Duration increased across consecutive test days hours within individual nights, although rate increase lower for fur This overall might reflect habituation behaviors, increasing hunger, loss cue potency over time. We suggest recognize respond cues, but their behavioral response highly adaptable finely tuned trade-off between predation risk starvation short temporal scales.