Spatial co-occurrence patterns of sympatric large carnivores in a multi-use African system

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280420
• Publication Date: 2023-01-20T19:01:13Z
• Authors: Paolo Strampelli; Philipp Henschel; Charlotte E. Searle; David W. Macdonald; Amy J. Dickman
• Keywords: Carnivore; Leopard; Guild; Occupancy

Interspecific interactions can be a key driver of habitat use, and must accounted for in conservation planning. However, spatial partitioning between African carnivores, how this varies with scale, remains poorly understood. Furthermore, most studies have taken place within small or highly protected areas, rather than the heterogeneous, mixed-use landscapes characteristic much modern Africa. Here, we provide one first empirical investigations into population-level competitive among an large carnivore guild. We collected detection/non-detection data eastern guild Tanzania’s Ruaha-Rungwa landscape, over area ~45,000 km 2 . then applied conditional co-occupancy models to investigate co-occurrence lion, leopard, wild dog, at two biologically meaningful scales. Co-occurrence patterns cheetah spotted hyaena could not modelled. After accounting detection effects, found some evidence dog avoidance lion home range strong fine-scale avoidance. no interspecific exclusion leopard by lion; rather, positive associations were observed both scales, suggesting shared preferences. little use being affected dog. Our findings also reveal effects on species detection, In cases, was driven more strongly other such as biotic resources anthropogenic pressures, even where latter present. Overall, our results help shed light assemblage that has rarely been examined scale. demonstrate effectiveness sign-based modelling describe sympatric carnivores across conclude discussing implications systems.