Illuminating Big Cat Movements: Does Moonlight Influence Jaguar Space Use in the Southern Pantanal?

• Autor(a) principal: Costa dos Santos, Priscilla
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: Zukeran Kanda, Claudia, Leoni Ribeiro, Ananda, B. Haberfeld, Mario, R. Sartorelo, Leonardo, Elaine Ranpim, Lilian, Eduardo Fragoso, Carlos, Cezar Ribeiro, Milton, Adenilson May-Junior, Joares, Gonçalves Morato , Ronaldo
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Biodiversidade Brasileira
• Texto Completo: https://revistaeletronica.icmbio.gov.br/BioBR/article/view/1839

In light of increasing levels of habitat loss and modification, knowledge on theenvironmental factors that influence space use by large carnivores emerges as crucial for effectiveconservation efforts. Despite a growing body of literature exploring moonlight influence on the activityof felid apex predators, its effects on jaguars (Panthera onca) remain largely understudied - includingin the Brazilian Pantanal. This wetland is currently undergoing significant human-driven changes withthe expansion of agricultural activities, and retaliatory killing of jaguars arises as one of the mainthreats to the species’ persistence. Here we studied the influence of variation in nocturnal luminosityon jaguars’ space use in the southern Pantanal. We analyzed GPS data of collared jaguars in fieldspotentially used as pastures considering the distance to the closest forest and luminosity in the contextof low, medium and high moonlight intensities. We found that although jaguars tend to remain close toforest surroundings throughout the lunar cycle, they venture deeper in pastures under medium to highmoonlight illumination. We suggest that jaguars’ pasture use at our study site fits the predation riskhypothesis, where species at higher trophic levels tend to be more active with moonlight as it allows forgreater predation success – especially considering that forest edges can provide shelter and facilitatestalking of cattle. Although we did not focus on predation success in our analysis, we recommendherds to be kept away from forest edges and the placement of physical barriers (e.g. fences) to preventopportunistic jaguar attacks – especially on brighter nights.