Native peccaries activity patterns and temporal overlap with wild boar in the southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Abstract

ABSTRACT We analyzed long-term camera-trap data from Protected Areas in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest to study activity patterns of coexisting peccary species (Tayassu pecari and Dicotyles tajacu) and the exotic wild boar (Sus scrofa). The highest pattern overlap was between D. tajacu and S. scrofa (Δ1 = 0.78), followed by T. pecari and S. scrofa (Δ1 = 0.64), and the lowest between D. tajacu and T. pecari (Δ1 = 0.61). In the presence of feral pigs, collared peccary activity exhibited two distinct peaks, occurring in the late evening and early morning. When coexisting with white-lipped peccaries, their activity peaks early in the evening and again in the mid-morning, potentially enabling them to avoid overlapping with the activity peaks of white-lipped peccaries, which are distributed throughout the day. Our findings suggest a potential interference of wild boars in the temporal niche dynamics of native peccaries across various areas within the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biome. Nonetheless, we emphasize the imperative for more focused investigations at both regional micro and macro scales throughout the Atlantic Forest, specifically delving into other dimensions of the niche, such as food and habitat utilization among the three species.