Abstract
Breeding systems affect the timing of reproduction, spacing patterns and social organization, individual fitnesses, and population sizes. For many species, information on breeding systems and mating is limited or untested in wild populations, resulting in management actions that are incompletely informed. We used photographic data collected on a reintroduced fisher (Pekania pennanti (Erxleben, 1777)) population in northern California, USA, to test hypotheses about the breeding system, the timing of breeding, and the potential for male infanticide. We documented fishers of both sexes breeding with multiple partners in the same year, demonstrating polygynandry. We use logistic and linear regression to evaluate the timing and frequency of male visitation at 262 reproductive dens used by 50 individual females. Of 46 documented copulations and 577 male visits, 100% and 95%, respectively, occurred while females had kits in their natal dens. Seventy-five percent of documented male visits occurred before 31 March and 95% occurred before 17 April. Observed breeding occurred within 3.1 ± 1.6 days (mean ± SD) of locating females’ natal dens. We found no evidence for male-directed infanticide. Our results add precision to the timing of the reproductive cycle and provide the first descriptions of male–female interactions for wild fishers.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.