Yellow Mongoose Cynictis Penicillata Research Articles

Home range and use of residential gardens by yellow mongoose Cynictis penicillata in an urban environment

Urban areas provide small carnivores with an abundance of resources and reduced predation risk, resulting in higher population densities. Urban animals tend to have greatly reduced home range sizes in response to increased resource availability. We investigated the home range size of yellow mongooses Cynictis penicillata in an urban area and determined whether their home ranges overlapped with human residential areas. We studied the home range sizes of 8 collared and GPS tracked individuals in the Meyersdal Nature Area in South Africa; an area divided into two residential wildlife estates (4 individuals per estate): an Eco-Estate that was a built up residential area interspersed with natural areas; and a Nature Estate with reduced contact between animals and human residential areas. We used three methods to calculate home range size, namely Minimum Convex Polygon, Kernel Density Estimates and Local Convex Hull. Home range size was slightly larger in the Nature Estate, and male home ranges were larger than those of females. Compared to previous studies, home range sizes were considerably smaller in our study. Seasonal variation in home range could not be statistically compared, but, similar to non-urban populations, we observed smaller home range sizes during the breeding season (winter and spring) and larger sizes during the non-breeding season (autumn and summer). The overlap of home ranges with residential areas, and the record of multiple GPS fixes of tracked individuals within human residential gardens, was evident in both estates but to a greater extent in the Eco-Estate. Seasonal overlap with residential areas was greatest during autumn and winter. We showed that yellow mongooses modify their home ranges in response to urbanisation, which might be a consequence of abundant and easily accessible available resources, particularly during colder periods.

Spatiotemporal co-occurrence and overlap of two sympatric mongoose species in an urban environment

Abstract Small carnivores are becoming increasingly common in urban areas. What has received less attention is whether and how resource partitioning among sympatric species in urban areas facilitates their coexistence. We examined the spatial, temporal and combined spatiotemporal occurrence and overlap of co-existing yellow mongoose Cynictis penicillata and slender mongoose Galerella sanguinea in an urban estate in South Africa. The reserve comprised two parts, an Eco-Estate where human residential and natural areas are interspersed and wildlife has greater contact with people, and a Nature Estate, where contact is reduced by palisade fencing between people and natural areas. Using photographic data from camera traps collected over 11 consecutive months, we found a moderate level of spatial overlap between the mongoose species. Differences between the species occurred at a finer habitat scale: yellow mongooses were more common in open habitats located near human residents whereas the slender mongooses were more common in covered areas further away from human residents. The detection probability of the yellow mongoose, however, was greater than that of the slender mongoose, and the occupancy probability of the slender mongoose was reduced in the presence of the yellow mongoose. Although both species demonstrated bimodal diurnal peaks in activity, they varied in their active periods, with temporal overlap being greater during colder than warmer months. No complete spatiotemporal overlap (occurrence in the same place at the same time/within a 10-min period) occurred. This may have been as a result of the difference in detection and occupancy probabilities of the two species. Resource availability (food), however, appears to influence the different habitat selection, space use, and activity patterns of yellow and slender mongoose in the study area. Therefore, we conclude that partitioning along the spatial and somewhat on the temporal dimensions aids in the coexistence of these mongoose species in an urban environment.

Competition and coexistence in a small carnivore guild.

The potential for strong competition among small sympatric carnivores results in a need for coexistence strategies whereby competitors partition along spatial, temporal and dietary axes as a means to reduce ecological overlaps. We determined spatial and temporal partitioning patterns of a guild of small African carnivores: the African wildcat Felis silvestris lybica, grey mongoose Galerella pulverulenta, small-spotted genet Genetta genetta, striped polecat Ictonyx striatus, and the yellow mongoose Cynictis penicillata. We quantified the degree of spatial and temporal co-occurrence of the small carnivores using camera trap data over a year-long period. Carnivores separated into two temporal groups: nocturnal species (wildcat, polecat and genet) and diurnal species (mongooses). In addition, carnivores within the same temporal group had strong patterns of reduced spatial co-occurrence. The smaller bodied carnivores showed lower co-occurrence with the larger bodied African wildcat than expected by chance, supporting the idea of dominant competitor avoidance. Thus, small carnivores likely minimise competitive interactions through spatio-temporal habitat partitioning.

Genetic structure, relatedness and helping behaviour in the yellow mongoose in a farmland and a natural habitat

AbstractThe yellow mongoose Cynictis penicillata is a facultatively social species and provides an opportunity to study the evolution of social behaviour. We examined genetic structure, relatedness and helping behaviour in the yellow mongoose in natural habitat in the Kalahari Desert, where the species lives in small family groups of up to four individuals and shows no cooperative breeding; and in farmland in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, where they live in larger groups of up to 13 individuals, engage in numerous social interactions and show cooperative breeding. The farmland population showed significant inbreeding, and lower genetic variability than the desert population, but there was no evidence of a recent population bottleneck. The genetic relatedness between individuals within social groups and that between future potential helpers and pups were higher in the farmland population than in the desert population. However, based on a limited sample, helping effort (in the farmland population) was not preferentially directed towards kin. Thus, the origin of helping in the farmland population is consistent with kin selection, but in the absence of kin discrimination, future research should investigate whether long‐term breeding opportunities or group augmentation contribute to maintaining cooperative breeding in this population.

The effects of population density and sociality on scent marking in the yellow mongoose

AbstractWe investigated scent marking in the yellow mongoose Cynictis penicillata focusing on a low‐density population where all offspring dispersed upon reaching sexual maturity. Dominant males appeared to be the main territory defenders and demarcators, with offspring foraging and marking only near the territory cores. The cheek‐marking rates of dominant males increased during the breeding season and may have been involved in olfactory mate guarding. We compared our low‐density population with a high‐density population displaying natal philopatry. The two populations differed markedly in terms of individual contributions to territorial marking, as subordinate group members in the low‐density population performed almost no territorial marking or defence, but were the primary scent‐markers and territory defenders in the high‐density population. We discuss scent‐marking distinctions between populations in the context of ecological and social differences.

Effects of a predator control experiment on Grey-winged Francolin (Scleroptila africanus) populations

One of the key findings of the Grey-winged Francolin Research Project conducted on the Stormberg Plateau, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa during 1988–1992 was that predation, particularly by small mammals on incubating female Greywinged Francolin Scleroptila africanus and their nests, was a major cause of mortality. To assess the response to this predation, small mammal predators were trapped intensively during the francolin breeding season in two 500ha plots, one on the farm Buffels Fontein and one on the farm Boschoff's Kraal. Trapping was not simultaneous on the two plots, but rather during 1992–1994 on Buffels Fontein and during 1995 and 1996 on Boschoff's Kraal. The Yellow Mongoose Cynictis penicillata was the most commonly trapped predator species (83%) in both plots. Grey-winged Francolin numbers during trapping in the plot at Buffels Fontein declined less during a drought than those in the untrapped control plot at Boschoff's Kraal. This suggests that the control of predators may buffer the negative effects of drought on Grey-winged Francolin reproductive success. However, the increases of populations in both plots during a period of higher-than-average rainfall indicate that Grey-winged Francolin can withstand predation during normal rainfall years.

Diet and foraging group size in the yellow mongoose: a comparison with the suricate and the bat-eared fox

The diet of yellow mongooses Cynictis penicillata – solitary or pair foragers – are compared to that of group-foraging suricates or meerkats Suricata suricatta and bat-eared foxes Otocyon megalotis in southern Africa. It is shown that the diet of yellow mongooses in the Free State and Northern Cape Province differ between predominantly wet years (main prey: Isoptera, represented by harvester termites Trinervitermes trinervoides and Hodotermes mossambicus) and drier years (Coleoptera, represented by four families). Although often sympatric, and with diets comparable as to prey taxa utilised and their rank order, foraging group size of yellow mongooses are much smaller than those of suricates and bat-eared foxes. It is argued that phylogenetic inertia, i.e. the inability to better utilize the availability of abundant, clumped prey – such as harvester termites – by resorting to group foraging, can explain the small foraging group size of yellow mongooses.

Comparative behaviour and ecology of two sympatric mongoose species (Cynictis penicillataandGalerella pulverulenta)

The activity, movements, home range size, habitat selection, social structure, density, pattern of faeces deposition, anti-predator behaviour, diet, and availability and distribution of the main food sources of two mongoose species [the yellow mongoose Cynictis penicillata and the Cape grey mongoose Gaierelia pulverulenta (= Herpestes pulverulentos) in a coastal area of South Africa are compared, Both species were diurnal. Galerella did not use dens, whereas Cynictis never rested outside a den. Total distance moved, home range size and density did not differ between the two species. Galerella frequented bush, whereas Cynictis frequented open fields. The yellow mongoose was more social than the grey mongoose, but the basic social structure was similar. Faeces of Cynictis were found in large clumps close to the dens, while those of Galerella were more scattered. This parallels the greater constancy of use of the sleeping sites by Cynictis. Rodents (> 90% of Cape grey mongoose diet) were much more abundant in the bush, while availability of insects (main food source for the yellow mongoose) was higher in the open fields. Habitat selection, Ihrough its effects on anti-predator and feeding strategies, might have been the leading factor in the evolution of sociality in herpestids.

Aspects of the social and feeding behaviour of the yellow mongoose Cynictis penicillata (G. Cuvier)

Aspects of the social and feeding behaviour of the yellow mongoose Cynictis penicillata (G. Cuvier)