Doctoral Degrees (Botany and Zoology)

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Botany and Zoology) by Author "Claase, Megan Jane"

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    Shared marking site use in African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus)
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-03) Claase, Megan Jane; Cherry, Michael ; Jordan, Neil R.; McNutt, John W.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Botany and Zoology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) have recently been shown to use latrines, or shared marking sites (SMSs), which are long lasting communal areas where multiple packs visit to deposit scent marks. The aim of this study is to understand how wild dogs use these locations, and what this behaviour means for communication and territoriality in this species. Chapter one explores seasonal variation in visitation rates across the study period, and aims to determine habitat selection of SMS locations in the landscape. Results indicate a seasonal difference in how often wild dogs visit SMS, with visits significantly decreasing during the annual denning season. Despite this dip in visitation during denning when their ranges are substantially contracted, wild dogs visit SMSs year-round. This supports the theory that SMSs play a key role in territorial advertisement and inter-pack communication in this species. SMSs are more likely to be found closer to roads, while grassland and permanent water areas are not selected for, patterns consistent with our existing knowledge of wild dog movement ecology. The second chapter aims to identify and explore the intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics driving individual scent marking patterns in both the inter- and intra-pack contexts. Dominant wild dogs scent mark more than subdominants, while patterns observed between the sexes appear to be context dependant. Dominant females overmark more than dominant males in the inter-pack context, while the opposite is seen in the intra-pack context. These results are consistent with a resource defence function of wild dog latrines, but suggest that the resource defended may differ between the sexes. Females may be more invested in the physical territory, while males may be more invested in advertising a bonded pair, likely a critical component of communicating with neighbouring packs. The final chapter explores how resident packs may tailor their territorial behaviour in response to rival identity, specifically determining if they exhibit a “dear enemy” or “nasty neighbour” response. Using behavioural data captured from camera traps as a natural experiment, results show that wild dogs generally exhibit a dear enemy response at the group level, but that this response is moderated by pack size, with larger packs exhibiting a nasty neighbour response. Data show individual, wild dogs from larger packs overmark larger groups more than they overmark small groups, while individuals from small packs avoid overmarking large groups. These patterns may be driven by variation in the size of intruding groups representing different threat, and serve to highlight key variables which may be overlooked in scent presentation experiments. Overall, this study provides detailed insights into SMSs use in wild dogs which offer insights into territoriality and communication in this endangered species. This information may be used to assist in their conservation such efforts to manipulate their ranging behaviour artificially using scent.