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Small cats play a vital role in maintaining ecological balances. Inadequate knowledge based on their habitat preference and interspecific competition has hindered the effective conservation initiatives. We studied occupancy and diel activity patterns of two sympatric small cats, i.e., jungle cat (Felis chaus) and leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), in and around Bardia National Park (BNP) using camera trap data. BNP was divided into 344 camera trap grids of 2 × 2 km, and a survey was conducted with a trapping effort of 6307 days. For the occupancy modeling, we applied a single‐species single‐season occupancy model. We analyzed 11 covariates that have the potential to influence the occupancy of jungle cats and leopard cats. The probability of occupancy of the jungle cat was 0.17 (SE: 0.0026, CI: 0.1726, 0.18271). The tiger's index positively influenced the jungle cat's occupancy, while it showed a strong negative association with the terrain ruggedness index and distance to road. Similarly, the probability of occupancy for leopard cat was found to be 0.19 (SE: 0.0022, CI: 0.1829, 0.1916). The leopard cat occupancy was strongly positively correlated with riverine forest habitat type. We used non‐parametric kernel‐density functions on camera trap data to determine diel activity patterns. Sympatric jungle cat and leopard cat showed high temporal overlap with a coefficient (Δ = 0.9), being nocturnal. The distribution of jungle cats and leopard cats in BNP appears to be facilitated by spatial segregation. The study serves as a baseline for further research and conservation initiatives for these two sympatric cats in western Nepal. Camera trap captured photographs from the study area, on the left is the jungle cat, and on the right is the leopard cat.

The Congo basin forests have vast conservation potential but because of their inaccessibility and periodic insecurity there is little formal protection or ecological research occurring there. Community-based conservation efforts in the unprotected forest corridor separating Kahuzi-Biega and Maiko National Parks in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo aim to protect a unique forest ecosystem and facilitate the development of ecological research. To support this process, we obtained baseline data on the occurrence of terrestrial mammals in the Nkuba Conservation Area by conducting camera-trap (2014–2018) and transect (2013–2018) surveys. From camera-trap images we also extracted diel activity patterns and estimated overlap in these patterns between selected pairs of species. We identified 29 mammal species weighing > 1 kg using camera traps and 22 species in transect surveys, with a total of 33 mammal species, of which seven are categorized as threatened on the IUCN Red List. Among this mammalian community, we recorded nocturnal and diurnal species with short core activity periods, and several cathemeral species with long activity periods, with various degrees of temporal separation of diel activity between species. The presence of threatened species, including the Critically Endangered Grauer's gorilla Gorilla beringei graueri, suggests that the Nkuba Conservation Area harbours a forest community that requires continuous monitoring, further research and investment in protection from the ongoing deforestation and resource exploitation occurring in the surrounding region.

Southeast Asia supports the greatest diversity of felids globally, but this diversity is threatened by the severe forest loss and degradation occurring in the region. The response of felids to disturbances appears to differ depending on their ecology. For example, the largely terrestrial and nocturnal leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) thrives near forest edges and in oil palm plantations where it hunts rodents (Muridae) at night, thereby avoiding human activity peaks. Conversely, we hypothesized that the sympatric and similar‐sized marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata) would respond negatively to edges and relatively open oil palm plantations as they are more arboreal than leopard cats, rely on tree connectivity for hunting, and are diurnal so have less potential to temporally avoid humans. We used camera trapping from Southeast Asia to test habitat associations at multiple spatial scales using zero‐inflated Poisson generalized linear mixed models and hierarchical occupancy modeling. We found that marbled cats were positively associated with large intact forests and, in contrast to leopard cats, negatively associated with oil palm plantations. Furthermore, we found preliminary evidence suggesting marbled cats may adapt their diel activity to become more crepuscular in degraded forests, likely shifting their activity to avoid humans. These findings suggest that the marbled cat's International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List conservation status should potentially be upgraded from Near Threatened to Vulnerable, matching other forest‐dependent felids in the region. We posit our findings may be generalizable such that semi‐arboreal and diurnal felids could face greater threats from habitat degradation than their terrestrial and nocturnal relatives.

Anadromous Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus, migrate back to freshwater in late summer to spawn and/or overwinter. While seasonal movement patterns during the freshwater residency period are generally understood, specifics of the short temporal activity patterns remain poorly characterized. This study used temperature and accelerometer sensing telemetry to describe the diel activity patterns of 21 overwintering anadromous Arctic charr in a lake in southern Labrador, Canada. Tagged individuals displayed diurnal activity patterns throughout the overwinter residency period marked by greater activity during the day than at night and distinctive peaks of activity at the beginning and the end of each daylight period. Diurnal patterns were interpreted as driven by prey and light availability in the upper water column because of known linkages between light and foraging efficiency. Movement activity also increased as a function of temperature during the spawning and ice breakup periods, but not during winter when increased movement activity was correlated with colder temperatures. No association was found between movement activity and body size over the size range (36.0–48.5 cm) of fish studied. Our data suggest a complex set of behavioural determinants of overwinter activity, among which temperature and foraging are the most significant.

The European badger is a highly adaptable species, inhabiting a range of environments across Europe, from woodlands to urban areas, with its behaviour influenced by environmental conditions and human activities. This study examines the badger feeding habits, patterns of diel activity, and sett site choice in north-western Italy, assessing how landscape composition affects these behaviours. We conducted our research across seven study areas in northern Italy from December 2020 to November 2022, utilising camera trapping, faeces analysis, and sett surveys. Our findings revealed significant dietary variation, with earthworms being the primary food source in natural landscapes, while fleshy fruits being consumed especially in mixed and heavily modified landscapes, up to constitute the staple of the diet in one agricultural area. Badgers were found to be nocturnal, primarily active between sunset and sunrise. Setts varied considerably in structure and location, with a preference for natural grounds over human-made structures; key factors influencing sett site choice included slope, exposure, and vegetation cover. This study underscores the European badger’s remarkable adaptability, illustrating how its diet, activity patterns, and sett site preferences are shaped by a complex interplay of factors, allowing the species to thrive in both pristine and modified environments across northern Italy.

Solar eclipses rapidly alter abiotic conditions and thus represent natural experiments for understanding how animals respond to ephemeral environmental change. Using a large acoustic dataset (181 species, 873 locations) from participatory science, we quantified how birds changed their vocalizations in response to the 2023 annular and 2024 total eclipses in North America. During the total eclipse, most species vocalized less, but nocturnal and large‐eyed species vocalized more. The generalized quieting was restricted to locations with > 94% solar obscuration; most bird species vocalized more in locations with 70%–93% solar obscuration, which experienced only modest dimming. During the annular eclipse (which occurred during the nonbreeding season and reached a maximum of 90% obscuration), most birds did not change their vocalization behavior. Thus, changing photic conditions during solar eclipses are reflected in the composition of species vocalizing, leading to ephemeral shifts in ecological soundscapes. Most bird species—except for those that are adapted for activity under dim conditions—were less likely to vocalize during the maximum of a total solar eclipse, whereas an annular eclipse reaching only 90% solar obscuration did not lead to behavioral effects.

Nocturnality is widespread among extant mammals and often considered the ancestral behavioural pattern for all mammals. However, mammals are nested within a larger clade, Synapsida, and non-mammalian synapsids comprise a rich phylogenetic, morphological and ecological diversity. Even though non-mammalian synapsids potentially could elucidate the early evolution of diel activity patterns and enrich the understanding of synapsid palaeobiology, data on their diel activity are currently unavailable. Using scleral ring and orbit dimensions, we demonstrate that nocturnal activity was not an innovation unique to mammals but a character that appeared much earlier in synapsid history, possibly several times independently. The 24 Carboniferous to Jurassic non-mammalian synapsid species in our sample featured eye morphologies consistent with all major diel activity patterns, with examples of nocturnality as old as the Late Carboniferous (ca 300 Ma). Carnivores such as Sphenacodon ferox and Dimetrodon milleri, but also the herbivorous cynodont Tritylodon longaevus were likely nocturnal, whereas most of the anomodont herbivores are reconstructed as diurnal. Recognizing the complexity of diel activity patterns in non-mammalian synapsids is an important step towards a more nuanced picture of the evolutionary history of behaviour in the synapsid clade.

Understanding the ecological behavior of invasive species is essential for assessing their impacts on native biodiversity. This study examines the basking dynamics of the invasive freshwater turtle Trachemys scripta in a Mediterranean wetland within Mesir Nature Park, Türkiye. Data were collected between March and October 2024 using camera traps, yielding 72,456 cumulative basking observations. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed a high degree of environmental synchronization (PC1 = 97.24%), indicating that basking activity is strictly governed by ambient thermal availability. Furthermore, Negative Binomial Regression (NBR) was employed to evaluate temporal shifts and behavioral plasticity. The basking intensity exhibited distinct seasonal transitions, characterized by afternoon peaks during the spring and autumn and an opportunistic shift toward early morning activity during the summer to mitigate thermal constraints. The peak basking duration recorded in May (696.00 ± 10.25 min) and the bimodal activity observed in summer reflect a significant adaptive capacity. These patterns suggest that Mediterranean wetlands provide optimal conditions for the persistence of Trachemys scripta. The species’ ability to effectively track environmental cues and monopolize thermal resources implies a high potential for the ecological displacement of native turtles, particularly Mauremys rivulata. This study provides critical quantitative baseline data in order to inform evidence-based management and control strategies in the Mediterranean region.

Invertebrates dominate the animal world in terms of abundance, diversity and biomass, and play critical roles in maintaining ecosystem function. Despite their obvious importance, disproportionate research attention remains focused on vertebrates, with knowledge and understanding of invertebrate ecology still lacking. Due to their inherent advantages, usage of camera traps in ecology has risen dramatically over the last three decades, especially for research on mammals. However, few studies have used cameras to reliably detect fauna such as invertebrates or used cameras to examine specific aspects of invertebrate ecology. Previous research investigating the interaction between wolf spiders (Lycosidae: Lycosa spp.) and the lesser hairy-footed dunnart ( Sminthopsis youngsoni ) found that camera traps provide a viable method for examining temporal activity patterns and interactions between these species. Here, we re-examine lycosid activity to determine whether these patterns vary with different environmental conditions, specifically between burned and unburned habitats and the crests and bases of sand dunes, and whether cameras are able to detect other invertebrate fauna. Twenty-four cameras were deployed over a 3-month period in an arid region in central Australia, capturing 2,356 confirmed images of seven invertebrate taxa, including 155 time-lapse images of lycosids. Overall, there was no clear difference in temporal activity with respect to dune position or fire history, but twice as many lycosids were detected in unburned compared to burned areas. Despite some limitations, camera traps appear to have considerable utility as a tool for determining the diel activity patterns and habitat use of larger arthropods such as wolf spiders, and we recommend greater uptake in their usage in future.

Background Many living birds exhibit some nocturnal activity, but the genetic basis and evolutionary origins of their nocturnality remain unknown. Results Here, we used a molecular phyloecological approach to analyze the adaptive evolution of 33 phototransduction genes in diverse bird lineages. Our results suggest that functional enhancement of two night-vision genes, namely, GRK1 and SLC24A1 , underlies the nocturnal adaption of living birds. Further analyses showed that the diel activity patterns of birds have remained relatively unchanged since their common ancestor, suggesting that the widespread nocturnal activity of many living birds may largely stem from their common ancestor rather than independent evolution. Despite this evolutionary conservation of diel activity patterns in birds, photoresponse recovery genes were found to be frequently subjected to positive selection in diverse bird lineages, suggesting that birds generally have evolved an increased capacity for motion detection. Moreover, we detected positive selection on both dim-light vision genes and bright-light vision genes in the class Aves, suggesting divergent evolution of the vision of birds from that of reptiles and that different bird lineages have evolved certain visual adaptions to their specific light conditions. Conclusions This study suggests that the widespread nocturnality of extant birds has a deep evolutionary origin tracing back to their common ancestor.