Journal Article

Population density and ranging behaviour of a generalist carnivore varies with human population

Pitcher, Benjamin J., Ferrer‐Paris, José R., Alting, Brendan F., Rees, Matthew W., Jordan, Neil R.

2024

Overview

Canid species are highly adaptable, including to urban and peri‐urban areas, where they can come into close contact with people. Understanding the mechanisms of wild canid population persistence in these areas is key to managing any negative impacts. The resource dispersion hypothesis predicts that animal density increases and home range size decreases as resource concentration increases, and may help to explain how canids are distributed in environments with an urban‐natural gradient. In Australia, dingoes have adapted to human presence, sometimes living in close proximity to towns. Using a targeted camera trap survey and spatial capture‐recapture models, we estimated spatial variation in the population density and detection rates of dingoes on Worimi Country in the Great Lakes region of the NSW coast. We tested whether dingo home range and population densities varied across a gradient of human population density, in a mixed‐use landscape including, urban, peri‐urban, and National Park environs. We found human population density to be a strong driver of dingo density (ranging from 0.025 to 0.433 dingoes/km2 across the natural‐urban gradient), and to have a negative effect on dingo home range size. The spatial scale parameter changed depending on survey period, being smaller in the peak tourism period, when human population increases in the area, than in adjacent survey periods, potentially indicating reduced home range size when additional resources are available. Our study highlights the potential value of managing anthropogenic resource availability to manage carnivore densities and potential risk of human‐carnivore interactions. We conducted a camera trap survey of dingoes in a heterogeneous landscape, and modelled their density across the region. Dingo density was highest in areas with highest human population density, and home ranges were smaller in these areas. This suggests dingoes are obtaining enough resources in areas with humans to have smaller home range sizes than in natural areas.

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc,John Wiley and Sons Inc,Wiley
• Subject: Anthropogenic factors / anthropogenic resource supplements / Availability / Behavior / Behavioural Ecology / camera‐trapping / Canidae / Capture-recapture studies / carnivore / dingo / Estimates / Food / Foxes / Home range / Human influences / Human population density / Human populations / human wildlife conflict / Hypotheses / Landscape Ecology / National parks / Population density / Population Ecology / Predation / Ranging behavior / Resource availability / SECR / Spatial variations / Subsidies / Surveys / Tourism / Urban areas / urban ecology