Effects of snow leopards (Panthera uncia) on olfactory communication of Pallas’s cats (Otocolobus manul) in the Altai Mountains, Mongolia

Allen, Maximilian L. (author), Rovero, Francesco (author), Oberosler, Valentina (author), Augugliaro, Claudio (author), Krofel, Miha (author)

Olfactory communication is important for many solitary carnivores to delineate territories and communicate with potential mates and competitors. Pallas’s cats (Otocolobus manul) are small felids with little published research on their ecology and behaviour, including if they avoid or change behaviours due to dominant carnivores. We studied their olfactory communication and visitation at scent-marking sites using camera traps in two study areas in Mongolia. We documented four types of olfactory communication behaviours, and olfaction (sniffing) was the most frequent. Pallas’s cats used olfactory communication most frequently at sites that were not visited by snow leopards (Panthera uncia) and when they used communal scent-marking sites, they were more likely to use olfactory communication when a longer time had elapsed since the last visit by a snow leopard. This suggests that Pallas’s cats may reduce advertising their presence in response to occurrence of snow leopards, possibly to limit predation risk.

• Language: English
• Keywords: behaviour, camera trap, Mongolia, Otocolobus manul, Panthera uncia, scent marking
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2023
• Year: 2023
• Number of pages: Str. 807–815
• Numbering: Vol. 160, iss. 8/9
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-148202
• UDC: 630*15
• ISSN on article: 1568-539X
• DOI: 10.1163/1568539X-bja10229
• COBISS.SI-ID: 160273667
• Publication date in RUL: 01.08.2023

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Behaviour
• Publisher: Brill
• ISSN: 1568-539X
• COBISS.SI-ID: 520697113

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: foto past, Mongolija, manul, snežni leopard, markiranje

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P4-0059-2020
• Name: Gozd, gozdarstvo in obnovljivi gozdni viri

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: N1-0163-2020
• Name: Vpogled v medvrstne in znotrajvrstne interakcije med prostoživečimi mačkami v Evropi in Afriki