Register      Login
Australian Mammalogy Australian Mammalogy Society
Journal of the Australian Mammal Society
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Quantifying daily activity patterns of the spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) using camera trap data from a stronghold population in south-eastern New South Wales

Stephanie K. Courtney Jones https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0905-0624 A and Katarina M. Mikac A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.

B Corresponding author. Email: kmikac@uow.edu.au

Australian Mammalogy 41(2) 283-286 https://doi.org/10.1071/AM18028
Submitted: 21 May 2018  Accepted: 28 October 2018   Published: 12 November 2018

Abstract

Activity levels of spotted-tailed quolls were investigated using camera traps over 12 months. There were 33 independent camera trap photos with 17 individual quolls identified. Latency to initial detection was 40 days. Quolls were nocturnal/crepuscular, spending 35% of the day they were detected active. Highest activity levels were recorded in summer.

Additional keywords: behaviour, circular density, conservation technology, mesopredator.


References

Belcher, C. A., and Darrant, J. P. (2006a). Den use by the spotted-tailed quoll Dasyurus maculatus in south-eastern Australia. Australian Mammalogy 28, 59–64.
Den use by the spotted-tailed quoll Dasyurus maculatus in south-eastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Belcher, C. A., and Darrant, J. P. (2006b). Habitat use by tiger quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae) in south-eastern Australia. Journal of Zoology 269, 183–190.
Habitat use by tiger quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae) in south-eastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Berger-Tal, O., Polak, T., Oron, A., Lubin, Y., Kotler, B. P., and Saltz, D. (2011). Integrating animal behavior and conservation biology: a conceptual framework. Behavioral Ecology 22, 236–239.
Integrating animal behavior and conservation biology: a conceptual framework.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Bethge, P., Munks, S., Otley, H., and Nicol, S. (2009). Activity patterns and sharing of time and space of platypuses, Ornithorhynchus anatinus, in a subalpine tasmanian lake. Journal of Mammalogy 90, 1350–1356.
Activity patterns and sharing of time and space of platypuses, Ornithorhynchus anatinus, in a subalpine tasmanian lake.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Bischof, R., Hameed, S., Ali, H., Kabir, M., Younas, M., Shah, K. A., Din, J. U., and Nawaz, M. A. (2014). Using time-to-event analysis to complement hierarchical methods when assessing determinants of photographic detectability during camera trapping. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 5, 44–53.
Using time-to-event analysis to complement hierarchical methods when assessing determinants of photographic detectability during camera trapping.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Blake, J. G., Mosquera, D., Loiselle, B. A., Swing, K., Guerra, J., and Romo, D. (2016). Spatial and temporal activity patterns of ocelots Leopardus pardalis in lowland forest of eastern Ecuador. Journal of Mammalogy 97, 455–463.
Spatial and temporal activity patterns of ocelots Leopardus pardalis in lowland forest of eastern Ecuador.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Bonter, D. N., Zuckerberg, B., Sedgwick, C. W., and Hochachka, W. M. (2013). Daily foraging patterns in free-living birds: exploring the predation–starvation trade-off. Proceedings. Biological Sciences 280, 20123087.
Daily foraging patterns in free-living birds: exploring the predation–starvation trade-off.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Broeckhoven, C., and Le Fras Nortier Mouton, P. (2015). Some like it hot: camera traps unravel the effects of weather conditions and predator presence on the activity levels of two lizards. PLoS One 10, e0137428.
Some like it hot: camera traps unravel the effects of weather conditions and predator presence on the activity levels of two lizards.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Caravaggi, A., Banks, P. B., Burton, A. C., Finlay, C. M. V., Haswell, P. M., Hayward, M. W., Rowcliffe, M. J., and Wood, M. D. (2017). A review of camera trapping for conservation behaviour research. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation 3, 109–122.
A review of camera trapping for conservation behaviour research.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Catling, P., and Burt, R. (1994). Studies of the ground-dwelling mammals of eucalypt forests in south-eastern New South Wales: the species, their abundance and distribution. Wildlife Research 21, 219–239.
Studies of the ground-dwelling mammals of eucalypt forests in south-eastern New South Wales: the species, their abundance and distribution.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Catling, P. C., and Burt, R. J. (1997). Studies of the ground-dwelling mammals of eucalypt forests in north-eastern New South Wales: the species, their abundance and distribution. Wildlife Research 24, 1–19.
Studies of the ground-dwelling mammals of eucalypt forests in north-eastern New South Wales: the species, their abundance and distribution.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Claridge, A. W., Mifsud, G., Dawson, J., and Saxon, M. J. (2004). Use of infrared digital cameras to investigate aspects of the social behaviour of cryptic species. Wildlife Research 31, 645–650.
Use of infrared digital cameras to investigate aspects of the social behaviour of cryptic species.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Dawson, J. P., Claridge, A. W., Triggs, B., and Paull, D. J. (2007). Diet of a native carnivore, the spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus), before and after an intense wildfire. Wildlife Research 34, 342–351.
Diet of a native carnivore, the spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus), before and after an intense wildfire.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Foresman, K. R., and Pearson, D. E. (1998). Comparison of proposed survey procedures for detection of forest carnivores. Journal of Wildlife Management 62, 1217–1226.
Comparison of proposed survey procedures for detection of forest carnivores.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Glen, A. S., and Dickman, C. R. (2005). Complex interactions among mammalian carnivores in Australia, and their implications for wildlife management. Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society 80, 387–401.
Complex interactions among mammalian carnivores in Australia, and their implications for wildlife management.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hohnen, R., Ashby, J., Tuft, K., and McGregor, H. (2013). Individual identification of northern quolls (Dasyurus hallucatus) using remote cameras. Australian Mammalogy 35, 131–135.
Individual identification of northern quolls (Dasyurus hallucatus) using remote cameras.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Jones, M. E., Rose, R. K., and Burnett, S. (2001). Dasyurus maculatus. Mammalian Species 676, 1–9.
Dasyurus maculatus.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Keith, D. A. (2004). Ocean shores to desert dunes: the native vegetation of New South Wales and the ACT. Department of Environment and Conservation. New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service, Sydney.

Körtner, G., Holznagel, N., Fleming, P. J. S., and Ballard, G. (2015). Home range and activity patterns measured with GPS collars in spotted-tailed quolls. Australian Journal of Zoology 63, 424–431.
Home range and activity patterns measured with GPS collars in spotted-tailed quolls.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kronfeld-Schor, N., and Dayan, T. (2003). Partitioning of time as an ecological resource. Annual Review of Ecology Evolution and Systematics 34, 153–181.
Partitioning of time as an ecological resource.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Long, K., and Nelson, J. (2016). National recovery plan for the spotted-tailed quoll Dasyurus maculatus. Available at: http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/2343110b-d2b4-4a1f-b66e-ddfae63c4aa6/ files/national-recovery-plan-spotted-tailed-quoll.pdf

MacKenzie, D. I., Nichols, J. D., Lachman, G. B., Droege, S., Royle, A. A., and Langtimm, C. A. (2002). Estimating site occupancy rates when detection probabilities are less than one. Ecology 83, 2248–2255.
Estimating site occupancy rates when detection probabilities are less than one.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

O’Connor, K. M., Nathan, L. R., Liberati, M. R., Tingley, M. W., Vokoun, J. C., and Rittenhouse, T. A. G. (2017). Camera trap arrays improve detection probability of wildlife: investigating study design considerations using an empirical dataset. PLoS One 12, 1–12.
Camera trap arrays improve detection probability of wildlife: investigating study design considerations using an empirical dataset.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Podolski, I., Belotti, E., Bufka, L., Reulen, H., and Heurich, M. (2013). Seasonal and daily activity patterns of free-living Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx in relation to availability of kills. Wildlife Biology 19, 69–77.
Seasonal and daily activity patterns of free-living Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx in relation to availability of kills.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Porfirio, G., Foster, V. C., Fonseca, C., and Sarmento, P. (2016). Activity patterns of ocelots and their potential prey in the Brazilian Pantanal. Mammalian Biology 81, 511–517.
Activity patterns of ocelots and their potential prey in the Brazilian Pantanal.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Rowcliffe, M. (2016). Package ‘activity’: animal activity statistics. R package version 1.1., 1–16.

Rowcliffe, J. M., Kays, R., Kranstauber, B., Carbone, C., and Jansen, P. A. (2014). Quantifying levels of animal activity using camera trap data. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 5, 1170–1179.
Quantifying levels of animal activity using camera trap data.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Schmidt, K. (1999). Variation in daily activity of the free-living Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in Bialowieza Primeval Forest, Poland. Journal of Zoology 249, 417–425.
Variation in daily activity of the free-living Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in Bialowieza Primeval Forest, Poland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Taylor, B. D., Goldingay, R. L., and Lindsay, J. M. (2014). Horizontal or vertical? Camera trap orientations and recording modes for detecting potoroos, bandicoots and pademelons. Australian Mammalogy 36, 60–66.
Horizontal or vertical? Camera trap orientations and recording modes for detecting potoroos, bandicoots and pademelons.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Thorpe, P. K. E. (2007). An introduction to R: a language and environment for statistical computing 1. Available at: https://www.r-project.org/