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Commuting, territoriality and variation in group and territory size in a black-backed jackal population reliant on a clumped, abundant food resource in Namibia

Jenner, N., Groombridge, Jim J., Funk, S. M. (2011) Commuting, territoriality and variation in group and territory size in a black-backed jackal population reliant on a clumped, abundant food resource in Namibia. Journal of Zoology, 284 (4). pp. 231-238. ISSN 0952-8369. (doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.2011.00811.x) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:48327)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.2011.00811.x

Abstract

This study examines the effect of a clumped, non-defendable and abundant year-round food resource (Cape fur seals) for black-backed jackal Canis mesomelas social structure and spatial organization at Cape Cross Seal Reserve and the National West Coast Recreation Area in Namibia during the jackals' denning period in 2004 and 2005. Geo-referenced observations of behaviour and space-use were used to test for territoriality, and to assess commuting distances, territory size, group size and within-territory density on the Namibian coast. Jackals displayed behaviour indicative of territoriality to within 50 m of the fur seal colony. In accordance with optimal foraging theory, jackals commuted between 0.45 and 20.03 km from their territory (low prey availability) to the seal colony (high prey availability). The observed within-population variation in group size (two to eight adults), territory size (0.20–11.11 km2) and within-territory density (0.31–9.80 jackals km?2) was unprecedented and strongly associated with distance from the food resource. Group and territory size increased, while within-territory density declined with increasing distance from the fur seal colony. We discuss the relative importance of the food resource and other factors in determining jackal social and spatial organization.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2011.00811.x
Uncontrolled keywords: Canis mesomelas;black-backed jackal;resource distribution;territoriality;group size;commuter system;Namibia
Subjects: Q Science > QH Natural history > QH541 Ecology
Q Science > QH Natural history > QH75 Conservation (Biology)
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Anthropology and Conservation > DICE (Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology)
Depositing User: Jim Groombridge
Date Deposited: 08 May 2015 14:40 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:19 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/48327 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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