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Spatial and temporal activity patterns of ocelots Leopardus pardalis in lowland forest of eastern Ecuador

Abstract:

Ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) are common in lowland forests of Amazonia. We used camera traps to document the occurrence and activity of ocelots at a site in eastern Ecuador during 2005-2012 (15,058 trapdays). We accumulated 384 independent images of 16 males (147 images), 19 females (234 images), and 3 not assigned to individual or sex. Individuals varied in number of images (1 to > 50), number of camera locations (1-8), and number of months from first to last image (1-85). Photographic rate varied across years, from 15.3 to 29.9/1,000 trapdays in 2006 and 2010, respectively. Males and females were primarily active at night and showed similar hourly patterns of activity. Up to 3 individual males and 4 individual females were recorded at different camera locations each year. Resident males typically were photographed at more locations (mean of 4.1) than females (mean of 3.2). Results indicate that multiple ocelots, of both sexes, may be found within a relatively small (~650 ha) area of lowland forest in eastern Ecuador and emphasize the importance of the region for conservation of ocelots and other species.