Observations of unusual behavior in two invasive carnivores in the Dominican Republic: arboreal foraging in the Small Indian Mongoose (Urva auropunctata) and semi-aquatic hunting in the Domestic Cat (Felis catus)
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.sidebar##
Published
Jul 14, 2023
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.main##
Abstract
We report unusual foraging events in two of the most invasive terrestrial predators in the world that are well established in the Caribbean islands: the Small Indian Mongoose (Urva auropunctata), locally known as jurón, and the Domestic Cat (Felis catus). The former is well known to be a ground-dwelling species, whereas the latter usually avoids water. We documented tree-climbing in the mongoose and semi-aquatic hunting in a domestic cat. The observations were recorded in southern Dominican Republic, on the island of Hispaniola.
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.details##
##article.keywords##
Small Indian Mongoose, Herpestidae, feral cat, domestic cat, invasive carnivores, anthropogenic threats, foraging behavior
##article.references##
Baldwin, P. H., Schwartz, C. W., & Schwartz, E. R. (1952). Life history and economic status of the mongoose in Hawaii. Journal of Mammalogy, 33(3), 335–356.
Barun, A., Hanson, C. C., Campbell, K. J., & Simberloff, D. (2011). A review of small Indian mongoose management and eradications on islands. In C. R. Veitch, M. N. Clout , and D. R. Towns (Eds.). Island invasives: Eradication and management (pp. 17–25). IUCN.
Courchamp, F., Chapuis, J. L., & Pascal, M. (2003). Mammal invaders on islands: impact, control and control impact. Biological reviews, 78(3), 347–383.
Doherty, T. S., Glen, A. S., Nimmo, D. G., Ritchie, E. G., & Dickman, C. R. (2016). Invasive predators and global biodiversity loss. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(40), 11261–11265.
Ebenhard, T. (1988). Introduced birds and mammals and their ecological effects. Swedish Wildlife Research, 13, 1–107.
Global Invasive Species Database (2022). 100 of the World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species. http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/100_worst.php on 22-08-2022.
Hedges, S. B. & Conn, C. E. (2012). A new skink fauna from Caribbean islands (Squamata, Mabuyidae, Mabuyinae). Zootaxa, 3288(1), 1–244.
Horst, G. R., Hoagland, D. B., & Kilpatrick, C. W. (2001). The mongoose in the West Indies: the biogeography and population biology of an introduced species. In Biogeography of the West Indies (pp. 409–424). CRC Press.
Hunter, L. (2015). Wild cats of the world. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales. (2018). Sexto Informe Nacional de Biodiversidad de la República Dominicana.
Nellis, D. W. & Everard, C. O. R. (1983). The biology of the mongoose in the Caribbean. Studies on the fauna of Curacao and other Caribbean Islands, 64(1), 1–162.
Park, K. (2004). Assessment and Management of Invasive Alien Predators. Ecology and Society, 9(2).
Pimentel, D. (1955). Biology of the Indian mongoose in Puerto Rico. Journal of Mammalogy, 36(1), 62–68. https://doi.org/10.2307/1375723.
Pimentel, D., Glenister, C., Fast, S., & Gallahan, D. (1984). Environmental risks of biological pest controls. Oikos, 42, 283–290.
Read, J. L. & Ebdon, F. R. (1998). Waterbirds of the Arcoona Lakes, an important arid-zone wetland complex in South Australia. Australian Bird Watcher, 17(5), 234–244. https:// search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.477768034657958
Roy, S. (2002). The small Indian mongoose, probably one of the most successful small carnivores in the world? Small Carnivore Conservation, 26, 21–22.
Schools, M., Kasprowicz, A., & Hedges, S. B. (2022). Phylogenomic data resolve the historical biogeography and ecomorphs of Neotropical forest lizards (Squamata, Diploglossidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 175(107577), 1–14.
Townsend, J. (2006). Predation of a Golden Swallow (Tachycineta euchrysea) nest by the Indian mongoose (Herpestes javanicus) in the Sierra de Bahoruco, Dominican Republic. Journal of Caribbean Ornithology, 19(2), 108–109.
Barun, A., Hanson, C. C., Campbell, K. J., & Simberloff, D. (2011). A review of small Indian mongoose management and eradications on islands. In C. R. Veitch, M. N. Clout , and D. R. Towns (Eds.). Island invasives: Eradication and management (pp. 17–25). IUCN.
Courchamp, F., Chapuis, J. L., & Pascal, M. (2003). Mammal invaders on islands: impact, control and control impact. Biological reviews, 78(3), 347–383.
Doherty, T. S., Glen, A. S., Nimmo, D. G., Ritchie, E. G., & Dickman, C. R. (2016). Invasive predators and global biodiversity loss. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(40), 11261–11265.
Ebenhard, T. (1988). Introduced birds and mammals and their ecological effects. Swedish Wildlife Research, 13, 1–107.
Global Invasive Species Database (2022). 100 of the World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species. http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/100_worst.php on 22-08-2022.
Hedges, S. B. & Conn, C. E. (2012). A new skink fauna from Caribbean islands (Squamata, Mabuyidae, Mabuyinae). Zootaxa, 3288(1), 1–244.
Horst, G. R., Hoagland, D. B., & Kilpatrick, C. W. (2001). The mongoose in the West Indies: the biogeography and population biology of an introduced species. In Biogeography of the West Indies (pp. 409–424). CRC Press.
Hunter, L. (2015). Wild cats of the world. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales. (2018). Sexto Informe Nacional de Biodiversidad de la República Dominicana.
Nellis, D. W. & Everard, C. O. R. (1983). The biology of the mongoose in the Caribbean. Studies on the fauna of Curacao and other Caribbean Islands, 64(1), 1–162.
Park, K. (2004). Assessment and Management of Invasive Alien Predators. Ecology and Society, 9(2).
Pimentel, D. (1955). Biology of the Indian mongoose in Puerto Rico. Journal of Mammalogy, 36(1), 62–68. https://doi.org/10.2307/1375723.
Pimentel, D., Glenister, C., Fast, S., & Gallahan, D. (1984). Environmental risks of biological pest controls. Oikos, 42, 283–290.
Read, J. L. & Ebdon, F. R. (1998). Waterbirds of the Arcoona Lakes, an important arid-zone wetland complex in South Australia. Australian Bird Watcher, 17(5), 234–244. https:// search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.477768034657958
Roy, S. (2002). The small Indian mongoose, probably one of the most successful small carnivores in the world? Small Carnivore Conservation, 26, 21–22.
Schools, M., Kasprowicz, A., & Hedges, S. B. (2022). Phylogenomic data resolve the historical biogeography and ecomorphs of Neotropical forest lizards (Squamata, Diploglossidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 175(107577), 1–14.
Townsend, J. (2006). Predation of a Golden Swallow (Tachycineta euchrysea) nest by the Indian mongoose (Herpestes javanicus) in the Sierra de Bahoruco, Dominican Republic. Journal of Caribbean Ornithology, 19(2), 108–109.
Section
Notes
##article.copyright##
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
Landestoy T., M. A., Reyes, F. O., & Hernández-Rodríguez, I. (2023). Observations of unusual behavior in two invasive carnivores in the Dominican Republic: arboreal foraging in the Small Indian Mongoose (Urva auropunctata) and semi-aquatic hunting in the Domestic Cat (Felis catus). Novitates Caribaea, (22), 109–116. https://doi.org/10.33800/nc.vi22.344
Article metrics
- 715 Views Summary views
- 316 Downloads PDF Downloads
- 43 Views Html Views
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.