Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa, 1993
The role scent marks play in territory maintenance is considered specifically in terms of how the... more The role scent marks play in territory maintenance is considered specifically in terms of how they may achieve the goal of limiting intruders from exploiting defended resources. In large territories, where permanent monitoring is not possible, scent marks must be able to function in the temporary absence of the residents. Scent mark density indirectly communicates to intruders the potential of being encountered by the owners, while the marks themselves intrinsically threaten intruders with physical attack if they are encountered. Territory residents must carry out this threat if intruders are encountered, otherwise there will be no deterrent to intruders and territory maintenance will be redundant. The response of intruders to scent marks will depend on their motivation and the value of the resource to be exploited. Thus, although scent marks are unlikely to exclude totally intruders from exploiting resources within a territory, they may limit the degree (time and space) to which the territory is intruded and hence indirectly protect its resources.
We examined oxygen consumption and total evaporative water loss of aardwolves (Proteles cristatus... more We examined oxygen consumption and total evaporative water loss of aardwolves (Proteles cristatus) at temperatures within and below their thermal neutral zone during both summer and winter. During summer (December), body masses of aardwolves averaged 8.1 +/- 0.7 kg (+/-1 standard deviation). Within their thermal neutral zone, oxygen consumption was 2,194 +/- 443 mL O2 h-1, or 1,058 kJ d-1. The relationship between oxygen consumption (VO2, mL O2 h-1) and ambient temperature (Ta, degree C) below the lower critical temperature was VO2 = 6,310-178 (Ta). During winter (August), aardwolves had an average mass of 7.8 +/- 0.7 kg and a basal metabolic rate of 1,844 +/- 224 mL O2 h-1, or 889 kJ d-1. Below the thermal neutral zone, VO2 = 4,308-116 (Ta). Basal metabolic rate and the slope of the line relating oxygen consumption to ambient temperature were both significantly higher in summer than in winter. Evaporative water loss increased with air temperature for both seasons but was higher in summer than winter. Wet thermal conductance was relatively constant below the thermal neutral zone, but was significantly higher in summer (0.022 +/- 0.001 mL O2 g-1 h-1 degree C-1) than in winter (0.015 +/- 0.001 mL O2 g-1 h-1 degree C-1).
ABSTRACT A radio-collared, female black-footed cat (Felis nigripes) was followed for a total peri... more ABSTRACT A radio-collared, female black-footed cat (Felis nigripes) was followed for a total period of 575 hours, over seven observation periods spanning 18 months, in the Kimberley region of the Northern Cape Province, South Africa. Data on reproduction and scent marking were collected by direct observation. The predominant form of scent marking was urine-spraying, the frequency of which fluctuated during the year and seemed to be related to changes in the reproductive cycle. Marking frequency increased dramatically approximately one and a half months before mating, and conception of the first litter of the breeding season occurred at a low frequency during pregnancy, and was entirely absent when the cat was rearing young. This strongly indicates a primary function in the advertisement of female reproductive condition, although an additional role in the maintenance of social spacing is suggested. Scent marks were not restricted to the borders of the animal's range, but corresponded to those areas used most intensely during the year.
Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa, 1993
The role scent marks play in territory maintenance is considered specifically in terms of how the... more The role scent marks play in territory maintenance is considered specifically in terms of how they may achieve the goal of limiting intruders from exploiting defended resources. In large territories, where permanent monitoring is not possible, scent marks must be able to function in the temporary absence of the residents. Scent mark density indirectly communicates to intruders the potential of being encountered by the owners, while the marks themselves intrinsically threaten intruders with physical attack if they are encountered. Territory residents must carry out this threat if intruders are encountered, otherwise there will be no deterrent to intruders and territory maintenance will be redundant. The response of intruders to scent marks will depend on their motivation and the value of the resource to be exploited. Thus, although scent marks are unlikely to exclude totally intruders from exploiting resources within a territory, they may limit the degree (time and space) to which the territory is intruded and hence indirectly protect its resources.
We examined oxygen consumption and total evaporative water loss of aardwolves (Proteles cristatus... more We examined oxygen consumption and total evaporative water loss of aardwolves (Proteles cristatus) at temperatures within and below their thermal neutral zone during both summer and winter. During summer (December), body masses of aardwolves averaged 8.1 +/- 0.7 kg (+/-1 standard deviation). Within their thermal neutral zone, oxygen consumption was 2,194 +/- 443 mL O2 h-1, or 1,058 kJ d-1. The relationship between oxygen consumption (VO2, mL O2 h-1) and ambient temperature (Ta, degree C) below the lower critical temperature was VO2 = 6,310-178 (Ta). During winter (August), aardwolves had an average mass of 7.8 +/- 0.7 kg and a basal metabolic rate of 1,844 +/- 224 mL O2 h-1, or 889 kJ d-1. Below the thermal neutral zone, VO2 = 4,308-116 (Ta). Basal metabolic rate and the slope of the line relating oxygen consumption to ambient temperature were both significantly higher in summer than in winter. Evaporative water loss increased with air temperature for both seasons but was higher in summer than winter. Wet thermal conductance was relatively constant below the thermal neutral zone, but was significantly higher in summer (0.022 +/- 0.001 mL O2 g-1 h-1 degree C-1) than in winter (0.015 +/- 0.001 mL O2 g-1 h-1 degree C-1).
ABSTRACT A radio-collared, female black-footed cat (Felis nigripes) was followed for a total peri... more ABSTRACT A radio-collared, female black-footed cat (Felis nigripes) was followed for a total period of 575 hours, over seven observation periods spanning 18 months, in the Kimberley region of the Northern Cape Province, South Africa. Data on reproduction and scent marking were collected by direct observation. The predominant form of scent marking was urine-spraying, the frequency of which fluctuated during the year and seemed to be related to changes in the reproductive cycle. Marking frequency increased dramatically approximately one and a half months before mating, and conception of the first litter of the breeding season occurred at a low frequency during pregnancy, and was entirely absent when the cat was rearing young. This strongly indicates a primary function in the advertisement of female reproductive condition, although an additional role in the maintenance of social spacing is suggested. Scent marks were not restricted to the borders of the animal's range, but corresponded to those areas used most intensely during the year.
Uploads