THE FUNCTION OF SCENT MARKING IN TERRITORIES - A RESURRECTION OF THE INTIMIDATION HYPOTHESIS

The role scent marks play in territory maintenance is considered speci fically in terms of how they may achieve the goal of limiting intruder s from exploiting defended resources. In large territories, where perm anent monitoring is not possible, scent marks must be able to function in the temporary absence of the residents. Scent mark density indirec tly communicates to intruders the potential of being encountered by th e 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 w ill be no deterrent to intruders and territory maintenance will be red undant. The response of intruders to scent marks will depend on their motivation and the value of the resource to be exploited. Thus, althou gh scent marks are unlikely to exclude totally intruders from exploiti ng resources within a territory, they may limit the degree (time and s pace) to which the territory is intruded and hence indirectly protect its resources.