POPULATION ECOLOGY OF THE WHITE-NOSED COATI (NASUA-NARICA) ON BARRO COLORADO ISLAND, PANAMA

Authors
Citation
Me. Gompper, POPULATION ECOLOGY OF THE WHITE-NOSED COATI (NASUA-NARICA) ON BARRO COLORADO ISLAND, PANAMA, Journal of zoology, 241, 1997, pp. 441-455
Citations number
56
Categorie Soggetti
Zoology
Journal title
ISSN journal
09528369
Volume
241
Year of publication
1997
Part
3
Pages
441 - 455
Database
ISI
SICI code
0952-8369(1997)241:<441:PEOTWC>2.0.ZU;2-7
Abstract
The white-nosed coati, Nasua Mai ica, is a common Neotropical carnivor e with a social structure of band-living adult females and solitary ad ult males. A coati population on Barro Colorado Island, Panama, was st udied over a four-year period by mark-recapture radiotelemetry, and di rect observation of habituated individuals. The population density was approximately 51.5 individuals/km(2) and the sex ratio was 1:1. Band size varied from six to 26 individuals (mean = 15.3) with extensive fl uctuation within and between years. Mean foraging group size was small er (7.2 individuals) than population group size, and fluctuated with f ood availability, synchronous parturition, and the emigration of matur e males. Mean home-range size of six bands was 0.33 km(2), and ranges of adjacent bands overlapped from 0-66%. One band fissioned during the study; however, the resulting bands did not disperse from the origina l home range. Seven adult males had a mean home-range size of 0.37 km( 2), each extensively overlapping the home ranges of several other male s. Observations of 10 adult males whose natal bands were known indicat e that when males disperse they do not simultaneously leave the band's home range. Rather, their home ranges remain within or broadly overla pping those of their natal bands. This dispersal pattern is unusual wi thin the order Carnivora.