Home is where the home range is: Identifying territoriality and exhibit preferences in an ex-situ group of all-male Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus).

ABSTRACT: Here, the presence or absence of territoriality was evaluated in an all-male Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) group living in an ex-situ environment. Location data for each crocodile within the exhibit were collected three times per day over a two-year period, including two warm seasons and two cold seasons. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to create seasonal home ranges and core areas for each crocodile, to quantify the overlap of these home ranges and core areas to assess potential territoriality, and to calculate exhibit preferences of the group. Core area overlap was significantly lower than home range overlap, suggesting the crocodiles established territories within their exhibit. This pattern of behavior was similar across seasons, though it moderately intensified

SUBMITTER: Stalter L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10810454 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature