Dwarf Mongooses Lose Body Mass in Hot Weather due to Limited Behavioural Plasticity.

ABSTRACT: High temperatures associated with climate change can have adverse effects on wildlife, but behavioural plasticity may buffer such negative effects. Using long-term data from wild dwarf mongooses (Helogale parvula), we investigated the impact of high temperatures on daily activity patterns, movement and body mass. On hot days (≥ 35°C) compared with matched cooler ones (≤ 33°C), groups emerged from their overnight sleeping burrow and commenced foraging earlier in the morning and arrived at their overnight sleeping burrow later in the evening. However, there was no evidence that the time spent above ground at the burrow, the proportion of time inactive or the distance moved when foraging were altered on hot days. Consequently, the negative effects of high temperatures were not fully mi

SUBMITTER: Vane LS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12412311 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature