Movement patterns and athletic performance of leopards in the Okavango Delta.

ABSTRACT: Although leopards are the most widespread of all the big cats and are known for their adaptability, they are elusive and little is known in detail about their movement and hunting energetics. We used high-resolution GPS/IMU (inertial measurement unit) collars to record position, activity and the first high-speed movement data on four male leopards in the Okavango Delta, an area with high habitat diversity and habitat fragmentation. Leopards in this study were generally active and conducted more runs during the night, with peaks in activity and number of runs in the morning and evening twilight. Runs were generally short (less than 100 m) and relatively slow (maximum speed 5.3 m s^-1, mean of individual medians) compared to other large predators. Average daily travel distance was

SUBMITTER: Hubel TY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5936723 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature