Scientists doc first-ever associations between ocelots and opossums
Digital camera traps present that ocelots and opossums could be extra buddy than foe. In each Peru and Panama, new information reveals these animals may fit collectively, puzzling scientists.
“I ponder what number of of those bizarre interactions are taking place that we’re unaware of as a result of they’re tough to report within the subject,” mentioned Dumas Gálvez, a Panamanian researcher on the Smithsonian Tropical Analysis Institute and the College of Panama.
Gálvez and researchers in Peru captured 4 events of ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) and customary opossums (Didelphis marsupialis) associating—the primary observations of their type. They confirmed that opossums are interested in and infrequently rub their our bodies towards ocelot scent cues like urine. Researchers suppose there could also be an surprising profit to each species relating to searching.
The ecology of concern
Gálvez was finding out seed dispersers within the Panamanian rainforest, particularly the Central American agouti (Dasyprocta punctata) and the way the rodent responded to ocelot urine. As a result of ocelots prey on agoutis, Gálvez thought agoutis would keep away from foraging for or eradicating seeds in areas with ocelot smells—which he discovered proof for and printed in Behavioral Ecology.
He assumed that mission was completed till he went to the 2024 Melbourne Behavioural Ecology Convention, the place he met a analysis crew from Peru. They have been presenting a poster on preliminary findings of ocelot and opossum associations.
Lead creator Ettore Camerlenghi recalled presenting their findings when Gálvez stopped by. “He talked about that he had arrange digicam traps utilizing ocelot scent and to his shock, captured quite a few movies of opossums rubbing towards the scent,” Camerlenghi mentioned.
Gálvez returned to Panama and located the photographs of the opossum biting and pulling on the cloth with ocelot urine. He continued to comb by the digicam entice information and was shocked at what he discovered. “I simply remembered one digicam,” he mentioned. “However I used to be actually stunned once I went again and located it on all of the cameras.”
The researchers determined to collaborate collectively on a brand new examine, printed not too long ago in Ecosphere. “It’s a pleasant instance of how science typically works by serendipitous occasions, curiosity, and collaboration,” mentioned Isabel Damas-Moreira, one other of the examine’s coauthors.
Unlikely pairs in unlikely locations
There are different examples of interspecies searching partnerships, reminiscent of badgers (Taxidea taxus) and coyotes (Canis latrans) collaborating to hunt burrowing animals in North America. However the researchers nonetheless discover this mutual tolerance between ocelots and opossums “puzzling.” Whereas badgers can maintain their very own towards coyotes, opossums can simply turn into ocelot meals.
Camerlenghi speculated that just like badgers and coyotes, they might be higher at searching cooperatively somewhat than individually. Opossums are resistant to some snake venom, so they might collaborate to hunt these reptiles—although they haven’t but discovered direct proof of cooperative snake searching.
One other potential purpose for his or her affiliation might be masking one another’s scent cues. Gálvez’s preliminary thought was that if the opossums smelled extra like an ocelot, they’d have safety from different predators. However the scent masking may also go the opposite means. Opossums are notoriously smelly—ocelots might be utilizing opossum stench as a canopy to extra simply strategy nervous prey, the examine authors speculated.
Whereas there’s rather a lot the researchers don’t know, they proceed to research these associations. “The regional scale of that is attention-grabbing—it’s not solely taking place in Peru, but in addition additional north in Panama,” Gálvez mentioned.
He’s thinking about associations between different felids whose ranges overlap with opossums, just like the puma (Puma concolor). He additionally desires to see how opossums on Coiba Island—a nationwide park in Panama with none ocelots or different predators—reply to ocelot urine.
Gálvez remains to be researching ocelots, however his native ocelot urine provider—a zoo in Panama Metropolis that homes the animals—isn’t producing prefer it used to. He says it’s simpler to simply purchase puma urine on Amazon.
