Landscape-scale drivers of habitat selection of two mesocarnivores in coastal rural landscapes in southern Chile

Sammanfattning

Habitat fragmentation and degradation present significant challenges to wildlife species, particularly carnivores, which are often highly sensitive to changes in landscape structure. Understanding how both natural and anthropogenic features influence carnivore spatial behavior is crucial for effective conservation. Resource Selection Function (RSFs) offer a valuable framework to quantify habitat preferences and asses the effects of habitat and landscape characteristics on species distribution. This study examined the habitat selection of two mesocarnivores with distinct ecological requirements, the Darwin’s fox (Lycalopex fulvipes) and the kodkod (Leopardus guigna) on the Chiloé Island, Chile. We investigated their habitat use at multiple spatial scale and evaluated potential differences between diurnal and nocturnal periods. Darwin’s foxes appeared more tolerant of fragmented landscapes, exhibiting minimal diel variation in habitat use. In contrast, kodkods preferred dense vegetation during the day and expanded their activity into open habitats and riparian corridors at night, likely to forage. As human-altered landscapes continue to expand, understanding how Darwin’s foxes and kodkods navigate and adapt to these environments is essential. Given the limited research on these species, deeper insight into their spatial ecology will support conservation planning, guide habitat restoration, and promote their long term persistence in increasingly modified ecosystems.