Masking of the zeitgeber: African wild dogs mitigate persecution by balancing time

摘要: The African wild dog Lycaon pictus is endangered, with anthropogenic impacts, pack size dynamics and competing predators explaining its decline. Relative to solar lunar events, analysis of diel activity in two parapatric Zimbabwean populations revealed behavioural plasticity response human activity. In Hwange, presence was low; Nyamandlovu, persecution were high. both populations, frequently hunted by moonlight, 3–4 lux light restricting nocturnal hunting 13 days/lunar month. With diurnal hunts commencing at ‘civil twilight begin’ ending ‘astronomical end’, intensity confirmed as a limiting factor. Nyamandlovu dogs exhibited plasticity, demonstrated scattered rather than clumped organization when rest, masked the zeitgeber utilizing evenings moonlight for more days under suboptimal conditions did Hwange dogs. Significantly, different allocation morning, evening between (47%, 36%, 15%) Nyamandlovu (28%, 31%, 41%), reduced temporal potential encounter 64%, but increased this hyaena lion encounters 70% 37%, thus highlighting trade-off switch. Finally, we tentatively conclude that cue masking ‘zeitgeber’ risk, gain related, could be seen an evolutionary ‘emergency exit’, understanding which important conservation landscapes are increasingly dominated people.