Small nocturnal carnivores: ecological studies in the Serengeti

摘要: ummary Small nocturnal carnivores (particularly bat-eared fox, aardwolf, white-tailed mongoose and common genet) attain high population densities in several areas within the Serengeti. Comparative studies of activity patterns, microhabitat preferences, foraging behaviour diet indicate surprisingly broad overlap among these species along niche dimensions investigated. The attained by small carnivores, combined with their size correspondingly metabolic demands, suggest that ecological role is not as inconspicuous they are. Resume Des petits nocturnes (particulierement l'otocyon, le protee, la mangouste a queue blanche et genette commune) atteignent des densites de elevees dans diverses zones du Des etudes comparatives actogrammes, preferences micro-habitat, comportement depredation regime ali-mentaire montrent, pour ces especes, un recouvrement etonnamment large niches ecologiques considerees? Les fortes atteintes par les leur petite taille besoins metaboliques eleves lies celle-ci suggerent que ecologique n'est pas aussi efface qu'ils sont.