Inferring patterns of sympatry among large carnivores in Manas National Park – a prey‐rich habitat influenced by anthropogenic disturbances

Large carnivores in Manas National Park, India, exhibit sympatry through fine-scale spatio-temporal avoidance rather than population-level changes in space-use or diet. Despite high prey densities and anthropogenic influences altering prey behavior, tigers, leopards, and dholes maintain distinct spatial and temporal patterns without significant dietary overlap. The study used photographic capture data, predator scats, and non-parametric circular kernel-density functions to analyze space-use, time-activity patterns, and diet over three sampling years (2014–2017). Findings suggest that predators likely maximize resource acquisition in this prey-rich environment, underscoring the importance of understanding interspecific interactions for effective conservation strategies.

Lahkar, D., Ahmed, M. F., Begum, R. H., Das, S. K., & Harihar, A. (2020). Inferring patterns of sympatry among large carnivores in Manas National Park – a prey‐rich habitat influenced by anthropogenic disturbances. Animal Conservation, 24(4), 589–601. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12662