The rhythm of the night: patterns of~activity of the European wildcat in the Italian peninsula

The European wildcat is a threatened carnivore, whose ecology is still scarcely studied, especially in Mediterranean areas. In this study, we estimated activity rhythm patterns of this felid, by means of camera-trapping at three spatial scales: (i) whole country (Italy); (ii) biogeographical areas; (iii) latitudinal zones. The activity rhythms patterns were also calculated according to temporal scales: (1) warm semester; (2) cold semester and (3) seasonal scales. Lastly, we also tested whether the effect of moon phases affected the wildcat activity. We conducted the analysis on a total of 975 independent events collected in 2009-2021, from 285 locations, in 65,800 camera days. We showed that the wildcat in Italy exhibits a > 70% nocturnal behaviour, with 20% of diurnal activity, at all spatial scales, and throughout the whole year, with peaks at 10.00 p.m. and 04.00 a.m. We observed a high overlap of wildcat activity rhythms between different biogeographical and latitudinal zones. The wildcat was mainly active on the darkest nights, reducing its activity in bright moonlight nights. Diurnal activity was greater in the warm months and decreased with the distance from shrubs and woodlands, most likely according to activity rhythms of its main prey, water presence in summer, the care of offspring and the availability of shelter sites. Conversely, the distance to paved roads seems to have no significant effects on diurnal activity, suggesting that, in presence of natural shelters, the wildcat probably may tolerate these infrastructures. We suggested limited plasticity in activity rhythm patterns of the wildcat, emphasizing the importance of dark hours for this species

The wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris): a test for a multidisciplinary method of population study

"The wildcat is one of the most elusive mammalian carnivores in the Italian peninsula. The main threats for its conservation are the habitat fragmentation and especially the hybridization with the domestic cat. Efforts for its conservation are strictly related to a good knowledge of its ecology and genetic status. The aim of the project was to define a well replicable and standardized method for the study of the Italian peninsular population of the wildcat. The study had two main goals: (i) to set up a functional sampling method trying to mix up different strategies (hair-trapping with scent marked lures, scat sampling, cameratrapping) in the study area of Foreste Casentinesi National Park; and , (ii) to enhance the power of hybrids detection by using new genetic markers such mtDNA (ND5 region) and Y linked markers (one STR and one SNP).

Non-invasive monitoring of the European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris Schreber, 1777): comparative analysis of three different monitoring techniques and evaluation of their integration

The European wildcat is threatened by habitat fragmentation, illegal or incidental killings and hybridization with free-ranging domestic cats. Conservation projects should be based on a sound knowledge of the patterns of wildcat distribution, population size and dynamics. However, this information is scanty, mainly because of the species’ elusive behaviour. In this study, we tested the efficiency of a protocol that integrates the use of non-invasive genetic identifications and camera trapping for wildcat monitoring. The field work was carried out in the Foreste Casentinesi National Park, a protected area in the central Italian Apennines, where wildcat presence has been recently ascertained. DNA samples were extracted from scats collected during the survey and hair tufts trapped by valerian-treated sticks. Individual genotypes were identified using 10 autosomal microsatellites, mtDNA and Y chromosome markers. Additionally, we obtained 30-s long video clips from 20 camera trap stations associated to the hair traps. Our results confirmed the presence of wildcats in the study area. We identified six to nine wildcat individuals (respectively from non-invasive genetic sampling and camera trapping survey). Some of these showed anomalous coat colour patterns (one) or genetic signatures of hybridization (three).We further identified five domestic cats that were sharing parts of wildcats’ territories. We found individual variations in the response to valerian lure. We compared and evaluated the pros and cons of these monitoring methods. We concluded that, if used simultaneously, these methods may considerably increase the efficiency of wildcat detection and the quality of collected data

“Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”: Molecular Tools to Reconstruct multilocus Genetic Profiles from Wild Canid Consumption Remains

Non-invasive genetic sampling is a practical tool to monitor pivotal ecological parameters and population dynamic patterns of endangered species. It can be particularly suitable when applied to elusive carnivores such as the Apennine wolf (Canis lupus italicus) and the European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris), which can live in overlapping ecological contexts and sometimes share their habitats with their domestic free-ranging relatives, increasing the risk of anthropogenic hybridisation. In this case study, we exploited all the ecological and genetic information contained in a single biological canid faecal sample, collected in a forested area of central Italy, to detect any sign of trophic interactions between wolves and European wildcats or their domestic counterparts. Firstly, the faecal finding was morphologically examined, showing the presence of felid hair and claw fragment remains. Subsequently, total genomic DNA contained in the hair and claw samples was extracted and genotyped, through a multiple-tube approach, at canid and felid diagnostic panels of microsatellite loci. Finally, the obtained individual multilocus genotypes were analysed with reference wild and domestic canid and felid populations to assess their correct taxonomic status using Bayesian clustering procedures. Assignment analyses classified the genotype obtained from the endothelial cells present on the hair sample as a wolf with slight signals of dog ancestry, showing a qi = 0.954 (C.I. 0.780–1.000) to the wolf cluster, and the genotype obtained from the claw as a domestic cat, showing a qi = 0.996 (95% C.I. = 0.982–1.000) to the domestic cat cluster. Our results clearly show how a non-invasive multidisciplinary approach allows the cost-effective identification of both prey and predator genetic profiles and their taxonomic status, contributing to the improvement of our knowledge about feeding habits, predatory dynamics, and anthropogenic hybridisation risk in threatened species

Possible origins and implications of atypical morphologies and domestication-like traits in wild golden jackals (Canis aureus)

Abstract Deciphering the origins of phenotypic variations in natural animal populations is a challenging topic for evolutionary and conservation biologists. Atypical morphologies in mammals are usually attributed to interspecific hybridisation or de-novo mutations. Here we report the case of four golden jackals (Canis aureus), that were observed during a camera-trapping wildlife survey in Northern Israel, displaying anomalous morphological traits, such as white patches, an upturned tail, and long thick fur which resemble features of domesticated mammals. Another individual was culled under permit and was genetically and morphologically examined. Paternal and nuclear genetic profiles, as well as geometric morphometric data, identified this individual as a golden jackal rather than a recent dog/wolf-jackal hybrid. Its maternal haplotype suggested past introgression of African wolf (Canis lupaster) mitochondrial DNA, as previously documented in other jackals from Israel. When viewed in the context of the jackal as an overabundant species in Israel, the rural nature of the surveyed area, the abundance of anthropogenic waste, and molecular and morphological findings, the possibility of an individual presenting incipient stages of domestication should also be considered