Late dry season habitat use of common opossum, Didelphis marsupialis (Marsupialia: Didelphidae) in neotropical lower montane agricultural areas
Three Didelphis marsupialis were radio tracked during late dry season (23 February-26 April, 1983) in agricultural area at 1500 m elevation in Central Valley, Costa Rica. All animals were nocturnally active, significantly more so between 2100-0300 h. Fifty diurnal den site locations were found, 96%...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universidad de Costa Rica
1999-06-01
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| Series: | Revista de Biología Tropical |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.sa.cr/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-77441999000100027 |
| _version_ | 1827162579675381760 |
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| author | Christopher S. Vaughan L. Foster Hawkins |
| author_facet | Christopher S. Vaughan L. Foster Hawkins |
| author_sort | Christopher S. Vaughan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Three Didelphis marsupialis were radio tracked during late dry season (23 February-26 April, 1983) in agricultural area at 1500 m elevation in Central Valley, Costa Rica. All animals were nocturnally active, significantly more so between 2100-0300 h. Fifty diurnal den site locations were found, 96% inside tree cavities in living fence rows or abandoned squirrel nests in windbreaks. Two females occupied 3.4 and 3.1 ha 95% home ranges, moving an average 890 and 686 m nightly respectively. The male occupied a 5.6 ha 95% home range for 42 days overlapping 90% of females' home ranges. Over the next 15 days, he moved 1020 m south, establishing three temporary home ranges. During nocturnal movements, windbreaks and living fence rows were used in higher proportion than available, while pasture, roads and cultivated lands were used less then available within 100% home ranges. Abandoned coffee and spruce plantations, fruit orchards and overgrown pastures were used in equal proportions to availability in 100% home ranges. Opossum conservation techniques in coffee growing areas include promoting spruce windbreaks, living fence rows, and garbage dumps. |
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-01b9ab25c7fa4899bdb91aaf123f17f9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0034-7744 2215-2075 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-03-21T00:47:04Z |
| publishDate | 1999-06-01 |
| publisher | Universidad de Costa Rica |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Revista de Biología Tropical |
| spelling | doaj.art-01b9ab25c7fa4899bdb91aaf123f17f92024-08-03T05:50:55ZengUniversidad de Costa RicaRevista de Biología Tropical0034-77442215-20751999-06-01471-2263269Late dry season habitat use of common opossum, Didelphis marsupialis (Marsupialia: Didelphidae) in neotropical lower montane agricultural areasChristopher S. VaughanL. Foster HawkinsThree Didelphis marsupialis were radio tracked during late dry season (23 February-26 April, 1983) in agricultural area at 1500 m elevation in Central Valley, Costa Rica. All animals were nocturnally active, significantly more so between 2100-0300 h. Fifty diurnal den site locations were found, 96% inside tree cavities in living fence rows or abandoned squirrel nests in windbreaks. Two females occupied 3.4 and 3.1 ha 95% home ranges, moving an average 890 and 686 m nightly respectively. The male occupied a 5.6 ha 95% home range for 42 days overlapping 90% of females' home ranges. Over the next 15 days, he moved 1020 m south, establishing three temporary home ranges. During nocturnal movements, windbreaks and living fence rows were used in higher proportion than available, while pasture, roads and cultivated lands were used less then available within 100% home ranges. Abandoned coffee and spruce plantations, fruit orchards and overgrown pastures were used in equal proportions to availability in 100% home ranges. Opossum conservation techniques in coffee growing areas include promoting spruce windbreaks, living fence rows, and garbage dumps.http://www.scielo.sa.cr/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-77441999000100027Costa RicaDidelphis marsupialishabitat usehome rangeliving fence rowsdensradio-telemetrywindbreaks |
| spellingShingle | Christopher S. Vaughan L. Foster Hawkins Late dry season habitat use of common opossum, Didelphis marsupialis (Marsupialia: Didelphidae) in neotropical lower montane agricultural areas Revista de Biología Tropical Costa Rica Didelphis marsupialis habitat use home range living fence rows dens radio-telemetry windbreaks |
| title | Late dry season habitat use of common opossum, Didelphis marsupialis (Marsupialia: Didelphidae) in neotropical lower montane agricultural areas |
| title_full | Late dry season habitat use of common opossum, Didelphis marsupialis (Marsupialia: Didelphidae) in neotropical lower montane agricultural areas |
| title_fullStr | Late dry season habitat use of common opossum, Didelphis marsupialis (Marsupialia: Didelphidae) in neotropical lower montane agricultural areas |
| title_full_unstemmed | Late dry season habitat use of common opossum, Didelphis marsupialis (Marsupialia: Didelphidae) in neotropical lower montane agricultural areas |
| title_short | Late dry season habitat use of common opossum, Didelphis marsupialis (Marsupialia: Didelphidae) in neotropical lower montane agricultural areas |
| title_sort | late dry season habitat use of common opossum didelphis marsupialis marsupialia didelphidae in neotropical lower montane agricultural areas |
| topic | Costa Rica Didelphis marsupialis habitat use home range living fence rows dens radio-telemetry windbreaks |
| url | http://www.scielo.sa.cr/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-77441999000100027 |
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