Activity patterns of the European wildcat in the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain), interactions with sympatric carnivores and factors affecting its presence

Abstract Studies on diel activity patterns reveal key insights into the ecology and ethology of a species. Widespread use of camera traps has led to better knowledge about activity patterns of nocturnal, small-medium sized animals difficult to monitor through other approaches. The European wildcat ( Felis silvestris ) has been well studied across its wide patchy distribution in Europe. Studies on activity patterns have previously been conducted in Iberia but have not been examined throughout the whole year over a long period of time and considering the whole mesocarnivore community. Interactions with other species, along with other factors including the habitat type or human disturbances, can impact the wildcat’s presence in a given area, so knowledge of these relationships may be relevant in a context of global change and biodiversity loss. In this study, we analysed camera trap data collected over five years in the Cantabrian Mountains (NW of Spain) with the aim of exploring European wildcat activity patterns in different seasons, compare it with other six sympatric carnivore species, and test possible effects of coexistence with other predators, human disturbances and habitat characteristics on its occurrence. Our results suggest that wildcats are mainly nocturnal and crepuscular but show marked seasonal changes in activity, becoming very diurnal across the mating season with peaks in the middle of the day. Pattern comparison with other sympatric mesocarnivores revealed important insights into potential interspecific relationships within the study area, including active avoidance, competition and potential predation. Interspecific relationships and human disturbances, however, did not have an obvious negative effect on the occurrence of the species under study, which was more influenced by habitat characteristics such as altitude or the proportion of forests and pasturelands.