Top predator feces: behavioral consequences for coexisting species

Introduction: Deposition of feces in the environment is a key behavior in the ecology of predator carnivores, which promotes behavioral changes in animals, influencing the ecology, abundance, and distribution of the species with which they coexist. Objective: To analyze whether jaguar feces are detected by other jaguars and mammal species and if they have behavioral effects. Methods: We recorded the behavior of jaguar (Panthera onca), puma (Puma concolor), mesocarnivores (Leopardus pardalis, Leopardus wiedii, Herpailurus yagouaroundi), and prey species using camera traps, at marked sites (with jaguar feces; n = 28) and control sites (without jaguar feces; n = 10). Using the records, we analyzed, for rainy and dry seasons: (1) the detection of jaguar feces by animals and (2) whether animals modify their exploration, remarking, vigilance and foraging behavior after detecting jaguar feces. Results: The detection of jaguar feces by jaguars and pumas was similar and the detection was higher in dry season. Regarding the behaviors analyzed, jaguars explored 15 times more and remarked 13 more times, marked sites than control sites. Pumas explored eight times more marked sites than control sites. Mesocarnivores explored marked sites 17 times more than control sites. Prey explored 41 times more and increased their vigilance 24 times more at marked sites compared to control sites times. Conclusions: Jaguar feces are detected by conspecifics and other mammal species, and they have behavioral effects on them. This can trigger changes in the abundance and distribution of populations and may be one of the ways that large predators shape ecosystems.