Differences in relative abundance and activity patterns of Mediterranean mesocarnivores across natural and semi-urban landscapes

Urbanization is a major driver of habitat change, profoundly affecting species distribution and behaviour. While many species decline in human-dominated landscapes, others can tolerate or even exploit these environments. However, it remains unclear how tolerant species modify their behaviour to adapt to urbanized environments. Here, we compared the relative abundance and activity patterns of mesocarnivores across natural and semi-urban Mediterranean landscapes. We deployed camera traps at eight locations, classified as semi-urban or natural based on the percentage of urban area. Six mesocarnivore species were detected: red fox (Vulpes vulpes), European badger (Meles meles), common genet (Genetta genetta), stone marten (Martes foina), pine marten (Martes martes), and wildcat (Felis silvestris). Wildcats and pine martens were only detected in natural locations, suggesting avoidance of semi-urban areas. Although the other mesocarnivores persisted in semi-urban landscapes, their relative abundance tended to be lower, but these differences were not statistically significant. Nevertheless, daily activity patterns for these species did vary across urbanization levels. Red foxes and genets exhibited more crepuscular activity in semi-urban locations compared to their strictly nocturnal activity in natural locations. In contrast, European badgers remained strictly nocturnal in all locations but displayed different activity peaks across urbanization levels. These behavioural shifts may reflect changes in resource availability or reduced interspecific competition in urbanized areas due to lower carnivore diversity. Our findings highlight that urbanization can drive species-specific responses in mesocarnivores, especially in their activity patterns, underscoring the importance of considering species-level behavioural flexibility when assessing ecological impacts of urbanization.