Burrow use by Saharan striped polecat ( Poecilictis libyca ) in an agricultural area of central Tunisia

Abstract Habitat modification poses a significant threat to global biodiversity, particularly in areas undergoing high rates of urbanization and agricultural activity, leading to habitat fragmentation and loss. This study conducted in Metbasta, Kairouan province, Tunisia, highlights the impact of agricultural activities on Saharan striped polecat's ( Poecilictis libyca ) resting site ecology. We radio‐tracked 31 individuals from November 2019 to February 2022 to gather data on burrow use. Polecats used a combined total of 736 burrows, with 91.84% of them never shared with another collared animal. Radio‐tagged males and females only shared burrows during the mating season. Predictive analyses suggested that polecats use 30 to 35 burrows per season. Resting site fidelity differed among sexes and sizes, with heavy males (>320 g) displaying a lower resting site fidelity (i.e., reuse of the same burrow on consecutive days) than light males (<320 g) and females and remained consistent across seasons for these 3 categories of individuals. In contrast, resting site reuse (irrespective of time interval between 2 uses) was consistent between sexes but varied seasonally; it was lower in autumn than in winter and summer, while reuse did not differ between spring and the remaining seasons. Polecats primarily used burrows in grasslands during winter and spring, olive orchards and cactus tabias in autumn, and barley fields and plowed soil in summer. Heavy males used barley fields, plowed soil, and nebkha ( Tamarix sp.) more than expected, while lighter males used olive orchards and cactus tabias. Females predominantly used burrows across 3 distinct land cover types, using grasslands the most, followed by olive orchards and cactus tabias. Rarely, burrow entrances were closed with soil ( n = 18 or 1.18%), particularly during rain or after encounters with shepherd dogs. Scats were only occasionally ( n = 35 or 1.47%) observed near burrows, possibly to avoid attracting predators. The study underscores the polecat's affinity for sandy soils due to their suitability for burrow construction. These findings shed light on Saharan striped polecat behaviors, informing conservation efforts in human‐modified landscapes. Given the species' decline due to habitat loss from agricultural expansion, our study emphasizes the importance of preserving critical habitats, like those in Metbasta, to protect it from further population decline and local extinction.