Where mesopredators co-exist with dominant apex predators, an understanding of the factors that influence their habitat and space use can provide insights that help guide wildlife conservation and pest management actions. A predator’s habitat use is defined by its home range, which is influenced by its selection or avoidance of habitat features and intra- and inter-specific interactions within the landscape. These are driven by both innate and learned behaviour, operating at different spatial scales. We examined the seasonal home ranges and habitat selection of actively-managed populations of a native apex predator (dingo Canis dingo) and invasive mesopredator (feral cat Felis catus) in semi-arid Western Australia to better understanding their sympatric landscape use, potential interactions, and to help guide their management. We used kernel density estimates to characterise the seasonal space use of dingoes and feral cats, investigate inter- and intra-species variation in their home range extent and composition, and examine second-order habitat selection for each predator. Further, we used discrete choice modelling and step selection functions to examine the difference in third-order habitat selection across several habitat features. The seasonal home ranges of dingoes were on average 19.5 times larger than feral cats. Feral cat seasonal home ranges typically included a larger proportion of grasslands than expected relative to availability in the study site, indicating second-order habitat selection for grasslands. In their fine-scale movements (third-order habitat selection), both predators selected for roads, hydrological features (seasonal intermittent streams, seasonal lakes and wetlands), and high vegetation cover. Dingoes also selected strongly for open woodlands, whereas feral cats used open woodlands and grasslands in proportion to availability. Based on these results, and in order to avoid unintended negative ecological consequences (e.g. mesopredator release) that may stem from non-selective predator management, we recommend that feral cat control focuses on techniques such as trapping and shooting that are specific to feral cats in areas where they overlap with apex predators (dingoes), and more general techniques such as poison baiting where they are segregated.

中文翻译：

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侵入性中食肉动物和同域原生顶级捕食者的空间利用和栖息地选择。

在中捕食者与主要的顶级捕食者共存的地方，了解影响其栖息地和空间利用的因素可以提供有助于指导野生动物保护和害虫管理行动的见解。捕食者的栖息地用途由其栖息地范围定义，该栖息地范围受其对栖息地特征的选择或避免以及景观内的特定内部和特定间相互作用的影响。这些是由在不同空间尺度上运作的先天和后天习得的行为驱动的。我们检查了澳大利亚西部半干旱地区的本地顶级捕食者 (dingo Canis dingo) 和侵入性中食动物 (野猫 Felis catus) 的积极管理种群的季节性家园范围和栖息地选择，以更好地了解它们的同域景观利用、潜在的相互作用，并帮助指导他们的管理。我们使用核密度估计来表征野狗和野猫的季节性空间使用，调查其栖息地范围和组成的种间和种内变化，并检查每个捕食者的二级栖息地选择。此外，我们使用离散选择建模和步进选择函数来检查跨多个栖息地特征的三阶栖息地选择的差异。野狗的季节性家庭活动范围平均是野猫的 19.5 倍。相对于研究地点的可用性，野猫季节性家庭范围通常包括比预期更大比例的草原，这表明草原的二级栖息地选择。在它们的精细运动（三阶栖息地选择）中，两种捕食者都选择了道路、水文特征（季节性间歇性溪流、季节性湖泊和湿地）和高植被覆盖。野狗也强烈选择开阔的林地，而野猫则根据可用性比例使用开阔的林地和草地。基于这些结果，为了避免可能源于非选择性捕食者管理的意外负面生态后果（例如中捕食者释放），我们建议野猫控制侧重于针对野猫的诱捕和射击等技术。它们与顶级捕食者（野狗）重叠的区域，以及更通用的技术，例如将它们隔离的毒饵。