Daily activity is an important aspect of animal behavior and depends both on nutritional and reproductive demands. It also can be modified by—among other factors—interspecific competition, the need to minimize the risk of predation, and human disturbance, such as the presence of cattle. We studied the activity patterns and degree of overlap among carnivores, their potential wild prey, and livestock, in a Biosphere Reserve in the Chihuahuan Desert. There was no temporal segregation among the carnivores. Carnivores synchronized their activity with that of their main prey, the black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus). In contrast, we did observe temporal segregation between the puma (Puma concolor), coyote (Canis latrans), and bobcat (Lynx rufus), with mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). There was little activity overlap between predators and livestock (Bos taurus, Equus caballus). However, to avoid conflict resulting from livestock predation we suggest increasing and improving surveillance, and that calves and females close to calving be sheltered. More studies on the multi-niche interactions of livestock and their wild predators are needed to understand daily activity overlap in different seasons, and to better understand the mechanisms of coexistence in protected areas in order to make sound management recommendations to cattle growers and park rangers.

中文翻译：

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奇瓦瓦沙漠生物圈保护区的食肉动物活动重叠，潜在的野生猎物和时间隔离

日常活动是动物行为的重要方面，并取决于营养和生殖需求。除其他因素外，物种间的竞争，将捕食风险降至最低的需求以及人为干扰（例如牛群的存在）等因素也可以对其进行修改。我们研究了奇瓦瓦沙漠生物圈保护区中食肉动物，它们的潜在野生猎物和牲畜的活动模式和重叠程度。食肉动物之间没有暂时的隔离。食肉动物将其活动与其主要猎物黑尾野兔（Lepus californicus）同步。相反，我们确实观察到美洲狮（Puma concolor），土狼（Canis latrans）和山猫（Lynx rufus）之间的时间隔离），with鹿（Odocoileus hemionus）。捕食者和牲畜（Bos taurus，Equus caballus）之间的活动很少重叠。但是，为了避免牲畜捕食引起的冲突，我们建议增加和改善监视，并保护接近犊牛的犊牛和雌性。为了了解不同季节的日常活动重叠，并更好地了解保护区的共存机制，需要对牲畜及其野生天敌的多生态位相互作用进行更多研究，以便向养牛者和公园管理员提出合理的管理建议。