Understanding potential implications for non-trophic parasite transmission based on vertebrate behavior at mesocarnivore carcass sites

Abstract

High infection risk is often associated with aggregations of animals around attractive resources. Here, we explore the behavior of potential hosts of non-trophically transmitted parasites at mesocarnivore carcass sites. We used videos recorded by camera traps at 56 red fox (Vulpes vulpes) carcasses and 10 carcasses of other wild carnivore species in three areas of southeastern Spain. Scavenging species, especially wild canids, mustelids and viverrids, showed more frequent rubbing behavior at carcass sites than non-scavenging and domestic species, suggesting that they could be exposed to a higher potential infection risk. The red fox was the species that most frequently contacted carcasses and marked and rubbed carcass sites. Foxes contacted heterospecific carcasses more frequently and earlier than conspecific ones and, when close contact occurred, it was more likely to be observed at heterospecific carcasses. This suggests that foxes avoid contact with the type of carcass and time period that have the greatest risk as a source of parasites. Overall, non-trophic behaviors of higher infection risk were mainly associated with visitor-carcass contact and visitor contact with feces and urine, rather than direct contact between visitors. Moreover, contact events between scavengers and carnivore carcasses were far more frequent than consumption events, which suggests that scavenger behavior is more constrained by the risk of acquiring meat-borne parasites than non-trophically transmitted parasites. This study contributes to filling key gaps in understanding the role of carrion in the landscape of disgust, which may be especially relevant in the current global context of emerging and re-emerging pathogens.

Keywords: Carnivore; Carrion; Non-trophically transmitted parasites; Sarcoptes scabiei; Scavenger; Wildlife.

Fig. 1

Weekly variation in patterns of use of mesocarnivore carcasses by red fox, other mammals and birds in three areas of southeastern Spain. A) Weekly percentage of contacted (i.e., with at least one contact event), non-contacted (i.e., visited, but no contact events recorded), marked (i.e., with at least one marking event), and rubbed (i.e., with at least one rubbing event) carcasses by red fox, other mammals and birds per study area and carcass type. B) Weekly number of contact, non-contact, marking, and rubbing events by red fox, other mammals and birds per study area and carcass type. For a given week, the number of events is divided by the total number of carcasses studied in each study area, and the number of carcasses available is given in parentheses. Panels for carcasses of carnivores other than foxes are in boxes

Fig. 2

Accumulated weekly number of detected (i.e., with at least one event recorded), contacted (i.e., with at least one contact event), marked (i.e., with at least one marking event), and rubbed (i.e., with at least one rubbing event) carcasses by the red fox per study area and carcass type. Dotted horizontal gray lines represent the accumulated number of available carcasses. For a given week, the number of carcasses available is given in parentheses. Panel for carcasses of carnivores other than foxes is in the box

Fig. 3

Minimum distance between visiting foxes and carcasses per study area and carcass type. Percentages are based on total events recorded per carcass type and study area