Investigating the use of sensory information to detect and track prey by the Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) with conservation in mind
© 2020, The Author(s). Pangolins are of conservation concern as one of the most heavily poached, yet least understood mammals. The Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) in particular is a critically endangered species. Here, we investigate the behaviour of these pangolins, for the first time, using a batt...
Saved in:
Main Authors: | , , |
---|---|
Other Authors: | |
Format: | Article |
Published: |
2020
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/58403 |
Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
Institution: | Mahidol University |
id |
th-mahidol.58403 |
---|---|
record_format |
dspace |
spelling |
th-mahidol.584032020-08-25T19:01:23Z Investigating the use of sensory information to detect and track prey by the Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) with conservation in mind Joshua D. DiPaola Marnoch Yindee Joshua M. Plotnik The Doctorate-Granting Institution of the City University of New York Walailak University Mahidol University Hunter College Multidisciplinary © 2020, The Author(s). Pangolins are of conservation concern as one of the most heavily poached, yet least understood mammals. The Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) in particular is a critically endangered species. Here, we investigate the behaviour of these pangolins, for the first time, using a battery of cognitive tasks based on a manipulation of available sensory information. In an object-choice task in which only one of two containers was baited with food, the pangolins were able to find the food with olfactory information alone (N = 2), but not with visual or acoustic information alone (N = 1). The single subject tested on all three domains was further tested on how he used smell to find food by providing him with an opportunity to find it from a controlled distance or by using scent trails as a guide. The results suggest that our subject may have the capacity to exploit scent trails left by prey which can be tracked to a final source, though we found no evidence to suggest that he had the ability to initiate hunts based on distant prey odors. Despite the small sample size, this is the first controlled experiment to investigate pangolin foraging behaviour and cognition, which may have implications for the future protection of pangolin habitat based on the location of prey species. 2020-08-25T12:01:23Z 2020-08-25T12:01:23Z 2020-12-01 Article Scientific Reports. Vol.10, No.1 (2020) 10.1038/s41598-020-65898-x 20452322 2-s2.0-85086573739 https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/58403 Mahidol University SCOPUS https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85086573739&origin=inward |
institution |
Mahidol University |
building |
Mahidol University Library |
continent |
Asia |
country |
Thailand Thailand |
content_provider |
Mahidol University Library |
collection |
Mahidol University Institutional Repository |
topic |
Multidisciplinary |
spellingShingle |
Multidisciplinary Joshua D. DiPaola Marnoch Yindee Joshua M. Plotnik Investigating the use of sensory information to detect and track prey by the Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) with conservation in mind |
description |
© 2020, The Author(s). Pangolins are of conservation concern as one of the most heavily poached, yet least understood mammals. The Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) in particular is a critically endangered species. Here, we investigate the behaviour of these pangolins, for the first time, using a battery of cognitive tasks based on a manipulation of available sensory information. In an object-choice task in which only one of two containers was baited with food, the pangolins were able to find the food with olfactory information alone (N = 2), but not with visual or acoustic information alone (N = 1). The single subject tested on all three domains was further tested on how he used smell to find food by providing him with an opportunity to find it from a controlled distance or by using scent trails as a guide. The results suggest that our subject may have the capacity to exploit scent trails left by prey which can be tracked to a final source, though we found no evidence to suggest that he had the ability to initiate hunts based on distant prey odors. Despite the small sample size, this is the first controlled experiment to investigate pangolin foraging behaviour and cognition, which may have implications for the future protection of pangolin habitat based on the location of prey species. |
author2 |
The Doctorate-Granting Institution of the City University of New York |
author_facet |
The Doctorate-Granting Institution of the City University of New York Joshua D. DiPaola Marnoch Yindee Joshua M. Plotnik |
format |
Article |
author |
Joshua D. DiPaola Marnoch Yindee Joshua M. Plotnik |
author_sort |
Joshua D. DiPaola |
title |
Investigating the use of sensory information to detect and track prey by the Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) with conservation in mind |
title_short |
Investigating the use of sensory information to detect and track prey by the Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) with conservation in mind |
title_full |
Investigating the use of sensory information to detect and track prey by the Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) with conservation in mind |
title_fullStr |
Investigating the use of sensory information to detect and track prey by the Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) with conservation in mind |
title_full_unstemmed |
Investigating the use of sensory information to detect and track prey by the Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) with conservation in mind |
title_sort |
investigating the use of sensory information to detect and track prey by the sunda pangolin (manis javanica) with conservation in mind |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/58403 |
_version_ |
1763493013890269184 |