Effects of snow leopards on the marking behavior of Pallas's cats
In our recent research article
(https://publish.illinois.edu/maxallen/files/2023/08/Allen-2023-Manul-Marking.pdf)
we assessed the scent-marking behavior of Pallas' cats.
Pallas's cats are an understudied species, with little published research on their ecology and behaviour. This is especially true of their scent-marking behavior - which has only been documented in the wild in one previous study. Scent-marking is used by many solitary carnivores to delineate territories and communicate with potential mates and competitors.
We studied their olfactory communication and visitation at scent-marking sites using camera traps in two study areas in Mongolia. We documented four types of olfactory communication behaviours, with olfaction (sniffing) the most frequent. We also documented urine spraying, head/body rubbing, and the flehmen response.
What was particularly interesting was that Pallas’s cats used olfactory communication most frequently at sites that were not visited by snow leopards (Panthera uncia), and when they used communal scent-marking sites, they were more likely to use olfactory communication when a longer time had elapsed since the last visit by a snow leopard. This suggests that Pallas’s cats may reduce advertising their presence in response to occurrence of snow leopards, possibly to limit predation risk.
