Seasonal distribution and activity patterns of mesopredators and their prey in Southwest China.

This article focuses on the seasonal coexistence and interactions of mesopredators, specifically Siberian weasels (Mustela sibirica) and masked palm civets (Paguma larvata), in the Minshan Mountains of Southwest China, where apex predators have been extirpated. Using remote camera data from Laohegou Nature Reserve, the study found that Siberian weasels occupied the entire study area year-round, while masked palm civets restricted their range to lower elevations (<1,900 m) in fall to forage on fruits and expanded upward (~2,500 m) in spring to prey on small mammals. The two species exhibited different activity patterns and prey overlaps, with weasels active throughout the day and overlapping with multiple prey species, and civets being primarily nocturnal and overlapping mainly with murid rodents. These differences in spatial distribution, seasonal dietary preferences, and diel activity likely facilitate coexistence by reducing direct competition between the mesopredators.