Estimating canid territories and pack compositions: Camera traps provide comparable metrics to an intense radio-collaring programme on dingoes

Abstract

Territoriality is a major determinant of many animal behaviours, influencing movement, population demographics and spatial distribution of individuals across an area. However, estimating territories can be challenging, particularly for cryptic species that are difficult to observe in the wild. Traditional estimates of territorial boundaries use telemetry, which can be costly and invasive to implement because of the need to trap animals to attach telemetry devices. Camera traps have revolutionised studies of many animal species, in particular cryptic carnivore species. Here, using camera trap data and a popular population density modelling R package (SECR), we show how animal activity centres estimated from spatially explicit models can be used to estimate territorial borders, and therefore population spacing. Using this method, we compared home-range estimates for dingoes, a socially monogamous canid present in Australia, to those derived from an intense radio-collaring programme of the same population. Our method performed well, providing comparable home ranges to telemetry data. We also compared the individuals identified within each pack from camera trap data to those identified from direct observations, and found that we generally identified more individuals from our camera method. Additionally, we identified the presence of two previously unidentified packs in the area from our camera trapping method. Practical implication. Our novel approach may provide a cost-effective and non-invasive method for researchers and practitioners aiming to determine the spatial distribution of animal groups across a landscape, and, for individually identifiable species, the demographic composition of those groups.