Radio-tracking was undertaken over two months to investigate the social organization of the four-toed elephant-shrew (Petrodromus tetradactylus) in sand forest at Tembe Elephant Park, South Africa. Petrodromus tetradactylus occurred in monogamous male-female pairs that defended partially overlapping home ranges. There was virtually no overlap between the ranges of adjoining pairs, indicating low population density although not negating mutual avoidance or territorial defence, which could be inferred by incongruent intra-pair ranges. Our findings largely concur with those of a similar study of P. tetradactylus in Kenya and studies of other elephant-shrew species elsewhere. Home ranges estimated from a mean of >34 radio-tracking fixes over a short period suggest that male home range areas were similar to those reported in previous studies, while home range areas of females, although variable, were on average smaller than those previously reported. Most males and some females had two separate centres of activity that confounded the accurate estimation of their home ranges. The reason for this is unclear but may be related to habitat characteristics and quality, as it was not the result of home range shifts.
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1 October 2009
The Spatial Organization of the Four-Toed Elephant-Shrew (Petrodromus tetradactylus) in Tembe Elephant Park, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Katherine H. Oxenham,
Michael R. Perrin
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African Zoology
Vol. 44 • No. 2
October 2009
Vol. 44 • No. 2
October 2009
Four-toed elephant-shrew
monogamy
Petrodromus tetradactylus
social organization