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  1. Foraging Behavior, Home Range, Movements and Activity Patterns of Epicrates inornatus (Boidae) at Mata de Plátano Reserve in Arecibo, Puerto Rico

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    Author(s): Alberto R. Puente-Rolón; Fernando J. Bird-Picó
    Date: 2004
    Source: Caribbean Journal of Science, Vol. 40, No. 3, 343–352,
    Publication Series: Miscellaneous Publication
    PDF: Download Publication  (120 B)

    Description

    Observations of foraging behavior of the Puerto Rican boa (Epicrates inornatus) were performed at a cave entrance beginning one hour before sunset until one hour after sunrise. Boas captured bats from 1745 h to 0600 h, but most captures were between 1900 and 2400 h. The most common preyed bats were Erophylla sezekorni, Mormoops blainivillii, Pteronotus quadridens and Monophyllus redmanii, while Brachyphylla cavernarum was rarely caught. The average prey handling time was 12.53 min. The Radiotelemetry was used to determine the home range, activity and movements of E. inornatus. Eleven snakes (six females and five males) were fitted with transmitters. Using the minimum convex polygon method, the average home range area for females and males was 7,890 m2 ± 6614 m2 and 5,000 m2 ± 4,102 m2, respectively. These were not significantly different. Ten of the radio-tracked snakes returned at least twice to the cave. Females were active during 29 ± 7.2% (n = 89) of the observations, and the males were 36 ± 12.5% (n = 66). Movement by E. inornatus has notable implications for surveys and site assessment. Sites should be managed to ensure that all features needed by the species are available within relatively discrete patches; thus, feeding and thermoregulatory requirements and the provision of shelter and protection should all be available within a limited area.

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    Citation

    Puente-Rolón, Alberto R.;Bird-Picó, Fernando J. 2004. Foraging Behavior, Home Range, Movements and Activity Patterns of Epicrates inornatus (Boidae) at Mata de Plátano Reserve in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Caribbean Journal of Science, Vol. 40, No. 3, 343–352,

    Keywords

    Puerto Rican boa, radiotelemetry, serpentes, wildlife, endangered species

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