Spatial Ecology and Home Range Drivers of the Weyns's Duiker (Cephalophus weynsi) in Rainforest Habitat

Abstract

In Central Africa's tropical forests, duikers (Cephalophus spp.) are essential seed dispersers and prey for apex predators and humans. However, little is known about their spatial ecology, with no studies available for medium-sized species south of the Congo River. Here, we study forest duiker spatial use in the buffer zone of Salonga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo. We assess capture success of (1) collective day capture with nets and (2) collective night capture with head-torches and use GPS/VHF collars to investigate species-specific home-range (a) size, (b) use and (c) overlap. Across 7 months, 47 capture attempts allowed collaring 13 Weyns's (C. weynsi), two bay (C. dorsalis), and one black-fronted (C. nigrifrons) duiker, with similar success between techniques. Weyns's duikers mean home range size was 29.38 ha, with stable core areas and dynamic boundaries. While one breeding pair showed 72.80% overlap and a mean interindividual distance of 288 m, overlap in non-breeding pairs ranged between 4.5% and 52.2%, with an average interindividual distance of 533 m. Our assessment of the spatial use of Weyns's duikers suggests that anthropogenic disturbances might affect spatial behaviour and reproductive success. Further research on the spatial ecology of forest ungulates is key to improving conservation strategies.