Habitat selection by feral cats and dingoes in a semi-arid woodland environment in central Australia.

Abstract Habitat use by feral cats and dingoes was examined within a heterogeneous semi-arid woodland site in central Australia over 2 years. Density estimates of feral cats based on tracks were higher in mulga habitat than in open habitat. Isodar analysis implied that this pattern of habitat use by feral cats was consistent with the consumer-resource model of density-dependent habitat selection, which is an ideal free solution. The reason why mulga supported higher densities of feral cats was unclear. Foraging success of feral cats may be higher in the mulga because the stalk and ambush hunting tactics typically employed by felids are well suited to dense cover. Mulga may also have offered feral cats more protection from dingo predation. Dingo activity was distributed uniformly across habitats. The dingo isodar was statistically non-significant, suggesting that habitat selection by dingoes was independent of density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]