O lobo-guará é uma espécie de ampla distribuição na América do Sul, tendo no Brasil sua maior área de ocorrência. No entanto, as modificações das áreas naturais principalmente destinadas à agropecuária tornam a espécie vulnerável à extinção. A investigação objetivou conhecer em larga escala a área de distribuição potencial gerada por atributos ambientais favoráveis e áreas adequadas à sua ocorrência nos biomas brasileiros e investigar como a espécie responde à estrutura da paisagem, avaliando os efeitos de ambientes modificados pelo homem na sua ecologia espacial, nos padrões de atividade e na movimentação. Modelos de distribuição de espécie foram gerados pelo Maxent, utilizando uma base de pontos de localização de presença a partir de 2000 para o Cerrado (Ce), Pantanal (Pa), Mata Atlântica (MA) e Pampas (Pp) e um conjunto de onze variáveis ambientais não correlacionadas (topográficas, climáticas e paisagísticas). Para análises de ecologia espacial, das atividades e de movimentação, utilizou-se localizações de telemetria (GPS) de animais habitantes de áreas protegidas (AP), e indivíduos em paisagens modificados (AM). Análises de áreas de vida (AV) foram realizadas utilizando o estimador AKDE e associadas com classificação da paisagem local. Os modelos de distribuição do lobo-guará apresentaram uma área de distribuição potencial de 78% do total dos biomas. Apesar de possuírem grandes proporções de áreas adequadas (Ce, 90%; Pa, 93%; MA, 65% e Pp, 6%), somente um pequeno percentual (4,4% do Ce e 4,7% da MA) possui adequabilidade ambiental acima de 50%. Dos atributos que favorecem sua presença, a altitude (para todos os biomas), a precipitação (Ce e Pa), diferenças de temperatura e uso e cobertura do solo (Ma e Pp) foram os mais importantes. Em nível local, animais apresentaram média de AV de 90Km2 em AP e 41Km2 em AM, uma diferença significativa (p<0,01) com áreas diretamente proporcionais ao percentual de áreas naturais na paisagem. Ainda, apesar dos padrões regulares de atividade não mostrarem grandes mudanças, o período de repouso foi significativamente maior (p<0,01) entre os animais AM (46% do dia) que em animais AP (25% do dia). Lobos-guarás de AP e AM não apresentaram grandes diferenças no deslocamento diário com média geral de 14km caminhados por dia, com comprimentos de passos de 1Km. Diferenças no comprimento de passo foram relacionadas à composição da diversidade de contato de classes da paisagem com a proporção de ambientes naturais no passo (quanto maior as variáveis, maior o passo). Passos menores refletem menor persistência de movimento interferindo no deslocamento diário. Com os resultados desse estudo identificou-se a MA e Pa muito importantes, mas o Ce como bioma mais adequado à espécie. Foram encontrados indícios de que a estrutura de suas AV, o uso da paisagem, as atividades e movimentação são afetados pela paisagem modificada. Isso pode comprometer a viabilidade populacional, interferindo na presença em uma área e refletindo no seu potencial de distribuição. As estratégias de manejo de uso do solo, e a recuperação e conexão de áreas adequadas são urgentes e necessárias para que o lobo-guará permaneça presente e funcional nas paisagens dos biomas brasileiros. / The maned wolf has an extensive distribution range throughout South America with Brazil holding the largest portion of this area. However, the species is presently under a vulnerable status due to natural habitats alteration especially from farming and ranching. This study aimed to observe in large scale the potential distribution area indicated by favorable environmental attributes and suitable habitats to its presence within the Brazilian biomes and further to investigate how the species respond to the landscape structure, evaluating the effects of human-modified landscapes on its spatial ecology, activity patterns and movements. Species distribution models were generated using Maxent with a database of presence-only locations from 2000 though 2015, of the Cerrado (Ce), Pantanal (Pa), the Atlantic Forest (AF), and the Pampas (Pp) biomes, and eleven uncorrelated environmental variables (topographic, climatic, and landscape-based). As for the spatial ecology, activity and movement analysis, GPS-based telemetry locations were used from animals inhabiting protected (PAs) and disturbed areas (DAs). Home range (HR) analysis was performed using the AKDE estimator and then associated with the landscape-classified image. The distribution models for the maned wolf showed a potential distribution area of 78% of the total biomes range. Despite the high proportion of suitable areas (Ce, 90%; Pa, 93%; AF, 65%, and Pp, 6%), only a small percentage of the biomes (4.4% for Ce and 4.7% for AF) presented values over 50% suitable. Concerning the attributes that favor its presence, the altitude (for all the biomes), the precipitation (Ce and Pa), the temperature differences and land use (AF and Pp) were the most important. At the local scale, maned wolves showed HR sizes (average) with significant differences (p<0.01) between the 90Km2 (PA) and 41Km2 (DA) with HR size directly related to the proportion of natural areas. Although the general activity patterns were not considerably different between PA and DA, the resting periods of DA\'s animals (46% of the day) were significantly different (p<0.01) than the period of PA\'s wolves (46% of the day). Animals did not show changes on the daily movement patterns, accounting with 14km in general average and 1km of average step length (no major differences as well). The variation on the step length was related to the association of the diversity of contacts between landscape classes with the proportion of natural classes at each step (as bigger the variable values, bigger the step). As a consequence of smaller steps, constancy of movement decreases. Considering the results, the AF and Pa outstand as very important biomes, however the Ce was indicated as the most suitable biome. Furthermore, the research indicated signs that the HR structure and the landscape use, besides the activity patterns and the movement are affected by altered landscapes. This might compromise the population viability, interfering directly on its presence in an area and affecting the species distribution. Thus, a proper land use management aiming the recovering of degraded habitats is an important strategy tor the maned wolf conservation, so the species can long last survive across the Brazilian biomes.

Production de bois et autres ressources (gibier, champignons,...), conservation de la biodiversité et gestion des paysages, la forêt a suscité de riches débats depuis quelques années, le Grenelle de l'Environnement ayant révélé des intérêts parfois contradictoires. Si le gestionnaire forestier tente de développer autant que possible une gestion multifonctionnelle de ses forêts, il reste dépendant des connaissances fragmentaires sur les interactions dans les écosystèmes forestiers. La politique actuelle, qui vise à concilier la production de bois et la préservation des espèces, repose plus sur des expériences de terrain que sur des études étayées scientifiquement. Les Chiroptères comptent des espèces candidates pour étudier l'influence de la gestion forestière sur la biodiversité : le jour, elles occupent des gîtes arboricoles et, la nuit, elles exploitent des habitats forestiers pour chasser leurs proies, qui dépendent elles-mêmes de micro-habitats forestiers. Pour aider le gestionnaire à mettre en œuvre une stratégie de gestion conservatoire, nous avons étudié l'utilisation des ressources de la forêt par trois espèces : Myotis bechsteinii, Myotis nattereri et Plecotus auritus. La radio-localisation a permis d'identifier des réseaux d'arbres-gîte dont l'occupation varie selon les espèces, leur statut reproducteur et l'implication dans le comportement de fission-fusion des colonies de parturition. Les différentes utilisations des gîtes impliquent une stratégie de gestion propre à chaque espèce, voire à chaque colonie de reproduction. Procurant a priori de potentiels gîtes et proies, le bois mort debout favorise la richesse spécifique des Chiroptères forestiers à partir de 25 m3 à l'hectare, mais une stratification de la végétation pourrait être un objectif de gestion, la réponse des espèces était essentiellement liée à la structure forestière des trouées induites par le bois mort. Ce travail a ensuite nécessité de s'intéresser aux méthodes permettant de comprendre l'utilisation de l'espace par chaque individu (domaine vital) et la façon dont chacun d'eux fréquente ses terrains de chasse (sélection de l'habitat). Compte tenu des limites technologiques, le Kernel semble actuellement la meilleure méthode de représentation et de calcul de surface du domaine vital alors que la K-select a livré des résultats significatifs pour mettre en évidence des facteurs de sélection d'habitat. Les surfaces des domaines vitaux et des centres d'activité varient selon les espèces, Myotis bechsteinii associe de petites surfaces à un comportement territorial, surtout en période d'allaitement. M. nattereri et Plecotus auritus peuvent exploiter de grands espaces sur lesquels ils se limitent à de petits centres d'activité. Les colonies de ces dernières pourront plus facilement se déplacer dans leur domaine vital au gré des itinéraires de gestion mis en œuvre. Les caractéristiques des habitats forestiers utilisés comme terrains de chasse varient selon les espèces, voire le sexe, l'âge et le statut reproducteur des individus, mais toutes trois montrent une forte sélectivité pour les peuplements forestiers présentant un fort encombrement végétal, des gros arbres et une forte structuration du peuplement. Cinq principes de gestion dans un contexte fort de production de bois sont développés en conclusion des résultats avec deux exemples de stratégies de gestion destinée au maintien des Chiroptères. / The forest is the center of many interests that fuel the debates of our society. These debates are particularly exacerbated since the french " Grenelle de l'Environnement " in 2008. Among the various expectations, forest produce wood that is the subject of attentions, both by an increased demand for certain types of trees and by the naturalist world which sees in it one of last refuges for biodiversity in our modified landscapes. Thus, if the forest manager is trying to develop a management that is as much multifunctional as possible, it remains dependent on fragmented knowledge on the link between biodiversity and the forest ecosystem. Despite the establishment of a conservation policy that seeks to balance timber production and species preservation, the way to conduct such a policy is based on concrete field experiences yet scientifically unsubstantiated. Bats are good candidate species to study the response of biodiversity to forest management: they select networks of tree-roosts in which they form breeding colonies composed of several dozen individuals and they exploit forest habitats to hunt their prey, prey which themselves depend on forest microhabitats. However, their study is recent in forest and provides very vague management guidelines. To help managers implement a conservation management strategy, we thus studied the behavior of forest usage by three species of gleaning bats, Myotis bechsteinii, Myotis nattereri and Plecotus auritus. This work required to focus on the methods available to understand the use of space by each individual (home range) and how each individual selects its hunting habitats. We showed that each species had a unique response to available habitats and that the status of individuals (sex, age and reproductive status) intervenes in explaining the selection of tree roosts and hunting grounds. Both compartments are constrained by the availability of suitable habitat, helping to explain the structuring of habitat selection factors and the shape and surface of individual home ranges. Furthermore, the way networks of tree-roost are used partly explains the types of roosts selected. These different results means that it is necessary to lay down specific management strategies for each species, even each breeding colony. Finally, we studied the role of deadwood to explain the presence of bats in forests. We have shown that species richness increased from standing deadwood of 25m3 per hectare, while the response of species to deadwood was mainly restricted to forest habitat structure produced by the gaps resulting from the deadwood patch, favoring particularly edge-foraging species. Some species do however clearly benefit from insects emerging from deadwood. Five recommendations are proposed for the conservation of these species in a context of strong wood production.

The main aim of this study was to classify and describe the plant communities in the home range of white rhinoceros in order to understand the animal seasonal foraging ecology. To provide a detailed habitat description, forty sample plots were stratified randomly. A TWINSPAN classification, refined by Braun-Blanquet procedures, was carried out on the Viewpoint section of the reserve. Ten plant communities, grouped into five major community types, were identified. The veld condition and ecological carrying capacity in these communities were measured, stating an abundance of food on long grass while the short grass equal the number of short grass feeders. A number of behavioural aspects such as activity data, home range utilization and dietary usage were examined. Statistical methods such as the Spearman rank-order correlation, Wilcoxon sign test and Student T-test were used on rhino data. The difference in usage of the home range during wet and dry seasons was insignificant. / Environmental Sciences / M.Sc. (Environmental Management)

Abstract Between October 1999 and October 2003, 30 adult and 48 young (&amp;lt; 1 year) raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) were monitored using radio-telemetry in an area of Germany which has been occupied by this invasive alien species since the early 1990s. Additionally, three pairs of raccoon dogs were observed by continuous radio-tracking during the first six weeks after parturition in 2003. Furthermore 136 raccoon dog pubs were ear-tagged between June 1999 and August 2006. No adult animals dispersed from the area during the study period and home ranges tended to be used for several years, probably for life. The average annual home range size, calculated using 95% fixed kernel, was 382.2 ha ± 297.4 SD for females (n = 30 seasonal home ranges) and 352.4 ha ± 313.3 SD for males (n = 32 seasonal home ranges). Paired raccoon dogs had home ranges of similar size, with pair sharing the same area all year round. Raccoon dogs occupied large core areas (85% kernel) covering 81.2% of their home ranges. The home ranges were at their smallest during the mating season. The slightly larger size of home ranges in winter suggests that, due to the temperate climate, raccoon dogs do not hibernate in Germany. Males and females formed a long-term (probably lifelong) pair bond. Same-sex neighbours ignored each other and even adjacent males/females showed neither preference nor avoidance. Thus, it can be assumed that the raccoon dog in Central Europe is monogamous without exclusive territories, based on the results of home range overlap analysis and interaction estimations. Habitat composition within home ranges and within the whole study area was almost equal. Although, percentage shares of farmland and meadow was 16.35% smaller and 12.06% higher within the home ranges, respectively. All nine habitat types (farmland, forest, settlement, water, meadows, maize fields, small woods, reeds and hedges) were used opportunistically by raccoon dogs. No significant, recognisable difference for habitat preferences between seasons was detected. Male and female raccoon dog showed equal habitat preference pattern. A comparison of active and inactive locations in different habitats found no remarkable differences. Habitat composition of individual home ranges was used to classify animals. If the percentage of forest within a home range exceeded 50% the individual was classified as a ‘forest type’ raccoon dog. If the percentage of forest habitats within a home range was less than 5%, the share of pastureland was mean 81.82% ± 16.92 SD. Consequently the individual was classified as a ‘agrarian type’ raccoon dog. Neither habitat preference nor habitat selection process differed between the two ‘types’. Habitat use and preference is discussed with relation to the ability of the raccoon dog to expand its range towards Western Europe. Males spent noticeably more time (40.5% of the time ±11.7 SD) alone with the pups than females (16.4% of the time ±8.5 SD). Females had noticeably larger 95% kernel home ranges (98.24 ha ±51.71 SD) than males (14.73 ha ±8.16 SD) and moved much longer daily distances (7,368 m ±2,015 SD) than males (4,094 m ±2,886 SD) in six weeks postpartum. The raccoon dogs being studied left the breeding den in the 6th week after the birth of the pups. In situ video observation showed that the male carried prey to the den to provide the female and the litter with food. A clear division of labour took place among parents during the period in which the pups were nursed: males guarded the litter in the den or in close vicinity of it, while the females foraged to satisfy their increased energy requirements. There were relocations of 59 (43.4%) ear-tagged young racoon dogs and mean distance from marking point was 13.5 km ±20.1 SD. Dispersal mortality rate was 69.5% among young raccoon dogs. Most animals (55.9%) were recovered nearer than 5 km from the marking point, whereas only 8.5% relocations were recorded further than 50 km from the marking point. There was no difference in the distances of relocations between sexes. Most (53.7%) relocations of ear-tagged young raccoon dogs were in August and September and, only 34.1% were recorded from October to April. Hunting (55 %) and traffic (27 %) were the major mortality factors. Radio-collared young raccoon dogs generally dispersed between July and September. The mean natal home range size (MCP 100%) with and without excursions was 502.6 ha ±66.4 SD (n = 9) and 92.1 ha ±66.4 SD (n = 17), respectively. There were no differences between sexes in the month of dispersal. The direction of travel for dispersing animals appeared to be random, with distances from 0.5 km to 91.2 km. A highly flexible dispersing behaviour is certainly one of the reasons which contribute to the high expansion success of the species.

Between October 1999 and October 2003, 30 adult and 48 young (< 1 year) raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) were monitored using radio-telemetry in an area of North-East Germany which has been occupied by this invasive alien species since the early 1990s. Additionally, three pairs of raccoon dogs were observed by continuous radio-tracking during the first six weeks after parturition in 2003. Furthermore 136 raccoon dog pubs were ear-tagged between June 1999 and August 2006. No adult animals dispersed from the area during the study period and home ranges tended to be used for several years, probably for life. The average annual home range size, calculated using 95% fixed kernel, was 382.2 ha ± 297.4 SD for females (n = 30 seasonal home ranges) and 352.4 ha ± 313.3 SD for males (n = 32 seasonal home ranges). Paired raccoon dogs had home ranges of similar size, with pair mates sharing the same area all year round. Raccoon dogs occupied large core areas (85% kernel) covering 81.2% of their home ranges. The home ranges were at their smallest during the mating season. The slightly larger size of home ranges in winter suggests that, due to the temperate climate, raccoon dogs do not hibernate in Germany. Males and females formed a long-term (probably lifelong) pair bond. Same-sex neighbours ignored each other and even adjacent males/females showed neither preference nor avoidance. Thus, it can be assumed that the raccoon dog in Central Europe is monogamous without exclusive territories, based on the results of home range overlap analysis and interaction estimations. Habitat composition within home ranges and within the whole study area was almost equal. Although, percentage shares of farmland and meadow was 16.35% smaller and 12.06% higher within the home ranges, respectively. All nine habitat types (farmland, forest, settlement, water, meadows, maize fields, small woods, reeds and hedges) were used opportunistically by raccoon dogs. No significant, recognisable difference for habitat preferences between seasons was detected. Male and female raccoon dog showed equal habitat preference pattern. A comparison of active and inactive locations in different habitats found no remarkable differences. Habitat composition of individual home ranges was used to classify animals. If the percentage of forest within a home range exceeded 50% the individual was classified as a ‘forest type’ raccoon dog. If the percentage of forest habitats within a home range was less than 5%, the share of pastureland was mean 81.82% ± 16.92 SD. Consequently the individual was classified as a ‘agrarian type’ raccoon dog. Neither habitat preference nor habitat selection process differed between the two ‘types’. Habitat use and preference is discussed with relation to the ability of the raccoon dog to expand its range towards Western Europe. Males spent noticeably more time (40.5% of the time ±11.7 SD) alone with the pups than females (16.4% of the time ±8.5 SD). Females had noticeably larger 95% kernel home ranges (98.24 ha ±51.71 SD) than males (14.73 ha ±8.16 SD) and moved much longer daily distances (7,368 m ±2,015 SD) than males (4,094 m ±2,886 SD) in six weeks postpartum. The raccoon dogs being studied left the breeding den in the 6th week after the birth of the pups. In situ video observation showed that the male carried prey to the den to provide the female and the litter with food. A clear division of labour took place among parents during the period in which the pups were nursed: males guarded the litter in the den or in close vicinity of it, while the females foraged to satisfy their increased energy requirements. There were relocations of 59 (43.4%) ear-tagged young raccoon dogs and mean distance from marking point was 13.5 km ±20.1 SD. Dispersal mortality rate was 69.5% among young raccoon dogs. Most animals (55.9%) were recovered nearer than 5 km from the marking point, whereas only 8.5% relocations were recorded further than 50 km from the marking point. There was no difference in the distances of relocations between sexes. Most (53.7%) relocations of ear-tagged young raccoon dogs were in August and September and, only 34.1% were recorded from October to April. Hunting (55 %) and traffic (27 %) were the major mortality factors. Radiocollared young raccoon dogs generally dispersed between July and September. The mean natal home range size (MCP 100%) with and without excursions was 502.6 ha ±66.4 SD (n = 9) and 92.1 ha ±66.4 SD (n = 17), respectively. There were no differences between sexes in the month of dispersal. The direction of travel for dispersing animals appeared to be random, with distances from 0.5 km to 91.2 km. A highly flexible dispersing behaviour is certainly one of the reasons which contribute to the high expansion success of the species.

No description available.

La petite mangouste asiatique (Urva auropunctata) est une espèce envahissante à travers son aire de répartition non indigène et un réservoir de la rage faunique dans quatre îles des Caraïbes. La rage de la mangouste représente une menace persistante pour la santé publique et des efforts de recherche sont déployés afin de récolter l’information sur l’écologie de l’espèce nécessaire au développement de stratégies d’interventions pour la contrôler. J’ai appliqué l’approche du travail de terrain guidé par la modélisation afin d’améliorer notre compréhension des facteurs complexes affectant la dynamique de la rage chez la mangouste et de récolter des informations écologiques essentielles pour réaliser des projections pour ce système éco-épidémiologique. J’ai paramétrisé un modèle de simulations à base d’agents à partir de l’information disponible sur la petite mangouste asiatique, puis réalisé une analyse de sensibilité afin d’identifier les paramètres pour lesquels des données empiriques additionnelles sont les plus nécessaires pour améliorer notre capacité de modéliser ce système éco-épidémiologique. Cette initiative de modélisation de la rage de la mangouste a mis en évidence que plus d’information sur les densités spécifiques à l’habitat, les domaines vitaux, les mouvements à fine échelle des adultes, la dispersion juvénile, certains traits biodémographiques et les taux de contacts intraspécifiques amélioreraient substantiellement la paramétrisation du modèle. J’ai choisi de concentrer ma collecte de données empiriques sur trois de ces éléments: la densité spécifique d’habitat, l’utilisation de l’espace, et les interactions intra- et inter-spécifiques. J’ai effectué une étude de marquage-recapture qui a révélé une forte hétérogénéité dans la densité des mangoustes dans différents types d’habitats représentatifs du paysage des îles caribéennes. Les densités les plus grandes ont été mesurées dans les forêts sèches. Puisque les mangoustes n’ont pas de prédateurs sur l’île de Saint-Christophe et qu’elles n’y sont pas exposées au virus de la rage, les densités de mangoustes spécifiques à l’habitat rapportées dans cette étude pourraient être considérées comme des capacités de support du milieu pour les populations des Caraïbes. J’ai aussi mené une étude où 23 mangoustes ainsi que 5 chiens domestiques en liberté étaient suivis simultanément par télémétrie dans le sud de l’île de Puerto Rico. J’ai utilisé les données de localisation GPS pour estimer la taille et le niveau de superposition intra- et interspécifique des domaines vitaux chez ces deux espèces. Les domaines vitaux des mangoustes mesurés étaient plus grand que les tailles rapportées dans des études de suivi par radio-télémétrie très haute fréquence (very high frequency; VHF) réalisées précédemment à Puerto Rico. La collecte de données télémétriques de haute résolution spatiotemporelle a permis l’ajustement d’une fonction de sélection des ressources, qui a révélé qu’à l’échelle de leur domaine vital et dans cette région de Puerto Rico, les mangoustes utilisaient préférentiellement les forêts et les zones arbustives, alors qu’elles avaient tendance à éviter les eaux saumâtres, les marais salants, les terres nues et les zones développées. Les domaines vitaux des mangoustes se chevauchaient fortement, alors que le chevauchement entre les domaines vitaux des mangoustes et des chiens était intermédiaire. Le chevauchement dyadique des domaines vitaux était un facteur prédictif significatif des taux de contacts dyadiques intra- et interspécifiques estimés à partir des enregistreurs de proximité. Les contacts entre mangoustes et entre mangoustes et chiens étaient peu fréquents. Toutes les interactions mangouste-chien impliquaient l’un des trois chiens féraux, alors qu’aucun des deux chiens errants n’a interagi avec des mangoustes. Enfin, alors que les interactions intraspécifiques entre mangoustes se sont produites en milieu naturel, les interactions entre chiens et mangoustes étaient limitées aux bords de routes ou aux lisières de forêts. L’utilisation de l’espace par les chiens errants et leur association avec les humains pourraient donc limiter les contacts directs avec les mangoustes ainsi que les risques de transmission interspécifique de la rage qui pourraient y être associés. Ces résultats peuvent être utilisés pour affiner la paramétrisation ("probabilité d’interaction avec agents de cellules voisines" et "probabilité de transmission" spécifique au sexe) dans notre modèle épidémiologique de la rage chez la mangouste. Reproduire cette étude dans d’autres régions de Puerto Rico où les mangoustes et les chiens domestiques co-occurrent serait indiqué. Finalement, j’ai réalisé une expérience de réduction locale de la densité de population des mangoustes et quantifié les réponses démographique et comportementales de mangoustes équipées de colliers VHF sur le site. La densité de la population des mangoustes est retournée à son niveau initial estimé en sept semaines, principalement via l’immigration de femelles gestantes et/ou en lactation. En outre, des mangoustes munies de colliers émetteurs utilisant le site pour leurs activités quotidiennes avant l’intervention ont augmenté leur présence sur le site pour les cinq à 30 jours suivant la réduction locale de la population. Sur les îles où la rage est endémique, un tel effet de puits à la suite de réduction de la population est susceptible d’avoir des implications sur la dynamique de la rage à l’échelle du paysage. Il remet aussi en question certaines suppositions de modèles de simulation épidémiologique de la rage faunique voulant que le contrôle de la population élimine une proportion d’individus définie par l’utilisateur dans les cellules où l’intervention a lieu, après quoi les processus biologiques et épidémiologiques du modèle reprennent sans altération. Nos résultats suggèrent qu’il pourrait être important d’incorporer des mécanismes spécifiques au sexe et au statut reproducteur pouvant attirer certains individus vers les cellules dépeuplées aux modèles simulant la rage chez cette espèce. Cela permettrait de monitorer les changements dans les mouvements et les contacts sociaux associés à la réduction locale de la population. Les résultats de cette thèse améliorent notre compréhension de l’abondance, de l’utilisation de l’espace et du comportement de l’espèce invasive qu’est la petite mangouste asiatique. Ils fournissent également des données contribuant de manière importante à augmenter notre capacité de modéliser la dynamique de la rage dans les Caraïbes. L’intégration des informations collectées dans le cadre de cette thèse pour raffiner la paramétrisation de simulations de la rage de la mangouste permettra de tester plusieurs hypothèses afin de guider les gestionnaires élaborant des interventions spatiales visant à mitiger les dommages et/ou les conséquences des maladies associées à cette espèce. Ma thèse représente donc un exemple concret de travail interdisciplinaire abordant un problème ‘Une seule santé’, où des modélisateurs et biologistes de terrain ont travaillé étroitement ensemble afin de se pencher sur le défi complexe du contrôle des maladies zoonotiques à l’échelle du paysage en ciblant des populations fauniques. / The small Indian mongoose (Urva auropunctata) is an invasive species across its introduced range and a wildlife rabies reservoir on four Caribbean Islands. Mongoose rabies represents an ongoing public health threat and research efforts have focused on collection of ecological information to guide the development of control intervention strategies. I applied the model-guided fieldwork approach to increase our capability to understand the complex factors impacting mongoose rabies dynamics and to collect critical ecological information for improved predictions in the mongoose rabies system. I parametrized an agent-based simulation model using available information on Caribbean small Indian mongooses, and carried out a local sensitivity analysis to identify parameters for which additional empirical data are most needed to increase our capability to model this eco-epidemiological system. This modelling approach highlighted that additional information on mongoose habitat-specific densities and home range size, adult fine-scale movements, juvenile dispersal, life history traits, and contact rates among conspecifics would substantially improve the parametrization of mongoose rabies models. I then chose to focus empirical data collection on three topics: mongoose habitat-specific density, space use, and intra- and interspecific interactions. I conducted a mark-recapture study that revealed high heterogeneity in mongoose density across four habitat types representative of those commonly found on Caribbean islands, with greatest densities measured in dry forests. Because mongooses have no predators in St. Kitts and are not exposed to rabies virus, the habitat-specific mongoose densities in this study could be considered baseline carrying capacities for populations in the Caribbean. I also conducted a telemetry study where I simultaneously tracked 23 mongooses and five free-roaming domestic dogs (FRDDs) in southern Puerto Rico. I used GPS location data from this study to estimate home range sizes as well as intra- and interspecific space use overlap for both species. Mongoose home range estimates were greater than reported from prior VHF telemetry-based studies in Puerto Rico and facilitated an original resource selection function analysis at the home range scale. The resource selection analysis revealed that mongooses in this area of Puerto Rico preferentially use dry forest and shrubland areas, but tend to avoid brackish water vegetation, salt marshes, barren lands and more developed areas. Mongooses displayed high intraspecific home range overlap, and intermediate space use overlap with FRDDs. Home range overlap was a significant predictor of intra- and interspecific contact rates estimated from proximity loggers. All mongoose-dog interactions involved three feral dogs, while two stray dogs did not interact with mongooses. Finally, while intraspecific interactions among mongooses occurred in wildlands, mongoose-dog interactions were spatially restricted to road and forest edges. The space use by stray FRDDs and association to humans may thus play a role in limiting direct contacts with mongooses and the associated risks of rabies virus cross-species transmission. These findings can be used to refine contact and interaction parameters in our mongoose rabies epidemiological model. Study replication in other areas of Puerto Rico with dog and mongoose co-occurrence may be warranted. Lastly, I conducted a localized mongoose population reduction experiment and quantified the demographic and behavioural responses of individual radio-collared mongooses on the study site. Mongoose population density recovered to the pre-intervention levels within seven weeks of removal, mostly via the immigration of pregnant and/or nursing females. Additionally, radio-collared mongooses that used the site for their daily activities prior to the intervention increased their daily presence on the site for five to 30 days following removal. On rabies-endemic islands, this sink effect following local population reduction may have implications for rabies dynamics at the landscape level. It also challenges some assumptions in epidemiological models of wildlife rabies, in which culling eliminates a user-specified proportion of individuals from the cells subject to this intervention, after which biological and epidemiological processes resume unaltered. Our results suggest sex- and reproductive status-specific mechanisms may attract certain animals to removal areas and may be important to incorporate into mongoose rabies simulation models to track changes in animal movements and social contacts following localized population reduction. Taken together, the findings from this thesis improve our understanding of the invasive small Indian mongoose abundance, space use and behaviour, as well as providing valuable data to improve models of rabies dynamics across the Caribbean region. Integrating the empirical information collected as part of this thesis to refine and simulate mongoose rabies will facilitate focused hypothesis testing to help guide managers in designing spatial interventions to mitigate damage and/or disease conflicts associated with this species. My thesis therefore provides an operational example of how interdisciplinary work can effectively address a One Health challenge, with modellers and field biologists working together to tackle the complex issue of landscape level control of a zoonotic disease targeting wildlife populations.