Scent-marking strategies of a solitary carnivore: boundary and road scent marking in the leopard

Animal Scent Marking

Scent-marking and intrasexual competition in a cooperative carnivore with low reproductive skew

Most mammals scent-mark and a variety of hypotheses have been put forward to explain this behaviour. Differences in the main function of scent-marking between species are likely to be related to differences in social systems. Here, we investigate the functions of scent-marking in a cooperatively breeding carnivore. In the banded mongoose (Mungos mungo), individuals of both sexes commonly breed ...

Scent-marking in the yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris)

Cheek-marking in yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) was studied by observations of cheek-marking in two colonies from 10 June to 6 August, 1996 and by experimental studies of responses to olfactory secretions from the perioral gland. The rate of cheek-marking declined significantly as the season progressed. Most cheek-marking occurred within 3 m of the main burrow system and was prim...

Scent-marking displays provide honest signals of health and infection

Males of many species produce scent marks and other olfactory signals that function to intimidate rivals and attract females. It has been suggested that scent marks provide an honest, cheat-proof display of an individual’s health and condition. Here we report several findings that address this hypothesis in wild-derived house mice (Mus musculus domesticus). (1) We exposed males to female odor, ...

Home range formation in wolves due to scent marking.

Social carnivores, such as wolves and coyotes, have distinct and well-defined home ranges. During the formation of these home ranges scent marks provide important cues regarding the use of space by familiar and foreign packs. Previous models for territorial pattern formation have required a den site as the organizational center around which the territory is formed. However, well-defined wolf ho...