Agouti is a common rodent living in tropical areas. Ocelot is again a common predator. Aguti feed on fruit trees, ocelot feed agutiy. "Where it is difficult to find food, agutiové spend much more time searching for food, instead, to hide in the shelter and spend," explains Patrick Jansen context of Wageningen University, which participated in the research. "And in the search for food can easily become food for the ocelot."
Scientists to study behavior agutiů and ocelots have used radio collars that allowed 24 hours a day, seven days a week to monitor the movement and position of the animal. The study was chosen Barro Colorado Island. On it were several sites rich in food, in other places it was contrary enough food.
Scientists in the field watching how they spend their day and how agutiové ocelots. Under normal circumstances, it passed. Agutiové they labored through the day and to seek their dark hiding places. At the time, on his night went hunting ocelots.
During the observation ocelotům managed to catch seventeen agutiů. Most of them managed to catch just after sunset or just before sunrise, at a time when most agutiů is in hiding. It was usually about the unfortunate rodent that failed during the day to collect enough food and hunger drove them to look for something to eat. Sami, however, become food.
"It is believed that hungry animals are more prone to take risks," says Jansen. "We, however, managed to first examine how the behavior of prey and predator behavior."
Source: Ekolist.cz