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Results

Visual observation

Number of the selected behaviours in each treatment . * : p<0.05, ** : p<0.01, *** : p<0.001

Olfactory treatment

The catnip treatment was found to induce a significantly higher number of biting, licking, rubbing, and sniffing than the control, cinnamon and valerian treatments. The lynxes interacted significantly more with the catnip treatment compared to the other two treatments and control.

The cinnamon treatment was found to induce significantly higher number of rubbing than the control treatment.

Sound treatment: Mean duration of selected behaviour per treatment phase for the lynxes. * : p<0.05, ** : p<0.01, *** : p<0.001. . Coloured bars show mean and vertical lines show ± SE.

Auditory treatment

The sound treatments were found to induce a significantly higher duration of sound-directed behaviours (alert, approach, investigate, retreat, watching) compared to the pre-treatment and post-treatment phase

The sound treatments were found to induce a significantly higher duration of social behaviour compared to the pre-treatment and post-treatment phase

During the treatment phase, the lynxes spent more time directed towards the treatment when roe deer barks, lynx calls and lynx growls were played compared to the control sounds.

During treatment phase, the lynxes spent more time on social behaviour  when the lynx calls were played compared to the control, lynx growls, roe deer barks and mouse sounds.

 

Duration of social and treatment directed behaviours per sound treatments. * : p<0.05, ** : p<0.01, *** : p<0.001

The cricket treatments were found to induce a significantly higher duration of approach behaviours compared to the pre-treatment and post-treatment phases.

Automatic logging

Number of selected behaviours identified for the three lynxes in the wildlife camera photos in the different scent treatments

Reconyx hyperfire camera

The total number of photos taken was 93, including all 9 treatments for all animal. For each photo only one behaviour (approach, investigate, rubbing or scent marking) was recorded. Approach was seen in 51 photos, investigate in 17 photos, rubbing in 2 photos and scent-marking in 23 photos .

There was no significant differences in the number of the selected behaviours between the scents

HDX PIT tag and BLE tag detections. Total number of visits at the scent station for each odour treatment * : p<0.05, ** : p<0.01, *** : p<0.001

HDX PIT tag

The lynxes visited more often  the catnip treatment compared to the control. There was also significantly more visits with the valerian treatment compared to the control treatment and in the cinnamon treatment compared to the control treatment.

There was no significant difference between the odour treatments and the mean duration of visits per session 

BLE tag

There was no significant association between the total number of visits and each odour treatment.

There was no significant difference between the odour treatments and the mean duration of visits per session 

Pacing

There was no significant difference between the sensory treatment and the duration of pacing per session measured by behavioural observation or by monitoring technology (HDX PIT tag).
None of the sensory treatments were found to decrease pacing


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Last updated: 05/17/19