coastal grassland patterns

Daily activity of stoats (Mustela erminea), feral ferrets (Mustela furo) and feral house cats (Felis catus) in coastal grassland, Otago Peninsula, New Zealand

This radio-tracking study reports the daily activity rhythms in autumn and spring of 11 stoats (Mustela erminea) (9 male, 2 female), 20 ferrets (M.furo) (8 m, 12 f) and 11 feral house cats (Felis catus) (7 m, 4 f) resident on coastal grassland, Otago Peninsula, New Zealand. Activity rhythms differed markedly amongst individual stoats in autumn, but little amongst individual cats and ferrets in either season. Stoats were equally active day and night in autumn, but were more active at day than at night in spring.