Leopards Panthera pardus are classified in the IUCN Red List as Vulnerable, primarily due to habitat loss, natural prey base depletion and exploitation caused by various anthropogenic activities. Although protected areas are important for leopard conservation, the majority of suitable leopard habitat lies beyond protected area boundaries exposing individuals to different environmental, physiological and psychosocial stressors. This study aimed to examine the suitability of five different enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) for monitoring adrenocortical function in the leopard based on faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) analysis. After performing an adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test and investigating the stability of fGCM post-defaecation, faeces from free-ranging leopards in a peri-urban and a conservation area were collected to investigate the potential impact of habitat variability on glucocorticoid output. An EIA measuring fGCM with a 5α-3β-11β-diol structure performed best, demonstrating a ∼200%–330% increase in fGCM concentrations approximately 40 h post-ACTH administration. Concentrations of fGCM remained quite stable for up to six days post-defaecation and showed a maximum increase of 8% and a maximum decrease of 9%. Although not significantly different, overall median fGCM concentrations were 68% higher in individuals utilising the peri-urban area compared with leopards utilising the conservation area. The ranges of fGCM concentrations between sites, however, were similar. Individual median fGCM concentrations differed distinctly between free-ranging males and females, possibly linked to female reproductive status. The established method can now assist in addressing some of the issues facing local wildlife managers, conservationists and researchers tackling various aspects related to leopard conservation and management under different land-use practices.

Despite the diversity of mesocarnivores and the broad geographic ranges of these species, our understanding of their behaviour and ecology at multi-species and community levels is limited. Our study was conducted between April and mid-July 2015 and used data collected over 105 days from 39 camera traps to quantify activity patterns of sympatric mesocarnivores in riparian and grassland habitats of Telperion Nature Reserve, South Africa. A total of 13 mesocarnivore species were detected within this relatively small (∼7350 ha) reserve. Sufficient records (≥10 records) were obtained for rusty-spotted genet (Genetta maculata), black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas), otter species (African clawless otter, Aonyx capensis, and spotted-necked otter, Hydrictis maculicollis), serval (Leptailurus serval ), slender mongoose (Galerella sanguinea), yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata) and marsh mongoose (Atilax paludinosus). Generalized linear models were used to investigate whether species ID, temperature, vegetation characteristics or moon phase best predicted temporal activity. To assess which species had the highest potential for competitive interaction, we also quantified the coefficient of activity overlap. Our results show that species ID and temperature were the best predictors of mesocarnivore activity. Slender and yellow mongooses displayed the highest coefficient of activity overlap (0.90), followed by marsh mongoose and rusty-spotted genet (0.80), and serval and rusty-spotted genet (0.79). These species are likely to have the highest potential for competitive interactions, but preferences for different vegetation characteristics and variations in the estimated relative abundance may point to coexistence through spatial and fine-scale temporal partitioning. The other species exhibited lower coefficients of activity overlap with each other, suggesting they may coexist through temporal partitioning of resources.