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In March 2019, a Stripe-backed Weasel, Mustela strigidorsa, was observed in Hkakabo Razi Landscape, Myanmar. Although geographically widespread in southeastern Asia and neighboring areas of northeastern India and southern China, relatively little is known of this small carnivore, which is seldom recorded in camera traps or seen in the wild. In Myanmar, there are 24 previously published records, almost all from mountainous areas. The recent sighting was of a solitary animal, which was foraging at an altitude of 580 m in a thickly vegetated area in montane evergreen forest, close to a stream. The photographs and video footage are the first for the species from the country.

The Altai weasel, Mustela altaicaPallas 1811 (Carnivora: Mustelidae), is widely distributed across open landscapes of central and eastern Asia. The geographical variation in skull morphology and taxonomic composition of this small mustelid remain poorly known. Based on extensive sampling in museum collections, we analyzed morphometric variation in 23 cranial characters of 232 M. altaica specimens from across its entire range. The multivariate analysis (nonmetric multidimensional scaling) revealed a geographical pattern of variation in cranial size and shape. Based on this result, two morphological groups have been comprehensively characterized. Weasels of the first group differ from those of the second in having larger skulls, wider neurocrania, elongated toothrows, and larger carnassial teeth, as well as in sexual size dimorphism. The first group is confined to the southwestern part of the species range (Tien Shan Mountains, Pamir, the Himalayas, and southern Tibet). The second group is widespread from the foothills of Tien Shan in the west to Khingan and Manchuria in the east. The distribution of the two groups of M. altaica is consistent with the “Out-of-Tibet” hypothesis. The first group presumably can be attributed to M. a. temonHodgson, 1857, whereas the second group can be treated as nominotypical M. a. altaicaPallas, 1811.

The Colombian weasel, Neogale felipei (Izor & de la Torre, 1978), is one of the most enigmatic and threatened carnivores in South America, with only six confirmed records in the Andes of Ecuador and Colombia. During a long-term trail camera survey conducted at Mesenia-Paramillo Natural Reserve, we recorded the northernmost occurrence of the species, which extends its distribution by approximately 120 km to the north from the nearest previously known locality in Colombia. We also provide some comments on its natural history.

Global membership of the HEA fellowship scheme is increasing. Despite the focus by academic developers on supporting staff to achieve fellowship, there is limited research that examines whether it improves teaching and the learning experience. Our detailed survey of educators in the UK and Australia indicates perceptions of impact on individuals, practice, and community. Importantly for academic developers, the reflective act of developing a fellowship has potential to shape the student learning experience. However, some staff are frustrated and disillusioned by their experience. We call for institutions to design development and recognition that maximise impact and acknowledge the benefits valued by educators.

At the premiere of Euripides’ Orestes in 408 BCE, the actor Hegelochos, playing the part of Orestes, made a small but destructive error in his performance: while attempting to deliver the line ‘after the storm I see once more a calm’, he said instead, ‘after the storm I see once more a weasel’. The comic poets Strattis, Sannyrion, and Aristophanes each present versions of this error in their plays; this paper contextualizes their treatment of Hegelochos within the portrayal of tragic actors in comedy generally, and argues that they portray Hegelochos’ mistake as an act of instantaneous tragic parody.

This paper studies the mongoose (ichneumon) as a predator widely represented in the fowling and fishing scenes, chasing birds in a papyrus thicket. From the predynastic period, several scholars attempted to attest the mongoose among other animals prevailed at this time, which had been called different names in ancient Egyptian language. It also deals with specific features of mongoose in order to differentiate it from other similar animals such as Otter and Weasel. The paper reviews many tomb scenes of the mongoose as a predator of young birds in their nests, with several scenes, causing the belief that the ancient Egyptian trying to tame it. Besides, it discusses the unrealistic appearance of the papyrus thicket in which the animals were preyed, as a fictional rather than a true reflection of wildlife. furthermore, the religious meaning interpreted these scenes. Especially, all related scenes were found in a funerary context and therefore one expects them to have a religious dimension, even though this was not explicitly stated.

Small mammal abundances are frequently limited by resource availability, but predators can exert strong lethal (mortality) and nonlethal (e.g., nest abandonment) limitations. Artificially increasing resource availability for uncommon small mammals provides a unique opportunity to examine predator–prey interactions. We used remote cameras to monitor 168 nest platforms placed in the live tree canopy (n = 23 young forest stands), primarily for arboreal red tree voles (tree voles; Arborimus longicaudus), over 3 years (n = 15,510 monitoring‐weeks). Tree voles frequently built nests and were detected 37% of monitoring‐weeks, whereas flying squirrels (Glaucomys oregonensis) built nests infrequently but were detected 45% of monitoring‐weeks. Most nest predators were detected infrequently (, In a multi‐year study, manipulative study, we observed strong responses of prey to additions of artificial nest platforms in the tree canopy. This was followed by a differential response based on foraging mode by their predators in year 3 with active, seeking predators exhibiting the strongest interactions with prey at nest platforms. We concluded that foraging mode can mediate predator–prey interactions in the tree canopy.

In spite of their potential important role in shaping small mammal population dynamics, weasel (Mustela nivalis) and stoat (Mustela erminea) are understudied due to the difficulty of detecting these species. Furthermore, their conservation status in many countries is unknown due to lack of monitoring techniques. There is thus an important need for a method to detect these small mustelids. In this study, we tested the efficiency of a recently developed camera trapping device, the Mostela, as a new technique to detect mustelids in a study area near Dieren, the Netherlands. We placed Mostelas in linear landscape features, and other microhabitats thought to be frequently visited by weasels, from March to October 2017 and February to October 2018. We tested for yearly and monthly differences in site use and detectability, as well as the effect of entrance tube size, using an occupancy modelling framework. We found large seasonal differences in site use and detectability of weasels with the highest site use in June to October and highest detection probability in August and September. Detection probability was approximately two times higher for Mostelas with a 10-cm entrance tube compared with 8-cm. Furthermore, we were able to estimate activity patterns based on the time of detection, identify the sex in most detections (69.5%), and distinguish several individuals. Concluding, the Mostela seems promising as a non-invasive monitoring tool to study the occurrence and ecology of small mustelids. Further development of individual recognition from images would enable using the Mostela for density estimates applying capture-recapture models.

Indispensability arguments are among the strongest arguments in support of mathematical realism. Given the controversial nature of their conclusions, it is not surprising that critics have supplied a number of rejoinders to these arguments. In this paper, I focus on one such rejoinder, Melia’s ‘Weasel Response’. The weasel is someone who accepts that scientific theories imply that there are mathematical objects, but then proceeds to ‘take back’ this commitment. While weaseling seems improper, accounts supplied in the literature have failed to explain why. Drawing on examples of weaseling in more mundane contexts, I develop an account of the presumption against weaseling as grounded in a misalignment between two types of commitments. This is good news to the weasel’s opponents. It reinforces that they were right to question the legitimacy of weaseling. This account is also beneficial to the weasel. Uncovering the source of the presumption against weaseling also serves to draw out the challenge that the weasel must meet to override this presumption—what is required to be an ‘honest weasel’.

A weasel word is a term used in academic or political discourse whose meaning is so imprecise or badly defined that it impedes the formulation of coherent thought on the subject to which it is applied, or leads to unsubstantiated conclusions. In this symposium we consider several key terms central to the study of postcommunist politics and discuss the extent to which they fall into this category. The terms discussed here include regime terminology, the notion of postcommunism, the geographic entity “Eurasia,” socialism, populism, and neoliberalism. While the authors come to different conclusions about the extent to which these terms are weasel words, they also provide pointers for how to deploy terms in ways that are consistent with the underlying concept and thus aid in the cumulation of knowledge about the region.

Presence and absence are the situations that the individual determines through the other. The individual, who makes sense of and positions her/his existence through the other, begins to face reality when she/he realizes her/his own limits and potential. Facing the reality and looking beyond the reality takes place with the haunting of the ghosts that the individual carries within herself/himself. These ghosts, always there but revealing their existence only when seen, haunting with the same demand until seen, have a disturbing being with their timeless and uncanny presence. Jacques Derrida explains this power that tries to come out from the inside in the individual's confrontation with herself/himself, these moments of confrontation where suppressed presences try to show themselves, with haunting. When the state of being uncanny, which can be defined by Sigmund Freud's concept of unheimlich, is combined with Derrida's interpretations of haunting, traces and ghosts, the individual's state of defining her/his own existence through the other becomes different. In this definition, the other ceases to be an absolute necessity; the other becomes only an intermediary. In the study, the movie Weasel (Gelincik, Orçun Benli, 2020) is examined through the theories of haunting, the uncanny and ghost. The limits of being haunted, ghostly and uncanny were discussed, and the methods in which the uncanny atmosphere was achieved in the narrative were found out., Varlık ve yokluk, bireyin öteki üzerinden ölçtüğü durumlardır. Mevcudiyetini öteki üzerinden anlamlandıran ve konumlandıran birey, kendi sınırlarını ve potansiyelini fark ettiğinde gerçeklikle yüzleşmeye başlar. Gerçeklikle yüzleşmek ve gerçekliğin ötesine bakmak, bireyin kendi içerisinde taşıdığı hayaletlerin musallat olmasıyla gerçekleşir. Hep orada olan ama yalnızca görüldüğünde varlığını ortaya çıkaran, görülene dek aynı taleple musallat olan bu hayaletler, zamansız ve tekinsiz mevcudiyetleriyle rahatsız edici bir oluşa sahiptirler. Jacques Derrida, bireyin kendiyle yüzleşmesinde içeriden dışarıya doğru çıkmaya çalışan bu gücü ve musallat olma halini, bastırılmış mevcudiyetlerin kendini göstermeye çalıştığı bu yüzleşme anlarını musallatbilim ile açıklar. Sigmund Freud’un unheimlich kavramıyla tanımlanabilen tekinsiz olma hali, Derrida’nın musallatbilim, iz ve hayalet yorumlamalarıyla birleştiğinde bireyin kendi mevcudiyetini öteki üzerinden tanımlama hali farklılaşır. Bu tanımlayışta öteki, mutlak gereklilik olmaktan çıkar; öteki, yalnızca bir aracı haline gelir. Çalışmada, Orçun Benli’nin yönetmenliğini üstlendiği 2020 yapımı filmi Gelincik, musallatbilim, tekinsizlik ve hayalet teorileri üzerinden incelenmiştir. Musallat olmanın, hayaletin ve tekinsizlik halinin sınırları tartışılmış, tekinsiz atmosferin anlatıda hangi yöntemlerle sağlandığı bulgulanmıştır.

Canine distemper is a high-impact disease of many mammal species and has caused substantial carnivore population declines. Analysis was conducted on passive surveillance data of canine distemper (CDV)-positive wild mammal cases submitted to the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Athens, Georgia, US, between January 1975 and December 2019. Overall, 964 cases from 17 states were CDV positive, including 646 raccoons (Procyon lotor), 254 gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), 33 striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), 18 coyotes (Canis latrans), four red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), three gray wolves (Canis lupus), three American black bears (Ursus americanus), two American mink (Mustela vison), and one long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata). Raccoon and gray fox case data from the state of Georgia (n=441) were selected for further analysis. Autoregressive integrated moving average models were developed predicting raccoon and gray fox case numbers. The best-performing model for gray foxes used numbers of gray fox CDV cases from the previous 2 mo and of raccoon cases in the present month to predict the numbers of gray fox cases in the present month. The best-performing model for raccoon prediction used numbers of raccoon CDV cases from the previous month and of gray fox cases in the present month and previous 2 mo to predict numbers of raccoon cases in the present month. Temporal trends existed in CDV cases for both species, with cases more likely to occur during the breeding season. Spatial clustering of cases was more likely to occur in areas of medium to high human population density; fewer cases occurred in both the most densely populated and sparsely populated areas. This pattern was most prominent for raccoons, which may correspond to high transmission rates in suburban areas, where raccoon population densities are probably highest, possibly because of a combination of suitable habitat and supplemental resources.

We investigated the genetic diversity and distribution pattern of mitochondrial DNA control-region haplotypes across the distributional range of the Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica) in Eastern Eurasia. We identified 23 haplotypes from 65 individuals sampled from 21 localities. Our analyses showed two major phylogeographical groups: group I comprised continental Russia, Tsushima and Korea, and group II comprised China, Taiwan and Korea. Two novel haplotypes found in the Amur area and one from Gansu Province were closely related to the Tsushima and Taiwan clades, respectively. Phylogeographical and demographic analyses indicated a recent population expansion for group I, whereas no clear evidence for expansion was obtained for group II. The recent expansion of group I is also supported by historical records. Closely related haplotypes were found between the continental populations and the insular populations on Tsushima and Taiwan, suggesting that the ancestors of the insular populations immigrated from the continent via land bridges. The two groups could have evolved allopatrically in parts of eastern Asia differing in climate and vegetation.

This work presents the results of a three-year natural environment experiment in a cave in Barsukovskaya, Siberia), aimed at assessing the possible impact of mammals preying on a wintering group of bats. The average consumed biomass amount per year was about 2108 g and the estimated number of prey animals was 214, which is about 20% of the maximum number of animals observed. The biomass consumed poorly correlates with the number of animals in the cave. The proportion of the various species remaining in the excrement of predators is strongly determined by the number of these species in the accessible part of the cave. The amount of excrement indicates the regular predatism on bats and, therefore, the presence of specific behavioural adaptation in Mustela sibirica.

The Colombian weasel Mustela felipei is considered the rarest Neotropical carnivore only known from four localities in Colombia and one in Ecuador. It is considered Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List along its distributional range. We present an unexpected photographic record of a living specimen from Colombia that shed lights on its distribution on the Western Cordillera of Colombia, where it was previously known from single a record obtained on 1986. This is the first confirmed record of the Colombian weasel during the 21st century. Finally, we discuss the species’ occurrence in protected areas of Colombia, to provide tools for the conservation of this rare species.

Most members of the Mustelidae family living in the Central Non-Black Earth Region of Russia are the objects of sport and commercial hunting. Some of them are bred in fur farms (mink, polecat) and kept at home as decorative animals. The close contact of a person with various members of the family of mustelids, which increase with the development of urbanization processes, makes significant role of mustelids as sources of dangerous invasions for humans and animals (trichinosis, echinococcosis, etc.). We examined 48 ferrets, 107 American minks, 25 European minks, and 11 otters in order to determine the species composition of animal parasites, in the period 2000–2018. They were examined according to methods commonly used in parasitology about muscle tissue, internal organs, and thoracic and abdominal cavity. Animals for research were obtained from hunters from the Central region of the Russian Federation. Studies have shown that ferrets are invased with 8 species of parasites belonging to two classes: Trematoda (3 species) and Nematoda (5 species). The parasitic fauna of the minks was represented by 15 species of worms: Trematoda (2 species), Cestoda (1 species), Nematoda (12 species). The American mink is infested with 14 helminth species and the European mink with 11 species. Otters were infested with 2 classes of parasites: Trematoda (1 species) and Nematoda (1 species). We explain the high contamination of ferrets and minks of E. perfoliatus by the constant presence of animals at the reservoirs where the intermediate owners of helminths (fish) live. Also, a significant proportion in the diet of many species of weasels are tailless amphibians (frogs), which explains the infection of semi-aquatic animals with an unusual species of trematodes Alaria alata (larvae).

In this field note, we detail video evidence of Spilogale putorius (Eastern Spotted Skunk) further excavating a den site that was subsequently visited by Mustela frenata (Long-tailed Weasel). In October 2019 in Burke County, NC, we tracked a radio-collared Eastern Spotted Skunk to a small ground burrow. A camera trap was set outside the den entrance for 7 days. During this period, we observed that the burrow was occupied by 1 or more individual spotted skunks, and concurrently occupied by 2 spotted skunks on at least 1 occasion. The burrow was further excavated by 1 of the spotted skunks, representing the first recorded footage of this behavior in the Eastern Spotted Skunk. On 1 occasion, between visits to the den by the spotted skunks, a Long-tailed Weasel investigated the burrow. This observation represents one of the first close associations between these cryptic species.

Cyclic fluctuations of prey have profound effects on the functioning of ecosystems, for example, by changing the dynamics, behavior, and intraguild interactions of predators. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of rodent cyclic fluctuations in the interspecific interactions of a guild of small- and medium-sized predators: red fox (Vulpes vulpes), pine marten (Martes martes), and weasels (Mustela erminea and Mustela nivalis) in the boreal ecosystem. We analyzed eight years (2007–2014) of snow tracking data from southeastern Norway using structural equation models to assess hypothesized networks of causal relationships. Our results show that fluctuations in rodent abundance alter the strength of predator’s interactions, as well as the effect of determinant environmental variables. Pine marten and weasel abundances were positively associated with rodent population growth rate, but not red fox abundance. All predators were positively associated with each other; however, the association between red fox and the other predators weakened when rodents increased. Rodent fluctuations had variable effects on the habitat use of the predators. The presence of agricultural land was important for all predators, but this importance weakened for the mustelids as rodent abundance increased. We discuss the shifting role of interference and exploitative competition as possible mechanisms behind these patterns. Overall, we highlight the importance of accounting for the dynamics of prey resources when studying interspecific interactions among predators. Additionally, we demonstrate the importance of monitoring the predator populations in order to anticipate undesirable outcomes such as increased generalist predator abundances to the detriment of specialists.

There is no such thing. A radiologist hearing the phrase ‘fit 90 year old’ will smile in recognition. It is a cliche you’ve heard a thousand times before. It is also a weasel phrase as, frankly, it is borderline dishonest. The use of such a phrase is a marker of a fairly ballsy clinician; one who is prepared to bend the truth to achieve their goals.

Дается краткое описание организации зимних маршрутных учетов шести видов мелких куньих рода Mustela, зарегистрированных на территории заповедника «Басеги» (Средний Урал, Пермский край). На основании многолетнего ряда наблюдений (1984–2021) проводится анализ основных тенденций в динамике численности поголовья ласки, горностая, колонка, американской и европейской норки, лесного хоря на территории заповедника., A brief description of the organization of winter route records of six species of small marten of the genus Mustela registered on the territory of the Basegi reserve (Middle Urals, Perm Krai) is given, based on a long-term series of observations (1984–2021), the analysis of the main trends in the dynamics of the number of weasel, ermine, column, American and European mink, forest polecat on the territory of the reserve is carried out.

Small carnivores are of increasing conservation concern globally, including those formerly thought to be widespread and abundant. Three weasel species (Mustela nivalis,M.frenata, andM.erminea) are distributed across most of North America, yet several recent studies have reported difficulty detecting weasels within their historical range and several states have revised the status of weasels to that of species of conservation concern. To investigate the status and trends of weasels across the United States (US) and Canada, we analyzed four separate datasets: historical harvests, museum collections, citizen scientist observations (iNaturalist), and a recent US-wide trail camera survey. We observed 87–94% declines in weasel harvest across North America over the past 60 years. Declining trapper numbers and shifts in trapping practices likely partially explain the decline in harvest. Nonetheless, after accounting for trapper effort and pelt price, we still detected a significant decline in weasel harvest for 15 of 22 evaluated states and provinces. Comparisons of recent and historical museum and observational records suggest relatively consistent distributions forM.erminea, but a current range gap of >1000 km between two distinct populations ofM.nivalis. We observed a dramatic drop-off inM.frenatarecords since 2000 in portions of its central, Great Lakes, and southern distribution, despite extensive sampling effort. In 2019, systematic trail camera surveys at 1509 sites in 50 US states detected weasels at 14 sites, all of which were above 40olatitude. While none of these datasets are individually conclusive, they collectively support the hypothesis that weasel populations have declined in North America and highlight the need for improved methods for detecting and monitoring weasels. By identifying population declines for small carnivores that were formerly abundant across North America, our findings echo recent calls to expand investigations into the conservation need of small carnivores globally.

Due to its rarity, restricted range, and nocturnal habits, direct observations of the endangered Glaucomys sabrinus coloratus (Carolina Northern Flying Squirrel) are uncommon. Although a variety of predators have been documented for Glaucomys sabrinus (Northern Flying Squirrel) in the Pacific Northwest, published reports of predation events on the G.s. coloratus subspecies are lacking. Here we report on a predation incident of a Mustela frenata (Long-tailed Weasel) taking a Carolina Northern Flying Squirrel from an owl nest box.

James is a weirdo – a dirty little weasel. He’s Gene’s grandson, he’s blood, but she stakes no claim. Without warning, he throws the cat in the spit roast. It’s a horrible mess. The cat’s torso thwacks against the drum of the spit and her underbelly is singed bare. Her front paws land in the coals

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a catastrophic impact on human health. Widespread community transmission has triggered stringent distancing measures with severe socioeconomic consequences. Gaining control of the pandemic will depend on interruption of transmission chains until protective herd immunity arises. Ferrets and related members of the weasel genus transmit SARS-CoV-2 efficiently with minimal clinical signs, resembling spread in the young-adult population. We previously reported an orally efficacious nucleoside analog inhibitor of influenza viruses, EIDD-2801 (or MK-4482), that was repurposed against SARS-CoV-2 and is in phase II/III clinical trials. Employing the ferret model, we demonstrate in this study high SARS-CoV-2 burden in nasal tissues and secretions that coincides with efficient direct-contact transmission. Therapeutic treatment of infected animals with twice-daily MK-4482/EIDD-2801 significantly reduced upper respiratory tract SARS-CoV-2 load and completely suppressed spread to untreated contact animals. This study identifies oral MK-4482/EIDD-2801 as a promising antiviral countermeasure to break SARS-CoV-2 community transmission chains.

Changes in the abundance of one prey species may indirectly affect other prey species by triggering responses in generalist predators. Here we examine relationships between two prey species that do not compete directly, the field vole Microtus agrestis, a common rodent with fluctuating populations, and the red grouse Lagopus lagopus scotica, a gamebird inhabiting open moorland, during a 27-year study on a moor in south-west Scotland. First, we test whether vole abundance was related to grouse density and demographic rates. Second, we test whether vole abundance was related to abundance indices of four common predators of both voles and grouse (red fox Vulpes vulpes, weasel Mustela nivalis, hen harrier Circus cyaneus and common buzzard Buteo buteo). Third, we test whether these vole–grouse and vole–predator relationships differ in relation to grouse management, which includes the culling of foxes and weasels. We found no association between vole abundance and grouse densities, adult summer survival or nesting success. However, the ratio of young grouse per adult and the proportion of female grouse with broods in July were negatively associated with field vole abundance, suggesting increased predation of grouse chicks in years with high vole abundance. Fox indices showed a weak positive association with vole abundance when their numbers were not controlled, whilst weasel indices showed no relationship with voles. The numbers of breeding hen harriers and buzzards were also not associated with vole abundance, but the number of buzzard sightings was higher when voles were more plentiful. Our results are consistent with a negative interaction between field voles and red grouse chick survival in a pattern expected for apparent competition. Although the underlying mechanisms could not be disentangled, this interaction may be at least partly mediated by rodent-hunting raptors such as buzzards and, in periods without grouse management, foxes.

Use of camera traps for non-invasive data collection is increasingly common in wildlife studies. This technique presents a valuable, but generally unexploited, opportunity to learn about carnivore diet through direct observations of predators with prey. To highlight this potential, we present a collection of photographic observations from Michipicoten Island, ON, Canada, that improve our knowledge of the diets of northern carnivores. These include the first documentation of Vulpes vulpes (Red Fox) consumption of a Colaptes auratus (Northern Flicker) and the first photographic evidence of wintertime consumption of a Lithobates sp. (frog) by a Mustela erminea (Short-tailed Weasel). We discuss the implications of these observations and the use of camera traps to gather data on carnivore diets, including caveats to this technique.

Mesocarnivores uniquely and profoundly impact ecosystem function, structure, and dynamics. Sympatric species tend to spatially and temporally partition limited resources to facilitate coexistence. We investigated the seasonal spatial and temporal cooccurrences among six mesocarnivores, the leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), Asian badger (Meles leucurus), Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica), masked palm civet (Paguma larvata) and yellow-throated marten (Martes flavigula), as well as a single apex predator (Northern Chinese leopard, Panthera pardus japonensis). We used a camera trapping dataset collected from June 2016 to May 2017 (16,636 camera trapping days, 52 camera locations). The activity patterns varied among seasons and species. Most species were most active during summer. Leopards were most active in winter. Siberian weasels and yellow-throated martens were mainly diurnal, tended to spatially avoid each other, and were temporally segregated from the other mesocarnivores. Leopard cats, Asian badgers, red foxes and masked palm civets were nocturnal and showed high overlap in every season, but their highest peaks of activity were staggered. Mesocarnivores may be affected by the threat of the apex carnivore; they mainly avoided leopards spatially, showing low spatial overlap with leopards in all seasons. Interestingly, we found that the animals may engage in temporal-spatial coordination to facilitate coexistence, as increased temporal overlap in a given season was associated with decreased spatial overlap. Our results provide new insight into the carnivore community of terrestrial mammals in northern China and will facilitate future studies on the mechanisms determining the coexistence of animal species within the trophic cascade. Keywords: Camera trap, Sympatric species, Mesocarnivore coexistence, Activity pattern, Spatial overlap

This paper describes and offers a corrective for problematic implications of classic paradigms of serendipitous discovery in science, such as the narrative that Fleming discovered penicillin. As us...