Preliminary study of gull (Laridae) scavenging and dispersal of vertebrate remains, Shoals Marine Laboratory, Coastal New England

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Bone dispersal by vertebrate taxa in an urban park environment in New England, USA

James T. Pokines et al.

Summary: This study investigated the dispersal behavior of dry bones in a forested urban environment populated by various scavenging taxa. Game cameras were used to document the behavior, revealing that bones were dispersed in small amounts with the majority of movements within 1-5 cm range. Rodents were found to have gnawed on 72.7% of the bone sample, indicating their significant impact on bone dispersal.

FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL (2021)

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Review Biodiversity Conservation

Predation and Scavenging in the City: A Review of Spatio-Temporal Trends in Research

Alvaro Luna et al.

Summary: This study reviewed the scientific literature on urban carnivores to identify biases in research, revealing a general oversight of scavenging compared to predation in urban carnivore studies. Research was found to be biased towards temperate cities, with tropical regions being less represented, especially in scavenging studies. Reported species mainly consisted of wild and domestic mammals with high meat-based diets and nocturnal habits, with studies primarily conducted in the interior zone of cities rather than peri-urban areas. Understanding the trophic role of carnivores in urban environments will require a full recognition of both their predation and scavenging facets.

DIVERSITY-BASEL (2021)

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Article Ornithology

Urban gulls adapt foraging schedule to human-activity patterns

Anouk Spelt et al.

Summary: The study observed and tracked urban gulls and found that they can adjust their foraging behavior according to human activity schedules, indicating adaptability to city environments. The birds' activity closely matched school breaks and waste centre opening times, while in parks, their behavior seemed to be more influenced by natural food availability.

IBIS (2021)

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Article Multidisciplinary Sciences