High Ambient Temperatures Are Associated With Reduced Foraging Capacity in an Equatorial Mammal, the Banded Mongoose ().

Due to anthropogenic climate change, there is substantial interest in how temperature variation impacts reproduction and survival in animal populations; however, the underlying mechanisms are often poorly understood. Animals often behaviourally thermoregulate under high ambient temperatures ( s) to avoid their body temperatures rising, for instance, becoming less active and resting in shade. However, this can trade off with performing vital activities, including foraging, reproduction and social behaviours. We studied a Ugandan population of banded mongooses () to investigate how changing temperatures impact behaviour. We found that banded mongooses reduce activity under high s, such that foraging opportunities, in particular, are constrained. This may explain why previous studies on this species have found that offspring care is reduced under high s, resulting in lower pup weight and survival, as adults may struggle to meet their daily food requirements and therefore prioritise their own survival over helping to raise pups. As global temperatures continue to increase, lowland equatorial species (which are already subject to high s) may struggle to both behaviourally thermoregulate and maintain energy intake through foraging. Our study highlights the importance of fine-scale quantification of behaviours in wild systems for understanding the mechanisms underlying the impact of changing environmental conditions on natural populations.