Leopards exhibit adaptability and thrive in human-dominant landscapes by incorporating livestock into their diet. The present study was conducted to assess the prey availability and selection patterns of leopards (Panthera pardus fusca) in two urban landscapes i.e., Indore and Jabalpur, in India. The research aimed to understand the prey population dynamics and evaluate the impact of human activities on leopard behaviour. This study employed transect surveys to estimate prey density and biomass, scat analysis to identify consumed prey species, and analysis of the secondary data from Forest Department local administration for livestock depredation incidents. Prey selection was evaluated using the Jacobs' selectivity index. Results revealed diverse prey preferences, with chital (Axis axis) and domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) being prominent diet components in both study areas. Livestock, particularly cattle, constituted a significant portion of available biomass. This study identified human-leopard negative interaction zones within the study areas prone to conflict. These findings emphasize the need for effective management strategies to mitigate human-leopard negative interactions and promote coexistence. The study contributes valuable insights into the dietary habits and prey dynamics of leopards in urban landscapes, which are crucial for their conservation and management initiatives.

Camelidae and Hippopotamidae (Artiodactyla) and Rhinocerotidae and Tapiridae (Perissodactyla) are unguligrades with pads, which support their body weight with their hooves and volar pads on their feet. In order to investigate the evolution of unguligrady from a functional morphological point of view, it is necessary to examine the limbs of living unguligrades with pads. In this study, we focused on the extremities of limbs of camelids and rhinoceroses and analyzed the differences between them and those of bovids, which are unguligrade without pads, using CT to simulate three-dimensional movements. The results showed that metapodials and proximal phalanges were interlocked by pulleys in unguligrades, whereas a large gap was observed between metapodials and proximal phalanges in unguligrades with pads. However, the angle changes of proximal phalanges of unguligrades with pads were smaller than those observed in unguligrades. This suggests that the pads inhibit wide spreading of the digits in these taxa. Whereas unguligrades, such as bovids, have adapted to various terrains by modifying the mobility of their digits, our results suggest that volar pads have limited the ability of unguligrades with pads to adapt to a variety of terrains.

Daily torpor in small mammals can be triggered by a shortening of day length (spontaneous daily torpor), or by a reduced energy budget due to factors such as food deprivation (fasting-induced daily torpor). While some hamsters are known to enter torpor, and spontaneous daily torpor has been observed in the genus Cricetulus, it has been thought that the Chinese hamster (C. griseus) does not express torpor. In this study, we attempted to induce daily torpor in the Chinese hamster through food deprivation. We used 18 hamsters, dividing them into three groups (50% feeding, 25% feeding, and 0% feeding [fasting]), and conducted three trials of 24-h restricted feeding, with intervals for recovery. The results showed three torpor bouts within the trials: once in the 50% feeding group and twice in the 25% feeding group, but no bouts were observed in the fasting group. The mean daily minimum body temperature (T_b) decreased progressively across trials, with the lowest values being recorded during the third trial in all groups. This study reveals for the first time that fasting-induced daily torpor occurs in the genus Cricetulus, suggesting that species in this genus could use spontaneous and fasting-induced torpor mechanisms.