First insights into the movement patterns of maned wolf with sarcoptic mange

Understanding how infectious diseases influence wildlife behavior, particularly in habitats undergoing modification, is crucial for predicting disease outbreaks, assessing impacts on population fitness, and mitigating human health risks. Sarcoptic mange can alter wildlife movement and space use, yet its effects on threatened carnivores remain unclear. This is the first study to describe how the largest canid in South America Chrysocyon brachyurus responds to sarcoptic mange infestation. Specifically, we investigated how female maned wolf movement patterns are influenced by their health status. Using GPS tracking data, we compared movement patterns and habitat selection of two female maned wolves in southeastern Brazil. To this end, we estimated movement metrics, including home range, home range overlap, and distance moved. Additionally, we investigated whether habitat selection and time spent in different habitats vary with health status. Despite a small sample size, we found different movement patterns among individuals, suggesting that sarcoptic mange may influence animal behavior. The female clinically diagnosed with mange infestation (symptomatic) had a larger home range than the healthy female, and the overlap between their home ranges increased during the wet season. Additionally, the healthy female traveled longer distances over the months and selected a wider variety of habitats than the symptomatic female. This is particularly important in Brazil, where sarcoptic mange poses an emerging threat to wild canids. We highlight the need for further research to clarify the potential risks to population dynamics and to inform more effective conservation plans for species, ecosystems, and public health.