The Interplay between Traits and Behavioral Character Displacement: Evidence from a Carnivore-rich, Enclosed Tropical Forest

These data are used to analyze the complementarity between spatial and temporal avoidance strategies (pairwise spatial avoidance, differences in daily activity patterns, and temporary avoidance) among coexisting mammalian carnivores, as well as the associations of these avoidance behaviors with both phylogenetic distance and body size differences among species pairs. The dataset comprises raw detection data from 50 camera trap stations deployed within the Dunumadalawa Forest Reserve (7°17′00″ N, 80°38′49″ E), located in the central hills of Sri Lanka, and its surrounding 500 m buffer zone.

These records document 13 carnivore species, including free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) and dogs (Canis lupus familiaris). The repository also includes processed input data formatted for multi-species occupancy model and for piecewise structural equation model.