Species’ habitat utilization reflects their habitat preferences and activity patterns. Understanding the coexistence mechanism of wild ungulates is critical for deciphering intra- and inter- species survival strategies. The interactions between species including predation, competition, symbiosis, and reproduction, are dynamic processes influenced by seasonal shifts, diel cycles, and weather variations. The Baotianman National Nature Reserve in northern China hosts diverse wild ungulate populations, yet their daily activity rhythms remain inadequately investigated. Leveraging camera-trap data, we investigated the seasonal daily activity patterns of five sympatric wild ungulates (i.e. forest musk deer Moschus berezovskii, Siberian roe deer Capreolus pygargus, Reeve’s muntjac Muntiacus reevesi, wild boar Sus scrofa, Chinese goral Naemorhedus griseus), to assess temporal niche differentiation as a key coexistence mechanism. Comparative analyses revealed significant seasonal differentiation in daily rhythms among these species. By Watson’s U2 test, the daily activity patterns differed significantly across forest musk deer, Reeve’s muntjac, wild boar, and Chinese goral (p<0.05). In contrast, the activity rhythms showed no significant differentiation between forest musk deer and Siberian roe deer (p>0.05). Notably, we found that forest musk deer, Siberian roe deer, and Reeve’s muntjac were crepuscular, whereas wild boar and Chinese goral were diurnal. The highest degree of overlap coefficients was observed between the forest musk deer and the Siberian roe deer (Δ = 0.90), with no significant difference in their diel activity rhythms (U2=0.12 p>0.01). This study offers novel new insights for developing conservation strategies for wild ungulates, and is crucial for maintaining ecological balance and biodiversity.

The utilization of habitats by species reflects their preference for environmental factors and activity patterns. Understanding the coexistence mechanism of wild ungulates is helpful in understanding the intra-inter species survival patterns of wild ungulates. The interactions between species include various forms such as predation, competition, symbiosis, and reproduction, and their occurrence and changes are often closely related to factors such as seasons, daily rhythms, and weather changes. The Baotianman National Nature Reserve in northern China is rich in wild ungulates, but little is known about the daily rhythm patterns of wild ungulates in the area. We studied four representative wild ungulates (i.e. forest musk deer, Chinese goral, Reeve’s muntjac, Siberian roe deer and wild boar) in recorded of camera trapping data, focusing on the seasonal daily rhythm patterns. to reveal their coexistence based on temporal ecological niche differentiation. Comparative analyses of the seasonal daily rhythm respectively. Wild boars, Chinese goral , and forest musk deer show significant differentiation in daily rhythm (p<0.05), while Reeve’s muntjac and Siberian roe deer do not show significant differentiation in daily rhythm rhythms with forest musk deer. Wild boars, Chinese goral, and Siberian roe deer show significant differentiation in their daily rhythm rhythms (p<0.05), while Reeve’s muntjacs do not show significant differentiation in their daily rhythm rhythms with Siberian roe deer. The daily rhythm of forest musk deer shows no significant difference between day and night, indicating a mixed activity pattern of day and night; Reeve’s muntjacs, wild boars, and Chinese goral do not have nocturnal behavior but tend to engage in diurnal behavior. This study can provide new insights for developing conservation strategies for wild ungulates.