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Global positioning system location clusters vs. scats: comparing dietary estimates to determine mesopredator diet in a conflict framework
Author(s) -
Drouilly M.,
Nattrass N.,
O'Riain M. J.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of zoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1469-7998
pISSN - 0952-8369
DOI - 10.1111/jzo.12737
Subject(s) - predation , jackal , mesopredator release hypothesis , livestock , biology , ecology , intraguild predation , carrion , carnivore , zoology , predator
Studying the feeding ecology of mesopredators living on or adjacent to farmland is important as livestock predation fuels conflict between farmers and predators and between diverse stakeholders on how to best manage this conflict. Most dietary studies on elusive and heavily persecuted predators rely on indirect methods such as scat analysis, because direct observations of predation events are rare. Consequently, the proportion of livestock and other prey that was actively hunted vs. scavenged remains largely unknown. We used data from global positioning system collars affixed to black‐backed jackal ( Canis mesomelas ) and caracal ( Caracal caracal ) to locate potential feeding sites on farmland and a protected area and to attempt to determine whether prey had been killed or scavenged. We compared dietary estimates from prey items found at global positioning system location clusters ( GLC s) with those obtained from scat analysis and investigated whether GLC analysis is a suitable method to determine mesocarnivore diet. The success rate of finding a kill site when investigating GLC s was significantly higher for caracal than for jackal. Only 16.2% and 4.7% of jackal and caracal GLC s, respectively, were classified as scavenging events. Livestock was the most frequently detected prey in both scats and GLC s on farmland but GLC s provided a higher estimate of sheep biomass than scats. Caracal GLC s revealed prey ranging in size from small to large, whereas jackal GLC s were only for medium and large prey categories. Adult male caracals predated significantly more on livestock than females and younger individuals. Collared jackals residing in the protected area never formed GLC s containing livestock remains on neighbouring farms. Together, GLC s and scat analyses provide a more complete understanding of mesopredators feeding ecology on farmland. We recommend that both methods are applied, particularly in regions where livestock predation and lethal management of predators are driving conflict between stakeholders.