Data for estimating eaten prey masses from Eurasian lynx<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lynx Lynx</Emphasis> scats in Central and East Europe

To derive a model which allows estimating eaten prey masses from lynxLynx lynx Linnaeus, 1758 scats, we fed 3 roe deerCapreolus capreolus, 2 wild boarsSus scrofa, 1 fallow deerDama dama, 1 mouflonOvis ammon musimon, 1 European hareLepus europaeus and 1 daily diet of miceMus musculus to two adult lynx. The percentage of prey use decreased with an increase in the offered body mass of the prey individual. Conversion factors from dry matter scat mass to fresh matter mass of eaten prey (y) increased linearly as the eaten mass of the prey individual (x) rose:y = 15.06 + 1.330x,R ² = 0.643,F _1,7 = 12.6,p < 0.01. For estimating eaten prey masses from lynx scats we recommend to use (1) this equation as well as (2) prey type-specific conversion factors and (3) prey type-specific quotients of the eaten prey mass per scat.     

Diet of wolves <Emphasis Type="Italic">Canis lupus</Emphasis> returning to Hungary

At the end of the nineteenth century, the wolf Canis lupus was extinct in Hungary and in recent decades has returned to the northern highland area of the country. The diet of wolves living in groups in Aggteleki National Park was investigated using scat analysis (n = 81 scats) and prey remains (n = 31 carcasses). Throughout the year wolves (average, minimum two wolves per year) consumed mostly wild-living ungulates (mean percent of biomass consumed, B% 97.2%; relative frequency of occurrence, %O 74.0%). The wild boar Sus scrofa was the most common prey item found in wolf scat (%B 35.6%) and is also the most commonly occurring ungulate in the study areas. The second most commonly occurring prey item in wolf scat was red deer Cervus elaphus (B% 32.8%). Conversely, prey remain analyses revealed wild boar as the second most commonly utilised prey species (%O 16.1%) after red deer (%O 67.7%). The roe deer Capreolus capreolus that occurs at lower population densities was the third most commonly utilised prey species. The importance of low population density mouflon Ovis aries, livestock and other food types was low. The results are similar to those found in the northern part of the Carpathian Mountains.     

Feeding ecology of wolvesCanis lupus returning to Germany

Following several years of occasional occurrence, several wolvesCanis lupus Linnaeus, 1758 have established a resident population in northeastern Saxony (Eastern Germany). From 2001 to 2003, we collected and analysed 192 scats ofC. lupus. Results of our study are expressed as the frequency of occurrence of prey species and the percentage of biomass consumed using coefficients of digestibility as well as two variants of an equation for prey mass per collectable scat. Diet composition of the wolves was restricted to a few food items, mostly wild ungulates. These remains were found in 97% of the scats, representing 99% of the biomass consumed by the wolves. Roe deerCapreolus capreolus was the most frequent and most important prey, constituting nearly of one half the biomass. Red deerCervus elaphus was recorded in one-third of the samples, followed by wild boarSus scrofa, mouflonOvis am mon musimon and brown hareLepus europaeus. Compared with game occurrence, roe deer was clearly preferred over the other species. A difference between winter and summer diets was mainly due to the high occurrence of young wild boar in summer. The general diet pattern of the wolf in Saxony corresponds with that found in the naturally occurring populations in Europe.     

Prey selection and dietary response by wolves in a high-density multi-species ungulate community

Studies on predation by the wolf (Canis lupus) have often reported contradictory results about the role of prey density and vulnerability on wolf prey use. We investigated dietary response and prey selection by wolves in a high-density and multi-species ungulate community, analysing scats collected over a period of 11 years in the Casentinesi Forests, Italy. The second most abundant species, wild boar (Sus scrofa), was found to be the main wolf prey, and we did not observe any dietary response of wolves to variations in the density of either primary or secondary prey species. Selection patterns were uniform throughout the study period. Wolves strongly selected for wild boar piglets, while roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) fawns and adults, red deer (Cervus elaphus) adults and fallow deer (Dama dama) adults were avoided. Wolf preference for wild boar was inversely density dependent. Within each species, juveniles were preferred to adults. Medium-sized, young individuals of both wild boar and roe deer were optimal prey, although with different selection patterns related to the different anti-predator strategies adopted by each prey species. The results of this study suggest that in productive ecosystems with high density and high renewal rates of prey, selection patterns by wolves are determined by prey vulnerability, which is connected to prey age and body size. The different patterns of wild boar versus cervids use by wolf across Europe seems to be related to their relative abundances, while the strong selection of wild boar in Italian Apennines with respect to the more frequent avoidance in central-eastern Europe is better explained by higher piglet productivity and smaller body size of adults boar in Mediterranean temperate forests.     

Spatial variability in wolf diet and prey selection in Galicia (NW Spain)

We studied wolf (Canis lupus) diet for three different landscapes in the north-western Iberian Peninsula, differing in land uses and availability of food for wolves. We examined 2740 scats, collected over a period of 4 years, in order to describe wolf diet, its geographic variation, and trophic preferences. The most consumed species were wild pony, roe deer and cattle. We observed differences in wolf diet among the three study sites, related to the availability and accessibility of food resources in each habitat. For the two study sites in northern and central Galicia, wolves showed similar diet, with high occurrence of wild pony (37 vs. 34%) and cattle (20 vs. 23%), but differing in the consumption of wild ungulates (16 vs. 8%) and carrion (7 vs. 14%). Wolf diet in eastern Galicia’s mountain ranges was entirely different, due to the higher consumption of wild ungulates (70%). Wolves showed clear prey selection patterns. Between wild ponies and livestock, wolves positively selected ponies. Among wild ungulates, wolves positively selected roe deer. Wild pony and roe deer are key species for wolf feeding in Galicia. In the Galician wild pony range, ponies are the main food for wolves. Given that the availability of wild ponies may contribute to the decrease in wolf predation on cattle, it is essential to develop innovative administrative decisions in such areas to preserve this traditional equid population. In the same way, the population of roe deer should be strengthened in the livestock areas outside the range of wild pony.     

Wolf predation and snow cover as mortality factors in the ungulate community of the Bialowieża National Park,Poland

Summary Wolf-ungulate interactions were studied in the pristine deciduous and mixed forests of the Bialowiea National Park in 1985–1989. The study period included two severe and two mild winters. The community of ungulates inhabiting Bialowiea National Park consisted of red deer Cervus elaphus, 55% of all ungulates; wild boar Sus scrofa, 42%; and roe deer Capreolus capreolus, moose Alces alces, and European bison Bison bonasus, about 1% each. The average size of red deer groups increased from 2.7 (SD 2.35) in spring and summer to 6.9 (SD 6.84) in autumn and winter. In winter the group size of red deer was positively correlated with the depth of snow cover and negatively correlated with the mean daily temperature. Average group size of wild boar did not change significantly between seasons; it was 6.8 (SD 5.16) in spring and summer and 5.7 (SD 4.67) in autumn and winter. Analysis of 144 wolf scats showed that wolves preyed selectively on red deer. In October–April, Cervidae (mostly red deer) constituted 91% of biomass consumed by wolves, while wild boar made up only 8%. In May–September deer formed 77% of prey biomass, and the share of wild boar increased to 22%. In all seasons of the year wolves selected juveniles from deer and boar populations: 61% of red deer and 94% of wild boar of determined age recovered from wolves' scats were young <1 year old. Analysis of 117 carcasses of ungulates found in Bialowiea National Park showed that predation was the predominant mortality factor for red deer (40 killed, 10 dead from causes other than predation) and roe deer (4 killed, none dead). Wild boar suffered most from severe winter conditions (8 killed, 56 dead). The percentage of ungulates that had died from undernutrition and starvation in the total mortality was proportional to the severity of winter.     

Wolf predation on moose and roe deer: chase distances and outcome of encounters

We examined chase distances of gray wolves Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758 hunting moose Alces alces and roe deer Capreolus capreolus, and recorded details of encounters between wolves and prey on the Scandinavian Peninsula, 1997–2003. In total, 252 wolf attacks on moose and 64 attacks on roe deer were registered during 4200 km of snow tracking in 28 wolf territories. Average chase distances were 76 m for moose and 237 m for roe deer, a difference likely due to variation in body size and vigilance between prey species. A model including prey species, outcome of the attack, and snow depth explained 15–19% of the variation found in chase distances, with shorter chase distances associated with greater snow depth and with successful attacks on moose but not on roe deer. Wolf hunting success did not differ between prey species (moose 43%, roe deer 47%) but in 11% of the wolf attacks on moose at least one moose was injured but not killed, whereas no injured roe deer survived. Compared with most North American wolf studies chase distances were shorter, hunting success was greater, and fewer moose made a stand when attacked by wolves in our study. Differences in wolf encounters with moose and roe deer likely result from different anti-predator behaviour and predator-prey history between prey species.     

Using Bayesian stable isotope mixing models to estimate wolf diet in a multi-prey ecosystem

Stable isotope analysis (SIA) of wolf (Canis lupus) tissues can be used to estimate diet and intra-population diet variability when potential prey have distinct δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values. We tested this technique using guard hairs collected from 44 wolves in 12 northwestern Montana packs, summer 2009. We used hierarchical Bayesian stable isotope mixing models to determine diet and scales of diet variation from δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N of wolves and potential prey, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), elk (Cervus canadensis), moose (Alces alces), snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), and other prey. As a check on SIA results, we conducted a separate diet analysis with temporally matched scats (i.e., collected in summer 2008) from 4 of the same packs. Wolves were centered on the ungulate prey in the isotope mixing space. Both methods revealed differences among pack diets and that wolves may consume moose in greater proportions than predicted by available biomass. Stable isotope analysis, and scat results were not entirely concordant; assumptions related to tissues of use in SIA, hair growth period in wolves, and scat sampling may have contributed to a mismatch between methods. Incorrect fractionation values, insufficient separation of prey in the isotope mixing space, choice of prior information in the Bayesian mixing models, and unexplained factors may have distorted diet estimates. However, the consistently high proportion of moose in pack diets suggests that increased population monitoring would benefit management of moose and wolves. Our results also support suggestions of other researchers that species-specific fractionation values should be used whenever possible, and that SIA may sometimes only provide indices of use for general groups of prey (e.g., large ungulates). © 2012 The Wildlife Society.     

Population responses of roe deer to the recolonization of the French Vercors by wolves

In a context of changing carnivore populations worldwide, it is crucial to understand the consequences of these changes for prey populations. The recolonization by wolves of the French Vercors mountain range and the long-term monitoring (2001–2017) of roe deer in this area provided a unique opportunity to assess the effects of wolves on this prey. Roe deer was the main prey of wolves in the west Vercors mountain range during this recolonization. We compared roe deer abundance and fawn body mass in two contrasted areas of a wolf pack territory: a central area (core of the territory characterized by an intense use by wolves) and a peripheral area (used more occasionally). Roe deer population growth rates were lower in the central area between 2001 and 2006, resulting in a decline in roe deer abundance. Roe deer abundance substantially dropped in the two study areas after an extremely severe winter but the abundance of roe deer in the central area facing with wolves was slower to recover and remained at lower abundance levels for 6 years. Fawn body mass was consistently lower in the central area, varied similarly as roe deer abundance, and was not influenced by weather conditions or red deer population abundance. Altogether, the effects of wolves on roe deer in the central area occurred during a 10-year period following the establishment of wolves, through the interplay between wolf predation (before wolves started preying on red deer), harsh winter conditions and possibly naivety of prey to this recolonizing predator.     

Wolf Predation Among Reintroduced Przewalski Horses in Hustai National Park,Mongolia

ABSTRACT Depredation by wolves (Canis lupus) could threaten survival of reintroduced wild Przewalski horses (Equus ferus przewalskii) in Hustai National Park (HNP), Mongolia. We conducted scat analysis, spatial analyses of kills, and interviews to study prey species selection and temporal and spatial factors that characterize prey choices of wolves. Diet of wolves in HNP was comprised of >50% of livestock. Diet composition varied during the year, with more livestock taken in winter. Wildlife species were selected over livestock species. From available livestock species domestic horses were predated most, whereas red deer (Cervus elaphus) and marmot (Marmota sibirica) were the preferred wildlife species. Our spatial analyses showed an unexpected significant positive relation between number of domestic horses killed and distance to the park, as well as a significant negative relation with number of gers (tents) in the area. Compared to randomly selected comparison sites (n = 36), we found Przewalski foal kills (n = 36) at sites that were closer to the forest, at higher altitudes, with lower shrub cover, higher forest cover, and higher red deer density. If the negative trend of deer numbers continues and if herdsmen protect their livestock more vigorously, depredation of wild Przewalski horses by wolves will rise. Therefore, a large red deer population could be pivotal in improving the conservation status of Przewalski horses.     

What Cues Do Ungulates Use to Assess Predation Risk in Dense Temperate Forests?

Anti-predator responses by ungulates can be based on habitat features or on the near-imminent threat of predators. In dense forest, cues that ungulates use to assess predation risk likely differ from half-open landscapes, as scent relative to sight is predicted to be more important. We studied, in the Białowieża Primeval Forest (Poland), whether perceived predation risk in red deer (Cervus elaphus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) is related to habitat visibility or olfactory cues of a predator. We used camera traps in two different set-ups to record undisturbed ungulate behavior and fresh wolf (Canis lupus) scats as olfactory cue. Habitat visibility at fixed locations in deciduous old growth forest affected neither vigilance levels nor visitation rate and cumulative visitation time of both ungulate species. However, red deer showed a more than two-fold increase of vigilance level from 22% of the time present on control plots to 46% on experimental plots containing one wolf scat. Higher vigilance came at the expense of time spent foraging, which decreased from 32% to 12% while exposed to the wolf scat. These behavioral changes were most pronounced during the first week of the experiment but continuous monitoring of the plots suggested that they might last for several weeks. Wild boar did not show behavioral responses indicating higher perceived predation risk. Visitation rate and cumulative visitation time were not affected by the presence of a wolf scat in both ungulate species. The current study showed that perceived predation risk in red deer and wild boar is not related to habitat visibility in a dense forest ecosystem. However, olfactory cues of wolves affected foraging behavior of their preferred prey species red deer. We showed that odor of wolves in an ecologically equivalent dose is sufficient to create fine-scale risk factors for red deer.     

To Eat or Not To Eat? The Diet of the Endangered Iberian Wolf (Canis lupus signatus) in a Human-Dominated Landscape in Central Portugal

Livestock predation by large carnivores and their persecution by local communities are major conservation concerns. In order to prevent speculations and reduce conflicts, it is crucial to get detailed and accurate data on predators’ dietary ecology, which is particularly important in human dominated landscapes where livestock densities are high. This is the case of the endangered Iberian wolf in Portugal, an endemic subspecies of the Iberian Peninsula, which has seen its population distribution and abundance decline throughout the 20th century. Accordingly, the diet of the Iberian wolf was analyzed, using scat analysis, in a humanized landscape in central Portugal. From 2011 to 2014, a total of 295 wolf scats were collected from transects distributed throughout the study area, prospected on a monthly basis. Scat analysis indicated a high dependence of Iberian wolf on livestock. Domestic goat predominated the diet (62% of the scats), followed by cow (20%) and sheep (13%); the only wild ungulate present in the scat analysis was the wild boar (4% of the scats). Our results show that even though livestock constitute most part of wolves diet, different livestock species may represent different predation opportunities. We conclude that the high levels of livestock consumption may be a result of low diversity and density of wild ungulates that settles livestock as the only abundant prey for wolves. Our findings help on the understanding of the Iberian wolf feeding ecology and have implications for conflict management strategies. Finally, management implications are discussed and solutions are recommended.     

Molecular scatology as a tool to study diet: analysis of prey DNA in scats from captive Steller sea lions

The DNA of prey present in animal scats may provide a valuable source of information for dietary studies. We conducted a captive feeding trial to test whether prey DNA could be reliably detected in scat samples from Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus). Two sea lions were fed a diet of fish (five species) and squid (one species), and DNA was extracted from the soft component of collected scats. Most of the DNA obtained came from the predator, but prey DNA could be amplified using prey-specific primers. The four prey species fed in consistent daily proportions throughout the trial were detected in more than 90% of the scat DNA extractions. Squid and sockeye salmon, which were fed as a relatively small percentage of the daily diet, were detected as reliably as the more abundant diet items. Prey detection was erratic in scats collected when the daily diet was fed in two meals that differed in prey composition, suggesting that prey DNA is passed in meal specific pulses. Prey items that were removed from the diet following one day of feeding were only detected in scats collected within 48 h of ingestion. Proportions of fish DNA present in eight scat samples (evaluated through the screening of clone libraries) were roughly proportional to the mass of prey items consumed, raising the possibility that DNA quantification methods could provide semi-quantitative diet composition data. This study should be of broad interest to researchers studying diet since it highlights an approach that can accurately identify prey species and is not dependent on prey hard parts surviving digestion.     

Recolonizing gray wolves increase parasite infection risk in their prey

The recent recolonization of Central Europe by the European gray wolf (Canis lupus) provides an opportunity to study the dynamics of parasite transmission for cases when a definitive host returns after a phase of local extinction. We investigated whether a newly established wolf population increased the prevalence of those parasites in ungulate intermediate hosts representing wolf prey, whether some parasite species are particularly well adapted to wolves, and the potential basis for such adaptations. We recorded Sarcocystis species richness in wolves and Sarcocystis prevalence in ungulates harvested in study sites with and without permanent wolf presence in Germany using microscopy and DNA metabarcoding. Sarcocystis prevalence in red deer (Cervus elaphus) was significantly higher in wolf areas (79.7%) than in control areas (26.3%) but not in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) (97.2% vs. 90.4%) or wild boar (Sus scrofa) (82.8% vs. 64.9%). Of 11 Sarcocystis species, Sarcocystis taeniata and Sarcocystis grueneri occurred more often in wolves than expected from the Sarcocystis infection patterns of ungulate prey. Both Sarcocystis species showed a higher increase in prevalence in ungulates in wolf areas than other Sarcocystis species, suggesting that they are particularly well adapted to wolves, and are examples of “wolf specialists”. Sarcocystis species richness in wolves was significantly higher in pups than in adults. “Wolf specialists” persisted during wolf maturation. The results of this study demonstrate that (1) predator–prey interactions influence parasite prevalence, if both predator and prey are part of the parasite life cycle, (2) mesopredators do not necessarily replace the apex predator in parasite transmission dynamics for particular parasites of which the apex predator is the definitive host, even if meso‐ and apex predators were from the same taxonomic family (here: Canidae, e.g., red foxes Vulpes vulpes), and (3) age‐dependent immune maturation contributes to the control of protozoan infection in wolves.     

Trophic niche overlap and wild ungulate consumption by red fox and wolf in a mountain area in Italy

Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and wolf (Canis lupus) are two widespread opportunistic predators living in simpatry in many areas. Nonetheless, scarce information are available on their trophic interactions. We investigated food habits of these two carnivores in a mountain area in Italy and assessed the extent of their trophic niche overlap, focusing on the consumption of wild ungulates. Thereby we analyzed the content of 669 red fox scats and 253 wolf scats collected between May 2008 and April 2009. Red foxes resulted to have a more than three times higher niche breadth than wolves. Vegetables, small mammals, wild ungulates, and invertebrates were major items (altogether 92% of volume) of the red fox annual diet. On the contrary wolf annual diet relied on wild ungulates (94% of volume) with wild boar (Sus scrofa) being the main food item. The degree of trophic niche overlap between the two species was found to be low (Pianka's O = 0.356). Diet variation between the warm and the cold seasons was limited in both species, and higher in red fox than in wolf. The two canids appeared to use wild ungulates unevenly being the former more selective for younger preys, smaller in size (newborn piglets and roe deer Capreolus capreolus fawns), whereas the latter exhibited a preference for medium-sized and large ungulates (10–35 kg wild boar and adult roe deer). Even if wild ungulates represent the main shared food category, the different use of age/weight classes by the two predators, together with their possible consumption as carrions by red fox, suggests a very limited trophic competition between wolf and red fox.This study represents a contribution to the knowledge of trophic interaction in predator–prey systems where sympatric carnivores are present.     

Diet composition of wolves<Emphasis Type="Italic">Canis lupus</Emphasis> in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China

From August 1998 to August 2001, 119 wolf scats were collected from the desert in a pastoral region in northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China. The study area is the last habitat for the critically endangered Przewalski’s gazelleProcapra przewalskii. Wolf predation was hypothesized as a cause of the endangerment of the Przewalski’s gazelle. The diet of wolf during the plant green period (June-September) and the plant withering period (October-May) were determined using three scat-analysis methods: frequency of occurrence, mass in scats and the ingested biomass obtained with the linear regression models of Weaver (1993). Limited to mammalian prey, total agreement was found between the dry weight and biomass methods, but less so between the frequency of occurrence data and other methods. Hare, yak, and small rodents were the important prey species of the wolves during the plant green period, each accounting for 33, 27, and 20%. Yak, sheep and hare were the important prey species during the plant withering period, each accounting for 53, 25, and 17%. Other food types were badger, Przewalski’s gazelle, birds, reptiles, invertebrates and plants. The presence of the livestock remains in the wolf’s scats may imply scavenging behavior by the wolves, because few cases of missing livestock were reported during the study. No notable seasonal difference in the diet composition of the wolves was found. The food niche of wolf during the plant green period (0.55 ± 0.02) was similar to that during the plant withering period (0.50 ± 0.02).     

Winter diets of wolfCanis lupus and lynxLynx lynx in Estonia and Latvia

Winter diets of wolfCanis lupus Linnaeus, 1758 and lynxLynx lynx Linnaeus, 1758 in Latvia and Estonia were investigated in 1997–2000 based on stomach contents of hunted animals and scats. Ungulates appeared to be the staple food for both predators. Lynx diet to a high extent consisted of cervids (Estonia 52% frequency of prey, Latvia 88%), roe deer dominating. Mountain hareLepus timidus made up from 9% (Latvia) to 31% (Estonia) of the lynx diet, and red foxVulpes vulpes 7% in Estonian sample. Wolf diet was more diverse; besides cervids (44% in Latvia, 63% in Estonia) it included wild boar Sus scrofa (32% in Latvia, 17% in Estonia), carrion, small rodents, and other food items. Proportion of empty stomachs was high both in wolves (37%) and lynxes (35%) in Latvia. Range of stomach content weights varied from zero to more than 4 kg in wolves and almost 1.5 kg in lynx. Pianka’s indices of food niche overlapped significantly between species and countries (0.85–0.99).     

Prey Selection by an Apex Predator: The Importance of Sampling Uncertainty

The impact of predation on prey populations has long been a focus of ecologists, but a firm understanding of the factors influencing prey selection, a key predictor of that impact, remains elusive. High levels of variability observed in prey selection may reflect true differences in the ecology of different communities but might also reflect a failure to deal adequately with uncertainties in the underlying data. Indeed, our review showed that less than 10% of studies of European wolf predation accounted for sampling uncertainty. Here, we relate annual variability in wolf diet to prey availability and examine temporal patterns in prey selection; in particular, we identify how considering uncertainty alters conclusions regarding prey selection.Over nine years, we collected 1,974 wolf scats and conducted drive censuses of ungulates in Alpe di Catenaia, Italy. We bootstrapped scat and census data within years to construct confidence intervals around estimates of prey use, availability and selection. Wolf diet was dominated by boar (61.5±3.90 [SE] % of biomass eaten) and roe deer (33.7±3.61%). Temporal patterns of prey densities revealed that the proportion of roe deer in wolf diet peaked when boar densities were low, not when roe deer densities were highest. Considering only the two dominant prey types, Manly''s standardized selection index using all data across years indicated selection for boar (mean = 0.73±0.023). However, sampling error resulted in wide confidence intervals around estimates of prey selection. Thus, despite considerable variation in yearly estimates, confidence intervals for all years overlapped. Failing to consider such uncertainty could lead erroneously to the assumption of differences in prey selection among years. This study highlights the importance of considering temporal variation in relative prey availability and accounting for sampling uncertainty when interpreting the results of dietary studies.     

Prey selection and food habits of three sympatric large carnivores in a tropical lowland forest of the Eastern Himalayan Biodiversity Hotspot

Prey selection and the feeding habits of tiger Panthera tigris, leopard Panthera pardus and Asiatic wild dog Cuon alpinus were investigated from June 2009 to December 2011 in Pakke Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh. A total of 422 scats were analyzed of which, 109 scats were of tigers, 150 were of leopard and 163 scats were of dholes. Multinomial Likelihood ratio test was used to estimate the prey selectivity of predators and Ivlev index, Pianka index were used to estimate prey preference and overlap respectively. Biomass consumption for three sympatric predators varied from 254.3 kg for dholes to 599.1 kg for tigers. Sambar, barking deer, wild pig were preyed more than their availability by all the predators. Ivlev index shows barking deer and sambar were preferred more than available prey for tiger where as leopard preferred sambar more than available and avoided barking deer. Dhole preferred more than available wild pig and barking deer. There was a high overlap between tiger–leopard (85.3%) and tiger–dhole (77.5%). To the best of our understanding, this study provides the first reliable information on prey selection and food habits of sympatric large carnivores in a protected area of Eastern Himalayan tropical rainforest.     

Relationship between prey availability and population dynamics of the Eurasian lynx and its diet in northern Belarus

The diet and population dynamics of the Eurasian lynxLynx lynx Linnaeus, 1758 as well as an index of its main prey abundance were studied in transitional mixed forests of northern Belarus in 1985-2004. Monitoring of the lynx population and its main potential prey (the mountain hareLepus timidus, and the roe deerCapreolus capreolus) was done by snow-tracking. Also, abundance of tetraonids (Tetraonidae) was monitored by sight count. Hare numbers were fairly stable during the study period, whereas density of the roe deer population markedly increased, and tetraonids decreased. Composition of the lynx diet was stable seasonally. Lynx fed mostly on hares, roe deer and birds (usually tetraonids) year-round. However, the share of roe deer in lynx diet increased significantly during the period of its higher abundance and the share of tetraonids decreased with their decreasing numbers. There was also a remarkable increase of lynx population, which followed that of the roe deer, despite the pronounced decline of tetraonids. The results of the study emphasised the importance of roe deer as a prey of the Eurasian lynx.