Prey selection and prey preferences of spotted hyenas <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crocuta crocuta</Emphasis> in the Etosha National Park,Namibia |
| |
Authors: | Martina Trinkel |
| |
Institution: | 1.Institute of Zoology,University Graz,Graz,Austria;2.Graz,Austria |
| |
Abstract: | The feeding ecology of the spotted hyena Crocuta crocuta was studied in the central and eastern part of the Etosha National Park, Namibia. Hyenas mainly hunted migratory ungulates
such as springbok Antidorcas marsupialis, zebra Equus burchelli, and blue wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus, but also resident species such as the greater kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros and gemsbok Oryx gazella. There were, however, major differences in the species most frequently killed by hyenas in central and eastern Etosha. The
preferred prey species of spotted hyenas in central Etosha was springbok, whereas regarding the abundance of zebra and wildebeest,
these two species were rather avoided. In contrast, the prey species preferred by hyenas in eastern Etosha was kudu. Zebra
and gemsbok were taken in proportion to their abundance, whereas wildebeest and springbok seemed to be rather avoided. Differences
in prey selection and preferences were also reflected in differences in hunting group sizes. In eastern Etosha, where spotted
hyenas frequently hunted larger prey, hunting group sizes were significantly larger compared to those in the center of the
park. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|