Feeding habits and trophic niche overlap between sympatric golden jackal (Canis aureus) and red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in the Pannonian ecoregion (Hungary)
- 1 November 2006
- journal article
- Published by Canadian Science Publishing in Canadian Journal of Zoology
- Vol. 84 (11), 1647-1656
- https://doi.org/10.1139/z06-147
Abstract
The feeding ecology of the golden jackal ( Canis aureus L., 1758) and its interspecific trophic relationship with the sympatric red fox (Vulpes vulpes (L., 1758)) was investigated in an area of recent range expansion of the golden jackal in Hungary, central Europe. Diet composition was determined by scat analysis (over 4 years: jackal 814 scats; fox 894 scats). Compared with jackals, foxes consumed more small mammals (mean biomass consumed: jackal 77%; fox 68%) and to a lesser extent plant matter (6% and 18%, respectively). The importance of other prey, such as wild boar ( Sus scrofa L., 1758), cervids, brown hare ( Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778), birds, reptiles, fish, invertebrates, and domestic animals, was minimal. Both mesocarnivores consumed primarily small animals (<50 g: 92% and 87%, respectively); this implies a typical searching and solitary hunting strategy. The trophic niche breadth of both species was very narrow and the fox proved to be more of a generalist. The food overlap index between the two canids was high (mean, 73%) and varied with the decreasing availability and consumption of small mammals. Based on prey remains found in scats, small-mammal specialization over a 2-year period and seasonal predation upon wild boar piglets (mainly by the jackal), seasonal fruit eating (mainly by the fox), and scavenging on wild or domestic ungulates (both predators) were found.Keywords
This publication has 27 references indexed in Scilit:
- Spatial ecology of golden jackal in farmland in the Ethiopian HighlandsAfrican Journal of Ecology, 2004
- Temporal Habitat Partitioning and Spatial Use of Coyotes and Red Foxes in East-Central IllinoisThe Journal of Wildlife Management, 2003
- Predation in Vertebrate CommunitiesPublished by Springer Science and Business Media LLC ,1998
- Carnivore Group Living: Comparative TrendsPublished by Springer Science and Business Media LLC ,1989
- Carnivore body size: Ecological and taxonomic correlatesOecologia, 1985
- Life History Patterns and the Comparative Social Ecology of CarnivoresAnnual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 1984
- Role of predation in short-term population fluctuations of some birds and mammals in FennoscandiaOecologia, 1984
- The food of Wild cats (Felis silvestris) and Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in west and north‐east ScotlandJournal of Zoology, 1983
- Foraging Costs and Relative Prey SizeThe American Naturalist, 1980
- On the Measurement of Niche Breadth and OverlapEcology, 1971