Diet and Prey Selection of Dholes in Evergreen and Deciduous Forests of Southeast Asia.

Autor: Kamler, Jan F., Thatdokkham, Khamtai, Rostro‐García, Susana, Bousa, Anita, Caragiulo, Anthony, Crouthers, Rachel, In, Visattha, Pay, Chen, Pin, Chanratana, Prum, Sovanna, Vongkhamheng, Chantavy, Johnson, Arlyne, Macdonald, David W.
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Zdroj: Journal of Wildlife Management; Sep2020, Vol. 84 Issue 7, p1396-1405, 10p
Abstrakt: Endangered dholes (Cuon alpinus) are restricted to small and declining populations in Southeast Asia, and little is known about how their ecology differs within the region. We used DNA‐confirmed scats and prey surveys to determine the seasonal diet and prey selection of dholes in 2 different landscapes that dominate Southeast Asia: closed evergreen forests in hilly terrain in northern Laos, and open deciduous forests in relatively flat terrain in eastern Cambodia. On both sites, muntjac (Muntiacus spp.; 20–28 kg) was the dominant prey item and was selectively consumed over other ungulates in all seasons. Our findings differ from previous conclusions, based largely on studies from India, that the preferred prey weight range of dholes was either 40–60 kg or 130–190 kg. Other important prey were sambar (Rusa unicolor) in Laos, and wild pig (Sus scrofa) and banteng (Bos javanicus) in Cambodia. Seasonal differences in overall diet occurred in Laos, but not Cambodia, primarily because of an increase in livestock consumption. The mean number of dhole scats in group defecation sites was higher in Cambodia (5.9 ± 0.5 [SE]) than Laos (2.4 ± 0.2), suggesting pack sizes were larger in Cambodia. Our results suggest that regardless of land cover type, prey diversity, or pack size, the management of muntjac will be important for conserving dhole populations in Southeast Asia. In Laos, we recommend that local villagers remove livestock from the protected area during the hot‐dry season to reduce livestock predation by dholes. © 2020 The Authors. The Journal of Wildlife Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Wildlife Society. In both closed evergreen and open deciduous forests in Southeast Asia, dholes consumed mostly muntjac and selectively consumed this species over other ungulates in all seasons. Our results suggest that regardless of land cover type, prey diversity, or pack size, management of muntjac will be important for the conserving dhole populations throughout Southeast Asia. In Laos, we recommend that local villagers remove livestock from the protected area during the hot‐dry season to reduce livestock predation by dholes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Databáze: Complementary Index
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