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Diet of spotted hyaenas in some mesic and arid southern African game reserves adjoining farmland : short communication

1992; Volume: 22; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

2410-8200

J. D. Skinner, Paul J. Funston, Rudi J. van Aarde, Gus van Dyk, Moritz Haupt,

Primate Behavior and Ecology

Species composition of prey consumed by spotted hyaenas Crocuta crocuta in three divergent areas in southern Africa was determined by scat analyses. The larger abundant antelopes predominated in the diet and their occurrence in the diet was apparently directly related to the availability of the prey within the hyaena foraging areas. In Mkuzi Game Reserve and the Namib Naukluft National Park, hyaenas coexist with only one other large predator. In Umfolozi Game Reserve, where hyaenas coexist with four other large predators, a greater variety of prey was taken. Scat weight in desert-dwelling hyaenas was twice that of those from more mesic areas, which may be an adaptation to restricted water intake. The incidence of domestic livestock in the diet was meagre, probably the result of collecting scats only from latrines within the game reserves. Die spesies-samestelling van prooi verbruik deur gevlekte hienas Crocuta crocuta in drie verskillende gebiede in Suidelike Afrika is bepaal deur faeces-analise. Die groter meer volop wildsbokke het die dieet gedomineer en die voorkoms in dieet toon 'n direkte verwantskap met beskikbaarheid van prooi in hiena-jaggebiede. Hienas deel Mkuzi Wildtuin en die Namib Naukluft Nasionale Park met slegs een ander groot roofdier terwyl vier ander groot roofdiere Umfolozi Wildtuin met hienas deel, wat lei tot groter variasie in prooi-items. Faeces-massa van woestynlewende hienas was twee keer meer as die van hienas in meer mesiese gebiede wat waarskynlik 'n aanpassing is vir beperkte water inname. Die voorkoms van plaasdiere in die dieet was baie laag, maar dit is heel waarskynlik as gevolg van faecesversameling slegs binne die wildtuine.