Feeding habits of golden jackal and red fox in south-western Hungary during winter and spring
Abstract
From sporadic sightings and recorded observations over the past hundred years, in the last decade of the 20 thcentury the golden jackal ( Canis aureus) seems to have settled in the south-western part of Hungary. The winter-spring feeding habits of the golden jackal and the overlapping of its trophic niche with the red fox ( Vulpes vulpes) were studied in parallel by scat analysis, in two adjoining areas on the north-western edge of the golden jackal range in the county of Somogy. Small mammals, mainly rodents, were dominant in the diet of the golden jackal (43% based on frequency of occurrence and 55% based on biomass); whereas, the carcasses of ungulates, mainly wild boar, played a secondary role (24% and 41%, respectively, based on the same parameters). Birds, reptiles, amphibians, arthropods and plant matter did not occur in substantial proportions; neither fish nor domesticated animals were present. Predation on small game (hare and pheasant) did not occur on a significant scale. In the diet of red fox in the overlapping area with jackal, most important food species were small mammals (35% based on frequency of occurrence and 36% based on biomass) and carcasses (35 and 48%, respectively, based on the same parameters). The trophic niche of the two predators studied was similar.
- Publication:
-
Mammalian Biology
- Pub Date:
- January 2002
- DOI:
- 10.1078/1616-5047-00020
- Bibcode:
- 2002MamBi..67..129L
- Keywords:
-
- Canis aureus;
- Vulpes vulpes;
- diet analysis;
- food niche;
- Hungary