Evidence for prey selection by spotted hyaena in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Wentworth, Julia C.; Tambling, Craig J.; Kerley, Graham I. H.

doi:10.1007/s13364-011-0033-1

Cited by 11 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…However, hyaenas in HNP did not consume prey relative to their availability, similar to observations of hyaena feeding ecology at other sites (e.g. Moremi Game Reserve, Cooper, ; Ngorongoro Crater, Höner et al ., ; Addo Elephant National Park, Wentworth, Tambling & Kerley, ). All these studies show that hyaenas have site‐specific prey preferences.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spotted hyaenas switch their foraging strategy as a response to changes in intraguild interactions with lions

et al. 2015

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Large carnivores are keystone species and their foraging strategies may be a determinant in the functioning of communities and ecosystems. The plastic foraging behaviour of carnivores is likely to be influenced by a suite of factors. Here, we studied spotted hyaena diet during two contrasting periods in terms of lion population abundance to investigate the changes in spotted hyaena foraging strategies in response to changes in expected intraguild interactions in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. The analysis of hyaena scats and feeding sites of GPS-tracked individuals revealed that during the period of high lion abundance, spotted hyaena consumption and preference for very large prey (elephant and giraffe) increased, while that of large (buffalo) and medium-sized prey (zebra, wildebeest and kudu) decreased, despite an increase in spotted hyaena foraging group size. These results suggest a shift from active predation to scavenging as the potential risk of kleptoparasitism by lions and intraguild competition increased. However, the likely increase of lion predation on very large prey due to the increased proportion of adult males in the lion population could also result in intraguild facilitation by providing spotted hyaenas with additional food sources and thus promote coexistence between these species. Our findings suggest that changes in the numerical abundance of competing species can affect their diet and prey preference, which could ultimately increase the intensity of competition (and facilitation) between carnivores and may thus impact prey populations and possibly ecosystem functioning.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spotted hyaenas switch their foraging strategy as a response to changes in intraguild interactions with lions

et al. 2015

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“…Despite the questionable accuracy of these weight ranges, they are serving as a point of departure for a wide range of applications, including ecological studies [11] , [12] , conservation suggestions [13] and human-wildlife conflict issues [14] . Given the importance of providing accurate descriptions of carnivore diet and prey preference, we present a novel and objective approach for determining a predator’s preferred prey weight range, which we apply to the preference data from the original carnivore prey preference papers in order to recalculate the previously subjective preferred prey weight ranges.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Objective Approach to Determining the Weight Ranges of Prey Preferred by and Accessible to the Five Large African Carnivores

et al. 2014

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Broad-scale models describing predator prey preferences serve as useful departure points for understanding predator-prey interactions at finer scales. Previous analyses used a subjective approach to identify prey weight preferences of the five large African carnivores, hence their accuracy is questionable. This study uses a segmented model of prey weight versus prey preference to objectively quantify the prey weight preferences of the five large African carnivores. Based on simulations of known predator prey preference, for prey species sample sizes above 32 the segmented model approach detects up to four known changes in prey weight preference (represented by model break-points) with high rates of detection (75% to 100% of simulations, depending on number of break-points) and accuracy (within 1.3±4.0 to 2.7±4.4 of known break-point). When applied to the five large African carnivores, using carnivore diet information from across Africa, the model detected weight ranges of prey that are preferred, killed relative to their abundance, and avoided by each carnivore. Prey in the weight ranges preferred and killed relative to their abundance are together termed “accessible prey”. Accessible prey weight ranges were found to be 14–135 kg for cheetah Acinonyx jubatus, 1–45 kg for leopard Panthera pardus, 32–632 kg for lion Panthera leo, 15–1600 kg for spotted hyaena Crocuta crocuta and 10–289 kg for wild dog Lycaon pictus. An assessment of carnivore diets throughout Africa found these accessible prey weight ranges include 88±2% (cheetah), 82±3% (leopard), 81±2% (lion), 97±2% (spotted hyaena) and 96±2% (wild dog) of kills. These descriptions of prey weight preferences therefore contribute to our understanding of the diet spectrum of the five large African carnivores. Where datasets meet the minimum sample size requirements, the segmented model approach provides a means of determining, and comparing, the prey weight range preferences of any carnivore species.

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“…A range‐wide study revealed that hyaenas show no preference for particular prey species but prefer prey within a weight range of 56–182 kg (Hayward, 2006). However, hyaenas may often select certain species, investing more energy in hunting abundant medium‐ to large‐sized prey (Cooper, 1990; Cooper, Holekamp, & Smale, 1999; Hayward, 2006; Holekamp et al., 1997); although the most abundant species are not always preferred prey items (Wentworth, Tambling, & Kerley, 2011). Our study showed that hyaenas had site‐specific prey preferences, as recorded in Moremi Game Reserve (Cooper, 1990), Ngorongoro Crater (Höner, Wachter, East, & Hofer, 2002), Hwange National Park (Périquet, Valeix, et al, 2015) and Addo Elephant National Park (Wentworth et al, 2011).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dietary partitioning of three large carnivores in Majete Wildlife Reserve, Malawi

Briers‐Louw

Leslie

2020

Afr J Ecol

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Between 2011 and 2012, the carnivore guild in Majete Wildlife Reserve (MWR), Malawi, was restored following the reintroduction of lion (Panthera leo) and leopard (Panthera pardus). The aim of this study was to describe and compare the diet of lion, leopard and resident spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) using scat analysis. Lions and spotted hyaenas displayed the greatest dietary overlap (Oab = 0.88) and selected mainly medium‐ to large‐bodied prey species. Lions had a mean preferred prey weight of 120.33 ± 42.14 kg (SE), with warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) and waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) making up 60.64% of relative biomass consumed. Spotted hyaenas had a mean preferred prey weight of 102.40 ± 41.69 kg and had a more generalised diet (Ba = 0.46) compared to lions (Ba = 0.36). In contrast, leopards occupied a dietary niche substantially lower than that of lions and spotted hyaenas, selecting relatively smaller prey with a mean preferred prey weight of 27.50 ± 6.74 kg. Our results suggest that coexistence between the resident hyaena and reintroduced lion and leopard in MWR is facilitated by dietary partitioning. We advise long‐term monitoring of reintroduced carnivores in small, enclosed reserves to assess their impacts on predator and prey populations.

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Evidence for prey selection by spotted hyaena in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Cited by 11 publications

References 27 publications

Spotted hyaenas switch their foraging strategy as a response to changes in intraguild interactions with lions

Spotted hyaenas switch their foraging strategy as a response to changes in intraguild interactions with lions

An Objective Approach to Determining the Weight Ranges of Prey Preferred by and Accessible to the Five Large African Carnivores

Dietary partitioning of three large carnivores in Majete Wildlife Reserve, Malawi

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