Prey Preferences of the Jaguar Panthera onca Reflect the Post-Pleistocene Demise of Large Prey

Hayward, Matt; Kamler, Jan F.; Montgomery, Robert A.; Newlove, Anna; Rostro‐García, Susana; Sales, Lílian P.; Valkenburgh, Blaire Van

doi:10.3389/fevo.2015.00148

Cited by 64 publications

(61 citation statements)

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“…Although we expected that jaguar activity would be closely related to peccary activity and pumas to be more related to deer activity (Mendes Pontes & Chivers, 2007; Romero-Muñoz et al, 2010), the high overlap of both predators with deer and calf activity is possibly related to a higher abundance of these species in the area (Table 2) (Laundré & Hernández, 2010; Ruth & Murphy, 2010; Hayward et al, 2016). Further, the social behavior of peccaries and their defensive herding strategy may make deer and calves easier prey for both felines (Eisenberg & McKay, 1974; Sunquist & Sunquist, 2002; Scognamillo et al, 2003; Cascelli de Azevedo, 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Further, the social behavior of peccaries and their defensive herding strategy may make deer and calves easier prey for both felines (Eisenberg & McKay, 1974; Sunquist & Sunquist, 2002; Scognamillo et al, 2003; Cascelli de Azevedo, 2008). Jaguars can adapt their diet according to prey availability (Cascelli de Azevedo, 2008), and up to 111 species are known to constitute its food habits (Hayward et al, 2016). López-González & Miller (2002) proposed that jaguars consume larger prey size when they are farther north of the Equator.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…López-González & Miller (2002) proposed that jaguars consume larger prey size when they are farther north of the Equator. However, a recent analysis proposed that jaguars select prey based on their abundance and herd size rather than their body size (Hayward et al, 2016). When one prey species is more abundant than the other, overlap between predators increases because of the switch in the prey selection of one predator (Ruth & Murphy, 2010; Hayward et al, 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Jaguar interactions with pumas and prey at the northern edge of jaguars’ range

Gutiérrez-González

López‐González

2017

PeerJ

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We present the first study that evaluates jaguar-puma interactions in the arid lands of northern Mexico, where jaguars have their northernmost breeding population and both predators are persecuted for livestock depredation. We tested whether jaguars are the dominant species in this unique ecosystem, where: (1) pumas outnumber jaguars, (2) pumas are better adapted to arid environments, and (3) jaguars and pumas are of similar size. We analyzed four years of data with two approaches; a two species conditional occupancy model and an activity patterns analysis. We used camera location and prey presence as covariates for jaguar and puma detection and presence probabilities. We also explored overlap in activities of predators and prey. Where both species were detected, peccary presence was positively correlated with both jaguar and puma presence, whereas in areas where jaguars were detected but pumas were not, deer presence explained the probability of jaguar presence. We found that both predators were more likely to co-occur together than to be found independently, and so we rejected the hypothesis that jaguars were the dominant species in our study area. Predators were mainly nocturnal and their activity patterns overlapped by 60%. Jaguar, as compared with puma, overlapped more with deer and calves; puma overlapped with calves more than with other prey, suggesting a preference. We believe exploring predator relationships at different scales may help elucidate mechanisms that regulate their coexistence.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Jaguar interactions with pumas and prey at the northern edge of jaguars’ range

Gutiérrez-González

López‐González

2017

PeerJ

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“…In areas such as the Caatinga dry forests of Brazil, where jaguars are also small (Perez 2008), we hypothesise that they too will probably be heavily dependent on small xenarthrans as food source, just as occurs in Central America. As suggested elsewhere (Hayward et al 2015), these patterns may have had interesting consequences in the recent past as a great diversity of xenarthrans disappeared during the Pleistocene extinctions. Several of them, such as Holmesina, Neosclerocalyptus, Nothrotheriops and Pampatherium, were within the prey size range for jaguar.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 54%

Reptiles as principal prey? Adaptations for durophagy and prey selection by jaguar (Panthera onca)

Miranda

Menezes

Rheingantz

2016

Journal of Natural History

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We examined the evidence supporting the hypothesis that jaguars (Panthera onca) have morphological and behavioural adaptations to facilitate reptile predation. Jaguars' head and bite features show adaptations to durophagy (consumption of hard-integumented prey) that are very unusual within the genus Panthera. These include: thick canines, well-developed head muscles and a fatal bite directed to braincase or nape. These characteristics have been previously considered an adaptation for the consumption of reptilian prey, whose thick integument poses a challenge to predation. Although causation of any trait as result of natural selection is hard to demonstrate with ecological evidence, its consequences can be suggested and predictions made. Here, through a review of the literature on jaguar predatory habits, we tallied the evidence for saurophagy against environmental characteristics correlated with jaguar predation on reptiles. We offer a new explanation for the presence of those traits, based on the selection patterns, prey abundances and main predation habits over the geographic range of the jaguar. We believe that these features allow jaguars to overcome dangerous and/or armoured prey by dispatching them rapidly through a bite to the head or nape. Reptile consumption is restricted to areas of high reptile abundance while dangerous or armoured prey is consistently preyed upon throughout the jaguar's distribution, and selected even when their abundance is low. This questions the validity of the saurophagy hypothesis. We believe that these results are relevant to jaguar conservation and management, because some of the main prey species are severely threatened over their range, and because threatened reptiles are also consumed as prey. ARTICLE HISTORY

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“…Large carnivores and apex predators are widely accepted as indicators and keystone species, and furthermore are often threatened [87,88]. However, the jaguar has recognized opportunistic behavior and diet plasticity with a wide range of prey consumed, including small species [89] that may benefit from forest cover changes [90], for which forest managers may miss early signs of population disturbance and delay detectable responses, are consequently insufficient early indicators of forest and animal community disturbances, at least at the relatively low extent and strength levels observed in the Guianas. We can concur with previous research [91] and assume that large carnivores may not be locally relevant indicators for local and/or early changes in forest animal communities encountering rather low and cryptic threats.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predators, Prey and Habitat Structure: Can Key Conservation Areas and Early Signs of Population Collapse Be Detected in Neotropical Forests?

Thoisy

Fayad²,

Clément

et al. 2016

PLoS ONE

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Tropical forests with a low human population and absence of large-scale deforestation provide unique opportunities to study successful conservation strategies, which should be based on adequate monitoring tools. This study explored the conservation status of a large predator, the jaguar, considered an indicator of the maintenance of how well ecological processes are maintained. We implemented an original integrative approach, exploring successive ecosystem status proxies, from habitats and responses to threats of predators and their prey, to canopy structure and forest biomass. Niche modeling allowed identification of more suitable habitats, significantly related to canopy height and forest biomass. Capture/recapture methods showed that jaguar density was higher in habitats identified as more suitable by the niche model. Surveys of ungulates, large rodents and birds also showed higher density where jaguars were more abundant. Although jaguar density does not allow early detection of overall vertebrate community collapse, a decrease in the abundance of large terrestrial birds was noted as good first evidence of disturbance. The most promising tool comes from easily acquired LiDAR data and radar images: a decrease in canopy roughness was closely associated with the disturbance of forests and associated decreasing vertebrate biomass. This mixed approach, focusing on an apex predator, ecological modeling and remote-sensing information, not only helps detect early population declines in large mammals, but is also useful to discuss the relevance of large predators as indicators and the efficiency of conservation measures. It can also be easily extrapolated and adapted in a timely manner, since important open-source data are increasingly available and relevant for large-scale and real-time monitoring of biodiversity.

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Prey Preferences of the Jaguar Panthera onca Reflect the Post-Pleistocene Demise of Large Prey

Cited by 64 publications

References 93 publications

Jaguar interactions with pumas and prey at the northern edge of jaguars’ range

Jaguar interactions with pumas and prey at the northern edge of jaguars’ range

Reptiles as principal prey? Adaptations for durophagy and prey selection by jaguar (Panthera onca)

Predators, Prey and Habitat Structure: Can Key Conservation Areas and Early Signs of Population Collapse Be Detected in Neotropical Forests?

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