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Botha AE, Bruns AC, le Roux A. The spatial ecology of black-backed jackals ( Canis mesomelas) in a protected mountainous grassland area. AFRICAN ZOOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2022.2057818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Edward Botha
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State, Phuthaditjhaba, South Africa
- Afromontane Research Unit, University of the Free State, Phuthaditjhaba, South Africa
| | - Angela Caren Bruns
- South African National Parks, Veterinary Wildlife Services, Kimberley, South Africa
| | - Aliza le Roux
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State, Phuthaditjhaba, South Africa
- Afromontane Research Unit, University of the Free State, Phuthaditjhaba, South Africa
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Kamler JF, Minge C, Rostro-García S, Gharajehdaghipour T, Crouthers R, In V, Pay C, Pin C, Sovanna P, Macdonald DW. Home range, habitat selection, density, and diet of golden jackals in the Eastern Plains Landscape, Cambodia. J Mammal 2021; 102:636-650. [PMID: 34621142 PMCID: PMC8491366 DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyab014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We used radiocollars and GPS collars to determine the movements and habitat selection of golden jackals (Canis aureus) in a seasonally dry deciduous forest with no human settlements in eastern Cambodia. We also collected and analyzed 147 scats from jackals to determine their seasonal diet and prey selection. The mean (± SE) annual size of home-range ranges (47.1 ± 2.5 km2; n = 4), which were mutually exclusive between mated pairs, was considerably larger than that previously reported for this species, resulting in an extremely low density (0.01 jackal/km2). The unusually large home ranges and low density probably were due to the harsh dry season when most understory vegetation is burned and nearly all waterholes dry up, thereby causing a large seasonal decline in the availability of small vertebrate prey. Resident groups consisted of an alpha pair, but no betas, and were situated only in areas not occupied by leopards (Panthera pardus) and dholes (Cuon alpinus). Jackals avoided dense forests and streams, and had a strong selection for dirt roads, possibly to avoid larger predators. Overall the jackal diet was diverse, with at least 16 prey items identified, and there was no significant difference in diet composition between the cool-dry and hot-dry seasons. Scat analysis showed that the main food items consumed by jackals were processional termites (Hospitalitermes spp.; 26% biomass consumed), followed by wild pig (Sus scrofa; 20%), muntjac (Muntiacus vaginalis; 20%), and civets (17%). Compared to available biomass, jackals were not random in their consumption of ungulates because muntjac were selectively consumed over larger ungulate species. Dietary overlap with dholes and leopards was relatively low, and consumption patterns indicated jackals were preying on ungulates rather than scavenging from kills of larger carnivores. Our results showed that the jackal is an extremely adaptable and opportunistic species that exhibits unique behaviors to survive in an extreme environment near the edge of its distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan F Kamler
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, University of Oxford, Department of Zoology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney, Abingdon OX13 5QL, United Kingdom
| | - Christin Minge
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Friedrich-Schiller University of Jena, 07443 Jena, Germany
| | - Susana Rostro-García
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, University of Oxford, Department of Zoology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney, Abingdon OX13 5QL, United Kingdom
| | - Tazarve Gharajehdaghipour
- Department of Natural Resources Management, University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Rachel Crouthers
- World Wild Fund for Nature Cambodia, Street 322, Phnom Penh 12302, Cambodia
| | - Visattha In
- Ministry of Environment, 48 Samdach Preah Sihanouk Blvd., Phnom Penh 12301, Cambodia
| | - Chen Pay
- World Wild Fund for Nature Cambodia, Street 322, Phnom Penh 12302, Cambodia
| | - Chanratana Pin
- Ministry of Environment, 48 Samdach Preah Sihanouk Blvd., Phnom Penh 12301, Cambodia
| | - Prum Sovanna
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, University of Oxford, Department of Zoology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney, Abingdon OX13 5QL, United Kingdom
| | - David W Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, University of Oxford, Department of Zoology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney, Abingdon OX13 5QL, United Kingdom
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