Scat Analysis of Carnivores

The diet of spotted-tailed quolls Dasyurus maculatus (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae) in the north-eastern tablelands of New South Wales was investigated by faecal analysis. Medium-sized mammals (500–6999 g) formed the bulk of the faecal content, in terms of both volume and frequency of occurrence. The most frequently consumed vertebrates were the greater glider Petauroides volans, rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus, bandicoots Perameles nasuta and/or Isoodon macrourus, red-necked pademelon Thylogale thetis, ringtail possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus, and brushtail possums Trichosurus vulpecula and/or T. caninus. Insects were also eaten frequently, but birds and reptiles occurred relatively infrequently in the diet. The seasonal variation in diet was marked, with insects and reptiles being consumed more frequently, and mammals less frequently, in summer than in winter. This seasonal pattern was also mirrored by the relative volumes of mammals and insects consumed. The results obtained here indicate that the spotted-tailed quoll is an opportunistic predator, consuming a wide variety of taxa and apparently varying its diet to take advantage of short-term fluctuations in prey abundance. The extremely high proportion of mammals in the diet identifies D. maculatus as a hypercarnivore, or meat specialist. The importance of tree hollow-nesting mammals in the diet indicates that the preservation of hollow-bearing trees should aid the conservation of D. maculatus. Future dietary studies of the species should sample over extensive time periods and involve concurrent monitoring of prey populations.

Snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is the topmost predator of the remote holy land of the mountains in the high, remote regions of Central Asia, which is categorized as threatened species by IUCN. The increasing interactions between humans and large carnivores are resulting in a worldwide escalation of human–carnivore conflict. The study was conducted for understanding basic of the extent of livestock predation, the relative importance of livestock in carnivore diets, relative biomass and relative number of prey consumed to understand the negative effects of the human-carnivore conflict in the Samagaun VDC, north-western part of Gorkha district. Different species of livestock and wild prey species in the diet of the snow leopard were quantified by identification of undigested hairs from 13 scats collected from the valley. Three species livestock reared in the pasturelands of Samagaun VDC along with 6 prey species were identified in the diet having equality in the presence of wild and domestic animal. Livestock formed approximately 52.2% of total diet of the snow leopard whereas wild prey species consist of 37.8%. The domestic species found in the scat are mostly the big mammals so the economic loss to the locals was high. The relative biomass consumption of Yak was found to be highest among others with 38.27 kg and the number of relative number of individual consumed was found to be high of Himalayan Marmot with approximately 34 individuals per hundred kill.

The number of the species present is constant with constant area having increasing threat of human pressure in wild is likely to decrease the number of prey species in future leading to the declination of this charismatic wild predator.  Local People of Samdo and its nearby places are facing economic loss so they must be supported immediately by providing the compensation fund store in the bank and should take up livestock insurance scheme.

La tafonomía actualista constituye una poderosa herramienta para evaluar el rol de los carnívoros como formadores activos del registro fósil. Caracterizar la firma tafonómica de diferentes depredadores es clave para interpretar los patrones observados en los conjuntos
faunísticos. En este trabajo se presentan los resultados de una muestra ósea obtenida de 10 heces de puma procedentes del Parque Nacional Sierra de las Quijadas (San Luis, Argentina). El objetivo general es caracterizar estos restos para generar una herramienta útil en la interpretación del registro fósil. El procesamiento de las fecas permitió recuperar 2913 especímenes óseos. Los resultados indicaron que el largo promedio de los especímenes es de 8,49 mm, en tanto que el
ancho promedio es de 4,53 mm. Se determinó un NTAXA de nueve, con predominio de individuos de la Subfamilia Dolichotinae. El 6,5% de la muestra presentaba marcas de dientes y el 91% evidencias de corrosión gástrica. En conclusión, este trabajo contribuye a la construcción de
marcos de referencia útiles para la interpretación de los conjuntos fósiles. Dado que el puma es un carnívoro generalista y oportunista, al momento de utilizar estas herramientas deben tenerse en cuenta los ensambles faunísticos pasados y presentes del área de estudio.

Actualistic taphonomy is one of the most powerful tools when evaluating the role of carnivores as active formers of the fossil record. Characterizing the taphonomic signature of different predators is key to the interpretation of the patterns observed in faunal assemblages.
This paper presents the results of a bone sample obtained from 10 puma scats collected in Sierra de las Quijadas National Park (San Luis, Argentina). The main objective is to characterize the ingested bone remains in order to generate a useful tool for the interpretation of the fossil record. The cleaning of the scats allowed to recover a total of 2913 bone specimens. The results indicated that the mean length of the specimens is 8.49 mm and the mean width is 4.53 mm. We determined an NTAXA of nine, with a predominance of individuals from the Dolichotinae Subfamily. 6.5% of the specimens presented tooth marks and 91% showed evidence of gastric corrosion. In conclusion, this study contributes to the construction of useful frames of reference for the interpretation of fossil assemblages. Since the puma is a generalist and opportunistic carnivore, we must consider the past and present faunal assemblages of the study area when applying these tools.

In the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales the diets of sympatric foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and dogs (Canis lupus) were determined from analysis of oportunitically collected scats. Mammalian prey dominated the diet of both species but foxes had a more diverse diet than dogs. The red-necked pademelon (Thylogale thetis) had the highest occurrence in both predators. the northern brown bandicoot (Isoodon macrourus) was the second most common prey of the fox but did not occur in dog scats. Swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) was more common in dog scats than fox scats.

Large predators are recolonizing areas in industrialized countries where they have been absent for decades or centuries. As they reach these areas the predators often encounter unwary livestock and unprepared keepers, which translates into large economic costs. The cost per individual may have important repercussions on the conservation and management of large predators. During the years 2003-2004, we collected 136 feces preliminarily identified as belonging to gray wolves (Canis lupus) along the northeastern limit of the wolf range in the Iberia peninsula (Basque Country, Spain). Genetic analyses allowed us to identify the species of origin in 86 cases: 31 corresponded to wolves, 2 to red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and 53 to dogs (Canis familiaris). Among the wolves we identified 16 different individuals. We estimated the cost of conserving wolves to be more than € 3,000 per wolf per year, based on the cost of damage compensation and prevention during the 2003-2004 period. However, most of the wolf feces contained wild prey whereas dog feces contained mostly remains of domestic animals. This finding suggests that uncontrolled dogs could be responsible for some of the attacks on livestock, contributing to negative public attitudes toward wolf conservation and increasing its cost

Food habits of Golden Jackals were estimated by an analysis of 200 scats in Van Vihar National Park, India, a small park of
4.45km2 with a very high density of jackals and ungulates. A total of 10 items including fruits (40.74%), vegetative matter (24.38%), Chital
(21.61%), Nilgai (9.57%), rodent (1.54%), birds (1.23%), Sambar (0.62%) and Wild Pig (0.31%) were consumed. We estimated relative
biomass consumption for the top potential ungulate prey and found that for every 100kg of potential prey killed by jackals, 89.4kg came
from Chital and 10.6kg came from Nilgai calves. The impact that predation can have on the ungulate population in an enclosed area is
discussed.

Australian archaeofaunal assemblages are often heavily fragmented by taphonomic agents whose identity or origins are frequently difficult to discern. This study explores whether the fragmentation and accumulation of bone by carnivorous marsupial quolls may be distinguished from that produced by humans. Analyses of 140 scats obtained from captive feeding trials and wild populations of three quoll species (Dasyurus maculatus, Dasyurus viverrinus and Dasyurus hallucatus) indicates that damage to bones by quolls may be identified through a combination of the median length of bone specimens and observations of specific types of damage to the bone surface. Our results demonstrate that bone consumed by D. viverrinus and D. hallucatus is highly unlikely to be confused with human-accumulated assemblages due to low dietary overlap and the very small bone fragment size produced by both quoll species. Bone accumulations of the larger D. maculatus species, however, may be incorrectly attributed to humans due to the consumption of medium-large mammals by both humans and quolls, and the larger size of bone fragments produced by D. maculatus. Although fragments as large as 25 mm were recovered from wild D. maculatus scats, the median length of scat-bone fragments for D. maculatus falls between ~8.30–10.40 mm. This is significantly different statistically to the median fragment length (11.90 mm) of bone in scats of the Tasmanian devil, Sarcophilus harrisii, as reported by Caroline Northwood (1990). Scats from wild D. maculatus indicate that polish and pitting are the most common forms of surface damage to bone, with more than 25% of specimens displaying these marks. Punctures and tooth drag marks are far rarer, with only 5% of bone specimens exhibiting this kind of damage. In light of these results, we advocate for detailed observation of the surface of bone specimens, along with obtaining specimen lengths, in order to distinguish quoll accumulated bone in archaeofaunal assemblages.

Invasive predators have severe impacts on global biodiversity, and their effects in Australia have been more extreme than on any other continent. The spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus), an endangered marsupial carnivore, coexists with three eutherian carnivores, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), feral cat (Felis catus) and wild dog (Canis lupus ssp.) with which it did not coevolve. No previous study has investigated dietary overlap between quolls and the suite of three eutherian carnivores. By analysing scats, we aimed to quantify dietary overlap within this carnivore assemblage in eastern Australia, and to detect any differences that may facilitate coexistence. We also sought evidence of intraguild predation. Dietary overlap between predators was extensive, with the greatest similarity occurring between foxes and cats. However, some differences were apparent. For example, cats mainly consumed smaller prey, and wild dogs larger prey. Quolls showed greater dietary overlap with foxes and cats than with dogs. Intraguild predation was evident, with fox remains occurring in 3% of wild dog scats. Our results suggest wild dogs competitively dominate invasive foxes, which in turn are likely to compete with the endangered quoll.

Se presenta aquí un modelo sobre la acción tafonómica de los mamíferos carnívoros en la Puna argentina, basado en estudios actualísticos de madrigueras en abrigos rocosos, loci donde se localiza la mayor parte de los sitios arqueológicos conocidos de cazadores-recolectores de la región. Se analizan diferentes líneas de evidencia en los abrigos y en los conjuntos óseos transportados y de origen escatológico que contienen, así como evidencia contextual. Se infiere una alta variabilidad en las variables más diagnósticas de la acción de carnívoros, principalmente zorros, comparada con la de humanos. Estas incluyen la selectividad preferencial de abrigos pequeños, conjuntos transportados exiguos, el tratamiento de camélidos como presas grandes, la representación casi exclusiva de taxones pequeños en conjuntos escatológicos, la presencia de daños de mascado y digestión de baja intensidad y una alta fragmentación en los especímenes de origen escatológico, además de la asociación con otras trazas características de estos actores. Dados el escaso poder discriminatorio de cada una y su alta variabilidad, cuyas fuentes son asimismo analizadas, es crucial considerar estas variables en conjunto, como en el modelo aquí presentado.
ABSTRACT
A model is introduced here on the taphonomic action of mammalian carnivores in the Argentinean Puna. It is based on the actualistic study of dens in rockshelters, loci where most known hunter-gatherer archaeological sites are located in the region. Different lines of evidence are analyzed concerning the rockshelters and the transported and scatological assemblages contained, as well as contextual information. High rates of variability are inferred in the variables that are most diagnostic of carnivore action –mainly foxes– as compared to that of humans. They include the preferential selectivity of small shelters, small transported assemblages, the treatment of camelids as large prey, the nearly exclusive representation of small taxa in scatological assemblages, the presence of low-intensity gnawing and digestive damage and high fragmentation of scatologically derived bone, besides the association to other traces of these actors. Also the sources of variability in the inferred patterns are analyzed. Among them are the availability of topographic resources and that of critical resources such as water, the availability of prey or carcasses and their condition, as well as the levels of competition for them, the very presence of humans and their varying ways of life, and the introduction of new species such as dogs and caprines. As each of these variables has a relatively low discriminatory power by itself, and they are highly variable, it is crucial to consider all of them in conjunction, as in the model presented here.

Abstract Australian archaeofaunal assemblages are often heavily fragmented by taphonomic agents whose identity or origins are frequently difficult to discern. This study explores whether the fragmentation and accumulation of bone by carnivorous marsupial quolls may be distinguished from that produced by humans. Analyses of 140 scats obtained from captive feeding trials and wild populations of three quoll species ( Dasyurus maculatus , Dasyurus viverrinus and Dasyurus hallucatus ) indicates that damage to bones by quolls may be identified through a combination of the median length of bone specimens and observations of specific types of damage to the bone surface. Our results demonstrate that bone consumed by D. viverrinus and D. hallucatus is highly unlikely to be confused with human-accumulated assemblages due to low dietary overlap and the very small bone fragment size produced by both quoll species. Bone accumulations of the larger D. maculatus species, however, may be incorrectly attributed to humans due to the consumption of medium-large mammals by both humans and quolls, and the larger size of bone fragments produced by D. maculatus . Although fragments as large as 25 mm were recovered from wild D. maculatus scats, the median length of scat-bone fragments for D. maculatus falls between ~ 8.30–10.40 mm. This is significantly different statistically to the median fragment length (11.90 mm) of bone in scats of the Tasmanian devil, Sarcophilus harrisii , as reported by Caroline Northwood (1990). Scats from wild D. maculatus indicate that polish and pitting are the most common forms of surface damage to bone, with more than 25% of specimens displaying these marks. Punctures and tooth drag marks are far rarer, with only 5% of bone specimens exhibiting this kind of damage. In light of these results, we advocate for detailed observation of the surface of bone specimens, along with obtaining specimen lengths, in order to distinguish quoll accumulated bone in archaeofaunal assemblages.

The Japanese weasel (Mustela itatsi) is reported to have declined throughout Japan, but is known to survive in both rural and urban areas. In this study, we used DNA analysis to confirm the identification of Japanese weasels from faecal samples collected from weasel habitat along the Tama River in an urban area. We investigated the distribution of Japanese weasels in the riparian environment, and whether male and female Japanese weasels consume different food items. Based on this information, we discuss the management of the Tama River as Japanese weasel habitat. Of the 93 faecal samples, 34 were identified as from Japanese weasels; 21 were determined to be from males, and six from females. In this study, we found that male and female Japanese weasels mainly ate arthropods and fruits, whereas in a study in rural area showed a different trend, with male Japanese weasels specializing on mammals and crustaceans, and females as generalists switching between orthoptera and coleoptera ins...

Food habits of Golden Jackals were estimated by an analysis of 200 scats in Van Vihar National Park, India, a small park of 4.45km2 with a very high density of jackals and ungulates. A total of 10 items including fruits (40.74%), vegetative matter (24.38%), Chital (21.61%), Nilgai (9.57%), rodent (1.54%), birds (1.23%), Sambar (0.62%) and Wild Pig (0.31%) were consumed. We estimated relative biomass consumption for the top potential ungulate prey and found that for every 100kg of potential prey killed by jackals, 89.4kg came from Chital and 10.6kg came from Nilgai calves. The impact that predation can have on the ungulate population in an enclosed area is discussed.

The seasonal diet of the brown bear Ursus arctos was determined by analysing the frequency of occurrence of diet items in 208 faeces in the Pindos Mountains, west of Greece, during 1994-1995. Diet varied significantly among seasons. Green vegetation was the most important food category during the spring (68.6%). Soft mast was the predominant food category in summer (105.7%), and in autumn (98.1%). Vertebrates were present in small numbers during the summer (2.8%) and higher in autumn (18.5%) and absent in spring. The proportion of plant and animal material was consistent among seasons.