Abstract
Scat analysis is a valuable tool for the description and quantification of mammal diets. However, estimating the number of prey eaten using prey remains found in feces is difficult mainly due to differential digestibility of prey. In this context, we performed feeding trials with captive ocelots, Leopardus pardalis (Linnaeus, 1785), to evaluate the time needed until complete elimination in feces of different prey such as rodents and birds. Rodents took up to five days and birds two days until complete elimination. Our results are consistent in showing that elimination time differs for different prey and some prey may take a long time to be expelled, inducing errors in dietary studies.
Highlights
Dietary studies are essential to predict the viability of a given species in its habitat
We performed feeding trials with captive ocelots, Leopardus pardalis (Linnaeus, 1785), to evaluate the time needed until complete elimination in feces of different prey such as rodents and birds
Scat analysis is a valuable tool for the description and quantification of mammal diets, since it is a non-invasive technique that allows recovering dietary information of secretive species such as mammalian carnivores (WEAVER & HOFFMAN 1979, PUTMAN 1984)
Summary
Dietary studies are essential to predict the viability of a given species in its habitat. We performed feeding trials with captive ocelots, Leopardus pardalis (Linnaeus, 1785), to evaluate the time needed until complete elimination in feces of different prey such as rodents and birds.
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