Abstract
To date, records of predation on Baird’s tapir (Tapirus bairdii) by jaguars (Panthera onca) were anecdotal and did not allow for differentiation regarding whether the animal had been preyed upon or scavenged. Here, we present the first documented event of predation on a Baird’s tapir by a jaguar in the Calakmul region, Campeche, Mexico. In August 2017, we observed a jaguar eating a juvenile female Baird’s tapir; when we analysed the skull, we observed the characteristic “lethal bite” with which jaguars kill their prey by piercing the temporal and parietal bones with their canine teeth. Jaguars select to attack tapirs when they are most vulnerable (young or sick). Records of these type of events are important for understanding the food webs and ecology of these iconic Neotropical species that inhabit the Mesoamerican forests.
Highlights
Baird’s tapir (Tapirus bairdii) is the largest terrestrial mammal in the forests of Mesoamerica and has been categorized as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) (García et al 2016)
In the case of predation by big cats, most records are anecdotal and the few studies that have been conducted in other species of tapirs have used classical techniques that do not allow to differentiate whether the tapir was preyed upon or scavenged (Taber et al 1997; Garla et al 2001; Astete et al 2008; Cavalcanti and Gese 2010)
The encounter rates between these species may be higher around small streams, lagoons or in the waterholes locally known as “aguadas”, which are the only source of water for wildlife consumption in this region (O’Farrill et al 2014)
Summary
Baird’s tapir (Tapirus bairdii) is the largest terrestrial mammal in the forests of Mesoamerica and has been categorized as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) (García et al 2016). In the case of predation by big cats, most records are anecdotal and the few studies that have been conducted in other species of tapirs have used classical techniques (e.g., scat analyses) that do not allow to differentiate whether the tapir was preyed upon or scavenged (Taber et al 1997; Garla et al 2001; Astete et al 2008; Cavalcanti and Gese 2010). The Calakmul region hosts presumably the largest population of Baird’s tapir (Naranjo 2009) and of jaguars (Ceballos et al 2002) in Mexico.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
