Polowania wielokrotne rysia i lisa oraz wykorzystywanie zdobyczy przez niektóre ssaki drapieżne

Abstract

Three observations on multiple hunting are reported and analysed. Wild lynx Lynx lynx Linnaeus, 1758 killed 3 roe deer Capreolus capreolus (Linnaeus, 1758) and hurt another one during one night in the forest enclosure. The lynx carefully covered the quarries with grass, litter and dirt and was returning to feed on the cache during 5 consecutive nights. Tamed female red fox Vulpes vulpes Linnaeus, 1758 rearing young was observed during a multiple hunt in a farmyard when it killed 5 domestic hens and negligently buried them in sand. The same vixen was observed when it got into the house and hurt 5 hens during 1-min hunt. In the first and the second case the predators tried to obtain and secure as much food as the favourable conditions would allow. The multiple hunting was undertaken after the evaluation of promising situation. The third case was the classic example of so-called hen house syndrome. Therefore, multiple hunting and surplus killing by carnivores cannot be regarded the incidental and instinctive response to superabundant, vulnerable prey which then is not consumed but mainly wasted. Multiple hunting is often an adaptive behaviour, and is undertaken by a predator after the evaluation of a chance to acquire much food at low expense. Surplus food may be valuable or even critical during reproduction period of predator or in unfavourable conditions. Observation on polecat Mustela putorius Linnaeus, 1758 showed that the access to superabundant food ensured 14-day maintenance of a predator in winter.