Abundance Of Prey Species Research Articles

Ontogenetic and spatial variation in the diet of hake (Merluccius merluccius) in the Bay of Biscay and the Celtic Sea

Abstract Mahe, K., Amara, R., Bryckaert, T., Kacher, M., and Brylinski, J. M. 2007. Ontogenetic and spatial variation in the diet of hake (Merluccius merluccius) in the Bay of Biscay and the Celtic Sea. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 64: 1210–1219. Analysis of the diet of trawl-caught hake (Merluccius merluccius) from three locations in the Bay of Biscay and the Celtic Sea in autumn 2001 showed that small hake fed almost exclusively on crustaceans (mainly euphausiids), but that there was a significant shift towards a fully piscivorous diet in hake >23 cm. A change in fish prey was also size-dependent, because smaller hake (<30 cm) preyed on small pelagic fish (3–12 cm), such as horse mackerel, anchovy, and pilchard, and larger hake on larger demersal prey (12–23 cm), such as blue whiting. There was a significant positive relationship between hake and fish prey length. In terms of fish prey selectivity, hake exhibited particular preference for small pelagic prey (anchovy, pilchard, and argentine) and for other hake. The diet did not generally reflect fish prey availability. Although horse mackerel and blue whiting were the two most abundant fish prey species in the environment, they were not positively selected by hake. Cannibalism accounted for a non-negligible part of the diet and was observed mainly in large hake (>30 cm). For all sizes analysed, conspecifics constituted 19.2%W of the diet and the frequency of occurrence of hake in the stomachs was 10.53%. Most hake prey were 0-group juveniles (<20 cm). Hake cannibalism appeared to be influenced mainly by the abundance of juveniles and the overlap between distribution patterns of juveniles and adults.

CHANGES IN KIT FOX–COYOTE–PREY RELATIONSHIPS IN THE GREAT BASIN DESERT, UTAH

Variation in kit fox (Vulpes macrotis) population parameters can be influenced by vegetative cover and the distribution and abundance of other predator and prey species. Dramatic changes to Great Basin Desert habitats, which can potentially impact mammalian species, have occurred in some areas in Utah. We examined kit fox demographics and prey populations from 1999 to 2001 on Dugway Proving Ground (DPG), a U.S. Army facility in Utah, and compared some parameters to historical levels (1956–1958–1966–1969). Adult survival rates were fairly consistent between 1999 and 2000 and between 1999 and 2001; however, survival was greater in 2001 than in 2000. Reproductive rates ranged from 1.0 to 3.8 pups per female in 1999–2000 and were similar to historical numbers (1.0–4.2 pups per female). We found a decrease in pre-whelping kit fox density from the 1960s (0.12 foxes · km−2) to 1999–2001 (0.04 foxes · km−2); however, densities were similar between the current study and the 1950s (0.08 foxes · km−2). Using 9 years of data, we found density dependence between reproductive rates of the current year and annual fox density from the previous year. Using 7 years of data, we found a slight correlation between kit fox annual density and a 1-year lag in leporid abundance, even though leporid abundance was lower during the present study than it was historically. Compared to historical levels, current small mammal abundance and species composition has changed in several habitats. Kit fox breeding density and annual density were inversely correlated with coyote (Canis latrans) density. Changes to the landscape at DPG, especially due to invasion of cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and addition of artificial water sources, have caused a change in available kit fox habitat and prey species, and have increased the abundance of coyotes, the kit fox's major competitor.

Spatial and Temporal Variation in the Diet of Coyotes in the Chicago Metropolitan Area

Coyotes (Canis latrans) are an opportunistic predator that have adapted to many human-modified environments. Conflicts between coyotes and humans are an increasing concern for managers in urban areas. We examined the spatial and temporal utilization and availability of natural and human-associated food for coyotes in the Chicago metropolitan area, Illinois, USA. We collected 1429 coyote scats from May 2000 to December 2002, and conducted prey surveys in 2002, in 4 sites that varied in their degree of urban development. Dominant food items included small rodents, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), fruit, eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) and birds. Their availability and occurrence in scats varied among sites and seasons. The occurrence of human-associated food items, which was only found in significant amounts in the most developed site, varied seasonally (2–25%). Because coyotes in less-developed areas had lower dietary diversity, these coyotes may have to venture into developed areas when there is a decline in the abundance of major prey species for that specific area.

Diet and prey profiles of three sympatric large carnivores in Bandipur Tiger Reserve, India

AbstractWe conducted a field study of diets of three sympatric large carnivores, the tiger Panthera tigris, the leopard Panthera pardus and the dhole Cuon alpinus in Bandipur Tiger Reserve, India, based on analyses of 381, 111 and 181 scats, respectively. The frequency of occurrence of prey items in scats was converted to relative biomass and number of prey consumed using regression equations based on earlier feeding trials. The results showed that although these predators kill ∼11–15 species of vertebrate prey, relatively abundant ungulate species provide 88–97% of biomass consumed by them. Although the dietary niche overlap among the three species was high (Pianka's index of 0.75–0.93), some specialized predation was observed. The largest ungulates, gaur Bos gaurus and sambar Cervus unicolor, provided 73% of biomass consumed by tigers, whereas medium‐sized chital Axis axis and wild pig Sus scrofa formed 65 and 83% of the biomass intake of leopards and dholes, respectively. In terms of the relative numbers of prey animals killed by the three predators, chital, which is the most abundant prey species, dominated their diets (tiger=33%, leopard=39% and dhole=73%). The results of the study, in conjunction with earlier work, support the prediction that abundance of ungulate prey species, as well as their availability in different size classes, are both critical factors that facilitate sympatry among the three predators.

Savanna herbivore dynamics in a livestock-dominated landscape. II: Ecological, conservation, and management implications of predator restoration

Conserving African wildlife in human-occupied landscapes requires management intervention that is guided by a mechanistic understanding of how anthropogenic factors influence large-scale ecological processes. In Laikipia District, a dry savanna region in northern Kenya where wildlife share the landscape with humans and livestock, we examined why five of nine wild ungulate species suffered protracted declines on properties receiving the greatest conservation investment. Of 10 alternative causes examined, only an increase in predation, interacting with brief periods of high and low rainfall, was consistent with the timing, synchrony, duration and species composition of observed ungulate declines. The principal factor causing predation to increase was a shift in land use from cattle ranching, under which predators and plains zebras were severely suppressed, to wildlife conservation and ecotourism. This prompted a 5-fold increase in plains zebra abundance, and created a demand for living predators. Plains zebras ultimately comprised more than half the available prey biomass, and supported a substantial predator community, but were not limited by predators. We infer that increasing predation pressure caused predator-susceptible prey species to decline, via mechanisms that included apparent competition. Herbivore dynamics in Laikipia shared features with previously reported responses by prey communities to predator manipulation in Kruger and Serengeti National Parks. All featured one or a few numerically dominant herbivore species, which were primarily limited by rainfall and density, supporting a predator community that in turn limited the abundance of other prey species. In each case, predation had a profound effect, but on only a subset of prey species, reducing the evenness component of prey diversity. The presence of cattle in the landscape may affect predator–prey dynamics in both direct and indirect ways, depending on rainfall. In extreme years (floods or drought), episodic die-offs temporarily subsidize scavenging predators. In low rainfall years, competition between plains zebras and cattle, which negligibly support predators, may indirectly limit predator carrying capacity. Consequently, removal of cattle may favor not only zebras, but also their predators, and further depress predator-susceptible prey species.

Substitution of top predators: effects of pike invasion in a subarctic lake

Summary1. Invasions of top predators may have strong cascading effects in ecosystems affecting both prey species abundance and lower trophic levels. A recently discussed factor that may enhance species invasion is climate change and in this context, we studied the effects of an invasion of northern pike into a subarctic lake ecosystem formerly inhabited by the native top predator Arctic char and its prey fish, ninespined stickleback.2. Our study demonstrated a strong change in fish community composition from a system with Arctic char as top predator and high densities of sticklebacks to a system with northern pike as top predator and very low densities of sticklebacks. A combination of both predation and competition from pike is the likely cause of the extinction of char.3. The change in top predator species also cascaded down to primary consumers as both zooplankton and predator‐sensitive macroinvertebrates increased in abundance.4. Although the pike invasion coincided with increasing summer temperatures in the study area we have no conclusive evidence that the temperature increase is the causal mechanism behind the pike invasion. But still, our study provides possible effects of future pike invasions in mountain lakes related to climate change. We suggest that future pike invasions will have strong effects in lake ecosystems, both by replacing native top consumers and through cascading effects on lower trophic levels.

The diet of pygmy sperm whales, Kogia breviceps, stranded in New Zealand: implications for conservation

The stomach contents of 27 pygmy sperm whales, Kogia breviceps, stranded on New Zealand beaches between 1991 and 2003 are reported. These individuals comprise 16 males, 10 females, and one for which no sex information is available. The diet was found to include fish and crustaceans, but is comprised primarily of cephalopods, with 0–526 lower beaks, representing an estimated maximum of c. 60 kg of cephalopod prey consumed by any one whale. Cephalopod prey is attributed to 23 species from 13 families, and is dominated by juvenile individuals of the families Histioteuthididae and Cranchiidae (adults of which usually occur at depths exceeding 400 m). Perceived threats to this whale, particularly those affecting distribution and abundance of prey species, are also discussed. These are the first data reporting the diet of this whale species in New Zealand waters. A comparison of the diet of K. breviceps is made with that of the sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus from New Zealand waters, and with the diet of Kogia known elsewhere.

Spatial Patterns of Winter Diet of the Great Cormorant in Coastal Wetlands of Greece

Diet of the Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) was studied in three coastal wintering areas (Axios and Evros Deltas, Messolonghi Lagoon) of Greece, in order to assess spatial differences and commercial value of prey. Thirteen birds were collected from the Axios Delta, 28 from the Evros Delta, and 16 from Messolonghi Lagoon. Pellets were collected from the Evros Delta (26) and Messolonghi Lagoon (30). A variety of fish taxa were found in the samples, but only one or two dominated in Great Cormorant’s diet, either by numbers or biomass. Grey mullets (Mugilidae and Golden Grey Mullet Liza aurata) were the most important prey by numbers and biomass in the Axios Delta; Giebel (Carassius auratus gibelio) dominated by numbers and biomass in the Evros Delta; whereas Boyer’s Sand Smelt (Atherina boyeri) was most important by numbers and Mugilidae by biomass at Messolonghi Lagoon. Differences found in diet between areas are probably due to differences in prey species composition and abundance. Fish of high commercial value contributed in low proportions in Great Cormorant’s diet, by numbers and biomass, being highest at Messolonghi Lagoon (22.4% by numbers, pellets; 11.5% by biomass, stomachs). The small overlap between the bird’s diet and valuable prey suggests minimal competition with fisheries.

A Mechanistic Approach to Evaluation of Umbrella Species as Conservation Surrogates

Although species with large area requirements are sometimes used as umbrella species, their general utility as conservation tools is uncertain. We surveyed the species diversity of birds, butterflies, carabids, and forest-floor plants in forest sites across an area (1,600 km2) in which we delineated large breeding home ranges of Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis). We tested whether protection of the home ranges could serve as an effective umbrella to protect sympatric species of the four taxa. We also used an empirical habitat model of occupancy of home range to examine mechanisms by which the Northern Goshawk acts as an umbrella species. Among species richness, abundance, and species composition of the four taxa, only abundance and species composition of birds differed between sites located inside and outside home ranges, which was due to greater abundance of bird species that were prey of Northern Goshawks inside the home ranges. Thus, although home range indicated areas with high abundance of certain bird prey species, it was not effective as an indicator of the species diversity of all four taxa. We also did not find any difference in species richness, abundance, and species composition between sites predicted as occupied and unoccupied using the habitat model. In contrast, when we selected sites on the basis of each habitat variable in the model, habitat variables that selected sites either in agricultural or forested landscapes encompassed sites with high species richness or particular species composition. This result suggests that the low performance of the Northern Goshawk as an umbrella species is due to this species' preference for habitat in both agricultural and forested landscapes. Species that can adjust to changes in habitat conditions may not act as effective umbrella species despite having large home ranges.

An Adapted Method for Sampling Earthworms at Night in Wildlife Studies

Earthworms are a major food item of many vertebrates, and their high biomass in temperate ecosystems provides an abundant and high-energy food resource. Earthworm tissue has a protein content of 60–70% (dry weight) with a high amino-acid content that is well matched to the requirements of vertebrates (Lee 1985). In the Western Palearctic, earthworms are a regular part of the diet of 186 mammal-, bird-, reptile-, and amphibian-predator species (Granval and Aliaga 1988). Specifically, earthworms of the family Lumbricidae are the main prey of many nocturnal animals, including 8 species of bird (belonging to families Rallidae, Charadriidae, Scolopacidae, and Strigidae), 5 species of mammal: badgers (Meles meles), hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus), moles (Talpa europaea), and 2 shrews (Sorex araneus and Neomys fodiens), and 19 species of amphibian (Granval and Aliaga 1988). The predominance of vertebrate earthworm predators foraging at night is likely to be the result of a higher overall abundance of earthworms near the soil surface at night than during the day. Certain earthworms (especially anecic species, known as night crawlers) perform nocturnal vertical migrations, where they emerge from the soil and move on the surface during the night (Lee 1985). Earthworms are very sensitive to bright light and ultraviolet radiation (Edwards and Lofty 1972). Thus, earthworms come to the soil surface at night or during periods of very low light intensity during the day (late in the evening or early in the morning), to mate or in search of organic food litter (Lee 1985). Many ecological and behavioral studies (time–budget studies, energetic studies, optimal foraging theory) require data on the abundance and availability of prey species. However, it is time consuming and logistically difficult to collect such data on subterranean species such as earthworms. Earthworms are usually sampled according to the standardized method described by Bouche and Gardner (1984) and Bouche and Aliaga (1986), which gives an accurate estimate of earthworm biomass. This method combines 2 complementary extraction techniques: 1) a chemical extraction using diluted formalin, which makes earthworms surface, is sprayed either on bare soil or on short-cut grass and 2) a physical extraction of worms that did not respond to the formalin and/or died near the surface from soil cores. However, such a method can only be correctly used in the daylight because worms forced from the soil by the formalin are very difficult to find and collect at night with portable headlamps. Moreover, earthworm populations are known to be highly aggregated in patches (Poier and Richter 1992, Rossi et al. 1997) and samples spaced only a few meters apart can give large differences in abundance of earthworms. Hence, to account for the spatial heterogeneity of worms, it is generally advised to sample several plots (usually 3–6) at the same site (Lee 1985). Because this technique requires 45 min of formalin spraying per m plus 15 min of preparation time (grass cutting), it is extremely time consuming. Thus, sampling can take many hours depending upon the number of plots sampled. Such a long, involved sampling time is generally not compatible with the work of individual wildlife researchers, who need easy and fast methods to estimate the availability of prey to predators, and not necessarily the exact biomass of prey in the habitat. A habitat containing a high biomass of earthworms (measured by standard procedure) may be of little interest to the predator if prey are too deep to be captured. For example, shorebirds, like Eurasian oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus), are limited by the size of their bill and choose prey (bivalves) at a well-defined depth in the mud; therefore, knowing the total biomass of bivalves is useless if only the most superficial ones are potential prey (Zwarts et al. 1996). To our knowledge, the availability of earthworms at night has not yet been quantitatively assessed, and no study has focused on the reliability of the diurnal standard method for estimating nocturnal earthworm availability. We describe an original yet simple method to sample earthworms, designed for wildlife biologists studying nocturnal vertebrate predators. We tested this new sampling procedure as part of an ecological study on the Eurasian woodcock (Scolopax rusticola), a bird that mainly forages on earthworms. The few studies on habitat selection in woodcocks (including the closely related American woodcock, Scolopax minor) found a correlation between habitat selection and earthworm availability, in summer and winter (Hudgins et al. 1985, Hirons and Johnson 1987, Granval and Bouche 1993, Duriez et al. 2005c). On winter nights woodcocks use fields extensively, especially meadows (Cramp and Simmons 1983), which are among the richest habitats for earthworms in Europe (Edwards 1983, Binet and Trehen 1990, Binet 1993, Fraser 1994). Because woodcocks have a maximum 1 E-mail: o.duriez@wanadoo.fr

Relationships among condition indices, feeding and growth of walleye in Lake Erie

Abstract Condition indices are often used as surrogates of fish health, growth, and feeding and to compare ecological well‐being among fish populations. In an effort to identify easily measured indices, growth and food consumption were compared with gonadal‐somatic index, liver‐somatic index (LSI), fat‐somatic index and relative weight (Wr) for ages 1–3 walleye, Sander vitreus (Mitchill), in Lake Erie from 1986 to 1988. The LSI and Wr were significantly correlated with growth rate or food consumption, but correlations were too small to be considered biologically meaningful. Furthermore, no consistent relationships between condition indices and growth or consumption were found among combinations of fish age and season. None of the indices are considered reliable surrogates for more laborious estimates of growth and food consumption for Lake Erie walleye. Significant relationships between Wr and relative abundance of key prey species warrant further investigation.

Distribution and behaviour of Common Scoter Melanitta nigra relative to prey resources and environmental parameters

Offshore wind farms are proposed around the coast of the UK and elsewhere in Europe. These sites tend to be located in shallow coastal waters that often coincide with areas used by over‐wintering Common Scoter Melanitta nigra. A large‐scale study was undertaken to ascertain the relationship of the spatial distribution of Common Scoter in Liverpool Bay with prey abundance and environmental and anthropogenic variables that may affect foraging efficiency. The highest numbers of Common Scoter coincided with sites that had a high abundance and biomass of bivalve prey species. There was strong evidence that the maximum observed biomass of bivalves occurred at a mean depth of c. 14 m off the Lancashire coast and at c. 8 m off the north Wales coast. This coincided well with the distribution of Common Scoter at Shell Flat, but less well with the distribution of birds off North Wales. Common Scoters were observed in lowest numbers or were absent from areas in which anthropogenic disturbance (shipping activity) was relatively intense, even when these areas held a high prey biomass. Commercial fishing activities did not appear to contribute to this disturbance.

Site-specific effects on productivity of an upper trophic-level marine predator: Bottom-up, top-down, and mismatch effects on reproduction in a colonial seabird

We investigated the relative roles of bottom-up and top-down factors in limiting productivity of an upper trophic level marine predator. Our primary working hypothesis was that the reproductive success of black-legged kittiwakes ( Rissa tridactyla) a piscivorous, colonial-nesting seabird, was most limited by the abundance, distribution, and species composition of surface-schooling forage fishes. A secondary working hypothesis was that reproductive loss to kittiwake nest predators was greatest during years of reduced prey availability. We report on a broad-scale, integrated study of kittiwakes and their prey in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Our study spanned five breeding seasons (1995–1999) and focused on three colonies that differed in size (ranging from ca. 220 to ca. 7000 breeding pairs) and proximity to each other (50–135 km apart). Kittiwakes in PWS encountered a variety of aquatic habitats, creating a complex foraging environment for breeding birds. We measured kittiwake reproductive success and foraging activities, while simultaneously measuring the abundance of surface schooling forage fishes throughout the foraging range of breeding kittiwakes. The abundance of primary prey species for kittiwakes (Pacific herring Clupea pallasi, Pacific sand lance Ammodytes hexapterus, and capelin Mallotus villosus) varied both annually and regionally, with no one region consistently having the greatest abundance of prey. Likewise, kittiwake reproductive success varied considerably among colonies and years. We found that bottom-up, top-down, timing mismatch, and colony-specific effects were all important to kittiwake productivity. Although bottom-up effects appeared to be strongest, they were not evident in some cases until other effects, such as geographic location (proximity of colony to prey concentrations) and top-down predation, were considered. Important bottom-up effects on kittiwake reproductive success were not only total prey abundance and distribution, but also species, age composition, and chronology of prey occurrence (match/mismatch of timing with critical brood-rearing periods); these effects varied by colony. Top-down effects of predation on kittiwake nest contents (independent of prey abundance) confounded seabird-forage fish relationships. Ultimately, when confounding factors were minimized, non-linear asymptotic relationships were identified between kittiwakes and their prey, with an asymptotic threshold of fish school surface area density of ca. 5 m 2/km 2, beyond which top-down, physiological, or phylogenetic constraints likely restrict further reproductive output. The integrated approach of our investigations provided a more thorough understanding of the mechanisms underlying predator–prey relationships in the complex marine environment. However, such mechanistic theories can only be tested and refined through long-term research and monitoring of much greater duration than the 5-year study reported herein.

Understanding the Risk to Neotropical Migrant Bird Species of Multiple Human-Caused Stressors: Elucidating Processes Behind the Patterns.

Hames, R. S., J. D. Lowe, S. Barker Swarthout and K. V. Rosenberg 2006. Understanding the risk to neotropical migrant bird species of multiple human-caused stressors: elucidating processes behind the patterns. Ecology and Society 11(1): 24. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-01673-110124

Diet choice of large carnivores in northern Cameroon

AbstractThe diet of African wild dogs, lions and spotted hyenas was studied in the woodland savannah of Faro National Park and surrounding hunting zones in northern Cameroon during the dry season. Faecal analysis revealed that the diet of the three large carnivores overlaps considerably. Frequencies of prey remains of large and medium‐sized antelopes were highest, with Buffon's kob being by far the most common prey species. Carnivores seem to consume the most abundant prey species. No prey item of domestic livestock was found in the faeces. Faecal analysis has proved to be a useful method to reveal diet choice for large carnivores in northern Cameroon. Detailed information on the distribution and density of large carnivores and their prey is needed to give a better picture of the status of carnivores in northern Cameroon and to help resolve conflicts with livestock. Further investigations into the seasonal variation of predation and other factors structuring the large carnivore community in northern Cameroon are recommended.

Chilling out

Chilling out

Dietary responses of arctic foxes Alopex lagopus to changing prey availability across an Arctic landscape

Abstract This study examines how the distribution and abundance of prey species influenced arctic fox Alopex lagopus diet on Svalbard during the summers of 1997, 1998 and 1999. The arctic fox together with the glaucous gull Larus hyperboreus are the only predators of this terrestrial ecosystem, and during summer the potential prey are confined to a few prey species such as various colonial seabirds, geese and Svalbard reindeer Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus. There is great variation in distribution of prey over short distances, resulting in highly contrasting patterns in terms of both prey abundance and availability. Arctic fox diet was investigated by collecting scats (N = 818) at dens used for breeding. A cluster analysis based on similarities in the contents of scats revealed that arctic fox habitat could be divided into three distinct prey resource landscapes: two inland areas dominated by the prey species 'reindeer' and 'reindeer and geese', respectively, and one coastal resource area dominated by '...

Tadpole shrimp structure macroinvertebrate communities in playa lake microcosms

Laboratory microcosms were used to assess whether tadpole shrimp, Triops sp., affect community structure of other native macroinvertebrates in playa lakes of the Southern High Plains of Texas. Removal of tadpole shrimp shortly after hatching reduced abundances of many taxa, and decreased subsequent taxonomic richness and diversity. For many invertebrates, the presence of tadpole shrimp in low numbers had a positive effect on mean abundance. Direct effects of tadpole shrimp include the reduction of prey species abundance, which in turn may alter biotic interactions among other taxa. Indirect effects include physical modification of the environment during foraging through surface sediments. Results suggest that tadpole shrimp may be a key species controlling structure of macroinvertebrate communities in playa lakes.

What is out there: diversity in feeding of gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) around the Falkland Islands (Southwest Atlantic)

During austral spring 2000, the diet of Gentoo penguins, Pygoscelis papua, was studied and compared to prey availability, assessed by trawl and plankton surveys, in waters adjacent to a number of colonies along the coast of West Falkland. There was good agreement in size and abundance of key prey species in the penguin diet and from the plankton and trawl surveys. The diet of birds breeding adjacent to shallow sheltered waters was dominated by demersal species, in particular crustaceans, Munida spp. whilst birds breeding adjacent to deeper exposed waters generally preyed upon pelagic species of fish, Falkland herring Sprattus fuegensis and squid, Moroteuthis ingens. Gentoo penguins generally foraged at depths of up to 30 m, relatively close to the coast, and illustrated a certain degree of selection of prey species where possible, thus providing evidence that they are not fully opportunistic predators.

Diet choice of large carnivores in northern Cameroon

AbstractThe diet of African wild dogs, lions and spotted hyenas was studied in the woodland savannah of Faro National Park and surrounding hunting zones in northern Cameroon during the dry season. Faecal analysis revealed that the diet of the three large carnivores overlaps considerably. Frequencies of prey remains of large and medium‐sized antelopes were highest, with Buffon's kob being by far the most common prey species. Carnivores seem to consume most abundant prey species. No prey item of domestic livestock was found in the faeces. Faecal analysis has proved to be a useful method to reveal diet choice for large carnivores in northern Cameroon. Detailed information on the distribution and density of large carnivores and their prey is needed to give a better picture of the status of carnivores in northern Cameroon and to help resolve conflicts with livestock. Further investigations into the seasonal variation of predation and other factors structuring the large carnivore community in northern Cameroon are recommended.