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Individual foraging specialisation in a social mammal: the European badger (Meles meles)

  • Behavioral ecology - Original research
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Abstract

Individual specialisation has been identified in an increasing number of animal species and populations. However, in some groups, such as terrestrial mammals, it is difficult to disentangle individual niche variation from spatial variation in resource availability. In the present study, we investigate individual variation in the foraging niche of the European badger (Meles meles), a social carnivore that lives in a shared group territory, but forages predominantly alone. Using stable isotope analysis, we distinguish the extent to which foraging variation in badgers is determined by social and spatial constraints and by individual differences within groups. We found a tendency for individual badgers within groups to differ markedly and consistently in their isotope values, suggesting that individuals living with access to the same resources occupied distinctive foraging niches. Although sex had a significant effect on isotope values, substantial variation within groups occurred independently of age and sex. Individual differences were consistent over a period of several months and in some instances were highly consistent across the two years of the study, suggesting long-term individual foraging specialisations. Individual specialisation in foraging may, therefore, persist in populations of territorial species not solely as a result of spatial variation in resources, but also arising from individuals selecting differently from the same available resources. Although the exact cause of this behaviour is unknown, we suggest that specialisation may occur due to learning trade-offs which may limit individual niche widths. However, ecological factors at the group level, such as competition, may also influence the degree of specialisation.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the National Wildlife Management Centre Woodchester Park field team for carrying out the trapping and sampling of badgers to obtain whiskers for the purposes of this study. We would also like to thank Gareth Rees for his help with the stable isotope analysis. Work involving live badgers was carried out under a UK Home Office licence, in accordance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and was subject to an internal ethical review process. This research was funded by the European Social Fund (ESF). The longer term Woodchester Park study is supported by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, TR10 9EZ, Cornwall, UK

    Andrew Robertson & Stuart Bearhop

  2. Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, TR10 9EZ, Cornwall, UK

    Andrew Robertson & Robbie A. McDonald

  3. National Wildlife Management Centre, Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Woodchester Park, Stonehouse, GL10 3UJ, UK

    Andrew Robertson & Richard J. Delahay

  4. Food and Environment Research Agency, Sand Hutton, York, YO41 1LZ, UK

    Simon D. Kelly

  5. School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, Norfolk, UK

    Simon D. Kelly

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  1. Andrew Robertson
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  2. Robbie A. McDonald
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  3. Richard J. Delahay
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  4. Simon D. Kelly
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  5. Stuart Bearhop
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Correspondence to Andrew Robertson or Robbie A. McDonald.

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Communicated by Peggy Ostrom.

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Robertson, A., McDonald, R.A., Delahay, R.J. et al. Individual foraging specialisation in a social mammal: the European badger (Meles meles). Oecologia 176, 409–421 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-014-3019-2

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