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Evidence for prey selection by spotted hyaena in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

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Abstract

We tested the widely accepted hypothesis that spotted hyaenas (Crocuta crocuta) are non-selective in their diet. The prey preference of spotted hyaena was studied in the Addo Elephant National Park (AENP), South Africa. Diet (frequency of occurrence of prey items in the diet) was quantified through the analysis of 55 scats, and compared with available prey. A combination of large- and medium-sized mammals (buffalo (Syncerus caffer), red hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus) and common duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia) were the most preferred prey items. The most abundant species, warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) and kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), were ignored and avoided, respectively. These results show that the assumption that hyaena prey on the most abundant available prey species may be overly simplistic. Predation patterns, such as the ones observed in AENP, may have important ramifications for less common species that are selected by hyaena in small enclosed reserves.

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Acknowledgements

We thank South African National Parks for permissions to conduct research within the AENP. We thank Dr. D.J. Druce for collecting scats. The project was sponsored by Budget Rent-a-Car, C.R. Kennedy Pty Ltd, Eveready Batteries and Continental Tyres. The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, the Centre for African Conservation Ecology and South African National Parks provided financial assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, , PO Box 77000, 6031, South Africa

    Julia C. Wentworth, Craig J. Tambling & Graham I. H. Kerley

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  1. Julia C. Wentworth
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  2. Craig J. Tambling
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  3. Graham I. H. Kerley
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Correspondence to Julia C. Wentworth.

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Communicated by: Jan M. Wójcik

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Wentworth, J.C., Tambling, C.J. & Kerley, G.I.H. Evidence for prey selection by spotted hyaena in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Acta Theriol 56, 389–392 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-011-0033-1

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