Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

A genet drive-through: are large spotted genets using urban areas for “fast food”? a dietary analysis

  • Published:
Urban Ecosystems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Knowledge of an urban carnivore’s foraging behavior is vital to understanding its ecology. This is particularly important as urbanization continues to convert natural habitats into human-altered landscapes. Over the past few years there have been increasing reports of large spotted genets (Genetta tigrina) foraging within suburbs of towns and cities in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Consequently, we investigated the dietary composition of urban G. tigrina using scat analyses, and the influence of predictable supplementary feeding stations on their feeding behavior in the suburbs of Kloof/Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal. Prey items with the highest relative frequency of occurrence were invertebrates (42.5 %). In particular, their scats found in anthropogenic structures such as roofs and out buildings were dominated by cockroaches (Blattodea). Small mammals also formed an important component of the diet. Significant seasonal variation in diet was recorded. The highest recorded relative frequency of occurrence of reptiles in scats was during spring (8.6 %). The highest recorded relative frequency of occurrence of anthropogenic refuse in the scats was in winter (12.7 %) with pieces of plastic, elastic bands and cardboard present in the scats. Uncommon genet behavior recorded at artificial feeding stations included diurnal feeding patterns and multiple individuals feeding with no signs of aggression. The presence of pet food, invertebrates associated with anthropogenic structures, and anthropogenic pollution/waste in the diet of urban genets, as well as their ability to use supplemental feeding stations highlights their adaptability to make use of temporally or locally available food resources within the urban environment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anu A, Sabu TK, Vineesh PJ (2012) Seasonality of litter insects and relationship with rainfall in a wet evergreen forest in south Western Ghats. J Insect Sci 9:1–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Atkinson RPD, Macdonald DW, Kamizola R (2002) Dietary opportunism in side-striped jackals Canis adustus Sundevall. J Zool 257:29–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bateman PW, Fleming PA (2012) Big city life: carnivores in urban environments. J Zool 287:1–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beckman JP, Berger J (2003) Rapid ecological and behavioural changes in carnivores: the responses of black bears (Ursus americanus) to altered food. J Zool 261:207–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bowland AE, Bowland JM (1989) An identification aid to rodent prey in carnivore scats and pellets. Lammergeyer 40:8–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Braczkowski A, Watson L, Coulson D, Lucas J, Pieser B, Rossi M (2012) The diet of caracal, caracal caracal, in two areas of the southern cape, South Africa as determined by scat analysis. S Afr J Wildl Res 42:111–116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caryl FM, Raynor R, Quine CP, Park KJ (2012) The seasonal diet of British pine marten determined from genetically identified scats. J Zool 288:252–259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Contesse P, Hegglin D, Gloor S, Bontadina F, Deplazes P (2004) The diet of urban foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and the availability of anthropogenic food in the city of Zurich, Switzerland. Mamm Biol 69:81–95

    Google Scholar 

  • Di Domenico G, Tosoni E, Boitani L, Ciucci P (2012) Efficiency of scat-analysis lab procedures for bear dietary studies: the case of the Apennine brown bear. Mamm Biol 77:190–195

    Google Scholar 

  • Engel TR (1998) Seeds on the roundabout – tropical forest regeneration by Genetta rubiginosa. Small Carniv Consern 19:13–20

    Google Scholar 

  • eThekwini Municipality (2007) Local action for biodiversity report: Durban. eThekwini Municipality, Durban

    Google Scholar 

  • Herbst M, Mills MGL (2010) The feeding habits of the Southern African wildcat, a facultative trophic specialist, in the southern Kalahari (Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa/Botswana). J Zool 280:403–413

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmann CO, Gottschang JL (1977) Numbers, distribution, and movements of a raccoon population in a suburban residential community. J Mammal 58:623–636

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gehrt SD (2007) Ecology of coyotes in urban landscapes. Wildl Damage Manag Conf- Proc 63:303–311

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalle R, Ramesh T, Qureshi Q, Sankar K (2012) Diet of mongoose in mudumalai tiger reserve, southern India. J Sci Trans Environ Technol 6:44–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalmer JF, Klare U, Macdonald DW (2012) Seasonal diet and prey selection of black- backed jackals on a small- livestock farm in South Africa. Afr J Ecol 50:299–307

    Google Scholar 

  • Klare U, Kalmer JF, Stenkewitz U, Macdonald DW (2010) Diet, prey selection, and predation impact of black-backed jackals in South Africa. J Wildl Manag 74:1030–1042

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klare U, Kalmer JF, Macdonald DW (2011) A comparison and critique of different scat-analysis methods for determining carnivore diet. Mammal Rev 41:294–312

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keogh HJ (1985) A photographic reference system based on the cuticular scale patterns and groove of the hair of 44 species of southern African Cricetidae and Muridae. S Afr Tydskr Natuurnav 15:109–169

    Google Scholar 

  • Kotler BP, Brown JS, Knight MH (1999) Habitat and patch use by hyraxes: there’s no place like home? Ecol Lett 2:82–88

  • Lanszki J, Sardi B, Szeles GL (2009) Feeding habits of the stone marten (Martes foina) in villages and farms in Hungary. Nat Somogyiensis 15:231–246

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee KE, Ellis WAH, Carrick FN, Corley SW, Johnston SD, Baverstock PR, Nock CJ, Rowe KC, Seddon JM (2013) Anthropogenic changes to the landscape resulted in colonization of koalas in north-east New South Wales, Australia. Aust Ecol 38:355–363

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis JC, Sallee KL, Golightly RTJ (1993) Introduced red fox in California. In: Nongame bird and mammal section report: 74. The resources agency, State of California. Department of FISH AND GAME, Wildlife Management Division

  • Loveridge AJ, Macdonald DW (2003) Niche separation in sympatric jackals (Canis mesomelas and Canis adustus). J Zool 259:143–153

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lowry H, Lill A, Wong BBM (2013) Behavioral responses of wildlife to urban environments. Biol Rev 88:37–549

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lukasik VM, Alexander SM (2012) Spatial and temporal variation of coyote (Canis latrans) diet in Calgary, Alberta. Cities and the Environment (CATE). Special Topic Issue: Urban Predators. 4(11): Article 8. http://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/cate/vol4/iss1/8/

  • Mahmoud MF, El-Bahrawy AF, El-Sharabasy HM, El-Badry YS, El-Kady GA (2013) Ecological investigation, density, infestation rate and control strategy of German cockroach, Blattella germanica (L.) in two hospitals in Ismailia, Egypt. Arthropods 2:216–224

    Google Scholar 

  • Marucco F, Pletscher DH, Boitani L (2008) Accuracy of scat sampling for carnivore diet analysis: wolves in the Alps and a case study. J Mammal 89:665–673

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mbizah MM, Marino J, Groom RJ (2012) Diet of four sympatric carnivores in Savé Valley Conservancy, Zimbabwe: implications for conservation of the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus). S Afr J Wildl Res 42:94–103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merkle JA, Robinson HS, Krausman PR, Alaback P (2013) Food availability and foraging near human developments by black bears. J Mammal 94:378–385

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mills G, Hes L (1997) The complete book of Southern African mammals. Struik, Cape Town

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell WA, Abramsky Z, Kotler BP, Pinshow BP, Brown JS (1990) The effect of competition on foraging activity in desert rodents: theory and experiments. Ecology 71:844–854

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mucina L, Rutherford MC (2006) The vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Strelitzia 10. South African National Biodiversity institute, Pretoria

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberts DC (1994) The design of an urban open-space network for the city of Durban (South Africa). Environ Conserv 21:11–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts PD, Somers MJ, White RM, Nel JAJ (2007) Diet of South African large spotted genet Genetta tigrina (Carnivore, Viverridae) in a coastal dune forest. Acta Theriol 5:45–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Romero R, Guitian J, Ruiz- Olmo J (2012) Changes in the diet of coastal otters after the Prestige oil spill (Galicia, North-west Spain). J Zool 286:22–29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roper TJ (2010) Badger. Harper Collins, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosalino LM, Santos-Reis M (2002) Feeding habits of the common genet Genetta genetta (Carnivora:Viverridae) in a semi-natural landscape of central Portugal. Mammalia 65:195–205

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryan DA, Larson JS (1976) Chipmunks in residential environments. Urban Ecol 2:173–178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scholtz CH, Holm E (1986) Insects of southern africa. Butterworths, Johannesburg

    Google Scholar 

  • Skinner JD, Chimimba CT (2005) The mammals of Southern Africa subregion, 3rd edn. Cambridge University Press, New York, pp 412–426

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Sol D, Lapiedra O, Gonzalez-Lagos C (2013) Behavioural adjustments for a life in the city. Anim Behav 85:1101–1112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steyaert SMJG, Hütter FJ, Elfstrom M, Zedrosser A, Hackländer K, Lê MH, Windisch WM, Swenson JE, Isaksson T (2012) Faecal spectroscopy: a practical tool to assess diet quality in an opportunistic omnivore. Wildl Biol 18:431–438

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stuart C, Stuart T (1998) A field guide to the tracks and signs of southern African and East African Wildlife. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, pp 1–310Stuart C, Stuart T (2003) A short note on the analysis of the scats of water mongoose Atilax paludinosus and rusty-spotted genet Genetta maculata from Kasanka National Park, north-east Zambia. Small Carniv Consern 29:15

    Google Scholar 

  • Trites AW, Joy R (2005) Dietary analysis from faecal samples: how many scats are enough? J Mammal 86:704–712

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van De Merwe I, Tambling CJ, Thorn M, Scott DM, Yarnell RW, Green M, Cameron EZ, Bateman PW (2009) An assessment of diet overlap of two mesocarnivores in the North West province, South Africa. Afr Zool 44:288–291

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vigros E, Casanovas JG (1997) Habitat selection of genet (genetta genetta) in the mountains of Central Spain. Acta Theriol 42:169–177

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watts A, Alexander SM (2012) Community variation of gastrointestinal parasites found in urban and rural coyotes (Canis latrans). Cities and the Environment (CATE). Special Topic Issue: Urban Predators. 4(11): Article 11http://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/cate/vol4/iss1/11/

Download references

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to residents of the Kloof/Hillcrest suburbs for allowing CW into their roof spaces. C. Ive, J. DeVilliers and A. Da Sylva are thanked for the help provided with scat collection. The University of KwaZulu-Natal and National Research Fund (NRF) are also thanked for the financial funding for CW.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, 3209, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

    Craig D. Widdows & Colleen T. Downs

Authors
  1. Craig D. Widdows
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Colleen T. Downs
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Colleen T. Downs.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Widdows, C.D., Downs, C.T. A genet drive-through: are large spotted genets using urban areas for “fast food”? a dietary analysis. Urban Ecosyst 18, 907–920 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-015-0438-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-015-0438-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation