Food preferences of the Golden Jackal Canis aureus in the Gir National Park and Sanctuary, Gujarat, India

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Published: Feb 26, 2015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.o3954.6927-33
Keywords:
Canis aureus, food habit, Golden Jackal, Gir National Park and Sanctuary, scat analysis.

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M. Shamshad Alam
Department of Wildlife Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh 202002, India Present address: Regional Planner, BCRLI Project, Gir Learning Centre, Wildlife Division, Sasan-Gir, Junagadh, Gujarat 362135, India
Jamal A. Khan
Department of Wildlife Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh 202002, India
Chege H. Njoroge
Kenya Wetland Biodiversity Research Team, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
Sandeep Kumar
DCF, Wildlife Division, Gujarat Forest Department, Sasan-Gir, Junagadh, Gujarat 362135, India
R.L. Meena
CCF, Wildlife Circle, Gujarat Forest Department, Sardarbaug, Junagadh, Gujarat 362001, India

Abstract

The feeding habits of the Golden Jackal Canis aureus were investigated by analysis of its scat contents (n=81), collected between October 2007 and June 2008 in Gir National Park and Sanctuary, Gujarat, India. Jackal dietary habits reflected the availability of a wide variety of food items and the differential vulnerability of prey. Potential animal and plant foods available to jackal varied because of their seasonal variability. About 32.69% scats were found to have only one prey item, whereas 48.08% of scats represented two prey items. Overall, it was found that the large mammalian prey was the most important food item which was significantly supplemented by vegetative material particularly Zizyphus spp. Amongst mammalian prey, the percentage frequency of occurrence (percentage±SE) of Chital Axis axis was 25.93±2.84, Buffalo Bubalus arnee bubalis was 27.16±2.98 followed by Indian Hare Rufus nigricollis 19.75±2.15 and Sambar Rusa unicolor 11.11±1.19 while the least was found for Langur Semnopithecus entellus 2.47±0.21 and Bluebull Boselaphus tragocamelus 2.47±0.21. Although, there is substantial availability of wild prey kills, the results suggest the presence of domestic mammals and human waste matter in the scats which could be assumed as a fortification of the Jackal’s dietary spectrum, substantiating the scavenging tendency of the jackal to forage near human settlements.

Article Details

Issue
Vol. 7 No. 2 (2015)
Section
Short Communications

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Author Biography

Chege H. Njoroge, Kenya Wetland Biodiversity Research Team, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya

 

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