Scavenging efficiency and red fox abundance in Mediterranean mountains with and without vultures

摘要: Abstract Vertebrate scavenging assemblages include two major functional groups: obligate scavengers (i.e., vultures), which depend totally on carrion and are undergoing severe declines around the globe, facultative scavengers, exploit opportunistically generally ubiquitous. Our goal was to investigate hypothesis that vultures can indirectly regulate abundance of mesopredators scavengers) through modulating their access resources. We studied efficiency red fox ( Vulpes vulpes ) in neighbouring areas South-eastern Spain where (mainly griffon Gyps fulvus present (Cazorla) absent (Espuna). To do so, we monitored ungulate carcasses consumption during winter summer, counted scats along walking transects as a proxy density. results confirmed higher Cazorla visited by vultures. This resulted increasing opportunities for were absent. Accordingly, mean Espuna. These suggest existence vulture-mediated mesopredator release an increase numbers following vulture loss), could trigger important indirect ecological effects. Also, our study demonstrates hardly able functionally replace vultures, mainly because former slower time scale.