Feeding habits and niche partitioning in a predator guild composed of tigers, leopards and dholes in a temperate ecosystem in central Bhutan

摘要: We describe the food habits, niche overlap and prey preferences in a predator guild comprised of tigers Panthera tigris, leopards pardus dholes Cuon alpinus mountainous region central Bhutan. Scat analyses revealed that these predators consumed 11 different species including livestock rodents, which 11. The combined relative occurrence three species, sambar Cervus unicolor, muntjac Munticus wild pig Sus scrofa, constituted 42.7, 33.7 71.1% tiger, leopard dhole diets, respectively, while 44.5, 73.4 15.9% consumed, respectively. Regression equations from earlier feeding trials were used to estimate biomass numbers consumed. Results showed featured more frequently than did diets contributed pig. Sambar, together provided 36.9, 28 63.1% by tigers, All else being equal, there was evidence all ate less might have been expected on basis abundance high this category area. There dietary between (Pianka's index 0.58–0.92), with greater two felid felids canid. This study provides substantial diet among sympatric carnivores, thus highlights potential for intra-guild competition them, especially given relatively low density prey.