2015/04/01 by Anuar D. Hernández-SaintMartín, Octavio C. Rosas-Rosas, Jorge Palacio–Núñez +3 · 2 citations
Environmental Science · Veterinary · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Wildlife Ecology and Conservation #Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies #Human-Animal Interaction Studies
paper · doi:10.3375/043.035.0213
openalex publication_date 2015/04/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
We analyzed the food habits of the jaguar (Panthera onca) and puma (Puma concolor) in a protected area surrounded by a fragmented landscape in northeastern Mexico. We estimated relative biomass of each prey species consumed; by analysis of 43 and 22 scat samples of jaguar and puma collected during 2010–2012. The diet of both felids was comprised mainly of wild artiodactyls; the collared peccary contributed 35.2% to the biomass of jaguar diets and white-tailed deer contributed 51.9% to puma diets. Diet composition of both felids showed moderate overlap (Pianka index = 0.57; Morisita index = 0.58), but use of the primary prey differed between species (P < 0.001). The diet of both felids included almost exclusively wild species, suggesting the presence of a good prey base that allows the coexistence of jaguars and pumas. Despite its small size and surrounding fragmentation, the Biosphere Reserve Sierra del Abra-Tanchipa is still an important refuge for large felids and their prey in northeastern Mexico.