IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Pedersen, V.A.; Linnell, J.D.C.; Andersen, R.; Andr‚n, H.; Lind‚n, M.; Segerstr”m, P. | |
| Winter lynx _Lynx lynx_ predation on semi-domestic reindeer _Rangifer tarandus_ in northern Sweden | |
| 1999 Wildlife Biology (5): 203-211 | |
The predation behaviour of six lynx _Lynx lynx_ family groups, i.e. adult females with dependent kittens, was studied using radio-tracking and snowtracking in the Sarek area of northern Sweden during winter 1995/96 and 1996/97. One hundred and six daily radio-locations were obtained, and 340 km of intervening tracks were followed in the snow. Forty-one scats were collected, and 57 hunting attempts, 37 of which were successful, were recorded. Semi-domestic reindeer _Rangifer tarandus_ contributed over 90% to lynx ingested meat calculated from both scats and kills. Eighty-three percent of hunting attempts on reindeer, and 53% of attempts on small prey species, mainly _Lagopus sp._ and mountain hares _Lepus timidus_, were successful. Four incidents of multiple-killing of reindeer were documented. Reindeer were generally in poor body condition, with an average femur marrow rat content of 27%. Lynx spent an average of three nights at each reindeer kill-site. Reindeer were less completely consumed than small prey (61% vs 99%). The amount of meat eaten from a reindeer was proportional to the number of lynx-nights on the kill. An overall kill rate of one reindeer per five days was calculated. We concluded that reindeer are a very important food source for lynx in winter, which potentially could lead to problems in resolving the carnivore-livestock conflicts in the region. |
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