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| Rau, J.R.; Martinez, D.R.; Wolfe, M.L.; Tilleria, M.S.; Reyes, C.S.; Mu¤oz-Pedreros, A.; Alea, J.A. | |
| Predation of pumas (_Felis concolor_) on pudu (_Pudu pudu_): Role of hares _(Lepus europaeus_) as alternative prey | |
| 1992 Conference Proceeding | |
To assess predation pressure in a predator-prey system, the following issues must be addressed: a) the predator-prey population densities; b) the predator's consumption rates and prey preferences; c) the functional and numerical responses of predators; d) the age-sex structure and the physical condition of prey species; e) the use of refuges and/or escape mechanisms by prey; f) the abundance and availability of alternative prey. In this paper we evaluate these parameters focusing on the puma (_Felis concolor_) - pudu (_Pudu pudu_) - european hare (_Lepus europaeus_) predator-prey system. The following methods and techniques were used: a) standard as well as waterproof and mobile scent stations to attract puma, scented with commercial lures such as bobcat urine; b) standard scent stations baited with deer tarsal gland commerical lures as well as essential oils extracted from some of the pudu's preferred food plants; c) night-sighting using a four wheel drive vehicle equipped with halogen spot-lights to assess european hare relative densities; d) fecal analysis of puma scat collected mostly between 1989-1990, identifiying food items by using standard procedures as well as cross-sectioning techniques of mammalian hairs and microscopic characteristics of feathers; e) estimation of prey biomass consumed by relating prey biomass to number of prey detected in fecal analyses. The highest puma relative densities were recorded during summer-fall seasons (12-13%) and the lowest values were detected during winter-spring (2-6%). Concomitantly maximum pudu relative density values were obtained in fall (35%) and minimum densities during spring (2%). However, maximum european hare relative densities (number indiv./100 Km) were recorded during winter-spring (3-4) and minimum densities were obtained during summer-fall (1-2). The global annual trophic spectrum of F. Concolor was characterized by a high consumption of both europen hares (52%) and pudus (37%). The major seasonal consumption of hares by pumas occured in spring (75%), whereas the highest pudu consumption rate was observed in fall-winter (49%) in concordance with field abundance of pudu. According to our findings, a puma would kill 15 pudus (12 of them during fall-winter) and 67 european hares (41 during spring-summer) in one year, the meaning a capture ratio of one pudu every 4-5 hares. |
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