IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Packer, C.; Pusey, A.E. | |
| Infanticide in carnivores | |
| 1984 Book Chapter | |
There are inherent difficulties in reviewing the sources of mortality in wild carnivores. Consequently, ecological studies often consist solely of analyses of feces, and ranging studies are often based on the movement patterns of radio collars worn by unseen animals. Furthermore, even intensive direct observations do not always provide good data on cub mortality because female carnivores keep their young hidden for the first few weeks or months of life. Most cub mortalities, therefore, must be inferred from disappearance, and the caused of death remain unknown. Finally, attributing death to infanticide presents special difficulties in carnivores. An observation of a carnivore eating a conspecific is not conclusive evidence of intraspecific predation: carnivores are usually scavengers as well as predators. However, because of their carnivorous habits and because most bear altricial young, carnivores are more likely to exhibit infanticide than any other mammalian order. Infanticide can occur in several contexts, and examples of the phenomenon are discussed according to the identity of the prepetrator: 1. Infanticide by males 2. Extragroup infanticide 3. Intragroup infanticide by females 4. Intralitter infanticide. |
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