IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Wangchuk, T. | |
| Predator-Prey Dynamics: The Role of Predators in the Control of Problem Species | |
| 2004 Journal of Bhutan Studies (10): 68-89 | |
A study was conducted to look at the relationship between presence and numbers of wild dog (_Cuon alpinus_) and presence and abundance of wild boar (_Sus scrofa_). This was corroborated with scat analysis to get percentage of the prey consumed by wild dogs and other predators. A preliminary nationwide presence-absence survey of _C. alpinus _population showed that with the exception of Trashigang, Samdrup Jongkhar and Pemagatshel, all the other dzongkhags reported presence of wild dogs. Wild dog density was then compared with relative wild boar density using a simple linear regression analysis. A negative relationship between increasing wild dog numbers and decreasing wild boar density was detected. The R2 value for the regression was 0.60 meaning that about 60% of the relative amount of variance in wild boar density is explained by the number of wild dogs present in an area. The unexplained 40% could be due to other factors such as habitat conditions, food availability, control measures, other large predators, diseases, and so on. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) carried out on the relationship gave a significant value (F= 12.30 >> Fs = 0.007), meaning that the average number of boars in the different study areas are significantly different from each other, or that different pack sizes of wild dogs have significantly different effects. The slope of the regression line was negative 0.1. Thus for every unit increase in wild dogs presence there is a 0.1 unit decrease in relative wild boar density. |
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