Carnivore Ecology in Arid Lands

215 Pages·1998·4.629 MB·English

by  Prof. Dr. Jacobus du P. Bothma (auth.)

Adaptations ofDesert Organisms
Editedby J.1.Cloudsley-Thompson
Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg GmbH
Volumes alreadypublished
Ecophysiologyofthe Camelidae Structure-Function Relations
andDesertRuminants ofWarm DesertPlants
ByR.T.Wilson (1989) ByA.C.Gibson(1996)
EcophysiologyofDesertArthropods Physiological EcologyofNorth
and Reptiles AmericanDesertPlants
ByJ.L.Cloudsley-Thompson(l99I) ByS.D.Smith,R.K.Manson,and
J.E.Anderson(1997)
Plant Nutrientsin DesertEnviron
ments EcophysiologyofSmallDesert
ByA.Dayand K.Ludeke(1993) Mammals
ByA.A.Degen (1997)
SeedGerminationinDesertPlants
ByY.Gutterman(1993) Homeostasisin DesertReptiles
ByS.D.Bradshaw(1997)
BehaviouralAdaptationsofDesert
Animals EcophysiologyofAmphibians
ByG.Costa (1995) InhabitingXericEnvironments
ByM.R.Warburg(1997)
InvertebratesinHot and ColdArid
Environments AvianDesertPredators
ByL.Sernme(1995) ByW.E.Cook(1997)
EnergeticsofDesertInvertebrates CarnivoreEcologyinArid Lands
ByH.Heatwole(1996) ByJ.du P.Bothma(1998)
EcophysiologyofDesertBirds Inpreparation
ByG.L.Maclean (1996) EcophysiologyofEconomicPlants
inAridand Semi-AridLands
PlantsofDesertDunes ByG.E.Wickens (1998)
ByA.Danin(1996)
ArthropodsofMediterranean-Type
Biotic InteractionsinAridLands Ecosystems
ByJ.L.Cloudsley-Thompson(1996) ByG.P.Stamou(1998)
Jacobus du P. Bothma
Carnivore Ecology
in Arid lands
With 18Figures
, Springer
Prof.Dr.[acobus du P.Bothma
Centre for Wildlife Management
Universityof Pretoria
0002 Pretoria
Republic of SouthAfrica
Frontcoverillustration:
Pantherapardus(leopard).Photograph takenby J.du P.Bothma.
ISSN1430-9432
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Bothma,J.du P.
Carnivoreecologyinarid landsIIacobusduP.Bothma.
p. cm. -- (Adaptationsofdesertorganisms)
lncludesbibliographicalreferencess (p, )and index.
l.Carnivore--Ecology. 2.Aridregionsanimals--Ecology.
3.Carnivora--Adaptation. 4.Aridregions animals--Addaptation.
I.Titel. 11.Series.
QL737.C2B68 1998
599.71754--dc21
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recitation,broadcasting,reproduction on microfilm or in any other way,and storage in
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provisionsofthe German CopyrightLawofSeptember9,1965,initscurrentversion, and
permissionsforusemustalwaysbeobtainedfromSpringer-Verlag.Violationsareliablefor
prosecutionundertheGermanCopyrightLaw.
ISBN978-3-642-08213-9 ISBN978-3-662-03587-0(eBook)
DOI10.1007/978-3-662-03587-0
©Springer-VerlagBerlinHeidelberg1998
OriginallypublishedbySpringer-VerlagBerlinHeidelbergin1998.
Softcoverreprintofthehardcover1stedition1998
Theuseofgeneraldescriptivenarnes,registerednames,trademarks,etc.inthispublication
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Acknowledgements
Illustrationsfrom the followingsources havebeenused with kindper
mission and are gratefullyacknowledged: Figure 2.4from Fanshawe
etal.(1991);Fig.3.3from Stander(1992a);Fig.3.4from Cooper(1991)
andFig.4.2from Tilsonetal.(1980);Fig.4.3from Richardson(1987b);
Fig.4.4from Richardson(1987a)and Fig.5.2from Rasa(1989a).Other
Figures are photographsbythe author.
Sincere appreciationisalso expressedtoSpringer-VerlagGmbH &
Co.KGfor involving me in this Series on the Adaptations of Desert
Organisms,andspecialthankstoDr.AndreaSchlitzberger forherkind
assistance.Prof.J.L.Cloudsley-Thompson has been an inspiration as
adesertbiologistover many years.Heactedas akind advisorduring
the preparation of this manuscript.His comments were invaluable.
Mywife Babsie typed and prepared many drafts of the manuscript.
Prof.Ee.Elofffirst introducedme to desertecology andcommented
on variousdrafts.The Universityof Pretoriaallowed me time to pre
pare the manuscript and helped in the preparation of the illustra
tions used in the text.All these people and institutions are thanked
warmlyand most sincerely.
Pretoria,December 1997 ]. du P. Bothma
Contents
1 Introduction .
1.1 The Approach Used 3
2 FamilyCanidae . 7
2.1 Taxonomy, Distribution,and Status . 7
2.2 Social Behaviour . 8
2.2.1 Group Formation . 9
2.2.2 Nomads . 12
2.2.3 Communication . 13
2.3 Reproduction . 15
2.3.1 Wild Dogs . 15
2.3.2 Jackals . 17
2.3.3 Foxes . 18
2.4 Area Use,Movements,and Activity . 19
2.4.1 Wild Dogs . 19
2.4.2 Jackals . 22
2.4.3 Foxes , . 25
2.5 Feeding Ecology . 26
2.5.1 Food . 27
2.5.2 Hunting and Foraging . 32
2.5.3 Killing . 34
2.5.4 Feeding . 35
2.5.5 Water UseandAdaptive Physiology . 37
2.6 Population Ecology . 38
2.7 Interactionwith OtherCarnivores . 39
2.7.1 Wild Dogs . 39
2.7.2 Jackals . 40
2.7.3 Foxes . 41
VIII Contents
3 Family Felidae 43
3.1 Taxomomy,Distribution,and Status ............... 43
3.2 SocialBehaviour. .............................. 46
3.2.1 Group Formation 46
3.2.2 Nomads. .... ... .. . . .. .. . 47
3.2.3 Communication ............................... 48
3.3 Reproduction 50
3.3.1 Lions ........................................ 51
3.3.2 Leopards ..................................... 53
3.3.3 Cheetahs. .................................... 55
3.3.4 Other Cats .................................... 56
3.4 Area Use,Movements,and Activity 57
3.4.1 Lions. ....................................... 57
3.4.2 Leopards. .................................... 59
3.4.3 Cheetahs ..................................... 61
3.4.4 OtherCats. ................................... 61
3.5 Feeding Ecology ............................... 63
3.5.1 Food. ....................................... 64
3.5.2 Hunting ...................................... 68
3.5.3 Killing. ...................................... 76
3.5.4 Feeding ...................................... 78
3.5.5 Food Passageand Defecation 81
3.5.6 WaterUse 81
3.6 Population Ecology 82
3.6.1 Lions. ....................................... 82
3.6.2 Leopards ..................................... 84
3.6.3 Cheetahs. .................................... 85
3.6.4 Other Cats .................................... 85
3.7 Interactionwith Other Carnivores 85
4 Family Hyaenidae 89
4.1 Taxomomy,Distribution,and Status. .............. 89
4.2 Social Behaviour ............................... 91
4.2.1 Group Formation ................ 91
4.2.2 Nomads ...................................... 96
4.2.3 Communication ............................... 97
4.3 Mimicry. ..................................... 103
4.3.1 PhysicalMimicry .............................. 103
4.3.2 SexualMimicry. ............................... 104
4.4 Reproduction. ................................ 105
4.4.1 SpottedHyaenas. .............................. 105
Contents IX
4.4.2 Striped Hyaenas 108
4.4.3 Brown Hyaenas ................................ 109
4.4.4 Aardwolves. .................................. 110
4.5 Area Use,Movements, andActivity 112
4.5.1 Spotted Hyaenas. .............................. 113
4.5.2 StripedHyaenas 118
4.5.3 BrownHyaenas ................................ 119
4.5.4 Aardwolves ................................... 120
4.6 Feeding Ecology. .............................. 121
4.6.1 Food ........................................ 122
4.6.2 Huntingand Foraging 128
4.6.3 Killing ....................................... 133
4.6.4 Feeding ...................................... 134
4.6.5 Defecation .................................... 138
4.6.6 Water Use 140
4.7 PopulationEcology 142
4.7.1 SpottedHyaenas. .............................. 142
4.7.2 OtherHyaenids ................................ 143
4.8 Interaction with Other Carnivores 144
4.8.1 Spotted Hyaenas ............................... .144
4.8.2 Striped Hyaenas 146
4.8.3 Brown Hyaenas. ............................... 146
4.8.4 Aardwolves ................................... 148
5 FamilyHerpestidae 149
5.1 Taxonomy,Distribution,and Status 149
5.2 SocialBehaviour ............................... 149
5.2.1 Group Formation .............................. 150
5.2.2 Communication. .............................. 152
5.2.3 Vigilance Behaviour. ........................... 153
5.3 Reproduction ................................. 155
5.3.1 DwarfMongooses 155
5.3.2 OtherHerpestids 157
5.4 Area Use,Movements, and Activity 158
5.4.1 DwarfMongooses 158
5.4.2 SlenderMongooses 159
5.4.3 Cape GreyMongooses 159
5.4.4 YellowMongooses andSuricates .................. 160
5.4.5 BandedMongooses 161
5.5 Feeding Ecology ............................... 161
5.5.1 Food. ....................................... 161
5.5.2 Hunting and Foraging. ......................... 163
x Contents
5.5.3. Killing,Feeding, and Water Use 164
5.5.4 Population Ecology 164
5.5.5 Interaction With OtherCarnivores. ............... 165
6 FamiliesMustelidaeandViverridae ............... 167
6.1 Family Mustelidae 167
6.1.1 Taxonomy, Distribution,and Status 167
6.1.2 The Honey-Badger. ............................ 168
6.2 FamilyViverridae .............................. 169
6.2.1 Taxonomy,Distribution,and Status 169
6.2.2 The Small-SpottedGenet ........................ 169
7 Synthesis ..................................... 171
7.1 The OrderCarnivora.. ........ .. ...... ........ . 171
7.2 SocialBehaviour. .............................. 172
7.2.1 Group Formation 173
7.2.2 Communication ............................... 174
7.3 Reproduction. ................................ 175
7.4 Area Use,Movements,and Activity 177
7.5 FeedingEcology ............................... 179
7.5.1 Food. ....................................... 179
7.5.2 Hunting and Foraging. ......................... 180
7.5.3 Killing ....................................... 182
7.5.4 Feeding ...................................... 182
7.5.5 Water Use 182
7.6 Population Ecology 183
7.7 Interactionwith Other Carnivores. ............... 183
7.8 Summary ..................................... 184
References ........................................... 185
Genus andSpecies Index ............................... 199
SubjectIndex 203