Research Article

Computing biomass consumption from prey occurrences in Indian wolf scats

  1. Bharat D. Jethva,
  2. Yadvendradev V. Jhala*

Article first published online: 6 DEC 2004

DOI: 10.1002/zoo.20030

Issue

Zoo Biology

Zoo Biology

Volume 23, Issue 6, pages 513–520, December 2004

Additional Information

How to Cite

Jethva, B. D. and Jhala, Y. V. (2004), Computing biomass consumption from prey occurrences in Indian wolf scats. Zoo Biology, 23: 513–520. doi: 10.1002/zoo.20030

Author Information

  1. Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, India

*Wildlife Institute of India, P.O. Box 18, Dehradun 248 001, India

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 6 DEC 2004
  2. Article first published online: 6 DEC 2004
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 7 JUN 2004
  4. Manuscript Received: 23 MAY 2003

Funded by

  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
  • National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
  • Center for Field Research, Earthwatch

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Keywords:

  • captive wolves;
  • Canis lupus pallipes;
  • scat analysis;
  • feeding trials

Abstract

We determined a relationship between biomass consumed per collectable scat and prey weight. We fed prey items (ranging from rodent (0.75 kg) to juvenile cattle (65 kg), covering the normal weight range for prey of the Indian wolf (Canis lupus papllipes)) to groups of two to five captive wolves in 13 feeding trials at Sakkarbaug Zoo, Junagadh, India. The prey biomass eaten per collectable scat (Y) increased as the live body weight of prey (X) increased (Y=0.0148X+0.135; R2=0.87; F=75.8; df=1,11; P<0.001). The slope of our regression (0.015; tropical domestic prey) did not differ from that reported by Floyd et al. [1978] (temperate wild prey, P=0.17); therefore, we pooled the data from both studies and derived a combined regression (Y=0.0182X+0.217; R2=0.77; df=1,20; P<0.001). In addition to the widely accepted explanation that the surface-area-to-mass ratio is larger for small prey, we found that this relationship reflected the fact that percent utilization was greater, and digestibility was lower for smaller prey. Zoo Biol 23:513–520, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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