Foraging ecology of African wolves (Canis lupaster) and its implications for the conservation of Ethiopian wolves (Canis simensis)

African wolves (AWs) are sympatric with endangered Ethiopian wolves (EWs) in parts of their range. Scat analyses have suggested a dietary overlap between AWs and EWs, raising the potential for exploitative competition, and a possible conservation threat to EWs. However, in contrast to that of the we...

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Main Authors: Tariku Mekonnen Gutema, Anagaw Atickem, Diress Tsegaye, Afework Bekele, Claudio Sillero-Zubiri, Jorgelina Marino, Mohammed Kasso, Vivek V. Venkataraman, Peter J. Fashing, Nils C. Stenseth
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Royal Society 2019-09-01
Series:Royal Society Open Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.190772
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author Tariku Mekonnen Gutema
Anagaw Atickem
Diress Tsegaye
Afework Bekele
Claudio Sillero-Zubiri
Jorgelina Marino
Mohammed Kasso
Vivek V. Venkataraman
Peter J. Fashing
Nils C. Stenseth
author_facet Tariku Mekonnen Gutema
Anagaw Atickem
Diress Tsegaye
Afework Bekele
Claudio Sillero-Zubiri
Jorgelina Marino
Mohammed Kasso
Vivek V. Venkataraman
Peter J. Fashing
Nils C. Stenseth
author_sort Tariku Mekonnen Gutema
collection DOAJ
description African wolves (AWs) are sympatric with endangered Ethiopian wolves (EWs) in parts of their range. Scat analyses have suggested a dietary overlap between AWs and EWs, raising the potential for exploitative competition, and a possible conservation threat to EWs. However, in contrast to that of the well-studied EW, the foraging ecology of AWs remains poorly characterized. Accordingly, we studied the foraging ecology of radio-collared AWs (n = 11 individuals) at two localities with varying levels of anthropogenic disturbance in the Ethiopian Highlands, the Guassa-Menz Community Conservation Area (GMCCA) and Borena-Saynt National Park (BSNP), accumulating 845 h of focal observation across 2952 feeding events. We also monitored rodent abundance and rodent trapping activity by local farmers who experience conflict with AWs. The AW diet consisted largely of rodents (22.0%), insects (24.8%), and goats and sheep (24.3%). Of the total rodents captured by farmers using local traps during peak barley production (July to November) in GMCCA, averaging 24.7 ± 8.5 rodents/hectare/day, 81% (N = 3009) were scavenged by AWs. Further, of all the rodents consumed by AWs, most (74%) were carcasses. These results reveal complex interactions between AWs and local farmers, and highlight the scavenging niche occupied by AWs in anthropogenically altered landscapes in contrast to the active hunting exhibited by EWs in more intact habitats. While AWs cause economic damage to local farmers through livestock predation, they appear to play an important role in scavenging pest rodents among farmlands, a pattern of behaviour which likely mitigates direct and indirect competition with EWs. We suggest two routes to promote the coexistence of AWs and EWs in the Ethiopian highlands: local education efforts highlighting the complex role AWs play in highland ecosystems to reduce their persecution, and enforced protection of intact habitats to preserve habitat preferred by EWs.
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spelling doaj.art-a91af59e2ddf4b26a1ac10b3fb4085542022-12-21T23:57:49ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032019-09-016910.1098/rsos.190772190772Foraging ecology of African wolves (Canis lupaster) and its implications for the conservation of Ethiopian wolves (Canis simensis)Tariku Mekonnen GutemaAnagaw AtickemDiress TsegayeAfework BekeleClaudio Sillero-ZubiriJorgelina MarinoMohammed KassoVivek V. VenkataramanPeter J. FashingNils C. StensethAfrican wolves (AWs) are sympatric with endangered Ethiopian wolves (EWs) in parts of their range. Scat analyses have suggested a dietary overlap between AWs and EWs, raising the potential for exploitative competition, and a possible conservation threat to EWs. However, in contrast to that of the well-studied EW, the foraging ecology of AWs remains poorly characterized. Accordingly, we studied the foraging ecology of radio-collared AWs (n = 11 individuals) at two localities with varying levels of anthropogenic disturbance in the Ethiopian Highlands, the Guassa-Menz Community Conservation Area (GMCCA) and Borena-Saynt National Park (BSNP), accumulating 845 h of focal observation across 2952 feeding events. We also monitored rodent abundance and rodent trapping activity by local farmers who experience conflict with AWs. The AW diet consisted largely of rodents (22.0%), insects (24.8%), and goats and sheep (24.3%). Of the total rodents captured by farmers using local traps during peak barley production (July to November) in GMCCA, averaging 24.7 ± 8.5 rodents/hectare/day, 81% (N = 3009) were scavenged by AWs. Further, of all the rodents consumed by AWs, most (74%) were carcasses. These results reveal complex interactions between AWs and local farmers, and highlight the scavenging niche occupied by AWs in anthropogenically altered landscapes in contrast to the active hunting exhibited by EWs in more intact habitats. While AWs cause economic damage to local farmers through livestock predation, they appear to play an important role in scavenging pest rodents among farmlands, a pattern of behaviour which likely mitigates direct and indirect competition with EWs. We suggest two routes to promote the coexistence of AWs and EWs in the Ethiopian highlands: local education efforts highlighting the complex role AWs play in highland ecosystems to reduce their persecution, and enforced protection of intact habitats to preserve habitat preferred by EWs.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.190772african wolfecosystem servicesethiopian highlandsethiopian wolffeeding ecologypest rodents
spellingShingle Tariku Mekonnen Gutema
Anagaw Atickem
Diress Tsegaye
Afework Bekele
Claudio Sillero-Zubiri
Jorgelina Marino
Mohammed Kasso
Vivek V. Venkataraman
Peter J. Fashing
Nils C. Stenseth
Foraging ecology of African wolves (Canis lupaster) and its implications for the conservation of Ethiopian wolves (Canis simensis)
Royal Society Open Science
african wolf
ecosystem services
ethiopian highlands
ethiopian wolf
feeding ecology
pest rodents
title Foraging ecology of African wolves (Canis lupaster) and its implications for the conservation of Ethiopian wolves (Canis simensis)
title_full Foraging ecology of African wolves (Canis lupaster) and its implications for the conservation of Ethiopian wolves (Canis simensis)
title_fullStr Foraging ecology of African wolves (Canis lupaster) and its implications for the conservation of Ethiopian wolves (Canis simensis)
title_full_unstemmed Foraging ecology of African wolves (Canis lupaster) and its implications for the conservation of Ethiopian wolves (Canis simensis)
title_short Foraging ecology of African wolves (Canis lupaster) and its implications for the conservation of Ethiopian wolves (Canis simensis)
title_sort foraging ecology of african wolves canis lupaster and its implications for the conservation of ethiopian wolves canis simensis
topic african wolf
ecosystem services
ethiopian highlands
ethiopian wolf
feeding ecology
pest rodents
url https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.190772
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