Dieta de carnívoros (Mammalia, Carnivora) em um remanescente de Caatinga, Nordeste do Brasil

Abstract

Diet is a key niche axis. Therefore, its analysis may provide important insights into the ecology of carnivores. Here, we provide data on the diet of Procyon cancrivorus,Leopardus pardalis, and Puma yagouaroundi by analyzing feces collected along trails in Grota do Angico Natural Monument (2,183ha), between Poço Redondo and Canindé de São Francisco, Sergipe, Northeastern Brazil. Arthropods are the major item of the diet of the three species. Additionally, fruits was the second most representative category (24.8%) in the diet of P. cancrivorus, followed by vertebrates (14.7%). On the other hand, vertebrates was the second most important food item of felid diet, with small mammals being the most frequent item in the diet of P. yagouaroundi (17.4%), while reptiles and birds (23.1%) were the most frequent item in the diet of L. pardalis. Our results indicate that the species analyzed are opportunistic. These data contributes to our understanding of the trophic ecology of these species, especially in a highly threatened and poorly studied biome, such as the Caatinga.