A change of diet from rodents to rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Is the wildcat (Felis silvestris) a specialist predator

By A. Malo, J. Lozano, D. L. Huertas, E. Virgós. 2004

108 citations recorded by the source corpus.

The results of a study testing the hypothesis that wildcats Felis silvestris are rodent-specialist predators is reported. The diet of wildcats was studied in different habitats from central Spain where rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus were either present or absent in order to explore whether the wildcat is a facultative or a rodent specialist. We predicted that if the wildcat was a rodent specialist there would be no differences in rodent composition in scats between areas with or without another profitable prey such as rabbits. To test this hypothesis, 239 scats were collected in two contrasting habitat types: Mediterranean vegetation areas, where rabbits were either present or absent, and Pyrenean oak forests, where there were no rabbits. All areas and habitat types were sampled in different seasons. The frequency of occurrence and biomass of different prey items and diet diversity were compared between habitats and areas with the presence/absence of rabbits. Wildcats consumed significantly fewer rodents in areas with rabbits than in areas where rabbits were absent, and diet diversity showed important seasonal variations. Values for diet diversity were lower in areas where rabbits were present. Thus it can be stated that wildcats do not specialize in rodents, and we suggest a facultative specialization on different prey items (rabbits or rodents) according to prey availability.

Subfields: Ecology, Nature and Landscape Conservation

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/9a8b9f88a7ba7e5d76187b0a569a9696203dbd37

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Citations in the corpus

Biogeographical patterns in the diet of the wildcat, Felis silvestris Schreber, in Eurasia: factors affecting the trophic diversity (2006, background): “Indeed, a recent study in central Spain showed that wildcats may behave as a facultative rodent- or rabbit-specialist depending on the local availability of each prey type (Malo et al., 2004).”
Evidence of Invasive Felis silvestris Predation on Propithecus verreauxi at Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar (2008, background): “…the skull of the Propithecus. primary prey are rodents, birds, small reptiles, and amphibians, their preferred prey varies according to a number of factors; e.g., in parts of Europe, wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus, which can be >3 kg) are preferred prey (Lozano et al. 2006; Malo et al. 2004).”
Influence of bait type, weather and prey abundance on bait uptake by feral cats (Felis catus) on Peron Peninsula, Western Australia (2007, result): “This is consistent with studies elsewhere (e.g. Coman and Brunner 1972; Bayly 1976, 1978; Jones 1977; Fitzgerald and Karl 1979; Jones and Coman 1981; Catling, 1988; Jones and Coman, 1981; Martin et al. 1996; Molsher et al. 1999; Risbey et al, 1999; Read and Bowen 2001; Pontier et al. 2002; Malo et a”
DIETARY ANALYSIS FROM FECAL SAMPLES: HOW MANY SCATS ARE ENOUGH? (2005, methodology): “…descriptions and comparisons of diets (e.g., Bartoszewicz and Zalewski 2003; Ferreras and Macdonald 1999; Hewitt and Robbins 1996; Hutchings 2003; Malo et al. 2004; Merrick et al. 1997; Mukherjee et al. 2004; Nùñez et al. 2000; Patterson et al. 1998; Silva and Talamoni 2003; Virgós et al.…”
Biogeographical variation in the diet of Holarctic martens (genus Martes, Mammalia: Carnivora: Mustelidae): adaptive foraging in generalists (2011, background): “Rodents are their staple prey, but when rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are available they will switch to optimize their energy budgets (Malo et al., 2004; Lozano et al., 2006).”