FOOD HABITS AND TROPHIC NICHE OVERLAP OF THE WOLF CANIS LUPUS, L. 1758 AND THE RED FOX VULPES VULPES (L. 1758) IN A MEDITERRANEAN MOUNTAIN AREA
Marianna Patalano* and Sandro Lovari**
Very few comparative studies have been carried out simultaneously on the diet of wolves and red foxes living in a same area (Macdonald et al, 1980 ; Reig et al., 1985).
While there is a wealth of data on the food habits of the Fox in a variety of Mediterranean areas (e.g. Amores, 1975 ; Reynolds, 1979 ; Brana & Del Campo, 1980 ; Prigioni, 1991), only very few and partial studies have been published on the diet of the Wolf in the Mediterranean basin (Italy : Boitani, 1982 ; Ragni et al, 1985 ; Matteucci, 1987 ; Meriggi et al, 1991 ; Portugal : Paixao de Magalhaes & Pettrucci Fonseca, 1982; Spain: Castroviejo et al, 1981 ; Brana et al, 1982; Salvador & Abad, 1987 ; Israel : Mendelsshon, 1982).
Macdonald et al. (1980) found out that some overlap in food habits occurred between the Wolf and the Red fox, especially in relation to the use of rubbish tips. They concluded that this was unlikely to be a key factor in limiting the population of either Carnivore because of the large quantity of garbage at dumps in their study area, i.e. the Majella massif. Conversely, Patalano (1991) showed that the Wolf and the Fox dependence on garbage tips was unimportant in the core area of the Abruzzo National Park, Central Apennines. She suggested that the well preserved ecosystems of the park should not provide any reason for these Carnivores to attend rubbish tips as regular food sources.
The aims of our research were the following :
A. to provide a qualitative and quantitative detailed study on the food habits of the Wolf and the Red fox in a Mediterranean mountain area where the natural ecosystems are relatively pristine (Locati, 1989).
B. to assess the extent of diet overlap in an area where the local dependence on rubbish tips is negligible for both species (Patalano, 1991).
Material and methods
Between December 1981 and November 1983 a total of 136 scats of wolves (sample size: Dec. 1981-May 1982, N = 30 ; Jun.-Nov. 1982, N = 36 ; Dec.
* Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’ Abruzzo e Molise «G. Caporale », 64100 Teramo, Italy.
** Dipartimento di Biologia Evolutiva, Gruppo di Etologia e Ecologia Comportamentale, Università di Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy.
Requests for reprints should be sent to this address (c/o Sandro Lovari).
Rev. Ecol. (Terre Vie), vol. 48, 1993.
