Yosef Reuven, Kumbhojkar Swapnil
Eilat Campus, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 272, Eilat 88106, Israel.
Jhalana Wildlife Research Foundation, Gharkul Society, Ganeshmala, Sinhagad Road, Pune 411030, India.
Animals (Basel). 2025 Mar 10;15(6):784. doi: 10.3390/ani15060784.
In ecosystems where multiple carnivores coexist, interspecific interactions are crucial in shaping behavioral adaptations and resource utilization strategies. This study examines the competitive dynamics between Indian leopards () and striped hyenas () in the Jhalana Reserve Forest, an urban-enclosed wildlife habitat in Jaipur, India. Using direct observations, citizen science contributions, and camera-trap data, we document kleptoparasitism and competitive exclusion instances where hyenas successfully outnumber leopards to gain access to food. Our findings indicate that hyenas exhibit an acute ability to locate leopard kills, often arriving within minutes of a leopard beginning to feed. Additionally, spatial constraints imposed by the reserve's fencing create an ecological imbalance, as leopards can access external food sources while hyenas remain confined. We also discuss the potential consequences of supplementary feeding practices, which may influence predator behavior and interspecific interactions. This study highlights the importance of understanding competitive dynamics in fragmented landscapes to inform conservation strategies that promote coexistence.
在多种食肉动物共存的生态系统中，种间相互作用对于塑造行为适应性和资源利用策略至关重要。本研究考察了印度拉贾斯坦邦斋浦尔市一个城市包围的野生动物栖息地——贾拉纳保留林中印度豹（）和条纹鬣狗（）之间的竞争动态。通过直接观察、公民科学贡献以及相机陷阱数据，我们记录了盗食寄生和竞争排斥的实例，即鬣狗成功以数量优势超过豹以获取食物。我们的研究结果表明，鬣狗具有敏锐的能力来定位豹捕杀的猎物，常常在豹开始进食后的几分钟内就抵达。此外，保护区围栏造成的空间限制导致了生态失衡，因为豹可以获取外部食物来源，而鬣狗则被限制在其中。我们还讨论了补充喂食做法可能产生的后果，这可能会影响捕食者行为和种间相互作用。本研究强调了理解破碎景观中竞争动态对于制定促进共存的保护策略的重要性。
