10.5061/DRYAD.PQ050620
Yirga, Gidey
Mekelle University
De Iongh, Hans H.
Leiden University
Leirs, Herwig
University of Antwerp
Gebrihiwot, Kindeya
Mekelle University
Deckers, Jozef
KU Leuven
Bauer, Hans
KU Leuven
Data from: Adaptability of large carnivores to changing anthropogenic food
sources: diet change of spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) during Christian
fasting period in northern Ethiopia
Dryad
dataset
2012
spotted hyena
scat
Scavenging
fasting
Holocene
Crocuta crocuta
2012-11-07T20:54:49Z
2012-11-07T20:54:49Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2656.2012.01977.x
19278 bytes
1
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Many large carnivores readily use anthropogenic food sources, which often
leads to conflict. Spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) around the regional
capital Mekelle, northern Ethiopia, feed on waste and to a lesser degree
on livestock, but not on natural prey. We investigated the impact on their
diet of the 55 day fasting period prescribed by the Ethiopian Orthodox
Tewahedo Church, during which the vast majority of people do not consume
animal products. We collected spotted hyena scats before, during and after
the fasting period and compared hairs from scat with hairs from a
reference collection. We found a significant difference in species
composition; donkey and cattle occurrence increased significantly during
fasting compared to the non-fasting diet dominated by scavenged remains of
goat and sheep. We infer that spotted hyenas opportunistically change
their diet from scavenging on waste before and after fasting to predation
on larger livestock species that are kept outside at night during fasting.
Our findings confirm that spotted hyena are highly adaptable and
opportunistic predators.
Fasting TablesOrigin of hairs in hyena scat at Debri, Aynalem and Arid
before, during and after fasting period in 2010
Tigray region of Ethiopia