Diet Analysis of the African Golden Wolf Canis anthus (Cuvier, 1820) in Tizi-ouzou, Kabylia Region (Algeria)

Authors: Ramdini R*, Amroun M and Ahmim M

DOI: 10.23880/izab-16000443

Volume 6, Issue 1

Abstract

The diet of the African golden wolf Canis anthus was studied in the region of Tizi-Ouzou (North-Central Algeria), during a period from November 2016 to May 2017 by means of scat analysis. A total of 386 samples were collected in the study area, 206 in Yakouren and 180 in Ait-Zellal. Prey items found in the dung were assigned to species or higher taxa using identification guides and our collection of plant samples from the study area.The identification of the different items allowed us to classify the prey of this carnivore into 8 food categories Mammals, Arthropods, Birds, Energy plants, Non-energy plants, Reptiles, Molluscs and Waste. Plant material, mammals and birds are the most consumed food items in both study stations, with significant differences between the diet compositions of the two habitats. These results confirm that the feeding behaviour of golden wolves is generalist and opportunistic, the existence of a significant difference between the diet compositions in the two different habitats emphasises the influence of environmental factors on the feeding ecology of Canis anthus.

Keywords: Canis anthus; Diet; Environmental Factors; Feeding Ecology; Tizi-Ouzou; Algeria

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