engleski

Seasonal diet composition of golden jackal in the eastern Croatia

In the past twenty years, biological expansion of the golden jackal (Canis aureus aureus) has been recorded in the eastern part of Croatia. In order to determine its dietary habits, content of 238 stomach samples has been analysed. There were 33 empty stomachs and 205 stomachs filled with different diet components. Only animal remains were detected in 113 stomachs, mixed animal and plant in 87, and only plants in 5 stomachs. Animal waste from big game animals was present with seasonal frequencies: 21% in spring, 31% in summer, 45% in autumn and 45% in winter. Small winged game were present in spring (5%), summer (2%) and in autumn (3%), while they were absent in winter. Small furred game was not found at all. Animal waste from domestic animals was identified with frequencies: 16% in spring, 14% in summer, 25% in autumn and 36% in winter. It largely contained fat tissue, intestines and parts of skin discarded during the slaughtering season at rural households. Parts of muscle tissue from big game, such as wild boar and roe deer, were detected in 16 samples, mainly in the late autumn and winter. Rodents, caught at agricultural land, were present with frequencies: 19% in spring, 29% in summer, and 9% in autumn, while they were not present in winter. Seeds of annual crops (maize, sunflower) and of wild and cultivated fruits (grapes, black mulberry, greengage, wild pear), were present seasonally, depending of ripening time, with frequency up to 20%. Determined diet habits clearly points out that golden jackal was incorrectly treated as harmful species in the hunting grounds. It is typical opportunistic forager, having a beneficial role by scavenging waste and controlling pest species. During the shortage of animal waste, golden jackal can predate on wild animals.

diet ; golden jackal ; Croatia

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