Resource exploitation and behavioural interference underlie competition among carnivores. Competition is reduced by specializing on different prey and/or spatio‐temporal separation, usually leading to different food habits. We predicted that two closely related species of large cats, the endangered snow leopard and the near‐threatened common leopard, living in sympatry, would coexist through habitat separation and exploitation of different prey species. In central Himalaya, we assessed (2006–2010) habitat and diet overlap between these carnivores. The snow leopard used grassland and shrubland, whereas the common leopard selected forest. Contrary to our prediction, snow leopard and common leopard preyed upon similar wild (Himalayan tahr, musk deer) and domestic species (Bos spp., dogs). Dietary overlap between snow leopard and common leopard was 69% (yearly), 76% (colder months) and 60% (warmer months). Thus, habitat separation should be the result of other factors, most likely avoidance of interspecific aggression. Habitat separation may not always lead to the use of different prey. Avoidance of interspecific aggression, rather than exploitation of different resources, could allow the coexistence of potentially competing large predators.
In the Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal, Himalayan species of Galliformes are poorly studied and their present status is unknown. We studied the distribution of three high-altitude species: Himalayan monal, blood pheasant, and Tibetan snowcock, comparing birds' distribution in relation to altitude and habitat in spring and autumn 2007. Our study area was at 3300-5000 m a.s.l., characterized by subalpine vegetation. A structural description of vegetation types was made on the basis of main habitat features. We observed two different patterns across the year. Group size differences are common during spring and autumn. Variation in habitat use and altitudinal ranges are evident in the snowcock and blood pheasant. The Himalayan monal distribution was influenced by anthropogenic resources.
Consequences of predation may be particularly\ud
heavy on small populations of herbivores, especially if they\ud
are threatened with extinction. Over the 2006–2010 period, we\ud
documented the effects of the spontaneous return of the endangered\ud
snow leopard on the population of the vulnerable\ud
Himalayan tahr. The study area was an area of central\ud
Himalaya where this cat disappeared c. 40 years before, because\ud
of persecution by man. Snow leopards occurred mainly\ud
in areas close to the core area of tahr distribution. Tahr was the\ud
staple (56.3 %) of snow leopards. After the arrival of this cat,\ud
tahr decreased by more than 2/3 from 2003 to 2010 (mainly\ud
through predation on kids). Subsequently, the density of snow\ud
leopards decreased by 60%from2007 to 2010. The main prey\ud
of snow leopards in Asia (bharal, marmots) were absent in our\ud
study area, forcing snow leopards to specialize on tahr. The\ud
restoration of a complete prey spectrum should be favoured\ud
through reintroductions, to conserve large carnivores and to\ud
reduce exploitation of small populations of herbivores, especially\ud
if threatened
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