Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Understanding prey choice and feeding behavior in large carnivores is essential for both ecology and wildlife management. Optimal foraging theory (OFT) predicts that predators should maximize energetic gain while minimizing the costs associated with search of prey as well as capture and consumption. This study investigated whether the feeding ecology of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in south-central Sweden reflects predictions from OFT by examining prey selection relative to prey availability, and by assessing the influence of wild boar (Sus scrofa) density on handling time and kill rate.
Predation data were collected from 13 GPS-collared lynx monitored between 2023-2025. Kill sites were identified through cluster analysis of GPS locations and prey remains were recorded during field visits. Prey selection were quantified using Jacobs index, while generalized mixed models and linear models were used to evaluate age-related differences in diet composition and the effects of wild boar density on feeding behavior.
Lynx showed a strong positive selection for roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) regardless of the availability of alternative ungulate prey. Contradictory to predictions, adult males did not consume a higher proportion of large ungulates than adult females. Subadult lynx consumed significantly more small prey such as hares (Lepus europaeus) and birds than adults. Wild boar density was positively associated with handling time, resulting in longer prey utilization periods. No relationship was found between wild boar density and lynx kill rate.
These findings support the hypothesis that roe deer represent the most profitable ungulate prey for lynx in south-central Sweden and suggest that prey choice is influenced by both prey characteristics and predator age. The unexpected positive relationship between wild boar density and handling time highlights the need for further research on how scavengers influence lynx feeding ecology.