Abstract
BACKGROUND: Wild canids form an important component of the ecosystem but are generally less studied and least prioritized for conservation. Diet is fundamental for effective management and exhibits the role of a species in an ecosystem. Golden jackal (Canis aureus, Linnaeus, 1758), a medium-sized canid species is known for opportunistic and omnivorous foraging behavior. METHODS: This research investigates the feeding ecology of golden jackals within the Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Himalayas. From August 2020 to July 2022, trails (n = 9; 1.5-5.5 km) were walked seasonally (once per month) to collect fecal samples (n = 128) for investigation of seasonal diet composition and dietary niche breadth and biomass consumption of prey items by golden jackal. The association between the coefficient of digestibility value and food items was assessed using the Pearson correlation. We also conducted PCA to understand contribution of major dietary items. RESULTS: Scat analysis revealed that jackals feed on both animal and plant matter. Animal matter constituted most of the diet, encompassing small mammals and domestic livestock, insects, and birds. Rodents emerge as the dominant dietary item, maintaining consistent prevalence year-round. Livestock carrion, notably domestic sheep formed a significant component across all seasons, with maximal consumption observed in summer. Notably absent from the jackals' diet were traces of threatened mountain ungulates. Domestic sheep emerged as the primary contributor (33.4 %) to the overall biomass consumed, highlighting the jackals' interaction with human-associated food resources. The research unveils an overall dietary niche breadth of 0.38, indicating a low degree of dietary diversity. Seasonal analysis indicates heightened dietary overlap in the autumn-summer transition, with rodents, domestic sheep, and birds being major contributors to this overlap. CONCLUSION: The findings underscore the adaptability of golden jackals to diverse food resources in a seasonal environment. This study provides foundational insights into the dietary ecology of jackal crucial for its conservation and management strategies in the ecologically fragile ecosystem. The finding gives a hint at the role jackals can play in regulating rodent populations and contributing to environmental cleanliness by scavenging.