Dietary Composition and Overlap Among Large Carnivores in Liwonde National Park, Malawi

Abstract

The aim of this study was to describe and compare the dietary composition of lion (Panthera leo), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) and spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) populations in Liwonde National Park, Malawi. Using scat analyses and direct observations, our results indicate a high degree of dietary overlap (O_ab > 0.70), indicative of intraguild competition, and all carnivores exhibited a dietary preference for kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros). At present, coexistence is potentially facilitated by low carnivore densities and spatiotemporal responses. We recommend that carnivore diets and niche partitioning strategies continue to be investigated as carnivore populations increase.