Diet composition of the golden jackal (Canis aureus L.) on the Pelješac Peninsula, Dalmatia, Croatia

Background and Purpose: No previous field investigations have been conducted on the biology and ecology of the native population of golden jackals (Canis aureus L.) from Dalmatia. The object of this study was to determine the feeding habits of this poorly studied population. Materials and Methods: The diet composition of golden jackals from Dalmatia was examined by scat analysis. From winter 1995 to spring 1997, field visits were made every season to the golden jackal habitat on the Pelje{ac Peninsula in Dalmatia, Croatia and scats of golden jackals were collected (n=130). Scats were washed out, dried and sorted. Classification of components was made under appropriate magnification. Conclusions: Both animal and plant components were found. Scat included from one to four components. The highest frequency was found for mammals (50.3%) followed by fruit seeds and vegetables (34.1%), insects (29.5%), birds (including eggs; 24.8%), artificial materials (24%) and branches, leaves and grass (24%). In scats containing mammal remains, the highest incidence was for large mammals (unidentified large mammals of the order Artiodactyla and Lagomorpha). Small mammals were found but in a negligible frequency. The most important fruits for jackals are Ficus carica L. (14%), Vitis vinifera L. (14%) and Juniperus oxicedrus L. (4.6%). The most important orders of insects are Orthoptera (16%), Coleoptera (12%) and Dyctioptera (3%), and for birds order Charadriiformes (6%). The negligible amount of small mammals found in scats differed from the majority of investigations carried out elsewhere. Results: The results show the close relation of the population with human settlements and regional agricultural habits.