Fine‐scale spatio‐temporal variation in tiger Panthera tigris diet: effect of study duration and extent on estimates of tiger diet in Chitwan National Park, Nepal

Tiger diets in Chitwan National Park, Nepal, exhibit significant fine-scale spatio-temporal variation that is influenced by study duration and the size of the study area. Aggregated data from three studies revealed that increasing both factors leads to greater dietary diversity, with different prey species contributing most prominently depending on the study's temporal extent. Despite this variation, deer (Cervidae) consistently dominated tiger diets, while small to medium-sized prey played a notable role in one study. Surprisingly, tiger diet was unrelated to prey abundance, suggesting that other factors may drive dietary shifts. The findings underscore the importance of long-term and large-scale studies for understanding tiger feeding patterns, which are critical for conservation efforts aiming to mitigate poaching threats to tiger populations.

Kapfer, P. M., Streby, H. M., Gurung, B., Simcharoen, A., McDougal, C. C., & Smith, J. L. D. (2011). Fine‐scale spatio‐temporal variation in tiger Panthera tigris diet: effect of study duration and extent on estimates of tiger diet in Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Wildlife Biology, 17(3), 277–285. Portico. https://doi.org/10.2981/10-127