Prey selection by leopards (Panthera pardus fusca) in the mid-hill region of Nepal

Information on prey selection and the diet of the leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) is essential for leopard conservation. We conducted an investigation into the prey species and the proportion of each species in the leopard's diet in a human-dominated mid-hill region of Nepal. The analysis of 96 leopard scats collected between August 2020 and March 2021 revealed that leopards consumed 15 prey species, including small and medium-sized mammals and livestock. In addition to these prey species, we also found plastic materials, bird feathers, and some unidentified items in the leopard scats. Wild ungulates (such as barking deer, Muntiacus muntjak, and wild boar, Sus scrofa) constituted only 10% of the biomass in the scats, while livestock contributed 27%, and other wild prey contributed 50%. Among all species, domestic goats had the highest relative biomass in the scats, followed by the jungle cat (Felis chaus), domestic dog (Canis familiaris), and large Indian civet (Viverra zibetha). Simila..., , , # Prey selection by leopards (Panthera pardus fusca) in the mid-hill region of Nepal [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.x95x69prf](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.x95x69prf) ## Description of the data and file structure We conducted an investigation into the prey species and the proportion of each species in the leopard's diet in a human-dominated mid-hill region of Nepal. The analysis of 96 leopard scats collected between August 2020 and March 2021 revealed that leopards consumed 15 prey species, including small and medium-sized mammals and livestock有关印度花豹（Panthera pardus fusca）的猎物选择与饮食组成信息，对于花豹保护工作具有重要意义。我们于尼泊尔一处受人类活动主导的中山地带，针对花豹的猎物种类及其在食谱中的占比展开了调查。对2020年8月至2021年3月间收集的96份花豹粪样进行分析后发现，花豹的捕食对象涵盖15个物种，包括中小型哺乳类与家畜。除上述猎物物种外，我们还在粪样中检出塑料材质、鸟类羽毛及若干未识别物品。野生有蹄类动物（如赤麂Muntiacus muntjak与野猪Sus scrofa）仅占粪样生物量的10%，家畜占比27%，其余野生猎物占比50%。在所有物种中，家山羊的粪样相对生物量最高，其次为丛林猫（Felis chaus）、家犬（Canis familiaris）与大灵猫（Viverra zibetha）。Simila..., , , # 尼泊尔中山地带花豹（Panthera pardus fusca）的猎物选择 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.x95x69prf](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.x95x69prf) ## 数据与文件结构说明 我们于尼泊尔一处受人类活动主导的中山地带，针对花豹的猎物种类及其在食谱中的占比展开了调查。对2020年8月至2021年3月间收集的96份花豹粪样进行分析后发现，花豹的捕食对象涵盖15个物种，包括中小型哺乳类与家畜。