Abstract
Records of coprophagic behavior in vultures from both the Old and the New World are rare. We know of only a handful of reports for Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura). Herein we report a specific event of heterocoprophagia: the consumption of 1-day-old puma (Puma concolor) feces by C. aura in the Manantlán Biosphere Reserve (Jalisco, México). Feces of P. concolor play a role in chemical communication by male pumas, who generally do not cover their feces. Females and juveniles attempt to cover theirs. It is not known whether puma scats provide any nutrients to vultures. A bromatological analysis should be performed to determine whether the fecal matter contains nutrients that could be assimilated by vultures. As far as we know, this is the first observation of coprophagic behavior by C. aura on puma feces.
La coprofagia es un comportamiento raro en zopilotes del Viejo y del Nuevo mundo. A nuestro entendimiento solo hay relativamente pocos reportes de coprofagia en zopilotes aura (Cathartes aura). Nosotros reportamos un evento específico de heterocoprofagia: el consumo de heces de Puma (Puma concolor) por un zopilote aura, ocurrido en la Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra de Manantlán, Jalisco, México, un día después de su excreción. Las heces de P. concolor juegan un importante rol en la comunicación química sobre todo en los pumas machos quienes generalmente, no cubren sus heces; mientras que hembras y juveniles, generalmente cubren sus excretas. Sugerimos realizar análisis bromatológicos para determinar si el contenido de nutrientes en las heces de puma, pueden ser asimilados por los zopilotes. Por lo que sabemos e es la primera observación de comportamiento coprofágico de C. aura en heces de puma.
Recommended Citation
González-Jáuregui, Mauricio; Esparza-Carlos, Juan Pablo; and Barber Mir, Margarida Francina
(2021)
"Heterospecific coprophagy: Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) feeding on cougar (Puma concolor) feces,"
Western North American Naturalist: Vol. 81:
No.
4, Article 15.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/wnan/vol81/iss4/15
Video (10 s) of a puma (Puma concolor) defecating in area affected by forest fire at the Sierra Manantlán Biosphere Reserve, Jalisco, México (9 February 2020, 14:15).
81.4.15 Supplementary Material 2.M4V (3953 kB)
Video (10 s) of a Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) picking up the puma feces excreted a day earlier at the Sierra Manantlán Biosphere Reserve, Jalisco, México (10 February 2020, 14:20).
81.4.15 Supplementary Material 3.M4V (3955 kB)
Video (10 s) of a Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) picking at the puma feces excreted a day earlier at the Sierra Manantlán Biosphere Reserve, Jalisco, México (10 February 2020, 14:20).