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Valeix, M.; Chamaill‚-Jammes, S.; Loveridge, A.J.; Davidson, Z.; Hunt, J.E.; Madzikanda, H.; MacDonald, D.W.
Understanding Patch Departure Rules for Large Carnivores: Lion Movements Support a Patch-Disturbance Hypothesis
2011 The American Naturalist (178): 269-275
We test two hypotheses that could account for patch departure by large mammalian carnivores. One hypothesis is the unsuccessful-hunt hypothesis, where carnivores leave an area after an unsuccessful hunt but continue hunting in the same area after a successful hunt. The second hypothesis is the patch-disturbance hypothesis, where carnivores depart the area after a successful hunt because of behavioral responses of prey to predator presence. We used global positioning system collars to monitor the movements of African lions (_Panthera leo_) and identified their kill sites to distinguish between these two hypotheses. Lions moved to a different area (í5 km) after 87% of the kills, which supports the patch-disturbance hypothesis for patch-departure behavior of large mammalian carnivores.
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