Mesocarnivore diet in a human-dominated landscape with abundant livestock and low large carnivore occurrence

Context Mesocarnivores are often blamed for smallstock depredation. Their diets may be influenced by food availability and competition or facilitation from large carnivores. Aims Our objective was to investigate the diet of black-backed jackals on land used for raising livestock, hypothesising that smallstock species would be a primary food item because jackals are perceived responsible for the majority of depredation in the region. We assessed whether the presence of a dominant competitor, the African wild dog, may facilitate the jackal’s diet by increasing scavenging opportunities. Methods We determined the diet of black-backed jackal from genetically confirmed jackal scat collected between 2019 and 2022 in four communal conservancies of central-eastern Namibia. To explore how jackal diet may be influenced by the presence of wild dogs, we compared jackal diet within v. more than 10 km from wild dog denning areas. Key results Insects (Coleoptera) and small mammals were the most frequently consumed items (10.4 and 10.5% respectively), whereas wild ungulates contributed the most biomass to black-backed jackal diet (48.8%). Smallstock contributed 15.9% of the total estimated biomass but appeared to be avoided on the basis of intensity of use (occupancy) estimates, given their widespread presence. Jackal diets were not affected by assumed African wild dog denning areas. Conclusions Jackals in communal conservancies of central-eastern Namibia consume primarily wild ungulate prey and, to a lesser extent, livestock, and supplement their diet with non-mammal food sources. The lack of facilitation or competition with black-backed jackals in this region might be attributable to low density and diminished functional role of African wild dogs in this highly persecuted population. Implications Enhancing wild ungulate populations could decrease livestock depredation and help restore endangered large carnivores such as the African wild dog and cheetah.