Diet of two sympatric felids (Leopardus tigrinus and Leopardus wiedii) in a remnant of Atlantic forest, in the montane region of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil (English)

We analyzed the diet of two sympatric felids, the oncilla and the margay, in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Fecal samples were collected from 2003 to 2005. Of the 52 fecal samples examined, 34 were confirmed to be from the oncilla and 18 of them from the margay. Small mammals(Rodentia and Didelphimorphia) were the most important food item, followed by insects and birds. The food habit of the oncilla and the margay in the area were classified as a specialist carnivore, feeding in a variety of prey, which mammalswere the most consumed item. The coexistence between those species may involve spatial and temporal segregation and the use of complementary items in the diet. (English)