Characterization of mammal hairs and their application in determining diet composition of lion (panther Leo Massaica Neuman) in the salient region of Aberdare National Park, Kenya.

Abstract

This study sought to determine the diet composition of lion in the salient region of Aberdare National Park by analysis of hairs obtained from their scats. Monthly counts of potential lion prey species were carried out in order to see whether there was a relationship between the abundance and their level of predation by lion. There was no significant difference in diet composition of lion in areas A, Band C of the salient region or even during the wet and dry seasons. The lions were found to have a broad diet and showed preference for bushbuck Tragelaphus scriptus, suni Neotragus moschatus and buffalo Syncerus caffer in that order. Bushbuck constituted about 45.9% of the lion diet while the suni and buffalo constituted 18.8% and 6.9% of their diet, respectively. Bushbuck was the most abundant species in the salient region and this might explain why it dominated the lions' diet. Both buffalo and elephant Loxodonta africana were' also abundant but they were not important prey species for the lion. In spite of the low abundance of suni, it was the second most important prey species for the lion and this may be due to the fact that it was more preferred in relation to other species. The other prey species were taken in very low proportions in relation to those common in the diet.