Diet composition of a Newly Recognized Canid Species, the African Golden Wolf (Canis anthus), in Northern Algeria

We analysed the diet composition of a recently recognized species, the African golden wolf (Canis anthus), in the Tlemcen Hunting Reserve in Algeria by means of scat analysis. A total of 246 scat samples were collected from the study area. Prey items found in the faeces were assigned to species or higher-ranked taxa using identification guides and our collection of hair samples from the reserve. We were able to identify 34 food items including wild and domestic animals, fruits, leaves, soil and organic waste. Animal remains represented 84.8% of the biomass consumed by the African golden wolf, while plant remains constituted 15.2%. Prey species richness was the highest in summer with 23 different food items and the lowest in autumn with 17 items. Wild boar was the most important prey in the species' food spectrum within the reserve. Our results show the opportunistic resource use by the African golden wolf, with seasonal variation and a propensity for large-sized prey, including considerable amounts of livestock carcasses (24% of the total biomass), which underlines the importance of an effective wildlife management.