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Interspecific killing between wolves and golden jackals in Iran

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Abstract

Interspecific killing is a widespread phenomenon among mammalian carnivores; being common, for instance, within the canid guild. The canid guild in Hamadan province, west of Iran, comprises three species: the gray wolf Canis lupus pallipes, the golden jackal Canis aureus, and the red fox Vulpes vulpes. In this area, habitat transformation and agricultural land uses have significantly reduced wild prey populations. In search of food, members of the canid guild are often driven to human settlements. Due to inefficient waste management, the major source of food for canids here is anthropogenic food resources, such as livestock and pet carcasses, and domestic waste illegally dumped near poultry farms and rural areas. Here, we described one of the first reports in the literature of a case of interspecific killing between a wolf and a golden jackal. On June 13, 2016, a collared wolf (adult male) killed an adult jackal (adult male). Further studies are required to understand intraguild competition among red fox, golden jackals, and wolves in this area.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the National Geographic Society which funded this research under the grant GEFNE128-14.Also, This study was funded by the Iranian National Science Foundation (INSF). J.V.L.B. was supported by a Ramon & Cajal research contract (RYC-2015-18932) from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

    Alireza Mohammadi & Mohammad Kaboli

  2. Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO/CSIC/PA), Oviedo University, 33600, Mieres, Spain

    José Vicente López-Bao

Authors
  1. Alireza Mohammadi
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  2. Mohammad Kaboli
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  3. José Vicente López-Bao
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Correspondence to Mohammad Kaboli.

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Mohammadi, A., Kaboli, M. & López-Bao, J.V. Interspecific killing between wolves and golden jackals in Iran. Eur J Wildl Res 63, 61 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-017-1124-3

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