Description
This dataset includes information on the prey consumed by free-ranging domestic cats with different care/nourishment conditions, obtained from the analysis of scats. Most of the samples have been collected in two different regions (north of Palencia province and northeastern of the Sierra Nevada, Almería province), although opportunistic samples from volunteers from other localities of Spain are also included. The remains used to identify prey to the most specific taxonomic level are stored in the holdings of Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC) and they are mainly composed of mandibles, teeth, feathers, scales and hard parts of arthropod exoskeletons. Scat samples were collected during 2022 in the framework of the project Feral Cats - WP4 SUMHAL with the goal of exploring the diversity of species that free-roaming domestic cats hunt and assessing which species or animal groups predominate in their catches. This dataset can be used to study the predatory activity of domestic cats and relate it to their environment, the conditions in which they live or their feeding regime, among other things.
Data Records
The data in this sampling event resource has been published as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A), which is a standardized format for sharing biodiversity data as a set of one or more data tables. The core data table contains 483 records.
1 extension data tables also exist. An extension record supplies extra information about a core record. The number of records in each extension data table is illustrated below.
This IPT archives the data and thus serves as the data repository. The data and resource metadata are available for download in the downloads section. The versions table lists other versions of the resource that have been made publicly available and allows tracking changes made to the resource over time.
Versions
The table below shows only published versions of the resource that are publicly accessible.
How to cite
Researchers should cite this work as follows:
Sanglas A, Roman J, Palomares F (2023). Prey identification of free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) from rural and natural areas of Spain through scat analysis. Version 1.5. Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC). Samplingevent dataset. https://doi.org/10.15470/yncxe5
Rights
Researchers should respect the following rights statement:
The publisher and rights holder of this work is Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC-BY-NC 4.0) License.
GBIF Registration
This resource has been registered with GBIF, and assigned the following GBIF UUID: ef448f77-16de-4e3f-9e3c-247f4f76efff. Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC) publishes this resource, and is itself registered in GBIF as a data publisher endorsed by GBIF Spain.
Keywords
Occurrence; domestic cat; Felis catus; prey; captures; remains; scats; faeces; presence; predation; Montaña Palentina; Sierra Nevada; protected areas; Occurrence
Contacts
- Content Provider ●
- Metadata Provider ●
- Originator
- Research assistant
- Avda. Américo Vespucio 26
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5419-8310
- Content Provider
- Research assistant
- Avda. Américo Vespucio 26
- Metadata Provider ●
- Originator ●
- Point Of Contact ●
- Principal Investigator
- Principal investigator
- Content Provider
- Research assistant
- Content Provider
- PhD student
- Avda. Américo Vespucio 26
Geographic Coverage
The collection is primarily formed by specimens found in free-ranging domestic cat scats from two main regions of Spain, Montaña Palentina Natural Park (north of Palencia province) and the northeastern of the Sierra Nevada National and Natural Park, in the province of Almería. It also contains specimens from free-ranging cat owners throughout Spain who kindly sent us scats from their cats.
| Bounding Coordinates | South West [-90, -180], North East [90, 180] |
|---|
Taxonomic Coverage
All specimens were identified to the most specific taxonomic level possible. Mandibles and teeth features were used to assess rodent species or genus. Scales from reptiles were usually used to reach order level. Feathers and calamus remains from birds did not allow us to get further from class level. Exoskeleton parts from arthropods, generally the third pair of legs, allowed us to identify some specimens to the species level, but most of them were identified to family level.
| Class | Aves (pájaro), Insecta (insecto), Mammalia (mamífero) |
|---|---|
| Order | Coleoptera (coleóptero), Mantodea (mantodeos), Odonata (libelula), Orthoptera (ortóptero), Rodentia (micromamífero), Squamata (réptil) |
| Family | Acrididae (saltamontes), Carabidae (carábido), Colubridae (culebra), Lacertidae (lagartija), Scarabaeidae (escarabajos), Tettigoniidae (saltamontes longicornio) |
| Genus | Anthidium (abeja), Apodemus, Calliptamus (saltamontes), Gryllus (grillo), Iris (mantis), Microtus, Mus, Platycleis (saltamontes longicornios), Volucella (sírfidos) |
| Species | Anacridium aegyptium (langosta egipcia), Apodemus sylvaticus (ratón de campo), Arvicola amphibius (rata topera), Arvicola sapidus (rata de agua), Crocidura russula (musaraña gris), Iris oratoria (mantis mediterránea), Melolontha melolontha (escarabajo sanjuanero), Microtus arvalis (topillo campesino), Microtus duodecimcostatus (topillo mediterraneo), Microtus lavernedii (topillo agreste), Microtus lusitanicus (topillo lusitano), Mus musculus (ratón doméstico), Mus spretus (ratón moruno), Segestria florentina, Sorex coronatus (musaraña tricolor), Talpa europaea (topo europeo) |
Temporal Coverage
| Start Date / End Date | 2022-02-17 / 2022-12-21 |
|---|
Project Data
The project SUMHAL aims at implementing a strategy for biodiversity conservation in the western Mediterranean hotspot by setting a technologically efficient and scientifically robust system. The project combines fieldwork and virtual research environments for the recording, storing, analysis, and dissemination of the conservation status and threats of biodiversity in Andalusia (Southern Spain). The general aim of WP4 is to raise awareness of the ecological and socio-economic impacts of the three main human-induced drivers of global change: a) biological invasions; b) land-use changes; and c) food subsidies, that are of great global concern and therefore relevant not only to Andalusian and Spanish ecosystems and societies, but also to Europe as a whole. SUMHAL's WP4 aims to use traditional and other novel methodologies, mainly of remote animal monitoring, in addition to the participation of society to monitor ecological and socio-economic impacts at different spatial scales.
| Title | Sustainability for Mediterranean Hotspots in Andalusia integrating LifeWatch ERIC (SUMHAL). Work package 4 (WP4): Combining field data, citizen science and loT to monitor anthropogenic impacts on Andalusian biodiversity and society |
|---|---|
| Identifier | LIFEWATCH-2019-09-CSIC-4, POPE 2014-2020 |
| Funding | This study was funded by MICINN through European Regional Development Fund [SUMHAL, LIFEWATCH-2019-09-CSIC-04, POPE 2014-2020] |
| Study Area Description | SUMHAL focuses in Andalusia (Southern Spain), as a representation of the western Mediterranean ecosystems. However, each subproject that belongs to WP4 has its own study area at a more local level. In this case, WP4 - Feral Cats focus on studying the predation impact of free-ranging domestic cats on wildlife in rural and natural environments. |
The personnel involved in the project:
- Content Provider
Sampling Methods
Scats were mainly collected from places near human settlements (towns, farms, isolated buildings...). For each sample, information associated with the cat that had deposited the excrement was associated when possible in form of two variables. Variable "Cat Type" describes the relationship of the cat with humans and includes the following categories: "Owned": cats that although left free outdoors (entirely or partially), are provided with at least regular food and shelter (veterinary care optional); "Colony cat": cats that live in groups in a specific area and spend their whole time outdoors basically because they do not belong to a specific owner. These may be often supported by caretakers or neighbours that provide them with food but do not consider themselves as owners. Variable "Care level" describes the frequency of food provided by people. It includes the following categories: "Fed": they have feeding guaranteed, either in form of controlled meals or "ad libitum"; "Semifed": they do not receive food in a regular manner or are fed insufficiently with cat food or leftovers and "Probably unfed": individuals found in such isolated or unpopulated places that they are unlikely to receive or have access to food coming from people. Therefore, they would only rely on their catches, although this category is difficult to prove.
| Study Extent | Scats samples were collected in two main regions of Spain, Parque Natural de la Montaña Pelentina (northern Palencia province) and northeastern of the Sierra Nevada National and Natural Park (area consisting of four municipalities of Almeria province, Abla, Abrucena, Ohanes and Las Tres Villas). The first area was located in Montaña Palentina Natural Park, an area composed of small villages surrounded by extensive livestock pastures and natural grasslands. Towns are nearly uninhabited during winter, when only farmers and older people remain, and filled with tourists and families with second homes during summer. Scats in the second area were collected in a non-managed cat colony present on the edge of Abla village, one of the main towns of the study area, and in the isolated cottages found widespread throughout the Natural Park area. Permanent residence within the Natural Park is now rare and cottages are mainly used for temporary stays such as vacations-weekends or crop maintenance. In both places, cat ownership is mainly for rodent control purposes. Finally, opportunistic scat samples were also collected from free-ranging cat owners throughout Spain, who had previously participated as volunteers tracking their cats for the citizen science part of WP4 - Feral Cats project, and who kindly sent us scats from their cats. |
|---|---|
| Quality Control | The following limitations should be considered when analysing and interpreting these data: - Those remains belonging to species unlikely to have been hunted by a cat in the wild and which were probably of anthropogenic origin were not considered as prey (e.g. fish vertebrae coming from leftovers). - The number of prey consumed is the minimum possible based on body parts found in the scats that allow accounting for different individuals (e.g. mandibles, teeth, number of legs...). More individuals could have been consumed but may have been undetected due to non-individualisable remains such as fur or bones, thus underestimating the prey consumed. - In many cases, we do not know if the scats collected in a specific place belong to several cats or to the same individual. |
Method step description:
- Sample processing: Scats were dried at 60 ºC degrees during 48-72h periods to avoid degradation by fungi or insects, as well as the transmission of possible diseases. Then, each sample was left in water for at least one day to hydrate and be able to separate the unidentifiable organic matter from undigested remains with a 500㎛ sieve. Remains such as fur, teeth, bones, mandibles, feathers, scales or hard parts of arthropod exoskeletons were kept in Petri plates for later identification. When content of scats consisted of more than 90% of dry cat food or leftovers, it was reported in "eventRemarks" field.
- Morphological identification: All specimens were identified to the most specific taxonomic level possible. Mandibles and teeth features were used to assess rodent species or genera following the manual of Roman (2019). Scales from reptiles were usually used to reach order levels. Feathers and calamus remains from birds did not allow us to get further from the class level. Exoskeleton parts from arthropods were analysed by expert entomologists. Generally, the third pair of legs allowed us to identify some specimens at the species level, but most of them were identified at the family level. The variable "identificationMethod" within the dynamic properties in the Occurrence table details the body part found and used in each scat to reach the species identification level. Variables "individualCount" in Occurrence table refers to the minimum number of different individuals of the same species found in the scat. This estimation is done by counting body parts such as mandibles, teeth or legs that can only be present in a certain number in each individual (e.g. there were three upper left mandibles in the scat and one rodent can only have one, it means that at least three individuals were consumed). The variable "sampleSizeValue" in Event table represents the sum of all organisms consumed found in that scat (e.g. two mice and a grasshopper gives an individual count of three).
Bibliographic Citations
- Roman, J. 2019. Manual para la identificación de los cráneos de los roedores de la península ibérica, islas baleares y canarias. Manuales de Mastozoología de la SECEM. ISBN: 978-84-09-14779-3
Additional Metadata
| Purpose | The goal was to study the diversity of species that free-ranging domestic cats might be preying on, depending on the degree of nourishment and/or care received by people. |
|---|---|
| Maintenance Description | New records will be added as further samples are collected and analysed. |
| Alternative Identifiers | ef448f77-16de-4e3f-9e3c-247f4f76efff |
| https://ipt.gbif.es/resource?r=ebd-csic-feralcatspreys |