DIET AND FEEDING-BEHAVIOR OF ETHIOPIAN WOLVES (CANIS-SIMENSIS)

The Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) is a rare and endangered carnivore found in only a few mountain ranges of the Ethiopian highlands. We st udied its diet and feeding behavior in Bale Mountains National Park, E thiopia, from 1988 through 1992. Observations of foraging behavior (n = 380) and seat analysis (n = 689) suggested that the Ethiopian wolf s pecializes in eating rodents. Rodents accounted for 96% of the prey oc currences and 97% volume in the droppings. The giant molerat (Tachyory ctes macrocephalus) was the main food item, followed in importance by three species of rats (Arvicanthis blicki, Lophuromys melanonyx, and O tomys typus). Ethiopian wolves foraged solitarily throughout the day, but occasionally small packs (less than or equal to 6) hunted hares, y oung antelopes, and sheep. During food-choice experiments, wolves sign ificantly preferred Tachyoryctes to Arvicanthis and Lophuromys, Arvica nthis to Lophuromys, and either of them to Stenocephalemys, which was invariably discarded. Lepus starcki was preferred to any of the specie s of rats. The contribution of different species of prey to the diet o f the Ethiopian wolf correlated with abundance of prey.