CARNIVORE FECAL CHEMICALS SUPPRESS FEEDING BY ALPINE GOATS (CAPRA-HIRCUS)

The efficacy of carnivore and ungulate fecal chemicals in suppressing the feeding behavior of Alpine goats (Capra hircus) was examined. In t he first four experiments, goats were offered food covered with paper strips treated with fecal extracts of the Bengal tiger, Siberian tiger , African lion, and brown bear, respectively; food covered with solven t-treated and untreated (plain) papers served as controls in each expe riment. Goats made fewer head entries into, and ate less food from, bu ckets containing fecal extracts. In the fifth experiment, goats were o ffered food covered with paper strips treated with fecal extracts of t he puma, Dorcas gazelle, white-bearded gnu, and conspecifics; food cov ered with solvent-treated and plain papers again served as controls. T he amounts of food consumed from buckets containing puma, gazelle, gnu , and solvent treatments were statistically indistinguishable, but les s food was consumed from them than from buckets containing the goat-sc ented or plain papers. No significant differences among treatments wer e detected with respect to head entries. Field experiments are needed on the use of predator-derived chemicals to reduce damage by goats to vegetation.