SEX, SEASONAL AND SPATIAL DIFFERENCES IN THE DIET OF CANTABRIAN CHAMOIS RUPICAPRA-PYRENAICA PARVA

The relationships between availability and quality of food, diet compo sition and habitat use of female and male chamois herds Rupicapra pyre naica parva (Cabrera, 1911), were investigated in the Cantabrian Mount ains (Spain). The two vegetation types studied were grass-forb and shr ub. Grass-forb contained higher crude protein and lower fibre than shr ub throughout year (crude protein: 17.2% vs 8.6%, p = 0.018; acid dete rgent fibre: 27.0% vs 35.8%, p = 0.018). The diet of female and male h erds showed more grass-forb than shrub (p = 0.012), however, a discrep ancy between site selection and bite selection was found. Generally ma le herds were found in shrub areas although they mainly chose grass-fo rb in their diet. Female herds had a higher percentage of grass-forb i n the diet than male herds throughout the year (81.6% vs 65.6%). Diet composition pattern was similar in both sexes, with a peak of grass-fo rb in spring and autumn, and a minimum in summer. Both sexes selected grass-forb throughout the year, but its use was increased when its qua lity was high, independently of quantity available. Females showed hig her grazing activity than males throughout year (53% vs 37%, p < 0.000 1). Male herds showed less grazing activity during the rut (October-No vember) in comparison with the rest of the year (25% vs 43%, p < 0.000 1). Some hypotheses to explain the segregation of the herds of both se xes are presented and discussed.