Seasonal feeding habits of the Patagonian hog-nosed skunk Conepatus humboldtii in southern Patagonia

Diet of Patagonian bog-nosed skunk Conepatus humboldtii Gray, 1837 was stud ied in southeastern Argentinean Patagonia. Faeces from skunks were collecte d and analysed on a yearly basis. A wide variety of prey ranging from inver tebrates (81.6% of occurrences), mammals, reptiles and plant material occur red in the faeces. Though Patagonian hog-nosed skunk was reported as primar ily insectivorous regarding its feeding anatomy and behaviour, vertebrate p rey predominated over invertebrates when results were expressed as consumed biomass. The consumption of invertebrate prey increased during summer, pro bably due to an increase in its abundance. The increase in the consumption of rodents and carrion by skunks during autumn-winter could be due to a shi ft from open grassy areas to other habitats to find alternative prey.