Sc. Zapata et al., Seasonal feeding habits of the Patagonian hog-nosed skunk Conepatus humboldtii in southern Patagonia, ACT THERIOL, 46(1), 2001, pp. 97-102
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.