Diet and activity patterns of Leopardus guigna in relation to prey availability in forest fragments of the Chilean temperate rainforest

Abstract

The güiña (Leopardus guigna) or kod kod is one of the least known wild cats in the world. It is classified as vulnerable by IUCN with the most restricted distribution of any felid species in the world. I recorded the activity patterns of güiñas, determined diet composition, and measured prey availability in four cover types in Pucón, La Araucanía Region. I captured and followed five güiñas with VHF radio-telemetry and collected 67 scats for diet analysis. Güiña presented nocturnal and crepuscular peaks of activity. The güiña diet was mainly based on the most abundant rodents in the study area in accordance with a rodent survey and the teeth and hair analysis of scats. The small mammals captured were Oligoryzomys longicaudatus, Abrothrix longipilis, Abrothrix olivaceus, and Rattus rattus. This study contributes to the understanding of the influence of a highly fragmented habitat in activity, diet and prey offer of güiña.