Inferindo relações sociais de onças-pintadas (Panthera onca) durante o consumo de carcaças no Pantanal-MS

Abstract

The jaguar (Panthera onca) is traditionally considered a solitary carnivore, presenting complex social interactions, especially in the context of food sharing. We investigated how the average mass of the prey, the sex of the individuals and the degree of kinship between them influence the forms of carcass consumption (solo, synchronous and asynchronous). Between 2012 and 2022, 1097 carcasses were monitored in Caiman Pantanal, Miranda, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, and 152 jaguars were identified through camera traps and direct observations. Although solo consumption was the most frequent (49.4%), we observed that, for each increase of 100 kg in the average mass of the prey, the number of individuals involved in consumption increased by 11% and the probability of synchronous consumption, compared to asynchronous consumption, increased by 24%. Females formed the majority of synchronous consumption dyads (90.8%), being the only group with statistically significant influence. Furthermore, the increase in the degree of kinship between jaguars was associated with a greater probability of synchronous consumption. These results suggest that food availability and the presence of related females favor the formation of rudimentary groupings during carcass consumption, which contributes to social behavior and the development of a matrilineal social system.