A survey of Carnivora Diversity in Bisha district, Southwestern Saudi Arabia

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Studying the diversity of the mammalian carnivores that occupy the throne of the food pyramid is highly significant especially those living in hyper-arid desert ecosystems, where water resources are scarce. The major habitats of the study area were ecologically described and their mammalian fauna of order Carnivora, were surveyed in the period from spring 2018 to summer 2021. This work represents the most extensive field survey that clarify the current situation and distribution of the carnivores of Bisha Governorate, it provides a checklist of Carnivora which includes 6 families represented by 12 species. The species recorded during the survey were, Hyaena hyaena, Canis lupus arabs, Vulpes vulpes, Vulpes rueppellii, Vulpes cana, Felis silvestris, Felis margarita, Caracal caracal, Panthera pardus nimr, Mellivera capensis, Ichneumia albicauda and Genetta feline. Canidae (n = 44) was the most common family. Vulpes vulpes (n = 17) was recorded the highest number of events for any carnivores in the surveyed area followed by Arabian wolves Canis lupus (n = 15).

Keywords

Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences, B. Zoology
Volume 14, Issue 1
January 2022
Pages 295-309

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