Neo-taphonomic analysis of the Misiam leopard lair from Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania): understanding leopard–hyena interactions in open settings

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dc.citation.articleNumber220252
dc.citation.issueNumber7
dc.citation.journalTitleRoyal Society Open Science
dc.citation.volumeNumber9
dc.contributor.authorDomínguez-Rodrigo, Manuel
dc.contributor.authorOrganista, Elia
dc.contributor.authorBaquedano, Enrique
dc.contributor.authorCifuentes-Alcobendas, Gabriel
dc.contributor.authorPizarro-Monzo, Marcos
dc.contributor.authorVegara-Riquelme, Marina
dc.contributor.authorGidna, Agness
dc.contributor.authorUribelarrea, David
dc.contributor.authorMartín-Perea, David
dc.date.accessioned2022-09-01T14:18:23Z
dc.date.available2022-09-01T14:18:23Z
dc.date.issued2022
dc.description.abstractMisiam is a modern wildebeest-dominated accumulation situated in a steep ravine covered with dense vegetation at Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania). It is interpreted here as a leopard lair to which carcasses have been transported for several years. Felid-specific bone damage patterns, felid-typical skeletal part profiles, taxonomic specialization and the physical presence of leopards observed by the authors show that leopards at Misiam can be specialized medium-sized carcass accumulators. Hyenas also intervened at intervals in the modification of the retrieved faunal assemblage. This makes Misiam a carnivore palimpsest. Here, we additionally show that leopards only transport and accumulate carcasses on occasions, that they can seem highly specialized despite being dietary generalists, and that such a behaviour may be prompted by seasonal competition or during the breeding season or both. Misiam is the first open-air leopard lair with a dense bone accumulation reported. There, leopards engaged in intensive accumulation of carcasses during the wet season, when the southern Serengeti short-grass plains undergo the effect of the famous wildebeest migration and this migratory species reaches the gorge. The ecological importance of this behaviour and its relevance as a proxy for reconstructing prehistoric carnivore behaviours are discussed.
dc.identifier.citationDomínguez-Rodrigo, Manuel, Organista, Elia, Baquedano, Enrique, et al.. "Neo-taphonomic analysis of the Misiam leopard lair from Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania): understanding leopard–hyena interactions in open settings." <i>Royal Society Open Science,</i> 9, no. 7 (2022) The Royal Society: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.220252.
dc.identifier.digitalrsos-220252
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.220252
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/113172
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherThe Royal Society
dc.rightsPublished by the Royal Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, which permits unrestricted use, provided the original author and source are credited.
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/,
dc.titleNeo-taphonomic analysis of the Misiam leopard lair from Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania): understanding leopard–hyena interactions in open settings
dc.typeJournal article
dc.type.dcmiText
dc.type.publicationpublisher version
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