Species composition and age structure of remains of hyraxes (Hyracoidea: Procaviidae) at nests of black eagles

Abstract

Hyraxes (Procavia capensis and Heterohyrax brucei) constitute the nearly exclusive prey of the black eagle (Aquila verreauxii) in the Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe. Skulls and mandibles of hyraxes were collected from within and beneath nests of 40 black eagles from October 1991 to May 1992. Skulls and mandibles of Heterohyrax were represented significantly more often (P < 0.01) at eagle nests than those of the equally abundant but larger Procavia. About 68% of Procavia and 86% of Heterohyrax fragments of skulls and mandibles collected were those of adults. Differential susceptibility of hyraxes to predation can be explained in part by their comparative accessibilities and sizes as prey for optimally foraging black eagles.