Relating residue in raccoon feces to food consumed
Feeding tests were conducted with captive raccoons (Procyon lotor) to permit more meaningful interpretation of food habit data obtained from fecal analysis. Ten diverse types of natural foods were offered in 20 tests. Digestibility coefficients were calculated that ranged from 3.6 for dry sunflowers, where considerable residue was recovered, to infinity for earthworms and boned meat where no residue was recovered. The influence of differences in both food and animal behavior on digestibility coefficients was significant (ANOVA, F<0.001). The use of digestibility coefficients to adjust quantitative estimates of fecal residue or to predict biomass consumed is of questionable value with raccoons due to variability in foods consumed and behavior of individual animals.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 1979 |
---|---|
Title | Relating residue in raccoon feces to food consumed |
DOI | 10.2307/2425085 |
Authors | Raymond J. Greenwood |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | American Midland Naturalist |
Index ID | 1001596 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |