title: Energy cost and return for hunting in African wild dogs and cheetahs.
abstract: African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) are reported to hunt with energetically costly long chase distances. We used high-resolution GPS and inertial technology to record 1,119 high-speed chases of all members of a pack of six adult African wild dogs in northern Botswana. Dogs performed multiple short, high-speed, mostly unsuccessful chases to capture prey, while cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) undertook even shorter, higher-speed hunts. We used an energy balance model to show that the energy return from group hunting and feeding substantially outweighs the cost of multiple short chases, which indicates that African wild dogs are more energetically robust than previously believed. Comparison with cheetah illustrates the trade-off between sheer athleticism and high individual kill rate characteristic of cheetahs, and the energetic robustness of frequent opportunistic group hunting and feeding by African wild dogs.
authors.affiliation: Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield AL97TA, UK.
authors.forename: Tatjana Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Hubel
authors.affiliation: Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield AL97TA, UK.|School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
authors.forename: Julia P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Myatt
authors.affiliation: Botswana Predator Conservation Trust, Maun, Botswana.|Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2015, Australia.|Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Applied Eco-Logic Group, Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo, New South Wales 2830, Australia.
authors.forename: Neil R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.affiliation: Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield AL97TA, UK.
authors.forename: Oliver P
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Dewhirst
authors.affiliation: Botswana Predator Conservation Trust, Maun, Botswana.
authors.forename: J Weldon
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: McNutt
authors.affiliation: Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield AL97TA, UK.
authors.forename: Alan M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D002612:Acinonyx / Q000502:physiology*; D000349:Africa; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000502:physiology*; D001481:Basal Metabolism; D004285:Dogs / Q000502:physiology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D009068:Movement; D011235:Predatory Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D012420:Running