Encounter rates of carnivores with prey are dependent on spatial and temporal overlap, and are often highest with their preferred prey. The Critically Endangered Sumatran tiger Panthera tigris sumatrae is dependent on prey populations, but little is known about its prey preferences. We collected camera-trap data for 7 years (2010–2016) in Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, Sumatra, to investigate spatial and temporal overlap of tigers with potential prey species. We also developed a novel method to predict predator–prey encounter rates and potential prey preferences from camera-trap data. We documented at least 10 individual tigers, with an overall detection rate of 0.24 detections/100 trap nights. Tigers exhibited a diurnal activity pattern and had highest temporal overlap with wild boar Sus scrofa and pig-tailed macaques Macaca nemestrina, but highest spatial overlap with wild boar and sambar deer Rusa unicolor. We created a spatial and temporal composite score and three additional composite scores with adjustments for the spatial overlap and preferred prey mass. Wild boars ranked highest for all composite scores, followed by sambar deer, and both are known as preferred tiger prey in other areas. Spatial and temporal overlaps are often considered as separate indices, but a composite score may facilitate better predictions of encounter rates and potential prey preferences. Our findings suggest that prey management efforts in this area should focus on wild boar and sambar deer, to ensure a robust prey base for this Critically Endangered tiger population.

中文翻译：

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通过时空重叠预测苏门答腊虎的首选猎物 Panthera tigris Sumatrae

食肉动物与猎物的遭遇率取决于空间和时间的重叠，并且通常与它们首选的猎物相遇率最高。极度濒危的苏门答腊虎苏门答腊底格里斯豹依赖于猎物种群，但对其猎物偏好知之甚少。我们在苏门答腊的 Bukit Barisan Selatan 国家公园收集了 7 年（2010-2016 年）的相机陷阱数据，以研究老虎与潜在猎物物种的空间和时间重叠。我们还开发了一种新方法来预测捕食者与猎物的遭遇率和潜在的猎物偏好。我们记录了至少 10 只单独的老虎，总体检测率为 0.24 次/100 个陷阱之夜。老虎表现出昼夜活动模式，与野猪的时间重叠最高野猪和猪尾猕猴猕猴桃，但与野猪和水鹿的空间重叠度最高鲁萨单色. 我们创建了一个空间和时间综合得分和三个额外的综合得分，并对空间重叠和首选猎物质量进行了调整。野猪在所有综合得分中排名最高，其次是水鹿，两者都被称为其他地区的首选老虎猎物。空间和时间重叠通常被视为单独的指标，但综合得分可能有助于更好地预测遭遇率和潜在的猎物偏好。我们的研究结果表明，该地区的猎物管理工作应侧重于野猪和水鹿，以确保为这种极度濒危的老虎种群提供强大的猎物基础。