Feeding strategies assessment of endangered species during food limited seasons is important in order to understand their niche and advise effective habitat management steps. We assessed the four-horned antelope (Tetracerus quadricornis) seasonal diet from April 2014 to March 2015, in three wildlife sanctuaries in western India, namely, Sitamata, Kumbhalgarh, and Phulwari-ki-nal Wildlife Sanctuaries. Opportunistic focal animal sampling method was used in five 1 km paths in each sanctuary to take feeding observations. Each transect was walked three times a day (morning 06:00-10:00 h; mid-day 10:00-14:00 h; evening 15:00-18:00 h), 1 day a month, during 12 months, with a total of 540 surveys divided between 15 paths. The diet data was categorized into different plant categories. A total of 532 feeding records from 85 animal sightings were noted with a mean (± SD) of 14.78 ± 10.04 feeding records/month. Feeding was observed on 63 plant species belonging to 23 families. The highest feeding records noted were on trees (60.91%) in the diet followed by shrubs (20.49%), grasses (16.92%), forbs (1.50%), and climbers (0.18%) respectively. Most of the plant species consumed were from Fabaceae (n = 17) and Poaceae (n = 12) families. The overall browse-grass ratio was 83.08-16.92% (88.02-11.98% for Sitamata WLS; 82.11-17.89% for Kumbhalgarh WLS; 79.10-20.90% for Phulwari-ki-nal WLS). Leaves were the most consumed part of the plants (64.10%), followed by dry fruit (16.55%), fleshy fruit (13.34%), flowers (2.82%), buds (2.06%), and twigs (1.13%) respectively. Use of fleshy fruits, dry fruits, and trees showed significant seasonal dietary difference (P < 0.05) in all three sanctuaries. Tetracerus quadricornis was found to consume more browse species than grasses. We recommend conservation and promotion of natural plant regeneration, in particular for the plant species that were the most consumed by four-horned antelope, namely, Aristida adscensionis, Dendrocalamus strictus, Dichrostachys cinerea, Acacia leucophloea, Butea monosperma, Helicteres isora, Ziziphus nummularia, and Ziziphus xylopyrus. Conservation of grassland patches, minimizing local pressure, and planning, construction, and maintenance of fire lines prior to timing of forest fires would help to protected T. quadricornis habitat in all three sanctuaries.

中文翻译：

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四角羚羊（Tetracerus quadricornis de Blainville，1816）在印度西部拉贾斯坦邦阿拉瓦利山脉热带落叶林的季节性饮食习惯

在食物有限的季节评估濒危物种的饲养策略很重要，以便了解它们的生态位并为有效的栖息地管理步骤提供建议。我们评估了 2014 年 4 月至 2015 年 3 月在印度西部的三个野生动物保护区，即 Sitamata、Kumbhalgarh 和 Phulwari-ki-nal 野生动物保护区的四角羚羊（四角羚）季节性饮食。在每个保护区的 5 条 1 公里路径中使用机会性焦点动物采样方法进行摄食观察。每个样带每天走 3 次（早上 06:00-10:00 h；中午 10:00-14:00 h；晚上 15:00-18:00 h），每月 1 天，在 12 个月内，共有 540 个调查分为 15 个路径。饮食数据被分为不同的植物类别。记录了来自 85 次动物目击事件的总共 532 条喂养记录，平均 (± SD) 为 14.78 ± 10.04 条喂养记录/月。对属于 23 个科的 63 种植物进行了摄食。记录的最高摄食记录是饮食中的树木 (60.91%)，其次是灌木 (20.49%)、草 (16.92%)、杂草 (1.50%) 和攀缘植物 (0.18%)。消耗的大部分植物物种来自豆科 (n = 17) 和禾本科 (n = 12) 科。整体草料比率为 83.08-16.92%（Sitamata WLS 为 88.02-11.98%；Kumbhalgarh WLS 为 82.11-17.89%；Phulwari-ki-nal WLS 为 79.10-20.90%）。叶子是植物消耗最多的部分（64.10%），其次是干果（16.55%）、肉质果（13.34%）、花（2.82%）、芽（2.06%）和树枝（1.13%）。使用肉质水果、干果、和树木在所有三个保护区中都表现出显着的季节性饮食差异（P < 0.05）。发现四角四角草比草消耗更多的浏览物种。我们建议保护和促进天然植物再生，特别是对于四角羚羊消耗最多的植物物种，即 Aristida adscensionis、Dendrocalamus strictus、Dichrostachys cinerea、Acacia leucophloea、Butea monosperma、Helicteres isora、Ziziphus numularia、和 Ziziphus xylopyrus。在森林火灾发生之前保护草原斑块、最大程度地减少局部压力以及规划、建设和维护火线将有助于保护所有三个保护区的 T. quadricornis 栖息地。发现四角四角草比草消耗更多的浏览物种。我们建议保护和促进天然植物再生，特别是对于四角羚羊消耗最多的植物物种，即 Aristida adscensionis、Dendrocalamus strictus、Dichrostachys cinerea、Acacia leucophloea、Butea monosperma、Helicteres isora、Ziziphus numularia、和 Ziziphus xylopyrus。在森林火灾发生之前保护草原斑块、最大程度地减少局部压力以及规划、建设和维护火线将有助于保护所有三个保护区的 T. quadricornis 栖息地。发现四角四角草比草消耗更多的浏览物种。我们建议保护和促进天然植物再生，特别是对于四角羚羊消耗最多的植物物种，即 Aristida adscensionis、Dendrocalamus strictus、Dichrostachys cinerea、Acacia leucophloea、Butea monosperma、Helicteres isora、Ziziphus numularia、和 Ziziphus xylopyrus。在森林火灾发生之前保护草原斑块、最大程度地减少局部压力以及规划、建设和维护火线将有助于保护所有三个保护区的 T. quadricornis 栖息地。Dendrocalamus strictus, Dichrostachys cinerea, Acacia leucophloea, Butea monosperma, Helicteres isora, Ziziphus nummularia 和 Ziziphus xylopyrus。在森林火灾发生之前保护草原斑块、最大程度地减少局部压力以及规划、建设和维护火线将有助于保护所有三个保护区的 T. quadricornis 栖息地。Dendrocalamus strictus, Dichrostachys cinerea, Acacia leucophloea, Butea monosperma, Helicteres isora, Ziziphus nummularia 和 Ziziphus xylopyrus。在森林火灾发生之前保护草原斑块、最大程度地减少局部压力以及规划、建设和维护火线将有助于保护所有三个保护区的 T. quadricornis 栖息地。