Sample-size effects on diet analysis from scats of jaguars and pumas.

The article focuses on sample-size effects on diet analysis from scats of jaguars and pumas. The impact of sample size on the number of taxa found in the diets of jaguars and pumas and the precision of estimates of the relative occurrence of common prey animals in jaguar and puma diets are studied. The study shows that the best sample size for diet analysis of the animals is at least 70 to 100 scats. Half of the recommended sample size will detect the primary prey but is unreliable for relative occurrence.