Consumption of wild rice (Oryza latifolia) by free-ranging jaguars, pumas, and ocelots (Carnivora-Felidae) in northwestern Costa Rica

Abstract

There is limited information about plant consumption by felid species, yet anecdotal evidence suggests that plants and grass are a complementary component in the diet of domestic and wild carnivores. We report opportunistic evidence of wild rice (Oryza latifoli) consumption by free-ranging jaguar (Panthera onca), puma (Puma concolor) and ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) with a camera trap and scats collected in Santa Rosa National Park, Costa Rica. Hence this note provides the first photographic evidence of O. latifolia consumption by felid species in the wild. We speculate that these felids might benefit from the pharmacological properties and fiber of this grass.