Easy prey: opportunistic predation of great fruit-eating bat (Artibeus lituratus) by ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) with ocular anomaly in Cerros de Amotape National Park, Tumbes, Peru
Despite their suitable size, bats (Chiroptera) represent rare to occasional prey for the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), a generalist carnivorous feline with a wide geographic distribution. This work documents the first observed predation of Artibeus lituratus, a Neotropical fruit bat, by Leopardus pardalis from a mist net in Peru. The individual L. pardalis exhibited an ocular anomaly—the absence of the tapetum lucidum reflex in its left eye—which could have affected its night vision. This observation highlights plasticity in the hunting behavior of L. pardalis, allowing this individual to persist despite likely visual limitations. In addition, this case underscores the value of ecological monitoring in documenting unusual interactions between predators and prey.
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