Predator-prey size relationships in an African large-mammal food web

Owen-Smith and Mills assembled a detailed predation web for Kruger National Park, quantifying which predators kill which prey and in what proportions across the size spectrum. They mapped how lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog and hyena distribute their predation among ungulates of different masses, revealing strong size structuring and the disproportionate role of a few abundant prey species. The analysis showed how predator and prey body sizes jointly determine the architecture of the food web and the partitioning of prey among carnivores. By integrating kill data into a quantitative web, the study advanced understanding of how multiple felids and other predators share a diverse prey community and shape ungulate mortality patterns.