Ontogenetic dependence of Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) isotope diet-to-tissue discrimination factors.
Stephan WoodborneHannes BothaK D A HuchzermeyerJan MyburghGrant HallAlbert MyburghPublished in: Rapid communications in mass spectrometry : RCM (2021)
The diet-to-tissue discrimination factors help assess the diet of wild crocodiles. The diet of crocodiles from Lake Flag Boshielo shows a clear ontogenic shift, as has been seen in other studies, and the results strongly indicate a dependence on the terrestrial food web rather than a fish diet. That this population may exploit a terrestrial diet highlights potential conflicts for conserving Nile crocodiles outside protected areas.