New insights into predator–prey dynamics: First evidence of a leopard cat hunting coypus

Abstract

Abstract We present the first documented evidence of interactions between the leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus) and the invasive coypu (Myocastor coypus) in South Korea, captured through camera traps in Hwapocheon wetland park from May 2015 to April 2017. Two interactions were recorded: one showing a leopard cat carrying a carcass of sub‐adult coypu and the other a 4‐min sequence of predation and defense between two species. The observed interactions indicate active predatory behavior by the leopard cat against coypus and cooperative defense by coypus. These findings shed new light on predator–prey dynamics, highlighting the leopard cat's potential role as a predator of coypus and coypus' defensive abilities. Understanding these relationships could facilitate more effective management of invasive species and offer broader implications for ecosystem dynamics and conservation strategies.

Keywords

• cooperative defense
• coypu
• interspecies interaction
• invasive prey
• leopard cat