Food procurement and transport by human and non-human predators

This study investigates food procurement and transport habits of a variety of large social predators in order to develop reliable criteria for identifying hunting and scavenging strategies of hominids from Pleistocene archaeofaunas. The study is concerned with ungulates in the intermediate body size range and focuses upon anatomical composition of bone accumulations in natural shelters. The comparisons document strong links between predator strategies, assemblage size and anatomical content, and some spatial characteristics of food supply. By using non-human predator behaviours as an independent source of measurement, the study demonstrates significant niche separation between Middle and Upper Paleolithic hominids in Mediterranean Europe. Implications for actualistic studies of food transport by modern humans are discussed in light of these findings.