Diversity is Key
The endangered Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi), unique to Amami-Oshima and Tokunoshima Islands, is threatened by habitat disturbance. To understand their dietary needs, we used fecal DNA metabarcoding to analyze the plant DNA in samples from six rabbits. Our analysis revealed a diverse diet comprising 85 different plant species, with individual rabbits consuming between 17 and 38 species. Notably, dietary composition varied considerably among individuals, with some exhibiting a strong preference for ferns. Diet diversity, measured by Simpson's Diversity Index (ranging from 0.328 to 0.889), underscores the critical importance of a varied plant diet for this species. These findings emphasize the urgent need for habitat preservation to ensure a stable food supply for Amami rabbits. Effective conservation strategies must prioritize maintaining their unique subtropical moist forest ecosystem and mitigating human-wildlife conflicts to promote long-term coexistence.
Sequence compositions of OTUs categorized into trees, herbs and ferns based on DNA metabarcoding analysis for six fecal samples from Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi).
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