Résumé
Diet plays a pivotal role in the biology of apex predators, shaping their ecological niche, population dynamics, distribution, and adaptability to global changes. The African wolf (Canis lupaster), a large canid endemic to Africa, was recently delineated as a distinct species, taxonomically phagocytizing what was formerly considered the African golden jackal. In this study, we characterised for the first time through DNA metabarcoding the omnivorous diet of the African wolf based on faecal samples collected in northern Algeria. Our results highlighted PCR false negatives in COI (arthropods), while 12S (vertebrates) and trnl (plants) were, respectively, prone to host DNA over-representation and lower taxonomic resolution. Despite these limitations, DNA metabarcoding detected a broader range of consumed items than the morphological analysis applied to the faecal samples, and revealed two vertebrate species, one order of arthropods, and 11 plant families not previously described as part of the African wolf's diet. The African wolf exhibited an overall reliance on vertebrates and plants with both wild and domestic origins, suggesting yet unobserved cooperative hunting of large prey (wild boar) and regular feeding on livestock carcasses in anthropized areas. Our results indicate that the species employs an opportunistic foraging strategy, with a seasonal shift driven by the abundant consumption of a cultivated fruit (Ficus carica) in summer. Because reliance on farming activities might exacerbate conflicts with humans, there is a need for better knowledge on the foraging strategies of the African wolf, to which further improved, multigene DNA metabarcoding can contribute.